Sir Alex Ferguson said he thought Manchester United were going to win by ten.

The United boss said a draw would have been a travesty. He suggested Liverpool's best player was a flag-happy linesman.

Ferguson was withering. He sounded like he was talking about Hartlepool, not Liverpool.

Fair enough. Winner's prerogative. United have taken up the chase of rampant Chelsea. Liverpool are getting a rare view of the dark waters of the drop zone.

The Premier League table shows Roy Hodgson's side languishing in 16th place. Five points from five games. Mixing it with Stoke and Wolves.

But even though Ferguson said the media would treat yesterday's result as a 'catastrophe' for Liverpool, that may have been a bit of wishful thinking.

Because actually the evidence provided by an enthralling afternoon of entertainment at Old Trafford was that Liverpool's post-Benitez transitional period should soon become less painful.

United deserved their victory yesterday. They were the better side and they played the more accomplished football. The difference in the quality between the two sides was clear.

But it was also apparent that Liverpool are not the hopeless case some have been suggesting. If the team was a patient, it would be throwing off the bedclothes and getting ready to discharge itself.

They are not that far off being a force again. They just need time for Hodgson's new acquisitions to adjust to English football and for Fernando Torres to recover his form and his confidence.

There were signs of both happening yesterday. Amid the despondency of the defeat, there was plenty of room for optimism.

The club may still be beset by problems caused by the financial writhings of its despised American owners but at least Hodgson's appointment means the team is in safe hands.

Hodgson is a fine manager and an experienced boss who will not panic. It already looks as if he has bought well.

Joe Cole, back after a three match ban, played better and better the longer the game went on. It was his run and pass that opened up the United attack to win Liverpool their penalty at 2-0 down.

Christian Poulsen struggled with the pace of the English game but did enough to hint he will be a competent replacement for Javier Mascherano and Raul Meireles and Paul Konchesky will both be assets.

But it was always going to be too much to ask for Hodgson to effect so many changes and mould the side into a team capable of challenging for the title this season.

They had four new players in the team yesterday and they still acquitted themselves well against United. They might not have deserved to win but they were still good enough to give Ferguson a hell of a scare.

When they get the old Torres back, their recovery will accelerate. He won their penalty and the free kick from which Steven Gerrard equalised but he still looked a long way short of his best.

That dip in form will not last forever. It was obvious yesterday that Torres is still groping for form after he spent most of last season and the World Cup in South Africa struggling with injury.

But he is at a stage in his rehabilitation now where it will take one goal here or there to restore him to his previous majesty. It will happen sooner rather than later.

"We are certainly in a transitional period," Hodgson said after the game, "but transition does not always necessarily have to be negative."

Home games against Sunderland and Blackpool are next up for Liverpool. The frowning face of their transition may be about to change.