Legend’s sending-off lost Liverpool the game, and probably a Champions League spot
Amoment of madness from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and a two-goal burst from Juan Mata made it a day to savour for Manchester United. And as United’s return to the Champions League moved a step closer, Chelsea maintained their pursuit of the English Premier League title with a slender win at Hull yesterday.
United were already leading at Anfield when Gerrard produced a red-card stamp only 32 seconds after coming off the bench at the start of the second half. But even with a man advantage, United were made to fight for their 2-1 victory. Juan Mata added to his first-half goal with a scissor-kick and Liverpool threatened a comeback after striker Daniel Sturridge scored.
United held on to pull five points clear of Liverpool to consolidate their grip on the fourth and final Champions League qualification place, prompting a swift apology from Gerrard.
“I have let my teammates and manager down today,” Gerrard said of his stamp on Ander Herrera. “Even more importantly I let all the supporters down.”
Last season, those fans were dreaming of the title before Liverpool finished runners-up — but now it is a fight for fourth.
Heading into the international break, Man United will now be looking upward in this season of recovery under Louis van Gaal, with City only two points ahead in second place and a Manchester derby to come on April 12 at Old Trafford.
United took 14 minutes to stun the home crowd at Anfield. Herrera threaded a pass between Liverpool defenders Alberto Moreno and Mamadou Sakho for Mata to run on to and clip a shot past Simon Mignolet.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers made a decisive change at halftime, taking Adam Lallana off in favour of the experience provided by the 34-year-old Gerrard, who joins Los
I have let my teammates and manager down
today. Steven Gerrard
Angeles Galaxy at the end of the season. But Gerrard’s temperament boiled over and the midfielder faces a three-game ban for his stamp on Herrera straight after a robust challenge on Mata.
“I tried to jump [Herrera’s] tackle, I saw his studs and I reacted wrong,” Gerrard said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know when you do something like that, especially at the timing of the game.”
At the top, Chelsea remain six points ahead of Manchester City with a game in hand after edging Hull 3-2.
After Eden Hazard and Diego Costa scored in the opening nine minutes for Chelsea, Hull scored twice in 74 seconds to draw level, but Loic Remy grabbed a second-half winner shortly after coming off the bench.
“We played fantastic football until the 2-0, obviously we lost a bit of quality after their two goals,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said.
“In the second half we recovered that good level of passing, movement football.”
It was a storming start for Chelsea — captain John Terry and Costa combined to set up Hazard’s opener after 78 seconds, and Chelsea’s lead was extended in the ninth minute. Chelsea was cruising until the 26th minute when Andrew Robertson burst past Willian and Branislav Ivanovic before crossing low for Hull winger Ahmed Elmohamady to slot into the net. Chelsea’s defence was in disarray and quickly conceded again. But Remy scored Chelsea’s winner in the 77th, only two minutes after replacing the injured Costa, with the shot squirming through McGregor’s hands.
Hull stayed three points above the relegation zone, but Queens Park Rangers moved closer to the drop with a 2-1 loss to Everton after Aaron Lennon’s winner.