IN ENGLAND …

• Is Liverpool v Manchester United still the biggest game in English football?
It may have had no bearing on the title race, but this fixture remains the most watched and often the most eventful match in English football. Sunday’s encounter, in which Manchester United secured a valuable win in the race for fourth spot, was no exception, with Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard providing most of the headlines.

Gerrard, playing his final game against United, started the game on the bench but with the Reds trailing 1-0 at half-time, he was unleashed by Brendan Rodgers. Thirty eight seconds later he was marching back down the tunnel, sent off for a vicious stamp on Ander Herrera.

IN FRANCE …

• Can Monaco make the top three?
It’s getting very congested at the top of the French league with two points separating the top three. Long-time leaders Lyon suffered a shock home defeat to Nice which allowed reigning champions PSG to climb to the top of the standings. With Marseille also winning it meant that in-form Monaco, who who won away at Reims, remain four points adrift of a Champions League place.

IN GERMANY …

• Can Schalke qualify for the Champions League again?
In what was a genuine six-pointer Schalke suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen which means that Roberto Di Matteo’s side are now six points behind their rivals in the race for the fourth Champions League spot.

IN ITALY …

• Has Rudi Garcia become a burden for Roma?
Without a win in six league matches and unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League by Serie A rivals Fiorentina last week, there was growing speculation that the Roma would soon part ways with Garcia. The Frenchman had suggested that he would leave the club if he felt he had become a burden, but a 1-0 win against struggling Cesena will have kept the wolves at bay – for another week at least.

IN SCOTLAND …

• How many red cards at Celtic Park?
Celtic made it three wins in the space of six days againt Dundee United. The previous two encounters had been feisty affairs resulting in red cards, brawls and ill feeling between both sides. Thankfully, Saturday’s encounter at Celtic Park was a more sedate affair with no repeat of the ugliness that had characterised the earlier encounters.

IN SPAIN …

Luis Suarez goal

• Will the final clasico of the season prove decisive in the title race?

With Barcelona defeating arch-rivals 2-1 Real Madrid 2-1 in the Nou Camp their lead at the top of the Spanish league has stretched to four points. It’s a useful advntage, but with Luis Enrique’s side still having to play Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla, it is probably too early to say it’s a decisive one.