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Spain World Cup champion striker FERNANDO TORRES (9) of FC Liverpool, who scored 18 goals in 22 Premier League matches for the Reds last season but has slumped to six goals from 19 league contests this term, struggles to cope with Manchester United’s Northern Ireland international defender JONNY EVANS (23) in a chase for the ball during the exciting FA Cup match at storied Old Trafford in northern England. (Phil Noble/Reuters)
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Aging Wales international winger RYAN GIGGS converted a controversial penalty kick in only the second minute and England World Cup midfielder STEVEN GERRARD was sent off just after the half hour mark as MANCHESTER UNITED defeated FC LIVERPOOL 1-0 in the third round of the prestigous Football Assocation Cup at historic Old Trafford.
The 37-year-old Giggs, who has started just 11 of Manchester United’s 30 matches this season, scored his second goal in all competitions this term for the Red Devils from the penalty spot after Bulgaria international striker DIMITAR BERBATOV was judged by match referee HOWARD WEBB to have been fouled by Liverpool’s Denmark World Cup defender DANIEL AGGER.
Meanwhile, Gerrard was shown a straight red card for a two-footed challenge on Manchester United’s England international midfielder MICHAEL CARRICK in the 32nd minute.
Liverpool might have had an equalizer in the 65th minute, but Manchester United’s deputy goalkeeper, the Poland international TOMASZ KUSZCZAK, kept out the well-struck free kick from Liverpool’s veteran Brazilian defender FABIO AURELIO.
“It was a mark of the poverty of FERNANDO TORRES’ performance that he was replaced by (Liverpool’s new manager Kenny) Dalglish on 77 minutes.” — The Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
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Spain World Cup reserve goalkeeper PEPE REINA of FC Liverpool, who has stopped an unimpressive 64.0 % of the shots on target against him in the Premier League this season, punches the ball away from Manchester United’s Mexico international striker JAVIER HERNANDEZ (14) in heavy traffic at Old Trafford. (PA/dailymail.co.uk)
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MANCHESTER UNITED : Kuszczak – Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans (Smalling 84′), Evra – Nani, Fletcher (Anderson 62′), Carrick, Giggs – Berbatov, Hernandez (Owen 75′)
FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Aurelio – Lucas – Kuyt, Gerrard, Meireles (Shelvey 60′), Rodriguez (Babel 60′) – Torres (Ngog 77′)
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(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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(Jon Super/AP)
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(Jon Super/AP)
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(Phil Noble/Reuters)
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(Phil Noble/Reuters)
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(Jon Super/AP)
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(Phil Noble/Reuters)
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(Jon Super/AP)
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(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
