Teenager Federico Macheda marked his Manchester United debut with an astonishing stoppage-time winner to give the defending champions a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa and keep them on course for the Premier League title. The 17-year-old substitute, who replaced Nani after 61 minutes, showed tremendous composure to turn Villa defender Luke Young and curl the ball past Villa keeper Brad Friedel.
Yossi Benayoun struck in injury time to give Liverpool a hugely important 1-0 victory at Fulham that took them top of the Premier League on Saturday. The win takes Liverpool to 67 points, two ahead of champions Manchester United, who have two games in hand and host Aston Villa on Sunday.
Unbeaten Arsenal stretched their lead in the Premier league to five points after a 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Saturday while Chelsea beat West Ham United 1-0 to overhaul Manchester United and go second.
The English Premier League title race was thrown wide open with leaders Manchester United losing a second successive match and Liverpool thumping Aston Villa 5-0 to close the gap at the top to one point. Barcelona maintained their six-point lead in Spain, while a double from Zlatan Ibrahimovic ensured Inter Milan stayed seven points clear in Serie A.
England internationals were the target of boos up and down the country on Saturday in a backlash to the national team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Manchester United crushed Derby County 4-1 away while Everton beat Aston Villa 3-1 at Goodison Park on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. United were pushed all the way by the Championship (second division) strugglers in the League Cup semi-finals last month but cruised home this time with goals by Nani, Darron Gibson, Cristiano Ronaldo and Danny Welbeck.
New Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink said Thursday he was excited at the prospect of managing a club challenging for three major trophies.
Tottenham Hotspur rallied to hold Aston Villa 4-4 in a Premier League match after two dreadful errors from England goalkeeper Paul Robinson looked to have sunk them.
Liverpool's stay might only last for 24 hours until overnight leaders Chelsea visit Aston Villa on Sunday.
Liverpool stayed top of the Premier League on Sunday after an emphatic 5-1 win at Newcastle United gave them maximum points from their two Christmas fixtures.
Chelsea missed the chance to top the table at Christmas when, after having captain John Terry sent off in the 34th minute, their 11-game away English Premier League winning streak ended with a 0-0 draw at Everton on Monday. Terry was shown a straight red for a wild lunge at Leon Osman, taking the steam out of the Londoners, who had dominated until the dismissal but were then forced to hang on in the second half.
Piotr Zielinski converted two penalties for Inter Milan as they played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Juventus.
Premier League leaders Liverpool stumbled again at home on Saturday, needing two Steven Gerrard goals to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Bolton Wanderers illuminated a dull day in the Premier League on Saturday with a 4-1 victory at Sunderland that lifted them to seventh in the standings.
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.
The Turkey defender was allowed to spend time with his family, his club Aston Villa said.
City were due to open their season against Aston Villa and United against Burnley but those games will be moved.
Chelsea stayed top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Sunday while Liverpool kept pace after an astonishing comeback earned them a 3-2 win at Manchester City.
Minor league Eastleigh suffered FA Cup heartbreak when they conceded a late equaliser to four-times winners Bolton Wanderers on a gluepot pitch at their snug Ten Acres ground on Saturday.
Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United extended their 100 percent record on the road, coming from behind again to win 3-2 at the English Premier League's bottom club Sheffield United on Thursday.
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Terry had surgery in France last week to cure a back problem and has been sidelined since a league win over Newcastle United on Dec. 13.
Manchester United routed Aston Villa 4-0 while Arsenal fought back from two goals down for a 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers.
Aston Villa moved into fifth place in the Premier League after a John Carew hat-trick sealed a 4-1 hammering of Newcastle United.
Everton tightened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League and the prospect of Champions League football with a 1-0 win over Reading on Saturday.
It was United fifth draw in nine games and leaves them in fourth place in the Premiership.
Manchester United went top of the EPL after a 4-0 romp at Sunderland while Chelsea and Arsenal were held to a draw.
Chelsea host Villa on Wednesday, Newcastle United on Dec. 29 and are away at neighbours Fulham on new year's day.
Chelsea's on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato scored on his debut to help push pathetic Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Saturday. Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Manchester United beat Fulham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Monday to climb to second in the Premier League.
Liverpool continued their hot streak by beating Bolton Wanderers 4-0 on Sunday with captain Steven Gerrard scoring one goal and having a hand in the other three. In the day's other Premier League game Alex McLeish got off to a flying start in charge of Birmingham City as Sebastian Larsson stuck a terrific injury-time goal to snatch a 3-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur.
Cesc Fabregas and Sol Campbell are doubtful for Champions League semi-final first leg against Villarreal
Chelsea's hopes of catching leaders Arsenal suffered a setback after a 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa in the premier league.
Michael Owen's first-half double helped Liverpool crush Blackburn Rovers 4-0 and reclaim fourth place in the English premier league.
Real Madrid thrashed Villareal 5-0 while arch-rivals Barcelona beat Athletico Madrid 3-1 on Sunday.
Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to one point on Wednesday when they lost 2-1 at Everton with Louis Saha continuing his scoring jinx over them. Second-placed Manchester United drew 1-1 at Aston Villa while Arsenal stayed in the hunt after beating Liverpool 1-0.
Michael Owen has given coach Steve McClaren a lift before September's Euro 2008 qualifiers by returning to action.
A stunning 87th-minute free kick by captain Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa as the new Premier League season opened on Saturday.
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