Man Utd took full advantage of Arsenal’s suprise 1-1 draw with Birmingham by thumping Newcastle 6-0 at Old Trafford thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s first hat-trick for the club to move to the top of the Barclays Premier League, level on points with Arsenal but ahead on goal difference.

Match of the Day Highlights

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An early chance falls to Wayne Rooney after a first-time pass from Michael Carrick, but his shot from the edge of the area is high and wide.

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Carrick picks out Rooney with a long ball over the top, and the England forward’s first-time shot forces Given into another save.

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Ronaldo and Giggs both go to ground inside the Newcastle penalty area within the space of 20 seconds, but referee Styles is interested in neither of their claims coupled with shots from Tevez and Rooney.

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Ronaldo fires under the wall and while Given got a hand to it, he couldn’t keep it out. 1-0 to United.

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Given fails to hoof a backpass clear and instead kicks it straight into Cacapa. Giggs is closed down before pulling the ball back into the centre of the penalty area, and Tevez advances to slot the ball home.

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Carrick intercepts a ball from N’Zogbia in midfield and plays the ball forward to Rooney, who lays it off immediately to the advancing Tevez. The Argentine’s first touch is played in to Ronaldo, who rounds off a sweeping move by slotting the ball clamly past Given.

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United take a short corner, and Rooney picks out a fabulous run by Ferdinand to the back post, where he volleys home emphatically to give United a four goal lead.

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O’Shea’s cross is headed away by Enrique, but only as far as Ronaldo on the edge of the area. He dinks inside Cacapa’s sliding challenge, before completing his hat-trick by slotting home with his left foot.

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O’Shea’s cross is flicked on by Nani to Tevez at the far post, and the Argentine taps the ball onto the crossbar. The ball then bounced down, with replays inconclusive as to whether the whole ball crossed the line.

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