BARCELONA (AP) ― Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up another to lead Barcelona to a 4-1 comeback victory at Sevilla on Sunday, moving the defending champions into a three-way tie for the Spanish league lead.

Despite Barcelona showing the same vulnerability in defense, Messi’s best performance since returning from a lengthy injury layoff ensured that his side bounced back from a defeat by Valencia in the previous round. Barcelona is now level with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the top of the standings after 23 rounds.

Sevilla dominated the first half hour on the Sanchez Pizjuan’s water-logged pitch and went ahead through Alberto Moreno’s 15th-minute goal. But as the rain showers turned into a downpour, Messi supplied a free kick for Alexis Sanchez to equalize in the 34th before the Argentina forward blasted in his first goal in open league play since Sept. 28, before his injury.

With Sevilla surging forward after halftime, Messi stepped up once more to score from Andres Iniesta’s pass in the 56th. Substitute Cesc Fabregas capped the win with Barcelona’s fourth goal two minutes from time.

“Leo always shows up,” Iniesta said. “He is one of those few players who can change a game if you give him a few meters, and he almost always does so.”

England

So often the beneficiary of late goals under Alex Ferguson, it seems everything is being turned on its head at Manchester United under David Moyes after his team’s latest stumble in the Premier League.

Deep into stoppage time at Old Trafford, Darren Bent scored a goal for Fulham for a 2-2 draw for the league’s worst team on Sunday.

And a difficult first season for Moyes continues, with the champions adrift in seventh, after winning the title by 11 points under Ferguson in May.

Also tough for Moyes is that his team had turned the match around to be in a winning position. Trailing from Steve Sidwell’s 19th minute-goal, Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick scored rapid goals to put United up 2-1 going into the final 10 minutes.

But Bent’s score leaves United nine points adrift of the fourth Champions League qualification place, let alone the summit where Chelsea is 15 points ahead.

United’s draw was compounded by Tottenham moving three points from fourth place on Sunday by sending Everton from fifth with a 1-0 victory over the Merseyside team.

Germany

Schalke defeated Hannover 2-0 to maintain its perfect start to the year and consolidate fourth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Jefferson Farfan opened the scoring in the 39th, converting from close range after Sead Kolasinac outran Hannover defender Marcelo on the left. Farfan instigated Schalke’s second goal five minutes later, playing through a brilliant ball for Atsuto Uchida, who cut back for Klaas Jan Huntelaar and he in turn left it for the better positioned Max Meyer to stroke home.

Huntelaar headed over early in the second half and Meyer drew a good stop from Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler as the home side came closest to adding to the scoreline.