London: Robin van Persie made up for an embarrassing failure from the penalty spot by grabbing a hat trick with two late goals in Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 win at Southampton on Sunday, earning the English giants a second straight win in the Premier League.
In a fitting way to mark United manager Alex Ferguson's 1,000th league game in charge, Van Persie equalized in the 87th minute before heading home a corner in the second minute of injury time for his fourth goal since joining from Arsenal for 24 million pounds ($38 million) in the offseason.
Van Persie's late show, which took him to 100 Premier League goals in 197 games, will have come as a mighty relief for the Netherlands striker, after his impudent chipped penalty was clawed away by goalkeeper Kelvin Davis in the 68th minute.
The score was 2-1 to Southampton at the time and United looked headed for a second loss in three games before Van Persie's last-gasp intervention.
"I don't know what I was thinking with the penalty. I was going to hit it hard but at the last second I changed my mind," Van Persie said. "I'm quite disappointed about it. I ask certain standards from my game and at 2-1 down you cannot take a penalty like that."
Ferguson, famous for what the British media calls the "hairdryer treatment" in the dressing room when his team or player underperforms, was all smiles after the match despite Van Persie's error of judgment.
"I was surprised because every time I've seen him take a penalty he usually rattles it into the corners, so I was confident," Ferguson said. "But he made up for it."
Having started the season with a 1-0 loss at Everton, this win lifted United up to fifth place on six points, one behind neighbour and reigning champion Manchester City and three behind early leader Chelsea.
Arsenal is in eighth place, a point further back than United.
United's defence looked shaky throughout at St. Mary's Stadium, with both of promoted Southampton's goals stemming from crosses to the back post where United's full backs were outwitted.
Rickie Lambert put the hosts in front in the 16th, beating Rafael da Silva in the air and heading home a trademark finish.
Van Persie equalised when he chested down a cross from Antonio Valencia and volleyed into the corner. But Southampton regained the lead in the 56th through Morgan Schneiderlin, beating a slipping Patrice Evra to a cross and planting a header into the corner.
"We have to take positives from our performance," said Southampton manager Nigel Adkins, whose side is the only one in the Premier League without a point. "We are scoring goals and what we have to do is stop conceding them at the other end."
The game changed when Ferguson sent on Paul Scholes in the 61st, with Southampton suddenly backing off and allowing the veteran midfielder to control play.####
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