Barton scored one and produced a stellar midfield display as United put a turbulent week, which saw Hughton surprisingly sacked and replaced by Alan Pardew, behind them. "The king is dead, long live the king," Barton told ESPN afterwards. "It was a tough week. We were all disappointed to lose Chris. He was a great man and everyone has said how dignified he was and how much of a gentleman he was. "He's one of the nice guys of football and it's a shame. It's a cruel game." Captain Kevin Nolan echoed Barton's sentiments, adding: "We were disappointed with what happened, no secret. But we've got a great dressing room and talk of a revolt never entered our mind. "We care about this club and we felt let down. But at the end of the day, they make decisions and we've got to stand by them." Typically, Pardew was just happy to have got off the mark with a positive result. "It's been a long two or three days," he said. "It was a great victory and not many teams can score three against Liverpool. "I was pleased with the spirit. The result is important because that's the business we're in. "There's a lot of pressure on myself and the players made it easy. "I thought the reception I got was okay. It was negative but I understood that. I need to earn their (the fans) trust. "I'm pleased that I've had a good reaction from the workplace. There was a great feeling for Chris from the group and it's difficult when a new manager comes in under those circumstances."
