Dimitar Berbatov came off the bench to give Manchester United a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday that put them five points clear in the Premier League while Arsenal rallied to draw at West Bromwich Albion.
The 24 sides through from the group phase join the eight third-placed finishers in the Champions League in Monday's draw, including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam.
Arsenal turned on the style to beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 on Saturday and get an early-season taste of the top of the Premier League. They top the standings on 12 points, one ahead of Liverpool, who were held to a goalless Anfield draw by Stoke City.
Dimitar Berbatov scored his third hat-trick of the season as leaders Manchester United maintained their unbeaten Premier League record with a 5-0 drubbing of Birmingham City on Saturday. Arsenal moved into second place with a 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium.
Holders Arsenal's long unbeaten run in the FA Cup continued but they were frustrated by stubborn Championship leaders Hull City on Saturday, drawing 0-0 in a dreary fifth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium.
Asked whether he will make his debut against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, the 28-year-old said that he has been training throughout the pre-season and "feels good".
A perfect header from substitute Shaun Goater three minutes from time earned Manchester City a 1-1 draw in the English premier league.
'We want to keep our Highbury strength because we know it is vital for us to be successful at the end of the season,' added the Arsenal manager.\n\n
Leaders Manchester United moved closer to a 20th title and pushed Queens Park Rangers nearer to relegation when goals from Rafael and Ryan Giggs gave them a 2-0 win at the bottom side in the Premier League on Saturday.
Manchester City now need, at most, 11 points from their remaining seven matches to secure their third Premier League title in four seasons.
After settling one score with Liverpool, Manchester United will attempt to bury the memory of their most painful defeat of recent seasons.\n\n
Champions Arsenal eased to a comfortable 2-0 home win over Middlesbrough on Saturday, extending their lead at the top of the English premier league to two points.
Chelsea have topped the spending list with Manchester United not far behind, but West Ham United's business epitomises the TV riches which give all Premier League clubs spending power that only the elite teams in Spain or Germany can dream of.
Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both sealed comeback victories to boost their European qualification hopes.
Javier Hernandez went off clutching the match ball after helping leaders Manchester United fight back for a 3-2 win at Aston Villa after Arsenal were held in another rip-roaring Saturday of Premier League action.
John O'Shea was Manchester United's unlikely hero as they beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Bournemouth breathed life into their Premier League survival bid on Sunday, coming from a goal down to beat fourth-placed Leicester City 4-1 for their first win in 10 games. Toby Alderweireld's 81st-minute header sealed a 2-1 Premier League victory for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal in the first north London derby in their new stadium on Sunday.
Manchester City stumbled to the most unexpected defeat of the Premier League season on Saturday before neighbours Manchester United began their brave new world under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a glorious reminder of long-forgotten attacking swagger.
The holders swept into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory.
Arsenal recovered from going two goals down in the opening eight minutes to beat Hull City 3-2 after extra time in the FA Cup final and win their first trophy for nine years at Wembley on Saturday.
Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt's hat-trick dealt a body blow to Manchester United's English Premier League title hopes as the leaders were beaten 3-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
New Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck is determined to prove that he is worth the 16 million pound ($26.36 million) the Premier League club spent on the transfer deadline day to sign him from Manchester United.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Manchester United's players were given a lift ahead of their Premier League game against Arsenal when Diego Maradona visited them at their training ground today. The new Argentina coach is visiting clubs in England to meet up with some of the key players in his national squad.
Manchester United will need new signing Robin van Persie to shoulder the goal-scoring burden when they travel to promoted Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday without the injured Wayne Rooney.
City have 89 points, one more than rivals Liverpool, with both teams having three games to play -- and none of them against top six opponents.
The Londoners are fourth in the Premier League table, 13 points behind leaders Leicester City with five games left.
Champions Manchester United shook off their midweek defeat at Burnley with an emphatic 5-0 away win at Wigan Athletic in the Premier League on Saturday.
Chelsea maintained their title challenge with a 1-0 victory over Reading but Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football.
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.
'The price for the big clubs is different for the other clubs. The big historical clubs they are normally punished in the market for their history'
'Next season will be better for him, but he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him'
Manchester United are three points clear of champions Chelsea in the Premier League.
Kevin de Bruyne's first-half penalty and a superb strike by Raheem Sterling after the break earned holders Manchester City a comfortable 2-0 away win at Newcastle United in the weekend's last FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
The self-styled "Special One" faces what he agreed is a special fixture this weekend but Jose Mourinho refused to accept that beating Manchester United to establish a 10-point lead with six games left would mean Chelsea had won the Premier League.
Manchester United were held 1-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers and missed out on taking top spot in the English Premier League.
