My day started with the most un-Manc journey to the match; I relocated to Preston a few years ago and the Mrs works in Southport so I used her car park pass, parked up there, and got the Merseyrail train to Sandhills and onto the Soccerbus to the ground. Obviously plain-clothed yet surrounded by Kopites, I couldn't help but feel deep in enemy lines.
As for the game; well Ashley Young dithered and contrived to concede a corner which we defended like twats and - as per my prediction in the pre-match thread of 1-0 either way or 0-0 - I feared the worst. A lot was made of Moyes' first match at Anfield as Utd boss and his previous exploits (or lack of) in big away games but that's 1 win in 7 now for us at your place; the rot set in long before our new man took the reins.
It's no surprise how Liverpool go about these games at home; always quick out of the blocks, in our faces, high tempo, and playing with plenty of adrenaline. Agger wanted that header more than Rio; 1-0. Shocking start. The away end tried to rouse the lads on but the amount of groans became increasingly apparent as the first half became littered with loose balls, square passes and Ryan Giggs. The last game I remember him starting on the right was 14 years ago in a certain Champions League Final; we were shit that day, we were shit on Sunday, and this time there was no 'get out of jail' act in stoppage time.
Nor, at any point, did it look like there would be. Yes, we had plenty of the ball but I expected that second half having watched Liverpool this season where they seem to have tired in games and also bearing in mind the 120 minutes that some of the players had vs Notts County. We huffed and puffed, tried to work angles across the pitch to get down the sides of Agger and Skrtel, but we didn't move the ball quick enough. Carrick had a strangely poor game; Cleverley was his usual 6/10 self, and our wide men are all out of form. Good to see Nani and Hernandez back; they gave us a little bit more spark, but nowhere near enough to break a stubborn rearguard.
Disappointed with the result, a bit 'meh' about the performance, but not surprised by either and just glad our yearly, spineless Anfield showing is over and done with.