Inter march on to add to Juve gloom

Juventus ended the year on a fresh low as they suffered yet another loss, going down 2-1 at home to Calcio Catania, to slip nine points behind Serie A leaders FC Internazionale Milano, who beat S.S. Lazio 1-0.

Late winner
Juve fans may not be feeling too festive in the coming days after watching their side suffer a fifth defeat in six games in all competitions. Catania were bottom before kick-off, having won just once all season, but they took the lead in Turin through Jorge Martínez, whose 23rd-minute penalty came after Nicolás Spolli's shirt had been pulled. Hasan Salihamidžić levelled for the hosts almost halfway through the second period, but as Ciro Ferrara's third-placed side sought out a winner, substitute Mariano Izco struck on the break with three minutes remaining to give visiting coach Siniša Mihajlović his first points.

Eight-point gap
With that result coming after the postponement of second-placed AC Milan's trip to face ACF Fiorentina on Saturday, Inter took advantage to give themselves an eight-point advantage to defend in the new year. The champions were never in danger once Dejan Stanković led a breakaway after 14 minutes and crossed for Samuel Eto'o, who beat Fernando Muslera at the second attempt.

Roma rise
Fourth spot now belongs to AS Roma, who nudged Parma FC out of the UEFA Champions League qualifying places by overcoming the promoted side 2-0 in the capital. Nicolás Burdisso put Roma ahead after 48 minutes and Matteo Brighi made sure of their fifth triumph in seven Serie A outings in added time, after Massimo Paci had collected a late red card for Parma.

Napoli sixth
SSC Napoli are now up to sixth, meanwhile, after defeating AC Chievo Verona 2-0, and one spot below lie US Città di Palermo, whose 1-0 win against AC Siena left the visitors rooted to the foot of the table. AS Livorno Calcio swept aside UC Sampdoria 3-1, while the matches between Genoa CFC and AS Bari, and Udinese Calcio and Cagliari Calcio, were postponed due to the weather.

United and Arsenal end year in style

Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC kept the pressure on Chelsea FC at the top of England's Premier League after both recorded comfortable wins on Wednesday.

Two-point cap
Chelsea had moved five points ahead of United on Monday with a 2-1 win against Fulham FC but Sir Alex Ferguson's side are back to within two as they defeated Wigan Athletic FC 5-0 for the second time this season. Wayne Rooney's neat 28th-minute finish opened the scoring at Old Trafford and Michael Carrick was set up by Antonio Valencia to make it two swiftly afterwards in another fine team move. Rafael added a third just before the break and Dimitar Berbatov got on the scoresheet before Valencia chipped Mike Pollitt to strike against his former club, who are only one point above the relegation zone.

Arsenal victory
Arsenal are still within two points of United, and have a game in hand, following a 4-1 victory at bottom side Portsmouth FC. Eduardo's 27th-minute free-kick deflected in off the luckless Younes Kaboul and late in the first half Samir Nasri turned in Aaron Ramsey's flick. Ramsey himself made it 3-0 with an excellent solo effort on 69 minutes and although Nadir Belhadj pulled one back, Alex Song headed in a Nasri cross to complete the scoring. League action takes a break in England this weekend as the top-flight teams enter the FA Cup third round.