World NewsRooney Hat Trick Buries Pompey |
A Wayne Rooney hat-trick piled on the agony for Portsmouth as Avram Grant suffered defeat in his first match in charge of the Barclays Premier League's rock-bottom club.
With Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson watching from the stands in serving the first of a two-match touchline ban, his side are back within two points of Chelsea at the top of the table after a 4-1 win at Fratton Park.
It was also a historic victory, United's 2,000th in the league, with Rooney on target in the 25th, 48th and 54th minutes, with the first and the third from the penalty spot.
The two second-half strikes in six minutes killed off Pompey who had deservedly headed into the interval level after Kevin-Prince Boateng had equalised with another spot-kick.
The coup de grace came from the evergreen Ryan Giggs who celebrated his 36th birthday tomorrow by scoring his 100th Premier League goal.
Burnley endured another dose of the away-day blues as Owen Coyle's side were hammered 5-3 by West Ham at Upton Park.
The Hammers were 3-0 up at the break with goals from Jack Collison, Junior Stanislas and Carlton Cole, the latter with a penalty.
Guillermo Franco and Luis Jiminez, the latter with his first goal for the club in his loan move from Inter Milan and again from the spot, made it 5-0 after the hour.
West Ham then took their foot off the gas as Steven Fletcher netted twice in the space of seven minutes, and although Steven Caldwell saw red in injury time, Chris Eagles added a third.
Despite the return of Robinho after three months out with an ankle injury, Manchester City are still unable to find a way to end their astonishing run of draws.
It is now seven on the bounce for Mark Hughes' side who headed into the break with the lead with an injury-time goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
But eight minutes from time Jimmy Bullard made it two in two games with another penalty to maintain the Tigers' resurgence as they are unbeaten in their last four league games.
Wigan conjured the perfect riposte to their 9-1 humiliation at Spurs last weekend with a 1-0 triumph over former manager Steve Bruce's Sunderland at the DW Stadium.
Hugo Rodallega scored the all-important goal in the 76th minute for his sixth of the season and at least erase the memory of their dire day at White Hart Lane.
Bolton remain in the bottom three following a 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage, but at least ended their run of three straight defeats.
Ivan Klasnic sent Bolton into the break with the lead, but Fulham produced a barnstorming second-half performance, with Damien Duff eventually hauling the home side level in the 75th minute.
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce, recuperating at home after undergoing heart surgery, had to content himself with a point from his side's goalless draw with Stoke at Ewood Park.
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Tottenham deservedly netted a point from a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, even if they were far from the side that rattled nine past Wigan a week ago.
Villa made the brighter start when Gabriel Agbonlahor scored his eighth goal of the season in the 10th minute, but after that it was all Spurs.
However, Harry Redknapp's side had to wait until 13 minutes from time before finding the equaliser via a fine strike from Michael Dawson, the defender scoring his first goal since late January.
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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