Barcelona snatched a late 2-1 win at Getafe with Paulinho’s strike sending it seven points clear of arch-rival Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
The Brazilian midfielder’s signing was widely criticised by supporters but he drove into the area and fired home to preserve Barcelonas 100% record in the league.
Gaku Shibasaki scored a magnificent volley to send Getafe ahead in the 40th minute but another substitute, Denis Suarez, equalised for Barcelona in the 62nd.
In the Premier League, Manchester City stormed to the top as Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick inspired a 6-0 demolition of Watford, while Philippe Coutinho’s return couldn’t lift Liverpool in a 1-1 draw against Burnley on Saturday. With previous leader Manchester United not in action until Sunday’s clash with Everton, City had a chance to move three points clear of its title rival.
Aguero ensured they did just that as the Argentine forward maintained his mastery of Watford at Vicarage Road.
More pain for Palace
New Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson admitted he faced a stiff challenge to turn around team’s fortunes after a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton saw it become the first Premier League side to lose its first five games and fail to score.
The results: Premier League: Crystal Palace 0 lost to Southampton 1 (Davis 6);Huddersfield 1 (Depoitre 46) drew with Leicester 1 (Vardy 50-pen); Liverpool 1 (Salah 30) drew with Burnley 1 (Arfield 27);Newcastle 2 (Atsu 19, Lascelles 68) bt Stoke 1 (Shaqiri 57); Watford 0 lost to Manchester City 6 (Aguero 27, 31, 81, Jesus 38, Otamendi 63, Sterling 89-pen).
La Liga: Levante 1 (Bardhi 41) drew with Valencia 1 (Rodrigo 31) ; Getafe 1 (Shibasaki 39) lost to Barcelona 2 (Denis Suarez 62, Paulinho 84).
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich 4 (Mueller 11, Robben 23, Lewandowski 50, 77) bt Mainz 0; Werder Bremen 1 (Sane 20) lost to Schalke 2 (Veljkovic 22-og, Goretzka 83); Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Jovic 79) lost to Augsburg 2 (Max 21, Caiuby 77);VfB Stuttgart 1 (Akolo 42) bt Wolfsburg 0.
Serie A: Crotone 0 lost to Inter Milan 2 (Skriniar 82, Perisic 90+3)
On Friday: Premier League: Bournemouth 2 (Surman 67, Defoe 73) lost to Brighton 1 (March 55).
La Liga: Eibar 1 (Gŕlvez 53) bt Leganes 0.
Bundesliga: Hannover 2 (Harnik 50, Bebou 82) bt Hamburg 0.