Dwight Yorke scores against Arsenal.

Match Rewind: Hat-trick heroes

Monday 13 April 2020 11:48

Our ‘Match Rewind’ series continues as we are giving fans another chance to watch a classic Manchester United game.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve asking supporters to choose between memorable matches from our archive and the one with the most votes will be shown in full, and for free, via ManUtd.com and our Official App.

This time, we’ve got a selection of fixtures featuring four unforgettable hat-tricks…

DIMITAR BERBATOV - UNITED 3-2 LIVERPOOL (2010/11)

The Bulgarian loves to take centre stage and he couldn’t have picked a more opportune moment to put in a virtuoso display. The striker nodded United ahead in this clash, from a Ryan Giggs corner, before adding a sublime second on 59 minutes. Berbatov controlled Nani’s cross inside the Liverpool box and then artfully guided the ball into the top corner from an acrobatic overhead-kick. It was a goal worthy of winning any match, but Steven Gerrard’s brace, soon after, meant that wasn’t going to be the case, as our Merseyside foes looked set to leave Old Trafford with a share of the spoils. However, Berba had the final say. He headed in a late winner to earn all three points and became the first United player since 1946 to net three against Liverpool in a single game.
Video
Was this Berba's best goal in a United shirt?
DWIGHT YORKE - UNITED 6-1 ARSENAL (2000/01)

Top-of-the-table United were hoping to take another giant stride towards retaining our title when we welcomed the Gunners to the Theatre of Dreams. Arsene Wenger’s men were 13 points off the league’s summit prior to the clash and the French manager was hoping his side’s defensive injury crisis wouldn’t be exposed on that February afternoon. Dwight Yorke, on the other hand, had other plans. He put the hosts ahead within three minutes, after combining with Paul Scholes inside the Arsenal box. He doubled his tally soon after,  when fastening onto Roy Keane’s pass and calmly slotting past David Seaman. The third - on 22 minutes - showed Yorke at his very best: power, pace and nerves of steel. He anticipated David Beckham’s long ball from deep, effortlessly shrugged off a challenge and then coolly finished after dribbling into the area. Keane, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham also netted to compound a shell-shocked Arsenal's misery.
CRISTIANO RONALDO - UNITED 6-0 NEWCASTLE (2007/08)

Our former no.7 was beginning to establish himself as one of the world’s greatest players by early 2008, but his claim on such an accolade was possibly dented by the fact he was still yet to net a United hat-trick. The Portuguese star had already come close to scoring three in a single game many times during the season, and had bagged five in his last five outings. Despite that, he endured a frustrating first half against the Magpies and felt aggrieved at several refereeing decisions from official Rob Styles. After a goalless opening period, Ronaldo was hell-bent on single-handedly winning this clash and he blasted home a free-kick four minutes after the interval. His second came courtesy of a well-worked team move involving Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez and, two minutes before the end, he grabbed a maiden United hat-trick when his powerful left-footed effort zoomed past the helpless Shay Given.
Cristiano Ronaldo netted 42 goals for the Reds in 2007/08.
ROBIN VAN PERSIE - SOUTHAMPTON 2-3 UNITED (2012/13)

It had taken RVP just 10 minutes to open his United account on his debut, and, the following week, he had to be at his very best to help Sir Alex Ferguson’s men come away from the south coast with all three points. Newly promoted Southampton impressed everyone that season and Rickie Lambert’s header, just after the quarter-hour mark, was an early indication that the Saints were certainly not here to make up the numbers. Van Persie ensured the lead didn’t last long when his exquisite control and volley levelled proceedings. Future Red Morgan Schneiderlin capitalised on Patrice Evra’s slip to nod the hosts into the lead in the second period and, after van Persie’s chipped penalty was denied by Kelvin Davis, it looked set to be an afternoon to forget for United.  But the Dutchman was keen to make amends and he equalised for a second time in the 87th minute, after reacting quickest to Rio Ferdinand’s effort, which cannoned off the post. The Reds hadn’t led for a single minute on that September day, but the Dutchman’s injury-time header sent the St Mary’s away end into raptures and instantly endeared him to our jubilant supporters.
Robin van Persie certainly made up for a missed penalty with the winner at Southampton.
HOW TO VOTE
 
You can select which of the four matches you want to see by voting in our 'Match Rewind' live blog.
 
The vote closes at 16:00 BST on Tuesday (14 April) and we’ll show the winning game in full, and for free, on the Official App and ManUtd.com at 19:00 BST that evening.
 
Reading this in our app? If not, you might miss some exclusive features not found on ManUtd.com. Download the Official App here.

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