Photos from the English Premier League matches played across England on Wednesday
Holders Arsenal won the FA Cup for a record 12th time on Saturday, outclassing Aston Villa 4-0 at Wembley with stunning goals from Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez setting up their one-sided victory.
Images from the English Premier League matches played across England on Saturday.
Arsenal's bid to win the FA Cup for a third successive year ended on Sunday when they lost 2-1 at home to Watford in a pulsating quarter-final tie.
Fourth-tier Newport County stunned former FA Cup winners Leeds United with a last-gasp 2-1 win in the third round to spark a joyous pitch invasion at their Rodney Parade ground on Sunday.
Results and images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is battling to be fit for this weekend's Premier League clash at Arsenal after suffering a 'stupid' foot injury last week, the club website said on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid made it four away wins from the opening four Champions League last-16 first leg matches when they triumphed at Arsenal and AC Milan respectively on Wednesday.
Manchester City's faltering attempts to retain their title suffered a huge blow on Saturday when they lost 1-0 at Burnley, giving Chelsea the chance to open an eight-point lead when they host Southampton on Sunday.
Oliver Giroud netted a double, Lukas Podolski scored and set up three more as rampant Arsenal closed the gap on the Champions League positions by thumping West Ham United 5-1 in their rearranged Premier League match on Wednesday.
Arsenal beat Stoke City 1-0 to cut Manchester United's Premier League lead to one point on Wednesday but the win was overshadowed by injuries to Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott.
Thierry Henry scored twice to bring up his 100th goal for Arsenal as the English champions romped to a 4-0 victory at Birmingham City on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa haunted Arsenal again by firing his side to a 1-0 win in Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg to send the Spaniards into the final and deny Arsene Wenger a dream end to his long reign as Arsenal coach.
Aston Villa blew a chance to go eight points clear of Arsenal in the race for England's fourth Champions League berth Sunday after conceding two late goals against relegation-threatened Stoke City. The 2-2 draw, with Stoke cancelling out their hosts' 2-0 lead in the final three minutes, left fourth-placed Villa six points ahead of Arsenal and three adrift of second-placed Chelsea and Liverpool in the Premier League.
Football action from across Europe played over the weekend.
Rattled by embarrassing domestic defeats, Chelsea looked jittery before Olivier Giroud settled their nerves with a close range tap-in shortly after halftime at StamfordBridge following good work by N'Golo Kante and Willian in the build-up.
Less than seven months after celebrating a first Champions League triumph to satisfy owner Roman Abramovich's thirst for continental dominance, Chelsea became European chumps on Wednesday despite a rip-roaring but irrelevant finale.
Manchester City are top on goal difference, with Chelsea second and Liverpool dropping to third, two points ahead of Arsenal, who routed Fulham 5-1.
IMAGES from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Manchester City came from behind to beat Bolton Wanderers 4-2 to keep their 100 percent home record and go fourth in the English Premier League.
Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek had a Europa League night to remember by scoring the first hat-trick of his career as the midfielder inspired them to a 3-1 home win over Belarus champions BATE Borisov on Thursday.
Arsenal legends Ray Parlour and Sol Campbell says while it might be difficult for the Gunners to recreate the unbeaten season of 2003-04 they could certainly challenge for the title in the coming season provided the club signs up a couple of good players this season.
Chelsea heaped more Christmas misery on Liverpool with a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge and Olivier Giroud ended a seven-game scoring drought to help Arsenal win 1-0 at Newcastle United and return to the top of the Premier League on Sunday.
Liverpool took a giant step towards their first title in 24 years with a 3-2 win at a plucky Norwich City on Sunday, opening up a five point lead over second-placed Chelsea with three matches remaining.
Brendan Rodgers endured a sorry Premier League start as Liverpool boss with a 3-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion on the opening day of the season on Saturday while Arsenal, without Robin van Persie, were held 0-0 by Sunderland.
Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner made goalscoring returns from injury on Wednesday as Arsenal thrashed Newcastle United 4-0 away to reach the last eight of the League Cup.
Chelsea demolished the team that succeeded them as Premier League winners when champions Leicester City succumbed tamely 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger promised the club's stunned supporters they would do everything they could to "respond in the right way" to Saturday's 6-0 defeat at Chelsea when they play Swansea City at the Emirates on Tuesday.
Manuel Pellegrini berated referee Mark Clattenburg and said his performance cost Manchester City victory after a breathless 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
The top four failed to muster a goal on Saturday as Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United drew 0-0 while Arsenal went down 3-0 at Manchester City. Premier League leaders Chelsea could find no way through Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool had the same problem at home to Fulham and third-placed Manchester United were held 0-0 in a lively game at Aston Villa.
Preview and timings of the Premier League matches this weekend
Manchester City have moved closer to signing Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri and are reportedly trying to finalize the deal in the next 24 hours.
Jose Mourinho's wretched week ended on a high note as Manchester United's big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba finally began firing, both finding the target in a 3-1 win at dismal Swansea City on Sunday. Mourinho watched from the stands at the Liberty Stadium following his touchline ban imposed by the Football Association on Wednesday and was buoyed to see Ibrahimovic score twice -- his first league goals in eight weeks -- and Pogba net a superb volley. United, vastly improved after their midweek Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce, went ahead with a 15th minute strike from Pogba worthy of his 89 million pounds price tag before Ibrahimovic ended his goal drought with a sharp first-half double in the space of 12 minutes.
City are 18 points clear of second-placed Liverpool after beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and need just four wins from their final nine games to be sure of the title.
Arsenal ended Leicester City's brief stay at the top of the Premier League on Sunday despite being held to a 0-0 draw at Stoke City after Manchester United's Wayne Rooney struck late for a 1-0 win at Liverpool.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will delve into the depths of his squad for the visit to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, as an injury crisis engulfs Old Trafford.
Sutton United's FA Cup fairytale ended as Arsenal forward Theo Walcott scored his 100th goal for the club in a 2-0 fifth round victory on a surreal night at Gander Green Lane on Monday.
Arsenal wasted the chance to go four points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United when, despite a double from Robin van Persie, they were held to a thrilling 3-3 home draw by Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.