LONDON, Jan 12: Manchester United had Premier League leaders Liverpool looking anxiously over their shoulders after a 3-0 drubbing of Chelsea on Sunday put the champions just five points off the pace with two games in hand.
Barcelona left it late to win at Osasuna and go 12 points clear in Spain while David Beckham played almost all the match on his debut for AC Milan, a 2-2 draw at AS Roma.
Manchester United sent out an ominous warning to their title rivals in the Premier League with a 3-0 hammering of Chelsea on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov were all on target against second-placed Chelsea who are yet to beat any of their main title rivals this season.
United are now just five points behind Liverpool with two games in hand and will be top if they beat Wigan Athletic at home on Wednesday and win at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday before leaders Liverpool host Everton next Monday.
Liverpool, who have 46 points, could only draw 0-0 at Stoke City on Saturday after manager Rafael Benitez opted to leave strikers Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane on the bench.
Aston Villa are fourth after a 2-1 defeat of bottom club West Bromwich Albion while Arsenal are fifth after Nicklas Bendtner scored a late winner in a 1-0 defeat of Bolton.
Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson has responded to scathing criticism from Rafael Benitez by claiming that he was bemused by the extraordinary verbal attack unleashed by the Liverpool boss last week.
Speaking after the 3-0 win over Chelsea established the champions as firm favourites to retain their Premier League title, Ferguson was dismissive of an outburst in which Benitez accused him of hypocrisy, of bullying officials and of being a serial whinger.
Ferguson refused to respond to Benitez’s allegations that officials were systematically intimidated at Old Trafford and that the United manager received special treatment from English football chiefs.
Results:
Played on Sunday:
Manchester United 3 Chelsea 0
Wigan Athletic 1 Tottenham Hotspurs 0
—Agencies