Manchester City, inspired by the outstanding David Silva and playing with new-found attacking panache, won 3-2 at Bolton Wanderers to go top of the Premier League Sunday.
Striker Costa ends second spell at Atletico Madrid.
Former France striker Louis Saha celebrated his 35th birthday on Thursday by announcing his retirement from professional football.
Free-scoring Manchester United's rip-roaring start to the Premier League season continued with a 3-1 defeat of Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday after rivals Manchester City threw away a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Fulham.
West Ham had lost their first three Premier League games to sit bottom of the table and their dismal start to the campaign had already sparked speculation among pundits as to whether new manager Manuel Pellegrini would see out the season.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has criticised Wayne Rooney after the Manchester United striker was charged with using foul language while celebrating a goal in Saturday's 4-2 win at West Ham United.
'Solskjaer has improved morale by freeing players from the shackles with which Mourinho had bound them.' 'He has made his team a happier bunch of people,' says Suhit K Sen.
Paris St Germain went out of the Europa League despite a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, losing their place to fellow big spenders Salzburg who fought back to win 3-2 at Slovan Bratislava.
An off-key Liverpool were frustrated for a second successive game by struggling opponents as they were held to a 0-0 Premier League draw at Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Roy Hodgson made a swifter than planned return to Premier League management on Friday when he was named West Bromwich Albion boss, one month after his departure from Liverpool.
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will retire at the end of the season, the Dutchman said on Thursday.
Liverpool beat Fulham 1-0 on Wednesday to hand Kenny Dalglish his first home victory since returning to Anfield for his second spell as manager.
Liverpool ended the painful six-month reign of manager Roy Hodgson on Saturday and installed fans' favourite Kenny Dalglish as caretaker in a bid to restore harmony and arrest an alarming decline in form.
Cardiff had lost six of their previous seven games but, knowing that anything but a victory would probably end their survival hopes after one season in the top flight, overcame a strong Brighton start to play with growing confidence and fully deserved their victory.
Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero proved too classy a double act for Fulham in Wednesday's Europa League final, the two South Americans combining to earn Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win and a first major European trophy in 38 years.
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney lost his appeal on Thursday against a two-match ban imposed by the English FA for swearing into a TV camera.
Upcoming fixtures in the English Premier League.
Manchester United take on Everton at home in the last match of Saturday's programme.
West Ham United climbed off the bottom of the Premier League with an uplifting and well-deserved 3-1 home win over Liverpool on Sunday.
A summary of Saturday's matches in the Premier League.
Feisty Leyton Orient held Arsenal to a memorable 1-1 draw in their FA Cup fifth-round tie at Brisbane Road on Sunday when a powerful 89th-minute strike from substitute Jonathan Tehoue stunned the Premier League side.
Roy Hodgson was tasked with reviving Liverpool's flagging fortunes on Thursday when the much-travelled 62-year-old was confirmed as the club's new manager after resigning from Fulham.
Liverpool take on Manchester United on Sunday, October 25, at 1930.
English Premier League matches between Saturday, October 3 and Tuesday, October 6.
Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion stayed in touch with the Premier League leaders with solid home wins over West Ham United and Newcastle United on Sunday.
Arsenal surged to the top of the Premier League with Samir Nasri scoring twice in their 2-1 win over Fulham as Chelsea's dire run continued with a 1-1 home draw against Everton on Saturday.
The schedule of matches in the 2010-11 English Premier LEague season.
Manager Roy Hodgson has hinted that Liverpool are unlikely to mount a Premier League title challenge this season.
Manchester City and United ground out a tepid 0-0 draw as Michael Essien's goal earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory over Fulham and a four-point cushion at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday.
Like Chelsea, the humble Hertfordshire club, whose only season in European football was 35 years ago, completed their third victory from three games on Sunday, when they beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to add to victories over Brighton and Burnley.
Holders Manchester City began their assault on the FA Cup with a 4-1 victory over fourth-tier Port Vale but Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers face an unwanted replay after drawing 0-0 at Molineux on Saturday. Goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Sergio Aguero, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Phil Foden made it a routine day for City, although Tom Pope had equalised for a Vale side sitting 74 places lower in the standings.
Manchester United ushered in a new era under interim manager Ryan Giggs with a 4-0 Premier League win over Norwich City on Saturday full of the verve and attacking intent often absent under the sacked David Moyes.
Manchester United and Fulham served up a frantic 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage on Sunday while Newcastle United stunned Aston Villa 6-0 with a hat-trick from Andy Carroll on another dramatic day of Premier League action.
Chelsea take on Hull City in the opening match of the English Premier League on Saturday, August 15, at 1715 IST.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has backed United States coach Bob Bradley to make his mark in European soccer and expressed surprise that the American has not been offered a new deal by his country.
Five-times European champions Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat at Lille after a late goal by forward Eden Hazard while Juventus beat underdogs Fulham 3-1 in Europa League last 16 first leg matches on Thursday.
Portsmouth made light of their financial woes to reach the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Birmingham City on Saturday, Frederic Piquionne scoring twice to give their long-suffering fans something to cheer. In the day's other sixth round tie Fulham, bidding to reach the FA Cup final for the first time since 1975, played out a 0-0 draw with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage.
Manchester City's Premier League challenge continued along its spluttering, unconvincing path when they were held to a goalless draw at Birmingham City on Sunday, their fourth successive league draw.
Two goals for Roman Pavlyuchenko and two own goals helped Tottenham Hotspur advance to an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Fulham after a 4-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers in their fifth-round replay on Wednesday.
Aston Villa skipper Stilian Petrov headed an equaliser three minutes from time to force a 2-2 draw at Championship side Crystal Palace in an outstanding FA Cup fifth round tie Sunday.
