LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City’s expensively assembled squad showed Sunday that it may have the character as well as the talent necessary to win the Premier League, beating Arsenal 1-0 to stay on top.

Manchester United’s 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers in the day’s early match meant City knew it had to avoid defeat or lose the top spot it had held since mid-October.

It beat Arsenal 1-0 to stay two points ahead of its local rival.

Mario Balotelli burst into space in the 53rd minute and drew a save from Wojciech Szczesny with a shot low to the goalkeeper’s left. The ball rebounded into the six-yard box and David Silva poked it in from close range.

“We watched Man United, so we knew we had a job to do this afternoon,” said City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who made a string of saves.

Wayne Rooney scored his 15th goal of the season ― and 12th in the Premier League ― after just 52 seconds at QPR. The England striker headed the ball out to Antonio Valencia on the right and continued his run into the box to meet Valencia’s cross with a stooping header into the net.

Michael Carrick then intercepted a pass just inside the United half and advanced to the edge of the area to hit a low shot past goalkeeper Radek Cerny for his first goal in almost two years.

United has 39 points from 16 matches ― five more than at the same stage last season when it went on to win a record 19th English league title ― but City has 41 and has scored an impressive 50 goals.

“We could have scored a lot of goals today,” Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said.

Arsenal was left in fifth place with 29 points, its goal tally keeping it ahead of Liverpool, which scored from corner kicks twice in the first 15 minutes for a 2-0 win at Aston Villa.

Italy

Unbeaten Juventus returned to the top of the Italian league with a 2-0 victory over struggling Novara on Sunday.

Simone Pepe scored in the fourth minute but the result flattered Juventus and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had to make a string of impressive saves before Fabio Quagliarella added the second goal 15 minutes from the end.

Juventus is two points clear of AC Milan.

Inter Milan’s revival gathered pace as Andrea Ranocchia helped it win 1-0 at struggling Cesena. Inter’s fifth win in six games moves it up to fifth spot ― 10 points behind Juventus.

Novara is two points clear of bottom place Lecce, which let slip a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Parma.

AC Milan took the provisional lead with victory Saturday but Juventus responded to the pressure with the perfect start as Paolo De Ceglie crossed for Pepe to tap home from close range.

Juventus sealed the points when Quaglierella headed in Andrea Pirlo’s corner for his first goal in more than a year.

Spain

Atletico Madrid picked up its first home league defeat of the season after going down 2-0 to 10-man Real Betis on Sunday to increase the pressure on coach Gregorio Manzano.

Alex Pozuelo scored in the 54th minute and substitute Roque Santa Cruz added a second in stoppage time to give Betis a second straight victory and boost its own beleaguered coach, Pepe Mel.

Pozuelo was sent off in the 72nd.

“We’ve played worse than other days and won 2-0. But I’ve got enough at Betis without worrying about Atletico,” said Mel, whose team has just recovered from a 10-game winless slump in the league.

Atletico is without an away win in seven Spanish league matches but its impressive home form had given Manzano some protection.

“You have to value the players’ attitude, the effort made,” Manzano said. “The result wasn’t fair today.”

France

Paris Saint-Germain could not crack the tightest defense in the French league, drawing 0-0 with defending champion Lille in a physical match Sunday.

A point was enough for PSG to draw level with leader Montpellier on 37 points. Montpellier leads the standings on goal difference, with Lille and Lyon two points back.

In a match between two committed sides, PSG created the first chance in the 20th minute against a Lille side that has leaked only 15 goals in the league this season.

Surrounded by three defenders, Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore found Kevin Gameiro with a side-footed pass over the top. Gameiro chested the ball down but shot wide from 15 yards.

“In the first half, there were a lot of knocks and fouls. It was very tactical,” Lille midfielder Eden Hazard told Canal Plus television. “In the second half, the two teams played more freely. There were more chances.”

Scotland

Celtic stayed within four points of Scottish Premier League leader Rangers on Sunday after second-half goals by Gary Hooper and Ki Sung-yueng secured a 2-0 win at St. Johnstone.

Saints goalkeeper Peter Enckelman twice saved from Hooper before the striker put Celtic ahead in the 60th minute with a close-range finish from a corner kick. South Korea midfielder Ki scored from a breakaway four minutes later to seal the win.

Rangers beat Inverness 2-1 on Saturday, with Carlos Bocanegra among the scorers.