Steven Gerrard didn’t just depart in disgrace from his final English Classic after less than a minute at Anfield
He also left the pitch with another of the great quests of his long, emotionally-draining career unfulfilled.
The balance of power in the Premier League’s greatest rivalry is firmly back in favour of Manchester United after a brief interruption last season.
It was like that, too, when Gerrard – who was dismissed thoroughly deservedly by referee Martin Atkinson after a moment of madness which cost his team so dearly - started out for Liverpool in 1998.
In all likelihood, with a five point gap now opened up between the teams following United’s impressive 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon, he will leave for America in May with things still standing the same way.
The real Louis Van Gaal has finally turned up in March, eight months after he took charge at Old Trafford. That much was clear from the impressive organisation and tactical gusto with which United seized control of the game on Merseyside so quickly.
The real Juan Mata has finally arrived in a United shirt, too, with both his goals displaying brilliant evidence of his wiliness and his positional acumen as well as a stunning finishing touch.
Van Gaal may well now deliver the Champions League place which was beyond David Moyes last year.
Already, he has healed a scar and reversed a painful memory of his predecessor’s fleeting and troubled reign by recording a home-and-away double over United’s most fierce rivals.
This, on its own, is hugely important for the credibility of the Dutchman’s stewardship as he begins to establish his presence more firmly.
Moyes lost both his league fixtures against Liverpool. Only three league games into his reign, he was defeated at Anfield. Just over a year ago on March 16, 2014, Liverpool won the return 3-0 at Old Trafford with Gerrard scoring two penalties
A double over Liverpool – after Brendan Rodgers team had re-emerged this Spring as such a threat to United’s ambitions of returning to European competition next season – is more than enough, anyway, to help cement the Dutchman Van Gaal in their affections , whatever its long-term effects.
Yet there was much else to lift the spirit’s of United’s fans in this game, too.
After several weeks of complaints about the fact that Van Gaal’s team had slipped into a pedestrian, laboured way of playing, a second glimpse of a more buccaneering style was on show, following the 3-0 defeat of Tottenham.
United dominated possession in the first half – thanks to the influence of Herrera and Michael Carrick - and in this way, Van Gaal was able to prevent Rodgers implementing his own tactical desire to push and press the opposition as Liverpool had done so effectively in recent weeks
As a stand-out moment, Mata’s second goal almost matched Wayne Rooney’s memorable over-head kick in United’s derby win against Manchester City in 2011.
Certainly, the circumstances were just as important and dramatic. As the crowning moment of what may have been a huge turning point for United, it couldn’t have been more spectacular.
Along with this, it requires saying that referee Martin Atkinson was absolutely correct to send off Gerrard for stamping on Herrera.
Gerrard didn’t argue. Commendably, he took full responsibility and apologised afterwards.
Still, it required a brave referee to take such a decision after the idol of Anfield had been on the field for less than 60 seconds of his 35th and final appearance in the great collision of the North Western giants.
Officials had been under fire again this week after Neil Swarbrick’s wrongful dismissal of Gareth McCauley of West Bromwich Albion against Manchester City on Saturday.
Refereeing flakiness has been a recurring theme of the season. Atkinson helped restore the credibility of his trade by acting so firmly.
Gerrard , given his nature, will now surely put himself through a long bout of self-recrimination.
He is an emotional player. The circumstances got the better of him this time.
He has achieved so much because of those emotions. This was a cruel pay-back for the way he has played at the edge of his feelings for so long.
That doesn’t excuse what he did, of course. It was a moment of madness. But it does explain it. And, just like his slip-up against Chelsea last season which helped cost his team the title.
He will lie with it in his mind forever.
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