MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – Manchester United ruined Luis Suarez’s long-awaited return from a 10-match ban for biting by beating Liverpool 1-0 in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday, relieving some early-season pressure on manager David Moyes.

Javier Hernandez showed a poacher’s instinct to volley home deftly 39 seconds into the second half, as United advanced despite fielding a largely second-string team against its fierce rival at Old Trafford.

Suarez hogged the limelight on his return to club soccer five months after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in a Premier League game and he came closest to equalizing for Liverpool, curling a free kick against the crossbar.

“I thought he was excellent, considering he had been out for such a long time,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. “He ran himself into the ground. As he goes on, he will get sharper.”

Shinji Kagawa started and was deployed wide on the left, the 24-year-old becoming more influential as the game wore on, grazing the crossbar with a 25-meter drive in the second half before being withdrawn in the 73rd minute.

After a mixed first season at Old Trafford, Kagawa is yet to prove his true worth in United’s colors, but Moyes said he was still working his way toward full fitness.

“He did OK. I thought he grew into the game a little bit more,” Moyes told reporters after Wednesday’s game.

“There were bits which I was pleased with, and bits where we were looking for a little bit more. Overall, he’s still getting back.

“A lot’s been said (about his lack of playing time), but I think most people who watched would say he’s still short of being really at full match fitness.”

Swansea’s defense of the trophy ended in abject fashion by losing 3-1 at second-tier Birmingham, while Arsenal beat West Bromwich 4-3 on penalties after the match was deadlocked 1-1 after 90 minutes to set up a fourth-round match at home to Chelsea. There were also wins for Premier League teams Newcastle and Stoke.

Beating Liverpool was a huge result for Moyes, who had come under fire after presiding over United’s worst start to a league campaign in nine years in his first season in charge after taking over from Alex Ferguson. Only three days ago, the champions had been thrashed 4-1 by neighbor Manchester City.