Arsenal remained three points clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday after a 1-1 draw with Newcastle at St. James' Park and the same result in the Manchester derby.
The Gunners, on 57 points, stay three points ahead of Manchester United and eight ahead of Newcastle, which still has a game in hand.
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry's excellent first-half goal, his 18th league goal of the season, put the Gunners ahead after 35 minutes before Laurent Robert's crisp equalizer in the 53rd minute.
Robert was then sent off for two bookings in quick succession but Newcastle still deservedly made its point in a fiery clash.
An angled Sylvain Wiltord pass allowed Henry to burst clear and evade Shay Given's groping hands for the first goal while Robert's effort was a left-footed effort from just inside the box.
The result ended a run of 11 successive league victories for Newcastle at St. James' Park.
Newcastle manager Bobby Robson said his team was contending for the championship before the game started but had now realistically lost its chance.
``Eleven versus 11, with Laurent on a high, we just might have gone on to win it,'' Robson said.
``[Arsenal manager] Arsene Wenger will be happy the game ended when it did, because I wasn't.''
In Manchester, a late equalizer from City substitute Shaun Goater denied United the opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal.
Goater's headed goal in the 86th minute canceled out Ruud Van Nistelrooy's 18th minute effort.
With City strikers Nicolas Anelka and Robbie Fowler struggling to make any impact, Maine Road manager Kevin Keegan introduced Goater and Ali Benarbia with five minutes remaining.
With his first touch Benarbia delivered the free-kick which another substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips flicked onto Goater's head, the Bermudan steering home his third goal of the season against United to rob the home team of victory.
Van Nistelrooy put United ahead from close range with his sixth goal in six games after a cross from Ryan Giggs.
Roy Keane picked out Giggs down the left with a stunning through-ball before Giggs drove the ball across the six-yard box. Van Nistelrooy timed his run perfectly to steer in from close range, his 27th club goal of the season.
But it wasn't enough to deny City, who moved up one spot to 10th on the table.
United manager Alex Ferguson said the result was a blow to his club's title aspirations.
``It's a blow, a disappointment, because we had the opportunities and the possession,'' Ferguson said.
In Saturday's games, Liverpool could only manage a 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough while West Ham midfielder Lee Bowyer's return to former club Leeds ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Italy
Defending Italian champion Juventus, which beat Empoli 1-0 on a controversial penalty from David Trezeguet, shares second place with AC Milan.
Lazio, which played to a disappointing 1-1 draw with last-place Torino in Rome, remained in fourth place while Chievo played a scoreless draw at Brescia.
Inter has sole possession of first place with 45 points, followed by AC Milan and Juventus with 42 points each. Lazio is next with 38 points, ahead of Chievo with 34.
Spain
Third-place Valencia failed to make up ground on Sociedad, drawing 1-1 at bottom-place Recreativo de Huelva, while Deportivo de La Coruna struggled to a 1-1 home draw with lowly Osasuna.
Fabio Aurelio scored a late goal for Valencia and Deportivo got the equalizer from league leading scorer Roy Makaay, who took his tally for the season to 15 goals.
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