The ongoing row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra coloured Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Wayne Rooney scored twice in the space of three second half minutes, with Suarez' late strike making for a nervous final ten minutes for the home side.
Even before kick-off, the match had achieved notoriety when Suarez refused to shake the hand of French international Evra. It was incident that, after the game, Sir Alex Ferguson said "could have incited a riot." Having seen his team-mate snubbed, Rio Ferdinand refused to shake Suarez' hand in turn.
On the pitch, the game never truly got going in the first half. Glen Johnson was Liverpool's best attacking threat, while the closest United came was through Paul Scholes.
The midfielder exchanged passes with fellow veteran Ryan Giggs, but his header was straight at Pepe Reina.
The game came to life two minutes into the second half, when Ferdinand flicked on a United corner and Rooney was on hand to volley home. He couldn't miss.
He had United's second before the 50 minute mark. Jay Spearing's wayward pass was picked up by Antonio Valencia and he found Rooney, who calmly slotted the ball under Reina.
Liverpool brought on Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy but found opportunities were slim, as Ferdinand and Jonny Evans marshalled the defence well.
That all changed in the 80th minute when Ferdinand sloppily let Charlie Adam's free-kick deflect off himself and into the path of Suarez, who scored to make it 2-1.
A fierce Johnson effort was palmed over well by David de Gea as United held out, the only remaining talking point Evra's outlandish celebrations at the finish, in front of a disconsolate Suarez.