LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United’s record-breaking surge to a 20th English title gathered more steam with a 1-0 win at Sunderland on Saturday, and Gareth Bale helped Tottenham seize the initiative in the race for Champions League qualification by scoring another spectacular goal.

Titus Bramble’s own goal earned United an English-record 25th win in 30 league games and kept the team 15 points ahead of reigning champion Manchester City, which thrashed Newcastle 4-0 to tighten its grip on second place.

“The players have been galvanized,” United manager Alex Ferguson said of the team’s reaction to losing the title to City on the final day of last season. “Their spirit, concentration and focus have been excellent. We just have to win games and that is the important thing to focus on.”

Spurs leapfrogged Chelsea into third place thanks to a 2-1 victory at Swansea ― with Bale’s sublime curling shot proving decisive ― and the European champions’ 2-1 loss at Southampton.

Fifth-place Arsenal moved just two points behind Chelsea in the battle for a top-four place by beating Reading 4-1, ruining Nigel Adkins’ first game in charge of a team that’s now bottom of the standings.

It was Bale’s 27th goal for club and country this season ― a tally which has made him a contender for the Player of the Year award and is keeping Spurs on course for a return to the Champions League.

“He’s an amazing player,” Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said of Bale. “When he finds a small amount of space, he can produce something special.”

With goalkeeper Tim Howard back after recovering from broken bones in his back, Everton beat Stoke 1-0 courtesy of a wonderful solo goal by Kevin Mirallas. Howard even helped spark the counterattack that led to the goal.

Germany

Bayern Munich’s latest Bundesliga championship was delayed for another week but it did celebrate hammering Hamburger SV 9-2 on Saturday, with Claudio Pizarro scoring four goals.

Because Borussia Dortmund also won, 2-1 in Stuttgart, Bayern remained 20 points ahead with seven games to play and mathematically still can lose the title. But if Bayern wins next week in Frankfurt, it will still become the earliest champion in Bundesliga history.

With a Champions League quarterfinal against Juventus looming on Tuesday, Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes rested several players. But his team quickly seized control against a hapless Hamburg on a damp and cool evening. Xherdan Shaquiri scored unchallenged in the fifth minute and Bayern got rolling. Shaqiri provided the cross for Bastian Schweinsteiger’s goal in the 19th and Pizarro pounced on a corner from Arjen Robben in the 30th.

Spain

Spanish leader Barcelona conceded a late equalizer to slip to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo, stumbling on Saturday before its Champions League quarterfinal with Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona appeared to have secured the win when Lionel Messi added to his earlier assist to Cristian Tello by scoring in the 73rd minute to extend his record Spanish league scoring run to 19 straight games.

With the goal against Celta, Messi has netted against every other team in the league during the streak.

But Barcelona’s defense left midfielder Borja Oubina unmarked to head home the tying goal two minutes from time, reawakening doubts about its injury-riddled backline before Tuesday’s trip to PSG for their first leg in Europe’s final eight.