Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has been provisionally suspended for 30 days after failing an anti-doping test, European soccer's governing body UEFA said on Thursday.
Manchester United took over at the top of the Premier League while Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi could be out for up to two months with a knee injury and rampant Bayern Munich extended their perfect start to seven league wins.
Manager Avram Grant hailed Chelsea's 2-0 victory at Newcastle United and said fatigue was to blame for his side's sluggish first half.
The race for the English title could finish next Sunday with the top two teams level on points for only the sixth time.
Chelsea beat Newcastle United 2-0 on Monday to go level on points with EPL leaders Manchester United.
Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse struck twice in a 2-1 victory against English Premier League leaders Chelsea.
The punishment, which related to comments directed at the fourth official by Ferguson during United's 2-1 premier league win at Newcastle United on August 23.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Arsenal rediscovered their Premier League form on Saturday with a convincing 3-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium. Portsmouth ended a run of six successive league defeats when they won 3-0 at Everton while Hull City's flying start ended emphatically when they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Wigan Athletic.
The top four failed to muster a goal on Saturday as Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United drew 0-0 while Arsenal went down 3-0 at Manchester City. Premier League leaders Chelsea could find no way through Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool had the same problem at home to Fulham and third-placed Manchester United were held 0-0 in a lively game at Aston Villa.
Andre Villas-Boas believes there is no imminent danger of him being sacked even though Chelsea have already lost six games this season, a run of poor form that is almost unparalleled since billionaire owner Roman Abramovich took over in 2003.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Luiz Felipe Scolari will start life as Chelsea's new manager at home to FA Cup winners Portsmouth after the 2008-09 fixture list was released on Monday. Manchester United, who pipped Chelsea to the title on the final day last season, begin their title defence at home to Newcastle United.
Late goals from William Gallas and Tomas Rosicky gave Premier League leaders Arsenal a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday as champions Manchester United slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers. In another match, Steven Gerrard inspired fifth-placed Liverpool to a 3-0 victory at Newcastle United.
Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he was worried about the impact manager Juergen Klopp was having at his old team's great rivals Liverpool.
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.
The British transfer record was smashed twice on Monday as Liverpool sold Fernando Torres to Chelsea but raided Newcastle United for an immediate replacement in the shape of burly England frontman Andy Carroll.
Arsenal wasted the chance to go four points clear of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United when, despite a double from Robin van Persie, they were held to a thrilling 3-3 home draw by Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Liverpool opened up a seven-point gap at the top of the English Premier League with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, while Arsenal's poor away form continued with a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United.
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce became the second mid-table Premier League manager to be sacked in eight days after the club's new Indian owners announced his departure with immediate effect on Monday.
Arsenal narrowed the gap on third-placed Tottenham Hotspur to one point when Thomas Vermaelen struck deep in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win over Newcastle United in a dramatic Premier League match on Monday.
Everton missed the chance to secure a place in next season's UEFA Cup when they were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
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.
Pogba suffered the injury in United's 3-0 Champions League win over Basel this month.
One of the most remarkable weeks in the life of Harry Redknapp ended on a high when his entertaining Tottenham Hotspur side crushed Newcastle United 5-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Manchester United manager has been penalised for abusing a match official.
In a gripping title race, Liverpool showed they are ready to push Manchester City right until the final seconds of this season with their spirited 3-2 win at Newcastle United.
Andy Carroll scored at Anfield for the first time this season to help Liverpool reach the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 5-1 win over League 1 (third division) Oldham Athletic on Friday.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti still has no idea whether he should be calling a removal van after the club stayed silent amid fervent speculation over his future.
Chelsea closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 on Saturday and Arsenal were held to a surprising 1-1 draw by Birmingham City.
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.
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?
Liverpool will be without defender Martin Skrtel for three games after he was suspended on Wednesday for a stamp on Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea during Sunday's Premier League defeat at Anfield.
Craig Bellamy scored his second goal since joining Manchester City to earn his side a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday.
Uruguay forward Luis Suarez completed his move to five-times European champions Liverpool from Ajax Amsterdam on Monday, the Premier League club said.
Wales forward Craig Bellamy completed his transfer from West Ham United to Manchester City on Monday after the London club turned down an offer from Tottenham Hotspur.
Sam Allardyce has been named England manager on a two-year contract, the Football Association said in a statement on Friday.
Liverpool signed left back Jose Enrique on a long-term deal from Newcastle United on Friday after the Spaniard passed a medical, the club said.
Liverpool added on their website that the furloughed staff would continue to receive 100% of their salaries. Several English top-flight clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth and Newcastle United, have already put non-playing staff on furlough, with football's return in England contingent on medical guidance and government support.
Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League by drawing 0-0 away to Manchester United in a disappointing local derby on Sunday.
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