He scored a goal at the opposite end to that of a memorable chip and his collar was flapping about rather than turned-up, but yesterday Old Trafford finally accepted a legend incarnate.
Dimitar Berbatov, after two seasons of trying to win the hearts of Manchester United fans, became only the second player in over 60 years to score a hat trick against arch rivals Liverpool. One of his goals, of Cantona-esque showmanship, will live long in the memory of those in the Stretford End.
His Liverpool counterpart, Fernando Torres, so often a tormentor of United’s backline, was eclipsed by the Bulgarian. Torres was starved of any supplies from a midfield who for large parts of the match were more concerned with retaining possession than carving open United as they had done so emphatically 18 months earlier at the same ground.
Berbatov gave United the lead, scoring his seventh goal of the season, as half time approached. Ryan Giggs swung in a corner which was met by United’s No.9 guiding header into the corner. His marker, Liverpool’s own No.9, Torres, was caught the wrong side of Berbatov who found the left corner past Pepe Reina.
His next evoked memories of the King himself. Nani, proving to be a constant threat to Paul Konchesky, crossed the ball Berbatov who, after Rooney made no contact, deftly controlled the ball with his thigh and unleashed an overhead kick which bounced off of the cross bar and into the net. Old Trafford erupted having temporarily frozen in anticipation. Or was that admiration?
The match should have been beyond Liverpool, Ferguson later acknowledging it may have turned into a “cricket score”. Nani rendered Reina a bystander with a shot that propelled against the post, adding to this earlier blundered effort. Rooney was similarly immobile when Nani sought out the striker with a teasing ball across the six yard box.
Hodgson though deployed Gerard and Raul Meireles further upfield to assistant an isolated Torres. The decision paid dividends and sparked a comeback United have become accustomed to over the past three weeks.
Joe Cole, guilty of playing ineffective passes throughout the first half, pushed a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Torres who was bought down cynically by Johnny Evans. It was the first time Torres was given the opportunity to get beyond Evans or Nemanja Vidic and the Merseysiders would rue not doing so earlier. Gerard confidently struck the ensuing penalty into the right corner, sending Edwin Van Der Sar the opposite way.
It was Torres again who played a decisive role in Liverpool’s equaliser, falling under John O’Shea’s senseless tug. Howard Webb, undertaking his second match since the World Cup final, deemed O’Shea infringement worthy of a yellow card, much to the vocalised disbelief of Torres.
Ferguson branded the striker a ‘cheat’, saying the Spaniard had tried to remove the Ireland defender from proceedings. Replays showed Torres would have been lucky to reach Meireles’ pass before Van Der Sar. It was Gerard again who converted the set-piece, benefiting from a gap in the United wall and embarking on what seems a customary celebration involving a kiss and a camera.
Ferguson’s men were staring a wasted opportunity for the third consecutive Premier League match and Liverpool the most unlikely of points. Perhaps it was inevitable then that Berbatov, a figure of much derision for so long, would score the winner, his hat trick, in the “daddy of derbies” as Ferguson refers to this fixture.
The goal encapsulated the resurgence of United’s record signing. When John O’Shea swept a diagonal ball towards the penalty spot the Bulgarian out-jumped Jamie Carragher, generating enough power in the header for Reina to stand and observe.
He may not have puffed out his chest but Old Trafford lavished their new hero: “Ooh Aah Dimitar”, they sung.
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