Sport 05-11-2001 Liverpool 3 - Manchester United 1 who: Manchester United what: Lose 3-1 to Liverpool where: Anfield, LIVERPOOL when: Yesterday morning snippet: "Liverpool, for some promotional stunt, placed a sofa in the centre circle before kick-off at Anfield yesterday," reports Henry Winter in The Telegraph, joking that Manchester United never got comfortable as Liverpool used them for a stepping stone to the top of the Premiership - albeit only for a few hours. "The moment the sofa was removed, Liverpool tore into the champions, inflicting on them the sort of high-speed, highly productive raids that used to characterise United, who played like strangers." "In the early part of the game Alex Ferguson`s team looked organised and tactically well-disciplined," says David Lacey in The Guardian, "but they came away from their third league defeat of the season looking a distinctly limited company." Two-goal Michael Owen was clearly man of the match, says The Mirror, "exposing Manchester United`s defence for the shambles it so clearly is," writes David Maddock. "His pace unnerved the visiting defence to such an extent that by the end they were a quivering wreck." Sir Alex Ferguson hinted at a shake-up in the club as he admitted that Liverpool had worked harder for the win. "I do not enjoy being beaten by Liverpool and we will have to see if my players respond," he says in The Sun. "Perhaps the international break has come at a good time. It might give my players time to think." [... more]

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