A Sergio Aguero hat-trick helped Manchester City get back to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United, as they stayed 12 points ahead of Manchester United who had to dig deep to secure a 1-0 win at Burnley.
The Gunners' only league defeat of the campaign was in September away to one of England's traditional top-six clubs, Manchester United, drawing criticism that their strong start to the season was based on wins against lesser opposition.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan is doubtful if pacer Jofra Archer will take any further part in the ongoing three-match Test series against West Indies after he was dropped for "selfishly" breaching the bio-secure bubble.
Newcastle grabbed a point to leave City manager Pep Guardiola frustrated.
Solskjaer said he showed faith in his young strikers after allowing Romelu Lukaku to join Inter Milan in August.
The victory puts the pressure back on title rivals Liverpool who are at Cardiff City on Sunday and trail by a point with each side having played 34 games.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Newcastle thump Preston in tense match to romp back to the top-tier
Top-class goals from Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero took Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League in a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Rediff.com encapsulates all the sporting action from the past week in this eye-catching photo feature.
Romelu Lukaku extended his impressive FA Cup scoring record by netting twice in Manchester United's 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town to earn Jose Mourinho's side a quarter-final tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Harry Kane's 101st Premier League goal was the difference as Tottenham Hotspur earned a 1-0 win over Arsenal, to continue their fine recent form in north London derbies in front of a Premier League record crowd at Wembley on Saturday.
Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen's knack for complex strategy has helped steer him into the upper echelons of an unlikely competition -- fantasy football. The Norwegian stands third on the Premier League's official fantasy football competition (FPL), only being knocked off top spot on Monday after Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Arsenal beat Brighton and Hove Albion 3-2 to reach the FA Cup fifth round.
Images from Saturday's action in the English Premier League.
Images from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Spurs Premier League match at Brighton postponed due to COVID-19
Chelsea paid a heavy price for a 3-2 defeat at West Ham United as first Liverpool, then Manchester City, leapfrogged them in the English Premier League title race on Saturday, with City ending the day on top for the first time this season.
'Now we have to look to the next game, which is important for us, in the FA Cup'
Pep Guardiola's insatiable team were already thinking beyond the magnificent 2018-19 campaign and contemplating a third straight English title win next season with the Spaniard having said they will get even better.
The New South Wales Police on Wednesday arrested four men including Marino Sotiropoulos -- Stuart MacGill's girlfriend Maria O'Meagher.
Pace legend Michael Holding questioned the England and Wales Cricket Board's bio-secure protocol to tackle the COVID-19 threat after England pacer Jofra Archer breached it ahead of the ongoing second Test against the West Indies in Manchester.
The next 10 images prove that we live in a wonderfully weird world.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Such is the level of consistency of Manchester City (nine straight wins) and Liverpool (five straight victories), that it can be easy to lose sight of just how good this title race is.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday
This and more from the happenings in the world of football
Manchester City claimed the win required to finally end Liverpool's relentless attempt to dethrone them as Premier League champions as they hit back from a goal down to crush Brighton and Hove Albion on the south coast on Sunday.
'It wasn't easy, but I called him last night (Sunday) and we had a difficult and tough conversation. I feel bad as he's a player who has always been at the top level and has a future with the national team.'
Manchester City and Everton players took to the field wearing Ukrainian flags before their Premier League game on Saturday while there were anti-war messages at stadiums elsewhere following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Dull, boring, lifeless -- nothing else to say really. But we're going to win the World Cup anyway so don't worry about us!" said Leighton from Liverpool.
The ECB did not specify the nature of the breach but said the West Indies team were satisfied with the measures taken.
Comb-over moustaches, handlebars and lots of gel. Hundreds of hairy men from around the world descended on Antwerp in Belgium for the 2019 World Beard and Moustache Championships. The wacky contest sees the well-groomed competitors take part in three main categories - moustache, partial beard and full beard - with each including several sub-categories.
United beat Leicester City at Old Trafford in the opening game of the season but Spurs present a very different quality of opponent.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
A late goal by substitute Charlie Austin gave relegation-threatened Southampton a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Sunday in new Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuettl's first home game.
Warne, Ponting, Langer to play Twenty20 bushfire match; Serena donates Auckland winnings to help raise money.
