Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been named the Premier League manager of the month for February, while in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane picked up his fourth player of the month award.
Harry Kane's superb scoring streak continued as Tottenham Hotspur survived some late nerves to beat Everton 3-2 at White Hart Lane on Sunday and cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points.
Two Wayne Rooney headers led Manchester United to a 3-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, taking the champions within a point of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.
Champions Chelsea begin title defence at home to Swansea City, while runners-up Manchester City kick-off at West Bromwich Albion
"The best team won, we struggled from the beginning and we couldn't deal with their long balls. Usually, you press the ball to win it, but this was different. They defended so deep and so well," City coach Pep Guardiola told the BBC.
West Ham United's hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a cruel blow as an own goal by midfielder Tomas Soucek and Harry Kane's first goal since December condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.
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.
Chelsea scrambled a 2-1 home win over west London rivals Fulham on Monday as two goals in two minutes saved them from what was looking like a first home defeat for more than a year. Tottenham Hotspur moved back into the top four with a 2-0 victory over struggling London rivals West Ham United, while in the day's late match Manchester City gave new boss Roberto Mancini a second straight win with a 3-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their push for a Premier League top-four finish with a well-deserved 2-0 home win over struggling London rivals West Ham United on Monday.
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.
Manchester United posted a second straight four-goal Premier League away win with a 4-0 success at West Ham United on Saturday but it was tempered by more injuries that have left the club shorn of almost all their defenders. United, who won 4-1 at Portsmouth last week, move to 34 points, once again within two of leaders Chelsea who visit Manchester City later on Saturday.
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.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their late-season drive for European soccer and pushed Newcastle United further towards relegation when they won a one-sided Premier League match 1-0 at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
West Ham United and Sheffield United have reached an out-of-court settlement regarding a long running dispute over Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, the clubs said on Monday.
Manchester United will sign Argentine Carlos Tevez for a British transfer record fee of 32 million pounds.
Fernando Torres scored twice as Liverpool battled to a 3-2 English Premier League win at West Ham United on Saturday after the Londoners had twice pegged them back. Belgian centre back Thomas Vermaelen was a less likely two-goal hero as his double set up Arsenal for a 4-0 home thrashing of Wigan Athletic - emphatically avoiding a hat-trick of defeats after losses to Manchester United and City.
Liverpool have assembled a squad with enough skill to end their trophy drought next season, midfielder Adam Lallana has said.
Premier League West Ham United beat London rivals Millwall 3-1 after extra time in the League Cup second round on Tuesday in a match marred by crowd disturbances before and during the game.
Manchester United enjoyed a hugely satisfying Saturday, beating Everton 1-0 to go five points clear in the Premier League after challengers Arsenal and Aston Villa were held to home draws. Cristiano Ronaldo's 44th-minute penalty at Old Trafford was enough to give the champions 53 points from 23 matches.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their perfect start to the season when they came from behind to win 2-1 at West Ham United and stay top of the Premier League on Sunday. Spurs lead the table with nine points from three games, followed by five clubs on six points, including Chelsea who play at Fulham later.
Photos from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy will serve a three-match suspension after the club's appeal against his dismissal during Saturday's 2-2 Premier League draw with Stoke City was rejected, the Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday.
The Senegal international, 26, joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2016 for 34 million pounds ($43.8 million) and has scored 40 goals in 89 games for the Anfield club.
Manchester City have completed the signing of Argentine striker Carlos Tevez after he passed a medical, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
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.
Tottenham Hotspur leapfrogged West Ham United in the English Premier League with a 2-0 win on Monday as the club's revival under Harry Redknapp continued. Second-half goals from captain Ledley King, his first for three years, and Jamie O'Hara gave visiting Tottenham a deserved victory as they climbed to 15th by virtue of a superior goal difference over their London rivals.
The Stamford Bridge clash (2130 IST) is one half of a heavyweight Sunday double bill as Manchester United also visit Manchester City (1900 IST).
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the club's old guard will face real competition after manager Alex Ferguson's spending spree.
Chelsea exploited Manchester City's decision to field a weakened team by romping to a 5-1 win in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday as they joined London rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
Arsenal's Germany international Mesut Ozil will be out for up to three matches with a shoulder injury, manager Arsene Wenger said on Sunday.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has accepted an FA charge over an offensive gesture, but will contest the mandatory two-game ban, according to reports.
Liverpool moved into the Champions League qualifying spots after a 3-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday took them above Leicester City and into fourth place with one round of Premier League matches remaining.
Bournemouth winger Jordan Ibe has suffered no ill-effects from being robbed of an expensive watch at knifepoint recently, according to manager Eddie Howe.
Manchester United will exercise their option to extend veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract for a second season at Old Trafford, manager Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Ibrahimovic, who joined on a free transfer in July, has had a mixed start to his United career despite scoring eight goals in 17 games in all competitions. "Zlatan's situation is simple: he has a one-plus-one contract with the club and we will execute the option of a second season," Mourinho told reporters.
Steven Gerrard scored twice as Liverpool beat West Ham United 3-0 at Upton Park on Saturday to move back on top of the Premier League and keep the pressure on Manchester United in the title race.
Goals from Steve Sidwell and Dimitar Berbatov helped Fulham end a six-match losing streak with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola has pledged his long-term future to the club by signing a new contract until 2013.
An English FA arbitration panel has ruled in favour of Sheffield United's claim for compensation against West Ham United in the Carlos Tevez affair, the Championship (second division) club confirmed on Tuesday.
Chelsea's terrible start to the season plumbed new depths on Saturday when the Premier League champions lost 2-1 at West Ham United.
Gianfranco Zola, one of the greatest overseas players to grace the English game during his seven years at Chelsea, was named as the new manager of their Premier League rivals West Ham United on Thursday.
