Manchester United stayed put atop the English Premier League after 2-0 victory over Reading as Arsenal routed Fulham 3-0 and Chelsea beat Birmingham City 1-0.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been ruled out for a month with a calf injury sustained in Saturday's 6-3 win over Arsenal, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Monday.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hopes his players return injury-free from the international break this month for a hectic run of fixtures that could define the Premier League champions' season.
Chelsea also begin the new English season at home, against promoted Birmingham City.
Arsenal scored a late goal to force a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa but saw their lead at the top of the Premier League cut to one point after Manchester United won 3-0 at Fulham.
Chelsea captain John Terry, who underwent surgery on Sunday for a broken cheekbone, will travel with his team mates to Valencia for Wednesday's Champions League Group B game.
Manchester United defenders Jonny Evans and Rafael will miss Tuesday's Champions League match at Real Sociedad due to injury, manager David Moyes said on the eve of the Group A game.
Chelsea reached the League Cup quarter-finals thanks to two own goals in a 3-2 win over second-tier Derby County on Wednesday as Frank Lampard's return to his former club ended in disappointment.
"It is a different Arsenal now," Wenger told a news conference on Friday. "They are not going to let other teams kick them off the pitch."
Champions Manchester United stumbled to their second successive Premier League draw on Wednesday when they were held 1-1 at Portsmouth.
Chelsea set an unbeaten home record of 64 matches during their 3-2 win over Birmingham City.
A second-string Arsenal side proved strong enough to secure a 2-0 victory at Championship club Burnley on Sunday and with it a place in Monday's FA Cup fourth-round draw.
Chelsea host Villa on Wednesday, Newcastle United on Dec. 29 and are away at neighbours Fulham on new year's day.
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has agreed a new 12-month contract to stay at Old Trafford next season.
Leaders Manchester United will meet Premier League rivals Reading in the FA Cup fifth round.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Manchester United beat Fulham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday to climb to second in the Premier League.
Former Hull City midfielder Jimmy Bullard, who is now retired, says the club 'changed his life' by paying him up to an extra 15,000 or 16,000 pounds a week by mistake.
- George Best, one of the most talented footballers to grace the 'beautiful game'.
Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski could be ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury, manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday.
England striker Wayne Rooney suffered a hairline fracture of his left foot in Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Reading on Sunday, the Premier League champions announced.
The players are likely to get three-match Premier League bans following dismissals during last week's friendly against Porto in Amsterdam.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Aston Villa will be the first league visitors to Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium on the opening day of the Premier League.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Manchester United climbed two places up to second in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford scored deep into stoppage time to give them a fortuitous 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
For the second time in five weeks, Chelsea have been fined for failing to control their players
In 1997 IBM's Deep Blue computer beat world chess champion Garry Kasparov. But did IBM fight dirty?
A list of the top 50 sportspeople as they stand at the end of 2003.
Champions Manchester City will expect to get back to winning ways at home to Newcastle United in a match which pits Pep Guardiola against his fellow Spaniard Rafa Benitez.
Premier League leaders Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the standout tie in the draw for the third round of the FA Cup made on Sunday.
Arsenal has reportedly signed former England football team captain David Beckham's eldest son Brooklyn on a short-term deal.
Manchester United will be without the two players for three games after their claims of wrongful dismissal in a friendly were rejected.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Tottenham Hotspur routed Bournemouth 5-0 as they leapfrogged City into second place in the league, six points behind leaders Liverpool who thrashed Newcastle United 4-0.
Manchester United lead the English Premier League with 53 points from 21 games; Chelsea follow with 47 while Bolton Wanderers are third.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has much to ponder as he prepares his side for Saturday's local derby against Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Fulham defender Sascha Riether has been charged by the FA with violent conduct for a challenge on Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj which was not seen by the match officials after the incident was dealt with under a new scheme.
France striker Louis Saha will stay at Manchester United until 2010.
West Ham United made absolutely certain of Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday -- their third victory over their London rivals this season.
While the lack of squad-strengthening is causing consternation amongst the fans, Tottenham's squad is still young and looks more than capable of standing its ground.
