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JAVIER HERNANDEZ headed a priceless equaliser after Steven Gerrard looked to have sunk Manchester United at Anfield. Gerrard's 68th-minute freekick broke the deadlock on a frantic derby day, in his first start for Liverpool in seven months. But Mexican striker Hernandez � nicknamed Chicharito � nodded home Nani's corner with 10 minutes remaining to keep table-toppers United unbeaten in the Premier League this season. Alex Ferguson surprisingly dropped Wayne Rooney and Hernandez to the bench, with goalkeeper David de Gea returning at the expense of Anders Lindegaard. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was handed his first start of the season after three substitute appearances and took the place of Andy Carroll. It was a hard-fought opening exchange, with Gerrard showing excellent delivery with a whipped free-kick that forced Patrice Evra into a scrambled clearing header. Ashley Young had a set piece of his own at the other end, but curled his straight into the arms of Pepe Reina � a man making his 160th consecutive league appearance. Phil Jones, starting in midfield, then headed into the side-netting from Evra's left-wing cross when he should have at least hit the target Luis Suarez summed up the lack of chances in the first 30 minutes, with a speculative lob on the turn from 50 yards which failed to trouble De Gea. The Uruguayan got a proper opportunity just four minutes later � the best of a goalless first half � and perhaps should have taken it. Charlie Adam's shot after a long run was fortuitously deflected off Jonny Evans straight into his path. Suarez cut the ball onto his left foot to send Evans the wrong way, but hit it straight at De Gea from 14-yards. Young's 25-yard free-kick at the start of the second half had Reina scrambling after the Spaniard fumbled the ball and it bounced off his knee, but he quickly retrieved his error. Dirk Kuyt screamed for a penalty when his header from Gerrard's corner struck the arm of Evans but referee Andre Marriner waved play on. Dalglish made his first change in the 57th minute and it was a bold one as he replaced holding midfielder Lucas with Jordan Henderson, with Gerrard dropping into a deeper role. Ferdinand's foul on a charging Adam had Anfield calling for the United defender to be shown a second yellow card but Marriner showed leniency. But Gerrard inflicted a greater punishment when he curled home a low shot through the wall from the resulting 25-yard free-kick. United immediately replaced Park and Young with former Evertonian Rooney and Nani, with Hernandez following soon after. And it was Nani's inswinging corner that allowed the little Mexican to grab a point for United from close range. United were then indebted to De Gea, as the Spaniard threw himself to his left to deny Dirk Kuyt. He was in action again in injury time when he acrobatically tipped over Henderson's shot. The Liverpool midfielder had the chance to win it even later, but his header from Downing's cross dropped onto the roof of the net.