Mesut Ozil guided Arsenal to a 2-0 victory over Napoli while a late Cesc Fabregas header gave Barcelona a laboured 1-0 win at 10-man Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Holders Arsenal kept up their bid for a hat-trick of FA Cup trophies, marching into the quarter-finals as Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott netted twice in a 4-0 replay win at second-tier Hull City on Tuesday.
More clubs should follow the Ajax Amsterdam model of promoting former players to executive roles, according to the Dutch side's assistant manager Dennis Bergkamp.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech ended a highly successful 11-year spell at English champions Chelsea when he moved to Premier League rivals Arsenal on Monday.
England players Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Glen Johnson have withdrawn from the squad for the country's World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine through injury, the FA said on Sunday.
Arsenal snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Burnley to keep their title hopes on track after the referee Jon Moss awarded penalties to both sides and sent off home manager Arsene Wenger in injury time.
Arsenal will put one of the best Champions League records on the line when they face Olympiakos Piraeus in a showdown for second spot in Group F on Wednesday.
Holders and Premier League leaders Arsenal will be at home to Championship (second tier) Burnley in the fourth round of the FA Cup after most of the big guns avoided top flight opponents in Monday's draw.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
Whether that unusual arrangement had any influence on untypical performance from City, who lacked zip and inspiration as they struggled to break down the French side, is a matter of pure guesswork and Arteta wasn't in the mood to be drawn on it.
Lionel Messi has become the first player to win Europe's Golden Shoe award for three straight years after his nearest challenger Kylian Mbappe failed to score the four goals he needed in Paris St Germain's final league match of the season on Friday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Images from the English Premier League match played between Arsenal and Crystal Palace on Monday
Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez can show Liverpool why he would have made the perfect replacement for Luis Suarez when the Chilean travels to Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.
Former World Cup winner and Arsenal's record goal-scorer Thierry Henry announced his retirement from soccer on Tuesday, bringing an end to his a glittering 20-year career.
FA Cup holders Arsenal have been drawn against runners-up Hull City, a repeat of last year's enthralling final, in this season's third round after the draw was made on Monday.
Arsenal travel across town to a vengeful Chelsea on Saturday knowing that another depressing defeat at Stamford Bridge would see their Premier League title hopes swept away with the lunchtime leftovers.
The 37-year-old Mikel Arteta played for Arsenal from 2011 to 2016 before moving to Manchester City as assistant manager, where he won the Premier League twice.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has quashed persistent transfer rumours, saying he had never thought of leaving the StamfordBridge and that he is extremely happy with his current club.
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.
Barcelona will put Manchester City to the sword if they commit the same kind of errors as they did in their Champions League encounter last month, coach Luis Enrique said.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Arsenal will not sell striker Olivier Giroud, midfielder Jack Wilshere and winger Theo Walcott in the January transfer window despite their lack of playing time at the Premier League club, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
Van Gaal has been criticised for showing a lack of passion on the touchline but the Dutchman showed plenty.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is a fan of Leicester's playing style.
Marcus Rashford scored twice as holders Manchester United brushed aside second-tier Burton Albion 4-1 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
England under-21 coach Gareth Southgate looks likely to be put in temporary charge of the national team after the resignation of Roy Hodgson following the side's Euro 2016 exit, British media reported on Wednesday.
'No problem with the player. It isn't true, that information'
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Goals rained in for Manchester City and Manchester United but Juergen Klopp's first game in charge of Liverpool was solid rather than spectacular with his new side drawing 0-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
FA Cup winners Arsenal beat champions Chelsea 1-0 in England's Community Shield season curtain-raiser at Wembley on Sunday to end a long wait for victory over their London rivals.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Arsenal scored twice in three minutes through a deflected Granit Xhaka strike and Danny Welbeck's header to claim a deserved 2-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday and inflict a first Premier League defeat on the visitors in 26 games.
Images from the English Premier League matches played across England on Sunday.
"I cannot understand what the official behind the goal does because he doesn't make a clear decision too."
UEFA said on Thursday that they will probe the matter and opened disciplinary proceedings against England on the matter.
Manchester City withdrew from the battle to secure the services of Arsenal's Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez, leaving Jose Mourinho's Manchester United as the most likely destination for the 29-year-old.
The English Premier League boasts some of the top managers in the game but to see the best players in the world you have to watch Spanish soccer, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said.
Guardiola says City's points record may last years
Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger remains on the hunt for striking options for his injury-hit squad despite being boosted by the return of forward Olivier Giroud for Monday's English Premier League clash at Aston Villa.