Such is the level of consistency of Manchester City (nine straight wins) and Liverpool (five straight victories), that it can be easy to lose sight of just how good this title race is.
Eden Hazard finally scored his first goal for Real Madrid as his side beat second-placed Granada 4-2 in a highly entertaining game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Lorenzo Insigne curled a quite wonderful shot beyond the reach of Belgium goal-keeper Thibaut Courtois after jinking in from the left flank.
Arsenal missed the chance to heighten the congestion at the top of the Premier League and suffered fresh injury blows when a frustrating 1-1 draw at Norwich City failed to take them alongside leaders Manchester City and Leicester City on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Jose Mourinho maintained his hold over Arsene Wenger with leaders Chelsea enjoying a routine 2-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday after the two old adversaries became involved in an ugly touchline spat.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa is uncertain to start their Premier League game against Stoke City as he tries to shake off the lingering effects of a hamstring injury, manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday.
Chelsea's Jose Mourinho and his old friend Louis van Gaal of Manchester United had different reasons to be satisfied with a point after their teams drew 1-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, who hoped to celebrate his new contract with victory at an expectant Stamford Bridge, ended up grateful his team did not become the first Premier League champions to start their title defence with a defeat.
Chelsea captain John Terry is showing all the qualities of a future manager, the club's interim boss Guus Hiddink said on Friday. Terry, 35, is keen to continue his playing career at Stamford Bridge but has not yet been offered a new contract for next season. Hiddink said decision was not down to him, but in the longer term he could see the former England central defender as a manager. "In some players you see while they are playing there might be managers inside them already," the Dutchman told a news conference. "You see that most of the time in midfield positions or centre-backs. These guys are already leaders. "In my career I've had some examples like (Southampton's) Ronald Koeman in my first spell at Eindhoven, who you could see was tactically very strong and a leader. "And (Watford's) Quique Sanchez Flores at Valencia too." Terry would need "extra courses" and would be well advised to start as an assistant, Hiddink added.
After a Champagne Sunday, leaders Chelsea got back to the bread and butter of churning out Premier League points with Eden Hazard's header sealing a 1-0 victory at London rivals West Ham United on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Mata struggled for game time this season under Jose Mourinho, with Chelsea's manager preferring an attacking midfield trio comprising Brazilian internationals Oscar and Willian and Belgium winger Eden Hazard.
Champions Chelsea are involved in the relegation battle this season, manager Guus Hiddink said on Friday ahead of his side's Premier League clash with Everton.
Chelsea goalscorer Willian said they must go on the attack against Barcelona at the Nou Camp next month to have any chance of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra all scored late on in response to Eden Hazard dragging Chelsea back into the game with a curler in the 82nd minute after Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off for a second booking on the half-hour.
Having spent much of his time at Chelsea operating in Eden Hazard's shadow, Willian has emerged as a leading light in the team ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona.
His first overseas coaching adventure -- Maurizio Sarri has chosen a devilishly difficult league to try and make it happen and a club not exactly known for its patience.
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.
Chelsea rode their luck to emerge with a second win in as many English Premier League games on Wednesday after Branislav Ivanovic escaped a red card and then his marker to head them to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
Knee injuries have sidelined him for large parts of this season, however, and the Belgium international has started only four Premier League games.
Lampard must re-energise the team to even hold onto Chelsea's tag as best of the rest behind Premier League champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool.
Didier Deschamps is confident he has prepared his players for any tactical surprises his opposite number Roberto Martinez might spring
It took a great escape in injury time to get there after being two goals down to Japan, but Belgium can now view their quarter-final against Brazil free of the weight of expectation.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has no plans to let any of his English Premier League title-winning squad depart Stamford Bridge in the close season.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
Jose Mourinho will receive a third Premier League winners' medal on Sunday but the Chelsea manager is not feeling so charitable this time .
Former Manchester United full-backs Gary and Phil Neville slammed the club's "garbage" defending after Sunday's crushing 4-0 defeat to Chelsea in the English Premier League.
World champions France had eight players, one less than former holders Spain, in international players' association FIFPro's 55-name shortlist for its World XI of 2018 award.
There was no celebratory run down the touchline, no dancing on the pitch, just a sober reflection of a job well done from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho on Sunday after his side beat Crystal Palace to win the Premier League title.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic played his last game for Sweden when they were knocked out of Euro 2016 on Wednesday and his coach said the country was unlikely to find another player like him.
Liverpool beat Leicester City 2-1 to post a fourth successive Premier League victory but conceded their first goal of the season after a nightmare mistake by new keeper Alisson.
Tuesday's semi-final in St Petersburg sees team mates from English champions Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur go head to head as well as rivalries between club colleagues from Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Monaco.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup has produced some very odd results, which is why it's been so much fun.
Injured Lukaku likely to sit out
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez declared himself delighted with a 3-0 win over World Cup debutants Panama but there were plenty of issues that will encourage England after their own winning start in Group G.
Valencia forward Carlos Soler scored a hat-trick of penalties as his side beat La Liga champions Real Madrid 4-1 at home in an extraordinary match on Sunday.
In case they needed it, the short trip to Crystal Palace will re-focus Chelsea's globe-trotting players on matters at home as the Premier League slips back into gear this weekend after the second international break of the season.
Manchester United's Jose Mourinho, humbled for the second time this season in front of the Chelsea fans who once idolised him, did not go quietly on Monday as he declared that he remains the London club's number one manager.
As the tournament gets to the next round here's look at the quarter-finalists.
Divock Origi's late strike earned Belgium a 1-0 Group H win over Russia at the Maracana Stadium on Sunday to seal a spot in the knockout round of the World Cup.
