champions, that is, who because of the nature of their particular theatre of competition, have not crushed most of the opposition before the sound of the first whistle. Immersing himself in the war with the Irish horse men, making signings like those of Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba, which never began to compensate for the decline of Keane's influence on the field and in the dressing-room, Ferguson began talking a language that began to jar with even those who admired him most. Maybe it was that in his 20th year of superb leadership, Ferguson, like some of his key players, was paying the price for winning too often, too easily. When this happened, maybe it was - and Ferguson cannot be expected to agree or even recognise the possibilities of this proposition - that the master of Old Trafford had his eye off the ball. Inevitably, the most pressing questions gather around the head of Ferguson It cannot be otherwise. He set the standard, drew up requirements of performance which broke down all opposition in an unprecedented period of domination of domestic football, but maybe he had been doing it for too long when Jose Mourinho, fresh from a dazzling Champions' League triumph, so eagerly and brilliantly gathered up his resources at Stamford Bridge.
It has been written in the sky over Old Trafford for a good two years now Of course, there have been cul-de-sacs of optimism Wayne Rooney has produced prodigious performances. Roy Keane has ransacked the years, plucked at his memory, and delivered remnants of leadership, physical and moral, enough to overpower, say, Arsenal. But then that is another story of lost horizons and ebbing power. The common denominator is the rise of Chelsea, a new level of competition which has tested and - don't let's mince words - found out the two clubs who dominated the English game for so long. You have to work on such a denouement over a certain length of time and not even the most committed United loyalist can argue now that decline has come in some mystifying rush. It has not, by any means. Substitutes not used: Carson (gk), Hamann, Warnock.West Ham (4-5-1): Hislop; Repka (Collins, 81), Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Konchesky; Bellion (Aliadi?, 60) Reo-Coker, Mullins, Benayoun, Etherington (Sheringham, 67); Harewood.
Substitutes not used: Bywater (gk), Dailly.Referee: U Rennie (Yorkshire)Booked Liverpool: Morientes, Finnan.Man of the match: Alonso.Attendance: 44,537.. A team doesn't go bad in one game, even two or three, and a player who earns £100,000 a week doesn't easily earn the scorn that was etched into Sir Alex Ferguson's face when Rio Ferdinand was withdrawn from the disaster at Middlesbrough. Only some obdurate defence, shaped brilliantly at times by Anton Ferdinand, prevented the point being made rather more emphatically.Goals: Alonso (18) 1-0; Zenden (82) 2-0.Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise; Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Garcia; Morientes (Crouch, 90), Ciss?Zenden, 73). Their difficulty was meeting a Liverpool team determined to show some evidence of how it was that they managed to win the greatest prize in club football just a few months ago. "Yes, I always want goals," said Benitez, "I was pleased with the way they played today - and their commitment.
