Atletico snatch late win at Barca

Barcelona, Dec. 23: Atletico Madrid came from behind to snatch a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Barcelona and claim leadership of La Liga on Saturday. Pedri sent the Catalans ahead but second-half goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Alexander Sorloth helped Diego Simeone's side move three points clear at the top of the table, having played one match fewer than Barca.

Hansi Flick's side dominated at the Olympic stadium but Atletico clung on before claiming a 12th consecutive victory across all competitions with Sorloth's stoppage-time strike.

Barcelona started the season in superb form but have stumbled in recent weeks and have now won just one of their last seven league games.

This was their third consecutive home league defeat, their worst such run since 1987, while it was also Simeone's first ever away triumph against Barcelona in La Liga.

"It's inexplicable... we had the game in our hands and we didn't take advantage," said Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi.

Champions Real Madrid face Sevilla on Sunday and can also move ahead of Barcelona with a victory.

"It's truly a tough defeat to take, when you don't finish a game, this is what can happen," Pedri told Movistar.

"We have the break now to reset mentally and physically."

Barcelona, missing injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, controlled the first half and suffocated Atletico with their press.

"We will fight for everything, we will fight for every point to win this (league)," insisted Flick, who said he was pleased with the performance despite the result.

"This is how we want to play in the future, so we will take this and bring it with us to next year."

Barcelona took the lead after 30 minutes with Pedri both the architect and scorer of the goal.

The Spain midfielder burst forward with the ball and fed Gavi, who tried to turn and inadvertently nudged the ball back to the surging Pedri, who entered the box and slotted past Oblak.

Villa heap pain on slumping City 

Crisis-hit Manchester City slumped to an unthinkable ninth defeat in 12 matches at Aston Villa on Saturday as Arsenal dismantled Crystal Palace 5-1 to reignite their Premier League title charge.

Nottingham Forest stormed Brentford's fortress to briefly climb to third in the table and Alexander Isak scored his first hat-trick in the English top flight as Newcastle ran riot at Ipswich.

City boss Pep Guardiola -- in the worst spell of his managerial career -- made multiple changes following last week's painful derby defeat to Manchester United but it was to no avail as his injury-hit side lost 2-1.

Jhon Duran scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season to put Villa ahead in the 16th minute and Morgan Rogers doubled the advantage for the impressive home side in the 65th minute.

Phil Foden scored his first top-flight goal of the season in stoppage time but it proved too little too late for the flailing champions, whose spark has vanished.

City have now lost six Premier League games in the current campaign, twice as many as they suffered during the whole of last season, when they were crowned champions for the fourth time in a row.

A bullish Mikel Arteta said Arsenal, who have not won the Premier League title since 2004, are now firmly in the title picture after his team's thumping win at Selhurst Park.

Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick against Palace in the League Cup on Wednesday, scored two more against the same opponents and there were also goals for Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and substitute Declan Rice.

The third-placed Gunners are just three points behind Liverpool, who are in action at Tottenham on Sunday, but Arne Slot's men have played two games fewer. Chelsea are in second spot.

At one stage earlier this month Liverpool had a yawning nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Forest won their third consecutive Premier League match to keep up their push for European football, condemning Brentford to their first home defeat this season.

Ola Aina slotted home the opener towards the end of the first half and Anthony Elanga made it 2-0 early in the second period.

Newcastle deepened Ipswich's plight and lifted themselves to seventh in the table with a 4-0 win at Portman Road.

Mats Wieffer gave Brighton a 51st-minute lead against West Ham at the London Stadium but Mohammed Kudus equalised seven minutes later and the match finished 1-1.

Napoli take top spot 

Napoli moved to the top of Serie A on Saturday with a laboured 2-1 win over Genoa, the team's fourth victory in their last five outings.

Frank Anguissa and Amir Rrahmani scored Napoli's goals in an eight-minute spell in the first half before Andrea Pinamonti cut the deficit early in the second period.

Genoa were on top for large parts of the remainder of the game with Mario Balotelli squandering a great opportunity to equalise in the 85th minute.

"In another situation we would be crying bitter tears," said Napoli coach Antonio Conte.

"It's right that the boys enjoy the three points but at the same time understand that the games must be played from start to finish, always trying to keep the foot on the accelerator.

"In the second half I didn't like anything, absolutely."

Napoli have 38 points, one ahead of Atalanta who can reclaim pole position on Sunday when they hunt an 11th successive win at home to Empoli.

In Saturday's late game, Lazio defeated 10-man Lecce 2-1 to move into fourth place on 34 points.

The win came six days after Lazio were humbled 6-0 at home by Inter Milan.

Lecce's French full-back Frederic Guilbert was red-carded on the stroke of half-time for handball on the goalline.

Valentin Castellanos, back from suspension, tucked away the resulting penalty to give Lazio the lead.

Tete Morente levelled the score on the 50-minute mark before Adam Marusic grabbed the winner for Lazio in the dying moments. (AFP)