Berbatov becomes top scorer favourite after classy five-goal haul

Blackburn’s new owners were talking about aiming for fifth or sixth in the Premier League earlier this week but were given an idea of just how much they may need to spend to make that a possibility after suffering a humiliating 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford.

But while Rovers appeared to have taken West Ham’s abject surrender at Anfield last week as a challenge to prove that it was possible to perform even worse than that, any team in the top-flight would have struggled to handle Dimitar Berbatov in the kind of form he displayed.

The Bulgarian made amends for the ten-match goalless streak that followed his hat-trick against Liverpool by becoming only the fourth player in Premier League history to score five times in one game, following in the footsteps of Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Jermain Defoe.

Berbatov has overtaken Carlos Tevez as this season’s top goalscorer as a result, with his tally of 11 handing him a two-strike lead and he is the 3/1 favourite to end the campaign there ahead of next week’s visit to the home of the Premier League’s leakiest defence, Blackpool.

The resounding triumph will also help put an end to all the talk about Manchester United’s current 29-match unbeaten run is one of the most underwhelming in recent years and how they have achieved the feat without ever truly impressing.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men are now 15/8 to win the title having been 5/1 before Chelsea’s blip, and perhaps the most significant accomplishment of the Blackburn romp was that – writing ahead of Sunday’s fixtures – it completely wiped out the Blues’ goal difference advantage.

Another bet that can be placed with Ladbrokes is a league winner and top goalscorer combo, and odds of 6/1 are available on Manchester United finishing first and Berbatov being the division’s chief goal-getter.

A £10 bet on both occurring would deliver a profit of £60. New customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.