Most footballers, when they are shown the red card, shuffle disconsolately off the field, perhaps making a detour to take out their frustration on a water bottle standing innocently on the touchline.
When Nemanja Vidic was sent off by Alan Wiley midway through the second half of Manchester United's game against Liverpool, there was no slow walk of shame for him.
Rather he sprinted away, apparently keen to break the all-comers' record for the Old Trafford tunnel dash. And no wonder. The foresquare Serbian defender, many judges' choice as Footballer of the Year, was given the most embarrassing afternoon of his United career by Fernando Torres. Distracted, discomforted, disoriented and responsible for two of Liverpool's goals, he ended up looking like someone who could not wait to get away and bury his head in a towel. Indeed, at the pace he ran off, it was the first time he had got anywhere ahead of Torres all afternoon.
If nothing else, Sir Alex Ferguson's analysis after this rout that his was the better team suggests that his powers of self-deception are not on the wane. Liverpool were as dominant here as they had been against Real Madrid the previous Tuesday.
Eight goals in five days against Europe's most elevated powers: their manager Rafael Benitez must be looking forward to the next round of contract negotiations now. The reason for all this was Torres. The way he bore down on Vidic as he attempted to control a hit-and-hope clearance dropping over his shoulder resembled something from a David Attenborough documentary: the injured wildebeest targeted by the electric-heeled cheetah. And, as Torres arrived on his heels, the conclusion of the drama was never in doubt.
Sadly for Benitez's ambition, the sudden realisation that he has at his disposal a team that can destroy the very best may have come too late for the Premier League title. United still remain four points ahead with a game in hand, and whatever Steven Gerrard's artful insistence that this result might give United's forthcoming opponents heart and hope to do Liverpool a favour, it is unlikely to happen. The run-in is not sufficiently laced with traps to suggest United will falter. They can even afford another accident like Saturday against Arsenal on May 16, and still do it.
Where Liverpool might be able to stifle Mancunian ambition, however, is in Europe. Should the two clubs meet in the Champions League – either in the next round or further down the path to Rome – Benitez will be convinced he holds the upper hand. Frankly, with Torres in form like this, he knows they can beat anyone.
Muscular, brave and so quick he must set speed cameras flashing when he takes the dog for a walk, he has emerged rested from his lengthy injury lay-off. However much Ferguson has been able to maintain his squad's freshness by shrewd rotation, players like Vidic, Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick are beginning to show the effects of a lengthy season.
Here, Evra was horribly compromised by Gerrard and gave away a penalty, while Carrick rarely moved the ball with the intelligence he was displaying a month ago. Torres, on the other hand, looks as if he has just emerged from his summer break. What we saw on Saturday was vindication of what Benitez has maintained throughout this most fractured of seasons on Merseyside: with Torres on this form he has a side to beat anyone.
Liverpool's problem will now be keeping him fit. They have no one else even close to his quality in reserve. However much the crowing Anfield throng enjoyed their moment (I was texted the first smirking gag two minutes after the final whistle) they will be entirely aware of this truth: rarely in their history have Liverpool been so dependent on the health of one man.
When Nemanja Vidic was sent off by Alan Wiley midway through the second half of Manchester United's game against Liverpool, there was no slow walk of shame for him.
Rather he sprinted away, apparently keen to break the all-comers' record for the Old Trafford tunnel dash. And no wonder. The foresquare Serbian defender, many judges' choice as Footballer of the Year, was given the most embarrassing afternoon of his United career by Fernando Torres. Distracted, discomforted, disoriented and responsible for two of Liverpool's goals, he ended up looking like someone who could not wait to get away and bury his head in a towel. Indeed, at the pace he ran off, it was the first time he had got anywhere ahead of Torres all afternoon.
If nothing else, Sir Alex Ferguson's analysis after this rout that his was the better team suggests that his powers of self-deception are not on the wane. Liverpool were as dominant here as they had been against Real Madrid the previous Tuesday.
Eight goals in five days against Europe's most elevated powers: their manager Rafael Benitez must be looking forward to the next round of contract negotiations now. The reason for all this was Torres. The way he bore down on Vidic as he attempted to control a hit-and-hope clearance dropping over his shoulder resembled something from a David Attenborough documentary: the injured wildebeest targeted by the electric-heeled cheetah. And, as Torres arrived on his heels, the conclusion of the drama was never in doubt.
Sadly for Benitez's ambition, the sudden realisation that he has at his disposal a team that can destroy the very best may have come too late for the Premier League title. United still remain four points ahead with a game in hand, and whatever Steven Gerrard's artful insistence that this result might give United's forthcoming opponents heart and hope to do Liverpool a favour, it is unlikely to happen. The run-in is not sufficiently laced with traps to suggest United will falter. They can even afford another accident like Saturday against Arsenal on May 16, and still do it.
Where Liverpool might be able to stifle Mancunian ambition, however, is in Europe. Should the two clubs meet in the Champions League – either in the next round or further down the path to Rome – Benitez will be convinced he holds the upper hand. Frankly, with Torres in form like this, he knows they can beat anyone.
Muscular, brave and so quick he must set speed cameras flashing when he takes the dog for a walk, he has emerged rested from his lengthy injury lay-off. However much Ferguson has been able to maintain his squad's freshness by shrewd rotation, players like Vidic, Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick are beginning to show the effects of a lengthy season.
Here, Evra was horribly compromised by Gerrard and gave away a penalty, while Carrick rarely moved the ball with the intelligence he was displaying a month ago. Torres, on the other hand, looks as if he has just emerged from his summer break. What we saw on Saturday was vindication of what Benitez has maintained throughout this most fractured of seasons on Merseyside: with Torres on this form he has a side to beat anyone.
Liverpool's problem will now be keeping him fit. They have no one else even close to his quality in reserve. However much the crowing Anfield throng enjoyed their moment (I was texted the first smirking gag two minutes after the final whistle) they will be entirely aware of this truth: rarely in their history have Liverpool been so dependent on the health of one man.
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