Manchester United 0, Liverpool 3: First Thoughts

Manchester United 0
Liverpool 3 Gerrard (pen.) 34' (pen.) 46', Suarez 84'

• Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the nerves.
  
  
• Daniel Sturridge had a great chance to put Liverpool up just a couple minutes in, but pulled his shot just wide. What a start that would have been.
  
  
• Luis Suarez got an early penalty shout, bursting in to the box, getting staggered by one Marouane Fellaini challenge, somehow staying on his feet, then getting felled by what looked like Faellaini's knee hitting the back of his plant leg while he was trying to cut around Phil Jones. Clattenburg being Clattenburg though, it went uncalled.
  
  
• Speaking of Phil Jones, I love his potential down the road, but right now he is a dangerous player who's going to hurt someone very seriously someday. He makes some of the clumsiest and rashest challenges you will ever see.
  
  
• The energy and pressing in the opening twenty minutes was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. United was managing to get forward and threaten, but they weren't having an easy time of it thanks to Liverpool's efforts.
  
  
• Sturridge must not have packed his finishing boots for this trip, and that makes me sad. His usual finishing would have this match at 2-0 just after the 20th minute, but instead the early wide shot and now a weak, mis-hit shot mean the scoreline is still 0-0.
  
  
• Rafael is a tool who could have been sent off for his "challenge" on Gerrard that was late and didn't play the ball at all. Then he should have been off for a second yellow just two minutes later after his handball in the box, which is supposed to be an automatic yellow, but apparently not for Clattenburg. Speaking of which, go away Clattenburg.
  
  
• Steven Gerrard penalties are the best penalties, especially when they put Liverpool ahead at Old Trafford.
  
  
• The second half starts with another penalty after Phil Jones idiotically charged straight through the back of Joe Allen in Manchester's box. Steven Gerrard did Steven Gerrard things, buried the penalty despite David De Gea guessing the right spot, then ran to the corner and kissed the camera. 
  
  
• Completely outplaying Manchester United, at Old Trafford, and without a good performance from Luis Suarez is just such a wonderful thing to see.
  
  
• I don't know what dirt Rafael has on Clattenburg, but it must be some real good juice if he's still on the pitch after all of his antics today.
  
  
• Nemanja Vidic is an experienced, cultured, blah blah blah, insert platitudes here defender, but that challenge on Sturridge was all kinds of stupid for him to make in the box. The pace of the ball wasn't going to let him come back at goal, so why go to ground in his path? That's just asking for trouble, and trouble is what he and Manchester United got as that was his second yellow. Was it a dive? Yeah, probably. But Vidic set himself up for failure, and, well, you reap what you sow.
  
  
• This is why you don't change direction on your penalties, Stevie. Stick with what works. De Gea wasn't getting to that right post fast enough anyways.
  
  
• A Suarez goal is a damn fine exclamation point on a match like this, I think.
  
  
• Seeing that performance to go four points back of Chelsea and hearing commentators talk seriously about Liverpool as a title contender... I have goosebumps.

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.