Everton won 1-0 at bottom club Sunderland to leapfrog Arsenal into fourth place in the Premier League on Saturday and the battle at the other end of the table intensified with wins for three clubs in danger of relegation.
Marouane Fellaini scored late in extra time to spare Everton's blushes as they came from a goal down to beat League One (third division) Stevenage 2-1 and reach the League Cup third round on Wednesday.
West Ham United and Chelsea both narrowly avoided ignominious FA Cup exits with narrow wins against lower-league opposition but Everton marked Frank Lampard's first game in charge by sauntering past Brentford into the fifth round on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
League One Burton, managed by Nigel Clough, the son of former Nottingham Forest boss Brian, must endure another 90 minutes at their own ground on Jan. 23 before City formally book their place in the final.
The brilliance of Chelsea's Eden Hazard ended Liverpool's 100 percent start to the season as Maurizio Sarri's side enjoyed a 2-1 win at Anfield in the League Cup third round on Wednesday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Images from Saturday's third round matches in the FA Cup.
European soccer body UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester United and Liverpool on Friday after fans clashed and threw objects during a Europa League tie at Old Trafford.
The hosts struggled to break down Arsene Wenger's side despite enjoying the majority of possession and will feel hard done by after crafting the best of the game's few openings in a lively game at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool frustrated by 10-man Arsenal in League Cup semi stalemate
Leicester City's veteran striker Jamie Vardy came off the bench to break his long scoring drought and earn his side a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser
IMAGES from EPL match played between Manchester City and Chelsea on Sunday
Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure scored an extra-time winner as they edged Rotherham United 2-1 in an absorbing FA Cup
Manchester United supporters should camp outside Zlatan Ibrahimovic's house to make sure he signs a contract extension at the club, manager Jose Mourinho said after the Swede's deadly double decided the League Cup final.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Messi's contract expires at the end of June and there has been no announcement on an extension.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas gave his manager a reminder of his talents by scoring twice in extra time as they fought back from two goals down to knock Premier League champions LeicesterCity out of the League Cup 4-2 on Tuesday.
Marcus Rashford scored twice as holders Manchester United brushed aside second-tier Burton Albion 4-1 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
English third-tier club Sheffield United kept alive their FA Cup dream on Sunday when two goals in as many minutes gave them a 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic and a place in the semi-finals.
Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski scored twice in the opening half-hour as the Premier League leaders romped to a 4-0 win over third-tier Coventry City in their FA Cup fourth round tie at the Emirates on Friday.
Manchester City needed a second-half penalty from striker Erling Haaland to break the resistance of a dogged Crystal Palace.
List of major transfers in the top Premier League ahead of the 2019-20 season (all transfer fees as reported by British media):
Blackburn Rover became the first former English Premier League champions to be relegated to the third tier.
Barcelona's Champions League last-16 second leg match with Napoli scheduled for March 18 will take place without spectators due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus, a club spokesman said on Tuesday. The match will take place at Camp Nou after a 1-1 draw in Napoli, but no supporters will be allowed to enter the stadium.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
A summary of Saturday's matches in the FA Cup.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Chelsea captain John Terry will leave the Premier League champions when his contract expires at the end of the season, he told British media on Sunday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Chelsea's Belgium forward won Eden Hazard England's PFA player of the year award ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea on Sunday.
Arsenal's defence of the trophy ended with something of a whimper as Mikel Arteta's side struggled with repeatedly sloppy defending.
Former Cup winners Coventry, now plying their trade in the bottom division of the Football League, revived memories of happier times as Jordan Willis and Jack Grimmer scored the goals in a 2-1 victory at the Ricoh Arena.
A summary of Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Football world has been left so shocked by the news of the serious illness to Alex Ferguson
This and more from the happenings in the world of football.
Real, Barca and Juve stand firm on Super League
Ousmane Dembele struck early and Lionel Messi converted a late penalty as Barcelona won 2-0 at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday after Alvaro Morata had three goals disallowed for offside for the Serie A side.
