Manchester United blew a 3-0 halftime lead against Everton but snatched a 4-3 victory with a last-gasp winner by Ruud van Nistelrooy on a breathless day of action in the English Premier League.

The Goodison Park success on Saturday kept the champions two points behind leaders Arsenal, who won 3-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers to set a club record 24-game unbeaten start to the season.

There were also seven goals at White Hart Lane where Tottenham Hotspur emerged 4-3 winners over Portsmouth three days after they threw away a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 to 10-man Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Liverpool twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle took advantage with a 3-1 home win over Leicester City.

Arsenal top the table on 58 points with Manchester United second on 56. Chelsea, who host Charlton Athletic on Sunday, are third on 49.

Newcastle are up to fourth on 37, ahead of Charlton on goal difference. Liverpool are sixth on 35, the same as Fulham, who drew 0-0 at Southampton.

Leeds remain bottom on 17 after falling to their sixth successive league defeat, 2-0 at Aston Villa.

HEAVY BEATING

Everton had won only once in 22 games against United and looked set for another heavy beating after the champions blasted them aside in a first half that should have brought the visitors six goals.

Paul Scholes had already hit a post before Louis Saha sprang the offside trap to shoot past Nigel Martyn after 10 minutes.

Van Nistelrooy got the second, his 100th for the club, after 24 minutes and Saha made it three on the half-hour.

Both players missed further straightforward chances as the champions cut through Everton's ragged defence at will.

However, three halftime changes stiffened Everton's resolve and they pulled one back quickly through David Unsworth.

A John O'Shea own goal further raised Everton hopes and they completed the comeback with a thundering header by Kevin Kilbane in the 75th minute.

Both teams had further opportunities before Van Nistelrooy stole in to head home a Ronaldo cross a minute from time -- though Everton should have still taken a point when Wayne Rooney somehow missed a sidefooter from six metres in injury time.

United manager Alex Ferguson said the first half performance had been one of the best by his side for years.

"It was marvellous, I couldn't have asked for anything more," he told Sky Sports TV.

"But Everton put out a fantastic performance in the second half and it was a relief that we managed to squeeze a winner.

"I've never lost a three-goal lead as a manager but credit to Ronaldo for that cross at the end."

At White Hart Lane Spurs led three times, with a goal for debutant striker Jermain Defoe and two for Robbie Keane. Three times, though, Portsmouth hit back, including two for debutants of their own, Lomana LuaLua and Ivica Mornar.

With the home fans again wondering just what was going on, Tottenham substitute Gus Poyet bundled in an 89th-minute winner.

"Football is a wonderful game but it drives you mad," said Tottenham caretaker manager David Pleat.

It was more straightforward at Molineux, though Wolves gave as good as they got in the first half.

Arsenal got off to a flyer when Dennis Bergkamp scored after nine minutes but Wolves, who beat Manchester United three weeks ago, equalised through Viorel Ganea.

Arsenal took command in the second half with goals by Thierry Henry and Kolo Toure, both created by Robert Pires.