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Manchester United saw a player first hit a hat-trick against them in the Premier League in 2006
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Manchester United players have scored 33 hat-tricks between them since the Premier League's inception in 1992, but it took 14 years for the Red Devils to concede their first in 2006. David Bentley became the first player to achieve that feat in January 2006, with the winger scoring three times for Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in a 4-3 victory. Having just completed a permanent switch from Arsenal after a successful loan spell, Bentley still enjoys explaining how he became the first player to break Manchester United's seemingly impenetrable defence on three occasions in the Premier League era. “I’d only signed for Blackburn 24 hours earlier – I’d been at Rovers on loan, but made the move permanent prior to this match, " Bentley tells Four Four Two. "This was a time when Manchester United were littered with stars. "Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney – all the big hitters played that night under the lights at Ewood Park. They were terrifying back then and had teams beat before kick-off, so to bag a hat-trick was a real thrill. "A few players have managed it against United in the Premier League since, but I was first. And let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to score a hat-trick against them now compared to when I did it 18 years ago! ” As Bentley highlights, that Manchester United team was coming together and preparing for three consecutive Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy over the next half-decade - now, they're a long way off hitting those same heights. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Since Bentley bagged a hat-trick against Manchester United, seven other players have managed to replicate the former Blackburn man. Dirk Kuyt struck three times for Liverpool at Anfield in 2011, while West Brom's Romelu Lukaku took the matchball home in the iconic 5-5 draw at the Hawthorns in Sir Alex Ferguson's final ever match as manager. Samuel Eto'o scored three times for Chelsea in 2014, while Mohamed Salah's hat-trick came at Old Trafford in a 5-0 shellacking at Old Trafford in 2021. Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both hit three goals in the same game in 2022, with Cole Palmer's treble at Stamford Bridge last season the most recent. Ryan is a staff writer for Four Four Two, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across Four Four Two, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with Four Four Two permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future. 'There is interest': Santos Director opens door for heroic Neymar return How Sunderland have become so good - out of nowhere The Big Football Quiz of 2018: Can you answer 20 questions correctly? Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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