Real overcome Bernabeu boost to record Arbeloa's first win

Madrid, Jan. 19: Angry Real Madrid fans jeered their own team before they went on to beat Levante 2-0 in La Liga on Saturday to record new coach Alvaro Arbeloa's first win at the helm.

Villarreal, third, stumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Real Betis, hampering their attempts at mounting a title challenge.

Arbeloa's debut after replacing Xabi Alonso ended in a humiliating Copa del Rey defeat in midweek at second-tier Albacete, but second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio secured Madrid three vital points at a moody Santiago Bernabeu.

Star players Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham came in for ire from the home fans after a disastrous week. Mbappe also started but was spared the jeers.

The French forward had been expected to return for the Champions League game against Monaco next week as he manages his recovery from a knee sprain.

"I've always respected the Bernabeu (crowd), they whistled me a lot too (as a player), and it's one of the aspects that make this club so great, how demanding the fans are," said Arbeloa, defending the right of the fans to express themselves.

Elsewhere, Vedat Muriqi scored a hat-trick for Mallorca in a 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao, before Villarreal fell to defeat at La Cartuja. The loss leaves Villarreal eight points behind leaders Barcelona and damaged their chances of competing for a first-ever La Liga title.

Arsenal drop points

Michael Carrick made a flying start to life as Manchester United boss against Manchester City on Saturday but Premier League leaders Arsenal missed a chance to pull nine points clear.

Sorry Tottenham slipped to defeat against relegation-threatened West Ham, further increasing the pressure on beleaguered boss Thomas Frank, while Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Burnley. Carrick's first game of his second temporary spell in charge of the Red Devils could barely have gone better in a dominant 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

The former United midfielder was appointed as head coach until the end of the campaign following the sacking of Ruben Amorim earlier this month.

Second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu capped an energetic and incisive display by United, who could have won by a far more comfortable margin.

"Great start. No getting away from that," said Carrick. "The boys were fantastic." Arsenal are seven points clear at the top despite being held to a 0-0 draw for the second league game in a row at Nottingham Forest.

A frustrated Arteta, chasing a first Premier League title for the Gunners since 2004, felt that his side should have been awarded a penalty, believing Ola Aina had handled the ball.

"We created four big, big, big chances and a clear penalty, but we weren't able to win the game," said the Spaniard.

The mood at Tottenham darkened further after Spurs slipped to a 2-1 defeat against West Ham, who had not won a Premier League match since early November.

Spurs, 14th in the table, have won just two home league games this season, leaving Frank, in his first campaign in charge, under enormous pressure.

Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham finished the day five points behind Forest, who are just above the relegation zone.

Defending champions Liverpool are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions but dropped two valuable points against struggling Burnley at Anfield.

Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz scored his third league goal since his arrival but the visitors drew level in the 65th minute when Marcus Edwards placed his shot beyond the reach of Alisson Becker.

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior, who replaced the departed Enzo Maresca earlier this month, watched as his side saw off high-flying London rivals Brentford 2-0.

Sunderland beat Crystal Palace 2-1 while Leeds scored late on to beat Fulham 1-0, remaining eight points clear of the relegation zone. (AFP)