London, November 2:

Roman Pavlyuchenko’s stoppage-time winner knocked Liverpool off top spot in the Premier League as Tottenham Hotspur continued their unbeaten run under Harry Redknapp with a 2-1 victory.

This dramatic win, which saw Spurs climb off the bottom of the table, ended Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season and left Chelsea on top on goal difference after they thrashed Sunderland 5-0 earlier on Saturday.

Dirk Kuyt fired Liverpool into a third minute lead at White Hart Lane. The visitors then spurned numerous chances, hitting the woodwork three times.

They were made to pay 20 minutes from time when Spurs, who’d beaten Bolton and drawn 4-4 with Arsenal since Redknapp’s arrival from Portsmouth, levelled when Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher headed a David Bentley corner into his own net under pressure from Ledley King. And just when a draw seemed assured, Pavlyuchenko turned in Darren Bent’s cross.

Elsewhere Cristiano Ronaldo’s two goals helped champions Manchester United leapfrog Hull City and go into third place but only after they held on for a 4-3 win over the top-flight new boys at Old Trafford.

Nicolas Anelka scored his first Chelsea hat-trick as Sunderland were put to the sword at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal’s title hopes suffered a major setback against another promoted team as they lost 2-1 away to Stoke City, in a match where several players were injured and Robin van Persie red-carded. Long throws from Rory Delap set up both Stoke’s goals.

A third league defeat this season left Arsenal six points behind Chelsea. West Brom came from a goal behind against Blackburn Rovers, a man down for more than an hour after South African goalscorer Benni McCarthy was sent-off, in a 2-2 draw. Wigan ended a run of four straight defeats with a 2-1 win against Portsmouth.

West Ham, who’d also lost four in a row, drew 1-1 away to Middlesbrough. Everton won in the league for the first time this season at Goodison Park with a 1-0 victory

over Fulham where France striker Louis Saha scored against his old club.

Spanish La Liga

MADRID: Barcelona reeled off their seventh successive win to reach the summit of the Spanish La Liga but Saturday’s 4-1 win at Malaga was marred by racism directed at their Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o.

The Eto’o incidents come just after a Spanish website targeted McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton with racist abuse. Eto’o was not on the scoresheet in Barca’s 4-1 win with Xavi Hernandez and Argentine Lionel Messi sealing the points. In the league Barca are a point clear of Villarreal at the top with the latter also winning 4-1 over Athletic Bilabo to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Valencia could have displaced Barcelona at the summit but fell to their first league defeat of the season with a 4-2 home loss against Racing Santander. Mohamed Tchite scored a sensational hat-trick to down Valencia who stay third, two points behind Barcelona.

It was only Racing’s second win of the season and they jump to 11th spot.

Elsewhere, Sergio “Kun” Aguero scored a brace as Atletico Madrid defeated Real Mallorca 2-0. It was Atletico’s first league victory since September 24 when they defeated derby rivals Getafe 2-1 and Javier Aguirre’s side climb to sixth.

Villarreal climbed up to second position with a 4-1 triumph at Athletic Bilbao.