London - Fernando Torres and David Ngog got the goals as Liverpool ended a run of four straight defeats with a 2-0 win over Manchester United. Both sides ended the game with 10 men as Nemanja Vidic and Javier Mascherano were set off in the final minutes.
Torres, although not fully fit, struck after 64 minutes and Ngog added the second in injury-time to lift Liverpool to fifth in the table, six points behind leaders Chelsea.
It had been reported that a defeat might have spelt the end for Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, and would almost certainly have ended their hopes of winning the title this season.
But Liverpool controlled the majority of the game as Lucas Leiva and Javier Mascherano dominated the midfield.
Fabio Aurelio drew a stretching save from Edwin van der Sar with a 16th-minute free-kick, the goalkeeper reacting sharply to block Dirk Kuyt's follow-up.
Kuyt was then set through by Leiva, who had dispossessed Paul Scholes, but the pass was a little behind him, and his shot, as a consequence, was dragged wide.
Aurelio, who was deployed on the left to help Emiliano Insua guard against the threat of Antonio Valencia, had a fine chance from a Yossi Benayoun cross, but Van der Sar was able to flop to his right and save.
Chances seemed harder to come by after the break, but crucially Liverpool got the goal.
Yossi Benayoun slid a pass behind Vidic, Torres ran on, held off Rio Ferdinand and crashed his finish past Van der Sar.
Valencia smacked a shot against the crossbar from a narrow angle with seven minutes remaining, but that was a rare United chance and Liverpool deserved their victory.
Vidic was sent off in the final minute - his third dismissal in three games against Liverpool - collecting a second yellow card for a cynical foul on Kuyt.
Mascherano followed him off after a dangerous lunge at Van der Sar earned him a second yellow card.
As United were caught upfield chasing an equaliser Ngog ran unchallenged on Lucas's through-ball to add a second.
Before the game around 1,000 Liverpool fans had marched from the Supporters Club to Anfield to protest about what they see as mismanagement by the clubs US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
In the day's other early kick-off, Ivan Klasnic scored a 86th-minute winner as Bolton Wanderers beat Everton 3-2.
Goals from Lee Chung-Yong and Gary Cahill had Bolton 2-0 up inside 27 minutes.
Louis Saha and Marouaine Fellaini pulled Everton level, but Klasnic's late strike lifted Bolton above Everton on goal difference.
