Scholes’ goal helps Man United beat Bolton 3-0

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Paul Scholes scored his first goal since ending his short-lived retirement to help Manchester United to a 3-0 Premier League win over Bolton on Saturday.

In the second match of his comeback, Scholes turned in Wayne Rooney’s cross in the 45th minute for his first goal since August 2010. Scholes’ 151st league goal helped United pull two points ahead of third-place Tottenham, which drew 1-1 with relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers.

United trails City on goal difference, although City can restore its three-point lead if it beats Wigan on Monday.

Six months after ending a career during which he only played for United, the 37-year-old Scholes returned in last weekend’s FA Cup win over Manchester City. On Saturday, he became the oldest Englishman to score a league goal for United.

Danny Welbeck made it 2-0 in the 74th from an assist by Rooney, and Michael Carrick completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining. Rooney’s first-half penalty kick was saved by goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.

Tottenham dominated Wolves at White Hart Lane but Steven Fletcher put the visitors ahead from a rebound in the 22nd minute after U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel parried Roger Johnson’s header from a corner. Emmanuel Adebayor had a goal disallowed for offside just before halftime before Luka Modric tied it in the 51st.

City and United have 48 points, two more than Tottenham. Chelsea is another six points back in the final Champions League qualifying position after beating Sunderland 1-0 on Frank Lampard’s goal.

Liverpool drew 0-0 with visiting Stoke and could be four points behind fifth-place Arsenal if the Gunners win at Swansea on Sunday, when Newcastle could replace Liverpool in sixth place if it beats visiting Queens Park Rangers.

Blackburn lifted itself out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Fulham even though it played 67 minutes with 10 men.

Norwich won 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion, while Los Angeles Galaxy teammates Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane faced each other in Everton’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. Donovan set up Darren Bent’s 69th-minute equalizer for Everton. Keane entered as a substitute in the 81st minute.

Spain

Spanish league leader Real Madrid needed a pair of late goals for a 2-1 victory at Mallorca, its seventh straight road win.

Tomer Hemed put the hosts ahead with a goal on a 39th-minute header, but Gonzalo Higuain tied the score in the 72nd and Jose Callejon scored in the 84th as Madrid opened an eight-point lead over three-time defending champion Barcelona, which hosts Real Betis on Sunday.

Madrid hosts Barcelona on Wednesday in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, with the rivals meeting the following week in Barcelona ― the ninth “clasico” in nine months.

Sevilla’s league winless streak reached four when it was tied 0-0 by visiting Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano beat Granada 2-1 and last-place Zaragoza’s league winless streak reached 11 with a 1-1 draw against visiting Getafe.

Italy

Roma’s Serie A game at Catania was suspended in the 76th minute due to heavy rain in the Sicilian city. The game will be completed on Feb. 8 or 15., depending on whether Roma beats Juventus to reach the Italian Cup semifinals.

Nicola Legrottaglie gave Catania the lead in 24th minute, and Daniele De Rossi tied it four minutes later. Roma is seventh in the Serie A standings, five points above eighth-placed Catania.

France

Paris Saint-Germain gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a win in his first league game, beating Toulouse 3-1 to maintain a three-point lead over Montpellier.

As the French league resumed following its winter break, Nene scored in the 38th and 67th minutes and Javier Pastore in the 56th as the hosts built a 3-0 lead. Daniel Braathen got Toulouse’s goal in the 88th.

Montpellier beat Lyon 1-0 on Olivier Giroud’s 62nd-minute goal, his 14th in the league this season. There was pushing and shoving in the tunnel between the teams after the game.

Scotland

Celtic maintained its two-point lead over defending champion Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 2-1 win over Dundee United.

Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama struck in the first 17 minutes for Celtic. John Rankin replied in the 50th minute for Dundee United.

Nikica Jelavic scored twice to give Rangers a 2-1 win at St. Johnstone. Jelavic delivered the winner with nine minutes remaining after American defender Carlos Bocanegra’s 68th-minute own-goal threatened to give St. Johnstone a draw.