What a difference an international break makes. Before Europe's top domestic leagues were interrupted by players jetting off around the world to play for their countries, Manchester United's supposed new dawn under Louis van Gaal was obscured by dark clouds.
The 10-year agreement announced on Monday is a world record for a soccer club and is more than double the 31 million pounds-a-year deal Adidas was reported to have with Spanish side Real Madrid, previously the biggest deal.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho stoked up his war of words with Manuel Pellegrini on Monday by questioning the Manchester City manager's sums.
Manchester United spurned a chance to move into the Premier League's top four after striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bournemouth on Saturday.
They are well placed to qualify for the Champions League and with manager Louis van Gaal sure to be given substantial funds to bolster his squad, United fans are dreaming of a return to the glory years they enjoyed with Alex Ferguson at the helm.
Manchester United enjoyed perhaps their finest performance.
How could a front six including Angel Di Maria, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata fail to get a single shot on target in a 1-0 home defeat by Southmapton?
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
Manchester United substitute Jesse Lingard's superb volley in extra time secured a 2-1 win over CrystalPalace in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday for their first major trophy in three years.
As the black-tinted sports cars carrying Manchester United's millionaire footballers rolled into the club's Carrington complex for the start of pre-season training on Wednesday, no one wound down any windows to discuss the start of life under Jose Mourinho. But there was surely only one topic of conversation when the players began the hard task of proving to the new manager on the pitch that they can forge the sort of future he outlined so eloquently at his news conference the previous day.
Manchester City stayed ahead of age-old local rivals Manchester United at the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a deserved 1-0 win away to champions Chelsea.
A second-string Spain celebrated coach Vicente del Bosque's two-year contract extension with a 2-1 away win over Equatorial Guinea in a friendly on Saturday that was marred by an injury to Xabi Alonso.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas said the club could fine forward Gareth Bale for failing to attend training ahead of an expected world record "dream" move to Real Madrid. Bale, who has not been training with the squad due to injury, was granted three days off but did not report back to the club on Tuesday despite being pictured in London.
Since winning 2-1 at home to Wolfsburg in September, United have scored only twice in three Champions League games. In the Premier League the record is five goals in the last six games.
Spain fullback Mario Gaspar scored with a stunning volley and midfielder Santi Cazorla added a late goal as the European champions handed England a chastening 2-0 defeat in a friendly between the continental heavyweights on Friday.
Charlie Adam scored twice as Stoke City beat Manchester United 2-1 on Saturday to show the flailing Premier League champions it will take more than one big-money signing to improve their fortunes.
Manchester United ended their one-year Champions League hiatus in emphatic style when Wayne Rooney struck a hat-trick in a 4-0 destruction of Club Bruges that sent the three-times winners through 7-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.
The Premier League kicked off in unique fashion on Saturday as an own goal by Tottenham Hotspur's Kyle Walker gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory in an undistinguished season opener at Old Trafford.
Manchester United humbled Manchester City 4-2 in the continent's big derby of the weekend.
Paul Pogba repaid some of his world record transfer fee with two goals as Manchester United rediscovered their early-season shine, cruising to a 4-1 Europa League win over Fenerbahce to go top of their group on Thursday. Pogba scored a penalty and rifled United's third into the top corner. Anthony Martial also netted from the spot and Jesse Lingard fired home in the second half before former Old Trafford favourite Robin van Persie pulled one back for Fenerbahce. Inter Milan and AS Roma, though, had more testing evenings. Coach Frank de Boer breathed a sigh of relief when Inter survived an onslaught from Southampton to end a three-match losing streak with a 1-0 victory while Roma conceded twice late on to draw 3-3 at home to Austria Vienna.
Liverpool and champions Manchester City drew 0-0 at Anfield while Chelsea and Arsenal enjoyed comfortable away wins. City are top on goal difference from Liverpool and Chelsea with Arsenal two points behind.
Manchester United battled back from two goals down to beat Newcastle United 3-2 at Old Trafford on Saturday as a 90th-minute winner from Alexis Sanchez completed a spirited comeback to ease the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho.
Inter Milan's aversion to Europa League football continued with a 3-1 defeat at Sparta Prague, while AS Roma ended a continental hoodoo stretching back seven games with a 4-0 home win over Romanian side FC Astra on Thursday.
Alex Ferguson has broken his silence on David Moyes's short, traumatic reign at Manchester United, saying the former Everton manager underestimated the size of the job while denying he retired leaving the club in decline.
Leicester go five clear after win at Everton
Romelu Lukaku extended his impressive FA Cup scoring record by netting twice in Manchester United's 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town to earn Jose Mourinho's side a quarter-final tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ahead of their high-profile clash on Saturday, check out the five standout clashes between Arsenal and Chelsea.
Manchester United flirted with calamity before coasting into the Europa League last 16 as debutant Marcus Rashford helped them overcome an early blow with two goals in a 5-1 home victory over Midtjylland on Thursday.
An inspired Wayne Rooney became Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer in European competition to ignite their crucial 4-0 trouncing of Feyenoord.
VfL Wolfsburg reached the Champions League last 16 and dealt a knockout blow to Manchester United with a 3-2 victory to claim top spot in Group B and condemn their opponents to the Europa League on Tuesday.
Manchester United won 2-1 at Crystal Palace to consolidate fourth spot.
Liverpool took over at the top of the Premier League table despite being held to a 0-0 draw against Manchester United in a scrappy match on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho's first Premier League game as manager of Manchester United ended in a comfortable 3-1 victory away to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Substitute Dusan Tadic fired the only goal as Southampton recorded a first league win over Manchester United for 27 years on Sunday, climbing above them into third in the Premier League.
IMAGES from Saturday's English Premier League matches.
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus consolidated their top-flight leads at the weekend while Paris St Germain proved too strong for Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Marseille.
Written off last season as a sub-standard misfit with a comical haircut, there are signs that Marouane Fellaini is finally beginning to feel comfortable in a red Manchester United shirt.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Unai Emery's side were heading for a demoralising defeat, three days after losing meekly to Sheffield United in the Premier League, but substitute Pepe's late intervention kept the Gunners top of Group F with a maximum nine points.
Premier League leaders Manchester City won their derby with United 3-1, while Liverpool kept pace with a home win over Fulham.
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