Sir Alex Ferguson felt his young Manchester United side found a new level of maturity as they beat Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.Wes Brown was the unlikely scorer of United's first when he leapt to head in Wayne Rooney's cross and the visitors ended the first half with 10 men after Javier Mascherano was sent off for a second bookable offence after arguing with referee Steve Bennett.

Liverpool failed to make a period of second-half pressure tell, and Cristiano Ronaldo headed home the second from a corner in the 79th minute before Nani added a third two minutes later after good interplay with Rooney

Ferguson was hugely pleased with the display and told Sky Sports: "It was a really good performance - a performance of maturity.

"We've seen a team mature over the last six months and today they hit their high peak."

Asked to comment on the dismissal of Mascherano, the Scot added: "He has been booked and kept badgering the referee. We've talked about dissent and I think that was dissent."

Ferguson refused to accept the title was in the bag, and said: "It's going to go right to the end, Chelsea and Arsenal going really well. We've beaten a strong Liverpool side playing good football."

United striker Rooney told Sky Sports: "It's always nice to beat Liverpool and it's opened up a bit of a gap now at the top of the league.

"I'm delighted with the win. I know the goals will come [for him personally] - I'm not too concerned with that."

Asked whether he thought the red card was a turning point, Rooney said: "We were always on top. The Liverpool players were tired at the end, but overall I don't think it would have made any difference.

"We know it's in our hands now - we have to try and win as many games as possible and stay top of the league. We've got a good mix in the dressing room and we know what we have to do between now and the end of the season."

Rafael Benitez was adamant Mascherano had only asked Bennett why team-mate Fernando Torres had been booked.

The told Sky Sports: "Clearly he didn't say anything. Ryan Babel was close to him, he didn't say anything, he was asking what happened.

"In these big games, to lose a player in this situation...it's strange because Javier Mascherano is a good professional and was really surprised with the sending-off.

"In a big game like this between the top four, a sending-off for asking is just a surprise."

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