1st half summary: United on top

1st half notes:


No handshake from Suarez for Evra, good start!


Liverpool kick off the game.


2. Evra and Ferdinand clash (going for Suarez), Rio lands awkwardly there.


3. Soft Johnson shot from the right, easy hold for De Gea.


4. Reina gathers the ball well in the box after a promising attack by Welbeck and Valencia, Rooney was lurking and ready.


6. Enrique brings down Valencia JUST outside the box, free kick to United, headed wide by Johnson for a corner. Rooney header, soft, Reina picks it up easily.


10. Johnson from the right again, cuts inside and has loads of space for a shot, goes out wide on the left, goal kick.


14. Enrique's free kick cleared cooly by Ferdinand.


15. Kuyt cross from right blocked, second cross out for a goalkick, Dutchman apologises for wasted chance.


18. Welbeck and Valencia fighting for the ball well, making Liverpool's back line work hard.


19. Rafael shot, off balance, awkward one for Reina as he saw it late and Welbeck ready to pounce in front of him but the Spaniard still holds on to it.


27. Far shot from outside the box by Rooney, had the space, right foot shot goes wide.


31. SCHOLES! His header off Giggs cross from the left straight into Reina! What a chance! Following corner comes to nothing.


32. United pressure stretching Liverpool with Welbeck, Giggs, Valencia, Rooney, ball cleared by Agger eventually.


35. Evra header wide, goal kick.


40. Kuyt and Suarez in United box, Ferdinand takes and clears the ball confidently.


Liverpool regaining some control after all the main pressure was created by United.


41. Gerrard ball deflected over the goal for a corner. First corner for the Reds, cleared, Gerrard puts it back in the box, chested out by Ferdinand, another Liverpool corner, Skrtel shoots it out, claiming it brushed Ferdinand, goal kick given.


In case you wondered, the black arm bands worn by United players as this is their first home game since 54th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.


45. First booking of the match goes to Downing for bringing down Rafael, free kick to United, headed away by Johnson. Counter, Suarez goes down fuming and claiming last man Ferdinand fowled him. There was a touch but he got the ball, good defending.


HT: 0-0, Suarez kicks the ball away on the half time whistle in frustration, temperatures rise again as the Uruguayan finds it difficult to remain cool. Temperamental end to a tense half, United on top but Liverpool not letting go.


Report has just come through of fights continuing down the tunnel, Evra and Skrtel clashing and pulling their team mates into it.


1st half stats:
United-Liverpool
Attempts: 6-4
On target: 3-2
Offsides: 0-1
Corners: 2-2
Free kicks: 5-4
Possession: 62%-38% (BBC, 22 mins), 57.8%-42.2% (Sky, 23 mins), 58%-42% (BBC, HT), 57%-43% (Sky, HT)


United: 1 De Gea; 3 Evra, 6 Evans, 5 Ferdinand, 21 Rafael da Silva; 11 Giggs, 22 Scholes, 16 Carrick, 25 Valencia; 19 Welbeck, 10 Rooney. 4-4-2
Subs: 40 Amos, 20 Fabio da Silva, 13 Park Ji-sung, 23 Cleverley, 42 Pogba, 9 Berbatov, 14 Hernandez.


Liverpool: 25 Reina; 3 Jose Enrique, 5 Agger, 37 Skrtel, 2 Johnson; 19 Downing (booked 45), 8 Gerrard, 20 Spearing, 18 Kuyt, 14 Henderson; 7 Suarez. 4-5-1
Subs: 32 Doni, 23 Carragher, 34 Kelly, 26 Adam, 33 Shelvey, 9 Carroll, 30 Bellamy.


Referee: Phil Dowd