As well as maintaining Liverpool's fourth spot in the Premiership, it gave their supporters the extra satisfaction of saying, or rather singing the last rites over United's title challenge.
These encounters normally generate as much passion as a Premiership fan can stand. But United have struggled to maintain any level of performance since their championship challenge ran out of steam, while Liverpool's ran out of steam around the first week in September.
Manchester United officials consulted Greater Manchester Police about whether the game could go ahead after the supposed threat of an Al-Qaeda attack but shirt-sleeved officers around the ground seemed more interested in sunshine than Semtex. There was certainly no visibly higher level of security.
Referee Graham Poll, who pulled out of officiating the game with a hamstring injury, might also have been frightened off. But not by bombs, more what sort of reception he was likely to have received from United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was furious when Poll cited Gary Neville as one of the worst divers in the game.
Inside the 'Theatre Of Dreams', there was such a party atmosphere that you would never have imagined that United were on the brink of conceding the title to Arsenal, who are now uncatchable. But then United do have an FA Cup final to look forward to and their supporters like nothing better than to trade insults with the Scousers.
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of United's most eye-catching performers in the first half and his swiftly drilled cross before Jamie Carragher could challenge set up Louis Saha for a shot that sailed over with the goal inviting. Fortunately, Big Ron was not around to offer an opinion.
Ryan Giggs should also have at least tested Jerzy Dudek when set free on the left, while Michael Owen, ploughing a lonely furrow up front, rolled a shot across goal from an acute angle before being forced to skip down the bank behind the goal.
After the break, Liverpool, inspired as always by captain Steven Gerrard - where on earth would they be without him? - stepped up an attacking gear, with Harry Kewell daring to join Owen and Vladimir Smicer arriving from the bench to add width.
Inevitably, it was Gerrard who won the penalty with a typical storming run down the left that brought a desperate tackle from Gary Neville. Yet when referee Riley pointed to the spot, it must have filled Liverpool manager Gerrard Houllier with as much dread as United manager Sir Alex Ferguson since his team had missed their last three penalties and five in all this season.
This was only the second time since the Premiership began 12 years ago that this fixture had kicked off at the traditional time of 3pm a Saturday, Sky TV showing no interest in such a pair of underachievers.
It might be close to the end of the season but there is a sense of a new beginning about United as the old guard begin to give way to the new. Ronaldo and Darren Fletcher, both growing into Premiership footballers, are now becoming regulars in the team, while captain Roy Keane was playing his first game in five.
Conspiracy theorists might suspect that Ferguson gave him a run out only in the hope that he might pick up a trifling injury that would prevent him joining up with Ireland in Dublin today in preparation for Wednesday's friendly in Poland. But a bigger mystery was the absence of striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, United having announced a clean bill of health after Friday training.
The rumour mill, of course, is the only dark, satanic mill in operation around these parts these days, one of them linking Van Nistelrooy with a move to Barcelona this summer. Then again, speculation also suggests that Owen is another Barcelona target - what a pairing those two would make at the Nou Camp.
There are also reports that Rio Ferdinand will take over Keane's armband next season, though the sight of Ferdinand chatting to Sven-Goran Eriksson beforehand might persuade the more imaginative gossip mongers to suggest that they will pair up at Chelsea next season.
Houllier has also begun reshaping his team, in his case for the umpteenth time, and more out of exasperation and desperation than in genuine hope of finding inspiration. Emile Heskey was again left on the bench, El-Hadji Diouf was left out altogether, probably his best position, while full-back Steve Finnan was moved to midfield.
He will doubtless claim this a technical masterpiece, though it was hard luck, not tactics, that prevented United equalising with a shot from Giggs that rebounded off the inside of a post.