BY KEVIN MCCARRA ( The Times )

IN THE midst of all the welter of action, there can be a single incident with which a team reasserts its prowess. Manchester United savoured the moment last night when they at last broke a vigorous Liverpool side that had been in hard pursuit of an equaliser throughout the long spell in which they lagged by a single goal. A move that exuded supreme quality was to eclipse the visitors' pride.

With 11 minutes left, a Liverpool corner was cleared and the astute Yorke fired a pass down the left for Cole, the substitute. Pace and a feint with the shoulder took him beyond Babb and, when Fowler failed to clear the low cross, Scholes lashed a thrilling left-footed shot high into the net.

Here was a match to explore the revitalising effects of enmity. These rivals must have welcomed the sight of one another, even if it is whimsical to perceive any hint of an embrace when they grapple. Each club had lately experienced discouragement, but torpor was certain to be cleansed from the body in an FA Carling Premiership fixture of such purifying competitiveness.

Liverpool had endured chagrin over the 3-3 draw with Charlton Athletic on Saturday, but United were aghast to have lost 3-0 to Arsenal 24 hours later. The more severe of those experiences produced the stronger reaction. At the outset, it was Alex Ferguson's side that set the quick tempo and revelled in its impact.

A television documentary had captured the manager's allegation that Ince, a former United player, was "a big-time Charlie". For the Liverpool captain and the rest of his team, there was, if it had ever been required, a brief refresher course in humility. Confronted by criticism, however, Ince delivered a riposte with his deeds. His tenacity was unflagging. It was, all the same, United who possessed conclusive strength.

Mindful of the danger of Owen, Ferguson decided that youth must be countered by youth and Gary Neville operated at centre back. Neville and Stam were to exert great influence, even if it took some time for the merits of Ferguson's plan to be assessed. In the 45th minute, McManaman slipped a delicately weighted pass into the path of Owen. His run was to advance no further than the few steps that took him into Neville's sharp tackle.

Efficiency was decidedly less prominent in the visitors' rearguard. Assiduous work on the training ground can never ward off the sort of misadventure that occurred when United moved ahead in the nineteenth minute.

There was a hint of the problems to come when Solskjaer's 20-yard shot slithered away from Friedel, the goalkeeper, for a corner. Beckham hit it deep and Friedel's punch was inconclusive. As the ball dropped towards Scholes and McAteer, the latter unwisely raised his arm to make contact. Irwin tucked the penalty in with ease, encapsulating United's confidence.

There is so much buffeting in a contest such as this that any mood is at risk of being jostled aside. Liverpool forged assertiveness in the heat of a first half that saw them collect four of the six bookings. Even if the exertion was not always matched by incisiveness, the visitors' endeavour demanded respect and caused United concern.

Ferguson's side could have extended their lead, after 47 minutes, when Giggs's back-heel opened up the space from which Solskjaer sent his finish slipping wide of the post, but they were often pinned down. Compelled to linger in defence, they were forced to draw on all their steadfastness, as well as a little good fortune.

When McAteer broke on the right to deliver a cross that fell to Berger, it was chance that saw the deflection on his drive carry the ball to the hands of Schmeichel. The unrelenting nature of the conflict was typified by the duel between captains who fulfil their roles like warriors. The exchanges between Keane and Ince were harsh, yet free of complaint.

Emotions were not always contained with such ease and Beckham was to give Redknapp a heated rebuke after one coarse challenge. No matter the bruises, such intemperate events suited United, in as much as they demonstrated that the cohesion, and the threat, were beginning to diminish as concentration flagged.

It took a peculiar mistake to bring Liverpool to the verge of an equaliser. McAteer's cut-back reached Berger, who steadied himself before directing an attempt straight at Schmeichel. The ball then bounced out of his grasp and into the path of Riedle, who knocked it into the net. The goal was disallowed because the German forward had been offside when Berger shot.

Such an episode was out of keeping with a United performance that depended on intense discipline. Ferguson had said that his team would be judged by its reaction to the adversity of the past week. In this victory, with Scholes's magnificent crowning goal, they delivered bad news to any foes who believed that United's formidable force of character had been lost.

Manchester United: (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - P Neville, J Stam, G Neville, D Irwin - D Beckham, R Keane, P Scholes (sub: N Butt, 88min), R Giggs - D Yorke, O G Solskjaer (sub: A Cole, 69).

Liverpool: (4-4-2): B Friedel - J McAteer, J Carragher, P Babb, S I Bjornebye - S McManaman, P Ince, J Redknapp, P Berger - K Riedle (sub: R Fowler, 75), M Owen.

Referee: S Lodge.

Attendance: 55,181.