Van Persie gives Man United 2-1 win at Liverpool

Robin van Persies penalty kick gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory over 10-man Liverpool on Sunday, settling a heated Premier League meeting between the fierce rivals after emotional tributes were paid to the Hillsborough disaster victims.Van Persie beat Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in the 81st minute after Antonio Valencia was fouled by Glen Johnson to secure Uniteds first win at Anfield since December 2007.It has been four or five years since we got a win here. It was an ugly win, probably our worst performance in that time, but we will take that, United manager Alex Ferguson said. We didnt get going as an attacking force. We were on the back foot for most of the first half and sometimes it creates its own problems.Liverpool played with 10 men for more than 50 minutes after Jonjo Shelveys sending-off before half time but still managed to take the lead through Steven Gerrards volley within a minute of the second half starting.Defender Rafael da Silva equalized five minutes later, curling the ball past Reina, and Van Persies winner ensured second-place United prolonged winless Liverpools worst start to a season in more than 100 years.I thought the players were heroic in terms of performance and the spirit, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said.They were brilliant and didnt get what they deserved.The build-up to the match, though, had been about the fallout from the report into the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy that absolved Liverpool supporters of any responsibility and exposed a police cover-up.