Crisis talk was temporarily put on hold at Anfield as Liverpool convincingly beat an insipid Manchester United with second-half goals from Fernando Torres and his late substitute David Ngog.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and assistant Michael Phelan tried to focus attention on a series of important decisions by referee Andre Marriner, who dismissed a player from each side in a frantic final quarter.

But this was instantly recognisable as an attempt to deflect attention from United’s  deficiencies, which were legion.

United had keeper Edwin Van der Sar to thank for keeping them in contention at half-time.

The Dutch veteran saved well from Fabio Aurelio’s 14^th minute free-kick, Dirk Kuyt’s well-struck rebound and an Aurelio header from a pinpoint Yossi Benayoun cross on 36 minutes.

Kuyt was off-target with the Merseysiders’ best chance on 17 minutes, hooking his right-foot shot across the face of goal.

United’s sole first-half offering was a weak Wayne Rooney header from a terrific Antonio Valencia cross midway through the half.

The pattern of the game didn’t change after the interval and Liverpool took a long-deserved lead in the 65^th minute

Benayoun’s exquisite through ball found Torres who shook off the attentions of Rio Ferdinand and lashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net at the near post.

United briefly threatened an equaliser, Valencia striking the bar with a vicious right-foot shot from a tight angle.

And Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher could have been sent-off after he tangled with substitute Michael Owen, who had received a predictably hostile reception from the Anfield faithful.

But centre-back Nemanja Vidic did see red, for his third successive game against Liverpool after two deserved yellow cards.

And although Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano soon went the same way, Liverpool settled matters in stoppage time, Ngog racing onto Lucas Reiva’s pass and coolly slotting the ball past Van der Sar’s left hand.