Monday's resumption was also a chance for those jostling at the top of the table to lay down a marker and for the strugglers to enjoy a fresh start.
Liverpool started the ball rolling with a convincing 4-1 win at home to promoted Norwich and City responded a day later with an even more emphatic 5-0 victory at West Ham United.
Here are six who could make the biggest impact in this season's English Premier League.
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney would be a "great signing" for Major League Soccer, Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson said, adding that the 30-year-old still has plenty to offer.
"It's an honour to welcome Didier Drogba to the Impact," said team president Joey Saputo.
Chelsea have signed Germany's highly-rated attacking midfielder Kai Havertz from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Friday.
Championship side Derby County hit back from two goals down to beat Premier League Southampton on penalties in an FA Cup third-round replay marred by another VAR controversy on Wednesday.
Holders Real Madrid breezed past Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Champions League with Rodrygo's double securing a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
News of all that tranpired on and off the football field.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football fie
A virtuoso performance from Sergio Aguero earned Manchester City a 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday, the Argentine scoring all his side's goals in an incident-packed clash at The Etihad.
Liverpool are champions and Norwich City, the side whom they beat on Aug. 9 to launch their title charge, are down and Manchester City are distant runners-up. After that everything is up for grabs.
Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to earn Manchester United a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, taking his career goal tally to 700 in the process.
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Chelsea captain John Terry is far from finished and playing as well as ever after 600 matches for his club, manager Jose Mourinho said on Sunday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at the Premier League schedule, saying his players have not had a chance to recover from their midweek Champions League match before playing Fulham on Saturday.
West Ham United and Chelsea both narrowly avoided ignominious FA Cup exits with narrow wins against lower-league opposition but Everton marked Frank Lampard's first game in charge by sauntering past Brentford into the fifth round on Saturday.
"I want to finish my career very strong. I want to add some more medals and trophies to my collection. So I think it's a match made in heaven, really.
Ahead of their high-profile clash on Saturday, check out the five standout clashes between Arsenal and Chelsea.
IMAGES from EPL matches played on Wednesday
Chelsea's third successive league win lifted them level on 18 points with Leicester City but are top thanks to a better goal difference. Leicester face Liverpool on Sunday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has joked that he might make a bid to sign Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on loan when he leaves for the United States at the end of the season.
A preview of the line-up action in the English Premier League.
Included in Barcelona squad to face Dortmund
The Super Cup is an annual match played between the winners of the Champions League and the Europa League
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has said he is discussing his future with Major League Soccer team Montreal Impact but that retirement talk was premature. French media reported on Wednesday that the 37-year-old Ivorian was to quit playing and join the coaching staff of Premier League champions Chelsea under interim manager Guus Hiddink. "Lovely to receive these messages but I have not yet announced my retirement and am still in discussion with @impactmontreal about my future," Drogba, who has a contract with Montreal Impact through to December, posted on Twitter.
Liverpool won the Super Cup 5-4 on penalties against Chelsea
Southampton striker Rickie Lambert will lead England's attack in the World Cup qualifier against Moldova on Friday after Daniel Sturridge was ruled out through injury.
Ajax Amsterdam registered a 4-1 win at De Graafschap, their first title since 2014 and a record-extending 34th overall completed the double after they won the KNVB Cup earlier this month.
Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-1 win at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice and Edinson Cavani grabbing his first for the club.
Yaya Toure was named African Footballer of the Year for a record fourth straight time at the annual Confederation of African Football awards on Thursday.
Vibrant Chelsea made it a torrid few days for Liverpool as goals by Willian and Ross Barkley sealed a 2-0 victory to send them through to the FA Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. Liverpool's 44-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League ended in stunning fashion with a 3-0 defeat at Watford on Saturday and they were rocked again at Stamford Bridge.
Jorginho's first-half penalty earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Thursday.
Manchester United completed their first home and away Premier League double over Manchester City since the Alex Ferguson era with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.. Earlier, two goals in each half from a rampant Chelsea earned them a 4-0 victory over Carlo Ancelotti's Everton, cementing their place in the Premier League's top four.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his Manchester United counterpart David Moyes should shoulder the blame for Wayne Rooney's desire to leave Old Trafford after suggesting he was a second-choice striker.
Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp has beaten Manchester United only twice in his career and never at Old Trafford -- his worst record against any Premier League side.
Manchester United's current malaise was laid bare as they struggled past third-tier Rochdale 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the League Cup third round.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join LA Galaxy in July on an 18-month deal. The 34-year-old will now join a growing list of high-profile former Premier League players to cross the Atlantic in the latter stages of their careers, most notably David Beckham.
