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Great escape United wins eight-goal thriller at Tottenham
LONDON (AP) -- Manchester United hit back from three goals down at half time to beat Tottenham 5-3 on Saturday in one the biggest comebacks in Premier League history. After Dean Richards had celebrated his debut by heading Spurs ahead, Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege put Glenn Hoddle's team well in control at White Hart Lane. But the Reds turned the game around in the second half with strikes by Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham. The spectacular win, United's first at White Hart Lane since 1977, wasn't enough to put the defending champion top of the standings. That went to Arsenal which scored a 2-0 win at Derby with two second half strikes by Thierry Henry. The Gunners achieved the result at Pride Park despite the absence of injured England goalkeeper David Seaman and the 55th minute ejection of England defender Martin Keown for his second yellow card. Arsenal and Manchester United leapfrogged Leeds which doesn't play until Sunday. Surprise early leader Bolton lost 2-0 at home to Sunderland, Kevin Phillips and Jamie Craddock scoring late for the visitor. Arsenal, Manchester United and Leeds have 14 points although David O'Leary's team can stretch the advantage to three by beating Ipswich on Sunday. Bolton and Sunderland have 12. Paul Gascoigne limped off after just four minutes of his first home start of the season for Everton because of a knee injury but the Toffees crushed struggling West Ham 5-0 without him. Canadian striker Tomasz Radzinksi scored on his home debut while other Everton strikes came from Kevin Campbell, Thomas Gravesen, Steve Watson and a Don Hutchison own goal against his former club. Southampton climbed away from last place by scoring a 3-1 win at Middlesbrough with two goals by James Beattie and a penalty by Latvian striker Marian Pahars. Croatian star Alen Boksic replied from the spot for Middlesbrough. Charlton's Steve Brown and Leicester's Junior Lewis were both ejected at The Valley after dubious decisions by referee Mike Dean. With both teams down to 10 men, Charlton won all three points with strikes by Finnish forward Jonatan Johansson and South African international Sean Bartlett. The loss, Leicester's 15th away defeat in 16 matches going back to last season, means that Peter Taylor's team slipped to last place. Derby, West Ham and Ipswich are level on five points but the Foxes are last on goal difference while Southampton climbed five places. The highlight of Sunday's four Premier League games is Newcastle vs. Liverpool while Aston Villa hosts Blackburn, Chelsea visits neighbor Fulham and Leeds goes to Ipswich. In Scotland, Rangers host Celtic in the first "Old Firm" derby of the season between the two big Glasgow rivals with American midfielder Claudio Reyna expected to return after being sidelined for a month with a groin injury. Wolves, the only unbeaten team in the English leagues, took over at the top of division one on Saturday after a 3-0 at Rotherham. They were helped there by local rival West Bromwich Albion, which beat leader Burnley 1-0 to move up to third. Premier League summaries: Bolton 0, Sunderland 2 (0-0) Bolton was awarded a 64th minute penalty when Jamie Craddock held Ricardo Gardner but Sunderland's Danish 'keeper, Thomas Sorensen, saved the spot kick taken by countryman Per Frandsen. It proved a costly miss when Kevin Phillips fired the visitor ahead in the 77th minute and Craddock hit the second seven minutes from the end. Charlton 2, Leicester 0 (1-0) Charlton defender Steve Brown was sent off while being carried off after falling and handling the ball and then Leicester's Junior Lewis was also ejected for apparently pulling back Jonatan Johansson. Minutes later Johansson gave the home team the lead and Sean Bartlett added the second in the 56th minute. Derby 0, Arsenal 2 (0-1) Thierry Henry curled a free kick into top corner of the net in the 21st minute. Richard Wright was in the Arsenal goal for injured David Seaman, who has shoulder injury and is doubtful for England's final World Cup game against Greece next weekend. Martin Keown was sent off in the 55th minute for bringing down goalbound Malcolm Christie for his second yellow card. But Arsenal increased its lead in the 61st minute when Rams goalkeeper Andy Oakes brought down Nwankwo Kanu and Henry scored from the spot. Everton 5, West Ham 0 (1-0) Kevin Campbell gave the Toffees the lead from a cross by Niklas Alexandersson seconds before half time. Hammers midfielder Don Hutchison got in the way of a Mark Pembridge free kick and deflected the ball in for own goal in 52nd minute against his former club. Four minutes later Thomas Gravesen beat two defenders before shooting home from the edge of the area and it was 4-0 when Hammers 'keeper Shaka Hislop dropped a cross from Steve Watson who followed up to score in the 75th minute. Four minutes later Tomas Radzinski dribbled round goalkeeper to score the fifth. Middlesbrough 1, Southampton 3 (0-0) James Beattie turned in a cross from Wayne Bridge with a close range volley that went in off the underside of the bar in the 66th minute. Seven minutes later it was 2-0 when Marian Pahars scored from the penalty spot after he had been floored by Curtis Fleming. Alen Boksic replied with a penalty after Saints goalkeeper Paul Jones had upended Szilard Nemeth but Beattie added a third for the visitor with a run and lob four minutes from the end. Tottenham 3, Manchester United 5 (3-0) Signed from Southampton a week ago, Dean Richards marked his debut with a 15th minute glancing header from a corner and Les Ferdinand made it 2-0 in the 25th minute. Christian Ziege headed home a cross from Gustavo Poyet in the final minute of the first half as Spurs had the Reds in deep trouble. Andy Cole started the fightback with a diving header from Gary Neville's cross in the opening minute of the second half. Defender Laurent Blanc headed home David Beckham's corner in the 58th minute and it was 3-3 when Ruud van Nistelrooy headed in from Mikael Silvestre cross. Juan Sebastian Veron fired the Reds ahead in 76th minute from van Nistelrooy's pass and Beckham hit the fifth with a powerful right foot shot from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's cross.
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