A record crowd for a Premier League game was well rewarded on Saturday as Ruud van Nistelrooy's hat trick put Manchester United back on top in England.
The Dutchman scored a penalty in first-half injury time, a sensational goal early in the second half and completed the trio with a late strike in a 3-0 victory over Fulham.
United's victory before a record 67,706 at Old Trafford knocked Arsenal out of the top spot for the first time since the fall. The Gunners could regain the No. 1 position with a victory at home against Everton yesterday.
Man United improved to 64 points and made it a three-way jam at the top with Arsenal (63) and Newcastle (61) just behind followed by Chelsea (54), Everton (50) and Liverpool (49).
Van Nistelrooy scored his penalty after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was pulled down in the area. The second was one of the season's most spectacular as the Dutch striker scored in the 68th on a run from midfield, where he left a half dozen players in his wake and netted behind Fulham 'keeper Maik Taylor.
The third came in second-half injury time to cap the scoreline and give him his 32nd of the season.
Van Nistelrooy said it was probably his best goal for Manchester United, "but not the best in my career," he added.
Asked to describe the goal, he said, "I got the ball maybe just in their half and turned and dribbled and dribbled on and on. I saw space on the left. The goalkeeper came out, and I put it in."
Man United manager Alex Ferguson called Van Nistelrooy's second a "fantastic goal" and bragged briefly about being back in first place.
"It's where you want to be," he said. "We've come to the important part of the season and I hope we can stay there. I think we have a good chance. The players' character is helping."
"So hopefully, these are going to be exciting times," he said.
Man United and Arsenal appear to be clubs headed in opposite directions.
After going without a trophy last season, Man United could now win the English league title and is still alive in the Champions League with defending champion Real Madrid waiting in next month's quarterfinals.
Defending league and FA Cup champion Arsenal was knocked out of the Champions League last week by Valencia, has slumped in the league and could be ousted from the FA Cup next week in a quarterfinal replay against Chelsea.
In Saturday's other matches, Newcastle exploded with a 5-1 victory over Blackburn with four different players scoring and Blackburn adding an own-goal. The Magpies had no problem bouncing back after being ousted during the week from the Champions League.
"The scoreline flattered us 5-1 because it's a huge result," Newcastle manager Bobby Robson said.
Robson gave much of the credit to speedy forwards like Craig Bellamy. "On the counter we just murdered them with pace," he said.
Chelsea also scored big in a 5-0 victory at home over defenseless Man City with goals for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, John Terry, Mario Stanic, Frank Lampard and William Gallas.
In a battle at the bottom, West Ham defeated Sunderland 2-0 to move up to 17th place and out of the relegation zone. It was the Hammers third straight shutout and left new Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy winless.
Goeff Horsfield scored in second-half injury time to give Birmingham a 1-0 victory over struggling West Brom. The Baggies have 21 points in 19th place. Bolton has 29 with West Ham on 30.
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