London (dpa) - Goalkeeper David De Gea was the star Sunday as
Manchester United made it six straight wins with a convincing 3-0 win
over Liverpool.
De Gea made eight saves in being named man of the match as United strengthened their hold on third place by moving three points clear of West Ham.
"David was outstanding," Robin van Persie, who scored the final United goal told Sky Sports. "He was brilliant."
Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata also scored at Old Trafford as United moved within eight points of leaders Chelsea and five of second-place Manchester City.
The loss will likely put more pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, whose team has won just two of their past eight league games and dropped to 10th place after Tottenham beat Swansea 2-1 in the day's late match.
"I thought we had done enough to win the game, it epitomized our season really," Rodgers, whose team had 19 shots, told Sky. "We created so many chances today and David De Gea was man of the match.
"We also made defensive mistakes and that cost us today. We've just got to keep working, we know what the solutions are and hopefully the confidence will return."
Raheem Sterling could have put Liverpool in front in the 12th minute but was stopped by De Gea after being sent through by Adam Lallana.
United broke the other way and took the lead 25 seconds later as Antonio Valencia went past Joe Allen on the right and cut a ball back which Rooney fired into the bottom corner.
After De Gea denied Sterling a second time, the hosts controversially doubled their lead five minutes before half-time.
Ashley Young's ball from the left was flicked on by Van Persie toward the far post, where the unmarked Mata was well offside as he easily headed it home.
Liverpool had two good chances early in the second half as Jordan Henderson headed over and Sterling was topped by De Gea after latching onto an errant back-pass on the edge of the area.
De Gea once again came to United's rescue by pushing a shot from Mario Balotelli, who came on to start the second half, onto the crossbar.
United clinched the victory in the 71st minute as Dejan Lovren's poor clearance went to Mata at the edge of the area. The Spaniard laid a pass to his right which an unmarked van Persie slotted home.
De Gea then capped his outstanding day by twice stopping Balotelli in the closing minutes.
"Today, I thought we were the better team, and we deserved to win," United manager Louis van Gaal said on the club's website. It's important that we win the games, because it makes the players believe in the philosophy."
"But, we have to improve and I'm saying that to them every week. When that's no longer the case, I'll be pleased."
Rodgers felt the final score wasn't a true indication of his team's effort.
"I didn't think it was a 3-0 game," he said. "I thought we were the better team in the first half but we gave away disappointing goals today.
"I think it tells you everything that their goalkeeper was man of the match."
Christian Eriksen's goal in the final minute lifted Tottenham three places to seventh. Spurs are unbeaten in seven meetings Premier League meetings with Swansea, winning six.
"We are a team which doesn't settle for a point," Eriksen told Sky Sports. "Swansea had the better chances in the second half and created the most but we are happy because we scored in the 90th minute."
Harry Kane headed Spurs into the lead in the fourth minute and Wilfried Bony drew the hosts level early in the second half.
Swansea manager Gary Monk felt a draw was the worst his team should have come away with.
"There looked to be only one winner in the second half when we levelled and then there was the classic sucker-punch," he said. "It's mesmerizing how we didn't win that game.
"We didn't deserve that and we came away with no points from such a great effort."
De Gea made eight saves in being named man of the match as United strengthened their hold on third place by moving three points clear of West Ham.
"David was outstanding," Robin van Persie, who scored the final United goal told Sky Sports. "He was brilliant."
Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata also scored at Old Trafford as United moved within eight points of leaders Chelsea and five of second-place Manchester City.
The loss will likely put more pressure on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, whose team has won just two of their past eight league games and dropped to 10th place after Tottenham beat Swansea 2-1 in the day's late match.
"I thought we had done enough to win the game, it epitomized our season really," Rodgers, whose team had 19 shots, told Sky. "We created so many chances today and David De Gea was man of the match.
"We also made defensive mistakes and that cost us today. We've just got to keep working, we know what the solutions are and hopefully the confidence will return."
Raheem Sterling could have put Liverpool in front in the 12th minute but was stopped by De Gea after being sent through by Adam Lallana.
United broke the other way and took the lead 25 seconds later as Antonio Valencia went past Joe Allen on the right and cut a ball back which Rooney fired into the bottom corner.
After De Gea denied Sterling a second time, the hosts controversially doubled their lead five minutes before half-time.
Ashley Young's ball from the left was flicked on by Van Persie toward the far post, where the unmarked Mata was well offside as he easily headed it home.
Liverpool had two good chances early in the second half as Jordan Henderson headed over and Sterling was topped by De Gea after latching onto an errant back-pass on the edge of the area.
De Gea once again came to United's rescue by pushing a shot from Mario Balotelli, who came on to start the second half, onto the crossbar.
United clinched the victory in the 71st minute as Dejan Lovren's poor clearance went to Mata at the edge of the area. The Spaniard laid a pass to his right which an unmarked van Persie slotted home.
De Gea then capped his outstanding day by twice stopping Balotelli in the closing minutes.
"Today, I thought we were the better team, and we deserved to win," United manager Louis van Gaal said on the club's website. It's important that we win the games, because it makes the players believe in the philosophy."
"But, we have to improve and I'm saying that to them every week. When that's no longer the case, I'll be pleased."
Rodgers felt the final score wasn't a true indication of his team's effort.
"I didn't think it was a 3-0 game," he said. "I thought we were the better team in the first half but we gave away disappointing goals today.
"I think it tells you everything that their goalkeeper was man of the match."
Christian Eriksen's goal in the final minute lifted Tottenham three places to seventh. Spurs are unbeaten in seven meetings Premier League meetings with Swansea, winning six.
"We are a team which doesn't settle for a point," Eriksen told Sky Sports. "Swansea had the better chances in the second half and created the most but we are happy because we scored in the 90th minute."
Harry Kane headed Spurs into the lead in the fourth minute and Wilfried Bony drew the hosts level early in the second half.
Swansea manager Gary Monk felt a draw was the worst his team should have come away with.
"There looked to be only one winner in the second half when we levelled and then there was the classic sucker-punch," he said. "It's mesmerizing how we didn't win that game.
"We didn't deserve that and we came away with no points from such a great effort."
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