(Mian Shakeel Aslam) -- Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick as champions Manchester United retained their 100 per cent English Premier League record this season with a remarkable 8-2 thumping of injury-hit Arsenal at Old Trafford.
United were at their dominant best against a Gunners side -- shorn of a host of first team players -- were out-played and humiliated on their way to suffering their worse-ever Premier League defeat.
With Manchester City claiming a 5-1 victory at Tottenham, it proved a superb day for the two Manchester clubs, who are level at the top with a maximum nine points from their three games.
What now for Arsenal and Fabregas?
In contrast, north London giants Tottenham and Arsenal are struggling at the other end of the table, with Tottenham bottom without a point and Arsenal fourth from bottom with just one point.
Arsenal, who have sold star names Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri this month, were always struggling to cope with the home side once Danny Welbeck headed United into the lead following hesitancy in the visiting defense.
And Arsenal then wasted a golden chance to level matters when captain Robin Van Persie's penalty was saved by United keeper David De Gea after Jonny Evans pulled back Theo Walcott.
United soon made them pay when Ashley Young curled home a superb second before Rooney's brilliant free-kick made it 3-0.
Walcott pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time from an acute angle, but United restored their advantage with another trademark Rooney free-kick in the 64th minute.
By now, United were running riot, and Nani made it 5-1 after being left free in the area to clip the ball home.
Substitute Park Ji-Sung added a sixth before Van Persie thumped home from close range to reduce the scoreline.
Arsenal then had defender Carl Jenkinson sent off for a second bookable offense -- meaning the club have had a player dismissed in each of their first three matches.
And soon after Rooney completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Walcott's foul on Nani.
The humiliation was completed when Young matched his first-half strike with another superb effort in injury time.
The defeat, the first time Arsenal had conceded eight goals in a league game since 1896, increases the pressure on Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, with new signings expected to arrive at the club before the transfer windows closes on Wednesday.
"Of course it hurts, it's humiliating, but you could see that we had not recovered physically in the second half from Wednesday night's win over Udinese," Wenger told the official Arsenal website.
"We were short in some areas, that is for sure. They have class and they punished us. It was 3-1 at half-time and I think that was harsh against us.
"We missed a penalty, we had a chance to get back to 3-2. We tried desperately to get back but we opened ourselves up and were punished. Their finishing was great today," added the Frenchman.
United's performance was matched by the dazzling display of big-spending city rivals City, with Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko netting four goals in their rout of Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
With Frenchman Nasri superb on his debut following his move from Arsenal, City were too strong for Spurs, and they went ahead in the 34th minute when Dzeko prodded home a pin-point Nasri cross.
And the duo combined again seven minutes later when Dzeko found the net with a clever back-header from Nasri's cross.
Dzeko's hat-trick was complete early in the second half when he was on hand to tap home Yaya Toure's cutback.
The home side pulled a goal back when Younes Kaboul headed home Rafael van der Vaart's corner.
But Sergio Aguero soon restored the three-goal advantage with a brilliant drive from outside the area to follow on from his debut double against Swansea.
And Dzeko rubbed salt in Tottenham's wounds when curling home his fourth and Tottenham's fifth in injury time.
The result leaves Harry Redknapp's side rock bottom of the table and they are joined on no points by Blackburn and West Bromwich Albion, who suffered their third straight defeat with a 1-0 home reverse to Stoke.
The match looked destined to finish goalless, until Ryan Shotton scored a controversial last-minute winner, with Albion claiming the defender kicked the ball out of the hands of goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Sunday's other Premier League match saw Newcastle continue their fine start with a 2-1 home win over Fulham, with both goals coming from striker Leon Best.
Posted By: Mian Shakeel Aslam
Source: http://www.mianshakeelaslam.posterous.com
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