Blades manager Neil Warnock was not as upset as he had been on the first day of the season at Brammall Lane, when a penalty was awarded against his side for intent to foul Steven Gerrard.

In the return fixture at Anfield Gerrard ‘won’ not one but two penalties in five minutes. The first was awarded as Gerrard complained to referee Steve Bennett about being held and then fell into Robert Kozluk. The second was given for a slight tug on the Liverpool captains shirt, both penalties were coolly finished by crowd favourite Robbie Fowler.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez made seven changes from the team that beat Barcelona mid-week in the Champions League. Jerzy Dudek appeared to have a force field around his goal as the blades saw all their efforts result in nothing. Peter Crouch was substituted after twenty minutes after he was struck in the face by the ball and a Sheffield United boot, breaking his nose and leaving him needing stitches to a gash on his face.

Liverpool increased the lead when Sami Hyypia scored his first goal for more than a year. Gerrard compounded the win scoring the fourth and final goal on seventy-three minutes.