Liverpool were dominant in the first half, forcing Wes Brown into heading narrowly over his own crossbar after just ten minutes. Harry Kewell, who impressed the Liverpool fans by fouling the detestable Gary Neville in the first couple of minutes, almost opened the scoring after 17 minutes with a header that Edwin Van der Sar just managed to push round the post.
It was a temporary respite for Man Ure. From the resulting corner Steve Finnan whipped in a cross which was met by Peter Crouch who headed the ball home off the post.
Steve Finnan almost scord his first goal of the season before half time when Steven Gerrard squared him the ball just outside the United area. Unfortunately Finnan's shot just fizzed wide of the post.
United finally came into the game a little in the second half when they brought on Louis Saha. However, even then they were unable to get past the impressive Dietmar Hamann and Momo Sissoko who were dominating the midfield.
Liverpool were content to let United have the ball in their own half but every time they crossed the half way line they were crowded out thanks to the Reds' pressing game.
Late on Man Ure subsitute Alan Smith got in the way of a John Arne Riise shot that left him in agony on the floor with a suspected broken leg and dislocated ankle. Smith left the field to generous applause from the Liverpool supporters.
Smith's injury meant the referee added seven minutes of injury time on at the end of the game but it was a comfortable seven minutes for the Reds who finally ended an 85 year old FA Cup jinx.