Manchester City returned to the Premier League summit for the first time since January with a 3-2 win at Everton on Saturday that left them six points from a second title in three seasons.
Factbox on Jose Mourinho, who was named manager of Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday
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However, experienced goalkeeper Joe Hart and Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere were both omitted from a squad announced on Wednesday via a social media video featuring young recreational players from around the country shouting out the names.
Records fell on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday as Manchester City beat Southampton 1-0 to become the first team to reach 100 points and Mohamed Salah established a new Premier League goalscoring mark as Liverpool clinched a top-four spot.
Check out the top footballers of the weekend.
Per Mertesacker is confident new goalkeeper Petr Cech will enhance Arsenal's defence and the centre back said he has already developed an understanding with the Czech international.
Results and images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
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Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini believes he was made the scapegoat for the team's torrid time under former manager David Moyes in the Premier League last season.
After losing 1-0 at fierce rivals Manchester City last weekend, United are 10th in the English Premier League following their worst start to a campaign since 1986.
Tottenham Hotspur sacked coach Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, a day after the London club were thrashed 5-0 at home by Liverpool, the Premier League club said on their website (www.tottenhamhotspur.com).
Manchester City emerged from a trough of despair to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 and move to within three points of the Premier League title at Wembley on Saturday.
Leicester City's Premier League title defence got off to a terrible start as they were beaten 2-1 at promoted Hull City, who shrugged off an injury crisis to shock the champions on the opening day of the new season on Saturday
Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick as champions Manchester City made a convincing start to their title defence with a 5-0 win over West Ham United.
Liverpool target Chelsea after midweek tinkering, while third-placed Manchester City, whose hopes of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage were dealt a severe blow in a humiliating 2-1 home defeat by CSKA Moscow on Wednesday, travel south to face struggling Queens Park Rangers.
Irresistible Chelsea go into the Christmas round of fixtures knowing they can end the year by re-writing the record books.
Minor league Eastleigh suffered FA Cup heartbreak when they conceded a late equaliser to four-times winners Bolton Wanderers on a gluepot pitch at their snug Ten Acres ground on Saturday.
West Bromwich Albion inflicted further misery on Manchester United, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday to condemn the champions to their worst start to a Premier League season and leave them in the bottom half of the table after six games.
Gerrard will wave goodbye to the Liverpool fans in his final home match against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League all but ended.
Arsene Wenger hit back at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's thinly-veiled criticism.
Chelsea have been accused of being boring but they will not mind one bit if they beat Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to win the Premier League title for the first time in five years.
Mohamed Salah was inevitably on the scoresheet as Liverpool took full advantage of the inactivity of their top-four rivals to thrash West Ham United 4-1 at Anfield and provisionally move into second in the Premier League.
The Premier League bursts back into life after the international break.
Fans are openly speculating that owner Roman Abramovich, a man who places notoriously high demands on his managers, could call time on Jose Mourinho's second spell at Stamford Bridge if Liverpool can inflict another defeat on the champions.
Manchester City beat Swansea 3-1 to make it a perfect 10 victories under Pep Guardiola, including six in the Premier League, as they recorded their best start to a top-flight campaign. City's victory was the perfect riposte to the Spaniard's old rival Jose Mourinho, who earlier saw his remodelled Manchester United sparkle without the dropped Wayne Rooney, thumping Premier League champions Leicester City 4-1. On a day of goals, both Manchester sides were outscored by Liverpool, who crushed Hull City 5-1 to take their tally to 24 in the past eight games.
Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho helped Liverpool reach the FA Cup fifth round.
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Manchester City embark on a fifth Champions League campaign buoyant after a perfect start to their domestic season but still searching for the secret formula against Europe's top brass.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when a mix up at the back saw Riyad Mahrez square for Jamie Vardy to tap into an open goal in front of the Kop in the third minute. Liverpool looked for an immediate riposte, but Salah missed two gilt-edged opportunities before Sadio Mane saw an effort disallowed for offside as Juergen Klopp's men grew frustrated.
Tottenham Hotspur stormed back from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 4-2 in their FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday despite resting their top striker in the once-fabled competition.
Manchester City endured some anxious moments but escaped from fourth-tier Newport County with their FA Cup hopes intact as Phil Foden scored twice in an ultimately comfortable 4-1 fifth-round victory on Saturday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
The omens are good for a Chelsea side heading into Christmas top of the Premier League tree but manager Jose Mourinho does not want to give title rivals Manchester City any reason to cheer over the festive season. Check out the big games on Boxing Day.
Chelsea begin their Premier League title defence against Swansea City on Saturday in the unusual position of heading into a new season having been significantly outspent by their rivals.
Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Anfield, thus maintaining the league leaders' 100 per cent start
Four wins a row have lifted Manchester United into the Premier League's top four and Louis van Gaal's managerial reign is beginning to bear fruit after a difficult start.
A 3-0 reality check at the hands of Manchester City was always a moment waiting to happen for Southampton. Just how they bounce back from Sunday's defeat may now determine their fortunes this season.
Manchester City made sure of third place in the Premier League when they romped to a 5-0 win at Watford on Sunday to ensure a Champions League berth for next season.
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