For months, the 2024 Ballon d'Or seemed to have a clear front-runner, with everyone anticipating the coronation of Vinícius Júnior as the new king of football.
Liverpool's defence of a Premier League crown won at a canter last season has become a nightmare
Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four as Mason Mount's superb first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win at champions Liverpool who suffered a club-record fifth straight home league defeat on Thursday.
Manchester City came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in a breathless and pulsating Premier League encounter, at Anfield, on Sunday. All four goals came in the second half.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
first English title for 30 years had been sealed almost a month ago with seven games remaining, following a three-month stoppage because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The three Premier League and three La Liga clubs in the last eight avoided each other, with Manchester City up against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool to face Portuguese side Benfica.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Champions Liverpool are five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a 7-0 away hammering of Crystal Palace while Arsenal's troubles continued with a 2-1 defeat at second-placed Everton on Saturday.
The Premier League's bottom two clubs met at Goodison Park and there was more woe for Everton as they bowed out on penalties to Southampton after a 1-1 draw.
Liverpool raised the bar so high and enjoyed such a huge winning margin in claiming the English Premier League title last season it would be churlish to doubt their credentials for a repeat showing.
Manchester City have one just victory from their last 10 games across all competitions.
This was not quite Liverpool back to their best but it was an important statement of intent for Klopp's side that they will not be giving up their title without a fight.
Liverpool will resume their quest for a first top-flight title in 30 years against Everton on June 21 but the venue for the behind-closed-doors fixture was not confirmed when the league released its revised fixtures for the season's restart.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker scored a stunning header in the fifth minute of stoppage-time as Liverpool snatched a 2-1 victory at the death against relegated West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Sunday.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Liverpool fans went into a tizzy and the COVID-19 pandemic no deterrent, they thronged the streets in numbers, celebrating with flares, placards. Here's a look at how fans are celebrating...
Images from Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool 'disappointed' after fans celebrate league win outside Anfield
Klopp's side won the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup titles last year, but the German said that their rivals will look to close the gap.
A summary of Saturday's matches in the Premier League.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he will miss his old sparring partner Juergen Klopp when the Liverpool manager calls time on his reign at the end of the season.
Images from the Champions League football matches played on Wednesday night.
While Sunday's clash was the last time Klopp and Guardiola will face off for Premier League points, as far as this year's title race is concerned it merely made things even more interesting with Arsenal ahead of Liverpool on goal difference and City one point back. All three have 10 games left.
Liverpool's English Premier League title winning captain Jordan Henderson was named England's Footballer of the Year on Friday in the annual vote of the Football Writers' Association (FWA).
Liverpool overcame another obstacle on the path to what looks an almost certain Premier League title triumph as they chalked up a record-breaking 20th win
Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth straight English top flight title with a 3-1 win over West Ham United.
With 27 wins and 82 points under their belt after only one defeat all season, red-hot Liverpool set a record-breaking pace to leave teams behind them in their wake and are six points shy of ending a 30-year wait for the top-flight title.
Liverpool, five-times European champions and last season's Champions League runners-up, eased past the Bavarians and into the quarter-finals with two goals from Sadio Mane and one from Virgil van Dijk after a goalless first leg at Anfield.
Brazilian Richarlison missed a golden opening to win it at the death and Spurs had to settle for one point in a match they really should have taken all three from.
Manchester City now need, at most, 11 points from their remaining seven matches to secure their third Premier League title in four seasons.
The Reds have won 28 of their 31 Premier League matches this season.
Images from Saturday's action in the English Premier League.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp took exception to Frank Lampard's comments after the Chelsea boss labelled the Premier League champions 'arrogant' following a touchline spat during Wednesday's 5-3 win at Anfield. At his news conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Newcastle United for their final game of the season, Klopp said Lampard had a lot to learn to keep his emotions in check after the fulltime whistle.
Leaders Liverpool faltered in the English Premier League title race for the second time in six days as they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham United.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. score twice as his side punished a sloppy Liverpool to win 3-1, while Manchester City beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The battle for Champions League qualification continues with fourth-placed Aston Villa away to Luton Town on Saturday and Tottenham Hotspur, who are five points behind with a game in hand, hosting Crystal Palace.
The reigning champions have won 53 and drawn 11 of those 64 games, scoring 169 goals and conceding 42 for a total of 170 points.
IMAGES from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Regardless of whether they eventually win it at home or away, the celebrations that marked their Anfield victory over Queens Park Rangers that won the league in 1990 will not be repeated.
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