However, it was achieved in extraordinary circumstances.
Liverpool were embarrassingly superior throughout. Every Liverpool player better than his opposite number, every pass made with more conviction, every attack constructed with more purpose. United's approach to the game was incredibly basic for a club of this stature, for players of this quality.
David Moyes did himself few favours here, basing an entire game plan around feeding the ball early to Juan Mata and Adnan Januzaj in wide areas. That was not only easy to combat - Jon Flanagan and Glen Johnson snuffed it out at source time and again - but also left Fellaini and Michael Carrick hopelessly exposed and outnumbered in midfield.
Throw in the faster pace of Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge against a laboured centre half pairing of Vidic and Jones and a carve up was inevitable.
Liverpool had three penalties in this match. The first should also have brought a red card for Rafael who ridiculously punched the ball away from Luis Suarez seconds after he was booked for a foul on Steven Gerrard.The Liverpool captain had recovered sufficiently to slam in the spot kick.
Despite the set up in the first half playing right into the hands of their visitors, Moyes made no changes at half time. Within 60 seconds of the restart Joe Allen was shoved to the ground by Jones and Gerrard stepped up to convert from 12 yards for a second time.
He hit the post with his third penalty of the game after Sturridge had gone down theatrically under minimal contact from Nemanja Vidic, who was sent off for a second bookable offence, and United were totally spent thereafter.
Suarez added a third late on, and only a fine save from David De Gea just before that kept it to three. There was a swagger and confidence about Liverpool.
United were dreadful. Rooney and Van Persie isolated and irrelevent. Olympiakos loom large on Wednesday.
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