Tottenham repelled a second-half onslaught as Andre Villas-Boas masterminded their first away win over Manchester United since 1989.
Jan Vertonghen and Gareth Bale gave the visitors a deserved half-time lead, but not for the first time at Old Trafford in recent years Tottenham were hit by a fierce second-half fightback.
However, Clint Dempsey scored in between efforts from Nani and Shinji Kagawa to keep Spurs in front, and after Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick had struck the frame of Brad Friedel's goal, Tottenham clung on for the final whistle.
There it is! Clint Dempsey scored Tottenham's third goal at Old Trafford
MATCH FACTS
Man United: Lindegaard; Rafael, Ferdinand (Hernandez 90+2min), Evans, Evra; Carrick, Scholes; Nani, Kagawa (Welbeck 79min), Giggs (Rooney 46min); Van Persie.
Subs not used: De Gea, Wootton, Anderson, Cleverley.
Goals: Nani 51, Kagawa 53.
Tottenham: Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen; Sandro, Dembele (Huddlestone 83min); Lennon, Dempsey (Sigurdsson 69min), Bale; Defoe (Dawson 90+2min).
Subs not used: Lloris, Falque, Townsend, Mason.
Goals: Vertonghen 3, Bale 32, Dempsey 52.
Referee: Chris Foy.
Attendance: 75,500
Subs not used: De Gea, Wootton, Anderson, Cleverley.
Goals: Nani 51, Kagawa 53.
Tottenham: Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen; Sandro, Dembele (Huddlestone 83min); Lennon, Dempsey (Sigurdsson 69min), Bale; Defoe (Dawson 90+2min).
Subs not used: Lloris, Falque, Townsend, Mason.
Goals: Vertonghen 3, Bale 32, Dempsey 52.
Referee: Chris Foy.
Attendance: 75,500
Tottenham have flattered to deceive in this fixture down the years, so much so that at no point did their two-goal cushion look secure.
They have even held a two-goal lead at half-time, as they did on Saturday, and got swept away by a second-half deluge. On that occasion, in 2009, United had Cristiano Ronaldo leading the thrilling comeback.
There was to be no such drama on this occasion, and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson may be left to reflect on a lack of physical presence in his midfield, which more than anything else was an area ruthlessly exposed by a rampant Tottenham.
There were only two minutes on the clock when Vertonghen strode between Nani and Carrick, drove into the United box and found the corner of Anders Lindegaard's net.
Happy? Andre Villas-Boas was delighted when his side won the match
...And so were his players as they applauded the travelling fans
Rather than sting United into action, the early goal merely encouraged their visitors.
Bale revelled in the open spaces that opened up between Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand, with the former looking all of his 37 years at time during a below-par first-half display.
When Robin van Persie lost possession on the edge of the Tottenham area, Mousa Dembele thundered upfield with a purpose that left Scholes looking like he was treading water.
Bale took up the baton from his team-mate and duly sped past Ferdinand and into the box before beating Lindegaard rather too easily to make it 2-0.
Having resisted the temptation to name Rooney alongside Van Persie for the first time, Ferguson could delay the inevitable no longer and brought on the England man for Ryan Giggs at the break.
What a strike: Gareth Bale scored a classy goal to double Tottenham's lead
Close call: Both sides went hell-for-leather to take the win at Old Trafford
Given the history of this fixture, it was no real wonder United should get two of them.
Rooney provided the assist for Nani's close-range effort, curling a low cross to the near post that invited the clinical finish.
Van Persie could claim the credit for United's second as he threaded a precise pass through the Tottenham defence that allowed Kagawa to beat Friedel.
Just checking: Sir Alex Ferguson took his United players in at 2-0 down at half-time
From the off: Jan Vertonghen scored an early goal to get the ball rolling
In Rooney, though, United retain that old slugger's instinct.
The striker thudded a brilliant free-kick against a post before Van Persie's dismal attempt to finish off a Carrick pass suggested again that it might not be United's day.
It was credit to Tottenham that they managed to clear their heads quickly enough to stand firm against the incessant wave of attacks that continued to come.
William Gallas clattered into a post such was his determination to keep Nani's far-post cross away from Rooney, then Friedel turned away a Scholes thunderbolt.
Carrick's header almost sneaked in but dropped against angle of post and bar instead.
United continued to surge forward, but the equaliser would not come.
And the sight of Evans hobbling off was an unhappy post-script given the defensive problems Ferguson has already encountered.
Call it a comeback: Nani pulled a goal back for United after half-time
Back in it: Shinji Kagawa got United back in the match by reducing Tottenham's lead to one goal
Fulham 1 Man City 2: Dzeko's late strike completes comeback for champions
Edin Dzeko came off the bench to secure Manchester City a last-gasp victory at Fulham and save his manager Roberto Mancini's blushes a day after he proclaimed City would retain the Premier League crown.
The Italian on Friday revealed his side would overcome an indifferent start and secure the title they won in such incredible circumstances back in May.
Such fighting talk came after a poor run of form that looked as if it would be extended on Saturday in west London as Fulham maintained parity heading into the closing stages.
Match winner: Edin Dzeko came off the bench to seal victory for City
Get in: Manchester City managed to steal a late win at Craven Cottage
MATCH FACTS
Fulham: Schwarzer, Riise, Hangeland, Baird (Karagounis 81min), Hughes, Riether, Sidwell, Duff, Petric (Kacaniklic 66min), Ruiz, Rodallega
Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Briggs, Smith, Kasami
Goals: Petric 10
Man City: Hart, Kompany, Zabaleta, Clichy, Nastasic, Garcia (Dzeko 86min), Barry (Nasri 76min), Silva, Y Toure, Aguero, Tevez (Balotelli 66min)
Goals: Aguero 43, Dzeko 87
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner
Referee: Mark Halsey
Premier League results, fixtures and table
Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Briggs, Smith, Kasami
Goals: Petric 10
Man City: Hart, Kompany, Zabaleta, Clichy, Nastasic, Garcia (Dzeko 86min), Barry (Nasri 76min), Silva, Y Toure, Aguero, Tevez (Balotelli 66min)
Goals: Aguero 43, Dzeko 87
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner
Referee: Mark Halsey
Premier League results, fixtures and table
The Argentina international tucked home after a superb save by Mark Schwarzer, who would be beaten again at the death by Dzeko.
The Bosnia international had been on the pitch for less than two minutes when he capitalised on a poor clearing header by John Arne Riise and lashed home to secure victory.
The hosts were unable to call upon talisman Dimitar Berbatov for Saturday's game after he pulled up with an injury in training this week.
Petric played in his place and was one of two changes made by manager Martin Jol, while there were only three survivors from the City team that fell to a 4-2 extra-time defeat at home to Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup.
City made the brighter start to proceedings by the Thames, retaining possession with ease as they waited for Fulham's defence to open up.
The hosts extinguished that early threat, though, and were handed a chance to break the deadlock by Mark Halsey.
Come here you: Dzeko ran to team-mate Joleon Lescott after bagging the winner
Get in: Sergio Aguero equalised for City just before the break
Here we go: Fulham celebrated their early lead against the champions
Pablo Zabaleta tripped Riise after the full-back cut in from the left, which the referee adjudged to be just inside the 18-yard box.
The call looked harsh but Petric made no mistake with his spot-kick, sending Joe Hart the wrong way with a well-struck left-footed effort.
The Croatia international wasted a decent chance to double Fulham's advantage five minutes later as he scooped over after fine link-up play with Hugo Rodallega.
The visitors were remaining patient in their build-up play and it would have paid dividends in the 25th minute had Brede Hangeland not swept clear Zabaleta's driven ball across the six-yard box.
Both sides came close from set pieces as the half-hour mark approached as first Riise saw a venomous 35-yard free-kick saved by Hart.
David Silva then whipped in a corner that was nodded to the back post by Javi Garcia, although Sergio Aguero's close range header could only find the side netting.
City were becoming visibly frustrated by their start to the game and Carlos Tevez confronted Riise after the striker had claims for a penalty waved away.
In it goes: Joe Hart was beaten by Mladen Petric from the spot
Strong bench: Dzeko and Mario Balotelli (back) were sent on to turn things around for City
It's gone in! Hart was well-beaten by Petric's accurate penalty
Vincent Kompany was booked for bringing down Petric on the edge of the 18-yard box and was fortunate Bryan Ruiz fired wide after the resulting free-kick was blocked.
While Fulham were threatening, they were having to defend at their best to keep City out.
Aaron Hughes and Schwarzer combined superbly to somehow stop the visitors' bundled effort on the line, before the latter showed great reactions to thwart Silva and Hughes cleared from the cross that followed.
But for all that defensive work, Fulham could not quite maintain their lead heading into half-time.
Class act: David Silva pulled the strings in midfield
Battle: Fulham clung on for the duration of the match before Dzeko's winner
Close call: Roberto Mancini watched his side snatch a last-gasp win
The tempo slowed as the second-half begun as Fulham continued in their attempts to contain City.
After Hangeland came close after connecting with a Ruiz corner four minutes in, most of the play was at the other end and Aguero was unfortunate to see a header loop just wide of the far post.
Mario Balotelli came on for Tevez with 25 minutes remaining as the visitors looked for a new attacking outlet, while Alex Kacaniklic replaced Petric for the hosts.
Five minutes after coming on both introductions were having an impact as first Balotelli curled wide from the edge of the box.
Kacaniklic then darted down the left and, after seeing an appeal for a handball against Zabaleta turned down, saw his blocked cross fall to Ruiz, whose strike would have nestled in the top corner had it not been for a Hart save.
Giorgos Karagounis came on for his Fulham debut with the clock winding down, while Samir Nasri and Dzeko were brought on in a bid to change the course of the game.
Less than two minutes after the latter's introduction the plan worked as Riise's failure to clear a Clichy cross allowed Dzeko to rifle home inside the box and secure three points.
Norwich 2 Liverpool 5: Suarez hat-trick inspires first league win for Rodgers
Luis Suarez scored his second hat-trick at Carrow Road in the space of five months as Liverpool crushed a sorry Norwich to record their first Barclays Premier League win under Brendan Rodgers.
Suarez scored a memorable treble on his last visit to Carrow in April and he took just 67 seconds to open his account in Norfolk this season, scoring from the edge of the box to make it 1-0.
Up and running: hat-trick hero Luis Suarez
Match facts
Norwich:
Ruddy, Russell Martin, Turner, Barnett, Garrido, Snodgrass, Howson,
Johnson, Surman (Hoolahan 55), Morison (Tettey 79), Jackson (Holt 46).
Subs Not Used: Bunn, Tierney, Ryan Bennett, Elliott Bennett.
Booked: Barnett.
Goals: Morison 61,Holt 87.
Liverpool: Reina, Wisdom, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson (Carragher 77), Sterling, Sahin (Henderson 66), Allen, Fernandez Saez (Assaidi 59), Gerrard, Suarez. Subs Not Used: Jones, Coates, Downing, Borini.
Goals: Suarez 2, 38, Sahin 47,Suarez 57, Gerrard 68.
Att: 26,831
Ref: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Premier League results, fixtures and tabl
Booked: Barnett.
Goals: Morison 61,Holt 87.
Liverpool: Reina, Wisdom, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson (Carragher 77), Sterling, Sahin (Henderson 66), Allen, Fernandez Saez (Assaidi 59), Gerrard, Suarez. Subs Not Used: Jones, Coates, Downing, Borini.
Goals: Suarez 2, 38, Sahin 47,Suarez 57, Gerrard 68.
Att: 26,831
Ref: Mike Jones (Cheshire).
Premier League results, fixtures and tabl
The former PSV Eindhoven forward then took his tally for the season to six when he curled home from the edge of the box and Steven Gerrard scored Liverpool's fifth after Steve Morison had pulled one back for Norwich.
Substitute Grant Holt overpowered his marker to score another consolation for Norwich with three minutes to go, but there was no doubt who the bossed the game at the final whistle, as the home fans booed their team off following a poor display.
A lot had been made of Liverpool's poor start to the season under Rodgers before today's game, but the Merseysiders were a class apart at Carrow Road.
Teenage trio Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom all performed brilliantly and Sahin proved the perfect foil to Suarez's penetrating runs through the Norwich defence.
Hot shot: Luis Suarez scores his first goal
High jump: Suarez celebrates scoring
A Liverpool rout seemed on the cards from the start. With just over a minute on the clock, Glen Johnson's through-ball was cleared only as far as Suarez and he drove home from 18 yards.
Daniel Agger headed over a free-kick as Liverpool searched for a quick second, but Norwich then stormed forward through Simeon Jackson, who drew a top-drawer reaction save from Pepe Reina at his near post.
Clinical: Suarez scores his second
Luis Suarez of Liverpool battles with Michael Turner of Norwich City
Suarez was at the centre of controversy in the 23rd minute when the Uruguayan raced through after a long ball over the top and broke in to the box.
Just as the forward was about to shoot Leon Barnett barged in to back of Uruguayan and brought an elbow down on his shoulder, but referee Mike Jones waved play on despite the please of the Reds players, who were infuriated at the decision.
Suarez was involved in the action again minutes later when he played Gerrard through with a wonderful 40-yard pass but John Ruddy palmed the skipper's header away from close range.
On the ball: Liverpool's Steven Gerrard (C) evades Norwich City's Robert Snodgrass
Joy and pain: Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy looks on as Gerrard celebrates
Barely 30 seconds after shooting wide while one on one with Ruddy, the Uruguayan pinched the ball off a lazy Turner, nutmegged the defender and slotted finished from 12 yards before goading the home supporters in his celebration.
After seeing his team booed off at half-time, Chris Hughton brought on Holt and the Canaries started playing much better.
Hughton's team should have pulled one back in the 46th minute when Jackson fired a cross the box with a volley but the ball cannoned off Robert Snodgrass' knee and flew over the bar from barely two yards.
Once again Norwich were made to pay for their miss as Suarez came in off the flank and unselfishly squared to Sahin, who made it 3-0. Some Norwich fans had seen enough and left even though the game was only 56 minutes old.
Hit man: Steve Morison scores for Norwich City
On target: Grant Holt of Norwich City
The Canaries restored some pride soon after when Reina spilled Russell Martin's shot in to the path of Morison and he calmly swept home.
Liverpool underlined their dominance with little over 20 minutes left when Sterling took advantage of a slip by Javier Garrido to square for Gerrard, who scored thanks to a big deflection off Barnett that wrong-footed Ruddy.
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