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Spurs shock Liverpool


Tottenham striker Roman Pavlychenko (R) is ecstatic after scoring an injury time winner against Liverpool during their Premiership encounter at White Hart Lane on Saturday. Spurs came back from a goal down to beat the Reds in a tight match that saw them continue their recovery.Photo: AFP

Roman Pavlyuchenko's stoppage-time winner knocked Liverpool off top spot in the Premier League as Tottenham Hotspur continued their unbeaten run under Harry Redknapp with a 2-1 victory.
This dramatic win, which saw Spurs climb off the bottom of the table, ended Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season and left Chelsea on top on goal difference after they thrashed Sunderland 5-0 earlier Saturday.
Dirk Kuyt fired visitors Liverpool into a 1-0 lead as early as the third minute at White Hart Lane.
Liverpool then spurned numerous chances to double their advantage, hitting the woodwork three times.
They were made to pay 20 minutes from time when Spurs - who'd beaten Bolton and drawn 4-4 with Arsenal since Redknapp's arrival from Portsmouth - levelled when Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher headed a David Bentley corner into his own net under pressure from Ledley King.
And just when it seemed the game would end in a draw, Russia striker Pavlyuchenko turned in Darren Bent's cross from close range.
Elsewhere Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals helped champions Manchester United leapfrog Hull City but only after they held on for a 4-3 win over the top-flight new boys at Old Trafford.
Victory put United on 21 points, five behind the leading duo, but with a game in hand.
Nicolas Anelka scored his first Chelsea hattrick as Sunderland were put to the sword at Stamford Bridge, where Blues manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said he would have no qualms about starting the France forward against Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday.
"Anelka has the number nine shirt here and tries his best always," Scolari said. "Didier Drogba is back but my decision against Roma is easy. Anelka is in better condition so he plays."
Meanwhile frustrated United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I feel a bit low. We should have won by 10 or 11 and we ended up scrambling for a victory."
Arsenal's title hopes suffered a major setback against another promoted team as they lost 2-1 away to Stoke City, in a match where several players were injured and Robin van Persie red-carded.
Long throws from Rory Delap set up both Stoke's goals and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted: "It is not our greatest strength to deal with that and we were punished.
"We have very bad injuries with (Emmanuel) Adebayor, (Theo) Walcott and (Bacary) Sagna. At this stage, we don't know how long they will be out."
A third league defeat this season left Arsenal six points behind Chelsea.
West Brom came from a goal behind against Blackburn Rovers, a man down for more than an hour after South African goalscorer Benni McCarthy was sent-off, in a 2-2 draw at The Hawthorns.
Wigan ended a run of four straight defeats with a 2-1 win against Portsmouth. West Ham, who'd also lost four in a row, drew 1-1 away to Middlesbrough.
Everton won in the league for the first time this season at Goodison Park with a 1-0 victory over Fulham where France striker Louis Saha scored against his old club.
Bolton and Manchester City meet at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday while high-flyers Aston Villa are away to Newcastle on Monday.
After Alex put Chelsea in front at Stamford Bridge, Anelka scored twice before half-time.
England midfielder Frank Lampard scored the 100th league goal of his career before Anelka completed his first hattrick in English football for over five years since netting a treble for Manchester City.
At Old Trafford, Ronaldo fired United into a third minute lead. But Hull equalised in the 23rd minute when Daniel Cousin headed in Andy Dawson's free-kick.
Minutes later though United were ahead again through England midfielder Michael Carrick.
Portugal winger Ronaldo then scored his fourth goal in two games to make it 3-1 when he headed in from a corner before defender Nemanja Vidic volleyed in a Wayne Rooney corner.
Hull, however, hit back with Bernard Mendy's goal and Geovanni's penalty eight minutes from time setting up a grandstand finish.
Arsenal defender Kolo Toure couldn't cope with Delap's 11th minute throw, allowing striker Ricardo Fuller to score his second goal in as many games.
Another Delap delivery in the 73rd minute led to Seyi Olofinjana making it 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium before Arsenal's Gael Clichy grabbed a late goal.
West Ham midfielder Hayden Mullins scored his first league goal in nearly two years in the 21st minute at the Riverside but Boro fought back and were all square thanks to Egypt forward Mido's goal seven minutes from time.
Papa Bouba Diop, as he'd done in the midweek defeat against Liverpool, gave away a penalty and Egypt striker Amir Zaky put Wigan ahead at Fratton Park.
Pompey hit woodwork four times before Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar equalised in the 82nd minute only for England striker Emile Heskey to give Wigan all three points with the 100th Premier League goal of his career.

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