Wayne Rooney gave away a goal but redeemed himself to inspire Manchester United to a 3-1 win over struggling Hull City which slashed Chelsea's lead to two points at the top of the Premier League on Sunday. The result lifted champions United back ahead of Arsenal, who beat fourth-placed Aston Villa 3-0 with Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas coming off the bench to score two goals, into second place.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said there was still no return date set for defender Rio Ferdinand who is sidelined by a recurring back problem.
West Ham United maintained their impressive start to the season when they beat champions Manchester City 2-1 at Upton Park on Saturday to consolidate their place in the top four of the Premier League.
Photos from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
Holders Manchester United overcame the 29th-minute sending-off of teenaged Brazilian defender Fabio Da Silva to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Tottenham Hotspur's in-form England striker Jermain Defoe can become Premier League top scorer this season, according to manager Harry Redknapp.
Newcastle United's euphoria after their win over Middlesbrough on Monday turned to despair on Saturday when a 1-0 loss at home to Fulham left their Premier League status hanging by a thread.
Newcastle United were left deep in relegation trouble after being held to a goalless draw at home to Portsmouth in a tense Premier League match on Monday. With four matches left to play, Newcastle remain in the drop zone with 31 points, although the draw was enough to move them ahead of Middlesbrough on goal difference and up to 18th place.
Former Hull City wing back Bernard Mendy scored through a stunning bicycle kick as hosts Chennaiyin FC beat Kerala Blasters 2-1 in a Hero Indian Super League match on Tuesday.
Chelsea missed the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by West Ham United on Sunday, a day after Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal also drew.
Spaniard Pedro scored twice as Chelsea tightened their grip on top spot by sweeping past Bournemouth 3-0 on Monday, a club record 12th successive Premier League win taking them seven points clear.
Chelsea's long unbeaten home record in the Premier League ended on Sunday when Liverpool earned a 1-0 victory to take over at the top of the standings. Xabi Alonso's deflected first-half shot sealed the points for the visitors, who move three points clear of Chelsea with 23 points from nine games. It was Chelsea's first home reverse in the league since February 2004, a run of 86 unbeaten matches.
Manchester United wasted the chance to close on the Premier League leaders when a sloppy second half cost them in a 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger sent a team out with an average age of 19 on Tuesday and Arsenal were rewarded with a 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United.
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley said on Sunday he had put the Premier League club up for sale after falling foul of the fans following coach Kevin Keegan's resignation.
Goals from Victor Moses and Daniel Sturridge eased Liverpool through a tricky FA Cup fourth round tie at Championship (second division) Bournemouth on Saturday although they had to work hard for a 2-0 victory.
Manchester City squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea when they let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to struggling Burnley on Sunday.
Manager Juergen Klopp has denied that Liverpool are suffering from fatigue after last weekend's setback at Hull City, and urged fans to get behind the team when Tottenham Hotspur visit Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech will be out for three to four weeks with the calf injury he picked up in Wednesday's Premier League defeat by Swansea City, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
Leicester City continued to do their best Houdini impression on Saturday as they escaped the Premier League drop zone for the first time since November while Manchester City went up to second spot with a thrilling win.
A summary of Saturday's matches in the FA Cup.
A Bournemouth player was one of two people working for English Premier League clubs who tested positive for coronavirus following a second batch of testing, the club said on Sunday. Bournemouth did not disclose the player's identity but said he would self isolate for seven days in line with league protocols before another test is conducted.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp wants his players to be "angry" and guard against complacency when they entertain promoted HullCity on Saturday.
Speculation about a possible transfer to Premier League rivals Arsenal has unsettled LeicesterCity winger Riyad Mahrez, manager Claudio Ranieri has said.
Rejecting a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal was an easy decision for Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy because he has "unfinished business" with the champions.
Manchester City failed in an audacious transfer deadline day move for Leicester City midfielder Riyadh Mahrez, British media reported on Wednesday.
Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-0 for a 10th successive Premier League home win at their Stamford Bridge stronghold on Saturday to reassert themselves as Premier League leaders while champions Manchester City drew at Everton.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will be sidelined for up to eight weeks with an ankle injury, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Sunday as he ruled the player out of a crucial period of the season.
Frank Lampard and Edin Dzeko scored twice as holders Manchester City sailed into the English League Cup fourth round with a crushing 7-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 on Wednesday.
Chelsea maintained their stranglehold on the Premier League by beating Sunderland 1-0 on Wednesday to register their 10th successive win and move six points clear at the top of the table.
David Silva came to the rescue of Manchester City with two goals in a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
After a successful trial, Scottish striker Darryl Duffy has been included into Salgaocar FC.
Title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur made hay in the sunshine as Son Heung-min scored twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Watford that closed the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to four points in Saturday's early kickoff.
Liverpool took full advantage of an early kickoff at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, winning 2-0 to go three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The battle to avoid relegation is now a straight shootout between Hull City and 17th-place Newcastle United, who are two points better off heading into Sunday's final round.
Mesut Ozil helped Arsenal shake off the hangover of a midweek pounding in Germany with a starring role in a 3-0 win at Aston Villa while sloppy Liverpool lost 3-1 at West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal beat Fulham 2-0 at the Emirates and Manchester City beat Cardiff City 4-2 at the Etihad before Liverpool could only manage a 2-2 draw at Anfield having trailed 2-0.
Tottenham Hotspur's tenacious chase of leaders Chelsea continued as they claimed a 12th consecutive Premier League home win with a 4-0 rout of Bournemouth on Saturday to cut the gap to four points.
Fernando Torres capitalised on a defensive blunder to score a last-minute winner and secure Chelsea a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and defender Branislav Ivanovic will be out of action until the end of January, the Chelsea website reported on Wednesday.
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