Images from the League Cup matches played on Tuesday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea's on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato scored on his debut to help push pathetic Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Saturday. Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was adamant that he did not regret his team selection despite falling to a fifth Premier League defeat against table-topping Chelsea on Saturday.
Chelsea's new signing Gonzalo Higuain netted his first two Premier League goals in Chelsea's 5-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Town while Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min struck late for a 1-0 win over Newcastle United as they moved into second place.
Liverpool blew a chance take a vice-like grip on the title race and Chelsea suffered their worst league defeat in 23 years.
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri ruled himself out of the running for the job of Italy head coach on Thursday and said he hoped to stay at the Premier League leaders for years to come.
Sanchez, 28, is currently in the final year of his contract. He has been linked with a move to Paris St Germain in the current transfer window.
Andy Carroll scored a eight-minute hat-trick as West Ham United's last London derby at Upton Park ended in a barnstorming 3-3 draw with Arsenal on Saturday -- a result that dented both club's respective ambitions.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
Chelsea's commanding start to the Premier League season continued with a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday as their rivals for the title continued to look vulnerable.
Chelsea kept up their 100 percent start to the English Premier League season by snatching a 2-1 win at a stubborn Newcastle United on Sunday, grabbing victory thanks to a late own goal by DeAndre Yedlin.
A man who tried to rob Arsenal players Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac at knifepoint in a failed North London carjacking last July was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Friday.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football
Champions Chelsea begin title defence at home to Swansea City, while runners-up Manchester City kick-off at West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool were sent spinning to a 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley in the English Premier League on Saturday while Chelsea came from behind to win 2-1 at Watford thanks to late goals from Michy Batshuayi and Diego Costa.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
All eyes will be on Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal when he takes his team to Derby County for an FA Cup fourth-round tie on Friday with the fans' boos from their home defeat by Southampton still ringing in his ears.
The Dimitri Payet saga may have been preying on the minds of West Ham fans of late but the swaggering talent of big Andy Carroll is helping them forget all about the unseemly sideshow involving their French midfielder.
City have 89 points, one more than rivals Liverpool, with both teams having three games to play -- and none of them against top six opponents.
Manchester City stumbled to the most unexpected defeat of the Premier League season on Saturday before neighbours Manchester United began their brave new world under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a glorious reminder of long-forgotten attacking swagger.
British media reports say Sanchez will seal his move to United this week
Chelsea play "ugly" football under Jose Mourinho and the Premier League's runaway leaders deserve to be branded as boring because of their refusal to attack teams, their former manager Ruud Gullit has said.
Manchester United's winless run continued but they gave under-fire coach Louis van Gaal crumbs of cheer with a committed display in an entertaining 0-0 draw with Chelsea while Arsenal went top of the table on Monday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho delivered an expletive-laden halftime team talk that fired his side to a 3-1 comeback victory over Leicester City on Wednesday and moved them to within three points of the Premier League title.
Images from the English Premier League matches on Saturday.
'If you are a big player, and paid like a big player, you must play like a big player and behave like a big player'
McTominay injury takes gloss of vibrant United display
France coach Didier Deschamps, who has kept tinkering with his squad since the start of the European Championship, will be forced to rejig once again when the hosts face Iceland for a place in the semi-finals. With centre back Adil Rami and holding midfielder N'Golo Kante suspended, Deschamps, who has been praised for shrewd tactical moves in the tournament, is looking for the best options for Sunday's game at the Stade de France.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was again at his irrepressible best with another double earning Jose Mourinho's increasingly confident Manchester United a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.
Buoyant Chelsea extended their Premier League lead and calmed nerves at Stamford Bridge with a 4-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday that moved them seven points clear of their nearest pursuers Tottenham Hotspur.
Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday on the back of a record 15 successive English Premier League wins, and on the basis of their visitors' recent away form, a 16th victory appears to be the likely outcome.
Netherlands international Daley Blind believes sacked Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal deserved more respect, better treatment.
England's Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy struck in a 2-1 friendly win over fellow Euro 2016 finalists Turkey on Sunday as the home side warmed up with a performance that highlighted their potency in attack and defensive limitations.
Jose Mourinho is a proven winner who is the perfect choice as Manchester United manager, the club's former defender Phil Neville said on Sunday.
Chelsea's terrible start to the season plumbed new depths on Saturday when the Premier League champions lost 2-1 at West Ham United.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal blamed injuries and unrealistic expectations for his team's disappointing season after a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday confirmed a fifth place finish in the Premier League.
A suspicious package destroyed by a bomb disposal team after prompting the evacuation of Manchester United's stadium on Sunday was a fake device accidentally left behind after a training exercise, police said.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Tuesday.