Jordon Ibe scored a superb equaliser as Liverpool's pre-season tour ended in frustration after they were held to a dull 1-1 draw by a Malaysia XI on Friday.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Liverpool ran riot to reach the League Cup semi-finals with a 6-1 thrashing of Southampton on Wednesday in which Divock Origi grabbed a hat-trick and Daniel Sturridge scored twice as the Juergen Klopp juggernaut rolled on.
'It's a case of realising how lucky we are and how we should go out there and enjoy it. You can see that everyone did enjoy it and the message clearly did get across'
All eyes will be on Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal when he takes his team to Derby County for an FA Cup fourth-round tie on Friday with the fans' boos from their home defeat by Southampton still ringing in his ears.
Chelsea must end their hire-and-fire approach and make sure the club's next manager is a long-term appointment, interim boss Guus Hiddink said on Friday. The Dutchman has overseen a dramatic turnaround in fortunes, helping the champions climb to 10th in the Premier League after they were struggling one point off the relegation zone when he replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho in December. Chelsea have changed their manager 10 times since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich became owner 13 years ago with 2005, 2006 and 2015 league winner Mourinho serving two spells at the helm and Hiddink twice operating in an interim role. "The club has to go in a new way where it is not on short spells," Hiddink told a news conference ahead of Saturday's game against seventh-placed Stoke City at Stamford Bridge. "I think now they have to go into a new era of Chelsea where managers have more than one or two years."
'Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct in relation to his language and/or behaviour towards the match officials in or around the dressing room area at halftime'
Aaron Ramsey scored a hat-trick on Saturday as Arsenal thrashed Everton 5-1 in the Premier League at the Emirates with a display of free-flowing football that the Gunners have sorely lacked away from home this season.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane's determination to prove his doubters wrong after a slow start to the campaign has driven the England international to the top of the scoring charts in a remarkable season for the player and his club.
Charlie Adam scored twice as Stoke City beat Manchester United 2-1 on Saturday to show the flailing Premier League champions it will take more than one big-money signing to improve their fortunes.
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey scored a contender for goal of the season when he blasted home a 30-metre volley to help his team cruise past Galatasaray 4-1 to finish second in Champions League Group D.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed suggestions that midfielder Paul Pogba faces a lengthy lay-off because of a hamstring injury sustained in the Champions League defeat of Basel on Tuesday.
However, experienced goalkeeper Joe Hart and Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere were both omitted from a squad announced on Wednesday via a social media video featuring young recreational players from around the country shouting out the names.
Danny Rose scored a second-half equaliser to cancel out James Milner's penalty as Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to draw 1-1 with Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Saturday.
City are 18 points clear of second-placed Liverpool after beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and need just four wins from their final nine games to be sure of the title.
Leicester City were give a Premier League reality check when the unlikely leaders lost 1-0 at Liverpool on Saturday after Manchester United slumped to a third consecutive league defeat to pile more pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.
Mohamed Salah struck four times in rampant Liverpool's 5-0 thrashing of Watford that lifted them back into third spot in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal's improbable late run at the Premier League title gained momentum with a 1-0 victory at struggling Burnley on Saturday, an eighth straight triumph that moved them within four points of leaders Chelsea.
Chennai Super Kings will launch their Indian Premier League (IPL) title defence against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday
Chelsea overpowered West Ham United and Manchester City outclassed West Bromwich Albion as the Premier League title rivals signalled their intent at the start of a hectic holiday programme on Friday.
He also said he expected to be at Chelsea for the remainder of his four-year contract and that Chelsea would finish first or second in their Champions League group.
Antonio Conte brushed aside the praise being heaped upon him and his high-flying Chelsea team on Friday, adamant that he would not let the plaudits distract them in their surge towards the English Premier League title.
Wayne Rooney scored two first half goals to help send Manchester United to a 4-1 win over a spirited Aston Villa on Saturday, temporarily lifting the gloom surrounding David Moyes' dismal first term in charge.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Spain's captain Olga Carmona -- the scorer of Sunday's deciding goal -- plays for Real Madrid, where the women's team generated revenues of 1.4 million euros in the 2021/22 season, according to Deloitte. That compared with the Real Madrid men's teams revenues of 713.8 million euros in the same season.
The Merseysiders fell behind to a Raul Jimenez goal on the break in the 38th minute, the Mexican firing home confidently after Diogo Jota robbed James Milner.
Bayern Munich wasted a two-goal lead and needed a lucky 82nd- minute winner from Joshua Kimmich to beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in Germany's Super Cup on Wednesday and secure their fifth title of the year.
Record signing Mesut Ozil is now over his key penalty miss against Bayern Munich having ended a three month goal drought with a dynamic display in the FA Cup win over Everton, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Chelsea put a miserable week behind them to return to the Premier League summit with a 2-0 win over Fulham as the wheels came off Liverpool's bright start in a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton on Saturday.
Liverpool cranked up the pressure on West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic with a 4-1 victory at the London Stadium, while Burnley's remarkable start to the Premier League season continued thanks to a 1-0 victory at Southampton on Saturday.
Chelsea will begin 2015 protecting a three-point lead in the Premier League title race but will heed the words of their grand old striker Didier Drogba who warns that it is simply not enough.
Instead of hoping for a slip-up from Premier League leaders Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur must win their remaining five games to give Spurs their best chance of winning their first league title since 1961, midfielder Erik Lamela said. The 24-year-old winger has shone under manager Mauricio Pochettino this season, but his four goals and six assists might still not be enough, as second-placed Spurs are still seven points behind Claudio Ranieri's men. "We still believe... Our task is to win all the remaining games. Whether Leicester win or lose, the important thing is that we are concentrated on the job in hand," Lamela told British media. "We have the finish the season in the best manner possible. There are five games left and our aim is five victories." Spurs have the meanest defence in the league, conceding just 25 goals in 33 games, and according to defender Jan Vertonghen that has been crucial in the North London club's impressive run.
Football's winter transfer window closed on February 1, and, surprisingly, none of Europe's biggies made even a slight move, let alone sign a player.
Under pressure from the chasing pack and rocked on their heels by a Charlie Adam bolt from the blue, Chelsea showed cool heads to extend their Premier League to seven points on Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Stoke City.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Tuesday.
The momentum that swept Leicester City away from relegation last season continued unabated at West Ham United on Saturday as their 2-1 win left them top of the Premier League.
Stuttering Chelsea retained their Premier League lead by virtue of the alphabet heading into the new year but will need a quick riposte at home to Newcastle United on Saturday (2030 IST) to hold Manchester City at bay.
Chelsea found no chink in Everton's defensive armour as the Premier League champions were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
