However, one goal proved enough for City who picked up their sixth successive league win to move four points clear of Liverpool, who host Aston Villa later on Saturday, at the top of the standings.
United sacked manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday after the sixth-placed side made their worst start to a season for 28 years.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
The Gunners' only league defeat of the campaign was in September away to one of England's traditional top-six clubs, Manchester United, drawing criticism that their strong start to the season was based on wins against lesser opposition.
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.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday night
The plucky underdogs were brought down to earth as Manchester City, Everton and Stoke City reached the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday, ending the hopes of second-tier sides who felled fancied opponents in the last round.
Barcelona's rampant trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi all found the net at the weekend and unsung Leicester City found themselves in the record books when their England striker Jamie Vardy scored for the 11th straight game.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
To miss UEFA Super Cup match against Chelsea
In England, the celebrations went on at Leicester City as they marked their fairytale Premier League success with another win while champions Juventus' long unbeaten streak in Italy came to an end.
Having set one record as football's most expensive teenager, Manchester United's recent signing Anthony Martial has another one in sight.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Manchester United kept up their impressive chase for a top-four spot with a comfortable 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Aston Villa in the English Premier League on Thursday. Relegation-threatened Bournemouth had a late goal disallowed by VAR as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool's Sadio Mane marked his return from injury with a late goal to break Norwich City's resistance and secure a 1-0 win on Saturday to extend his side's Premier League lead to 25 points.
With as much bravado as he could muster, a grim-faced Jose Mourinho said he would not walk out of Chelsea despite his champions suffering their fourth defeat in eight Premier League matches and languishing 16th in the table.
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.
Manchester City chalked up yet another victory to maintain their stranglehold of the Premier League title race but pursuers Manchester United and Leicester City both secured important wins to enhance their top-four bids on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Tuesday
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has returned to Danish side Brondby, the club where he started his career, for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club said on Saturday.
Manchester United's early season problems were compounded by a humiliating 4-0 loss to third-tier Milton Keynes Dons in the League Cup second round on Tuesday leaving new manager Louis van Gaal still looking for his first win.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Serbian midfielder Dusan Tadic said Zinedine Zidane had helped inspire what he described as the game of his life in Ajax Amsterdam's 4-1 drubbing of Champions League holders Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Five talking points from the Premier League weekend:
Tottenham Hotspur have given the inexperienced Tim Sherwood the chance to stamp his mark on the ambitious London club by naming him on Monday as head coach until the end of next season with their sights on the top four.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Manchester United dropped further down the table after losing 5-3 against newcomers Leicester City. Barcelona and Real Madrid scored 13 goals between them during a memorable La Liga weekend, when Cristiano Ronaldo netted a hat-trick.
Five Manchester City first team players have tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be involved when they play Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures.
Two big derbies and an eventful weekend of football awaits us all...
Lallana signs short-term Liverpool extension
Jose Mourinho has offered another vote of confidence in Paul Pogba, adamant that Manchester United's misfiring summer signing should not be judged on his world-record transfer fee. United's manager says it is just a matter of time before the French midfielder demonstrates his natural quality at Old Trafford following an underwhelming spell since his landmark 89 million pounds ($115.71 million) move from Juventus in August.
Another English football legend, Frank Lampard bid goodbye with a goal for Manchester City on final day of the season
'I think they're in a big fight now'
The Football Association (FA) have urged the Daily Telegraph to provide "full and unfettered disclosure of all available material" following allegations of corruption by the newspaper.
Raheem Sterling scored a second-half hat-trick as leaders Manchester City beat Watford 3-1 on Saturday while Liverpool kept the gap at one point by overcoming Burnley 4-2 on Sunday.
Everton have agreed to sign Barcelona's Colombia centre back Yerry Mina for an initial 30.25 million euros ($34.97 million) and have also taken the club's midfielder Andre Gomes on loan, the Spanish champions said on Thursday.
Manchester City are top on goal difference, with Chelsea second and Liverpool dropping to third, two points ahead of Arsenal, who routed Fulham 5-1.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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