The following are talking points from the Premier League weekend:
Jose Mourinho has accused Manchester United's Premier League rivals of playing a "defensive game" ahead of the coming campaign but is making no secret of his side's own title aspirations.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'If you are a big player, and paid like a big player, you must play like a big player and behave like a big player'
Manchester United returned to winning ways in ruthlessly emphatic fashion
In Pep Guardiola's 100th match in charge of the Manchester club, captain De Bruyne led from the front as City outclassed the Gunners, who have now suffered six home games without a win. Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho has dropped a heavy hint that Paul Pogba's protracted transfer from Juventus to Manchester United is close to completion.
Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino has been named Premier League manager of the month for February, while Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster picked up the players' award.
The Senegal international, 26, joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2016 for 34 million pounds ($43.8 million) and has scored 40 goals in 89 games for the Anfield club.
Tottenham Hotspur fluffed their last-day lines with a 5-1 defeat at relegated, 10-man Newcastle United that left them third in the Premier League behind bitter north London rivals Arsenal.
Chelsea slipped up in their push for a Champions League spot when they lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday with Emile Smith Rowe's first-half goal settling the London derby after a defensive mix-up by the hosts.
Check out the top footballers of the weekend...
A dispirited Arsene Wenger lamented his team's recent goal drought as Arsenal.
European heavyweights Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris St Germain all maintained their leads and Benfica toppled Sporting Lisbon.
Captain John Terry may have played his final game for Chelsea after receiving his second red card of the season in Saturday's 3-2 Premier League defeat at Sunderland.
With less than a month of the Premier League season left it remains Chelsea's title to lose but Tottenham Hotspur defiantly stayed in contention by grinding out a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Liverpool's first loss of the season means they cannot finish the campaign unbeaten to match Arsenal's 'Invincibles' of 2003-04.
Manchester City moved 13 points clear at the top of the English Premier League table after a 2-1 win over West Ham United on Saturday - their 20th straight win in all competitions.
'Tottenham's teamwork which has given them a chance of reeling in Leicester.'
Arsenal's victory was scrappy and nervy but Laurent Koscielny's 72nd-minute winner was enough to move them two points clear at the summit after LeicesterCity's surprise push faltered with a goalless draw at home to 10-man Bournemouth.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech was voted Czech Republic player of the year for 2015, the former Chelsea stopper picking up the award for a record eight time.
Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling is learning a lot from his team mate Sergio Aguero as he bids to improve his killer instinct in front of goal. Argentine striker Aguero has scored 94 Premier League goals since his debut in 2011 while Sterling has bagged 11 this season, equalling his best return in a single campaign. "I have been working on my finishing -- it's something I want to do. Obviously, we have players in the team like Sergio who you can look at and improve your game, and it's no different for me," Sterling told the Manchester Evening News. "He is a world-class striker and someone I can look up to, so it's always nice to have someone like him you can watch and see how they finish." Sterling, who joined City from Liverpool for 49 million pounds ($69.8 million) last year, was guarded about his goals for the rest of the campaign. "It isn't near my target. But it's a personal target, not to put in the press," the 21-year-old said.
Paul Pogba believes the Red Devils have right balance to win FA Cup and Europa League crowns.
The points table of the English Premier League 2014-15 season.
Arsenal have only themselves to blame after a run of two wins in nine games in all competitions has left them with only an outside chance of winning any silverware, midfielder Mesut Ozil was quoted as saying on Thursday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
Chelsea remain in fourth place, and are two points off third-placed Leicester City who have a game in hand.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is loving his duel with Leicester City forward and England team mate Jamie Vardy for the Premier League golden boot this season.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit back over former striker Thierry Henry's comments that he had never seen the club's supporters as angry as they were during the club's defeat to Swansea City.
Arsenal became the highest-profile casualties of the FA Cup third round as the 14-time winners lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, but Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur avoided early exits after scares against lower-league sides on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho's side have been the most impressive of any of the title contenders.
Liverpool made it three wins out of three as Mohamed Salah scored twice in a convincing 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday to take control at the top of the Premier League.
Three months after the last ball was kicked, the Premier League emerges from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic this week for what will be a 92-match slog to the finish.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hailed the contribution of Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, comparing him to former Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp.
News of all that tranpired on and off the football field.
The fixture was originally scheduled to be played on May 3 but was postponed after violent clashes between fans and police in which more than 100 supporters forced their way into the stadium and stormed the pitch to protest against the club's owners -- the Glazer family.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has lashed out at football's "Einsteins" for criticising him during the English Premier League club's run of three successive defeats. Despite winning the first four games of his tenure, Mourinho has come under scrutiny from the media after United's slump in form with the club currently six points behind leaders Manchester City in the league. United returned to winning ways after beating third-tier side Northampton Town 3-1 in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Manchester United have been rejuvenated under new manager Jose Mourinho and are poised to mount a strong challenge for the Premier League title, skipper Wayne Rooney has said. The 30-year-old forward, who secured his fifth league title with the club the last time they won it in 2013, scored eight top flight goals last season as United finished fifth and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
'I wish you were here to see for yourself what Mughal-e-Azam means to Indians in America.'
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