Manchester United moved five points clear of Liverpool in the race for a Champions League spot courtesy of a 2-1 victory over their bitter rivals at Anfield this afternoon.

Juan Mata opened the scoring after just 14 minutes, and United's position appeared to be strengthened at the start of the second half when Steven Gerrard, who came on as a substitute at the break, was sent off within seconds of his introduction.

A stunning second from Mata put the visitors in complete control, but Daniel Sturridge handed the hosts a glimmer of hope by pulling one back with 20 minutes remaining.

They could not complete the turnaround, however, and it could have been even worse late on as Wayne Rooney saw a penalty saved by Simon Mignolet in the last minute of stoppage time.

Here, Sports Mole delves a little deeper into a dramatic 90 minutes on Merseyside.

Match statistics

LIVERPOOL
Shots: 7
On target: 1
Possession: 42%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 14

MAN UTD
Shots: 6
On target: 4
Possession: 58%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 17

Was the result fair?

This is a tricky one to answer. Manchester United were by far and away the better team in the opening 35 minutes, beating Liverpool to everything and controlling the game at their own tempo with ease. Liverpool did improve towards the end of the first half, but the visitors were still entirely worthy of their lead at the interval. However, there was much less intensity about their play in the second half and it was the hosts who edged things after the break despite their numerical disadvantage.

Whether the Reds could have completed the comeback had they kept their full complement on the field is up for debate. They certainly showed enough signs in the second half to suggest that they could have turned things around, although Gerrard's red may have been the catalyst for that. It galvanised the hosts to an extent, but also made United take things a little easier. They became a little complacent and, had Liverpool got an equalising goal, Louis van Gaal's side would have only had themselves to blame.

It ended up being a lot tighter than it should have been for United. After the second goal, there was a short period when Liverpool looked as though they were there for the taking, but the visitors were content to simply keep possession rather than go for a killer blow. Liverpool's response with the odds stacked against them in the second half was admirable, but, over the full 90 minutes, United just about edged it and deserve the three points.

Liverpool's performance

The two teams came into today's game as evenly matched as they have been for some time and with a Champions League spot hanging in the balance. The atmosphere at kickoff mirrored such high stakes, but, on the pitch, it was a lukewarm start from the hosts. Some of their passing was really poor as they struggled to keep hold of the ball and spent much of their time chasing United shadows. They were unable to press high up the field as they usually do, while long balls forward to Marouane Fellaini caused problems.

Adam Lallana then missed Liverpool's only chance of the first half but, despite not scoring, it sparked the hosts into life. They made a strong end to the half and would have gone into the break feeling encouraged. What happened in the opening moments of the second half is scarcely believable as Gerrard saw red for a stamp on Ander Herrera moments after clattering into Mata. The first challenge was good and got the fans out of their seats, but he overstepped the mark with the second, letting his emotions get the better of him. It was an unfortunate incident in his final appearance in this fixture, but he left Martin Atkinson with little choice other than to produce a straight red card.

Far from being discouraged by the red, Liverpool responded well and took advantage of United's decreased level of pace and intensity both on and off the ball. Mata's second goal was a moment of magic and ultimately proved to be the difference, but the hosts made a really good fist of it in the second half. They deserved to pull a goal back through Sturridge but did not create too many chances to get what would have been an impressive point under the circumstances.

One shot on target speaks volumes for their lack of a direct threat to David de Gea's goal, and that proved to be key in the end. The defeat is a big blow to Liverpool's top-four ambitions and leaves them five points adrift of the Red Devils in the final Champions League spot, but they do have a chance to recover some ground on those above them when they face Arsenal after the international break. They will need a better all-round performance than today's, though.

Man Utd's performance

The nature of United's victory over Tottenham Hotspur last week gave the team huge boost, and they carried that into the opening stages of today's match. They dominated possession for the majority of the first half at Anfield, comfortably knocking the ball around inside the Liverpool half and preventing the hosts from getting any joy going forward. There is no doubt that they deserved to take the lead through Mata having bossed the opening exchanges like few have managed at Anfield.

There was a slight wobble after Lallana's miss, but they would have gone into the break feeling very happy with their work up to that point. The only downside may have been the lack of chances they created despite being on top for so long, with Mata's goal their only clear opening in the first 45 minutes. Gerrard's moment of madness right at the start of the second half put the visitors into an even more commanding position, but it ended up having a detrimental effect on the team.

They became complacent and didn't play with the same tempo and intensity that had served them so well in the first half. It was as though they knew they needed to be at their best to win 11 vs. 11, but with a numerical advantage they thought they could take their foot off the pedal. They were fortunate not to be punished for that, and Mata's spectacular second helped a lot in that respect. It came at a time when Liverpool were on top and gave United that much-needed cushion.

The fans could smell blood, but United opted not to go for the killer blow, instead trying to consolidate their lead by keeping the ball away from Liverpool. That almost backfired when Sturridge pulled one back, but the visitors were able to hold on. Rooney's late missed penalty did not prove to be costly in the end, and Van Gaal's side picked up a crucial victory that puts them in the driving seat for the final Champions League spot. A tough run-in awaits them, but it is very much in their own hands now.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Juan Mata: The Spaniard enjoyed arguably his best 90 minutes in a United shirt today. He was deployed out wide but cut in to devastating effect, proving the difference with his two goals. His first was very nicely taken, but the second was something special as he fired an acrobatic volley into the bottom corner.

Biggest gaffe

The stage was set for Gerrard coming off the bench in his final appearance in this fixture. Liverpool needed experience and something to drive them forward, and the skipper looked like the perfect man to fit the bill. Just 48 seconds after his half-time introduction, however, Gerrard was on his way back to the dressing room for a mindless stamp on Herrera. His first challenge on Mata was a crunching one that got the crowd going, but the stamp moments later was pure stupidity. He has had many great moments in this fixture, but he let his side down today.

Referee performance

Atkinson was the man in charge of this notoriously feisty fixture, and he had his hands full today. The talking point is, of course, Gerrard's red. It was a huge decision for the referee so soon after the skipper had come on, particularly with it being his final meeting with United. However, he was given little choice but to produce a straight red card and he got that decision spot on, with a little help from his linesman.

Phil Jones was perhaps fortunate not to also get his marching orders for a challenge on Jordan Henderson that was late and high, having earlier escaped punishment for clattering into Lallana. There were also flashpoints involving Rooney and Martin Skrtel in which both players appeared to leave a foot in on the opposition goalkeeper. The penalty was the right decision late on as Emre Can committed a clumsy challenge in the box, and overall Atkinson dealt with a tricky assignment relatively well.

What next?

Liverpool: Liverpool face a trip to the Emirates to take on in-form Arsenal after the international break.

Man Utd: United, meanwhile, play Aston Villa at Old Trafford when the Premier League resumes next month.