United edge Pool in epic FA Youth Cup encounter at Anfield
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Manchester United edge Liverpool in epic FA Youth Cup encounter at Anfield
Flashpoint: United's Pogba (No 8) is ordered off by referee David Coote, who felt his run-up to take a penalty was unsporting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZchW7MBe6OA
The bitter rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United marred an FA Youth Cup game at Anfield when away supporters chanted songs about the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters.
There were three arrests for drunkenness and six United supporters were ejected in a chaotic quarter-final.
Both sides finished with nine men as United won 3-2 after coming back from two goals down.
Old Trafford officials were appalled by the conduct of some fans - two were spoken to by police after allegedly setting off flares - and have vowed to take severe action if anyone involved can be identified.
A United spokesman said: 'Singing songs about the Hillsborough and Heysel tragedies is disgraceful. We will deal harshly with anyone brought to our attention.'
Tiffs and butts: Blackett (left) and Coady square up before their dismissals
John Aldridge, who played for Liverpool in 1989 when 96 fans lost their lives after going to watch an FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough, was among a crowd of more than 10,000.
He was dismayed at how the atmosphere degenerated. He said: 'I have never seen anything like that before at a youth game and I never want to see anything like it again. It was disgusting.
'You get used to banter from United fans when they come to Anfield but to hear those songs about Heysel and Hillsborough was just horrible. The level of abuse was absolutely sickening. There was evidently a group who had just come to cause problems and I felt sorry for the families in the Manchester United end who just wanted to watch a game of football.'
Liverpool, the FA Youth Cup winners in 2006 and 2007, had looked on course to book a place in the last four when striker Adam Morgan scored goals either side of half time.
Finishing school: striker Morgan gives Liverpool a two-goal lead
Seeing red: the bloodied Coady is sent off
However, the complexion of the game changed completely in the 58th minute when Liverpool defender Stephen Sama was sent off for a professional foul.
United striker Paul Pogba took the resulting penalty but he bizarrely received a second yellow card because referee David Coote deemed the manner of his exaggerated run-up to be unsporting.
Larnel Cole replaced Pogba as United's penalty taker and he converted from 12 yards, but the incident clearly unsettled Liverpool.
Ravel Morrison levelled three minutes after Cole's penalty and the game became more and more bad-tempered.
Morrison, who has already played at senior level for United this season in the Carling Cup, took advantage of Liverpool's lack of discipline by firing in a late winner.
To make matters worse for the home side, midfielder Conor Coady was shown a straight red card, along with United's Tyler Blackett, after they had to be pulled apart in injury time