Manchester United's troubled season hit a new low on Saturday as Jose Mourinho saw his gamble on introducing a new tactical system backfire with an insipid 3-1 defeat to West Ham United in the Premier League.
71-year-old Sven-Goran Eriksson won 18 trophies with various clubs in Sweden, Portugal and Italy, between 1979 and 2000, and became the first manager to win league-and-cup doubles in three countries.
There will be no seismic shifts in the balance of the world's richest football competition if the first weekend of the new Premier League season is anything to go by.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League
Alexis Sanchez is facing a crucial period to justify his big-money wages at Old Trafford.
A night of wholesale team changes for the 11 Premier League sides in action produced one notable upset with top flight Stoke City losing 2-0 at second-tier Bristol City.
Last season's FA Cup runners-up Chelsea struck four times before the break to crush second-tier Hull City 4-0 and stroll into the quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge on Friday.
Media reports said former England manager Roy Hodgson was in line to replace De Boer at Selhurst Park.
Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday
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.
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.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
English Premier League leaders Liverpool will need to maintain their excellent recent record against Everton in Sunday's Merseyside derby if they are to hold their advantage over second-placed Manchester City.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action:
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.
Riyad Mahrez scored one and set up another as Leicester City strolled to a 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the Premier League on Monday.
Talking points from this weekend's Premier League action as top two Manchester City and Liverpool both won with City remaining a point clear with two games remaining.
City will look to extend lead against United at Old Trafford
Tottenham Hotspur have shown impressive durability in the Premier League lately, but they will need to be at their most steadfast to deny champions and league leaders Manchester City who travel to Wembley on Monday.
Manchester City opened up a two-point lead over their neighbours Manchester United at the top of the English Premier League on Saturday thanks to another display of scintillating brilliance in a 7-2 thrashing of Stoke City at the Etihad Stadium.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League
Defeat always seemed likely for West Brom, who are bottom of the Premier League and sacked their chairman and chief-executive on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Wednesday
Leicester's Mahrez finds form in time for January sales
Manchester United have scored 14 goals and earned maximum points from their four matches under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Two big derbies and an eventful weekend of football awaits us all...
A summary of Tuesday's League Cup matches.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A last-minute own goal gave Liverpool a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur to keep them top of the Premier League but Manchester City stayed two points behind having won at Fulham. Huddersfield Town were relegated after their defeat by Crystal Palace.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
But for third-placed Spurs, who trail leaders Manchester City and Liverpool by five points, this may prove to be a loss that leaves them with too much ground to make up.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Here are five talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
Five talking-points from the Premier League weekend after Manchester United extended their winning run against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool were made to work hard for their win at Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal losing at West Ham United.
Liverpool opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the English Premier League with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, while Arsenal's poor away form continued with a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United.
A Roberto Firmino hat-trick proved the highlight of Liverpool's 5-1 demolition of Arsenal as the Premier League leaders opened a nine-point gap over Tottenham Hotspur, who lost 3-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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.
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