Leeds completed a League double over Liverpool at Anfield making them favourites to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Leeds held onto a two-goal first-half lead born out of total dominance of the first period.

Liverpool, who were outfought and outplayed in that crucial spell, hit back after the break with Steven Gerrard scoring the club's 100th goal of the season, before getting himself sent off for a second bookable offence.

The significance of that 70th-minute incident had a major say in the outcome.

Gerrard, Liverpool's best player, was leading the recovery charge but without his influence, 10-man Liverpool just couldn't salvage something from a game that was so crucial to both camps.

It was only Liverpool's second home league defeat of the season, but it prove a very costly one. The Reds are now six points behind third-placed Leeds with two games in hand.

Leeds were so much the better team before the break. Rio Ferdinand, outstanding throughout, had headed them ahead with Lee Bowyer adding a second before the break.

But although Liverpool mounted a brave comeback, Leeds deserved the points for the first-half quality and second-half defiance.

Leeds also had Dominic Matteo in superb form at the back on his first return to Anfield since Liverpool sold him last summer.

David O'Leary's men turned in a first half of sheer quality, faster to everything, more mobile and tenacious and far more together as a unit. Everything that Liverpool were not.

Gerrard was declared fit for this mighty clash with Stephane Henchoz back from injury and Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler in tandem up front.

Leeds had Alan Smith returning as they fielded the side that beat Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions League last week.

Leeds skipper Ferdinand laid a wreath in front of the Kop to mark the 12th anniversary on Easter Sunday of the Hillsborough disaster, and a minute's silence was observed before kick off.

Leeds then proceeded to show the confidence that comes from 10 unbeaten league games and European success. They kept possession, spun the ball around and had Liverpool on the back foot.

Henchoz needed to be smart to head behind a Danny Mills cross with Mark Viduka threatening, and the resulting fourth-minute corner saw Leeds take the lead. Ian Harte's ball in curled beyond the far post where Ferdinand powered home a header for his second goal in three games.

Gerrard was caught ball watching as Harte's excellent delivery arrowed into the box and Danny Murphy, on the far post, allowed the ball to squeeze past him.

Nigel Martyn needed to save expertly from a Murphy freekick as Liverpool hit back two minutes later, but that was a rare excursion forward for a rattled Liverpool.

It was Leeds who were in control. David Batty and former Everton midfielder Olivier Dacourt were quicker and more purposeful in midfield while neither Fowler or Owen could hang onto the ball long enough to give their defence a rest.

Smith almost scored with a 16th minute overhead kick when another freekick landed in Liverpool's box. Viduka, and particularly the aggressive Smith, gave Sami Hyypia and Henchoz a rough ride, winning and holding the ball and generally upsetting any pattern Liverpool could muster.

Only Gerrard seemed to be able to compete with the authority Leeds showed, elsewhere Liverpool were second best continually and Gerrard's annoyance with the situation cost him a 26th-minute booking for bringing down Smith.

Liverpool finally got in a decent shot on 28 minutes when Gerrard's ball in from the right was touch down by Fowler for Owen to see a pacey hook held by Martyn.

But Leeds grabbed a second on 33 minutes. Gerrard gave the ball away to Dacourt, who instantly played in Harry Kewell on the left. The Aussie got past Henchoz far to easily and when the ball was fed into Lee Bowyer's feet he took it past Sander Westerveld and tapped the ball into an empty net.

Smith had clearly been in an offside position no more than 12 yards out and dead central but referee Alan Wiley decided the Leeds youngster was not interfering with play, although Liverpool would clearly argue otherwise.

Liverpool took off the ineffective Murphy and out of touch Patrik Berger at the break, bringing Gary McAllister and Vladimir Smicer into the fray, they needed a very swift change of fortune.

Hyypia had a header touched over by Martyn, before Dietmar Hamann was booked for a foul on Kewell and Smicer quickly into the book for a trip on Mills.

But Liverpool did get the goal they so desperately needed when Jamie Carragher sprayed the ball wide for Owen on the left. He got to the bye-line and squared his pass back for Gerrard to surge in and blast home on 54 minutes, Liverpool's 100th goal of the season.

Mills was booked for a foul on Fowler as Liverpool mounted a desperate bid for an equaliser.

Emile Heskey was then thrown on for Hamann, Liverpool opting for a 4-3-3 formation, but their task was made more difficult by the dismissal of Gerrard on 70 minutes.

He got a second yellow, and then a red, for a trip on Batty. The youngster had been Liverpool's best player and considering some of the nasty stuff that had been flying around elsewhere an unpunished, Liverpool fans were far from impressed by the decision.

Liverpool continued to search for an equaliser and but Leeds, with their extra man, threatened to catch them on the break.

In the end Leeds hung on, having shown just why they should march into this season's Champions League semi-finals next week when they play the second leg away to Deportivo La Coruna, already 3-0 up.

For Liverpool there is a mountain to climb now to reach a Champions League summit and they'll find Everton at Goodison Park on Monday equally unwilling to give them a leg up.

Teams

Liverpool: Westerveld, Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Murphy (Smicer 46), Gerrard, Hamann (Heskey 66), Berger (McAllister 46), Fowler, Owen.

Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Vignal.

Sent Off: Gerrard (71).

Booked: Gerrard, Hamann, Smicer.

Goals: Gerrard 55.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Matteo, Ferdinand, Harte, Bowyer, Dacourt, Batty, Kewell (Wilcox 84), Viduka, Smith (Keane 87).

Subs Not Used: Kelly, Robinson, Bakke.

Booked: Mills.

Goals: Ferdinand 4, Bowyer 33.

Att: 44,116

Ref: A Wiley (Burntwood).