Europa League round-up:Emmanuel Adebayor staked his claim for a place in Manchester City's line-up against his former club Arsenal at the weekend, wtih a brilliantly taken Europa League hat-trick against Gruop A opponents Lech Poznan. The result leaves City in control of their group, three points ahead of the Polish side.
The visitors topped the table heading into the encounter - but found themselves 1-0 down after just 13 minutes, when Adebayor latched onto Patrick Vieira's pass and coolly slipped the ball into the net.
It was 2-0 to Roberto Mancini's side on 25 minutes when David Silva's cross from the left flank was clinically steered home by Adebayor, who made the most of a free header in the 18-yard box.
Joel Tshibamba stunned the home crowd five minutes after the break when he pounced on some terrible defending from City to smash the ball past Joe Hart, but Adebayor made the points safe, and wrote his name into City's history books, when he turned home a superb pass from the impressive Silva on 73.
The group's other game saw Juventusearn an away point in Salzburgwith a 1-1 draw.
Earlier this evening, Liverpoolprocured a point from their visit to Napolidespite Roy Hodgson opting to send an inexperienced squad to face the Serie A side. The scoreless draw leaves the Reds top of the Europa League's Group K after Steaua Bucharest held FC utrecht to a 1-1 scoreline in Holland.
Liverpool, on five points, lie two ahead of their hosts and the Dutch side, with the Romanians bottom of the group.
Hodgson left Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Raulm Meireles in Merseyside ahead of the must win home game aganinst Blackburn Rovers on Sunday. He started, therefore, with Jay Spearing and Christian Poulsen in midfield, Jonjo Shelvey behind striker David Ngog and Milan Jovanovic and Ryan Babel on the flanks.
Former Charlton player Shelvey impressed at times but Liverpool had to wait until the second half for their chances to come. Both Babel and Ngog missed opportunities to nick a win after the break, the latter having craftily carved open a chance only to see his shot blocked by a desperate lunge from a Napoli defender.
Babel's chance was far more clearcut but the Dutchman tamely slid his shot towards goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis, whose outstreched leg diverted it to safety.
Paul Konchesky kept the scoreline level on the stroke of half-time when he hacked a close-range shot from Marek Hamsik off the goal-line and Edinson Cavani missed two good chances for the hosts, first drawing a fine save from Pepe Reina and then steering a header inches wide of the upright.
There was little to get the fans excited otherwise, but under pressure Hodgson saw "plenty of positives".
“It was a good point which many people didn’t think we would get, considering the team selection, but we’ve proved them wrong," he said. “We are delighted with a point which keeps us top of the table.”
Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri was slightly disappointed with a third successive draw but praised Liverpool’s performance.
“Liverpool are a top team and they were an amazing team tonight,” he said. “We could have had the advantage of scoring a goal at the end of the first half but I think we played very well and the only thing we didn’t do was score. We tried to the end and I think we showed the right mentality, thinking about winning the game.”
Atletico Madridenjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Rosenborgin Group B.
Diego Godin’s early header put the Spaniards in front. Substitute Sergio Aguero doubled the lead before Diego Costa rounded things off with a brilliant header.
Aris Salonikaand Bayer Leverkusendrew 0-0.
Liedson scored twice in a 5-1 win for Sporting Lisbonat home to Belgian side Gentin Group C, while Aurelien Chedjou's solitary strike earned Lilletheir first win, against Levski Sofia.
Marco Ruben's strike earned Villarreala 1-0 win at home to PAOK Salonikain Group D, while Dynamo Zagreband Club Bruggeshared a 0-0 draw.
Dynamo Kievbreathed life into their Group E campaign with a narrow 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaarin Holland.
Artem Milevskiy put Dynamo in front just 16 minutes in and though Erik Falkenburg levelled, Yevhen Khacheridi restored the visitors’ lead before the half was out.
Sergey Sosnovskiy's early goal handed BATE Borisova 1-0 win away to FC Sheriff.
In Group F, Serie A side Palermosuffered a shock 3-0 defeat at home to CSKA Moscow.
Seydou Doumbia scored either side of the break before Tomas Necid put the icing on the cake in the final 10 minutes. It could have been even worse for the Sicilians, who saw Vagner Love miss an early penalty for the Russians and played the last 15 minutes with 10 men.
Carlos Silvio scored nearly five minutes into added time to salvage a 3-3 draw for Lausanneaway to Sparta Prague.
Portosurvived the dismissal of a player in either half to register an impressive 3-1 away win against Besiktasin Europa League Group L.
Falcao opened the scoring for the visitors to Istanbul shortly before the half-hour while Hulk’s brace sealed an emphatic win in the second half. Bobo pulled one back at the death for the Turkish hosts but by then the writing was on the wall.
Rapid Viennakept alive their hopes of progressing in the Europa League by recording their first victory in Group L at CSKA Sofia.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Steffen Hofmann scored in the space of five minutes either side of the half-hour mark to earn Rapid the 2-0 win.
PSV Eindhovenclaimed sole leadership of Europa League Group I with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Debrecenat the Ferenc Puskas Stadion in Hungary.
Jonathan Reis netted the winner for PSV in the 66th minute after Holland midfielder Orlando Engelaar had cancelled out Mirsad Mijadinoski’s opener for the point-less hosts.
Elsewhere in Group I, Brazilian midfielder Cleiton Xavier scored the winner as 10-man Metalist Kharkivturned in a gutsy performance to beat Sampdoria2-1 at home.
Clement Chantome's late equaliser snatched a point for Paris St Germainagainst Borussia Dortmundto keep them out in front at the top of Europa League Group J.
Nuri Sahin’s penalty early in the second half looked like winning an end-to-end game, but PSG launched a late assault and took their reward when Chantome scored in the 87th minute.
Sevillawere 1-0 winners at Karpaty Lvivthanks to Frederic Kanoute's first-half header.
Zenit St Petersburgmoved six points clear at the top of Group G with a comfortable win over Hajduk Splitat the Petrovsky Stadium.
Luciano Spalletti’s side were rarely troubled by their Croatian visitors as a goal in either half from Alexander Bukharov and Danny saw them ease to victory.
Also in Group G, Anderlechtsteamrollered AEK Athens3-0 at home.
Ciprian Marica's goal earned Stuttgarta 1-0 win over Spaniards Getafein Germany, while Young Boysbeat Odense4-2 in Group H.