"You can't beat experience", or so they say. Just ask Liverpool after Manchester United's two most experienced players gifted them a Premier League victory at Anfield this lunchtime.
Rafael Benitez' side fully deserved the three points they took in front of their home fans, after a 2-1 victory over their biggest of rivals from Old Trafford, but they could, and probably should, have lost.
Manchester United flew out of the traps and £30million signing Dimitar Berbatov cut the ball back for an unmarked Carlos Tevez to fire Sir Alex Ferguson's team in front on just three minutes.
However, 37-year-old United stopper Edwin Van Der Sar seemed intent on looking as frail and brittle as possible. By the time he slapped the ball into the legs of a helpless Wes Brown to gift Liverpool an equaliser, he had already dropped a simple cross only for Dirk Kuyt to waste the present.
Up to that point it had been the visitors that were in control, but as the infamous 'Kop' became more involved, the more the Liverpool players asserted themselves.
Benitez's men were overrunning and overpowering their opponents, so Ferguson called for United's record appearance holder, Ryan Giggs. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, it was Giggs who 'dallied' in possession when under pressure in the penalty area before being robbed by Mascherano who then set up Babel for the winner.
Scouring the club's message boards' there is a split opinion on both Giggs and Van Der Sar with regard to whether they merit their places.
Ben Foster is rumoured to be back to full fitness and it will be interesting to see whether he is able to displace the newly internationally retired Van Der Sar between the sticks at Old Trafford.
While the position of Giggs looks increasingly insecure, especially when you consider that Cristiano Ronaldo is expected back in midweek. With Anderson already ahead of the Welshman in the pecking order, alongside the likes of Carrick, Scholes and Hargreaves, possibly even a fully fit Park Ji-Sung and Nani too. Could it be that Giggs' United days are over?
Whatever the ramifications for United after this defeat you can be sure the manager will not bow to sentiment and if he feels they are no longer up to the job they will find themselves out of the squad as quickly as they entered it.
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