DIMITAR BERBATOV fired Manchester United to victory over arch-rivals Liverpool in a pulsating Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
The Bulgarian forward bagged a hat-trick as United earned a hard-fought 3-2 win in a thrilling game against their bittter enemies, who had staged a fightback from two goals down with a double from Steven Gerrard.
Berbatov, 29, scored his third six minutes from time to break Liverpool's hearts, capping a memorable performance for the rejuvenated striker.
From the offset, United dominated proceedings and heaped pressure on the visitors, who took on a defensive approach by playing five in midfield.
Nani wasted an early chance in the 16th minute when he directed a shot wide after being set up by Wayne Rooney inside the six-yard box.
The Portuguese winger was then booked on 36 minutes for a nasty tackle on Liverpool full-back Paul Konchesky as the game started to come to life.
United broke the deadlock just before half-time when Berbatov scored his fifth goal of the season from a Ryan Giggs corner after poor marking from Fernando Torres, steering his header past Pepe Reina and Konchesky on the line.
The match looked over on 59 minutes when Berbatov added his and United's second with a superb overhead kick following a Nani cross.
However, rather than look dead and buried, this seemed to spark Liverpool into life and they were given a chance to get back into the game when Torres was fouled in the box by Jonny Evans on 63 minutes.
Gerrard coolly stepped up to side-foot home, despite a chorus of boos from the home fans that rang around Old Trafford.
After being outplayed for most of the game, Liverpool were back in it, and after a clumsy foul outside the penalty area by John O'Shea on Torres just outside the box, Roy Hodgson's men had another chance.
Gerrard found a gap in the United wall with a curling 20-yard effort which left Edwin Van der Sar helpless and the Liverpool captain delirious as he celebrated his strike by grabbing hold of a television camera.
Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming on the touchline as his side appeared to have thrown away another two-goal lead following their spectacular collapse at Goodison Park last week.
But Berbatov became United's saviour, as the game took another twist, when he bulleted a header past Reina following an excellent cross from O'Shea on 84 minutes.
This time there was no coming back from the Merseysiders as United sensibly played out time.
source: Newsoftheworld
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