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So slim have been Benitez's pickings from Ferguson that Babel thus became the first of his Liverpool players to net a league goal against United (before yesterday's own goal, unkindly debited to Wes Brown, there had been one from John O'Shea). But now Liverpool can begin to think ambitiously instead of fretting about the financial problems that have caused yet another postponement of the plan to build a bigger stadium. They are six points ahead of the champions and, while United have a match in hand, the opportunity to stay in front of their deadliest rivals is a juicy carrot.
Any stick must go to United for letting the advantage slip. They were on top for just two minutes and 30 seconds; the rest belonged to Benitez's sweat-soaked heroes, as Ferguson fully acknowledged. "After an excellent start like we made,'' said the United manager, "you would think we could go on and take control. But we didn't cope with their tackling, their energy or the way they harassed us. Liverpool were by far the better team.''
Ferguson especially criticised his side's defending - "we gave away two bad goals and you don't expect that from Manchester United'' - and his mood was not lightened by the loss for the visit to Chelsea next Sunday of Nemanja Vidic, who should have been sent off for a trip that denied Robbie Keane a run on goal, but ultimately had no argument against a second yellow for barging Alonso. With the expensive debutant Dimitar Berbatov spending most of the match looking as if he would rather be lunching, it made a dismal prospect for Ferguson, who has tricky Champions League visitors in Villarreal to subdue before the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Benitez, meanwhile, can take Steven Gerrard to Marseille. The captain returned after groin surgery for the last quarter here. The first quarter he and Fernando Torres had watched from the bench with diminishing concern. The drama was near-relentless. Berbatov had a penalty appeal denied - swivelling, the Bulgarian shot against Martin Skrtel's raised arm - and prompted Tevez to give United the lead. All in the space of 150 seconds. It was a fine goal, Anderson's flick freeing Berbatov, who speculated on a low ball to the back of the penalty area. There Tevez, unmarked, left Pepe Reina helpless with a clipped shot of training-ground precision.
The Kop, under whose noses it happened, were stunned. Even neutrals feared for Liverpool. Unnecessarily. Alonso and Mascherano grabbed the midfield from United's trio, cutting the supply lines to the wide attackers, Tevez and Wayne Rooney, while Jamie Carragher policed Berbatov as if the world would otherwise come to an end.
Fabio Aurelio's wickedly swirling corner had Edwin van der Sar in trouble, though the flapping goalkeeper got himself out of it by thwarting Kuyt's attempt to prod the loose ball home. Fate was not dealing Van der Sar a kind hand, however, and soon the equaliser came. Alonso's shot looped off Patrice Evra into no-man's land between Van der Sar and his last line of defence, Wes Brown. The lanky Dutchman, flinging himself forward, thrust out a hand - and the ball bounced off Brown into the net, followed by Liverpool's new boy, Albert Riera; someone may have to tell him goals do not always come this easily in the Premier League.
As if to exemplify this, Mascherano worked like fury to obtain the ball near United's byline, scorning efforts to shield it. Kuyt took over and laid it back for Babel, who side-footed shot went down and up and beyond Van der Sar. "For too long we've been off the pace set by Manchester United and Chelsea,'' said Carragher afterwards. "This gives us confidence because we've beaten the best team in Europe.'' Last season, yes. This season, no.