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Premier League, Anfield - Liverpool 1 (Gerrard 46) Manchester United 2 (Rafael 51, Robin van Persie 81 pen).

Manchester United moved up to second in the Premier League table after beating Liverpool 2-1 on an emotional day at Anfield.

Jonjo Shelvey was sent off for the home side towards the end of a first half they had largely controlled, but then Steven Gerrard gave the 10-man Reds the lead within a minute of the start of the second half.

That lead only lasted five minutes, however, before United defender Rafael equalised. The visitors then began to make their one-man advantage count and Robin van Persie gave them the lead from the penalty spot nine minutes from time.

The win is United's first at Anfield in almost five years, since Carlos Tevez scored the only goal of the game in December 2007. The victory sends them up to second in the table on 12 points, one behind leaders Chelsea.

Liverpool still await their first league win of the season, and remain in the bottom three where they were shunted down to following Saturday's results.

On what was always set to be an emotionally-charged day as Liverpool played their first home game since the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report exonerated Liverpool fans of blame for the 1989 disaster, moving pre-match tributes were paid to the 96 who lost their lives as a result of the tragedy.

Before kick-off United legend Bobby Charlton came out onto the pitch with a bouquet of 96 red roses, 96 red balloons were released into the sky by Ryan Giggs – United captain in the absence of Nemanja Vidic - and the home crowd held up placards spelling out 'The Truth', 'Justice' and '96' as they sang their traditional pre-match rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone.

After those marks of respect were paid - and the sideshow of Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra shaking hands took place – the match got underway in a spirit of relative conviviality. To begin with, at least.

The first-half was a microcosm of Liverpool's Premier League season so far. They dominated possession, especially in the centre of the park against a porous United midfield, but continually struggled in front of goal.

After Shinji Kagawa to Ryan Giggs on the edge of the box, only for United's captain for the day to fire wide seven minutes in, the majority of the play was in United's half and most of the chances were Liverpool's.

Steven Gerrard had half the crowd celebrating when he shot form an angle following a corner, but the Liverpool skipper had only hit the side-netting.

On the day he became the youngest Liverpool player ever to feature in this fixture, 17-year-old winger Raheem Sterling showed flashes of his potential and sporadically linked up well with Luis Suarez.

For all of Liverpool's superior possession, however, the only time United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard was forced into a save was from a well-struck Suarez free-kick.

Liverpool surrendered their midfield advantage six minutes from half-time when Shelvery was sent off for recklessly lunging into a 50/50 challenge with Jonny Evans. On a day in which both managers appeared on live television before kick-off in a sign of unity between the two tragedy-stricken clubs, Shelvey's rowing with Alex Ferguson on his way down the tunnel was an unedifying sight.

At the break Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers replaced the industrious but ineffectual Fabio Borini for Spanish youngster Suso, and the 18-year-old was immediately involved in the build-up which saw the Reds take the lead.

After Suso and Glen Johnson both caused the United defence problems the ball broke to Gerrard, who took it on his chest before firing a clinical low finish home for his first league goal since March.

United – who had themselves made a half-time switch by bringing Paul Scholes on for the out-of-form Nani – responded well and were level soon afterwards. Antonio Valencia and Shinji Kagawa combined cleverly with Rafael, with the Japanese chesting the ball down for the Brazil full-back to curl a fine left-footed finish in off the far post.

It was Rafael's second league goal of the season, matching his total from his previous four years at United.

Suarez brought the best out of Lindegaard by forcing another low save from the Dane, but any hopes of the home side holding on for at least a point were ruined when Valencia won United a 76th-minute penalty.

The Ecuadorean winger pounced on a loose ball in midfield and sprinted into the Liverpool area, where Johnson slid in with a challenge which did not appear to make much in the way of contact with either ball or player. Still, referee Mark Halsey pointed to the spot.

Van Persie had to wait almost five minutes before taking the spot-kick as Daniel Agger received treatment and was then substituted, but he kept his nerve to fire home despite Pepe Reina getting a big hand to the strike.

Following Agger's injury, Martin Kelly sustained would could be a serious injury after landing awkwardly on his right leg in stoppage time to bring a miserable end to the match which had begun so emotionally for Liverpool.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rafael (Manchester United) – The Brazilian's delightful curling effort got United back on terms and he generally kept Liverpool quiet down his side of the pitch.

Manchester City went third in the table after beating Queens Park Rangers 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium in a match they made far harder than it needed to be.

The meeting between the two sides brought back memories of last season's final day 3-2 classic but City were hoping to avoid the need for such dramatics this time out.

Yaya Toure gave them an early lead and the champions proceeded to completely dominate the first half without being able to double their advantage.

Bobby Zamora then scored a scarcely deserved equaliser in the 59th minute for the visitors from West London but Edin Dzeko, making his first start since March, headed City back in front two minutes later.

City would have been expected to push on from there and kill off the game but instead they tired badly giving a previously laboured QPR side a chance of an unlikely point.

However, despite playing seven summer signings, QPR were similarly uninspired, and Carlos Tevez redirected a mis-hit Edin Dzeko shot into the net in stoppage time to wrap up the victory.

An indication of City's early domination was the fact that their opening goal came from what was already their seventh corner of the match in just the 16th minute.

Samir Nasri curled the corner to the back post where Tevez shot against Zamora – the ball then bounced out to Yaya Toure near the penalty spot and the Ivorian fired home the opener.

QPR were completely devoid of ambition in the first half and just sat back in numbers hoping that City wouldn't break them down.

Roberto Mancini's men had a number of chances but it was somehow only 1-0 at the break. The closest QPR actually came was a bizarre clearance from halfway back towards his own goal by Jack Rodwell that sailed just over.

The second-half followed a similar patter and Pablo Zabaleta was desperately unlucky not to score in the 52th minute when, after been slipped in by a cute David Silva pass, he curled a great effort off the underside of the crossbar.

Then QPR scored completely against the run of play in the 59th minute. Andy Johnson nicked David Silva in possession and ran into the box; he fired a shot on goal that took a deflection and Joe Hart did superbly well to save it, however, he could only put it into the path of Johnson's former Fulham team-mate Zamora who nodded home a header from two yards.

That seemed to wake up City though who had the lead again just two minutes later.

Tevez was again involved as he reacted quickly to a fizzed ball by Aleksandar Kolarov into the box to push the ball forward with his right foot before pulling back a cross with his left from the end-line that landed perfectly on Dzeko's head, allowing the big striker to nod home from close range.

However, after that City got sloppy again and seemed to tire badly. New signing Esteban Granero was having a decent game for QPR in midfield and the booked Kolarov was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch after barging into Anton Ferdinand and then his replacement Nedum Onuoha.

QPR did create a couple of changes as City looked gassed but they were perhaps unlucky that their two best openings fell to centre back Ryan Nelsen who mis-hit one effort and couldn't get onto the end of another cross that Jolean Lescott had failed to deal with.

Instead it was City who would get the game's fourth goal, as Tevez scored his 50th Premier League goal when he redirected a poor effort from Dzeko past Rob Green.

It was fully deserved, as the Argentine had allowed Yaya Toure to feed the Bosnian by harassing the QPR defenders in possession.

It was again a stoppage time goal from an Argentine against QPR, but while it may not have had the drama of last season's meeting between the sides, and Sergio Aguero's heroics, three points are three points, and once again it was City who took the spoils.

England need a draw against co-hosts Ukraine in their final Group D match to reach the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after Danny Welbeck scored a late winner in a 3-2 victory over Sweden at Kiev's Olympic Stadium.

In a match in which neither side's defence impressed, England were forced to recover from trailing in the second half after Olof Mellberg forced Glen Johnson to put past his own keeper and then scored himself to cancel out Andy Carroll's headed opening goal for England on 23 minutes.

Substitute Theo Walcott brought England level when he drove a shot straight down the middle of the goal on 64 minutes from outside of the area that somehow evaded Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson as he dived to his left. It was his first international goal since his hat-trick in a 4-1 win in Croatia almost four years ago.

Welbeck won it for England on 78 minutes with both sides pushing for the three points when he backheeled Walcott's cross into the net with the opposing defenders again caught marking fresh air.

England were marginally the better side on an evening of some mediocrity with Sweden heading home from the finals after their 2-1 loss to Ukraine in the opening match with followed by this defeat. They will not be a great miss to the tournament.

England conclude their Group D campaign against Ukraine in Donetsk on Tuesday with the co-hosts needing three points to deprive England of progress after their 2-0 loss to France earlier in the day.

France and England top the section on four points with the French warm favourites to progress as group winners if they can come up with a win over the already doomed Swedes.

Roy Hodgson's side will need to improve considerably to remain a threat in this tournament, mainly in defence and in their toiling efforts at ball retention, but will be boosted by the return of the suspended Wayne Rooney to face Ukraine.

Welbeck's winning goal gave them a first success over Sweden in competitive matches after two losses and five draws against the Scandinavian country on similar occasions.

Hodgson's decision to bring back Liverpool forward Carroll to replace the Arsenal teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain seemed to be vindicated when Carroll rose to power a header into the net from 12 yards out after Steven Gerrard had provided a similar delivery that enabled Joleon Lescott to score with a header in the 1-1 draw against France.

England were leading 1-0 and comfortable with Isaksson diving to swat away a Scott Parker shot and Welbeck heading wide from James Milner's cross before Carroll finally unearthed the opening goal with his first start and first goal at a major finals.

With Sweden appearing impotent from open play, Ashley Young drove a shot into the side of the net as England disappeared up the tunnel looking relatively content.

There was a significant mood swing at the outset of the second half when the unmarked and bearded Mellberg prodded the ball over the line to bring Sweden level with England's defence in a ghastly state.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart palmed the ball into the midriff of Johnson, who failed to scramble the ball clear as it dropped over the line.

Suddenly England were being tested as Johnson was forced to make a fine tackle on Rasmus Elm before Sweden moved 2-1 clear as Mellberg rose unmarked to beat Hart with a header from Sebastian Larsson's free-kick.

It was awful defending with John Terry and Lescott nowhere to be seen.

Johnson's pace was again called upon when he raced back to prevent the moody Zlatan Ibrahimovic from getting a free shot at goal as Sweden pushed for a 3-1 lead.

England looked groggy, but dragged themselves back to 2-2 when Walcott's hopeful drive evaded Isaksson seconds after the goalkeeper superbly pawed away John Terry's header inside the Sweden box.

With one goal likely to settle matters either way, Ibrahimovic forced Hart to plunge to his right to divert a ferocious shot on 77 minutes.

It was left to Welbeck to drive the dagger into the hopes of over 20,000 Sweden fans in the 70,000 crowd when he brilliantly converted from Walcott's cross to seal the win.

England could have added to their total in added time, but Isaksson came up with another eye-catching save to halt Gerrard's volley with Walcott playing provider on the break. But England's work had been done for the night.

Manchester City moved back on track in their Premier League title hunt with a 3-0 win at home to Fulham at a snowy Eastlands.

The league leaders, stunned 1-0 at Everton last time out, overcame the poor conditions with a Sergio Aguero penalty, Chris Baird own-goal and Edin Dzeko strike to open up a three-point, nine-goal gap on second-placed Manchester United, who visit Chelsea on Sunday.

City controlled the game, dominating possession and pegging Fulham back into their own half for large swathes of the first half.

However, the Premier League leaders seemed a touch static when reaching the final third, with the exception of Adam Johnson, a livewire on the right, although he faded in the second half.

And the two first-half goals they did score resulted from work by the former Middlesbrough winger, although they will not enter his portfolio of top moments.

On nine minutes a mazy run from the England international sent him wriggling into the box: Chris Baird, playing out of position at left-back, stuck out a leg but quickly withdrew it.

Johnson had already started his tumble though, wrapping his own leg around Baird’s almost as an afterthought: it happened in an instant, Mike Dean convinced enough to point to the spot while the replays suggested gamesmanship from Johnson.

Aguero stood up for the spot-kick and, dubious as the award was, his finish was superb, high and mighty into the top right, his 15th in the league this season.

Within 10 minutes Johnson took another tumble in the box, but this time Dean did not buy his aquatic antics, waving play on with Baird relieved.

It would not be Baird’s day though as, on the half-hour mark, he scored an unfortunate own-goal.

Johnson was involved once again but, crafty as his earlier intervention was, this one was all down to his poor shooting, an effort going nowhere near goal before taking a wild deflection off the Northern Irishman to leave the returning Mark Schwarzer helpless.

While the first penalty incident was debatable City, at 2-0, should have had another, with Dickson Etuhu fortunate to escape after rattling into David Silva from behind.

That evoked some kind of response from Fulham, who had been drearily negative prior to their best spell leading into the break.

After Philippe Senderos almost scored another own-goal when deflecting Micah Richards’s cross into Schwarzer’s arms. Damien Duff had a couple of efforts wide while Simon Davies forced a straightforward save from Joe Hart after some cute build-up play.

But with Fulham coming forward more City were even more dangerous as it played to their preferred counter-attack, with Schwarzer saving well from Aguero and Dzeko denied by a Brede Hangeland block.

The second half was a difficult affair as the snow thickened both on the pitch and in the air: it was causing problems, Hart struggling to hold on to daisy-cutters from Stephen Kelly and Baird, while referee Dean made a clear mistake by booking Senderos when Aleksandr Kolarov went in late on the Swiss, and not vice versa, the former Arsenal defender getting the ball first and an injury in the 50-50.

Meanwhile the conditions worsened, the groundsmen rushing on to shovel snow from the lines as the pitch whitened as the game got ragged.

However, the third goal - on 72 minutes - was a work of brilliance, as a mesmerising solo run from Aguero was capped off by a cut-back that Dzeko gobbled up with a low finish.

It was a touch harsh on Fulham as they had done better in the second half, indeed hitting the post through Dempsey while John-Arne Riise forced a smart stop from Hart.

But City had some chances late on, Richards bounding forward after a ‘steal’ off Moussa Dembele but putting his shot wide, while no-one was able to finish a superb cut-back from Kolarov in the dying seconds.

There were some handbags too, as Dembele and Kolarov escaped with bookings after going tete-a-tete over a petty foul by the Serb.

So the win was ultimately deserved but the margin of victory somewhat flattering for City, who will hope that Chelsea do them a favour at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.