We can be sure that Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafa Benitez will be at each other's throats again as they contemplate why Manchester United are top of the Premier League.
Ferguson will emphasise the strength of character and irrepressible attacking force that saw his United team score five goals in a stunning 22-minute second-half spell to destroy a Tottenham team that were 2-0 ahead and cruising at the interval.
Liverpool manager Benitez will see the 56th-minute penalty award made by referee Howard Webb from which Cristiano Ronaldo dragged the champions back into the game as more irrefutable proof that even the country's top officials are affected by a Ferguson fear factor.
On the evidence of a compelling evening at Old Trafford, both arguments are valid.
United looked beyond redemption as Darren Bent and Luka Modric struck inside the space of three minutes - and as Liverpool travelled back down the M62 from Hull they must have believed their 3-1 win earlier in the day would keep them at the summit.
But by the time the team coach pulled into Anfield, both Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney had scored twice and Dimitar Berbatov had answered the taunts of the Spurs fans who once idolised him by claiming the fifth.
It was a stunning response from a team who head into Wednesday's Champions League semi-final against Arsenal with a three-point cushion at the top as well as a game in hand.
Yet while the half-time introduction of Carlos Tevez from the substitutes' bench gave United the verve and energy they lacked in the first 45 minutes, the game turned when Webb pointed to the penalty spot. Rooney's astute pass through the middle tempted both Michael Carrick and Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes into believing they could get there first.
Gomes plunged bravely and clearly flicked the ball away with his palm before careering into the former Tottenham midfielder - but up came Webb's trigger finger.
Even Ferguson admitted that his team got lucky. He said:" Yes, we were a bit fortunate.
But it shouldn't be overlooked that we were absolutely electric in the second half."
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Ronaldo did the rest from 12 yards - and Spurs' hopes of claiming their first victory at Old Trafford in the 20 years since Gary Lineker's winner had the Stretford End calling for Ferguson to be sacked were doomed.
United were level in the 67th minute, when Webb appeared to change his mind over awarding a foul for Rafael Da Silva's aerial challenge on Modric.
Within seconds Berbatov and Tevez had worked the ball wide to Rooney and he cut in from the left to drive a shot through Vedran Corluka's legs and in off Gomes's hand.
Sixty seconds later Rooney was the provider, crossing from the left to enable Ronaldo to plunge in to head past Gomes for his 23rd goal of the season.
In the 71st minute when Rooney controlled Ronaldo's clipped cross and fired in a shot that crept over the line after rebounding off both Gomes and Jonathan Woodgate.
And when Berbatov met Rooney's cross 11 minutes from time only to be denied by Gomes, the Bulgarian was able to prod home the loose ball.
It was an outcome that looked impossible after 32 minutes.
First Bent showed razorsharp instincts to blast his 17th goal of the season after challenging Rio Ferdinand for Corluka's cross.
Then, after Aaron Lennon tore past Patrice Evra to deliver a cross that dropped to Modric at the far post after eluding Bent and Ferdinand, the Croatian made no mistake.
Redknapp said: "At 2-0 I couldn't see how United would get back into it, but the referee turned the game.
( Simon Mullock / Mirror )
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