Owen clinches win for United

Michael Owen strikes six minutes into stoppage time to give Manchester United a dramatic 4-3 victory City.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND // Michael Owen struck six minutes into stoppage time to give Manchester United a dramatic 4-3 victory over Manchester City today, halting the Blue's perfect start to the Premier League season. City had fought back three times and Craig Bellamy's goal in the 90th minute looked to have clinched a point until Owen struck the winner. United had thrown away the lead three times after blunders at the back - the last coming when Rio Ferdinand gifted the ball to Bellamy for his second goal of the game.

"All the goals were mistakes which is disappointing," said the United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who headed in two goals. While Wayne Rooney had got United off to the best possible start with a goal inside two minutes, their goalkeeper Ben Foster committed the first calamity to allow the City striker Carlos Tevez, returning to Old Trafford following his move from United, to set up Gareth Barry's equaliser.

Fletcher headed United briefly back in front at the start of the second half, but Tevez provided the ball for Bellamy to make it 2-2. Bellamy was on target again after Fletcher nodded in another in the 80th minute, but Owen chose the perfect time to score his first goal for United at Old Trafford and vindicate manager Alex Ferguson's gamble on the 29-year-old forward. After four successive wins, it was the first time City have dropped points this season.

*AP