KEY POINTS:
Arsenal and Manchester United are neck and neck in England's premier league after the Gunners drew impressively 1-1 at Liverpool and United thumped Middlesbrough 4-1 at home in weekend action.
In Europe's other big leagues, unbeaten Bayern Munich's lead in Germany was reduced to four points when they were held 0-0 at Borussia Dortmund, while in France Olympique Lyon opened up a four-point lead with a 3-2 away win over Paris St Germain.
ENGLAND
Manchester United equalled a 100-year-old club record with a 4-1 victory over Middlesbrough that put them atop the table for 24 hours until Arsenal drew 1-1 at Liverpool.
The two, who clash in London next weekend, have 26 points, while Chelsea are back in the top four after a 6-0 thrashing of third-placed Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, their biggest league win for 10 years.
Two goals from Carlos Tevez and one each for Nani and Wayne Rooney sealed an eighth successive league victory for United. It is the first time since 1907 they have scored four goals in four consecutive matches.
GERMANY
In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich were held to a goal-less draw away to Borussia Dortmund.
Hamburg SV emerged as the closest challengers to the Bavarians after winning 1-0 away to Duisburg with a Vincent Kompany goal eight minutes before half time. That win took Hamburg up to second place, within four points of Bayern, after Werder Bremen drew 1-1 away to Schalke 04 and Karlsruhe were held 0-0 at Hansa Rostock.
After 11 games, Bayern are the only unbeaten team on 27 points. Hamburg have 23, Werder 21, Karlsruhe 20 and Schalke 18.
FRANCE
Olympique Lyon stretched their lead in Ligue 1 with a 3-2 win at Paris St Germain courtesy of a Hatem Ben Arfa double before half time and despite being a man down for most of the second half.
The six-time French champions lead second-placed Nancy, who have a game in hand, by four points after the Lorraine side drew 0-0 at neighbours Metz.
Sidney Govou's goal came near fulltime. PSG's Portuguese striker Pauleta scored twice after Lyon's Brazilian defender Anderson had been sent off in the 51st minute.
Stade Rennes are third, also four points off the pace, following a 2-1 victory at struggling RC Lens.
SPAIN
Real Madrid needed late goals from Raul and Robinho to see off Deportivo Coruna 3-1 at home in the Primera Liga and maintain their place atop the standings.
Depor had taken the lead in the second minute although Ruud van Nistelrooy quickly levelled from the penalty spot.
Real have 22 points from nine games, two ahead of arch rivals Barcelona, who climbed to second with a comfortable 2-0 home win over promoted Almeria with a Thierry Henry strike and Lionel Messi penalty.
Third-placed Villarreal and fourth-placed Valencia, both with 18 points, slipped to heavy defeats.
Villarreal were hammered 1-4 at Real Zaragoza and Valencia proved no match for Sevilla, under debutant coach Manuel Jimenez, and went down 0-3.
ITALY
Roma were the big winners in Serie A after Mirko Vucinic's header secured a 1-0 win at beleaguered AC Milan, who had Massimo Ambrosini sent off and still have not won at home in the league this season.
Despite missing the injured Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi fluffing a penalty, Roma moved up to second after Fiorentina had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Genoa and Juventus lost 1-3 at Napoli.
Juve were furious at Napoli being awarded two controversial penalties which Maurizio Domizzi converted in the second half after the match had been poised at 1-1.
Roma are three points behind leaders Inter Milan, on 21 points after a 0-0 draw at Palermo. Fiorentina and Juventus have 17 points, while and AC Milan are 13th with 10.
NETHERLANDS
PSV Eindhoven went top with a 4-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam after former leaders Feyenoord's 0-2 defeat at Twente Enschede.
Kenneth Perez set up Danko Lazovic for PSV's first goal after 37 seconds, Mike Zonneveld and Jefferson Farfan hit the back of the net with long-distance strikes before the break and Perez added a fourth in the second half.
PSV have 23 points after nine matches, two more points than Ajax Amsterdam, who won 1-0 at Utrecht, and Feyenoord.
- Reuters, NZPA
