Two goals in the space of three minutes from Diego Forlan secured a 2-1 victory for Manchester United against arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
The striker was gifted his first when Jerzy Dudek let a simple header from team mate Jamie Carragher slip through his hands.
His second minutes later killed Liverpool off and they never looked capable of pulling the tie around even after captain Sami Hyypia hammered home with eight minutes to spare.
It all began so differently with the home side starting the brighter.
In the frantic opening minutes United keeper Fabien Barthez was forced to pull off two fine saves.
The first was a snap shot from the boot of Milan Baros – favoured over Emile Heskey to partner Michael Owen in the Reds’ front line.
And only minutes later the Frenchman was on hand again to deny Michael OwenÂ’s long range effort.
Sir Alex FergusonÂ’s men had the ball in the back of the net in the seventh minute but Ole Gunnar SolskjaerÂ’s strike was ruled offside.
All too often Gerard Houllier's men lost possession in the middle of the park and when they did venture forward the United defensive pairing of Mikael Silvestre and Wes Brown were in inspired form.
The second half was a more open affair as both sides went in search of the opener.
And it was United who struck first thanks to a comical error from LiverpoolÂ’s under fire keeper.
In the 64th minute Carragher gently headed the ball back to Dudek but as he bent down to pick it up he somehow let it slip through his hands.
Forlan nipped in and tapped the ball into the empty net for one of the easiest goals he will ever score.
His second only three minutes later was pure class. Ryan Giggs rampaged through the virtually non-existent Liverpool defence before passing wide to Forlan on the edge of the area.
Showing his new found confidence he didnÂ’t hesitate and hammered the ball past the stranded Dudek and it was game over.
The home fans anticipated a storming comeback but despite a well struck Hyypia goal in the 82nd minute they never really looked capable of pulling it off.
A super save from Barthez in the 84th minute denied Dietmar Hamann the leveller and Steven Gerrard missed an excellent chance in the final minute, typifying his nightmare afternoon