Holders Chelsea eased into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a straightforward 4-1 home victory over Championship (second division) promotion challengers Cardiff City on Saturday.
Much-maligned striker Fernando Torres rescued FA Cup holders Chelsea from an ignominious fourth-round exit after his 83rd-minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw at third tier Brentford on Sunday.
FA Cup holders Chelsea booked their place in the fifth round with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Championship (second division) side Preston North End on Saturday.
Leeds United sent Manchester United crashing to their most embarrassing FA Cup defeat for 26 years when they scored a shock 1-0 third-round victory at Old Trafford on Sunday. Holders Chelsea made sure there was no slip-up at Stamford Bridge where they crushed Championship (second division) Watford 5-0 while Arsenal, the second most successful club in the cup's history with 10 wins, left it late to beat West Ham United 2-1.
Holders Chelsea beat Aston Villa 3-0 to sweep into the FA Cup final for the third time in four seasons on Saturday and keep alive their dream of a first FA Cup and League double. All three goals came late in the game with Didier Drogba breaking Villa's resistance after 67 minutes before Florent Malouda (89th) and Frank Lampard, deep in stoppage time, gave Chelsea an ultimately comfortable victory.
Second-half goals from Ramires and Victor Moses secured FA Cup holders Chelsea a 2-0 fifth round win at second tier Middlesbrough on Wednesday and set up a mouthwatering quarter-final away at Manchester United.
Spaniard Herrera finished off a fine move with a precise header from Pogba's cross just past the half-hour and United's French midfielder scored himself when he nodded powerfully home from a Marcus Rashford delivery before the break.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received a signed Lionel Messi jersey and expressed his excitement on social media.
Second-string Liverpool were thumped 3-0 by Crystal Palace as Ismaila Sarr struck twice for the visitors in the League Cup on Wednesday, booking the London side's spot in the quarter-finals and piling more misery on Arne Slot's struggling side.
After Saturday's 2-1 win at Chelsea - their 12th in 13 league matches - Aston Villa have claimed 18 points from losing positions so far this season, more than any other team.
The commanding scoreline in the cross-town London derby came despite Chelsea's midfield talisman Cole Palmer being ruled out after he felt discomfort on the pitch during the pre-match warmup.
Manchester City were drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout phase for the sixth time since the 2019-20 season after the draw for the last 16, quarterfinals and semifinals was made on Friday.
Chelsea's woes continued when the holders were dumped out of the Capital One (League) Cup fourth round following a shootout defeat by Stoke City on Tuesday, while Arsenal suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at second tier Sheffield Wednesday.
Arsenal's Calafiori secures 1-0 win at Manchester United; Crystal Palace hold Chelsea to 0-0 draw.
Chelsea wrapped up their sixth consecutive Women's Super League title and record-extending eighth in total after a 1-0 victory at Manchester United on Wednesday, with Lucy Bronze heading home a corner late in the game.
Carrick faces first test as United boss in Manchester derby showdown
Arsenal edged past Crystal Palace on penalties on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.
FC Barcelona hammered Newcastle United F.C. 7-2 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, while Liverpool F.C., Bayern Munich and Atltico Madrid also advanced.
Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo made it two goals from two games for his new club and Rayan Cherki struck in stoppage time as Pep Guardiola's side beat holders Newcastle United 2-0 away in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
Gabriel Martinelli scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal as the Premier League leaders beat second-tier strugglers Portsmouth 4-1 to reach the FA Cup fourth round.
Galatasaray struck twice in extra time to end 10-man Juventus' brave fightback and reach the Champions League's last 16, progressing with a 7-5 aggregate victory.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
LATE MILEY GOAL SENDS NEWCASTLE THROUGH
Some lament the FA Cup having lost much of its romance in recent years, in the face of obsession with the Premier League, but this tie had it in bucket loads.
Jose Mourinho has confirmed Diego Costa was taken to hospital with a rib injury suffered during Chelsea's Capital One League Cup match at StokeCity on Tuesday.
Mouth-watering matches lined up as PSG to face Bayern and Barcelona in Champions League opening stage.
The Premier League's big-hitters restored some normality to the FA Cup on Sunday with holders Chelsea crushing third tier Brentford 4-0 in a fourth round replay while Manchester City also dismissed Leeds United 4-0 in a fifth round tie.
In a bitter outburst at the fans who have barracked him relentlessly and an angry swipe at the club's board for only appointing him 'interim' manager, Rafael Benitez said on Wednesday he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season.
Everton knocked holders Chelsea out of the FA Cup when they won their fourth-round replay 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Holders Chelsea will meet Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals of the League Cup next month.
Goals from Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero sent ManchesterCity into an FA Cup final against Wigan Athletic after they beat holders Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday.
Holders Chelsea moved into the semi-finals of the English League Cup with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool.
Holders Chelsea and Premier League champions Manchester United were bundled out of the FA Cup quarter-finals. Chelsea lost 1-0 at Championship (second division) side Barnsley, while Portsmouth won 1-0 at Old Trafford.
The prospect of the first repeat FA Cup final for 123 years increased on Monday when holders Chelsea and last year's beaten finalists Manchester United were kept apart in the quarter-final draw.
Chelsea survived the dismissal of captain John Terry to eliminate holders Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate and clinch a place in the Champions League final after an action-packed last-four clash on Tuesday in which Lionel Messi missed a penalty.
Everton skipper Phil Neville scored the decisive spot-kick to give his side a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over holders Chelsea after their FA Cup fourth-round replay ended in a 1-1 draw after extra-time at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Chelsea are challenging for four trophies this season with the League Cup the least of their priorities after the Champions League, Premier League and the FA Cup. Spurs meanwhile are focused on the UEFA Cup, having reached the last 16 and the League Cup in which victory would bring their first honour since they won the competition in 1999.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool also joined Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
Shakhtar Donetsk led the way for the Champions League underdogs as they beat holders Chelsea 2-1 while former European champions Barcelona and Manchester United came from behind to maintain perfect starts on Tuesday.
Holders Chelsea and Manchester United will replay their FA Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on April 1, the Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday. The match, on the Easter Monday holiday, will kick-off at 1700 IST.
