Premier League Player Ratings: Stoke 1-2 Chelsea
Thomas Sorensen - 6 - Looked calm and in control of his defence until an innocuous injury sustained while clearing a backpass lead to his substitution just before half-time.Andy Wilkinson - 6.5 - The academy graduate looked at times unable to cope with the Chelsea onslaught, but didn't lose his cool and worked hard to help his fellow defenders.Abdoulaye Faye (c) - 6.5 - Lifted the Britannia with a well-taken early header, but undid much of that good work by allowing Drogba to turn him too easily for Chelsea's equaliser.Robert Huth - 6.5 - The imposing German was solid against his former club, repelling the waves of attacks with determination. Ryan Shawcross - 7 - Shawcross is rapidly developing into a very good Premier League defender. Good in the air and tenacious in the tackle, unfortunately even his best efforts were not good enough to earn a point.Danny Collins - 6 - Interacted well with his new teammates to keep opponents at bay for the majority of the match, but manager Tony Pulis will want to see more from him in future.Rory Delap - 5.5 - Delap's long throws caused Chelsea only mild problems. Made a couple of vital late challenges playing as, effectively, a sixth defender. Dean Whitehead - 5.5 - Worked hard for his side, but along with Whelan and Delap were clearly out-matched in midfield.Glenn Whelan - 5.5 - Took the initiative during the early part of the game as Chelsea failed to stamp their authority on the match. Good delivery from dead ball situations, but faded as the game went on.James Beattie - n/a - Came off after nine minutes, having picked up an injury while trying to take advantage of an errant Ivanovic backpass.Dave Kitson - 5 - Never looked like adding a second goal to his Stoke account, and was largely absent from proceedings. Was replaced by Tuncay.SubstitutesRicardo Fuller - 6 - His trickery was well dealt with by the Chelsea defenders, but the Jamaican put himself about well and competed well in the air. Most of the game was played in the other half, however.Steve Simonsen - 7.5 - First real action was to pick the ball out of the net after a Drogba finish he could do little about. The substitute goalkeeper spent the rest of the match diving spectacularly to frustrate Chelsea, and was desperately unlucky with Malouda's last-gasp strike.Sanli Tuncay - n/a - Came on midway through the second half but only had a few opportunities to show the glimpses of the quality he might bring to the Potters' strikeforce. ChelseaPetr Cech - 5.5 - In general coped admirably with the aerial threat posed by Stoke, but as the Czech keeper found himself in no man's land for Faye's opener he will no doubt be in for some criticism. Such is the life of a top flight goalkeeper.Jose Bosingwa - 6 - Didn't have much to do defensively, but only fleetingly threatened on his frequent forays forward. Branislav Ivanovic - 5 - Wasteful in possession and clumsy in the tackle, Ivanovic looked out of his depth in the centre of defence. John Terry (c) - 7 - Clearly adapting his game to accommodate Ivanovic's deficiencies, Terry was imposing as always in defence. Will be disappointed to have conceded.Ashley Cole - 7.5 - Arguably Chelsea's most threatening player going forward, a lot of what the Blues did well came from the left. John Obi Mikel - 5.5 - Comfortable on the ball and distributed well, but lacked a real cutting edge.Michael Ballack - 5.5 - The German performed unspectacularly in midfield, and did nothing really to distinguish himself throughout the match.Florent Malouda - 6 - Was conspicuous in his absence for much of the match, but Chelsea fans won't mind after the Frenchman popped up late with a dramatic winner.Frank Lampard - 7.5 - Started slowly but grew into the game to become the dominant force in midfield. Exquisite vision and pass for Drogba's goal brought Chelsea back into the match.Salomon Kalou - 5 - Roaming on the right wing to provide width for much of the match, Kalou looked unable to cope with the physical nature of Stoke's defence. With few notable contributions, it was no surprise when the Ivorian was withdrawn on the hour.Didier Drogba - 8 - Outstanding leading the line for the away side. An impressive turn and unstoppable shot brought his side the first goal, and he would have had another but for Simonsen's heroics.SubstitutesNicolas Anelka - 6 - Came on for Kalou and looked more threatening than the youngster, but wasn't presented with a genuine goalscoring opportunity.Michael Essien - 6 - Came on to add power and energy to the midfield, and the Ghanaian ensured the final period of the game was dominated by the away side.Juliano Belletti - n/a - Had little time to make an impact.
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Premier League Player Ratings: Liverpool 4-0 Burnley
Pepe Reina – 7 – Not his busiest afternoon, but everything he did, he did well, and his distribution remains the best in the business. Glen Johnson – 7 – Under extra scrutiny defensively after England critique, but handled the threat of Robbie Blake adequately and offered plenty going forward. Emiliano Insua – 7 – Liverpool fans are very fond of his young Argentine, and he added to his burgeoning reputation with another solid display here. Mature defensively and progressive in possession. Martin Skrtel – 6 – Not at his best today, and may have been punished had Burnley possessed more firepower. Caught in possession a few times and misjudged a couple of high balls. Improved after the break though. Jamie Carragher – 7 – Solid and dependable game from Liverpool’s rock, Carragher mopped up everything he needed to and is still one of the best and most consistent defenders in the game Lucas Leiva – 8 – Described by Rafa Benitez post match as “our key player today”, the Brazilian produced a commanding performance in central midfield, kept the ball superbly and offered excellent support going both ways. One of his best games for the club. Steven Gerrard – 8 – Started from a deeper position, but his attacking urges were not diminished. Drove Liverpool forward with his energy and desire, created a goal superbly for Benayoun, and could have had a couple himself. Albert Riera – 6 – On the receiving end of a Benitez verbal volley during a patchy first half, the Spaniard did improve after the break, but was a peripheral figure as his peers took centre stage. Yossi Benayoun – 9 – Quiet first fifteen minutes erupted into life with a beautifully taken first goal, from then on the Israeli dominated the game with his touch, movement and quality, thoroughly deserved his hat-trick, and might have had another goal were it not for a dubious offside call. Dirk Kuyt – 8 – Deployed centrally, the Dutchman set the tone with his work ethic and link up play. Showed his poacher’s instinct to grab the all-important second goal, and was menacing all afternoon. Fernando Torres – 6 – Found life tough against the physical presence of Andre Bikey & Clarke Carlisle, but kept them on their toes with clever movement and purposeful runs. Involved heavily in the counter attack for the second goal, and on another day might have scored himself. SUBS Phillipp Degen – 6 – Spent most of his game going forward, as Burnley were spent as an attacking force by the time he came on, but the Swiss is very much a deputy at this time. Andriy Voronin – 7 – The good and the bad from the Ukrainian. The good being his smart assist for Benayoun’s third goal, and a lovely backheel from which Gerrard probably should have scored, the bad being a horrible miss when put clean through late on. David Ngog – 6 – Like Lucas, has beefed up over the summer and looks a lot more confident. Not much time to impress here, but expect to see more of the Frenchman this season. BURNLEY Brian Jensen – 5 – “The Beast” is a cult hero at Burnley, but he let himself down today by spilling a number of shots, one of which was punished by Kuyt. Did make a pair of saves to deny Gerrard which were noteworthy, but not his best day today. Tyrone Mears – 6 – Lively early on raiding down the right, but was effectively stymied by Riera & Insua, and faded away as quickly as his team did. Stephen Jordan – 5 – Given a torrid time by Benayoun, the former Manchester City man was eventually booked for hauling him down, and will not wish to view a repeat of this particular contest. Andre Bikey – 5 – A giant of a man, Bikey is content to head away high balls all day, but when Liverpool played a passing game, he came unstuck, and was exposed cruelly in the second half. Clarke Carlisle – 6 – Interesting early tussle with Torres, in which he held his own, but was powerless to stop the Red tide after the first goal went in. Wade Elliott – 5 – Has been rated-highly so far this season but today he was anonymous as the Clarets struggled to get their attacking players on the ball. Robbie Blake – 5 – Shackled well by Johnson, interesting to note his angry reaction to being substituted. In truth he had done little of note during his time on the pitch. Graham Alexander – 5 – Very much the leader of this team with his vocalism, but had a day to forget as he spent most of it chasing Steven Gerrard’s shadow. Chris McCann – 5 – Like Alexander, was painfully exposed by quality opposition. Probably the one player on Burnley’s team who looked out of his depth today. Martin Paterson – 6 – Lively early on, forcing a save from Reina with a powerful drive, but faded away and was anonymous in the second half. Steven Fletcher – 6 – Switched between wide midfield and centre forward, with minimal success. Looks more suited to a forward role, and there were some promising signs in his strength and hold up play. SUBS Chris Eagles – 5 – Game was over when he came on, and he had very little influence, dragging a half chance well wide. David Nugent – 6 – Booed on his arrival by Liverpool fans, the debutant showed a few glimpses of what can be expected with some intelligent runs into the channel and a good work rate, almost created a shooting chance for himself late on but was hustled out.
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Birmingham City 0 Aston Villa 1: match report
Read a full report of the Premier League match between Birmingham City and Aston Villa at St Andrew's, Sunday Sept 13, 2009, kick-off 12.00 BST.
By Sandy Macaskill at St Andrew'sPublished: 2:00PM BST 13 Sep 2009
They say that derbies are the great leveller. At least, that is what Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish had been hoping.
But the Premier League reality is that the cream usually rises to the top eventually, regardless of the circumstances, and even if it took 85 minutes for Aston Villa to break the deadlock on this occasion, courtesy of Gabby Agbonlahor, they have once again secured the Birmingham bragging rights.
The last time these two sides played it was a 5-1 goal-fest at Villa Park, but make no mistake: St Andrew’s was treated to nothing of the sort this afternoon. In fact, this match was at times so ugly it should have been played with the lights off.
After 45 minutes the most entertaining episode had come when the St Andrew’s ground staff turned the sprinklers on some startled Villa substitutes who had ventured onto the pitch at half-time to practice.
In the past, the Second City derby as it is known, has had its fair share of belligerence, and it was suitably vitriolic in the stands.
But anyone who had come expecting to see all that testosterone seep onto the pitch would have left disappointed. A few solid tackles in the opening exchanges apart, there was nothing to get overly excited about. It was the second half before Howard Webb had to reach for a card.
Fittingly, it had been Agbonlahor who caused the early trouble. In the seventh minute, the forward muscled Teemu Tainio out on the edge of the area, cutting the ball inside to James Milner, who took a touch to set himself up, but shot wide.
Milner, clearly invigorated from having spent the last week with the national side, had another chance in the 21st minute, Agbonlahor once again in the thick of things.
The striker broke down the right, squaring the ball to Milner who had made a beeline to the penalty spot. Had the winger made a decent connection with the ball it would surely have been a goal, but he didn’t, and the chance went begging.
Ten minutes later it was Birmingham’s turn, Garry O’Connor flicking a ball through to Lee Bowyer, who had no one with him in support. Left with no other option, Bowyer fired goalwards, Brad Friedel parrying behind his own goal.
The corner came to little directly, but Kevin Fahey picked up on a loose ball and sent a long range shot fizzing unchecked through a gormless Villa defence, just wide of the post.
The second half started as the first had finished: scrappy, nothing special. Sensing – one can’t guess how – that the match required a shift in direction, Martin O’Neill brought on John Carew, and almost immediately Steve Sidwell had a header saved from point-blank range by Joe Hart, after Milner had swung in a cross from the left sideline.
Seven minutes later Ashley Young stroked a free kick into the box, which was headed back by Carew to Agbonlahor to head uncontested into the net.
By Sandy Macaskill at St Andrew'sPublished: 2:00PM BST 13 Sep 2009
They say that derbies are the great leveller. At least, that is what Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish had been hoping.
But the Premier League reality is that the cream usually rises to the top eventually, regardless of the circumstances, and even if it took 85 minutes for Aston Villa to break the deadlock on this occasion, courtesy of Gabby Agbonlahor, they have once again secured the Birmingham bragging rights.
The last time these two sides played it was a 5-1 goal-fest at Villa Park, but make no mistake: St Andrew’s was treated to nothing of the sort this afternoon. In fact, this match was at times so ugly it should have been played with the lights off.
After 45 minutes the most entertaining episode had come when the St Andrew’s ground staff turned the sprinklers on some startled Villa substitutes who had ventured onto the pitch at half-time to practice.
In the past, the Second City derby as it is known, has had its fair share of belligerence, and it was suitably vitriolic in the stands.
But anyone who had come expecting to see all that testosterone seep onto the pitch would have left disappointed. A few solid tackles in the opening exchanges apart, there was nothing to get overly excited about. It was the second half before Howard Webb had to reach for a card.
Fittingly, it had been Agbonlahor who caused the early trouble. In the seventh minute, the forward muscled Teemu Tainio out on the edge of the area, cutting the ball inside to James Milner, who took a touch to set himself up, but shot wide.
Milner, clearly invigorated from having spent the last week with the national side, had another chance in the 21st minute, Agbonlahor once again in the thick of things.
The striker broke down the right, squaring the ball to Milner who had made a beeline to the penalty spot. Had the winger made a decent connection with the ball it would surely have been a goal, but he didn’t, and the chance went begging.
Ten minutes later it was Birmingham’s turn, Garry O’Connor flicking a ball through to Lee Bowyer, who had no one with him in support. Left with no other option, Bowyer fired goalwards, Brad Friedel parrying behind his own goal.
The corner came to little directly, but Kevin Fahey picked up on a loose ball and sent a long range shot fizzing unchecked through a gormless Villa defence, just wide of the post.
The second half started as the first had finished: scrappy, nothing special. Sensing – one can’t guess how – that the match required a shift in direction, Martin O’Neill brought on John Carew, and almost immediately Steve Sidwell had a header saved from point-blank range by Joe Hart, after Milner had swung in a cross from the left sideline.
Seven minutes later Ashley Young stroked a free kick into the box, which was headed back by Carew to Agbonlahor to head uncontested into the net.
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FA to look at Adebayor conduct in win over Arsenal
The Football Association is to examine Emmanuel Adebayor's extravagant goal celebration against former club Arsenal and his challenge that left Robin van Persie with a facial wound during the Gunners' 4-2 loss to Manchester City.
Adebayor, who joined City in July after being a target for Arsenal fans during his final season in north London, ran the length of the pitch in Saturday's Premier League game to celebrate in front of visiting Gunners supporters after scoring City's third goal.
Furious Arsenal fans hurled objects onto the field and had to be kept under control. Police said one steward was knocked unconscious.
Earlier, Adebayor's boot caught the head of Van Persie, leaving the Arsenal forward with a cut to the face which the Dutch star said was the result of a "malicious stamp".
FA chief executive Ian Watmore told BBC radio on Sunday: "Our governance team will take a good look at both of the incidents that have been highlighted and will come to the media with the answers early next week."
Watmore was clearly disappointed by the goal celebration, for which the Togolese strike was booked.
"I was pretty unimpressed really because the problems between the Arsenal fans and Adebayor are well documented, and he ran the whole length of the field to celebrate," Watmore said. "So I think we're going to have a good close look at that one on Monday when we see it properly in the cold light of day.
"I thought the stewards did a great job of calming the situation down and it was to Manchester City's credit nothing worse happened."
Watmore would not be drawn, though, on the possible extent of any sanctions against the player.
"The punishments are the decision of the individual commission, if we get that far," he said.
Adebayor had a troubled end to his spell as an Arsenal player, with supporters accusing him of a lack of loyalty when he was linked with other clubs. Two seasons ago, he also had a flare-up with Arsenal teammate Nicklas Bendtner during a 5-1 League Cup loss to Tottenham.
Interviewed after Saturday's game in Manchester, Adebayor apologized for his goal celebration.
"To be honest, I'm very sorry for all this," he said. "Sometimes, the emotion takes over. That's what happened. I was very happy to score the goal.
"Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave."
Van Persie accused Adebayor, his former strike partner, of stamping.
"I am sad and disappointed by my former teammate Emmanuel Adebayor's mindless and malicious stamp on me," the Dutch forward said. "He set out to hurt me and I feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimeters from my eye.
"I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made. He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful."
Adebayor, who joined City in July after being a target for Arsenal fans during his final season in north London, ran the length of the pitch in Saturday's Premier League game to celebrate in front of visiting Gunners supporters after scoring City's third goal.
Furious Arsenal fans hurled objects onto the field and had to be kept under control. Police said one steward was knocked unconscious.
Earlier, Adebayor's boot caught the head of Van Persie, leaving the Arsenal forward with a cut to the face which the Dutch star said was the result of a "malicious stamp".
FA chief executive Ian Watmore told BBC radio on Sunday: "Our governance team will take a good look at both of the incidents that have been highlighted and will come to the media with the answers early next week."
Watmore was clearly disappointed by the goal celebration, for which the Togolese strike was booked.
"I was pretty unimpressed really because the problems between the Arsenal fans and Adebayor are well documented, and he ran the whole length of the field to celebrate," Watmore said. "So I think we're going to have a good close look at that one on Monday when we see it properly in the cold light of day.
"I thought the stewards did a great job of calming the situation down and it was to Manchester City's credit nothing worse happened."
Watmore would not be drawn, though, on the possible extent of any sanctions against the player.
"The punishments are the decision of the individual commission, if we get that far," he said.
Adebayor had a troubled end to his spell as an Arsenal player, with supporters accusing him of a lack of loyalty when he was linked with other clubs. Two seasons ago, he also had a flare-up with Arsenal teammate Nicklas Bendtner during a 5-1 League Cup loss to Tottenham.
Interviewed after Saturday's game in Manchester, Adebayor apologized for his goal celebration.
"To be honest, I'm very sorry for all this," he said. "Sometimes, the emotion takes over. That's what happened. I was very happy to score the goal.
"Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave."
Van Persie accused Adebayor, his former strike partner, of stamping.
"I am sad and disappointed by my former teammate Emmanuel Adebayor's mindless and malicious stamp on me," the Dutch forward said. "He set out to hurt me and I feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimeters from my eye.
"I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made. He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful."
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Man City, Chelsea maintain winning starts in Premier League season
LONDON — Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor scored against former club Arsenal on Saturday in a 4-2 victory that maintained the expensively revamped squad's winning start to the Premier League season.
While City made it four wins out of four, the Gunners were condemned to a second straight loss in Manchester, having been beaten by United before the international break.
"Emmanuel was outstanding today," City manager Mark Hughes said. "He is an outstanding talent and the best in the world at what he does."
Anderson scored his first Manchester United goal as the champions came from behind to win 3-1 at Tottenham, while Florent Malouda's stoppage-time goal saw Chelsea rally for a 2-1 win at Stoke.
After opening the season with five wins, Chelsea has a three-point lead over United, City and Spurs at the top of the standings.
Liverpool is three points adrift of the trio, who are split by goal difference, after Yossi Benayoun scored a hat trick in a 4-0 rout of Burnley.
"To be top of the league is very important - we have good confidence in our play and a very good atmosphere in the dressing room," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "We are doing very well and want to continue in this good position for as long as we can. We have a very good squad."
Adebayor and Kolo Toure appeared for City against Arsenal for the first time since their big-money off-season transfers from the Gunners. Adebayor was loudly booed by visiting fans as Arsenal dominated early on, but it was the Togo striker's new side that took the lead.
Micah Richards met Gareth Barry's cross with a looping header that hit the post but goalkeeper Manuel Almunia diverted back into his own net.
Arsenal was more of a threat after the break when Tomas Rosicky replaced Denilson, and the Czech international collected Bacary Sagna's short pass and fed the ball calmly through to Robin van Persie to equalize in the 62nd minute.
City was back in front 12 minutes later when Richards squared to Craig Bellamy, who swept the ball home.
Adebayor was booked after his headed goal for racing the full length of the field to celebrate right in front of the Arsenal fans.
"I'm very sorry for all this. Sometimes, the emotion takes over," Adebayor said. "I was very happy to score the goal. Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave."
City's lead survived a frantic conclusion which saw Shaun Wright-Phillips score a fourth before Rosicky pulled one back.
A mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech allowed Stoke to take the lead in the 32nd minute. Cech was stranded when Abdoulaye Faye's header from Glenn Whelan's cross looped over the Czech Republic international.
But Didier Drogba struck into the top corner just before the break to equalize and Malouda left it late in the second half to produce the winner.
At White Hart Lane, United was trailing inside a minute after Jermain Defoe's acrobatic overhead kick. But Ryan Giggs curled in a free kick to level for the visitors and Anderson scored before half time to end his two-year wait for a United goal.
Despite the Red Devils playing more than 30 minutes with 10 men after Paul Scholes was sent off, Wayne Rooney was able to add a third in the 78th from an energetic counterattack.
At Anfield, Benayoun put Liverpool in front in the 27th minute, chasing a pass from Glen Johnson and racing past Graham Alexander before sidefooting home.
And when Benayoun's shot was parried by goalkeeper Brian Jensen, Dirk Kuyt slotted home the loose ball to put the Reds on course for their second straight win.
After the break, Steven Gerrard set up Benayoun to tap in the third before substitute Andriy Voronin played the Israeli in for his third and Liverpool's fourth with eight minutes to go.
"It was a good day for me but the most important is the three points and we played some good football," Benayoun said. "I started off on the right but Rafa told me to come in and work in between the lines."
Also Saturday, Darren Bent scored twice as sixth-placed Sunderland beat Hull 4-1, Blackburn won its first home game of the season by defeating Wolverhampton 3-1 and Hugo Rodallega's goal gave Wigan a 1-0 victory over West Ham.
Bolton earned its first points by winning 3-2 at Portsmouth, leaving the home side at the bottom of the table with zero points.
While City made it four wins out of four, the Gunners were condemned to a second straight loss in Manchester, having been beaten by United before the international break.
"Emmanuel was outstanding today," City manager Mark Hughes said. "He is an outstanding talent and the best in the world at what he does."
Anderson scored his first Manchester United goal as the champions came from behind to win 3-1 at Tottenham, while Florent Malouda's stoppage-time goal saw Chelsea rally for a 2-1 win at Stoke.
After opening the season with five wins, Chelsea has a three-point lead over United, City and Spurs at the top of the standings.
Liverpool is three points adrift of the trio, who are split by goal difference, after Yossi Benayoun scored a hat trick in a 4-0 rout of Burnley.
"To be top of the league is very important - we have good confidence in our play and a very good atmosphere in the dressing room," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "We are doing very well and want to continue in this good position for as long as we can. We have a very good squad."
Adebayor and Kolo Toure appeared for City against Arsenal for the first time since their big-money off-season transfers from the Gunners. Adebayor was loudly booed by visiting fans as Arsenal dominated early on, but it was the Togo striker's new side that took the lead.
Micah Richards met Gareth Barry's cross with a looping header that hit the post but goalkeeper Manuel Almunia diverted back into his own net.
Arsenal was more of a threat after the break when Tomas Rosicky replaced Denilson, and the Czech international collected Bacary Sagna's short pass and fed the ball calmly through to Robin van Persie to equalize in the 62nd minute.
City was back in front 12 minutes later when Richards squared to Craig Bellamy, who swept the ball home.
Adebayor was booked after his headed goal for racing the full length of the field to celebrate right in front of the Arsenal fans.
"I'm very sorry for all this. Sometimes, the emotion takes over," Adebayor said. "I was very happy to score the goal. Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave."
City's lead survived a frantic conclusion which saw Shaun Wright-Phillips score a fourth before Rosicky pulled one back.
A mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech allowed Stoke to take the lead in the 32nd minute. Cech was stranded when Abdoulaye Faye's header from Glenn Whelan's cross looped over the Czech Republic international.
But Didier Drogba struck into the top corner just before the break to equalize and Malouda left it late in the second half to produce the winner.
At White Hart Lane, United was trailing inside a minute after Jermain Defoe's acrobatic overhead kick. But Ryan Giggs curled in a free kick to level for the visitors and Anderson scored before half time to end his two-year wait for a United goal.
Despite the Red Devils playing more than 30 minutes with 10 men after Paul Scholes was sent off, Wayne Rooney was able to add a third in the 78th from an energetic counterattack.
At Anfield, Benayoun put Liverpool in front in the 27th minute, chasing a pass from Glen Johnson and racing past Graham Alexander before sidefooting home.
And when Benayoun's shot was parried by goalkeeper Brian Jensen, Dirk Kuyt slotted home the loose ball to put the Reds on course for their second straight win.
After the break, Steven Gerrard set up Benayoun to tap in the third before substitute Andriy Voronin played the Israeli in for his third and Liverpool's fourth with eight minutes to go.
"It was a good day for me but the most important is the three points and we played some good football," Benayoun said. "I started off on the right but Rafa told me to come in and work in between the lines."
Also Saturday, Darren Bent scored twice as sixth-placed Sunderland beat Hull 4-1, Blackburn won its first home game of the season by defeating Wolverhampton 3-1 and Hugo Rodallega's goal gave Wigan a 1-0 victory over West Ham.
Bolton earned its first points by winning 3-2 at Portsmouth, leaving the home side at the bottom of the table with zero points.
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Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City Win
Manchester United and Chelsea rallied to victories, and Manchester City’s revamped team passed its first big Premier League test against Arsenal. Midfielder Anderson, from Brazil, ended his two-year wait for a goal with United, which won, 3-1, at Tottenham. Chelsea won at Stoke, 2-1, on Florent Malouda’s goal in stoppage time. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against Arsenal, his former club, in a 4-2 win.
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Ten-man United burst Spurs' bubble
Four days after he gave a hint that he has what it takes to succeed David Beckham on the right side of the England midfield, Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon fluffed his chance to confirm he is the real deal as the Premier League champions ran riot at White Hart Lane.
No one has poured more passion into the England cause over the course of the last decade than Beckham, yet the emergence of Lennon as a genuine pretender to his crown means his days sporting the No.7 shirt he cherishes more than any other may now be coming to an end.
Lennon's thrilling display in Wednesday night's 5-1 World Cup qualifying demolition of Croatia was a clear sign that the Tottenham winger is ready to convert the potential he has long displayed into something more tangible, yet this 90 minutes of anonymity suggested the 22-year-old is a long way from being the finished product.
Tottenham's newest superstar was always likely to be presented with a firm test of his credentials as the reigning Premier League champions rolled into town and while his energy was never an issue, this was to be the day when the true Premier League wing wizard showed him who was boss.
The veteran Ryan Giggs was clearly the outstanding wide player on show in this game, yet Lennon should not despair as this was the afternoon when United confirmed they remain a major force to be reckoned with in the Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo? On this evidence, United have enough class to live without him.
This game swung with thrilling uncertainty from the off. Jermain Defoe scoring a goal that is certain to go down as one of the Premier League's best this season as his bicycle kick gave Spurs a lead after just 47 seconds. It was a moment of sublime class from the in-form striker.
Tottenham fans hardly needed any motivation to raise their voices after their side's flawless start to the season and it quickly became clear that the scoring would not end there, with these two sides refusing to take a backwards step as they piled into each other with real relish.
Any notion that the international break had taken the edge off Spurs or United was banished as the pace was set at an electrifying level and barely dropped in a sensational first half of action, yet defending was not a priority for a Tottenham side determined to go toe to toe with United.
It proved to be a flawed plan as United's chin is rarely shaky in a straight battle of raw abilities and with Tottenham looking far too open and failing to get the ball to creator in chief Lennon, the red tide eventually washed over them.
Berbatov's tumble on the edge of the box may have been a little theatrical, but there was little doubt that Wilson Palacios was rash with his two-footed lunge after 24 minutes. The legendary Giggs kept up his record of scoring in each Premier League season since 1992 by curling a delicious free-kick equaliser.
Anderson's thumping goal five minutes before the break edged United ahead in a first half notable for an improved performance by United striker Dimitar Berbatov. Jeered to the rafters on his return to White Hart Lane, the Bulgarian responded with a classy display that helped United regain their composure after that early setback inflicted by Defoe.
The half-time whistle gave all packed into this enduringly atmospheric arena a chance to draw breath and reflect on a first half that had passed by the focus of our attention. Lennon would have fancied his chances of getting involved in a game as open as this, but it just wouldn't happen for him.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp encouraged captain Robbie Keane to drift into a central role for the second half, with the experiment of playing him on the left flank clearly not working. He was clearly hoping the wide threat would still come if Lennon could be brought into the fray.
The chances continued to flow as substitute Jermaine Jenas was denied by a stunning save from Ben Foster, before Crouch crashed a header against the bar from the corner that followed, but Spurs had lost their verve and not even a red card for Paul Scholes could revive them.
Scholes' curious inability to tackle has been one of his trademarks down the years and while he may have been unfortunate to pick up a second caution in an unavoidable clash with Tom Huddlestone, his earlier 'assault' on Defoe's leg could have resulted in a straight red.
Tottenham failed to make the most of their numerical advantage and with Lennon continuing to do a good impression of the invisible man, it was the brilliant Wayne Rooney who scored next as he established an impregnable 3-1 lead for United 12 minutes from time
It was always going to be a hard game because Tottenham are in such great form and they got off to a fantastic start which made life difficult for us," United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told ESPN. "We needed to settle in the game and once we did that, I thought we played very well.
"The referee got it wrong with the red card. It was a bad sending off and I didn't see anything in it at all. I think he was sent off because his name was Paul Scholes, simple as that."
Spurs boss Redknapp accepted his team were beaten by the better side, but tried to find a silver lining in his first defeat of the season. "United are a top class outfit and they had a bit too much for us," conceded Redknapp. "We never really got going after that fantastic opening goal, but we will keep things in perspective. 12 points from five games is still a great start to the season."
Passing judgment on a player over 90 minutes is always an inconclusive test of his credentials, but the ease with which United took the sting out of the Lennon threat on this balmy September afternoon in North London suggests he may not be the complete answer to England's right side dilemma.
Lennon may prove to be the natural successor to Beckham in an England team looking forward to the World Cup finals next summer with real optimism, but he has to display consistency of performance against top quality opposition each and every week if he is to live up to his billing.
No one has poured more passion into the England cause over the course of the last decade than Beckham, yet the emergence of Lennon as a genuine pretender to his crown means his days sporting the No.7 shirt he cherishes more than any other may now be coming to an end.
Lennon's thrilling display in Wednesday night's 5-1 World Cup qualifying demolition of Croatia was a clear sign that the Tottenham winger is ready to convert the potential he has long displayed into something more tangible, yet this 90 minutes of anonymity suggested the 22-year-old is a long way from being the finished product.
Tottenham's newest superstar was always likely to be presented with a firm test of his credentials as the reigning Premier League champions rolled into town and while his energy was never an issue, this was to be the day when the true Premier League wing wizard showed him who was boss.
The veteran Ryan Giggs was clearly the outstanding wide player on show in this game, yet Lennon should not despair as this was the afternoon when United confirmed they remain a major force to be reckoned with in the Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo? On this evidence, United have enough class to live without him.
This game swung with thrilling uncertainty from the off. Jermain Defoe scoring a goal that is certain to go down as one of the Premier League's best this season as his bicycle kick gave Spurs a lead after just 47 seconds. It was a moment of sublime class from the in-form striker.
Tottenham fans hardly needed any motivation to raise their voices after their side's flawless start to the season and it quickly became clear that the scoring would not end there, with these two sides refusing to take a backwards step as they piled into each other with real relish.
Any notion that the international break had taken the edge off Spurs or United was banished as the pace was set at an electrifying level and barely dropped in a sensational first half of action, yet defending was not a priority for a Tottenham side determined to go toe to toe with United.
It proved to be a flawed plan as United's chin is rarely shaky in a straight battle of raw abilities and with Tottenham looking far too open and failing to get the ball to creator in chief Lennon, the red tide eventually washed over them.
Berbatov's tumble on the edge of the box may have been a little theatrical, but there was little doubt that Wilson Palacios was rash with his two-footed lunge after 24 minutes. The legendary Giggs kept up his record of scoring in each Premier League season since 1992 by curling a delicious free-kick equaliser.
Anderson's thumping goal five minutes before the break edged United ahead in a first half notable for an improved performance by United striker Dimitar Berbatov. Jeered to the rafters on his return to White Hart Lane, the Bulgarian responded with a classy display that helped United regain their composure after that early setback inflicted by Defoe.
The half-time whistle gave all packed into this enduringly atmospheric arena a chance to draw breath and reflect on a first half that had passed by the focus of our attention. Lennon would have fancied his chances of getting involved in a game as open as this, but it just wouldn't happen for him.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp encouraged captain Robbie Keane to drift into a central role for the second half, with the experiment of playing him on the left flank clearly not working. He was clearly hoping the wide threat would still come if Lennon could be brought into the fray.
The chances continued to flow as substitute Jermaine Jenas was denied by a stunning save from Ben Foster, before Crouch crashed a header against the bar from the corner that followed, but Spurs had lost their verve and not even a red card for Paul Scholes could revive them.
Scholes' curious inability to tackle has been one of his trademarks down the years and while he may have been unfortunate to pick up a second caution in an unavoidable clash with Tom Huddlestone, his earlier 'assault' on Defoe's leg could have resulted in a straight red.
Tottenham failed to make the most of their numerical advantage and with Lennon continuing to do a good impression of the invisible man, it was the brilliant Wayne Rooney who scored next as he established an impregnable 3-1 lead for United 12 minutes from time
It was always going to be a hard game because Tottenham are in such great form and they got off to a fantastic start which made life difficult for us," United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told ESPN. "We needed to settle in the game and once we did that, I thought we played very well.
"The referee got it wrong with the red card. It was a bad sending off and I didn't see anything in it at all. I think he was sent off because his name was Paul Scholes, simple as that."
Spurs boss Redknapp accepted his team were beaten by the better side, but tried to find a silver lining in his first defeat of the season. "United are a top class outfit and they had a bit too much for us," conceded Redknapp. "We never really got going after that fantastic opening goal, but we will keep things in perspective. 12 points from five games is still a great start to the season."
Passing judgment on a player over 90 minutes is always an inconclusive test of his credentials, but the ease with which United took the sting out of the Lennon threat on this balmy September afternoon in North London suggests he may not be the complete answer to England's right side dilemma.
Lennon may prove to be the natural successor to Beckham in an England team looking forward to the World Cup finals next summer with real optimism, but he has to display consistency of performance against top quality opposition each and every week if he is to live up to his billing.
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Van Persie accuses Adebayor of "malicious stamp"
Robin Van Persie has accused former Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor of deliberately attempting to injure him - and claimed the Manchester City striker came within centimetres of stamping on his eye
Although neither manager said they saw the second-half incident when it happened during City's 4-2 win over the Gunners today, TV replays did not make pleasant viewing for Adebayor.
With Van Persie on the ground, Adebayor certainly appeared to make a lunging movement as he tried to regain his balance, with the Dutchman sustaining a cut to the side of his head that required treatment.
Referee Mark Clattenburg did not appear to get a clear view either given the fact he waved play on, only calling for treatment when Van Persie failed to get back to his feet.
It was anticipated the Football Association would act anyway but, if there was any doubt over their involvement, there is none now after Van Persie launched a bitter attack on the Togo forward.
"I am sad and disappointed by my former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor's mindless and malicious stamp on me,'' said Van Persie. "He set out to hurt me and I feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimetres from my eye.
"I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made. He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful.''
Van Persie has shown a volatility himself in the past. However, given his statement came three hours after this afternoon's contest finished, his thoughts betray a deeper anger.
City manager Mark Hughes described Adebayor as "an emotional guy'' afterwards in relation to a separate incident, for which the striker has already apologised.
It seems Van Persie does not share the same opinion.
"We are both professional footballers and I know that the game is physical. I, too, have made hard and sometimes mis-timed challenges but never with the intention of hurting an opponent,'' he continued.
"I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It's bad for the game we all love.
"He has shown a real lack of class today, to me and the fans. We do not hide from the disappointment of losing the match but I need to speak out about his behaviour.''
The FA are likely to take a dim view of the method Van Persie has chosen to air his feelings. But Adebayor seems certain to face some kind of sanction over the ugly incident.
He may have been called to account anyway, having raced the full length of the field to celebrate right in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring the decisive third goal this afternoon.
The £25m striker had been barracked throughout by the Gunners supporters, who accused Adebayor of showing a lack of loyalty during his last few months at the Emirates Stadium when a fall-out with Nicklas Bendtner escalated to such an extent the pair clashed on the field during a League Cup tie with Tottenham.
Even Adebayor admitted he was wrong to celebrate in such a manner and offered his apology immediately afterwards.
"To be honest, I'm very sorry for all this,'' he said. "Sometimes, the emotion takes over. That's what happened. I was very happy to score the goal. Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave.''
Although neither manager said they saw the second-half incident when it happened during City's 4-2 win over the Gunners today, TV replays did not make pleasant viewing for Adebayor.
With Van Persie on the ground, Adebayor certainly appeared to make a lunging movement as he tried to regain his balance, with the Dutchman sustaining a cut to the side of his head that required treatment.
Referee Mark Clattenburg did not appear to get a clear view either given the fact he waved play on, only calling for treatment when Van Persie failed to get back to his feet.
It was anticipated the Football Association would act anyway but, if there was any doubt over their involvement, there is none now after Van Persie launched a bitter attack on the Togo forward.
"I am sad and disappointed by my former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor's mindless and malicious stamp on me,'' said Van Persie. "He set out to hurt me and I feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury. The contact was only centimetres from my eye.
"I knew he was aiming for a collision because he changed the angle of his body to allow contact to be made. He moved backwards when his natural momentum would have taken him forward. I find that deeply disrespectful.''
Van Persie has shown a volatility himself in the past. However, given his statement came three hours after this afternoon's contest finished, his thoughts betray a deeper anger.
City manager Mark Hughes described Adebayor as "an emotional guy'' afterwards in relation to a separate incident, for which the striker has already apologised.
It seems Van Persie does not share the same opinion.
"We are both professional footballers and I know that the game is physical. I, too, have made hard and sometimes mis-timed challenges but never with the intention of hurting an opponent,'' he continued.
"I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It's bad for the game we all love.
"He has shown a real lack of class today, to me and the fans. We do not hide from the disappointment of losing the match but I need to speak out about his behaviour.''
The FA are likely to take a dim view of the method Van Persie has chosen to air his feelings. But Adebayor seems certain to face some kind of sanction over the ugly incident.
He may have been called to account anyway, having raced the full length of the field to celebrate right in front of the Arsenal fans after scoring the decisive third goal this afternoon.
The £25m striker had been barracked throughout by the Gunners supporters, who accused Adebayor of showing a lack of loyalty during his last few months at the Emirates Stadium when a fall-out with Nicklas Bendtner escalated to such an extent the pair clashed on the field during a League Cup tie with Tottenham.
Even Adebayor admitted he was wrong to celebrate in such a manner and offered his apology immediately afterwards.
"To be honest, I'm very sorry for all this,'' he said. "Sometimes, the emotion takes over. That's what happened. I was very happy to score the goal. Before the game, people have been saying and writing things and the emotions took over. People who love me and know me know how I behave.''
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