Football round-up: Bayern Munich set 37 game unbeaten record

Bayern's Thomas Mueller celebrates after scoring a penalty during the German first division Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Augsburg (AP)

Bayern Munich pulled four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and set a new record of 37 games unbeaten with a 3-0 win over Augsburg yesterday. Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Müller scored the European champions.

The win saw Bayern - who last lost a league game in October 2012 - beat Hamburg's 36-match unbeaten run set between January 1982 and January 1983.

Blatter: No Olympic clash

Sepp Blatter has cast doubt on the 2022 World Cup being moved to the winter after ruling out the prospect of the tournament being held in January or February of that year.

The Fifa president says a clash with the 2022 Winter Olympics – which is typically held in the first two weeks of February – would be "totally disrespectful".

"We will not play the World Cup in January and February," Blatter said last night.

"It would be totally disrespectful to the Olympic family and organisation."

Speaking in the UAE on Friday, Blatter revealed he hoped to explore the prospect of playing the World Cup in November or December rather than during the heat of summer in Qatar.

Van Dijk lifts Celtic

Celtic recovered from their Champions League disappointment against Ajax with a 4-1 victory at Ross County in the Scottish Premier League yesterday.

Headers from Virgil van Dijk gave the leaders a two-goal advantage before Ivan Sproule reduced the deficit in the 68th minute. But Celtic rapidly reasserted their grip on the game with two goals in five minutes from Joe Ledley.

Ings stings Howe

Burnley stayed top of the Championship despite only managing a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Eddie Howe's return to Turf Moor.

Danny Ings's late equaliser secured the point against his former club after Tokelo Rantie looked to have secured a shock result for Howe, who left the Clarets last November and was replaced by Sean Dyche. Ings, who signed by Howe from Bournemouth during his spell as Burnley manager, headed home in the 84th minute.

Cox shocks Foxes

Simon Cox and Jamie Mackie scored the goals that gave Nottingham Forest a surprise 2-0 win at Leicester City.

Cox converted from close range, against the run of early play, and Mackie struck three minutes before half-time to hand Nigel Peason's side their first home defeat of the season.

Leicester failed to convert a host of chances, including a 69th-minute penalty by David Nugent.

Barton revives QPR

Joey Barton rescued a point for Queens Park Rangers with a 78th-minute free-kick in their 1-1 draw at Reading. Nigel Adkins' side took a 62nd-minute lead through Garath McCleary but the former Newcastle midfielder responded with a well-flighted set-piece. "Joey was excellent," said Kevin Bond, QPR's assistant manager.

Swindon sunk again

Connor Jennings struck twice as Macclesfield Town pulled off the biggest shock of FA Cup first-round day with a 4-0 home demolition of Swindon Town.

The Conference Premier side, who also knocked out their League One opponents last season, never looked back after the on-loan Scunthorpe striker's 26th-minute opener. Scott Boden doubled the lead before Jennings's close-range finish and Peter Winn's late strike completed the rout.

Elsewhere, Brackley Town were denied a win at Gillingham by Scott Dack's equaliser in the seventh minute of injury time.