Two goals from Cesc Fabregas gave Arsenal a routine 2-0 victory over precariously placed Middlesbrough on Sunday to extend its unbeaten run in the Premier League to 20 games. Captain Fabregas and his teammates were in a different class to Boro as they closed the gap on third-placed Chelsea to six points with four games remaining. Arsenal is 12 points behind leader Manchester United and although the title has long been out of reach the Gunners are now virtually assured a top-four finish and Champions League football next season. Boro's 10th consecutive away defeat in the league left it third from bottom, three points behind Hull City who is just above the drop zone. Blackburn Rovers, another team scrapping near the bottom of the table, edged toward safety with a 2-0 home victory over mid-table Wigan Athletic. Striker Benni McCarthy and defender Ryan Nelsen scored to lift Rovers six points above the relegation zone. Napoli stuns Inter Inter Milan's lead in the Italian league was trimmed to seven points on Sunday after Jose Mourinho's side lost 1-0 at Napoli and city rivals AC Milan beat Palermo 3-0. Napoli's Marcelo Zalayeta scored the only goal of a high-tempo, but uninspiring match in which both sides failed to create many chances. Earlier Kaka converted two penalties to lead Milan to victory over Palermo, while Juventus was held to a 2-2 draw by last-place Reggina. Reigning champion Inter remains top of Serie A with 74 points, while AC Milan is second with 67, Juventus has 65 and Fiorentina 58. Genoa's hopes of returning to the Champions League places were hit when it slipped to a 2-0 defeat away to Bologna. Also Sunday, it was: Lecce 2, Catania 1; Sampdoria 3, Cagliari 3; Lazio 0, Atalanta 1; and Torino 1, Siena 0.
