Kenny Dalglish today bemoaned Liverpool's slow start to the second half which ultimately resulted in their 2-1 Old Trafford defeat.
After a goalless half, in which Glen Johnson had gone close with a curled shot just wide, Wayne Rooney hit the Reds with a double strike to put Alex Ferguson's side firmly in control of the proceedings.
Luis Suarez netted to set up a frantic last 10 minutes, and although David De Gea produced a stoppage time save to deny Johnson, United held on to claim the three points.
Kenny's United verdict
Dalglish said: "Obviously the two goals coming as quickly as they did made it really difficult for us to try and get anything from the game, but to the boys credit they got back into it and got a goal when Luis got on the end of a free-kick.
"De Gea made a good save right at the end but overall I think you would say they were the better side, but you'd expect them to be at home, and the two goals in five minutes gave us a mountain to climb."
Dalglish introduced Craig Bellamy, Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam in the second half as he tried to inspire a comeback.
He added: "We tried to get ourselves back into the game and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. We got ourselves a goal but lost the game.
"Any victory you get is not just with 11 players, it's with 14, so we've got a big squad of players, a great squad and we'll use them as we sit fit, but as I said we left ourselves a mountain to climb with the two goals we lost."
