Premier League
Manchester United reached the top of the English premier league for the first time this season with a 90th minute winner against Bolton scored by Berbatov. It was a day of late goals with Chelsea defeating Stoke City by 2-1 with two goals in the final minutes of play, the winner coming from Frank Lampard in the 94th minute.
Manchester City beat 10 men Wigan by 1-0 whilst Aston Villa continued their run of form coming from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1.
Arsenal gained revenge over Hull beating them 3-1. West Brom enjoyed a rare victory over Middlesborough and West Ham continued a good run with a 3-1 victory over Fulham.
The visit of Portsmouth to Tottenham was a case of several players turning out against a former club. It ended all square with Defoe scoring for Tottenham against his former club and David Nugent finally breaking his premier league duck scoring for Pompey.
Primera Liga
Halfway through the campaign in Spain and Barcelona are threatening to run away with the title.
They have already accumulated 50 points for the season and proved far too strong for Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday as Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry inspired the Catalan giants to a 5-0 win.
Reigning champions Real Madrid lead the chasing pack, but sit 12 points off the pace despite securing an impressive come-from-behind 3-1 victory over rock-bottom Osasuna at the weekend.
Sevilla are also in the hunt and kept their hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 win at home to Numancia.
Valencia’s dreams are fading fast and were not helped by a 3-2 defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while Villarreal still have eyes on a top four finish after Joan Capdevila and Giuseppe Rossi helped them to a 2-0 success over Real Mallorca.
Serie A
Inter Milan’s lead at the top of Serie A has been cut to just three points after a disappointing weekend for Jose Mourinho’s men.
The Nerazzurri were humbled 3-1 away at Atalanta on Sunday, with the hosts three goals to the good by half-time.
Juventus missed the opportunity to move within a point of the summit after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio.
David Beckham was once again in action for AC Milan and played a starring role in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fiorentina at the San Siro.
Genoa’s fine form shows no sign of abating, and they saw off Lecce 2-0, while Julio Baptista’s last minute strike at Torino helped Roma secure back-to-back victories.
Ligue 1
It proved to be a productive weekend for those sides at the top in France, with seven of the top eight taking three points apiece from the latest round of fixtures.
Lyon remain in pole position for now, with their one point lead remaining intact courtesy of 2-0 win away at Grenoble.
Bordeaux are providing stiff competition for top spot, though, and proved too strong for Nantes on Saturday - prevailing 2-1 on the road.
Marseille eased to a 2-0 victory over struggling Le Havre at Stade Velodrome and Toulouse put three past Nancy without reply.
Paris St Germain had Peguy Luyindula to thank for securing them a 2-1 win at home to Sochaux, while Lille edged a tight contest with high-flying Rennes 1-0.
Eredivisie
AZ Alkmaar’s advantage in Holland remains at three points after the top three all won over the weekend.
Alkmaar made light work of rock-bottom Volendam on Sunday, with a 2-0 success secured with the minimum of fuss.
Ajax remain hot on their tail, though, and claimed a fifth consecutive victory as they saw off NEC Nijmegen 4-2.
Steve McClaren’s FC Twente are also still in with a chance of title glory and took another crucial three points from a 2-1 win against lowly Vitesse Arnhem.
SPL
Celtic lost for only the third time this season as the Scottish title race was blown wide open on Sunday.
The Hoops fell to a 4-2 defeat away at Aberdeen, with an unlikely brace from Zander Diamond helping the Dons home.
The setback ensures that Rangers are now just two points off the pace after they recovered from an early shock to overcome Falkirk 3-1 on Saturday.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle suffered a seventh straight defeat to remain rooted to the foot of the table, while Hearts got back to winning ways at Kilmarnock.
Best of the rest
Olympiakos continue to dominate in Greece and remain nine points clear of their closest challengers after claiming a 1-0 win at Panseriakos.
Benfica and Sporting Lisbon are locked together at the top in Portugal, with both emerging victorious over the weekend, while Porto slipped from the summit after being held to a goalless draw by Trofense.
Joint leaders Sivasspor and Trabzonspor both took three points from their latest fixtures in Turkey, while Galatasaray took derby honours from a six-goal thriller against Besiktas.
