Jon Mcleod
Andrew MacdougallThe final word on the weekend : Liverpool's not so shocking result
The result was a truly shocking: Manchester United 1 Liverpool 4. The events were even more shocking: Liverpool comeback from a goal down at Old Trafford to hit four past the best defence in the league with the player of the season (Nemanja Vidic) rendered a nervous wreck before seeing red. And yet it should have come as no surprise.
This is a Liverpool team capable of the incredible one-off results. Take the 4-0 defeat of Real Madrid as corroborative evidence. With two truly world-class operators in Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, backed by a gang of able and efficient support staff, Liverpool have a team capable of overturning anyone on any day. But not everyone on everyday.
Inconsistency has blighted their season and it is by no accident. Two world-class players can sustain a cup run, such as in Europe, but they cannot shoulder a 38-game push for the title. In Europe, an able squad can negotiate the early rounds with the latter stages overcome with a touch of class from Gerrard or Torres. However, with injuries, suspensions and lulls in form, two players cannot be relied upon to generate results season round in a league scenario. It is why Manchester United will win the league; they have five or six players who will earn their share of points throughout the season with late goals and decisive interventions. Liverpool do not have enough resources to be consistent.
As for the game, the margin of victory masked the evenness of exchanges. Both side’s had their periods of ascendancy, particularly United in the opening quarter and Liverpool in the closing quarter, and with any top-class encounter of this level, inches given resulted in miles taken. Ultimately three individual errors had a hefty price for United. Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra were the gift givers, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres the ruthless recipients.
Saturday’s result is likely to be revealed as the most hollow of trumpeted victories.
Elsewhere the weekend’s action remained loyal to the theme of prolonging the angst and intrigue of the season. Once again the teams in lower reaches failed to take decisive steps towards survival, except Tottenham winning 2-1 at Aston Villa. Middlesbrough drew with Portsmouth, Hull drew Newcastle, Sunderland lost to Wigan, Stoke lost to Everton, Blackburn lost to Arsenal and Bolton lost 3-1 to Fulham
The nine teams, from Tottenham down, all reek of fear and remain highly vulnerable to the end of season flush. Their focuses are now firmly locked on scrapping for survival, paralysed by fear they can’t help but look down making a dramatic surge up the standing unlikely. With ten games remaining for most, it looks as though relegation will be determined by who does worst rather than who does best.
