Mark Viduka's stunning four goals for Leeds United against Liverpool in 2000 will go down in Premier League history as one of the greatest ever hauls in a thrilling match.

Thanks to the Aussie striker, Leeds twice fought back from being 2-0 and 3-2 behind to record a memorable 4-3 triumph over their rivals.

Viduka only needed four chances and took all of them to shock Liverpool with the kind of lethal finishing that made him an Elland Road hero.

Injury-hit Leeds went into the match with manager David O'Leary only having four fit substitutes and had star defender Jonathan Woodgate limp off injured on 18 minutes.

bottom corner

By then Liverpool were already two goals to the good and it was looking bleak for the Yorkshiremen. With just 100 seconds gone on the clock, Sami Hypia put the Reds in front by heading Patrik Berger's cross into the bottom corner.

Christian Ziege doubled the advantage in the 16th minute for his first goal for the club since joining from Middlesbrough with a header diverted past Paul Robinson.

Woodgate was forced to leave the field through injury two minutes later and Liverpool looked like adding to the scoreline - until Viduka made his mark on proceedings in the 24th minute.

Ziege's clearance on the left was charged down by Alan Smith, with the ball rebounding to Viduka in the area, and he chipped the on-rushing Sander Westerveld to score.

A minute into the second half, Gary Kelly's excellent run and cross down the right was met by the head of Viduka who nodded into the roof of the net to equalise.

Liverpool regained the lead at 3-2 just past the hour mark when Vladimir Smicer converted Berger's cross low into the far corner past the outstretched hand of Robinson.

fantastic turn

But Viduka was not finished for the day as on 73 minutes levelled the scores again to claim his hat-trick with a fantastic turn and shot from inside the area from Olivier Dacourt's pass.

Two minutes later, the forward made the match safe at 4-3 by collecting Dacourt's attempted shot on the edge of the area to lob Westerveld again.

Modest Viduka after the game said: "It was one of those days. Every time I had a sniff of goal it went in. We got off to a pretty bad start and conceded two goals from set pieces and it was an uphill battle from then on.

"I don't think I had an exceptionally good game - I have performed better but not scored this many goals."

O'Leary added: "I loved beating Liverpool as a player and I do as a manager. We had a bit of luck, but this club has such a big heart and I always felt Viduka and Smith could give Liverpool problems. Viduka's goals were superb."

Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Harte, Woodgate (Hay 16), Matteo, Bowyer, Bakke, Dacourt, Burns, Smith, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Milosevic, Evans.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Carragher, Ziege, Babbel, Hyypia, Smicer, Murphy (Fowler 67), McAllister (Gerrard 68), Hamann, Berger (Barmby 74), Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Henchoz, Arphexad.