Manchester United beats Liverpool 4-0

London:

Two Ruud Van Nistelrooy penalties helped Manchester United to a 4-0 victory over Liverpool on Saturday as Alex Ferguson's team went back to the top of the Premier League. Van Nistelrooy gave United a fourth-minute lead from the spot and added the second in the 64th before Giggs met a David Beckham right wing cross to prod home the third with 12 minutes to go. Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added the fourth in injury time. Liverpool had to play the last 86 minutes with 10 men after having Finnish defender Sami Hyypia sent off for bringing down Van Nistelrooy. Michael Owen was out of the Liverpool lineup with the back injury he collected in England's 2-0 Euro 2004 qualifying victory over Turkey, while Beckham started off on the United bench because of a heavy cold. Roy Keane was back to captain United after injury. In Saturday's other early kickoff, third from last Bolton outplayed neighbour Manchester City 2-0 for its third win in a row to further improve its chances of avoiding relegation. (AP)