Kuyt treble for Liverpool dents Man U's title hopes

Liverpool's Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt celebrates after scoring his third goal during the Premier League football match against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.

Dirk Kuyt hit a hat-trick as Liverpool dented Manchester United's title hopes with a 3-1 victory over their bitter rivals at Anfield on Sunday.
Kuyt struck twice in quick succession in the first half and the Dutch forward completed his treble after the break to hand United their second defeat in the space of a week after the leaders' 2-1 loss at Chelsea on Tuesday.
Javier Hernandez reduced the deficit in stoppage time but United, who had only lost one league match this season before the start of this week, are now just three points ahead of second placed Arsenal, having played a game more than the Gunners.
Kuyt's hat-trick was the first for a Liverpool player against United since Peter Beardsley's treble in a 4-0 win back in September 1990 when Kenny Dalglish was first in charge of the Reds, but it was a sublime display from Luis Suarez that inspired the hosts.
"It's perfect," Kuyt told Sky Sports 1. "You dream about the hat-trick and to do it against United is the best feeling ever.
"I'm more than happy but I have to thank Luis because he played great and created two of the goals.
"They were quite easy goals, I used to score them in Holland when I played more like a striker. They count and I'm more than happy to take them."
United were without first-choice centre-backs Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand and it showed as Liverpool drew first blood in the 34th minute thanks to a superb piece of skill from Suarez.
The former Ajax forward's surging run took him past three United defenders before he poked the ball through Edwin Van der Sar's legs for Kuyt to tap-in from barely a yard out.
United were rocked by that piece of Suarez magic and Dalglish's side increased their lead four minutes later when a misdirected header from Nani confused his defence and allowed Kuyt to head home from close range.
Tempers boiled over after that and Jamie Carragher was lucky to avoid a red card for a lunge on Nani that led the United winger to be stretchered off, while Rafael da Silva also sparked angry scenes with a nasty foul on Martin Skrtel.
Kuyt sealed Liverpool's first win over United in four attempts with a simple finish after a fumble by Van der Sar from Suarez's free-kick in the 65th minute.
There was still time for Dalglish to send on club record signing Andy Carroll for the England striker's first appearance since his £35 million move from Newcastle before Hernandez headed in from a Ryan Giggs cross.

Hat-trick hero Kuyt shatters United

Dirk Kuyt scored a hat-trick to blow the Premier League title race wide open as Liverpool cruised to a 3-1 win over leaders Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.
United went into the game knowing that victory would earn them a six-point lead over nearest rivals Arsenal at the summit with nine games remaining.
But Kuyt's treble condemned Sir Alex Ferguson's side to back-to-back Premier League defeats for the first time in two years after their midweek loss at Chelsea.
United are locked on 18 domestic league titles with Liverpool but the Merseyside club were clearly in no mood to help their bitter rivals towards a record 19th success.
Kuyt put Liverpool in control with two goals in five minutes towards the end of the first half and he scored his third in the 65th minute before Javier Hernandez's late effort for United.
And Liverpool, who climb to sixth in the table, were able to give their £35 million signing Andy Carroll his long-awaited debut as the striker, fit after a thigh injury, came on for the final 15 minutes.
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish said: "The players deserved that for the discipline, application and pride shown in themselves and the club.
"It's been a tough season, it's not finished yet but this has been the highest point so far for our supporters.
"It always matters who the opposition are, because you're not going to get too many opponents who are as good as Manchester United. We deserved to win, no doubt."
Ferguson went into this game leading Dalglish 7-4 ahead of the 20th league meeting between the two Scottish managers.
Ferguson also won the tactical battle between the pair when United defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the FA Cup two months ago in what was Dalglish's first match back since returning to the Anfield hot seat.
But there was revenge in the Merseyside air as Kuyt's first half double put the hosts in command.
United were missing their first-choice central defensive pairing of Nemanja Vidic, who was suspended, and Rio Ferdinand, who was injured, forcing Ferguson to field Wes Brown alongside Chris Smalling.
And the inexperienced partnership was immediately tested as Luis Suarez, twice, and Maxi Rodriguez both had efforts before Dimitar Berbatov was denied by the post in what was United's first serious attack in the 16th minute.
Up until that moment the game had been fairly even but the hosts took control in an explosive finish to the half.
Kuyt's opening goal in the 34th minute was down to the brilliance of Suarez, the Uruguay forward leaving Rafael da Silva and Michael Carrick chasing shadows before squaring for the Netherlands international to score his first ever goal against United.
His second followed five minutes later courtesy of an error by Nani, the Portuguese winger heading into the path of Kuyt to nod past Edwin van der Sar and double his side's lead from close range.
Yet what had been a compelling first half took an ugly turn as both sides were fortunate to retain 11 men.
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was extremely fortunate to escape with a caution for a nasty 39th minute challenge on Nani, the United player climbing off the floor to remonstrate with the referee before being carried off on a stretcher after collapsing.
Then Rafael, who was booked, was lucky to stay on after his X-rated challenge on Lucas in the 44th minute.
United desperately needed a goal early in the second half and they nearly got one when Berbatov's 58th minute header was heading for the net only to be chested off the line by Raul Meireles.
But Liverpool survived and seven minutes later confirmed their fifth win in nine Premier League games since Dalglish returned when Kuyt completed his hat-trick.
Once again Suarez was again involved as his curling free-kick was beaten away by Van der Sar into the path of Kuyt to become the first Liverpool player since Peter Beardsley in 1990 to score three against United.
There was still time for Carroll to come off the bench and make his long-awaited debut in the 74th minute before substitute Hernandez scored in stoppage time with a glancing header.

Inter crush Genoa in Italian league

Inter Milan's Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto'o celebrates scoring against Genoa during warm up before their Italian Serie A football match in Milan's San Siro Stadium. Inter won 5-2.

A blazing second-half performance saw Inter Milan come back from a goal down to crush Genoa 5-2 at the San Siro and stay five points behind Serie A leaders AC Milan on a Sunday when Lazio beat Palermo to move within two points of goalless Napoli.
A brace from the brilliant Samuel Eto'o and one goal each from Giampaolo Pazzini, Goran Pandev and Yuto Nagatomo - all in the second half, cancelled out Rodrigo Palacio's 40th-minute opener for Genoa before the visitors scored a last-minute consolation through Mauro Boselli.
Inter coach Leonardo, who had witnessed Milan's 1-0 win at Juventus on Saturday night, was beaming at the final whistle.
"It was not easy against their five defenders but after Pazzini's goal it all opened up and it was a joy to watch", said the former Milan coach before turning his attention towards the potentially scudetto-deciding Milan derby in early April.
"The derby is always the derby - it's a one off. It will be spectacular in every sense but there are 10 games".
Meanwhile, third-placed Napoli's own title challenge appears to have run out of steam after the Azzurri were held to a goalless draw by lowly Brescia. In a tense affair at the San Paolo, coach Walter Mazzarri was sent from the dugout in the first half for protesting as Napoli, impotent without Ezequiel Lavezzi, fell eight points behind Milan.
In Rome, an early double from Giuseppe Sculli saw Lazio defeat a nervous Palermo 2-0.
After the seven they conceded against Udinese that did for coach Delio Rossi, Palermo remained unbreached for just seven minutes in Serse Cosmi's first game in charge. A beautifully measured pass by Cristian Ledesma sent Sculli clean through and the former Genoa striker finished calmly for his first Lazio goal.
Ten minutes later and the two combined again with Ledesma lifting a perfect pass for Sculli to head home. Palermo's Javier Pastore had a header saved and Lazio's Hernandes a shot parried soon after but at 2-0 both sides seemed content, for different reasons, to defend in numbers with the rest of the game played at a low tempo.
"We got the goals and used out heads to close the game out - they didn't cause us too many problems", said Lazio skipper Ledesma, looking forward to next weekend's derby against Roma. "It doesn't matter where we are in the league for that particular game. It goes beyond a league match".
Antonio Di Natale's second-half penalty, his 22nd goal of the campaign, gave fifth-placed Udinese a 1-0 win at home to rock-bottom Bari.
"Today we won the most difficult game of the season", said coach Francesco Guidolin, whose free-scoring Udinese side had lost their opening four fixtures. "Bari didn't give up, but I have 25 sons who I'm very pleased with right now".
Eto'o was in the thick of things from the start in Milan. After the Cameroonian had tested Eduardo on 20 and 35 minutes, Genoa took the lead through Palacio's rasping cross-shot.

Lazio's forward Giuseppe Sculli celebrates after scoring against Palermo's goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu during their Italian Serie A football match at Rome's Olympic stadium. Lazio won 2-0.

But in a very different second period, Pazzini side-footed home Maicon's cross to equalise on 50min before Eto'o gave Inter the lead a minute later after Eduardo had fumbled Pandev's shot.
Six minutes on and Eto'o struck a brilliant 18th goal of the season. Pandev made it 4-1 on 68min with only his second goal of the season and Japanese defender Nagatomo scored a fifth on 82min with his first Inter goal before Boselli's late header made the final score 5-2.
Elsewhere, Adrian Mutu struck a first-half brace to help mid-table Fiorentina to a 3-0 home win over Catania, while Marco Di Vaio scored his 18th goal of the season in Bologna's 2-2 home draw with ninth-placed Cagliari.
Earlier on Sunday, two goals from Emanuele Giaccherini helped Cesena to a 3-2 win at struggling Sampdoria and stay above the drop zone, while sixth-placed Roma won 2-1 at Lecce on Friday.