Didier Drogba scored twice to lift Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday and back to the top of the Premier League while Arsenal shadowed them with a last-gasp victory at Hull City.
Everton climbed to eighth in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta continued his rehabilitation with two goals in a 5-1 home thrashing of Hull City Sunday.
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
Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea came from behind to win 3-1 at Sunderland on Tuesday and make it two wins from two in the Premier League.
Didier Drogba struck in stoppage time as Chelsea marked Carlo Ancelotti's first Premier League match in charge with a 2-1 victory over Hull City on Saturday.
Aston Villa became the latest of the Premier League's top-four challengers to miss an opportunity when they were held to a disappointing goalless draw by West Ham United on Sunday.
No English team has won four successive top-flight titles and United, champions for the last three seasons, are involved in the most open and unpredictable title race for years.
Manchester United and Arsenal failed to take advantage of Chelsea's inactivity in the snowbound Premier League when they were held to draws by Birmingham City and Everton on Saturday. United came from behind to draw 1-1 at Birmingham while Arsenal rescued a point when a last-gasp Tomas Rosicky equaliser earned a 2-2 home draw with Everton.
Bolton Wanderers sacked manager Gary Megson on Wednesday following a 2-2 home draw with Hull City which left the club in the Premier League relegation zone.
Wayne Rooney was involved in every goal as Manchester United beat struggling Hull City 3-1 on Sunday to slash Chelsea's lead to two points in the Premier League. The result lifted champions United back ahead of Arsenal, who defeated fourth-placed Aston Villa 3-0 with Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas coming off the bench to score two second-half goals, into second place.
Consistency in the second half of the season will decide the Premier League title, Manchester United and Arsenal agreed on Sunday after reeling in faltering leaders Chelsea.
Wayne Rooney gave away a goal but redeemed himself to inspire Manchester United to a 3-1 win over struggling Hull City which slashed Chelsea's lead to two points at the top of the Premier League on Sunday. The result lifted champions United back ahead of Arsenal, who beat fourth-placed Aston Villa 3-0 with Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas coming off the bench to score two goals, into second place.
Cesc Fabregas scored twice to send Arsenal second in the Premier League, four points behind Chelsea but with a game in hand, after brushing aside Aston Villa 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Chelsea and Manchester City tightened their stranglehold on the Premier League title race on Saturday, recording victories over struggling clubs to stretch further clear of their increasingly forlorn pursuers.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said there was still no return date set for defender Rio Ferdinand who is sidelined by a recurring back problem.
Premier League champions Chelsea, beginning to find their form under Guus Hiddink after a shocking start to the season, will face Manchester City in the outstanding tie of the FA Cup fifth round following Sunday's draw.
Chelsea's stuttering form continued on Saturday when the Premier League leaders kicked off a hectic holiday programme with a 0-0 draw at Birmingham City.
Wayne Rooney scored a two-penalty hat-trick as Manchester United won 4-1 at Portsmouth on Saturday to trim Chelsea's Premier League lead to two points.
A cruel own goal by Damien Duff condemned Newcastle United to relegation from the Premier League after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday.
Manchester United have every right to field a weakened team against Hull City on Sunday even though it could have an impact on the relegation battle, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has said. Manchester United, who clinched the Premier League title last weekend, face Barcelona in the Champions League final in Rome next Wednesday and manager Alex Ferguson is considering resting some of his senior players for the match at Hull.
An injury-time goal by Jan Venegoor of Hesselink gave Hull City a 2-1 home win over Stoke City on Sunday and eased the pressure on manager Phil Brown.
Former Hull City wing back Bernard Mendy scored through a stunning bicycle kick as hosts Chennaiyin FC beat Kerala Blasters 2-1 in a Hero Indian Super League match on Tuesday.
Gareth Southgate insists Middlesbrough will fight on after their Premier League future was left hanging by a thread following a damaging 3-1 defeat by relegation rivals Newcastle United.
Holders Manchester United overcame the 29th-minute sending-off of teenaged Brazilian defender Fabio Da Silva to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Arsenal rediscovered their Premier League form on Saturday with a convincing 3-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium. Portsmouth ended a run of six successive league defeats when they won 3-0 at Everton while Hull City's flying start ended emphatically when they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Wigan Athletic.
Arsenal set up an FA Cup quarter-final against Hull City when they cruised past Championship (second division) side Burnley 3-0 in their delayed fifth round match at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Tottenham Hotspur's in-form England striker Jermain Defoe can become Premier League top scorer this season, according to manager Harry Redknapp.
Chelsea sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari on Monday after seven months in charge, saying that results and performances 'appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season'.
Aston Villa beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 on Saturday for a club record seventh consecutive away league victory to stay firmly in the Premier League title race.
Robbie Keane scored twice to help Tottenham Hotspur claim a 3-0 victory over Hull City in the final of the Premier League's Asia Trophy on Friday.
Petr Cech will return in goal for Arsenal at HullCity on Saturday after missing the 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris St Germain in midweek.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and defender Branislav Ivanovic will be out of action until the end of January, the Chelsea website reported on Wednesday.
Hull City broke their transfer record to sign shaggy-haired central midfielder Jimmy Bullard from Premier League rivals Fulham on Friday.
Hull City, who visit Anfield on Saturday, have displayed superb away form in their first season in the top flight, and offer no guarantee of three points to Rafael Benitez's side.
Newcastle United's euphoria after their win over Middlesbrough on Monday turned to despair on Saturday when a 1-0 loss at home to Fulham left their Premier League status hanging by a thread.
Arsenal are going through a sticky patch, goals and points are drying up and injuries are mounting, so it is not the best time to entertain Manchester United on Saturday. Chelsea, who returned to the top last week on goal difference with a 5-0 thrashing of Sunderland, are at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday while Liverpool, stunned 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur, are at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Harry Kane won the Premier League Golden Boot for the second successive year after scoring a second hat- trick in four days as Tottenham thrashed relegated Hull City 7-1 on Sunday.
Aston Villa secured their place in Europe next season and Hull City remained dangerously close to the relegation zone after John Carew gave the Midlanders a 1-0 Premier League victory Monday.
Newcastle United were left deep in relegation trouble after being held to a goalless draw at home to Portsmouth in a tense Premier League match on Monday. With four matches left to play, Newcastle remain in the drop zone with 31 points, although the draw was enough to move them ahead of Middlesbrough on goal difference and up to 18th place.
Liverpool battled to a 3-1 victory at 10-man Hull City on Saturday to keep the pressure on Manchester United at the top of the English Premier League. Chelsea maintained third place on 71 points with a low-key 1-0 victory at West Ham United courtesy of Salomon Kalou's goal.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances