Champions Chelsea will kick off their title defence at home to promoted West Bromwich Albion on August 14, the English Premier League announced on Thursday. In another headline clash on the opening weekend, Newcastle United will mark their return to the top flight with a mouth-watering trip to Old Trafford against runners-up Manchester United.
Manchester City sent Chelsea crashing to a 4-2 defeat to end their 37-match unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge and dent their Premier League title hopes on Saturday. The leaders, beaten at home for the first time in all competitions since November 2008, finished with nine men after having Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack sent off late in the second half.
If, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, a week is a long time in politics, four and a half months in football clearly represents an eternity.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has told arch rivals Arsenal that its time to show their mettle for the Premier League title.
Chelsea secured the Premier League crown in magnificent fashion on Sunday with an 8-0 thrashing of 10-man Wigan Athletic in a party atmosphere at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure met a top official with soccer's governing body on Sunday to discuss allegations that he was the victim of racial abuse from fans during a match in Russia in midweek.
Manager Juergen Klopp's leadership is laying the foundations for "something special" at Liverpool, forward Giorginio Wijnaldum has said. Liverpool have started the new Premier League campaign with 10 points from a possible 15 after a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Friday. The Merseyside club, who won at Arsenal and also beat champions Leicester City 4-1, were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane following their 2-0 defeat by promoted Burnley last month.
Apart from the possibility that top-class foreign universities will not want to set up campuses if they're going to come in as 'deemed universities', there is the issue of a level playing field for Indian institutions. Here are two voices, one for and the other against the Bill. Read on. . .
Chelsea lost 4-2 at home to Manchester City and Arsenal closed within three points of the Premier League leaders with a 3-1 win at Stoke City marred by a horrific leg injury to Aaron Ramsey Saturday. City scored a memorable victory at Stamford Bridge where the drama started before kickoff with a first meeting between former Chelsea team mates John Terry and Wayne Bridge since news broke of Terry's alleged affair with Bridge's former girlfriend.
A young Arsenal side delighted a near capacity crowd at the Emirates Stadium with a scintillating 2-1 victory over Liverpool to secure a place in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Chelsea have given under-fire captain John Terry several days off and he will miss Saturday's FA Cup fifth round tie against Championship (second division) side Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea and Everton have been charged by the FA after Wednesday's stormy Premier League encounter.
Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League when they convincingly beat Birmingham City 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action:
Romelu Lukaku scored two goals for Everton, one demonstrating rare strength and skill, to knock his old side Chelsea out of the FA Cup 2-0 in a dramatic quarter-final featuring two red cards on Saturday. All the frantic action happened in the final 13 minutes with Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Everton midfielder Gareth Barry sent off but their dismissals only came after Lukaku's brilliance had put the tie beyond doubt. The powerful Belgium striker, who never fitted in at Stamford Bridge and was sold to the Merseysiders for 28 million pounds ($40.28 million) two years ago, proved irresistible with his late five-minute double, especially with a first goal destined to go down in Goodison Park folklore. As the game meandered towards a replay, Lukaku conjured a 77th-minute goal from nowhere, muscling past two defenders on the left, powering into the box and, after some nifty footwork to bamboozle Gary Cahill, firing in a left-foot effort. Everton manager Roberto Martinez hailed it "one of the great goals we will see in the FA Cup".
Chelsea opened up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League despite being held to a 1-1 draw against top-four hopefuls Southampton in an absorbing game at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea were heading for defeat against Fulham, but Drogba levelled with a 73rd-minute header before a Chris Smalling own goal gave them the win that re-opened their five-point lead over Manchester United, albeit with an extra game.
Barcelona stand between Chelsea and a second successive appearance in an all-English Champions League final. Manchester United, who beat Chelsea on penalties in last year's final in Moscow, take a 1-0 advantage to Arsenal on Tuesday in the other semi-final.
David Beckham can look forward to a return to Old Trafford after AC Milan were drawn against his former club Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League on Friday. Friday's draw also pitted Jose Mourinho, now coach of Inter Milan, with his old club Chelsea.
Gianfranco Zola was the darling of Stamford Bridge in his Chelsea days but the Italian has yet to win the hearts of West Ham United's faithful. Zola's transformation from midfield magician to coach has been a tough one, and on Sunday his relegation-threatened West Ham host Premier League leaders Chelsea in front of an Upton Park crowd rapidly losing confidence in his managerial ability.
Frank Lampard scored from the penalty spot as Chelsea restored their three-point lead in the English Premier League with an unconvincing 2-1 home win against bottom club Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge in London, on Wednesday. Champions Manchester United had pulled level on points after beating a weakened Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 on Tuesday in manager Alex Ferguson's 900th league game in charge.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action:
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been handed a two-match European ban after being sent off in the Champions League defeat by Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, UEFA said in a statement on Tuesday.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been handed a two-match European ban after being sent off in the Champions League defeat by Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, UEFA said in a statement on Tuesday. Drogba was shown a red card after clashing with midfielder Thiago Motta in the last-16 second-leg game on March 16, which Inter won 1-0 to go through 3-1 on aggregate.
Jose Mourinho enjoyed a triumphant return to Stamford Bridge with Inter Milan who secured a 1-0 win at his former side Chelsea on Tuesday that sent the Italians into the Champions League quarter-finals.
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.
New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti began his first day at work for the London club by announcing the signing of Russia midfielder Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow on Monday. Ancelotti, Chelsea's fifth manager in two years, held a news conference at Stamford Bridge where he also said that captain John Terry, the subject of interest from Manchester City, was not for sale at any price.
There is space for Juan Mata at Manchester United but the midfielder must fight to break into the first team, manager Jose Mourinho has said.
Chelsea moved to the top of the English Premier League after beating Arsenal, two points ahead of Manchester United.
First-half goals from Didier Drogba earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, securing them a return to the top of the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester United.
Chelsea moved two points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 defeat of Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is well-trained in dealing with the whims of multi-millionaire footballers and club owners despite often coming across as shy and reserved. The 49-year-old won two Champions Leagues and a Serie A title during his eights years at AC Milan and is as qualified as anyone to take the reins at Stamford Bridge.
German midfielder Michael Ballack has said that this year's English Premier League campaign is looking like a 'two-horse race,' after just six games.
Catalans will have to cope without their inspirational captain Andres Iniesta, the man who has pedigree when it comes to beating the Blues.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will be a "massive improvement" on predecessor Louis van Gaal, according to former Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson.
West Bromwich Albion were relegated from the Premier League after just one season when they lost 2-0 to Liverpool at The Hawthorns Sunday. Liverpool stayed in second place, behind champions Manchester United, moving on to 83 points -- three ahead of Chelsea who beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the day's other match.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Leeds United sent Manchester United crashing to their most embarrassing FA Cup defeat for 26 years when they scored a shock 1-0 third-round victory at Old Trafford on Sunday. Holders Chelsea made sure there was no slip-up at Stamford Bridge where they crushed Championship (second division) Watford 5-0 while Arsenal, the second most successful club in the cup's history with 10 wins, left it late to beat West Ham United 2-1.
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