As it happened: Liverpool v United

  LIVERPOOL 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED 

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Commentary by Sport24 freelancer, Carlo Petersen

16:38 - Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel: "I think everybody is working very hard and showing the attitude, character and desire to win. We're very happy."

16:34 - Could this be Liverpool's season? Still early days but the Reds have started the season well enough. United still lacking in midfield. It looks like it's going to be an interesting season!

16:29 - That's three 1-0 wins for Liverpool in the Premier League so far this season, with Sturridge scoring the winner in all three matches.

16:26 - Full-time! That's it folks. Liverpool walk away winners today after Sturridge's early first-half strike. Well played to the hosts!

16:23 - PICTURE:

Giggs has some words with referee Andre Marriner. United have failed to make the pressure count today.

16:19 - Five minutes of extra time added. And we all thought Fergie had retired!

16:16 - Shoo! How did Van Persie miss that one? Clear cut opportunity for a goal there but he shoots over. Two minutes left!

16:15 - Liverpool bring on Alberto for Coutinho with five minutes of the 90 remaining.

16:13 - Liverpool are defending well. Hernandez now tries his luck from outside the box but it's an easy save from Mignolet. Hardly any threat from the Reds in the second half.

16:10 - Nani is looking sharp for United. The winger cuts in field, rides a tackle, and unleashes a scorching shot from 25 yards. Mignolet sees it late but manages to steer it away from the bottom corner and ball breaks to Valencia who sends it back into the six yard box but Liverpool survive again and clear to safety.

16:05 - PICTURE:

Thumbs-up: Brendan Rodgers looks happy with his team's performance so far today. The Liverpool manager has done well tactically.

15:56 - Young, who has served little purpose for the visiting team, is replaced by Nani. 

15:54 - Substitution: Liverpool give Raheem Sterling a run in place of Iago Aspas in the 60th minute. Welbeck goes down in the penalty area and is all arms in the air. Moyes is also fuming but his appeals are futile.The refs waves play-on.

15:51 - PICTURE:

Goal: Man United look on in dismay as Sturridge scores for Liverpool during the first-half at Anfield.

15:46 - United are upping the ante now. Valencia turns on the gas in the area and looks to be fouled by Enrique.The winger stays on his feet and has to settle for a corner which Mignolet clear. Then Mignolet and Agger go for the same cross and the loose ball finds Evra around 30 yards out but his volley is deflected.

15:40 - Good spell here for Man United as Young fires in a shot from the edge of the area. His attempt is deflected away by Agger though. The Devils press on.

15:35 - Johnson clears a cross from the right. The resulting corner comes to nothing as United look to get back into this game with an early second-half goal. Liverpool still the better side though. They are working harder, and are tackling with greater intent. They also seem to have a bit more quality in midfield thanks to the presence of Coutinho. United need to bring in a top-class midfielder. Begs the question: Where is Kagawa??

15:33 - The players are back on the field to get the second-half underway. Liverpool to get the match going again.

15:28 - Sturridge has scored 100% of Liverpool's goals in the BPL this season - 3 in each 3 matches - and scored 2 in their 4-2 League Cup win against Notts County. The lad is in top form it seems.

15:19 - HALF-TIME: The Reds are up one goal to nil.

15:16 - Approaching half-time now. Two minutes added on. It's been a fast-paced first-half and Liverpool have done really well to get a goal from it. Players crowding the ref now to debate a foul from Van Persie.

15:13 - Now Carrick gets booked after putting a stop to a Liverpool counter with a cynical foul on Aspas.

15:12 - Marriner shows a yellow card to Van Persie for a silly foul after losing the ball to Agger.

15:11 - Jones limps off to be replaced by Antonio Valencia.

15:07 - TWEET:

Could watch Coutinho all day. Fabulous little player. - @GaryLineker

15:05 - Coutinho has been brilliant for Liverpool so far today. Really good prospect for the Reds - talented little man.

15:01 - Reds captain Gerrard gets a free kick over the Man Utd wall, but it doesn't trouble De Gea, who saves comfortably.

14:55 - The ref gets in on the action by interupting a United attack with an accidental header, he sets up a Liverpool attack, but De Gea is quickly out of his area and somewhat ominously clears the through ball away from Sturridge.

14:53 - Referee Andre Marriner is called to action as Coutinho cuts in from the left. He gets brought down by Giggs. No yellow card, and the free kick from Gerrard is cleared by Vidic.

14:51 - Welbeck makes his way into the area and is stopped by Johnson. The ball almost finds Van Persie but the Reds get it out to safety. 

14:47 - Young puts a low, in-swinging corner in which goes all the way through the six yard box. The ball is missed completely by Carrick, Welbeck and Van Persie. The Liverpool defence misses it as well and the ball bounces out for a goal kick.

14:44 - Despite being behind United look dangerous going forward. Evra and Welbeck pull off an intricate one-two on the edge of the area but Welbeck's shot is saved comfortably by Mignolet.

14:43 - It's end-to-end stuff at Anfield right now as Coutinho shoots wide from outside the box. These guys need to calm down - there's still another 85 minutes to go!

14:40 - As expected it has been quite a frenetic start to the match. United attack as a cross in from Giggs is met at the far post by Evra and Van Persie tries a bicycle kick just inside the six yard box which goes over the bar.

14:37 - The goal came from Liverpool's first corner of the game which was met with a powerful header from Daniel Agger who got in ahead of Rio Ferdinand. The header was helped into the net by Sturridge, who has now scored a goal in every game this season, this time with a flicked back header into the net.

14:34 - Liverpool get the perfect start with Sturridge getting the early goal for the home team from a corner.

14:33 - Wow!! GOAL!!

14:33 - Tomorrow would have been Bill Shankley's 100th birthday, and there was a minute of applause prior to kick off in his memory. A banner on The Kop reads "Bill Shankley 1913-1981, He Made People Happy".

14:30 - This highly anticipated match is underway with Man United getting the ball rolling at Anfield. Attempts by United fans to drown out 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is not going down too well with the Reds faithful.

14:21 - Big news ahead of this clash is that Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been ruled out due to a head injury. The England forward sustained the injury in an accidental collision with a team-mate during training on Saturday. Get the full story...

14:14 - WHAT THE 'EXPERT'S SAY...

Sport24's resident English Premiership 'experts' agree they have little to no idea how today's match will pan out...

14:10 - LATEST LOG

Click to view the latest English Premiership standings heading into today's match

14:00 - TEAM NEWS

Liverpool's Kolo Toure and Joe Allen are doubts after being forced off through injury against Notts County in the League Cup.

Martin Skrtel has recovered from a knee problem but fellow defender Aly Cissokho is out for at least four weeks with an ankle injury.

Manchester United defender Phil Jones is expected to play despite hurting his back against Chelsea.

Wayne Rooney could keep his starting spot after impressing against the Blues on Monday.

14:00 - MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

- Manchester United are chasing a fourth consecutive win against Liverpool. The previous three wins have all been by a 2-1 scoreline
- The Red Devils' victory away to Liverpool last season was their first win in six league and cup games at Anfield
- David Moyes failed to win at Anfield in 12 league and cup games as Everton manager (D7, L5)

Liverpool

- The Reds are hoping to win their first three Premier League games for the first time since 1994.
- The last time they began a top-flight season with three successive clean sheets was in 2005/06, when they recorded shut-outs in their opening four games

Manchester United

- Last Monday's goalless draw against Chelsea ended the Red Devils' run of 82 league matches without a goalless draw
- The last time they drew back-to-back top-flight matches 0-0 was in March 1992, against Wimbledon and then QPR
- The champions have scored nine times in their last two away league games. The last time they failed to score in a top-flight away match was in the 1-0 loss at Norwich in November 2012

TEAMS:

Liverpool:

Mignolet; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique; Lucas, Henderson; Gerrard, Coutinho, Aspas; Sturridge.
Subs: Jones, Sterling, Wisdom, Kelly, Ibe, Flanagan, Alberto.

Manchester United:

De Gea; Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Young, Cleverley, Carrick, Giggs; Welbeck, Van Persie.
Subs: Lindegaard, Smalling, Buttner, Anderson, Nani, Valencia, Hernandez.