With NBA star LeBron James on hand, perhaps the two most storied organizations in the Premier League met at Anfield, as Liverpool and Manchester United played to a 1-1 result on Saturday.

Returning to action after a long hiatus, midfielder Steven Gerrard reminded the Anfield fans what they had been missing when he got Liverpool on the board in the 68th minute, after his free kick went by Ryan Giggs and into the net past an almost frozen David De Gea.

But 13 minutes later, substitute Javier Hernandez was able level the score with a header off a Nani corner kick. The young Mexican did a fine job of finding an open area to position himself for the header.

Judging by the lineup that Sir Alex Ferguson put on the pitch, Manchester United appeared to be interested in earning a draw. The famed manager decided to bring on Wayne Rooney, Hernandez, and Nani as substitutes, and they came on after the Gerrard goal.

The reasoning for benching Rooney reportedly was due to Ferguson's concern that Rooney had too much of a psychological burden placed on him after his three-game UEFA suspension for a foul he committed against Montenegro. It's also possible that Ferguson wanted to rest his star forward for two important upcoming matches.

By the way United played, especially in the first half, Ferguson may feel fortunate to come away from the match with one point. De Gea made some impressive saves, and the Reds seemed to be unable to find the back of the net on quality chances, particularly in the final minutes.

Liverpool controlled possession for 56 percent of the match, and out-shot United 15-11, and had more shots on goal, 5-2. The Reds also had eight corner kicks, compared to the Red Devils' three.

Ferguson has plenty on his mind as the upcoming schedule is rather imposing. Manchester United face Otelul Galat on Tuesday in Champions League action, and then face perhaps their most promising adversary for the Premier League title crown, local rival Manchester City, on Oct. 23.

For Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, the return and performance of Gerrard had to be an inspiring sight. The star midfielder had been out for several weeks with a groin strain, and it seemed as if his vital role as a facilitator for Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez was becoming an afterthought.

Gerrard proved that there is plenty of petroleum left in his tank, and that is encouraging for the Reds' Premier League hopes.

Take a look at the highlights:

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