Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Chelsea and Manchester City tightened their stranglehold on the Premier League title race on Saturday, recording victories over struggling clubs to stretch further clear of their increasingly forlorn pursuers.
Liverpool have enough quality and strength in depth in the squad to win games and pick up important points during a demanding festive schedule, striker Christian Benteke has said.
CrystalPalace striker Marouane Chamakh ended an 11-game barren streak to help them beat fellow Premier League strugglers West Ham United 1-0 in manager Tony Pulis's home debut on Tuesday.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
Chelsea moved 12 points clear of Arsenal, who suffered their fourth defeat in nine league matches, while fourth-placed Liverpool fell 13 point adrift after their wretched 2017 continued with a shock 2-0 defeat at resurgent Hull City.
The 51-year-old was a member of the Croatian team that finished third in the 1998 World Cup.
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.
The much-anticipated clash between Liverpool and ManchesterCity at Anfield on Saturday looks like a knockout to determine who can challenge Chelsea for the Premier League title.
Records fell on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday as Manchester City beat Southampton 1-0 to become the first team to reach 100 points and Mohamed Salah established a new Premier League goalscoring mark as Liverpool clinched a top-four spot.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when a mix up at the back saw Riyad Mahrez square for Jamie Vardy to tap into an open goal in front of the Kop in the third minute. Liverpool looked for an immediate riposte, but Salah missed two gilt-edged opportunities before Sadio Mane saw an effort disallowed for offside as Juergen Klopp's men grew frustrated.
As England begin the search for their fifth new manager in 10 years following their humiliating exit from Euro 2016, there appear more unemployed former holders of the job than serious contenders to replace Roy Hodgson.
Christian Benteke headed home from close range as Liverpool grabbed a stoppage-time leveller to snatch a point against Chelsea in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday after Eden Hazard's dazzling opener for the visitors.
'You cannot sack all the players so sack the manager -- whether right or wrong'
Son fires Spurs to 2-0 win over Huddersfield
Manchester United stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions after Daley Blind, in-form striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and substitute Henrik Mkhitaryan gave them a 3-1 home win over Sunderland on Monday. Left back Blind fired United ahead with a crisp 39th-minute shot after Ibrahimovic teed him up perfectly. The towering Swede doubled the lead with a clinical 82nd-minute finish for his 17th goal of the season. Fit-again Mkhitaryan put the icing on the cake with a spectacular backheel effort after a sharp Ibrahimovic cross from the right, although television replays suggested the Armenian was marginally offside. Striker Fabio Borini gave Sunderland fans something to cheer with a dipping late volley.
Arsenal's Olivier Giroud produced a piece of New Year's Day magic to keep Arsenal in sight of Premier League leaders Chelsea while Harry Kane's double bolstered Tottenham Hotspur's ambitions as London's triple assault on the title continues.
The table suggests Louis van Gaal is making progress at Manchester United but winning matches has never been good enough on its own at the Theatre of Dreams.
Spaniard Pedro scored twice as Chelsea tightened their grip on top spot by sweeping past Bournemouth 3-0 on Monday, a club record 12th successive Premier League win taking them seven points clear.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Sunday.
Manchester United climbed back up to second in the table after second-half goals by Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard earned a 2-0 victory at Everton -- their first win in five games in all competitions.
Manchester City set a new top-flight record of 15 consecutive wins as their seemingly unstoppable march towards the English Premier League title continued with a 4-0 romp at bottom club Swansea City.
Manchester United are optimistic ahead of a crucial period of fixtures as they are close to finding their best form, midfielder Ander Herrera said ahead of Sunday's top of the table showdown against Premier League leaders Manchester City.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Premier League leaders Leicester City moved even closer to the title by winning 2-0 at relegation-threatened Sunderland on Sunday. England international Jamie Vardy put them ahead in the 66th minute and he added his second -- and 21st of the season -- in added time. That left them 10 points ahead of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who play Manchester United later on Sunday. With five games left, Claudio Ranieri's unfashionable side need a maximum of nine more points to become English champions for the first time. Sunderland remain in the bottom three, four points behind Norwich City, who they play next Saturday. "It was tough, we knew it would be, but we ground it out," Vardy told Sky Sports. "We know it's a step closer but you never know what can happen. "The main thing now is we've got to take it into the next week."
Manchester United climbed two places up to second in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford scored deep into stoppage time to give them a fortuitous 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
Wayne Rooney made history by equalling Bobby Charlton's Manchester United record and becoming the club's leading all-time goalscorer after netting his 249th goal (543 matches) during an FA Cup match against Reading on Saturday.
Chelsea face the prospect of having veteran Didier Drogba as their only fit striker for their visit to Manchester United on Sunday in what is usually one of the standout matches of the Premier League season.
Substitute Jesse Lingard struck twice in the second half as Manchester United fought back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 Premier League draw with Burnley at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford wrote another chapter in his fairytale introduction to top-flight football, scoring a brilliant goal to secure a 1-0 win in his first derby match against Manchester City on Sunday.
Gareth Southgate's plea for England to play with adventure and style was answered only fitfully as his reign as caretaker manager began with a 2-0 win over Malta in a World Cup Group F qualifier on Saturday.
Liverpool put their recent troubles behind them, showing touches of their best early-season vibrancy to overcame Arsenal 3-1 at a jubilant Anfield and leapfrog the Gunners into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Manchester City tightened their stranglehold at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday by trouncing bottom club West Bromwich Albion 3-0 as nearest rivals Manchester United suffered a chastening 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
Leaders Chelsea have seen their lead reduced to just three points after a shock defeat, and a revival from defending champions Manchester City. Manchester United are back in third after a run of five straight wins. If Chelsea slip agains, City continue to pile on the pressure and United keep the winning momentum it will make EPL battle further interesting.
England's Adam Lallana scored his first international goal with the last kick of the game as they beat 10-man Slovakia 1-0 in their World Cup Group F qualifier on Sunday to get new manager Sam Allardyce's reign off to a winning start.
Liverpool moved into the Champions League qualifying spots after a 3-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday took them above Leicester City and into fourth place with one round of Premier League matches remaining.
Photos and summary of the English Premier League matches played on Tuesday, including the story of Chelsea's resurgent win
Manchester United's calamitous week hit rock bottom as Bournemouth famously consigned them to a 2-1 defeat on Sunday and, to rub salt into the wounds, neighbours Manchester City moved back to the top of the English Premier League.
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.
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