Berbatov's treble gives United win over Liverpool

MANCHESTER, England (AP):

Dimitar Berbatov's first Manchester United hat-trick clinched a 3-2 win over Liverpool in the Premier League yesterday after his side threw away a two-goal lead.

The Bulgarian striker headed in the winner in the 84th minute, becoming the first United player in 64 years to score three past fierce rival Liverpool.

Berbatov nodded United ahead in the 42nd and sent a spectacular overhead kick past goalkeeper Pepe Reina in the 59th.

But Liverpool clawed their way back into the game with captain Steven Gerrard scoring twice in a six-minute span, including one from the penalty spot.

"From thinking to myself 'it's going to be 10' we ended up at 2-2," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "It was a travesty of a scoreline then but a great result at the end. They (Liverpool) didn't offer anything and depended on decisions from the linesman to get back in the game."

Third place

United is third with 11 points after five matches, while Liverpool has just five points.

"I think we were a bit unlucky to go two down when we did and of course to concede late on was tough," Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson said. "We're disappointed but otherwise I thought we made a really good effort in the second half to get back in the game.

While this fixture is considered English football's biggest rivalry, there was little excitement until Berbatov broke the deadlock by nodding home Ryan Giggs' corner at the near post.

Berbatov, who has faced intense criticism over his form since joining United two years ago, then scored a stunning second.

It took just two touches for the striker to get Nani's right-wing cross into the net: the first to control it with his knee and the second to dispatch an overhead kick which left Reina rooted to the spot as it bounced in off the crossbar.

Good work

Berbatov's good work was undone in that six-minute spell starting in the 64th.

United centre back Jonny Evans lunged in on Fernando Torres as the striker cut into the penalty area, resulting in a Liverpool penalty. Gerrard sent Edwin van der Sar the wrong way with his spot kick.

Six minutes later, John O'Shea was fortunate not to be sent off when he dragged Torres to the ground just outside the penalty area. Gerrard found the corner of United's goal with precision to equalize from his free kick.

It looked like United had thrown away a two-goal lead for the second successive weekend, having drawn 3-3 at Everton in its previous match.

But Berbatov rose to meet O'Shea's cross to secure the three points.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18:

ASTON VILLA 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 1

(VILLA) A YOUNG 13th (BOLTON) K DAVIES 35th.

Aston Villa failed to give caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald a winning send-off as Bolton secured a well-deserved draw. MacDonald, who will be replaced by Gerard Houllier today, saw his side go ahead when Ashley Young curled in a free-kick from 25 yards. Bolton stayed in contention though and equalised before the break when Kevin Davies pulled down a Martin Petrov cross and fired high into the net.

BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 FULHAM 1

(BLACKBURN) SAMBA 30th (FULHAM) DEMPSEY 56th.

Fulham's unbeaten start to the season continued as Clint Dempsey's second-half header rescued a point for boss Mark Hughes at his old club Blackburn. Blackburn had taken a controversial lead through a Chris Samba header when El-Hadji Diouf appeared to impede keeper Mark Schwarzer in the build-up. Paul Robinson then produced a wonderful save to deny Fulham defender Carlos Salcido from the angle of the box. But Fulham levelled after Dempsey headed home Salcido's floated cross.

EVERTON 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1

(NEWCASTLE) BEN ARFA 45th.

Hatem Ben Arfa's stunning strike gave Newcastle their first win at Goodison Park in nine years and left Everton rooted in the bottom three and still without a Barcalys Premier League win this season. Ben Arfa, making his first Newcastle start after signing on loan from Marseille, scored with a spectacular 25-yard drive on the stroke of half-time as Chris Hughton's side bounced back in style from their shock home defeat by Blackpool. Newcastle also survived the loss of goalkeeper Steve Harper in the first half after he sustained a shoulder injury in a challenge with Jermaine Beckford.

STOKE CITY 1 WEST HAM UNITED 1

(STOKE) JONES 48th. (WEST HAM) PARKER 32nd.

West Ham picked up their first point of the season with a hard-fought draw against Stoke. Scott Parker put the visiting side in front with a close-range finish after Stoke failed to clear a free kick. Kenwyne Jones equalised with a header and had a strike tipped on to the post by Robert Green, while Robert Huth and Ricardo Fuller also hit the woodwork. West Ham struck the post through Frederic Piquionne, while Thomas Sorensen denied Manuel da Costa.

SUNDERLAND 1 ARSENAL 1

(SUNDERLAND) BENT 90th. (ARSENAL) FABREGAS 13th.

Darren Bent's injury-time strike earned Sunderland a deserved point against 10-man Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. The visitors took the lead when Cesc Fabregas's block on Anton Ferdinand's clearance flew in from 40 yards. Arsenal, who had Alex Song sent off for two yellow cards, missed a penalty when Tomas Rosicky blazed over after Ahmed Elmohamady had fouled Samir Nasri. Deep into injury time, Bent pounced to smash in from inside the six-yard area after Gael Clichy had failed to clear.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1

(TOTTENHAM) VAN DER VAART PEN 77th; PAVLYUCHENKO 87th; HUTTON 90th. (WOLVES) FLETCHER 45th.

Tottenham avoided another European hangover as they came from behind to beat a spirited Wolves. Steven Fletcher tapped in Kevin Foley's cross to give Wolves the lead at the end of a first half Spurs had bossed. Wolves held firm until Stephen Ward's foul on Alan Hutton allowed Rafael van der Vaart to score a penalty. With three minutes to go, substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko side-footed in to put Spurs ahead before Hutton scored a fortuitous third.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1

(WBA) DANN OG 51st; ODEMWINGIE 59th; OLSSON 69th. (BIRMINGHAM) JEROME 15th.

West Brom struck three times in the second half to inflict a surprise first defeat of the season on Birmingham. The Blues dominated the first period and bagged the opener when Cameron Jerome volleyed in Scott Dann's header. Back came the Baggies after the break and drew level when Dann deflected Jerome Thomas's shot into his own net. West Brom poured forward and took the lead with Peter Odemwingie rounding Ben Foster to fire in, before Jonas Olsson bravely nodded in Chris Brunt's corner.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

CHELSEA 4 BLACKPOOL 0

(CHELSEA) KALOU 2nd; MALOUDA 12th, 41st; DROGBA 40th.

Chelsea brushed aside Blackpool to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points. Salomon Kalou tapped home from a corner in the second minute before Florent Malouda struck from short range. Didier Drogba's deflected strike made it 3-0 before Malouda scored his second with a low shot just before the break.

MANCHESTER UNITED 3 LIVERPOOL 2

(UNITED) BERBATOV 42nd, 59th, 84th. (LIVERPOOL) GERRARD 64th PEN, 70th.

Dimitar Berbatov's rejuvenation continued as his brilliant hat-trick gave Manchester United a fully deserved win against Liverpool at Old Trafford. The Bulgarian striker scored either side of the interval - the second a stunning overhead kick - to put Sir Alex Ferguson's side in complete control against a subdued Liverpool. Liverpool were thrown a lifeline by United's frailty in defence as Steven Gerrard scored twice in six minutes midway through the second half from the penalty spot and a 20-yard free kick, both awarded for fouls on Fernando Torres, to put the Merseysiders in sight of an unlikely point.

WIGAN ATHLETIC 0 MANCHESTER CITY 2

(CITY) TEVEZ 43rd; Y TOURE 70th.

Carlos Tevez guided Manchester City to a comfortable win against Wigan at a rain-soaked DW Stadium. The Argentine striker scored the opener when he clipped the ball over Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi after collecting Joe Hart's long punt. Tevez then took advantage of poor defending with a cross from the right for Yaya Toure who fired in the second.

leading scorers

Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) 6Florent Malouda (Chelsea) 6Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 5Andy Carroll (Newcastle) 4Salomon Kalou (Chelsea) 4Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 4Darren Bent (Sunderland) 3Johan Elmander (Bolton) 3Craig Gardner (Birmingham) 3Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) 3