EPL: Javier Hernandez, the ‘little pea’, came on at half-time to spur Manchester United back from a 2-0 deficit at Aston Villa with two goals including the winner with three minutes to play even after helping to force a Ron Vlaar own-goal to level the game.

Their City rivals also came from behind as Edin Dzeko wrested three points with late heroics for a millionth time this season as the Sky Blues beat Tottenham 2-1 at the Etihad.

Everton and West Brom both continue to look surprisingly good this season, sitting in fourth and fifth respectively after Everton overcame Sunderland and West Brom beat Wigan, both by 2-1 margins.

West Ham are other overachievers this season in sixth after clipping Newcastle 1-0. Meanwhile, underachievers Arsenal botched a stoppage-time penalty to draw 3-3 with Fulham despite Olivier Giroud scoring a brace. Chelsea were also held to a draw after controlling much of the game against Liverpool as Luis Suarez scored yet again to rescue a 1-1 tie.

Southampton versus Swansea also ended 1-1 while Stoke clipped QPR 1-0 and Reading versus Norwich ended goalless.

Messi breaks another record

La Liga: A week after leaving the field injured, Lionel Messi scored a brace in Barcelona’s 4-2 win at Mallorca, breaking Pele’s record of 75 goals in a calendar year. Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, were back to winning ways as they blanked Getafe 2-0 in a Madrid derby.

Rivals Real Madrid’s highly-rated youngster Alvaro Morata scored with his first touch as Los Blancos overcame Levante 2-1. High-flying Betis went down 2-1 to struggling Granada while Malaga also fell 2-1 to Real Sociedad after a first minute Sociedad goal from former Gunner Carlos Vela.

Bilbao were reasonably comfortable in their 2-1 win at home to Sevilla while Vallecano scored late on to clip Celta 3-2 despite a first-half Iago Ispas brace. Meanwhile, it was an eight-goal thriller as Zaragoza ended 5-3 winners at home to Deportivo.

In a battle of the two bottom clubs, Osasuna blanked 3-0 while Valencia were held to 1-1 by Valladolid.

Bianconeri batter opponents

Serie A: Juventus, commonly known as the Bianconeri put six past Pescara as Fabio Quagliarella scored a hat-trick as Juve avenged the loss of their unbeaten streak in a game which ended 6-1.

Inter’s 3-2 loss at Atalanta means the champions are now four points clear atop the table. Their Milan rivals AC, racked up another loss as they were embarrassed 3-1 at home by Fiorentina.

Napoli marched past Genoa with a 4-2 victory while Lazio overcame Roma 3-2. Torino clipped lowly Bologna 1-0 as Palermo also gained a clean sheet in their 2-0 win against Sampdoria. There was late drama in Udinese’s 2-2 draw at Chievo as both teams scored the dying moments.

Both Parma versus Siena and Cagliari versus Catania ended goalless.

Bayern strengthen stranglehold

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich again strengthened their seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga as they fought to a 2-0 win over third place Eintracht Frankfurt.

Fourth-placed Dortmund beat bottom-of-the-league Augsburg 3-1 as Polish marksman Robert Lewandowski netted a brace.

Schalke are the closest to Munich as they beat Bremen 2-1, while Leverkusen went down 3-1 to Wolfsburg. Both Hannover and Monchengladbach won 4-2 away from home against Stuttgart and Greuther Furth respectively.

Mainz clipped Nuremburg 2-1 as Dusseldorf and Hoffenheim shared the points in their 1-1 tie. Freiburg versus Hamburg ended goalless.

— Yakum Fitz-Henley