Strikers Rivaldo and Jon Dahl Tomasson registered their first Serie A goals to help AC Milan thrash embattled Atalanta 4-1 and go to the top of the league.
In a tough fixture for the Bergamo-based club, Luigi Sala cancelled out Rivaldo's early goal, but Milan wasted little time in taking charge.
Danish
international Tomasson restored the visitors' lead before Andrea Pirlo's double-strike from a penalty and a free kick piled on the misery, sending Atalanta to the bottom of the league.
Elsewhere, Lazio's signing Enrico Chiesa came on in the second half to score twice in his side's 3-0 victory over Perugia and set up an enticing derby with AS Roma this weekend.
Bologna confirmed their run of good form with a 3-0 win over Brescia, which lifted them to third, behind the two Milan teams.
* Bayern Munich moved five points clear at the top of the German first division with a 1-0 victory at Hansa Rostock.
After the Bavarians missed several chances to score, Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto hit the winner from close range in the 73rd minute.
Defending champions Borussia Dortmund stayed in second place after a goalless draw at home to Arminia Bielefeld.
Werder Bremen remained third, level on points with Dortmund, after a spectacular 4-4 draw at Hanover.
The northerners twice fought back from a goal down to lead 4-2, but two late goals from former Germany striker Fredi Bobic helped Hanover to share the points.
* A hat-trick by Brazil's Juninho Pernamucano gave champions Olympique Lyon an important 3-0 victory at home to second-placed AJ Auxerre in the French first division.
The Brazilian struck twice with direct free kicks in the 36th and 76th minutes.
In between he scored from close range in the 50th minute after being set up by Eric Carriere, who won the ball from Auxerre's defence just outside the box.
Lyon jumped from ninth to fifth place on 18 points, three behind pacesetters Nice, who drew 0-0 at Nantes.
Auxerre had not lost since the opening day of the season on August 3 when they were beaten 1-0 by Paris St Germain.
Both teams are in Champions League action this week, with Lyon hosting Inter Milan and Auxerre at Arsenal.
* Tottenham Hotspur kept in touch at the top of the English premier league with a 3-1 victory over Bolton yesterday, while Charlton Athletic beat Middlesbrough 1-0 to record their first home win of the season.
Spurs were indebted to two second-half goals by Ireland striker Robbie Keane and a late Simon Davies volley against Bolton, who had equalised through Youri Djorkaeff.
Striker Jason Euell secured Charlton's win over Middlesbrough with a fifth-minute header, a lead the London team bravely protected to climb from bottom to 15th place in the table.
Liverpool, who won 1-0 at Leeds United at the weekend, head the standings with 24 points from 10 games.
They are followed by Arsenal on 23 and Spurs - who pushed Manchester United down to fourth - on 19.
Middlesbrough slipped to fifth.
* Henrik Larsson scored twice as Celtic crushed Hearts 4-1 at Tynecastle, moving to one point behind Scottish premier league leaders Rangers.
English striker Chris Sutton and Stilian Petrov were also on the mark for the champions, with all the Celtic goals coming before halftime.
Hearts scored a late consolation when Gary Wales headed home on 88 minutes.
Rangers beat Motherwell 3-0 on Sunday to remain undefeated this season.
- AGENCIES
Strikers Rivaldo and Jon Dahl Tomasson registered their first Serie A goals to help AC Milan thrash embattled Atalanta 4-1 and go to the top of the league.
In a tough fixture for the Bergamo-based club, Luigi Sala cancelled out Rivaldo's early goal, but Milan wasted little time in taking charge.
Danish
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