3) Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United, Premier League 09-10 Season (25 October 2009)
In what became Rafa Benitez’s final, and worst season in charge of the Reds, they went into their first derby of the season in jittery form. Without Fernando Torres playing for many of their initial games of the season, they were in historically poor form. United had problems of their own to deal with, following the departures of Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, but they had started off the season in league-winning nick. Rooney, particularly, was in ominous form.
In a tight, end-to-end half in which neither side was quite clinical enough, Torres finally broke through on a Yossi Benayoun through ball, muscled his way past the attentions of a despairing Rio Ferdinand and placed a shot into the roof of the near post. Following this 65th-minute breakthrough, Torres was substituted in order to keep him fit for upcoming matches, while David Ngog was sent on.
The final minutes were full of epic, helter-skelter football as the game was stretched and clearer opportunities fell to both sides. The tackles became lazier and reckless, and Vidic earned himself another red card. Liverpool’s man advantage did not last long, however, as Mascherano himself clattered into van der Sar, who was attempting a clearance quite far away from goal.
Antonio Valencia grazed the crossbar off a chance fashioned by substitute Michael Owen, who was roundly booed by Liverpool fans on his comeback to Anfield with United. David Ngog applied the finishing touch to a stoppage-time counterattack, slotting the ball past van der Sar after being played through by Lucas Leiva, and his touch was responded to by mad celebrations by both the players and fans.
