Manchester 13 - North London 3

Tottenham Hotspur were eager to make today's headlines not until Arsenal fought their way hard to grab topspot. What a brilliant and brutal performance from the Manchester clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Manchester City 5

Edin Dzeko showed just why he has become first choice for Roberto Mancini's new galacticos with the brilliant four-goal blast that devastated Tottenham in a remarkable White Hart Lane victory.

 

The Bosnia striker, who couldn't buy a Premier League goal last season, snapped up a perfect hat-trick then added an injury-time stunner to emphasise his own potency and that of the buoyant Blues.

Samir Nasri conjured an impressive enough midfield debut on his instant return to north London, but his performance - and a good few others - was totally overshadowed by Dzeko's irresistible display.

Paul Whitehouse was among the stunned crowd, and as his comic creation Ron Manager would doubtless have said of City's biggest-ever win on Tottenham soil: "Marvellous, isn't it?"

Aguero added to Dzeko's first City hat-trick - right foot, left foot, and header - before the big man put the icing on the cake with a spectacular fourth in the dying seconds, taking him to six goals in three games since Wembley.

Mancini's threat that City would carry far more attacking intent this season - made before Nasri was finally prised away from Arsenal - could not have been underlined in more dramatic fashion.

The alarm bells should have gone off for Harry Redknapp's men when they found former derby foe Nasri surprisingly lining up alongside David Silva and Sergio Aguero behind Dzeko.

Few expected the Frenchman to start so soon. Not only did he do so, he fitted in so snugly that City's consistent passing and movement was eventually too much for the home side to handle.

Indeed, Nasri was instrumental in cresating both the goals with which Dzeko put the Blues in control before half time, after Gareth Bale had missed the best chance of the game so far.

Minutes later, Nasri combined with Aguero in a neat one-two on the left flank that allowed the former to ping in the cross that Dzeko stretched to steer beyond veteran Brad Friedel.

If that was stinging notice to Spurs that City have taken a huge step on from last season's Joe Hart-inspired goalless draw, then Dzeko's second was a sign he is back to his sharpest.

Five minutes before half time, with Peter Crouch having just failed to equalise with a brilliant flying header that kissed the outside of a post, Dzeko produced a wonderful header of his own.

Despite moving away from goal, and with Kaboul in close attendance, the Bosnian ace made strong contact with Nasri's cross and directed a perfectly-placed header to leave Friedel stranded.

Mancini might have been concerned at his team's failure to satisfy the referee - Gareth Barry and Pablo Zabaleta picked up yellows for fouls and Yaya Toure was booked for dissent.

But this was a performance that could hardly fail to please the manager, and against a team that have, until now, been among their fiercest rivals in challenging the status quo.

The subdued atmosphere in the home crowd was further increased early in the second half when Toure fired in a low cross that left Dzeko with the easiest finish he will enjoy for some time.

Aguero reminded Spurs of his own threat by bamboozling skipper Michael Dawson before hammering an angled fourth goal before Kaboul moved up to exploit City's odd vulnerability at corners.

Dzeko, inevitably, had the last word, a first-time shot from range that Friedel could only admire.


Manchester United 8 - Arsenal 2

Please note this: Whatever Manchester City can do, Manchester United can do even better.

While the blue half of Manchester looked set to dominate the footballing agenda with a stunning 5-1 win at Spurs, United went goal crazy against a depleted Arsenal side to steal the headlines and hammer home a warning to Roberto Mancini's team and the rest of the Barclays Premier League.

In a game that had everything - a missed penalty, a converted spot-kick, a hat-trick for Wayne Rooney, a red card and 10 goals, United simply romped home 8-2.

Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young (2), Nani and sub Ji-sung Park also hit the net with David De Gea superbly saving a penalty when the lead was a slender one. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie replied for the crestfallen Gunners, who had Carl Jenkinson sent off in the second half.

United made their intentions clear from the start with Welbeck charging down Wojciech Szczesny and looking a real threat. Tom Cleverley and Welbeck shot wide and some of the Reds' passing was mesmeric.

So it was no surprise when the hesitant visiting defence failed to deal with Anderson's clever lofted pass and Welbeck steered a looping header over Szczesny for the opener. Chris Smalling dragged wide after setting up the chance for himself beautifully but, against the run of play, Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Jonny Evans pulled at Walcott's shoulder.

De Gea dived to his right to push van Persie's spot-kick around the post and earn the congratulations of his team-mates. And, from United's next attack, Young collected a header out by Armand Traore and bent an inch-perfect curler past Szczesny's despairing fingertips for 2-0.

De Gea had to be alert to make a double save from Andriy Arshavin and van Persie but the champions carried the greater threat with Welbeck diving to head Rooney's cross off target. A hamstring injury cruelly ruined the young striker's afternoon, and Arshavin, who was very fortunate to still be on the pitch after a foul on Young when already booked, flashed a warning shot over the bar at the other end.

Jenkinson was also lucky to avoid a red card when hauling Young down as he sprinted through on goal but Rooney ensured his own justice was meted out by rolling the free-kick for Young to trap and then sweeping past Szczesny with the power on the shot too much for the Polish keeper.

Rooney showed the confidence flowing through the team when testing Szczesny from his own half but there was real complacency seconds before the interval to allow Tomas Rosicky to feed Walcott, whose drive from an angle whistled through De Gea's legs for 3-1.

It was a message that the job was still far from done, and one that was taken on board as Sir Alex's side turned up the heat again in the second half. Szczesny saved well from Young and Nani chipped wastefully off target as the hosts pressed but the Gunners responded with De Gea superbly stopping a van Persie volley and Arshavin firing wide when Smalling was caught up the pitch.

Tom Cleverley shot weakly at Szczesny after a brilliant one-two with Young and Nani failed to convert a cross from the former Aston Villa winger but the dam broke again when Rooney repeated his free-kick feat in the first half by whipping home for 4-1 and becoming United's all-time record scorer in the Premier League.

Smelling blood, Smalling tore forward and ignored Phil Jones on the overlap to instead feed Rooney, who prodded through for Nani to net with the most outrageous of cheeky finishes. Nani then made way, along with Anderson, for Ryan Giggs and Park but the relentless attacking continued.

Rooney wedged a golf-like shot of sheer class against an upright before Park exchanged passes with Young to bury a low finish into the corner of the net. Van Persie restored a semblance of pride with emphatic finish after being played onside by Jones but United simply stepped up a gear again.

Jenkinson received a second yellow card for bundling Javier Hernandez over when he was through on goal and there were more illegal tactics used to halt the red tidal wave when Walcott tripped Patrice Evra inside the box. Rooney stepped up to seal his hat-trick with a confident spot-kick and it got even worse for the North Londoners when Young curled in to add his second from a Giggs pass.

Park shot over in stoppage time but enough damage had been inflicted to the Gunners' battered pride as the home fans rejoiced on a day to remember at Old Trafford.