Real sauntered through the match, scoring twice before half time thanks to a delicate chip from Cristiano Ronaldo after a Mesut Ozil through pass, added to by Karim Benzema who finished smartly at the back post.

Substitute Gonzalo Higuain grabbed the third, nodding home from Xabi Alonso’s free kick as Real landed one foot firmly in the semi-finals ahead of their trip to Turkey for the return leg.

Mourinho’s former charge Didider Drogba went close on several occasions but Wesley Sneijder was substituted at half time after cutting a peripheral figure in the first 45 minutes.

Mourinho told Sky Sports: “I think we played seriously. The Spanish press were not so respectful in relation to Galatasaray but we were very respectful.

“We knew they were a good team with fantastic strikers; they had danger and we prepared very well from a defensive point of view.

“We defended better than we attacked because in attacking terms I think we lost the last ball, the last pass, we had easy transitions – three against three, three against four – we could have scored more goals.”

Asked whether the tie was effectively over Mourinho replied: “If you score a goal they have to score five. I think the result is very good but in football I saw so many incredible things that nothing can surprise me and Istanbul is a difficult place to play.

“They have players with lots of experience, players with character, I think they will fight very hard against us. We have to go there very seriously because it is the only way to go through.”

As for his reunion with Drogba and Sneijder, Mourinho added: “I was with them at the end of the match, (Didier) and Wesley. They are family – they weren’t during 90 minutes but they are family.”

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Despite taking an early lead through Roman Neustadter, the German side was ultimately undone by strikes from Hamit Altintop and Burak Yilmaz just before the break.

Although Michel Bastos levelled just after the hour, Schalke still needed another as the Turks had scored more away goals and their all-out attack left them vulnerable at the back, with Gala making sure of its progress thanks to Umut Bulut’s injury-time effort.

The Super Lig leader was looking to bounce back from an embarrassing home defeat to Genclerbirligi in its last domestic outing and it started in confident fashion.

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba looked imperious early on and Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had to be at his best to tip the striker’s fierce effort round the post.

The Ivorian then played in Selcuk Inan, who ran through on goal but lost his balance and his shot did not unduly trouble Hildebrand.

It seemed only a matter of time until the Schalke goal was breached but it was the hosts who took a 17-minute lead very much against the run of play.

The visitors failed to clear their lines from a corner and Joel Matip played the ball back to Neustadter, who slotted home with his outstretched left foot.

The strike seemed to settle Schalke, who had won all three league games since the draw with Tuesday night’s opponent in the first leg.

Wesley Sneijder served notice to the Gelsenkirchen side, however, when he fired narrowly wide from just inside the area before Altintop brought the tie back to life in the 37th minute.

Drogba squared a free kick to the Turkey international 25 yards from goal and his fierce blast went in off the post.

And five minutes later, Gala had taken the lead when Burak shrugged off the challenge of Benedikt Howedes and lifted over Hildebrand for his eighth Champions League goal in as many games.

Jens Keller’s men started the second half in positive fashion and Teemu Pukki — starting in place of injured star striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar — turned on the edge of the box before his rattling low effort was pushed away by Fernando Muslera at his near post.

The Gala goalkeeper was at fault, however, when Michel Bastos levelled in the 63rd minute.

Marco Hoger fired against the crossbar and although it looked like there would be no follow-up, Muslera fumbled and left Atsuto Uchida to square for the Brazilian to fire into an empty net.

Sneijder went close to immediately regaining the lead for Gala but he hammered wide but it was Schalke who gained the upper hand thereafter, with Muslera slightly redeeming himself by smartly parrying away Julian Draxler’s effort.

Gala then had to make a change as defender Semih Kaya was carried off the pitch having been knocked out although that did not seem to affect the Istanbul side, who held firm in spite of some probing pressure from Schalke.

However, the hosts left themselves wide open to the counter in search of a winner and it was Gala who stole up the other end to make sure of their progress to the quarterfinal.

Substitute Umut beat the offside trap in the fifth minute of injury time and beat Hildebrand at the second attempt to send the visitors wild with joy.

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The Brazilian right back’s first-half effort set Sir Alex Ferguson’s side on course for a victory, which was wrapped up 10 minutes from time by veteran Ryan Giggs.

Only an unparalleled meltdown will now stop United winning a 20th league crown, while only the greatest of escapes will see QPR stave off relegation.

Harry Redknapp’s side is still seven points adrift of safety but has only 11 matches remaining, with the twin brother of QPR loanee Fabio doing a lot of the damage Saturday.

While the Rs full back was ineligible to face his parent club, Rafael put in a fine performance in west London and rifled home from distance in the 23rd minute.

Giggs made sure of a victory that was never really in doubt late on at Loftus Road, where the only blot on a perfect afternoon for United was a knock to Robin van Persie.

Proceedings got off to a slow start in west London, where it took 13 minutes for the first chance of note to be created.

After being caught on the edge of the box by Jose Bosingwa — making his first appearance since Dec. 8 — Nani connected with the resulting free kick, only to see his flicked header go wide.

Adel Taarabt fired a low shot just wide of David de Gea’s near post soon after but United was in control.

Julio Cesar had to be alert to tip a goalbound Javier Hernandez effort over the bar, with the Mexican meeting a Ashley Young cross with a superb improvised header.

Stephane Mbia soon gifted United another chance. The midfielder was dispossessed on the right flank by Nani, whose driven cross just evaded Hernandez.

United did not have to wait long for the opener, though, with Rafael thumping home in style after 23 minutes.

Taarabt lost possession in his own half and play developed down the right, allowing van Persie to wriggle free and hit a cross. Cesar parried the acute drive but the ball fell kindly for Rafael, who hammered a 25-yard strike into the top corner.

Jamie Mackie and Andros Townsend blazed over as QPR attempted to draw parity, before Taarabt struck tamely wide when a wide ball to Townsend would have been wiser.

When the Tottenham loanee did get the ball moments later, his long-range effort forced a corner from which Christopher Samba saw a header cleared off the line by Rafael.

The right back, playing superbly in Shepherds Bush, then helped United counter, sending a fine ball over the top to van Persie, who saw a brilliant left-footed volley denied in equally impressive fashion by Cesar.

It was the Netherlands international’s last contribution before he was replaced by Danny Welbeck, having appeared to pick up a hip complaint earlier in the half.

Despite his exit, United continued to dominate and almost immediately doubled its advantage as Giggs swung in a free kick for the unmarked Nemanja Vidic to flash a header inches wide.

It was the last moment of note in the first period, which ended with Bobby Zamora, managing a long-term hip injury, pulling up.

The former Fulham striker managed to return for the second half unlike Esteban Granero, who was replaced by Jermaine Jenas after picking up a knock.

United continued strongly after the break but QPR was putting up more of a fight, with Taarabt seeing penalty appeals waved away.

The visitors were still threatening, though, and Hernandez saw an effort saved easily by Cesar before he was replaced by Wayne Rooney, who has been suffering with a sinus problem this week.

QPR also made a change in the 61st minute, with Zamora limping off to be replaced by Loic Remy — a change that almost paid dividends straight away.

The January signing made himself space in the box to unleash a well-struck effort that de Gea head to be alert to stop, with Samba heading wide from the following corner.

United soon settled, though, and QPR captain Clint Hill did well to block a close-range strike by substitute Rooney, before Jenas put in an equally-impressively challenge to deny Welbeck.

The visitors did grab a second goal 10 minutes from time as Nani played a cute ball through to Giggs, whose strike from an acute angle beat Cesar to send the 3,081 visiting supporters into raptures.

Giggs saw a looped strike rattle the crossbar and a Samba header brushed the post late on, but there was to be no more goals despite the best efforts of both sides.

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Arjen Robben opened the scoring in the 25th minute and Javi Martinez made it 2-0 moments later.

Sebastian Prodl was red-carded in the 44th minute before fellow Bremen defender Theo Gebre Selassie scored an own-goal after 49 minutes. Gomez increased the lead to 4-0 in the 51st minute.

Kevin de Bruyne pulled a goal back for Bremen in the 58th minute, but Franck Ribery joined in with the scoring in the 86th minute before Gomez netted again in the final minute.

Bayern increased its lead to 18 points over Borussia Dortmund with its sixth straight victory in what was coach Jupp Heynckes’ 1,000th Bundesliga match as coach and player.

Bremen remains on 28 points after its second straight loss.

Heynckes made six changes to his lineup following the Champions League win over Arsenal, with Robben and Gomez starting.

Bayern had the first chance after 20 minutes but Bremen goalkeeper Sebastian Mielitz made a fine save from Robben.

Bayern went ahead 1-0 five minutes later with an attack from the right, Philipp Lahm crossing into the box where a charging Robben poked home from five yards.

The lead doubled after 29 minutes as Robben sent a free kick into the box and Martinez headed home.

Bremen went a man down a minute before the break as Prodl was sent off for a professional foul on Gomez.

Bayern made it 3-0 thanks to an own-goal early in the second half when Gebre Selassie’s attempted clearance ended in Mielitz’s net.

Two minutes later it was four as Ribery looped a pass to Gomez, who passed the ball into the empty goal.

Bremen pulled a goal back in the 58th minute as Dante’s clearance only went to Aleksandar Ignjovski, who passed to de Bruyne and the Belgian did the rest.

Ribery made it five in the 86th minute, latching on to Lahm’s fine looping pass before beating Mielitz, while Gomez hit Bayern’s sixth in the 89th minute.

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Totti struck an unstoppable winner in the 58th minute as Roma edged up to within six points of the top five while Juve’s five-point advantage at the top of Serie A could be cut by Napoli on Sunday.

Lazio will also take joy in Roma’s win as it can get back into the hunt with a victory at Siena on Monday night.

There were plenty of smiles and hugs as captains Totti and Buffon exchanged pennants before the coin toss, but as has been the case nine times in the past already, Totti ultimately wiped the smile off Buffon’s face.

His goal in the 58th minute was worthy of winning any match, and it left Buffon with no chance.

Miralem Pjanic’s direct free kick attempt was blocked by a Juve defender and the ball fell to Totti 25 yards from goal.

He did not think twice as he made perfect contact with the ball, rendering Buffon’s dive unnecessary as the net was already rippling before the Italy number one even got near it.

Totti’s strike was no more than the Giallorossi deserved after dominating the first hour against the champions.

Pablo Osvaldo had already wasted a hat trick of chances, the best of which a header straight at Buffon in the 57th minute, while the closest Juve had come was early in the second half when former Roma striker Mirko Vucinic volleyed wide.

Andrea Pirlo, who suffered an early scare after a clash of knees with a concerned Totti, had also brought a fine save out of Maarten Stekelenburg with a curling free kick, but Juve was lacking its usual bite.

Roma, on the other hand, continued to cause the Juve defence concern with Erik Lamela dancing his way through, but overdoing it a little in the 70th minute as his last stepover let him down.

Nicolas Anelka was sent on by Juve coach Antonio Conte to add further weight to his attack but although he set up fellow substitute Sebastian Giovinco for a chance late on, he could not alter the course of the game as Roma picked up a morale-boosting victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

In Saturday’s other game in the Italian top flight, Palermo moved off the foot of the table thanks to a 1-1 draw at Chievo in a game of two contrasting halves at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.

The Rosaneri took the lead in the fifth minute through Mauro Formica and it was a one-sided opening 45 minutes in which Palermo failed only to add a second goal.

Chievo responded well in the second half, though, and equalized through Cyril Thereau’s penalty.

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Barca dominated possession for the first 25 minutes but was stunned when Odion Ighalo put the hosts ahead at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Messi tapped in a deserved equalizer five minutes into the second half, though, and then curled in a free kick 17 minutes from time to complete the turnaround and move Barca 15 points clear at the summit.

Barca assistant coach Jordi Roura, still overseeing first-team affairs with head coach Tito Vilanova undergoing cancer treatment in New York, shuffled his pack for the game, restoring Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro Rodriguez to his lineup, with Xavi (thigh) and David Villa (ill) among those to miss out and Andres Iniesta only on the bench.

Granada was unchanged from the starting XI that won 3-0 at Deportivo La Coruna last weekend as it looked to continue its promising start — two wins in two games — under new coach Lucas Alcaraz.

Messi’s neat pass put Alexis Sanchez through on goal after four minutes, but Granada goalkeeper Tono was off his line quickly to smother the danger.

Former Barca B player Nolito had Granada’s first sight of goal three minutes later, with Victor Valdes gathering his side-footed volley at the second attempt.

Barca had a decent penalty shout waved away midway through the first half when Fabregas appeared to be clipped from behind by Gabriel Torje.

Alexis, who netted his first goal of the season in last weekend’s 6-1 thrashing of Getafe, was provided with another presentable chance by Messi but took too long and the threat was snuffed out by defender Diego Mainz.

Moments later, at the other end, the hosts showed their illustrious opponents how to apply the cutting edge in front of goal as they took a shock lead.

Carlos Aranda’s cross from the right was tapped back across goal by Nolito for Ighalo to stab home from close range — with Valdes and Barca defenders appealing in vain for offside.

The play soon switched back to Granada’s defensive third, where Adriano went within inches of finding an instant response. His superb effort with the outside of his left foot whistled just past the top corner.

Granada defender Guilherme Siqueira was lucky to be shown only a yellow card 12 minutes before halftime when he hauled Pedro to the ground as he looked to burst through.

Aranda should have made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime after being gifted the ball on the edge of the Barca box by a sloppy defensive free kick by Thiago Alcantara, but Valdes made the save.

Just as it had done against Real Madrid a fortnight ago, Granada held the halftime lead. However, this time it lasted only five minutes into the second period.

Parity was restored when Messi pounced on the rebound to prod home after Tono could only parry a low Fabregas drive. It was the prolific Argentina forward’s 36th goal in La Liga this term — and meant he had scored in 14 straight games.

Alexis again pondered for too long on the ball when put through down the left by Fabregas, the Chilean getting the ball caught up in his feet as an unmarked Pedro cut a frustrated figure waiting for the cross.

That turned out to be Alexis’ last action as he was replaced by Cristian Tello.

Pedro went close to putting Barca ahead midway through the second half with a long-range blast that struck the inside of the left post and rebounded to safety with Tono beaten.

Seconds later, Barca had a goal correctly ruled out for offside. Tello threaded a pass through for Dani Alves, who crossed for Pedro to prod home but the flag was raised.

Iniesta was introduced in place of Pedro with 18 minutes remaining, and a minute later he was celebrating Messi’s second goal.

Thiago was fouled by Youssef El Arabi 25 yards from goal and the four-time Ballon d’Or winner stepped up to curl home a left-footed set-piece. Tono, diving to his right, got a hand to it but was unable to push it around the post.

Tello should have wrapped things up six minutes from time when he was on the end of a well-worked move, but lashed over the bar.

Granada substitute Yacine Brahimi was then denied a stoppage-time equalizer by Valdes after a slick one-two, and there was still time for Messi’s hat-trick attempt to be thwarted by Tono, but there were no further goals.

Also Saturday, a first half goal by Javier Saviola earned Malaga a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao to ensure it will remain fourth in the table by the end of the weekend.

Lucas Piazon, on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season, made his first start for Malaga and marked the occasion by providing the assist for the only goal of the game.

The 19-year-old used skill and strength to advance into the Athletic area and pulled a pass back from the by-line into the path of Saviola near the penalty spot and the striker shot high into the net after 18 minutes.

Celta Vigo remained in the relegation zone after suffering its third defeat in a row on the road with a 3-1 loss to Getafe.

All the goals came in a frantic first half. Adrian Colunga opened the scoring for the hosts after 10 minutes but Augusto Fernandez equalized just 10 minutes later, before Diego Castro and then Federico Fernandez added goals of their own before the break.

An early goal by Kike Sola saw Osasuna earn itself some much-needed breathing space from the relegation zone with a 10 win over rival Real Zaragoza.

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The Gunners face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night and manager Arsene Wenger had made several changes, with Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla all starting on the bench.

Even so, there should still have been enough quality to see off the lower-division Championship side.

Gervinho missed a great chance at the end of the first half that proved costly as Colin Kazim-Richards’ scrappy effort after 72 minutes proved enough to inflict Arsenal’s first home FA Cup defeat since their move to the Emirates Stadium and hand Rovers a memorable win.

Wenger offered no excuses for the loss.

“We had 11 international players on the pitch at the start of the game. We had a lot of the ball and [Blackburn] defended well. We had 16 shots at goal, they only had one shot at goal,” he said. “We made a massive mistake on the goal and we were not good enough to win the game, it is as simple as that.

“Not one defeat is acceptable. You are in this job to win every single game.”

Arsenal now faces the possibility of an eighth season without silverware, unless it can come through in the Champions League. The home fans vented their frustrations as boos rang out around the Emirates at the final whistle.

“You do not want your fans to be happy when you lose at home to Blackburn when the team has one shot at goal,” Wenger said. “It is very painful and very disappointing to lose a game like that. What is important now is to focus on the next one.”

Blackburn, which still has not conceded a goal in this season’s FA Cup, fashioned an early chance when a free kick from the left was flashed through the Arsenal six-yard box and Markus Olsson knocked the loose ball wide at the far post.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been given a chance to impress in midfield for Arsenal, and the England international was soon on the ball, releasing Tomas Rosicky down the right only for the Czech winger to clip his attempted cross behind.

Oxlade-Chamberlain then decided to do it himself, charging into the Blackburn penalty area and cutting a pass back across the six-yard box where Bradley Orr hacked clear.

The Rovers full back was shown a yellow card by referee Mike Dean in the 12th minute after scything down Gervinho as the Ivory Coast forward, back from the African Nations Cup, looked to break down the left.

Arsenal fans behind the goal at the Clock End called for a penalty when Rosicky’s cross hit Scott Dann on the arm as he blocked it behind for a corner, but the referee was not interested.

The home side continued to press, forcing a succession of corners.

In the 25th minute, Arsenal finally got the delivery right from Rosicky, and Abou Diaby rose to power a bullet header goalward, which Rovers goalkeeper Jake Kean beat away at full stretch with a magnificent reaction save.

Kean was on hand to palm away a looping header from captain Thomas Vermaelen, fit again following an ankle problem, as the Rovers goal was under siege again.

The best opening came just before halftime when Rosicky slipped Gervinho into the penalty area, but despite holding off the defender, the Ivory Coast forward dragged his shot wide of the post — before dropping to his knees and looking to the heavens.

Blackburn started the second half brightly.

Vermaelen had to be alert as he touched a cross behind with Jordan Rhodes waiting to knock the ball in at the far post.

Arsenal slowly regained momentum, and Diaby flashed a 25-yard effort wide.

Blackburn made a change after 63 minutes when Markus Olsson was replaced by former Arsenal man David Bentley, who rejoined his old club Rovers on loan from Tottenham — and received a less-than-warm welcome from the home support.

Rosicky crashed a 20-yard effort off the crossbar and Rovers defender Grant Hanley made an important block as Gervinho cut in from the right.

With 20 minutes left, Wenger had seen enough and made a triple substitution as Walcott, Wilshere and Cazorla replaced Gervinho, Rosicky and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

However, out of nothing, Blackburn snatched the lead.

Martin Olsson burst into the left side of the penalty area and drilled the ball, which Wojciech Szczesny parried into the path of Kazim-Richards, whose scuffed follow-up effort bounced onto the post and in.

Arsenal immediately went on the offensive, with Walcott surging down the right, but was faced with a wall of blue shirts.

Diaby’s effort was charged down and Kean somehow saved a close-range header from Walcott before Giroud’s effort in stoppage-time was blocked as Rovers clung on for a famous win.

“To come to Arsenal and get through a cup tie is one thing, but to keep a clean sheet and defend as well as we did is another, and that is testament to our players,” said Blackburn boss Michael Appleton. “We have two man-mountains in the centre of defense.”

Later Saturday, a stoppage-time goal from substitute Matt Smith earned Oldham a 2-2 draw against Everton and a replay at Goodison Park.

Jordan Obita gave the Latics a 14th-minute lead at Boundary Park, smashing home with his left foot.

Victor Anichebe then leveled 11 minutes later with a crisp strike into the bottom left corner, and Phil Jagielka’s header three minutes after the interval looked to have done enough to give Everton the win.

However, Smith came out on top in a penalty-area scramble to head in an equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Luton’s impressive FA Cup run came to an end with a 3-0 defeat at home to Millwall. The nonleague side had stunned Norwich three weeks ago to reach this stage but found its Championship opponent one step too far at Kenilworth Road.

James Henry put the Lions in front after 12 minutes following a mistake by Janos Kovacs, with Rob Hulse adding another nine minutes before the interval from a tight angle. Dany N’Guessan then sealed the win with five minutes left to send Millwall through to the last eight.

A nonleague side has not made the FA Cup quarterfinals in 99 years.

Barnsley made it a hat trick of Championship teams in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory at League One’s MK Dons.

Chris Dagnall opened the scoring for the visitors after just three minutes before Marlon Harewood doubled the lead in the 20th minute.

MK Dons fought back in the second half with a goal from Dean Bowditch, but Dagnall’s second in stoppage time put the tie to bed. Alan Smith’s late dismissal rounded off a miserable afternoon for the home side.

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When Eden Hazard scored after 56 minutes, doubling the advantage provided by Ramires’ 23rd-minute opener, Chelsea appeared to be cruising toward three points and a return to third place in the Premier League.

But Shaun Maloney seized on yet another defensive mistake to halve the deficit and the relegation-threatened visitors might have had a penalty when Ronnie Stam’s shot struck Ashley Cole on the arm.

Again it fell to Lampard, whose future is uncertain, to save the Blues, his 86th-minute third moving him within four of Bobby Tambling’s club goalscoring record of 202, before substitute Marko Marin added a stoppage-time fourth.

After three wins in the previous 10 matches in all competitions, finally Benitez has more Premier League points than his predecessor, Roberto Di Matteo, whom he replaced in November, albeit in two more games.

It is a result that is likely to at least delay Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is not renowned for his patience, reaching for the trigger.

Chelsea had won 12 and lost one of 15 prior Premier League meetings with Wigan, which was a welcome visitor to Stamford Bridge.

There were four changes from the Blues side which lost at Newcastle, with Lampard captain as a result of John Terry’s knee injury.

The future of Lampard is unclear, with contradictory speculation in midweek over whether the midfielder will be offered a new contract to extend his 12-year stay beyond this summer.

Petr Cech, who was playing with a finger injury, was tested twice early on, first when Franco Di Santo forced him to save smartly with his feet and then when Maloney curled a left-footed effort from the right channel to stretch the goalkeeper.

Hazard had an effort blocked before a Lampard free kick was flicked on by Torres and went narrowly wide.

A through ball from Branislav Ivanovic found Torres, who in his previous incarnation — such as under Benitez at Liverpool — might have had the confidence to shoot first time. Instead he hesitated and prodded right-footed straight at Ali Al Habsi.

Torres had a key role in the opening goal, turning provider when he dropped deep to meet Luiz’s pass and played the ball on first time for Ramires, rampaging into the right channel.

The Brazilian showed composure to lift the ball over the onrushing Al Habsi. The goal gave relief and confidence to Chelsea.

Cesar Azpilicueta, who made his Spain debut in midweek, then charged down the right and crossed for his compatriot Torres, who saw his powerful header tipped over by Al Habsi.

Lampard’s bouncing shot went narrowly wide from 25 yards and David Luiz ballooned an effort over soon after.

Wigan’s attempt to reply before halftime was aided when an Oscar pass hit referee Mike Dean and rolled in the visitors’ favor. Maloney crossed from the right and Azpilicueta had to head behind, with James McArthur lurking at the back post.

Oscar curled over as the first half came to a close and Lampard had an effort blocked after the half.

Di Santo fired well over from long range before he was freed by James McCarthy, but he was unable to find a teammate with a cross.

Chelsea doubled its advantage when Gary Cahill’s free kick found Azpilicueta, who cut inside and rolled a pass to Hazard.

He struck a first-time shot into the net to celebrate his return from a three-match ban for kicking a ball boy.

As has happened all too often lately when ahead, the Blues relaxed a little too much and Wigan pounced.

Maloney beat the offside trap wide on the right to meet McArthur’s pass and Cech raced to meet him. The goalkeeper was unable to reach the ball and was rounded by the Scot, who netted from a narrow angle.

Singlehandedly, Lampard tried to raise his side, beating McCarthy in the left of the area before shooting wide across goal.

Wigan appealed for a penalty when a Stam shot appeared to hit Cole’s arm before substitute Arouna Kone was allowed to make space for a shot, which did not trouble Cech.

It was tense until Lampard’s intervention.

Hazard took the ball down the left and passed to the edge of the area. Mata stepped over the ball, leaving it for Lampard, who drilled into the bottom corner with trademark precision.

A fourth came when Al Habsi could only parry a swerving shot from Azpilicueta and substitute Marin headed in the rebound for his first Chelsea goal.

Torres almost got in on the act in the 94th minute but saw his rebound from Ramires’ shot saved.

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Villas-Boas was at pains to point out the similarities between Bale and Ronaldo during the week, and the Welshman put in a performance the Portuguese would have been proud of today.

Bale beat Tim Krul with a 25-yard free kick to open the scoring for the Londoners and then sealed the win with a superb breakaway goal that ended with him slotting the ball between the Newcastle goalkeeper’s legs.

“It was a massive game today. It was just important to come back and put pressure on the teams above us,” Bale told Sky Sports 1. “I am enjoying my football at the moment and that’s the most important thing. I’m just going to keep my head down and be focused.”

Newcastle dominated large parts of the game but Bale, like he has done so many times this season, swung the game in Spurs’ favour.

Bale was employed through the middle for large parts Saturday, which Villas-Boas believes is helping the midfielder make an even greater impact.

“Today we started where he finished the second half against West Brom (last weekend),” Villas-Boas said. “We gave him the same freedom. When a player feels good about the position he enjoys it more.”

The 23-year-old, who scored the decisive goals in Tottenham’s last two matches, now has 19 goals for club and country this season. Only the athletic brilliance of Krul prevented him from scoring a hat trick.

Newcastle’s goal came from Yoan Gouffran, who was later carried off on a stretcher with a serious-looking leg injury.

The win stretched Tottenham’s unbeaten Premier League run to 10 matches and put the north London club into third temporarily until Chelsea beat Wigan later Saturday.

Villas-Boas and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew fell out last season, but there was a strong sense of bonhomie as they embraced on the touchline before kickoff.

Bale was in no mood to show the visitors the same love. Just 70 seconds had elapsed when he burst down the left after a clever one-two with Lewis Holtby, but Davide Santon cut the Welshman’s cross out before Clint Dempsey could convert.

Three minutes later and Spurs had the lead. Fabricio Coloccini clattered into Dempsey 25 yards out and Bale stepped up to deliver a Ronaldo-esque free kick that dipped over the wall past a diving Krul.

Spurs dominated the rest of the opening quarter with some scintillating attacking football.

Mousa Dembele penetrated the box and rolled the ball back to Holtby, who came within inches of scoring his first goal for the club.

Thereafter Newcastle came back in to the game. Lloris saved from a Gouffran curler and Cisse directed a free diving header just wide of his compatriot’s goal.

Holtby momentarily raised the hopes of the home crowd, but Newcastle remained on top and the seemingly inevitable equalizer came with 24 minutes gone.

Sissoko galloped down the right on a Newcastle counter and pulled the ball back to Gouffran, who beat Lloris via a deflection from the diving Michael Dawson.

Spurs had two penalty appeals turned down. The first — when Aaron Lennon’s shot struck Santon’s arm — looked credible, but the second — when Bale’s volley brushed Mathieu Debuchy’s shoulder — was not.

Gutierrez whipped a cross in to the box to find Yohan Cabaye, but the Frenchman miscontrolled and Lloris came to the rescue.

Tottenham failed to up its performance straight after the break.

The game came to a pause for seven minutes as Gouffran received treatment for what looked like a serious injury. Kyle Walker clipped the forward’s right shin on the halfway line and he needed oxygen before being carried off on a stretcher. He was then taken to hospital for an X-ray.

“His shinbone looks sore. It’s fingers crossed,” Pardew said. “We don’t want to lose him, he’s only just come to the club.”

Bale looked to be Tottenham’s best hope of finding a winner. The Welshman, who fired his country to victory over Austria in midweek, picked the ball off Lennon and fired a low cross in to the box but it was cut out before Dempsey could score.

Bale came forward again, charging at the defense before firing a powerful shot that Taylor blocked bravely.

Taylor went from hero to villain moments later, however, as his mix-up with Coloccini allowed Bale to race through the Toon defense and fire between the legs of Krul to make it 2-1.

Caulker had a chance to seal the win moments later with a free header when Krul went walkabout, but the defender nodded wide.

Only Krul’s fingertips prevented the Welshman from adding a third after he raced through from a long punt downfield before firing a powerful volley at goal.

“He is definitely a great keeper,” Bale said. “I was disappointed with the goal I missed on my right foot. I’ll have to work on that.”

Cabaye put in a terrible tackle on Dembele, stamping on the Belgian’s ankle in a late attempt to win the ball. Spurs’ players demanded a red card, but Phil Dowd issued just a yellow.

Newcastle threatened to equalize in the second of seven added minutes through substitute Shola Ameobi, but Lloris saved well to deny the striker.

Krul’s acrobatics denied Bale his hat trick twice in added time, but the winger did not mind. He had already done enough damage to see off the Toon.

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Marco Reus gave Dortmund the lead after three minutes and Jakub Blaszczykowski doubled the advantage in the ninth minute from the spot. Stefan Reinartz scored a brace in the 58th and 62nd minutes to equalize only to see Robert Lewandowski make it 3-2 seconds later.

Blaszczykowski saw his second penalty attempt stopped in the 70th minute but Dortmund held on for the victory, its fourth in a row as it continues to trail Bayern by 12 points.

Leverkusen suffered its first Bundesliga loss at home this season as it dropped down to third.

Dortmund was without first-choice goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, who missed the match with the flu and was replaced by Mitchell Langerak.

But the visitors grabbed the lead after just three minutes with Lewandowski sending a superb through ball for Reus, who hit a looping shot over Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Leno then dragged down Lewandowski in the eighth minute for a Dortmund penalty which Blaszczykowski converted into the lower left corner to make it 2-0.

Leverkusen missed two chances to pull a goal back in the first half with Stefan Kiessling’s header going over the bar in the 14th minute and Andre Schurrle striking just high a minute before the break.

The hosts continued their push forward but were unable to use a double chance in the 50th minute with Langerak stopping Kiessling’s close-range shot and Dortmund defender Mats Hummels blocking Schurrle’s rebound attempt at the line.

Leverkusen finally made it 2-1 after 58 minutes as Kiessling looped the ball over the defense before Reinartz poked home from six yards.

Leverkusen equalized four minutes later from a set piece with Gonzalo Castro’s free kick going to Sebastian Boenisch, who headed it back across goal for Reinartz to nod home.

Dortmund answered right back in the 63rd minute with Philipp Wollscheid playing a poor back pass to Leno, who fended the ball away but right into the path of Lewandowski to give him an easy finish.

Dortmund missed a chance to re-establish the two-goal lead in the 70th minute as Leno held Blaszczykowski’s spot kick to the lower right corner after Boenisch took down Lewandowski.

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