Manchester, November 7:

Darren Fletcher scored to give Manchester United a 1-0 win over league-leader Chelsea, a loss that ended the Blues’ 40-game unbeaten streak in the English Premier League.

Fletcher scored in the 31st minute, capitalising when Cristiano Ronaldo sent in a high cross from the left wing. The ball sailed past the goal mouth, with Fletcher heading it back into the far corner over Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

United moved into third place with 21 points. Chelsea leads with 31 points, followed by Wigan with 25. Arsenal is in fourth with 20 points.

Earlier, Everton defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 on James Beattie’s goal to move out of the bottom three.

Facing the club’s biggest on-field crisis in a decade, Manchester United was an entirely different team from the one that lost its last two games. From the start, the Red Devils gave Chelsea little time on the ball — pressuring at every chance.

Chelsea’s last loss in the league — and its only league loss under manager Jose Mourinho — was on October 16, 2004, against Manchester City. The loss ended a 40-game unbeaten string in the Premier League.

Spanish La Liga

MADRID:

Samuel Eto’o scored his 10th goal of the season and FC Barcelona beat Getafe 3-0 for its fourth straight win, keeping the club in second place. Ludovic Giuly and Thiago Motta added the other goals for Barcelona, which extended its unbeaten streak to eigh. Referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez briefly stopped the game in the 53rd minute after Eto’o was racially taunted by the crowd.

In another game, Real Madrid edged Zaragoza 1-0 on Roberto Carlos’ 79th-minute penalty and stayed a point behind Barcelona. The penalty was the second awarded to Real Madrid in three minutes. Robinho, who was fouled to earn both penelties, had his chance saved on the first by Zaragoza goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez.

Robinho appeared to be ready to take the second, but Roberto Carlos, who consulted captain Raul Gonzalez, stepped in and then drove the ball low past Sanchez.

Also, it was Celta Vigo 2, Alaves 1; Sevilla 0, Atletico Madrid 0; Racing Santander 1, Real Betis 1; Malaga 1, Deportivo de La Coruna 1; and Cadiz 1, Mallorca 2. Osasuna leads with 24 points, while Barcelona has 22 and Madrid 21. Celta is next with 20.