When A team who are so obviously imbued with self-confidence also display an appetite for their work which often verges on the voracious, there can be few crumbs of comfort for those who want them to fail.
When informed that victory had presented his Manchester United team with their finest opening to a season under his stewardship, Sir Alex Ferguson simply nodded in agreement. Another day, another pretender put in their place. No big deal.
Having scored three times in the opening period, and with their defence of the Champions League starting against Croatia Zagreb at Old Trafford tomorrow night, it was always likely that his more astute players would preserve already-weary limbs.
"In the Premiership you pay for your mistakes, but against a team like Manchester United you pay double," said Liverpool's manager Gerard Houllier after the match, pointing to his side's defence. Sami Hyypia was magnificent in Liverpool's centre, but those around him performed so ineptly that Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and particularly David Beckham were able to wreak havoc down the flanks.
Dominic Matteo, has become the Harold Lloyd of the English game, a comedic figure who arrives late and then falls over. By the time he made his only worthwhile contribution - a fine pass which set up Patrik Berger for Liverpool's second goal 22 minutes from the end - the die was cast and not even the dismissal of Andy Cole for a nasty lunge at Rigobert Song was to unhinge United.
Yet for all Matteo's sloppiness it was Jamie Carragher who ultimately condemned Liverpool to a defeat. Having turned a Giggs cross beyond his own goalkeeper in the fourth minute, the 21-year-old again applied the final touch after a Beckham free-kick on the stroke of half-time. Between those two mistakes, Cole had reached another Beckham cross to head home.
However, Ferguson has problems for the Champions League opener. Having already ruled out the injured Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Ronny Johnsen, David May and Gary Neville along with the ineligible Mickael Silvestre and Taibi, he lost Nicky Butt to a groin strain.
Liverpool: Westerveld, Song, Hyypia, Matteo, Carragher, Redknapp, Berger, Thompson (Smicer 46), Gerrard (Heggem 64), Camara (Owen 64), Fowler. Subs Not Used: Staunton, Friedel. Booked: Camara, Song, Redknapp. Goals: Hyypia 23, Berger 68.
Manchester United: Taibi, Neville (Clegg 83), Stam, Berg, Silvestre, Giggs, Butt (Wallwork 39), Scholes, Beckham, Cole, Yorke. Subs Not Used: Sheringham, Van Der Gouw, Solskjaer. Sent Off: Cole (71). Booked: Cole, Neville, Beckham. Goals: Carragher 3 og, Cole 18, Carragher 44 og.
Referee: G Barber (Tring).
