United understaffed but overwhelming

Manchester United FC stamped their authority on the Premier League title race with a 3-1 win at early-season pacesetters Tottenham Hotspur FC despite finishing the game with ten men following Paul Scholes' second-half dismissal.

Defoe dazzles
Tottenham took the lead after just 52 seconds, with Jermain Defoe exploiting a misplaced Nemanja Vidić clearance with a thrilling overhead kick. A splendid Ryan Giggs free-kick midway through the first-half restored parity, and Sir Alex Ferguson's men went in at the break a goal up, with Anderson crashing a loose ball from a Scholes shot past Carlo Cudicini.

Rooney wonder
Peter Crouch hit the bar for Spurs after the break and the tide seemed to have turned in their favour when a mistimed challenge earned Scholes his second yellow card. Yet Wayne Rooney scored another wonderful goal to put the game beyond the hosts on 78 minutes, controlling a long ball and cutting inside two defenders before firing a shot through Cudicini's legs.

Benayoun hat-trick
Earlier on a Yossi Benayoun hat-trick (27, 61, 82) helped Liverpool FC to a 4-0 win against newly-promoted Burnley FC while Manchester City FC made it four wins from four as they trounced Arsenal FC 4-2. Manuel Almunia helped City on their way with an own goal, as a ball he pushed on to the post cannoned into the net off the goalkeeper after 20 minutes. Former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor (80) was among the scorers in the late flurry that earned Mark Hughes' side victory.

Malouda the saviour
Chelsea FC secured their fifth win of the season in less glorious style, with Florent Malouda striking four minutes into second-half added time to complete a 2-1 comeback victory at Stoke City FC which put them top of the table. Elsewhere, Sunderland AFC thrashed Hull City AFC 4-1, Bolton Wanderers FC got off the mark with a 3-2 triumph at Portsmouth FC, Blackburn Rovers FC beat Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 3-1 and West Ham United FC lost 1-0 at Wigan Athletic FC.