KEY POINTS:
Liverpool continued their hot English Premier League streak beating Bolton Wanderers 4-0 yesterday with captain Steven Gerrard scoring one goal and having a hand in the other three.
In the day's other game, Alex McLeish got off to a flying start in charge of Birmingham City as Sebastian Larsson stuck a terrific injury-time goal to snatch a 3-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool moved up to third on 30 points, the same as Manchester United, who hosted Fulham overnight, and Manchester City.
Liverpool have won their past five games in all competitions, scoring 21 goals and although Bolton came into the game on the back of victory over Manchester United last week, it was a cruise for the hosts.
Tottenham made all the running against Birmingham but trailed at halftime to Gary McSheffrey's penalty. Robbie Keane equalised from centre stage in the 50th minute then put Spurs ahead three minutes later after Birmingham failed to clear a corner.
Birmingham's Cameron Jerome levelled in the 62nd minute and Keane was sent off five minutes later for a foul on Fabrice Muamba.
Birmingham snatched the points that lift them above Spurs with Larsson's stunning long-range strike in stoppage time.
GERMANY
Bayern Munich held on to top spot with a 1-0 win over 14th-placed Arminia Bielefeld, while Werder Bremen defeated Hamburg SV 2-1 in an entertaining showdown for second place.
France midfielder Franck Ribery scored a splendid first-half goal to lead Bayern to victory in the rain at Bielefeld. He took a through ball from Luca Toni and rounded goalkeeper Mathias Hain at the edge of the box before powering in an angled shot.
Werder capped a fine week after their midweek 3-2 Champions League win over Real Madrid. Bremen's Boubacar Sanogo opened the scoring against his former team mates, while Rafael van der Vaart capitalised on a goalkeeping blunder to level just past the hour. Werder's winner followed when Petri Pasanen's cross was deflected in.
SPAIN
Champions Real Madrid stretched their lead at the top of the table to four points after they saw off Racing Santander 3-1 at the Bernabeu while Barcelona drew 1-1 at Espanyol and Villarreal fell 2-0 at Valladolid.
Real skipper Raul steered his side to their seventh win in seven home games, scoring a classy double to take his season tally to eight.
Barca made an impressive start against Espanyol, Andres Iniesta putting the visitors ahead in the sixth minute after an electrifying run by Argentine international Lionel Messi.
But Frank Rijkaard's side were unable to take advantage of their domination and Espanyol substitute Ferran Corominas equalised 22 minutes from time.
ITALY
Inter Milan stayed three points clear at the top of Serie A after first-half goals from Luis Jimenez and Julio Cruz secured a 2-0 win at fifth-placed Fiorentina.
Rodrigo Taddei grabbed the first-half winner to help AS Roma go second after a 2-1 home win over nine-man Udinese, who entered the game in great form.
Juventus are third after Claudio Ranieri's side played the better football in Saturday's 0-0 draw at AC Milan, who are still looking for their first home league win this season.
Atalanta leap-frogged Napoli into sixth with a 5-1 home defeat of the promoted Naples club while Lazio drew 1-1 at strugglers Siena.
NETHERLANDS
Jefferson Farfan struck from close range on the stroke of halftime to earn PSV Eindhoven a 1-0 win at Graafschap Doetinchem and put them top of the Dutch league with 30 points after 13 matches.
Ajax Amsterdam dropped to second after losing 3-1 at home to NAC Breda. An own goal by Jan Vertonghen opened the scoring for the visitors, while second-half goals by Matthew Amoah and Ahmed Ammi settled the match before Klaas Jan Huntelaar scored for Ajax.
Third-placed Feyenoord, level with Ajax on 28 points but trailing on goal difference, thrashed Heracles Almelo 6-0. Roy Makaay scored twice, with his first goal coming after 18 seconds - the fastest this season in the Dutch league.
- REUTERS
