Manchester United 3 Liverpool 2 ( English Premier League 19 September 2010 )

Dimitar Berbatov smashed home a hat-trick as Manchester United edged a pulsating encounter to beat Liverpool 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.

The striker netted either side of half-time to put the Red Devils firmly in the driving seat before a quick-fire Steven Gerrard brace pulled the visitors level.

However, the Bulgarian ensured United would enjoy the bragging rights when he nodded in his third of the game six minutes from the end to leave the away side empty-handed.

It means Roy Hodgson's men have now lost two of their opening five league matches and they remain in the bottom half of the table with just five points.

The Reds had gone into the contest with their arch-rivals on the back of a 4-1 success over Steaua Bucharest and the travelling Kop would have been further buoyed by the sight of Fernando Torres, Joe Cole and Gerrard in the starting XI.

It ensured all the ingredients were in place for the type of combat that make these clashes the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on the English football calendar and the crescendo of noise that greeted the players on to the field lit the blue touch paper for battle to commence.

United were first to respond to the rallying cry and after both Paul Konchesky and Jamie Carragher were forced to make important defensive headers, Nani had the first real attempt of the match when his long range drive was deflected over the crossbar.

The hosts seemed to have the bit between their teeth early on and John O'Shea should have done better when he miscued from Nani's cutback on six minutes.

Wayne Rooney then saw a tame header drift aimlessly off target before the home side carved Liverpool open on 15 minutes.

A sublime exchange between Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov enabled Nani to race into space on the right side of the visitors' penalty area. The Portuguese star cut inside and teed up Rooney whose shot then deflected back into the path of Nani, but he somehow contrived to skew a shot across the face of Pepe Reina's goal when it seemed odds on he would break the deadlock.

Liverpool had shown neat touches in possession without ever looking like getting in behind the United rearguard and the best they could muster in a one-sided first period came when Glen Johnson cut in from the right and fired a low 20 yard drive four yards wide of Edwin Van Der Saar's far post.

Having seen his side on the back foot for large chunks of the first period, Hodgson wouldn't have been too disappointed to go in goalless at the interval, but just when it seemed the Reds would get to the interval unscathed, the home side struck the opener on 42 minutes.

Ryan Giggs sent over a well-flighted left-wing corner that gave Berbatov the chance to step away from his marker and guide a smart header beyond Reina from eight yards out.

It was a bitter blow for the away side and it could have been worse within six minutes of the restart when Reina had to be alert to deny Berbatov a second after the forward had prodded Darren Fletcher's deflected drive goalwards.

The Red Devils continued to look the more likely and Nani was again left frustrated on 55 minutes when his well struck shot from the right side of the area crashed back off Reina's near post.

The writing appeared to be on the wall and on 59 minutes the hosts doubled their advantage when Berbatov controlled Nani's right-wing cross with his back to goal, before clipping a sublime overhead effort into the top corner via the crossbar.

Liverpool needed a quick response and on 64 minutes they got it.

Torres's burst into the penalty area was brought to an abrupt halt by Jonny Evans, allowing Gerrard the chance to step up and reduce the arrears with a coolly struck spot-kick.

The game had suddenly exploded into life and just four minutes later John O'Shea was lucky not to receive his marching orders when he halted Torres's clear run at goal.

However, any sigh of relief soon turned to frustration as Gerrard showed superb composure to curl a low 20-yard effort through the wall and into the bottom corner. There was even a kiss for the camera a la Old Trafford two seasons earlier.

The match had suddenly turned on its head but the hosts continued to push forward and six minutes from the end they struck the killer blow.

O'Shea found space down the right and sent a searching cross deep into the Reds' area where Berbatov rose majestically to guide a header into the far corner and end Liverpool's spirited fightback.