Tottenham stayed fifth after Rafael van der Vaart scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Aston Villa during a match where they played more than an hour with 10 men after England striker Jermain Defoe was sent-off for elbowing James Collins in an aerial challenge.
Arsenal, who started the weekend in second, and fourth-placed champions Chelsea – now just a point ahead of Spurs – will look to maintain their title challenges when they meet at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.
United were ahead as early as the fifth minute when Ryan Giggs’s run saw him find Wayne Rooney, whose cross was headed in by the unmarked Berbatov at the far post.
United had several chances to double their lead before Bulgaria striker Berbatov made it 2-0 in the 57th minute when his shot delected off Sunderland’s Anton Ferdinand — brother of United’s Rio.
“Dimitar could have scored four or five today,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said of his striker, who now has 13 league goals this season. “He had some terrific opportunities.”
United are the only unbeaten team in the league with 10 wins and seven draws and Ferguson added: “We are getting that consistency, particularly in our defending. These are good signs for us.”
