Big names on top

Taking a look through the European soccer leagues, the same old names abound leading their divisions: Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, FC Porto. In the classic in the Russian Premier League, Zenit was held at home by leader CSKA. Yanbaev opened the scoring for the home team but Elm equalised from the spot on 85'.

Premier League 13 games

United, then City. United beat Queen's Park Rangers 3-1 after going a goal down to Mackie on 52 minutes, giving the London side's new manager Happy Redknapp a lift...which Rangers needs, sitting at the bottom of the Premiership. City drew with Chelsea, also sporting new manager rafa Benitez, who was booed off the pitch (0-0). West Bromwich Albion thrashed Sunderland away 4-2.

La Liga 13 games

It looks increasingly like a two-horse race between Barça and Atlético, with Real Madrid slipping to eleven points behind the leaders, after going down 1-0 at Bétis in Seville. Atlético beat Sevilla 4-0 in Madrid, Barcelona went to Valencia and beat Levante by the same result.

Serie A 14 Games

Juventus two points ahead (32) despite going down at AC Milan to a Robinho goal. Cagliari 0 Napoli 1 sees the Naples team move up to second on 30; third is Inter (29) then Fiorentina, which drew 2-2 at Torino.

Bundesliga 13 games

Bayern Munich looks to be running away with the Bundesliga, nine points ahead of Dortmund and ten ahead of the pack composed by Schalke, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Bayern beat Hannover 5-0 at home; Dortmund came away from Mainz 2-1 winners; Schalke drew at home with Eintracht 1-1 and Leverkusen won away 2-1 at Hoffenheim.

Ligue 1 14 games

Marseille 29 points, after beating Lille 3-0; PSG 26 points, equal with Marseille (Saint-Étienne on 25, equal with Lyon (3-0 losers at Toulouse), Bordeaux fifth (24 points). PSG beat Troyes 4-0 with two more goals from Ibrahimovic. Saint-Étienne beat Valenciennes 1-0; Bordeaux lost at Montpellier.

Russian Premier League 16 games

CSKA Moskva (40); Anzhi Makhachkala (37); Zenit St. Petersburg (34). Zenit 1 CSKA Moskva 1; Anzhi beat Amkar 2-1 in Perm.

Portuguese Premier League 10 games

FC Porto (26 points) ahead of Benfica on goal difference, Braga in third place (17 points) after losing at home 2-0 to the leaders; Benfica beat Olhanense 2-0.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru