World Soccer

Paul Ellis (AFP/Getty Images)

Manchester United remained on course to retain their Premier League title despite riding their luck in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Real Madrid and Inter Milan should also keep their domestic trophies.

ENGLAND

Manchester United suffered a huge scare as they closed in on the Premier League title, needing a late Carlos Tevez equaliser to force a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, a point that keeps the Reds in the driving seat with three games to go.

Defeat would have meant Chelsea, who won on Thursday against Everton, could have gone above United with victory when the top two clash at Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

As it stands United have a three-point advantage and a far superior better goal difference.

Arsenal claimed only their second win in nine Premier League games, beating Reading 2-0 while Liverpool are virtually assured of finishing in fourth spot and booking a qualifier for next season’s Champions League after winning 2-0 at Fulham.

That loss left Fulham five points adrift of the safety zone and were joined in relegation place by Birmingham City who lost 5-1 to local rivals Aston Villa. Bolton Wanderers climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 defeat of Middlesbrough.

SPAIN Juan Manuel Serrano (AP)

Real Madrid took another step towards their 31st Primera Liga title with a 2-0 win away to fifth-placed Racing Santander on Sunday.

Raul and Gonzalo Higuain scored the goals that set off some impromptu celebrations on the pitch after the final whistle, as the victory left the champions ten points clear at the top, with five games left to go.

Villarreal replaced Barcelona as Real’s closest challengers in second with 62 points, after Nihat Kahveci and Santi Cazorla scored in a 2-0 home win over struggling Valladolid.

Barca slipped down to third on 61 points after being held 0-0 at home by city rivals Espanyol on Saturday, when fourth-placed Atletico Madrid were beaten 3-1 by Real Betis at the Calderon.

Atletico have 54 points, Racing 53 and Sevilla, who were thumped 4-1 at home by Almeria, are sixth with 51

ITALY Luigi Bertello (AFP/Getty Images)

Inter Milan went six points clear with four games left after Julio Cruz’s header sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win at struggling Torino.

The champions took advantage of second-placed AS Roma’s 1-1 draw with lowly Livorno on Saturday, when Francesco Totti suffered a serious knee injury which looks set to rule him out for four months.

Third-placed Juventus all but booked their place in next season’s Champions League qualifiers thanks to Alessandro Del Piero’s hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Atalanta.

In the battle for fourth spot, incumbents Fiorentina beat Palermo 1-0 and AC Milan thrashed strugglers Reggina 5-1 with Kaka scoring three. Sampdoria are still in the running after a 3-0 win at home to Udinese.

Carlos Tevez | Raul | Julio Cruz

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