Ryan Babel scored a second half winner as Liverpool beat Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield in the Premier League’s early kick-off.

It was Liverpool’s first win against United under Rafa Benitez.

United started the match brightly with good passing football.

Debutant Dimitar Berbatov sliding a cross from the by-line into the path of Tevez, who blasted the ball across the keeper and into the top right-hand corner of the net.

United looked worth their lead as they continued to pin back the Liverpool defence.

Liverpool had the odd chance themselves.

Dirk Kuyt went close with a fizzing shot from the edge of the area three minutes later.

Van der Sar was beaten but the ball sailed wide of the far post.

Kuyt went close again six minutes later when Van der Sar flapped at a cross only to redeem himself by saving on the line after Kuyt shot low through a crowded box.

Goalscorer Tevez was booked for a clumsy challenge on Fabio Aurelio on 21 minutes.

Then disaster struck for the United defence.

Van der Sar was again at fault as he flapped another cross only this time it proved much more costly.

The ball cannoned off the oncoming Wes Brown and trickled across the line to make it 1-1.

That bit of luck seemed to rally the Liverpool fans and their team responded as they began to pressure United for the first time in the match.

At half time the score seemed a fair reflection of the game.

Ryan Giggs came on for injured Michael Carrick at the start of the second half as Liverpool continued to dominate possession.

After 56 minutes Yossi Benayoun got round the back of Nemanja Vidic after a low pass from Robbie Keane but his shot was saved by Van der Sar.

United began to look increasingly unsettled defensively as Liverpool continued to dominate possession.

Paul Scholes was replaced by Owen Hargreaves on the hour mark to try and give United a stronger foothold in the game.

Liverpool responded by bringing on Steven Gerrard to replace Benayoun a minute later.

Giggs had one of United’s scarce chances as his looping shot from outside the area was tipped over by Pepe Reina twenty minutes from time.

Rafa Benitez decided to make a change in attack as Liverpool pushed for the winner.

Ryan Babel coming on for Albert Riera.

It proved to be a master stroke for Benitez as seven minutes later Giggs failed to clear, instead giving away possession under pressure from Javier Mascherano.

Kuyt crossed low into the area and Babel powered a shot past Van der Sar, high into the centre of the goal to make it 2-1.

United looked out of ideas as they sent Vidic upfront.

Things went from bad to worse as he was sent off for a second bookable offence in the final minute.

He will now miss the trip to Chelsea next weekend.

At the final whistle Liverpool were very much deserved winners.

A delighted Benitez said: “The fans deserved the win and so do the players after their fantastic work-rate and effort they have put in.”

Ferguson on the other hand will have more questions to answer before the start of United’s Champions League title defence against Villarreal on Wednesday.

He said: “We can take nothing positive from this.

“We didn’t have one performer on the pitch apart from possibly Rio Ferdinand.

“It was disappointing.”

Premier League Results

Blackburn 0-4 Arsenal
Fulham 2-1 Bolton
Liverpool 2-1 Man Utd
Man City 1-3 Chelsea
Newcastle 1-2 Hull
Portsmouth 2-1 Middlesbrough
West Brom 3-2 West Ham
Wigan 1-1 Sunderland

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