LONDON (AP):

Manchester United maintained their title charge yesterday by beating Tottenham 5-2 after a remarkable second-half comeback wiped out the visitors' two-goal advantage.

Darren Bent and Luka Modric put Spurs in control before half-time, but Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney each scored twice before Dimitar Berbatov grabbed a fifth to keep the defending champions three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

"It was a brilliant comeback - the first half we played too slowly and Tottenham caused us problems on the right hand side," Rooney said. "Now we're obviously in a great position."

Spurs were furious that Ronaldo was able to start the fightback from the penalty spot in the 57th minute. Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was penalised for hauling down Michael Carrick, despite protests that he touched the ball first.

"I think we were a bit fortunate," said United manager Alex Ferguson, who pointed out that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp won at Old Trafford with Portsmouth last season after a contentious penalty.

The 17-time English champions have a game in hand over Liverpool, which won 3-1 at 10-man Hull as Dirk Kuyt scored twice on his 100th appearance. Chelsea remain six points off the lead after its 1-0 win at West Ham.

Spurs believed they were on course to end their 20-year wait for a win at Old Trafford when Bent and Modric both scored in a three-minute spell.

Half-time action

When Vedran Corluka crossed into the United box, defender Rio Ferdinand mistimed his header and the ball fell for Bent to fire home. United was again exposed on the right flank when Aaron Lennon swung over a cross beyond the defence, leaving Modric to chest down and send it into the net.

At half-time, Ferguson replaced Nani with Carlos Tevez, who faces an uncertain future when his loan deal expires at the end of the season.

"Tevez changed the game because he started to press the defender and push more," Ronaldo said.

After the Portugal winger scored from the penalty spot, Tevez flicked a pass for Rooney, who cut inside before beating Gomes at his near post in the 67th to make it 2-2.

Ronaldo was back on target inside a minute, heading in Rooney's cross.

The two switched roles for the fourth in the 71st, and Berbatov then bundled the ball over the line in the 79th after an initial header was blocked.

At Hull, Xabi Alonso put Liverpool ahead on the stroke of half-time, striking a free kick against the defensive wall and volleying the rebound into the net.

Hull's Caleb Folan was sent off for kicking out at Martin Skrtel and the home side conceded a second goal four minutes later when Kuyt headed home after reacting to Skrtel's scuffed shot.

The unmarked Geovanni pulled one back for Hull in the 72nd, but Kuyt settled Liverpool's nerves in the 89th, reacting quickly when Boaz Myhill parried Alvaro Arbeloa's shot.

"We were a little bit nervous but we showed character," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.

Third straight loss

Hull's third straight loss left it three points above the relegation zone, having been in the top four in October.

Bottom-place West Bromwich Albion won for the first time in three months, dispatching Sunderland 3-0 to close the gap on next-from-bottom Newcastle to two points.

At Upton Park, Chelsea took until the 55th to score, with Salomon Kalou controlling Frank Lampard's cross and firing it past West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green.