A last-gasp goal from substitute Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool snatch a 2-1 victory over Manchester United yesterday as the Merseysiders booked their place in the last 16 of the FA Cup.

Kuyt punished poor Manchester United defending in the 88th minute, lashing a low shot past David de Gea to send Anfield into raptures after United had failed to deal with a Pepe Reina goal kick.

The Dutch forward's late winner was the dramatic final act of a largely trouble-free first meeting between the clubs since the acrimony of the Luis Suarez racism affair earlier this season.

The game had seemed set for a replay at Old Trafford after South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung had swept in a deserved equaliser for United to cancel out Daniel Agger's opener for Liverpool.

The build-up to the match had been marked by appeals for calm from United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and his Liverpool counterpart Kenny Dalglish.