Manchester United's hopes of a top four finish suffered a blow on Sunday as relegation-threatened Swansea City came back for a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Arsenal eased past second-tier Reading 2-0 with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scoring twice, while Newcastle United romped to a 6-0 win over 10-man Preston North End and Hull City won 2-1 at Bristol City.
Manchester City continued their imperious start to the season with a 2-1 win over Swansea City to reach the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday but it was a testing night for rivals United who eventually overcame Northampton Town 3-1.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers stressed that his team would give everything to qualify for the Champions League after a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Monday left them four points behind Manchester City in the Premier League.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers stressed that his team would give everything to qualify for the Champions League after a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United on Monday left them four points behind Manchester City in the Premier League.
2015 couldn't have started any worse for a Liverpoool fan as Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will leave the club.
Imperious Liverpool extended their Premier League home winning streak against Arsenal to six on Saturday with an easy 4-0 victory that lifted them to second in the table.
Arsenal snapped a season-long jinx against Newcastle United with a nervy 1-0 win in their last Premier League home game on Sunday.
Arsenal took the race to the final day last season and are strongly tipped to end Manchester City's dominance this time.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Aymeric Laporte's late header sealed a deserved 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur
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.
Leaders Liverpool faltered in the English Premier League title race for the second time in six days as they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham United.
"And you need also that you can make tactical choices. We are looking for the right player for our squad and (he) has to match our sporting criteria but also our financial criteria."
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Fans are openly speculating that owner Roman Abramovich, a man who places notoriously high demands on his managers, could call time on Jose Mourinho's second spell at Stamford Bridge if Liverpool can inflict another defeat on the champions.
Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria will miss Tuesday's game against Stoke City and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after limping out of Saturday's 3-0 win over Hull City.
Newcastle United's clash with AFC Wimbledon was postponed after flooding damaged the Wimbledon pitch on Monday.
There were, however, no eye-catching major deals in the final 24 hours of transfer activity for European clubs which continues the trend of recent January windows.
As Manchester City fans left Goodison Park after a 2-0 victory over Everton on Wednesday that sent their team back to the top of the Premier League, they aimed their chants across adjacent Stanley Park to title rivals Liverpool.
IMAGES from the English Premier League match played at Selhurst Park in London on Monday
'United can change nothing or everything, so it's tricky preparation-wise, but it's early and we don't have a lot of info. It's tough... United away will never be easy.' Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp says wounded Man Utd will not be easy to play.
The result leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United in 10th with nine points, their worst start after seven games for 30 years, and they have won just one of their last six league games.
Goals rained in for Manchester City and Manchester United but Juergen Klopp's first game as Liverpool manager was solid rather than spectacular as they drew 0-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
'Jose's been a bit unlucky because they've been absolutely brilliant in most of their home games and drawn (seven of) them. If they had got the wins they would be challenging for the league, no doubt about that'
Aston Villa beat Crystal Palace 1-0 to win a Premier League match for the first time since August while a late goal from Paul Dummett earned a 3-3 draw for Newcastle United against Manchester United on Tuesday.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures
Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of the first round of Premier League fixtures from August 5-7 (all times IST).
Last season's runners-up Liverpool, big-spending French league champions Paris St Germain and Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli were thrown together in the pick of the groups while holders Real Madrid must face last season's semi-finalists AS Roma.
Wenger dropped Rob Holding for the visit to Stoke, preferring Shkodran Mustafi alongside Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac at the back.
FA Cup added another incredible chapter to its proud heritage on Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester City were humbled by supposed inferiors.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Manchester United have surpassed local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League table in terms of salary paid to their players.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is 'chomping at the bit' to return for Liverpool this week after the expiry of a 10-match ban for biting, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Monday.
Premier League title race looks poised to be one of the most thrilling in years.
