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MOTD- Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool

By on September 25, 2013
Javier Hernandez stabs home the only goal of the match as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1-0

Javier Hernandez stabs home the only goal of the match as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1-0

Memories of the Etihad stadium and Manchester City faded out of Manchester United minds as David Moyes’ side fought tooth and nail to earn a 1-0 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford.  Only four days after a 4-1 Manchester derby loss, Manchester United bounced back with Javier Hernandez bagging in the second half to send an on-form Liverpool crashing out of the Capital One Cup.

Although Luis Suarez returned for the first time since receiving from a ten-match ban earned back in April when he bit Branislav Ivanovic, the Uruguayan just failed to make a bit impact, with United managing an explosive start to the match.  Moyes’ side kept much of the possession in the opening minutes, but as Liverpool started to work their way back into the match they nearly found themsevles in front twenty-one minutes into the match.  A superb Jose Enrique long ball from the left fell to the foot of Suarez on the right side of the box, but Suarez’s touch was slightly to big and the forward was only able to poke a shot into the arms of the oncoming David De Gea.

Liverpool then took control, but Hernandez poked a shot from a tight angle on the right over the bar and United bounced back as the match shifted on to the second half.  Moyes’ half-time talk even worked wonders, with Hernandez giving The Red Devils the lead in the forty-sixth minute. Wayne Rooney clipped a corner towards the near post from the right, and after Steven Gerard pitifully failed at an attempt to head it clear the ball bounced to an unmarked Hernandez, who stabbed an awkward volley from six yards past Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet into the back of the net.

Brendan Rodgers side mustered up a harsh reaction, as Jordan Henderson snapped a low side-footer just wide from fifteen yards out before Suarez volleyed a corner into the side netting.  The Red’s came so close to making soemthing of their best chance of the match when Chris Smalling headed a dangerous Gerrard cross from the left wide, only for it to fall to Enrique at the back post.  The outside-back cut it back in the middle for Victor Moses to slam a powerful diving header towards the goal, forcing De Gea into a fine reaction save to parry it away.

Just seconds later Liverpool came within inches of scoring when Suarez curled a beautiful free-kick from twenty-yards out onto the top crossbar, but it seemed not to be Liverpool’s night.

Rooney attempted to match Suarez’s free-kick in the seventy-fifth minute as his curler from the edge of the box was fabulously pushed wide by Mignolet, yet the forward forced another acrobatic save out of Mignolet with a ferocious dipping effort moments later.

As the match neared it’s end Liverpool fought for an equalizer, and nearly found one when a cross was deflected towards the back of the net by Phil Jones, with De Gea just managing to nudge it out at the near post.  But Rodger’s side could not find that crucial goal, and after three minutes of added time the match ended 1-0, sending United into the next round.
Man of the Match: Javier Hernandez

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.