McManaman cuts up sad Blades

Steve McManaman struck twice as Liverpool survived a double injury blow to sweep past Sheffield United into the last 16 of the Coca-Cola Cup.

Graeme Souness had to reshuffle his side after losing midfielders Paul Stewart and Mark Walters injured in the 20th and 22nd minutes.

But McManaman's finishing brought a smile to the beleagured Anfield boss. He pulled down a long pass from Don Hutchison after 33 minutes and cut inside before unleashing a low shot that took a deflection to leave keeper Alan Kelly helpless.

Nine minutes later a flowing build-up involving Hutchison and Jamie Redknapp ground to a halt when McManaman's control for once let him down. But he recovered before the defenders could interfere and placed a beautifully weighted lob over Kelly from 20 yards.

Liverpool rarely recaptured their attacking form in the second half but wrapped things up six minutes from time with a Mike Marsh penalty after Paul Beesley upended Hutchison.

The game had started in unpromising fashion with both teams struggling to play constructive football in the teeth of a fierce hailstorm.

Redknapp forced Kelly into the game's first serious save, tipping over his 26th minute shot and the 'keeper went down bravely to block another Redknapp effort from an Ian Rush pass three minutes later as Liverpool slid into top gear.

United had their chances after the break. Paul Rogers stretched to slide Adrian Littlejohn's left wing cross just wide after 51 minutes and substitute Jamie Hoyland headed wide when it looked easier to score

Walters suffered a renewed groin strain and Stewart pulled up after feeling his hamstring injury, but Anfield manager Graeme Souness said afterwards his injury was not a renewed pull.
Souness paid tribute to "two pieces of skill" by McManaman for his goals.

"McManaman produced a couple of great pices of skill for his goals and we played like a team again tonight - wind allowing," said Souness.

United boss Dave Bassett blasted his side's Anfield performance with the verdict: "We played as though we only had to go through the motions to win the game and we paid the penalty for that. A lot of the performances in the first half were poor. It concerned me when I saw it in the first five minutes. I learned one or two things about some of my players tonight."

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