BOLTON, Sept 10, (AFP): Wayne Rooney’s second consecutive hat-trick saw Manchester United reclaim top spot in the Premier League after losing it to Manchester City for just a few hours. Rooney, who scored a treble in the 8-2 demolition of Arsenal, scored twice before the break to set Sir Alex Ferguson’s side on the way to eclipsing the efforts of closest rivals City, who had beaten Wigan 3-0 earlier in the day.
The England striker scored his third in the second half as his efforts, along with a brace from Javier Hernandez, mean United have scored 18 times in their four opening league games. Both Manchester clubs have signalled that this year’s duel for the title will be a two-horse race, but it is United who lead the way at this early stage on goal difference.

It was an afternoon where the old guard shone alongside a new generation of stars as Rooney combined brilliantly with Hernandez and summer signing Phil Jones. Ferguson fielded an arguably stronger line-up than the one that hammered Arsenal at Old Trafford in their last match before the international break. Mexican Hernandez returned to partner Rooney in place of Danny Welbeck, while Rio Ferdinand replaced Chris Smalling in the centre of defence. The architect of this latest victory, perhaps even more so than Rooney, was Nani. His hat-trick of assists, and two more from the impressive Jones, was as much a part of this triumph as the fine finishing of Rooney and Hernandez. The champions began the game at break-neck speed and Ferguson was left cursing referee Andre Marriner for not booking Kevin Davies after his challenge forced the United boss to replace Tom Cleverley with Michael Carrick.

The Bolton skipper escaped with a talking to and the angry United manager had only just caught up with play when his side took a fifth-minute lead. Wayne Rooney found Nani on the right and the Portuguese crossed into the six-yard box where Harnandez arrived and beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at the near post. United were immediately forced into the change when Cleverley limped off, and they also found themselves on the back foot in their own box. The ball was cleared by Jonny Evans and fell to Chris Eagles, whose shot was cleared by Rooney when an equaliser looked odds-on. Davies finally found his way into Marriner’s notebook when his tackle on Patrice Evra earned him a yellow card. Within seven minutes, United were further ahead. Phil Jones exchanged passes with Nani after a throw-in and Rooney finished the cross after reaching the ball ahead of Gary Cahill and Dedryck Boyata.

Then in the 25th minute, United made it three. Former Blackburn midfielder Jones was involved again as he raced through home defence unchallenged. He evaded Zat Knight’s attempted block before seeing his shot saved by Jaaskelainen’s legs. But Rooney was on hand to tap in the rebound. Hernandez thought he had added a fourth, only to see it ruled out by the referee’s assistant for offside.

City 3, Wigan 0
In Manchester, Sergio Aguero hit a stunning hat-trick as Manchester City warmed up for their Champions League debut by defeating Wigan 3-0 at Eastlands.
Argentina international Aguero made it six goals in four league games since joining from Atletico Madrid for £38 million ($60m) as Roberto Mancini’s side maintained their 100 percent winning start to the campaign.
City make their Champions League bow at home to Napoli on Wednesday, and the Italians are in for a tough game if Mancini’s side can repeat this performance.
Wigan were fortunate to escape lightly as Carlos Tevez also missed a penalty, while Micah Richards and Vincent Kompany both rattled the woodwork.
Fortunately for Mancini, Aguero was not so wasteful in front of goal.
Little has gone wrong for City on the pitch this season yet the world’s richest club found themselves engulfed in controversy behind the scenes in the build up to Wigan’s visit.
Chief executive Garry Cook resigned on the eve of the match amid claims he emailed City defender Nedum Onuoha’s cancer-suffering mother mocking her illness.
Yet City, who had Kolo Toure on the bench after he served a six-month ban for failing a drugs test, are back in the headlines for the right reasons thank to Aguero.
They were ahead as early as the 13th minute, yet could have been three up before they made the breakthrough.
Adam Johnson was presented with a glorious chance to mark his return to the side with a goal, but the unmarked England winger fired wastefully over the bar following Gael Clichy’s fifth-minute cross.
Then Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi produced a fine save to keep out David Silva’s 20-yard effort in the 10th minute before defender Joleon Lescott headed another chance over the bar from point-blank range.
Chelsea 2, Sunderland 1
In Sunderland, Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a comfortable 2-1 win at Sunderland.
Goals from John Terry and Daniel Sturridge secured a routine success at the Stadium of Light and helped Chelsea keep up the pressure on the two Manchester clubs with their third win in four matches.
Sunderland grabbed a stoppage-time consolation through South Korean Ji Dong-Won, but never really looked like adding to their two points so far this season.
Sturridge’s goal, which came via a sensational second-half back-heel, justified Andre Villas-Boas’ decision to start with the England Under-21 international ahead of Fernando Torres, who was dropped to the bench.
Villas-Boas will also have been delighted with the performances of Juan Mata and Raul Meireles, both of whom arrived at Stamford Bridge last month.
Mata was a constant threat on Chelsea’s left-hand side, while Portugal international Meireles provided constant protection to the visitors’ back four.
Perhaps the biggest event of the day from a Sunderland perspective occurred prior to kick-off, with striker Asamoah Gyan completing a surprise season-long loan to United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain.
Gyan was linked with a move to Turkey and France in the closing stages of the European transfer window, but headed to the Middle East after an agreement was struck on Friday evening.
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce said: “Anyone who has seen Asamoah play will know he hasn’t been himself in recent months. This option suits all parties at the present time.”
In Gyan’s absence, Nicklas Bendtner made his Sunderland debut after joining on loan from Arsenal. The Dane scored two goals on international duty in the week, and should have opened his Black Cats account in the 12th minute.
Arsenal 1, Swansea 0
In London, Andrey Arshavin capitalised on a mistake by Swansea keeper Michael Vorm to ensure Arsenal returned to winning ways after the humbling 8-2 defeat at Manchester United.
Arshavin struck in the 41st minute after Vorm rolled a clearance against the legs of team-mate Angel Rangel, allowing the Russia international to finish into an empty net.
With Swansea unable to break their Premier League scoring duck that now extends to four games, Arsene Wenger’s side held on to claim their first league win of the campaign.
Arsenal manager Wenger has come in for growing criticism this season and three points will ease the pressure at the Emirates Stadium after a miserable start to the campaign.
Wenger reacted to the Old Trafford drubbing by moving swiftly into the transfer market and tying up deals for five new signings before the August 31 transfer deadline.
The international break meant he was forced to wait before fielding his new look line-up and the Gunners manager handed first starts to two of those new faces — Germany centre back Per Mertesacker and former Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta — with Andre Santos, Yossi Benayoun and Park Chu-Young named among the substitutes.
There was no doubt Arsenal needed an injection of fresh ideas after a dismal start and both Arteta and Mertesacker quickly showed they will be an asset in the months to come.

Stoke 1, Liverpool 0
In Stoke, Kenny Dalglish was condemned to his first defeat of the season after Jon Walters extended Stoke’s remarkable hoodoo over Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium.
A 21st-minute penalty from Walters was enough for Stoke to preserve their own unbeaten record this season and secure their fourth successive home game against their opponents without defeat.
Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios both made their debuts for Stoke but it was the man whose place looks under jeopardy who delivered the hammer blow to his home town.
Born ten miles away from Anfield in Merseyside, Walters won and scored the spot kick that only served to keep the feel-good factor buzzing around the Potteries.
Liverpool and Stoke were two of the biggest, and most successful, spenders in the transfer window, with Dalglish and Tony Pulis forking out nearly £80 million between them this summer.
But despite the vast outlay by Dalglish he still cannot find the formula for Liverpool to win at the Britannia Stadium. This was their fourth trip in the Premier League and Walters’s goal was enough to send them back to Merseyside contemplating another defeat.

Spurs 2, Wolves 0
In Wolverhampton, debutant Emmanuel Adebayor scored the opening goal as Tottenham Hotspur belatedly got their season in gear with a 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Adebayor, a loan signing from Manchester City, was teed up by fellow new recruit Scott Parker in the 67th minute, before Jermain Defoe netted Tottenham’s second. The result ended Wolves’ fine unbeaten start to the season and gave Spurs their first points, after Harry Redknapp’s side lost 3-0 at Manchester United and 5-1 at home to Manchester City in their opening two fixtures. Spurs handed starts to both Parker and Adebayor, while Wolves coach Mick McCarthy changed his starting line-up for the first time this season as Michael Kightly came in for injured winger Matt Jarvis. Wolves narrowly escaped falling behind early on, with Wayne Hennessey doing well to prevent Roger Johnson putting Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s cross through his own goal before Niko Kranjcar’s follow-up was cleared off the line.

Everton 2, Villa 2
In Liverpool, Gabriel Agbonlahor scored a late equaliser as Aston Villa twice came from behind to rescue a 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park. Alex McLeish’s team trailed to a Leon Osman goal in the first half but Stilian Petrov equalised and, after Leighton Baines’ penalty restored Everton’s lead, Agbonlahor popped up to head Villa level with seven minutes left. The England forward’s goal extended Villa’s unbeaten start to the season, although they have won only one of their four matches, while Everton have four points from three matches. The result left Everton frustrated after their first match following the controversial sale of Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta to Arsenal on transfer deadline day.

The game was preceded by a peaceful protest outside the stadium by several hundred supporters frustrated at a lack of investment under chairman Bill Kenwright. Villa midfielder Jermaine Jenas, who arrived with Alan Hutton from Tottenham on deadline day, was ruled out by a thigh injury, while Everton left their loanees Royston Drenthe and Denis Stracqualursi on the bench. With Ayegbeni Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford having also left Everton and Louis Saha and Victor Anichebe injured, Everton started without a recognised striker. Yet it barely showed as Osman and Tim Cahill filled the forward roles superbly. Villa striker Darren Bent headed off his own line as Phil Jagielka got forward to connect with a Baines corner.