Adrian Littlejohn, plucked from obscurity by Dave Bassett, was the United hero as the Sheffield outfit picked up their first win in six games.
The little striker was shown the door by lowly Walsall last season before being given a trial by Bassett. And the 21-year-old, playing only his second game of the season, repaid the United boss with a coolly taken winner. He struck in the fourth minute after the ball was flicked on by England striker Brian Deane. Littlejohn spotted David James off his line and coolly lobbed the ball over his head from 20 yards.
United were denied a penalty in the 12th minute when Dave Burrows blatantly pushed Littlejohn off the ball but the player's appeals were turned down. United keeper Simon Tracey pulled off a spectacular save to foil Liverpool in the 26th minute after the Brammall Lane side had conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Ronnie Whelan tapped the ball to Mark Walters, whose fierce effort was pushed away by the United keeper.
Carl Bradshaw picked out Dane Whitehouse with a curling cross from the right and the United winger got his head to the ball only to be foiled by James.
Tracey pulled off another super stop in the 48th minute this time driving full length to tip Paul Stewart's 25-yard strike around the post.
Deane almost got on the scoresheet in the 63rd minute getting the better of England centre back Mark Wright only to see his glancing header graze the top of the bar.
Dave Bassett believes he has snapped up a bargain in Littlejohn. Bassett said: "When Walsall released him, he gave me a ring and we took him on a month's loan. Then we gave him another two months and he developed well. We signed him on a two-year contract in the summer and he's doing well. This was Aidy's first goal for the senior team and hopefully it will give him a lot of confidence. He caused Liverpool a lot of problems."
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