LONDON (AP) ― Wayne Rooney returned from a monthlong injury absence, helping Manchester United to a 2-1 victory Wednesday that eliminated Newcastle from the League Cup. Arsenal and Tottenham advanced with ease on Wednesday.

Anderson and Tom Cleverley scored for United. Rooney, recovering from a right leg injury, played 76 minutes.

Arsenal advanced to the fourth round by thrashing Coventry 6-1, with Olivier Giroud scoring his first goal for the London club and Theo Walcott getting two goals.

Tottenham dispatched another third-tier club, winning 3-0 at Carlisle.

Norwich progressed with a 1-0 victory over Doncaster. Reading edged Premier League rival Queens Park Rangers with a 3-2 win at Loftus Road.

Italy

Stephan El Shaarawy scored twice to help crisis-ridden AC Milan to a much-needed 2-0 victory over 10-man Cagliari in Serie A.

El Shaarawy scored in each half and also had an effort deflected onto the crossbar.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan had a 2-0 win at Chievo Verona on goals from Alvaro Pereira and Antonio Cassano. Catania beat Atalanta 2-1, Genoa drew 1-1 with Parma, Torino hit the goal frame three times in a 0-0 tie with Udinese, and Vladimir Weiss scored a stunning 87th-minute goal to give Pescara its first Serie A win in 20 years, a 1-0 victory against 10-man Palermo.

Spain

Radamel Falcao scored twice and Atletico Madrid beat nine-man Real Betis 4-2 to move into second place in the Spanish league.

Diego Costa and Raul Garcia also scored in undefeated Atletico’s fourth straight victory.

Falcao took the league goals lead, one ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.