PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"Utd 2-0 up with about 30 minutes left and three points in the bag. That is until Elleray started messing all Utd's work up. Sending off Irwin for no reason and then handing Liverpool a penalty for an excellent tackle from Blomqvist, and finally to sum up Manchester United's evening "Charlie-Boy" Paul Ince scored depth into stoppage time to leave Utd with only 1 point."

MATCH REPORT

By Paul Walker, PA Sport

Paul Ince scored the goal that could just stop his old club from winning the championship.

Two minutes from time the former Manchester United skipper scrambled Liverpool's equaliser over the line for a goal that struck like a dagger through the heart of his old employers.

Liverpool had been outplayed for well over an hour, but in a sensational comeback they pulled a two goal deficit back.

For Ince it was a sweet, sweet moment. Back in '92 he had been a United player at Anfield when Liverpool had stopped Alex Ferguson's men from winning the title on the last day of the season.

That day he had to listen to Liverpool hordes chanting "You've lost the league on Merseyside."

That anthem battered the ears of United and their fans again tonight, but this time Ince was a cavorting, air punching demon.

He'd been branded a 'big time Charlie' by Ferguson recently, and at the end the Kop fans were howling his name in delight.

United are now three points behind Arsenal, who won at Tottenham. They must still be marginal favourites with a game in hand, but it's going to be a mighty close run-in now.

For Liverpool it was the night their haunted stars found their pride.

At two down they were dead, and outclassed. But the red card for Denis Irwin in the 75th minute was a critical point. It gave Liverpool the belief that they could finally hurt bitter rivals who had passed and overtaken them in the last decade.

Now it could be the third time in eight seasons that United's title dreams have died on Merseyside. First there was '92, then in '95 and now '99. We will know in a 11 days time.

United had looked so assured. Back came Jaap Stam, Roy Keane and Andy Cole for United, but Liverpool - so stripped of anything like a quality strikeforce - reverted to a five at the back to counter a fearsome United front line and left Karlheinz Riedle up front on his own for long spells as they fought to contain United's machine.

The injuries and suspensions have made things far worse, but there can never have been a time when there was such a gulf between these sides, so comfortable did United look.

Liverpool responded to the ferocious wall of sound created by their fans, they chased, worked and battled. But where they had effort and commitment, United had class, calm and composure.

Nobody could question Liverpool's heart, certainly in the first half, but you wondered how long they could keep up the toil needed to contain a team who had gone 27 games without defeat.

Paul Ince's opening minutes were full of sheer intent, calling cards that a few years back would have struck fear in opponents...in those days, Manchester United's opponents.

Ince launched himself at Keane in one box, and within minutes thundered into Dwight Yorke at the other end. The Kop loved it, but Ince these days can't keep the Guv'nor image up for long. Liverpool found themselves pushed back and struggling to keep United at arms length.

Liverpool had some half chances when Rigobert Song juggled the ball into the middle and Steve McManaman couldn't direct a header, and then when Ronny Johnsen's half-hit back pass gave Oyvind Leonhardsen the hint of an opening until the giant hands of Peter Schmeichel swept up the danger.

But you could sense United's response was coming. It happened in the 22nd minute when Riedle and primarily McManaman failed to stem United's flow down the left some 50 yards out with what should have been a simple piece of two-on-two covering.

But David Beckham and Keane engineered the gap, Beckham was played down the right at lightning pace and the superbly struck cross on the run was met by an equally savage headed finish by York on the far post.

It was like watching a white hot knife searing through butter, Liverpool, despite all their intent and proud defiance, had been cut to pieces.

Beckham managed to upset the Kop by running in front of the Liverpool hordes as he celebrated, and then he collided with Jamie Carragher as he raced across the box to congratulate Yorke, turning to taunt his the Liverpool defender as he went.

Liverpool strived for the gaps to hit back, Dominic Matteo down the left on several occasions, and Leonardsen's industry, did their best.

But Stam was supreme, Keane asserting command, and only a fine crossfield ball from Jamie Redknapp that almost put Song away, threatened to unsettle the European Cup finalists.

In fact, they cut lose again two minutes from the break, with a lightning attack as a Liverpool attack broke down, and Beckham again produced the quality cross for Yorke to send in a diving header that Brad Friedel was forced to beat away.

Liverpool came out fighting after the break, still their only real attacking threat was McManaman running from deep, but they were still plugging away.

Matteo was played clear down the left by the Real Madrid bound star, and from his laid back cross, Ince hooked over as he raced into the box.

But any thought that there was a way back looked finished when referee Elleray awarded a penalty when Carragher's flying boot had poleaxed Jesper Blomqvist as he raced into the box.

It took fully two minutes to get the kick taken, Ince got involved in some pushing and shoving, virtually every player became involved but cool heads around soon defused the issue.

Denis Irwin stepped up to drill the spot-kick past Friedel, and Liverpool were staring in the face their third successive defeat against United this season.

Gerard Houllier threw on the barely fit Patrik Berger for Song, and Ince was pushed up front for the second game in succession. Berger showed his intent with one twisting run away from Stam and a fierce drive just over, but you still got the impression that United were playing like a father playing holding off his young son as he tried to hit him.

United were still not being hurt, and they had Paul Scholes and Irwin booked inside a minute as they underlined the steel in their side.

But Berger's influence was having an effect, and when he pulled a 69th minute cross into the box for Leonhardsen, Blomqvist pulled the Norwegian's legs from under him, and Redknapp rapped in the penalty to give Liverpool hope.

They found an extra gear at last, started hurling men forward and with the better shape to the side with Berger on, at last started to stretch United.

After 75 minutes Liverpool were given even more belief when Irwin got himself stupidly sent off for kicking the ball away after a free-kick had been given.

Ferguson's response to that was to haul off Blomqvist and Cole and send on more defenders in Phil Neville and Nicky Butt.

But United were hanging on now, and two minutes from time Ince battled his way through in the six yard box to force the ball home after substitute David Thompson and Riedle had caused havoc.

You could have heard the eruption of noise right back up the East Lancs Road in Manchester, thunderous waves of sound as United lost their cool.

Ferguson had to be ushered back from the line by the fourth official, and he angrily shrugged away the restraining hand.

In injury time an unmarked Carragher arrived in the box to head a Thompson cross wide as Anfield collectively held it's head in it's hands.

Somehow Liverpool had come back from the dead, and this loss of two vital points for United could just be the death blow to their title hopes.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Alex Ferguson was furious with referee David Elleray after Liverpool fought back from two-nil down to deprive Manchester United of two precious points in the title race.

Arsenal now lead United by three points following the two-two draw at Anfield and the Gunners' victory at Tottenham, although they have played a game more.

Ferguson was in no doubt that Elleray had cost his side two points.

With United leading two-nil, the Harrow official awarded Liverpool a controversial penalty, from which Jamie Redknapp scored, before he sent off Denis Irwin for two bookable offences and the Irishman will now miss the FA Cup final against Newcastle.

Liverpool capitalised on the man advantage and Paul Ince equalised against his old club two minutes from time.

An angry Ferguson said: "It's a disappointing night for us and at two-nil we felt there was no way they could beat us or score a goal.

"I think the referee has handed it to them and it does not do our game much good when you see things like that.

"I am disappointed for Denis at missing the final for that and it's tragic.

"But we will recover from it and it looks like it will go to the wire.

"I think goal difference is important and that extra game we have is going to be important to us."

Liverpool skipper Ince was delighted to score and he would not be bothered if it cost United the title.

"No not really, they have won it so many times that it's nice that other teams are in there challenging," he said.

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier felt Elleray had been right to award Liverpool their penalty for a foul by Jesper Blomqvist on Oyvind Leonhardsen and to dismiss Irwin.

"I think Irwin could have avoided that and someone has told me that he will miss his final because of that," he said.

"I'm surprised because Denis Irwin is an experienced player and it was a second booking."

Houllier took great pride from Liverpool's performance after they had trailed two-nil after 55 minutes following a Dwight Yorke header and an Irwin penalty.

The Frenchman said: "At two-nil down, the players never gave in and this is a fair result and it's a bloody good result for our supporters.

"They have achieved a massive performance to come back from two-nil and score two goals against that team who are the best team in Europe - it proves the players have not only the talent and heart, but the passion and commitment they showed was something the supporters must be extremely proud of."

Asked if he was happy to have done his old friend and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger a favour, Houllier replied: "I don't care. I'm sorry about that Arsene, but I have too many worries here."

TEAMS

Liverpool: Friedel, Staunton, Carragher, Babb, Song, Redknapp, Ince, Matteo, Leonhardsen, McManaman, Riedle.
Subs: Berger for Song, Thompson for Staunton
Scorers: Redknapp (70 pen), Ince (88)

Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Stam, Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Blomqvist, Cole, Yorke.
Subs: P Neville for Blomqvist, Butt for Cole
Scorers: Yorke (23), Irwin (56)

Referee: D Elleray