FOOTBALL: A late Dirk Kuyt strike put Liverpool into the fifth round of the FA Cup at the expense of arch-rivals Manchester United following a fractious FA Cup clash.
Efforts from Daniel Agger and Park Ji Sung looked likely to take the tie
to a replay as the bad blood between both sets of fans threatened to
become the main talking point from what was far from a classic Cup
encounter.
But the Dutchman's rifled finish two minutes from time saw Liverpool through to the delight of Kenny Dalglish.
"I think it was a fantastic effort from our players," he said.
"The commitment, the attitude, the desire to get results was fantastic, and I can't speak highly enough of them after that performance and result out there today.
"It's a great day for us to go through to the next round of the FA Cup and to beat Manchester United 2-1 is a great achievement for everyone."
Both clubs made explicit pre-match efforts to defuse the ill-feeling between their fans in what was their first meeting since the altercation between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, and despite a spiky atmosphere and the relentless heckling of the French full-back, Dalglish praised fans and players alike for their conduct.
"I think both sets of the fans were magnificent adverts for the club, and both clubs can be very proud of the fans that they had here," he said.
"The media played this part in going through the process during the week to try to maintain dignity and respect on the football pitch and to concentrate on the football, and that's what we did. That's what the players did, and that's what the fans did.
"I don't think there was anything there that was untoward."
Agger headed Liverpool in front on 21 minutes as his effort eluded David de Gea, but the hosts otherwise struggled to threaten the calamitous Spaniard's goal as the hard-working Andy Carroll cut an isolated figure as a lone target-man.
United meanwhile struggled to convert their superior possession into chances, but levelled five minutes before the break through Park, who drilled in Rafael's cross after the full-back breezed past a weak Jose Enrique challenge.
Both teams struggled to impose themselves in a disjointed second half, but as a replay loomed the tireless Carroll flicked a towering header through to Kuyt, who escaped from Evra to slam home the winner.
But the Dutchman's rifled finish two minutes from time saw Liverpool through to the delight of Kenny Dalglish.
"I think it was a fantastic effort from our players," he said.
"The commitment, the attitude, the desire to get results was fantastic, and I can't speak highly enough of them after that performance and result out there today.
"It's a great day for us to go through to the next round of the FA Cup and to beat Manchester United 2-1 is a great achievement for everyone."
Both clubs made explicit pre-match efforts to defuse the ill-feeling between their fans in what was their first meeting since the altercation between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, and despite a spiky atmosphere and the relentless heckling of the French full-back, Dalglish praised fans and players alike for their conduct.
"I think both sets of the fans were magnificent adverts for the club, and both clubs can be very proud of the fans that they had here," he said.
"The media played this part in going through the process during the week to try to maintain dignity and respect on the football pitch and to concentrate on the football, and that's what we did. That's what the players did, and that's what the fans did.
"I don't think there was anything there that was untoward."
Agger headed Liverpool in front on 21 minutes as his effort eluded David de Gea, but the hosts otherwise struggled to threaten the calamitous Spaniard's goal as the hard-working Andy Carroll cut an isolated figure as a lone target-man.
United meanwhile struggled to convert their superior possession into chances, but levelled five minutes before the break through Park, who drilled in Rafael's cross after the full-back breezed past a weak Jose Enrique challenge.
Both teams struggled to impose themselves in a disjointed second half, but as a replay loomed the tireless Carroll flicked a towering header through to Kuyt, who escaped from Evra to slam home the winner.
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