Meanwhile, Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard says his "heart is at Old Trafford" and negotiations are ongoing over a new deal with the club that will extend a contract that runs out at the end of next season.
Dutch striker Robin van Persie scored a superb late goal to give Arsenal a 2-1 win over Italian champions Inter Milan and victory in the pre-season Emirates Cup tournament on Sunday.
Champions Leicester City will begin their Premier League title defence with a trip to newly promoted Hull City on August 13, according to the 2016-17 fixtures released on Wednesday.
Wigan Athletic became the first team to be relegated from England's top flight in the same season as winning the FA Cup after they lost 4-1 at Arsenal, with Lukas Podolski scoring twice, in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Its Chelsea vs Barcleona, Real Madrid vs Arsenal in the Champions League
Dutch striker Robin van Persie enjoyed an eventful return to his old club Arsenal for the first time when he scored and was booked as champions Manchester United held the Londoners to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football.
Manchester United's troubled season hit a new low on Saturday as Jose Mourinho saw his gamble on introducing a new tactical system backfire with an insipid 3-1 defeat to West Ham United in the Premier League.
The last flickering embers of Arsenal's Premier League title hopes will all but be extinguished on Sunday unless they beat vibrant Manchester United at Old Trafford. United lead the title race with 77 points and five matches to play, followed by Chelsea (74 points) and Arsenal (71).
Real Madrid and AC Milan led a procession of six teams into the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday while big-spending Manchester City failed again on the European stage to further dent English soccer's standing.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has urged Luis Suarez to shun suitors Arsenal, saying a move to their Premier League rivals would not represent a step up for the unsettled Uruguayan.
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.
Images from the English Premier League match played between Arsenal and Crystal Palace on Monday
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.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere says his team must take Chelsea's spirit into Tuesday's Champions League, last-16 first-leg clash with Bayern Munich if they are to keep alive their hopes of salvaging something from a mediocre season.
Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both sealed comeback victories to boost their European qualification hopes.
Granit Xhaka hammered two goals in what is expected to be his last game as Arsenal clinched a 5-o win over Wolves.
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs are doubtful for the Champions League Group F trip to last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund with coach Arsene Wenger eager to make amends for last month's loss to the Germans.
Images from soccer matches held across Europe on Saturday, March 16.
AC Milan playmaker Kaka hopes to be fit to face Arsenal next week after the reoccurrence of a knee problem.
Arsene Wenger said he was taking plenty of positives from his team's 0-0 draw with European champions AC Milan.
Arsenal proved they are far from a spent force in the Premier League on Saturday with a 2-1 win over champions Manchester United at the Emirates.
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.
Premier League champions Chelsea eased past a disappointing Everton with goals from Spaniards Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata sealing a 2-0 victory on Sunday.
Arsenal enjoyed an easy 2-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday to soar to the summit of the Premier League and leave their hapless opponents rooted at rock bottom.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar combined to devastating effect as Barcelona swatted Celtic aside 7-0 at the Nou Camp to lay down a marker in Champions League Group C on Tuesday.
The win closed the gap on Tottenham Hotspur to a point in the battle for the final Champions League qualifying spot.
After a week of controversy caused mainly by FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments about racism, UEFA will hope that action on the pitch dominates this week's Champions League headlines as the group stage reaches crunch time.
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and AC Milan suffered painful Champions League defeats on Wednesday which complicated their chances of progressing from an increasingly intriguing group stage.
The Arsenal manager paid a warm tribute to Thierry Henry after the French striker dethroned Ian Wright as the club's record scorer.
Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk became the first teams to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with contrasting wins over Arsenal and AS Roma, who both finished with 10 men, on Tuesday.
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.
Speculation about a possible transfer to Premier League rivals Arsenal has unsettled LeicesterCity winger Riyad Mahrez, manager Claudio Ranieri has said.
France defender William Gallas scored two minutes from time to salvage a 1-1 draw for Arsenal against Dynamo Kiev in their Champions League tie on Wednesday.
Liverpool won the Champions League under Benitez in 2005 and were runners-up last year, but they have struggled in England.
The Portuguese winger rallied Manchester United to a thrilling 4-2 victory over champions Arsenal in the English Premier League.
Manchester City celebrated their Premier League title on Sunday, beating Chelsea 1-0 with an early goal by Julian Alvarez in the team's home finale at a sun-drenched Etihad Stadium.
