Liverpool's need for a goalkeeper of championship-winning potential was again embarrassingly obvious at Old Trafford last night.

Two mistakes by Brad Friedel led to the penalty from which Denis Irwin gave Manchester United the lead and when Karlheinz Riedle did find the United net in the second half, Peter Schmeichel having half-saved Patrik Berger's shot, the goal was disallowed because the German was offside.

Paul Scholes's well-struck shot from 15 yards 11 minutes before the end then erased memories of United's supine display at Arsenal last Sunday.

Liverpool had the opportunity last night to regain the league leadership. But they had only won once at Old Trafford in a dozen visits. The response of Alex Ferguson after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Highbury was to make three changes. Last night he restored Ole Gunnar Solskjaer alongside Dwight Yorke in attack, leaving Jesper Blomqvist on the bench, replaced Nicky Butt with Scholes in midfield, and moved Gary Neville to centre-back alongside Jaap Stam with brother Phil coming in at right-back. Liverpool invariably know what to expect when they go to Old Trafford and last night it was no different, early waves of United attacks down both flanks accompanied by a barrage of crosses. For a time Liverpool's defenders dealt competently with these and the nearest United came to taking an early lead was when Friedel held Roy Keane's intended drive across the goalmouth after Ryan Giggs had lobbed David Beckham's corner back beyond the far post.

Liverpool needed to impose their own patient, possessive pattern on the match and for that to happen they had to get hold of the game in midfield. This was never going to be easy, given the authority shown by Roy Keane and Scholes from the outset, and Liverpool were still seeking regular contact with Owen and Riedle when they fell behind after 18 minutes.

The goal followed the sort of chapter of accidents not entirely unfamiliar in the present Liverpool side. First Friedel allowed a low shot from Solskjaer to slip through his arms for a corner. Then Friedel met Beckham's kick with a weak punch which saw the ball dropping short towards Scholes and Jason McAteer, who promptly handled it away from the United player.

Irwin's penalty set Old Trafford a'roar and it was hard to escape the feeling that a crucial initiative had been surrendered unnecessarily.

Five minutes before the interval, Steve McManaman lay the ball out to McAteer, whose crosscum-shot from the right was punched out by Schmeichel with rather more force than his opposite number. Schmeichel did even better in first-half stoppage time, somehow keeping out a drive from Ince which had taken a big deflection off Stam.

A sweetly-timed passing movement could have brought United a second goal two minutes after half-time. With Liverpool's defence caught square, Yorke sent Giggs through but instead of shooting he set up a chance for Solskjaer, who dragged the ball wide.

Manchester Utd: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Stam, Beckham, Giggs, P Neville, Keane, Scholes (Butt 88), Yorke, Solskjaer (Cole 69). Subs Not Used: Blomqvist, Van Der Gouw, Berg. Booked: Giggs, P Neville, Stam, Scholes. Goals: Irwin 18 pen, Scholes 79.

Liverpool: Friedel, McAteer, Babb, McManaman, Owen, Redknapp, Riedle (Fowler 75), Berger, Ince, Bjornebye, Carragher. Subs Not Used: James, Heggem, Matteo, Leonhardsen. Booked: Carragher, Ince, Berger, Redknapp.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).