How Does It Feel?: Liverpool 2 - United 1

Anyone else nearly hit their ceiling fan leaping after Kuyt's bolt hit the twine?

What's so satisfying about this one is it's what United have done to Liverpool and others so many times I get dizzy just thinking about it. A back-and-forth match that looks to be petering out, a draw is probably the most fair result if not a reverse against United, and then they pop up with a winner at the death. Solskjaer, Ferdinand, O'Shea (fuck me), just recalling the names and the times it's happened to Liverpool makes the rage-vomit rise through my esophagus. To turn the tables on them, to give them the punch to the solar plexus, well, it makes me so giddy I basically have to punch myself in the balls just to get back to close to normal.

That's two Manchester clubs out in four days. It's a Final and now status as probably joint favorites for another. It's a returning swagger, and a buoyancy about the club again. Maybe it only last this week, maybe it carries throughout the rest of the season. Whatever, all I know is it feels pretty damn good right now.

Bullets:

-Let's get this out of the way now. The booing of Patrice Evra was illogical and pretty disgusting. We knew it was coming, and there was little to be done to stop it. But the facts just don't back it up. While Evra probably is an utter tool, he hasn't really done anything wrong. While the justice meted out to Luis Suarez still feels harsh, it wasn't Evra handing down the decision. All he did was file the complaint, and after we've all seen the evidence, he was right to do so. Yes, we all feel that Suarez was hard done by to a degree, and seeing as how the suits at the FA don't come out on the pitch to get booed, Evra was the only target to take out frustrations on. That doesn't make it right, and now the return in two weeks to Old Trafford, is probably going to be even more poisonous.

As for the fan caught making monkey gestures at him, I hope he's hung from some high point by his scrotum. I'm sure most Liverpool supporters agree with that sentiment, but sadly we'll probably get thrown in with him. That's what makes idiots like him just so abhorrent, because he drags those of us with a brain and actual oxygen in our systems with him.

-Still, I'm glad Evra totally fell asleep for Kuyt's winner.

-While it's easy to blame Carragher's inclusion in midfield for the sagging of the Liverpool line, allowing the United midfield the space they nearly torched the Reds with, Carragher did his best and I'm not sure there were too many other options. Spearing wasn't ready to be included, and either Adam was gassed from the two other games played this week or wasn't trusted for a whole 90 minutes. But United couldn't take full advantage, and Kenny Dalglish sure didn't hesitate to change it when it was called for. And that changed the match.

-For the love of God, stop playing Downing on the right.

-Of course I mock him mercilessly in the preview, and Paul Scholes pretty much puts on a masterclass in the 1st half. Thankfully, when actually facing an opposing force, he quickly faded from the match. As did Ryan Giggs.

-Some quotes I've seen after the match go out of their way to praise Andy Carroll. Some have gone out of their way to shout those down. For me, the truth is in the middle. He was pretty good today, and if nothing else just creates space by occupying so many defenders. A hand in both goals, and that headed through ball for Kuyt just couldn't have been rolled out any more perfect. Also, it brought about that powerful, "The fuck you gonna do about it?" strut from Carroll that we saw last year with Newcastle, if only for five to ten minutes. For me, he must start against Wolves to see if he can't build on it. But that doesn't mean there weren't times when he still looks ponderous, sluggish, and all the touch of a prison guard.

-Dirk Kuyt's ability to just be there at the right time in the most important matches still make him somewhat indispensable, even if there's no discernable skill that would suggest he shouldn't be chucked at the nearest highway exit.

-It's rare that I've seen a Liverpool team remove a midfielder and put on another striker in a tied game with United. And when United countered by throwing on Javier Hernandez, I felt like the black hood was being put over my eyes. Glad it worked. So, so glad.

Not that I usually opt for quoting the man, especially when he's the losing manager on the day. But football....bloody hell.