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 sent 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.
Arsenal and Manchester City both squandered a two-goal leads to draw against West Ham United and Fulham.
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.
"The players showed good character, and the fans were behind the players," said Benitez.
"The mentality was key with everybody working together from the beginning.
"The players answered a lot of questions that is the most important thing.
"The team is better than people think. The character and quality we have, it's just a question of a little bit of luck."
Liverpool had the bulk of the chances but didn't make the breakthrough until midway through the second half.
Yossi Benayoun slid a pass behind Vidic, Torres ran on, held off Rio Ferdinand and crashed his finish past Van der Sar.
"After the game we know playing as a team and working hard we can beat anyone," said Fernando Torres.
"We have to keep playing well and working altogether as a unit."
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.
"I'm disappointed with the performance, the first half in particular," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
"We didn't handle the atmosphere of the game."
He was frustrated by a penalty decision that went against his side in the first half, and by referee Andre Marriner's decision only to book Jamie Carragher as he pulled down Michael Owen with ten minutes remaining.
"We lost out on one or two major decisions," he said, but he acknowledged the result was fair.
"Liverpool were the better team, and they created more chances," he said. "They deserved their victory."
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.
Arsenal are five points behind Chelsea after drawing 2-2 with West Ham.
A Rob Green error gifted the opener to Robin van Persie, and William Gallas added the second before half-time.
But Carlton Cole pulled one back after 74 minutes, heading in after Vito Mannone had parried an Alessandro Diamanti free-kick.
Diamanti levelled from the penalty spot six minutes later after Cole had been tripped by Alex Song.
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker was then unluckily sent off, collecting a second yellow card for a far from obvious handball, but Arsenal couldn't exploit their man advantage to find a winner.
City are level with Liverpool with a game in hand. They went 2-0 up on Sunday with goals from Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov, but Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey earmed Fulham a point.
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, before Louis Saha and Marouaine Fellaini pulled Everton level.
