Liverpool Comment : Consistency The Key After Manchester United Triumph

It has been a Liverpool tradition since the day Bill Shankly made his momentous journey across the Pennines from Huddersfield to Anfield. That was 50 years ago, yet Rafa Benitez had little hesitation in repeating the expression regularly used by Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and co. all those years ago: "The next game is always the most important."

Yesterday's 2-0 win over Manchester United, it can be argued, was as big as any in the Spaniard's five-year reign on Merseyside. The consequence of a fifth successive defeat – a losing streak Liverpool have not experienced since 1953 – cannot be overstated.

A ten-point deficit to make up in the Premier League before the end of October would have rendered the Reds' title challenge almost redundant, whilst confidence levels would surely have hit rock bottom had their devilish opponents from along the East Lancs Road waltzed out of Anfield with all three points. Make no mistake, yesterday afternoon was vital for Liverpool's season.

Benitez, then, can be proud of the manner in which his side shrugged off the general malaise which has gripped their performances of late, to batter United into submission with a mixture of unbridled passion and collective belief. When Sir Alex Ferguson admits that Liverpool are the better side, you know that they deserve some credit.

Ferguson did also point to one or two refereeing decisions that went against his side – such is his way – but there were no complaints from the Scotsman at the manner in which Benitez's side outfought and outplayed his champions.

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Liverpool were organised, disciplined – at least until Javier Mascherano's late act of over-exuberance – and moved the ball with greater imagination. United's classy midfielders, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes, were swamped by Liverpool's under-fire duo of Mascherano and Lucas Leiva, both of whom had easily their finest games this season.

There has been much talk that the central-midfield area is a weak-spot in Benitez's side. Alberto Aquilani's return from an ankle injury is being awaited eagerly as Liverpool seek to restore a passing balance upset by Xabi Alonso's untimely departure to Real Madrid.

Lucas and Mascherano, it is fair to say, lack the imagination or variation in their passing of Alonso, but yesterday, under immense pressure, they showed their qualities. Energy, positional sense, a willingness to compete at every corner, and a winning mentality. Now they must transfer the performance from this game into the next, though Mascherano will serve a one-match ban following his red card.

The same goes for the rest of the side. This season only Torres, Pepe Reina and Yossi Benayoun have performed consistently at a level approaching their best. It is time for their team-mates to join them.

Jamie Carragher stepped up yesterday with a captain's performance, the kind he has been promising to deliver all season. Alongside him Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson were models of security and restraint, shackling their respective opponents superbly. Even Emiliano Insua recovered from a shaky start against Antonio Valencia to hold his own.

Liverpool's next pair of fixtures take them to London, with Arsenal's youngsters in the League Cup swiftly followed by Fulham in the Premier League. You don't have to be Shankly or Benitez to see the importance of carrying some momentum into these fixtures. There is little use in beating the champions if the result is followed by inconsistency.

For a fan of facts such as Benitez, the fact that his side are still only six points away from the league leaders, despite a very poor run of form, will offer plenty of encouragement. The key for Liverpool now is to follow Shankly's mantra and start thinking about the next game. That is the Liverpool way, after all.