Aaron Ramsey scored a hat-trick on Saturday as Arsenal thrashed Everton 5-1 in the Premier League at the Emirates with a display of free-flowing football that the Gunners have sorely lacked away from home this season.
Australia's hopes of winning back respect and moving on from a ball-tampering scandal that plunged the team into disgrace face their first test on Sunday when Tim Paine's rebuilding side meet Pakistan in the series-opener in Dubai.
Arsenal scored twice in the opening seven minutes and ended the match as a contest with a third in the 19th as they crushed Manchester United 3-0 to move above them into second place in the Premier League at the Emirates on Sunday.
The International Cricket Council released the provisional squads of the 12 teams for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on Friday. However, co-hosts Australia and minnows Ireland decided against releasing the provisional list although they submitted 30 names to the parent body within the stipulated deadline.
David Warner's career-best 178 and Glenn Maxwell's 88-run blitz powered Australia to a record World Cup total of 417 for six wickets and 275 runs victory over lowly Afghanistan in a Pool A match at the Gabba, in Perth, on Wednesday.
Liverpool started the ball rolling with a convincing 4-1 win at home to promoted Norwich and City responded a day later with an even more emphatic 5-0 victory at West Ham United.
Steve Smith and Aaron Finch struck half-centuries to help Australia to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first One-day international in Colombo on Sunday. Sri Lanka, who lost the toss and were sent out to bat on a dry, turning wicket, set the visitors a target of 228, but Australia successfully chased them down with 19 balls to spare to give them the lead in the five-match series.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
The Australians are struggling against India's new spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and the hosts would like to ensure that it doesn't get any easy as the series progresses.
A round-up of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
The Suresh Raina-led side suffered consecutive defeats against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders and title holder Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening two matches.
There will be no let-up in intensity as a ruthless India look to inch closer to yet another series whitewash when they take on a beleaguered Australia in the fourth One-day International in Bengalurg, on Thursday.
Gujarat Lions would look to better their debut season's success and aim for a winning start against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match, in Rajkot on Friday.
Sally Hawkins, we think, will pip Frances McDormand.
Alexis Sanchez grabbed a 15-minute hat-trick as Arsenal shook off any hangover from their midweek League Cup defeat to thrash West Ham United 5-1 and climb to second in the English Premier League.
The Welsh, who reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals, finished runners-up on 14 points from eight games, three behind Croatia who sealed their berth on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Slovakia.
Australia thrashed England by eight wickets in their fifth and final one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday to win the series 3-2 and take some consolation for the pain of Ashes defeat.
Australia have cut opening batsman Ed Cowan and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade from their list of 18 centrally-contracted players, but handed opener Phillip Hughes another chance to establish himself in the national set-up.
A superb spell of reverse-swing bowling from Dale Steyn and another fluent innings from Faf du Plessis helped South Africa cruise to a six-wicket victory over Australia in the final of the triangular series at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Mourinho's side failed to turn their domination into more goals and things got edgy late on when Saville's shot evaded Gazzaniga who seemed slow to get down.
Their bid for a third title back on track after a shock defeat in the opening game, defending champions Mumbai Indians would be keen to carry on the winning momentum when they face table toppers Gujarat Lions, who have won both their matches so far, in an IPL game.
Gujarat Lions owner Keshav Bansal expressed happiness that the new franchise managed to get 'experienced and talented' players for the upcoming ninth edition of the Indian Premier League and is confident that captain Suresh Raina can make a strong comeback in the IPL after a dismal showing in the just-concluded World T20.
Tottenham moved up to seventh place with 36 points from 22 games
Manchester United climbed two places up to second in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford scored deep into stoppage time to give them a fortuitous 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
Australia rode on a dominating all-round display to thrash a lacklustre India by 72 runs in the first cricket One-dayer in Pune.
Robert Huth's double and a Riyad Mahrez goal sent Premier League leaders Leicester City six points clear after a stunning 3-1 victory at shell-shocked title rivals Manchester City on Saturday.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
'I cannot believe that D'Arcy Short has been left out of the side. I don't know what he's done wrong. He can bowl and his batting at the top is dynamic. He's in terrific form, and he and Finch make an awesome partnership at the top'
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
A confident India will look to pile the misery on the a struggling Australia and seal the five-match series when the teams clash in the third One-Day International, in Indore, on Sunday.
Images from the fourth One-Day International between Australia and India in Canberra, on Wednesday.
Marcus Rashford's penalty and a deflected strike from Mason Mount helped England come from a goal down to overcome top-ranked Belgium 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday and climb above them in their UEFA Nations League group.
Australian batsman George Bailey has claimed that his side's World Cup squad has played consistently since the past 12 or 18 months, despite injuries, inexperience and the pressure of a home tournament bearing down on them.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc will return from a broken foot during Australia's limited-overs triangular series in the West Indies in June.
Barring Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, all players have declared their allegiances to IPL franchises over their respective countries' domestic sides ahead of the upcoming Champions League Twenty20.
As a baby-faced striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made his name coming off the bench to score vital goals for Manchester United and his knack of making a dramatic impact appears undiminished.
The victory takes Pep Guardiola's side into provisional second spot
Australia warmed up for the limited-overs series against India in style by crushing Board President's (BP) XI by 103 runs in the lone practice match, in Chennai, on Tuesday.
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