LONDON, Sept 19, (AFP): Dimitar Berbatov scored a hat-trick as Manchester United overcame a Liverpool fightback to win 3-2 in a classic Premier League battle at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Berbatov rose high to nod home an 84th-minute header to seal maximum points for United, who had seen Liverpool recover from two goals down thanks to a second-half brace from skipper Steven Gerrard.
The win saw Sir Alex Ferguson’s side go level on points with second-placed Arsenal, and one point behind leaders Chelsea, who were entertaining Blackpool at Stamford Bridge later on Sunday.
But the story of the day was at Old Trafford, where Berbatov stole the show with a virtuoso display that left Liverpool shattered and languishing near the foot of the table in 16th position after five games.
Berbatov put United 1-0 ahead on on 42 minutes after being left in acres of space by marker Fernando Torres when Ryan Giggs swung in a corner.
The Bulgarian then doubled United’s lead on 59 minutes with a sublime effort, using one touch to control a Nani cross before sending an overhead kick crashing in off the underside of the Liverpool bar.
Ferguson later hailed the performance of Berbatov, who is enjoying his best run of form for United since his transfer from Tottenham in 2008 in a deal worth 30.75 million pounds (36.86 million euros).
However, for the second league match running, United’s defensive frailties were exposed once more as Ferguson’s men saw a two-goal lead evaporate.

Centre-back Jonny Evans blatantly brought down Torres in the box to allow Gerrard to convert a spot-kick on 64 minutes.
Then, six minutes later, United’s defence were at fault again for Liverpool’s equaliser.
Referee Howard Webb booked John O’Shea for a tackle on Torres that left Gerrard with a free-kick from the edge of the area.
Gerrard’s shot was accurate and hit with power but went straight through a hole in the United wall left by Darren Fletcher, to the disgust of United’s beaten keeper Edwin van der Sar.
It was the second time in the space of a week that United had let slip a two-goal lead, having been held to a 3-3 at Everton last weekend.
Buoyed by the goals, Liverpool looked capable of taking all three points, but Berbatov’s late header ended their fightback and left Roy Hodgson’s team with only one win from five games.
Hodgson also defended the mixed performance of Spanish World Cup winner Torres, who was at fault for Berbatov’s opening goal before winning the penalty and free-kick that allowed Liverpool to get back on level terms.

Chelsea 4, Blackpool 0
In London, Florent Malouda struck twice as Chelsea completed a routine 4-0 victory over Blackpool that extended the champions’ 100 percent record after the opening five games of the Premier League campaign.
Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba completed the scoring as Carlo Ancelotti’s free-scoring side raced into a four-goal half time lead and took their season tally to 25 goals in six domestic and Champions League games.
Malouda’s double means the France midfielder has now scored six goals in five league games and the 30-year-old’s display confirmed his growing status as one of the key members of Ancelotti’s line-up.
Surprisingly, Chelsea eased off after the interval, apparently content to collect the three points that means they sit four points clear above Arsenal and Manchester United in the emerging Premier League table.
The fixture list handed Ancelotti’s side a generous start and the match against Manchester City next weekend marks their first meeting with one of their main rivals.
But the Italian will be satisfied his side could not have done any more in the opening weeks.
Blackpool, meanwhile, will draw positives from their second half display when they carved out a number of decent chances, albeit against a side that was seeing out the game in second gear.
The visitors’ resistance was expected to be flimsy but manager Ian Holloway might have reasonably expected his side would put up more of a fight before falling behind to Kalou’s opening goal inside two minutes.

That set the standard for the opening exchanges and Michael Essien came close to doubling Chelsea’s lead in the seventh minute when he fired a rising drive narrowly over.
It was clear, though, the second goal was imminent and it came five minutes later after Kalou had picked out Didier Drogba’s run across the back-four and the striker then showed superb awareness to pull the ball across the face of goal where Malouda completed a routine tap-in.
That was the start of the visitors best spell of the game and for ten minutes they pressed the home side back and forced several corners.
The continuing ambition of Holloway’s side was commendable but their willingness to press forward inevitably left them vulnerable, particularly to Ashley Cole’s forays down the left flank.
Blackpool right back Neil Eardley was given a torrid time by Cole and when Essien picked out the fullback, Cole released Drogba, whose shot took a deflection to make it 3-0.
The striker turned sharply and enjoyed a stroke of luck when his shot brushed off defender Ian Evatt and wrong-footed Gilks for the 30th minute third.
Blackpool could have been forgiven for shifting into damage limitation mode, particularly when Malouda stroked home a fourth four minutes from half-time after once again being set up by Kalou.

City 2, Wigan
In Wigan, Argentinian international Carlos Tevez scored one and created another as Manchester City moved into the top four with a 2-0 victory at Wigan.
Roberto Mancini’s expensively assembled side were desperate for three points after just one win in their first four Premier League matches.
They were stifled for much of the opening period before Tevez scored just before half time with his sixth goal in seven appearances against Wigan.
The dynamic striker then crossed for summer signing Yaya Toure to score his first goal in English football as City recorded their first ever win at the DW Stadium in six attempts.
Wigan have now lost three of their first four home games, conceding 13 goals and scoring just once.
Manchester City began the game with Tevez on his own in attack and Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure and Nigel De Jong in midfield.
David Silva started a fine move with a fine pass to Micah Richards, whose cross was headed back across his own area by Emmerson Boyce, only for Silva’s shot to be deflected wide. And Tevez also went close when he held off three Wigan defenders and hit a low drive that flew just wide of Ali Al Habsi’s post.
Wigan were organised and pressing their visitors hard when City had possession.
And their first real attack came when Pablo Zabaleta’s pass was easily intercepted by Boyce but the Wigan full back’s cross for Charles N’Zogbia was blocked by Vincent Kompany. As City looked for more penetration, Gareth Barry lifted a ball wide for James Milner, whose dangerous cross was held at the near post by Al Habsi.

Wigan striker Franco Di Santo had enjoyed an impressive start and forced a tricky low save after cutting inside Kolo Toure and trying to find the near corner.
City continued to probe and when Barry picked out Zabaleta’s forward run, the full back drilled a shot over from just outside the area.
But City took the lead just before the break through Tevez’s fine chip.
Hart’s goal kick was flicked back towards his own goal by Mohamed Diame and Tevez broke away from Steve Gohouri before lifting his finish over Al Habsi.
Tevez picked out Silva shortly after the restart but the Spaniard was crowded out. At the other end, Diame shot well over from 30 yards as Wigan tried to find a way back into the contest.
City doubled their lead with 20 minutes remaining thanks to another Wigan defensive lapse.
Maynor Figueroa headed Zabaleta’s cross back into trouble and Gohouri could only head as far as Tevez, who clipped to the far post for Toure to touch in.
Tevez almost added a third with a drive that deflected wide and Diame hit another wild effort from distance.
Hugo Rodallega had a free kick deflected wide and Gohouri glanced wide from Figueroa’s cross.
Substitute Adam Johnson’s deflected cross glanced off Ronnie Stam and was turned onto the bar by Al Habsi in added time.