It didn’t look good for United at all.

The team had lost the local derby the previous week and had, in fact, not won in the Premiership in 2006. Injuries to players meant another untried central midfield combination against their bitter rivals, Liverpool. ESPN’s pundits unanimously agreed Liverpool would be victorious at Old Trafford. For long spells of the match it seemed they would be right.

United could hardly put together a decent offensive effort. Passes went astray and moves petered out. Not even the magnificent Rooney could inspire the team and the Liverpool keeper scarcely had to break a sweat.

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool fans were the happier and the louder of the two sets of fans in the stadium. They were reminding their United counterparts of the number of times their team had won the league and the European Cup. They were even singing songs about Cinema Ponggal. Who knew the Scousers were fans of Tamil movies?

Then United earn free-kick one minute before the end of regulation time. Giggs delivers a sweet ball into the box and Rio rises up and meets it firmly with his head. The Liverpool keeper gets a hand to the ball but can’t prevent it from hitting the back of the net where it belonged.

I’m going to have a smile on my face for the rest of the week.

(Reports: ManUtd.com, BBC, pix, Soccernet.)