Liverpool - 2 Manchester Utd - 0 In a season that threatened to strip Liverpool of every comfort, the club kept a scrap of paper clutched in their fist. As the League Cup final proved, they continue to hold the formula for beating Manchester United

They might have misread those instructions when they lost in the Premiership at Anfield in December but that rare lapse had been preceded by four consecutive league wins over Alex Ferguson's side.

Gerard Houllier's team nullified United for most of the afternoon and were blessed with prodigious saves from the goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek. The Old Trafford team might have rescued themselves but there was none of the inexorable fluency that allowed them to drub Juventus 3-0 last week.

Liverpool's display had enough depth for them to immerse themselves in its joys. The athleticism of Dudek, the vigilance of the centre backs, the dynamism of John Arne Riise, the self-possession of Danny Murphy, the assertiveness of Steven Gerrard and the predatory scoring impact of Michael Owen were reasons enough for carousing by the fans, but this was also an ironic triumph for their club.

The team's approach in the Millennium Stadium was a heightened version of the tactic that has got them into so much trouble in other tournaments. Pundits are unanimous Liverpool cannot be Premiership champions until they abandon their counter-attacking style.

An overhaul of some sort remains essential, but Houllier, who is sure of at least a UEFA Cup place next season, will be delighted by this demonstration that there are a lot of skilled footballers on the Anfield books.

Dudek, too, must relish this proof of his worth. His clumsy spell started at the World Cup with Poland and the tremor in his handling continued until he let a header from Jamie Carragher, his defender, roll through his legs for Diego Forlan to give Manchester United a lead in their win at Anfield three months ago.

Dudek was at his most supple in the second half, displaying quicksilver reactions in the two parries he made, one with his left hand and the other with the right when Ruud van Nistelrooy struck lashing drives. Such was Dudek's authority that other saves from players such as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes almost looked preordained.

United collaborated in creating a dull opening passage to this final and slowly, Liverpool began to make modest experiments in self-expression. There was a change of tone to proceedings when Murphy tricked Roy Keane with a clever turn with a flick of his heel and clipped a shot over the bar.

All Liverpool needed was the sliver of good luck that came to them in the 39th minute. Gerrard's drive from 30 yards was vigorous enough but it was the deflection from David Beckham's leg that steered it high into the net. The transformation in the game could be felt everywhere. Within moments Mikael Silvestre, in a display of gathering haplessness, failed to control a pass and then Rio Ferdinand sloppily put the ball out of play.

United had one chance to quell Liverpool. After 44 minutes Giggs crossed, Dudek repelled Juan Sebastian Veron's drive and Scholes's effort from the rebound flew off the ankle of Stephane Henchoz and over the bar.

Before the interval El Hadji Diouf gambolled away from Silvestre, provoking Keane to bawl at his full back. In that cameo, the spectator sensed a shortfall in United's authority. This was still a substantial failure for a club who have not collected a trophy since the Premiership title in 2001. It seemed as if the League Cup was not the only honour put beyond their reach yesterday because Arsenal, after the win over Charlton, hold an eight-point lead in the league.

The weakness of Ferguson's team was marked by Silvestre's poorly directed header and the hesitation by Ferdinand that allowed Dietmar Hamann to put Owen through in the 86th minute. The forward did not spare United an illustration of his renewed form, driving painstakingly past Fabien Barthez. The status of the League Cup is forever being questioned but it is significant enough to leave Old Trafford despondent and pensive.

MAN UTD: Barthez, Gary Neville, Brown (Solskjaer 74), Ferdinand, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Veron, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Scholes. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Phil Neville, Butt, O'Shea.

Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).

LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Diouf (Biscan 90), Hamann, Gerrard, Murphy, Owen, Heskey (Baros 61), Baros (Smicer 89). Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Traore. Booked: Henchoz. Goals: Gerrard 39, Owen 86.