Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic believes the earlier-than-usual start to the English Premier League season has hurt the team's performance.
Harry Kane's magical season continued on Saturday as he celebrated his first senior England call-up with his first Premier League hat-trick.
Here's a glimpse of all that happened around the world of sport last week, in 10 images.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and goalkeeper Joe Hart could return from injury in time for Saturday's Premier League game against Stoke City, manager Manuel Pellegrini has said.
Roberto Martinez's three-year spell in charge of Everton is over, media reports said on Thursday. The Spaniard has come under increasing criticism this season after a mediocre Premier League season that has left them 12th in the table. According to the reports, Martinez failed to take training on Thursday ahead of the final game of the season against Norwich City on Sunday while the BBC and Sky Sports television said he had been sacked. The team reached the semi-finals of the League Cup and FA Cup but Martinez's side have under-performed in the league despite boasting a squad many regard as Everton's best for many years.
Leicester City's remarkable charge on the Premier League title has given fans of other clubs hope that their teams can achieve a similar feat, winger Marc Albrighton has said.
Chelsea's unbeaten start to the season ended with a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United; Champions Manchester City took full advantage of Chelsea's surprise reverse to cut the gap at the top.
Arsenal beat Fulham 2-0 at the Emirates and Manchester City beat Cardiff City 4-2 at the Etihad before Liverpool could only manage a 2-2 draw at Anfield having trailed 2-0.
Manchester United won away for the first time this season when they beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday to climb to fourth in the Premier League table.
Queens Park Rangers bowed out of the Premier League with a whimper after Manchester City's Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick to lead his side to a crushing 6-0 victory over the London club on Sunday.
Two big derbies and an eventful weekend of football awaits us all...
West Ham had lost their first three Premier League games to sit bottom of the table and their dismal start to the campaign had already sparked speculation among pundits as to whether new manager Manuel Pellegrini would see out the season.
Brazil defender David Luiz is overjoyed to be back for a second spell at Chelsea after leaving Paris St Germain on transfer deadline day. The 29-year-old, who quit Stamford Bridge for Paris two years ago, has returned for a fee that media reports put at 34 million pounds ($45.09 million). Luiz won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup in his three years at Chelsea after joining from Benfica in 2011.
Doctor Eva Carneiro has left Premier League champions Chelsea in the wake of last month's public spat with manager Jose Mourinho, according to several media reports on Tuesday.
Jamie Vardy pounced just before halftime to earn Leicester City a 1-0 over West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday, to take them closer to Premier League survival.
Defending champions Chelsea's season could be in trouble if striker Diego Costa is unavailable for long, former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp said.
Wayne Rooney scored twice to help Manchester United stretch their unbeaten run to 12 games in an entertaining 2-2 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool were upset 3-1 at HullCity on Sunday.
There are too many foreign managers in the Premier League and little opportunity for local talents, according to former Manchester United winger and assistant manager Ryan Giggs.
Manchester City returned to the Premier League summit for the first time since January with a 3-2 win at Everton on Saturday that left them six points from a second title in three seasons.
Manchester City started their Premier League campaign in scintillating fashion on Monday with a stylish 4-0 win at home to 10-man Newcastle United that will ring alarm bells for the rest of their title rivals.
Title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur made hay in the sunshine as Son Heung-min scored twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Watford that closed the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to four points in Saturday's early kickoff.
John Terry has recovered from an ankle injury and will be available for Chelsea's home clash with Manchester United on Sunday, manager Antonio Conte said on Friday.
Arsenal 'keeper Petr Cech has the answer...
Theo Walcott should leave Arsenal for his own good after being relegated
Southampton's barnstorming start to the Premier League season has been reflected in a trio of nominations for early-season awards. Dutchman Ronald Koeman has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award.
A round-up of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
Manchester City continued their imperious start to the season with a 2-1 win over Swansea City to reach the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday but it was a testing night for rivals United who eventually overcame Northampton Town 3-1.
Jose Mourinho's wretched week ended on a high note as Manchester United's big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba finally began firing, both finding the target in a 3-1 win at dismal Swansea City on Sunday. Mourinho watched from the stands at the Liberty Stadium following his touchline ban imposed by the Football Association on Wednesday and was buoyed to see Ibrahimovic score twice -- his first league goals in eight weeks -- and Pogba net a superb volley. United, vastly improved after their midweek Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce, went ahead with a 15th minute strike from Pogba worthy of his 89 million pounds price tag before Ibrahimovic ended his goal drought with a sharp first-half double in the space of 12 minutes.
"I think Hazard will be able to get a breather every now and again now," said Hudson.
Holders and Premier League leaders Arsenal will be at home to Championship (second tier) Burnley in the fourth round of the FA Cup after most of the big guns avoided top flight opponents in Monday's draw.
'I think when you are blessed with some talent, you have to fulfil that talent, you have to explore that talent, you cannot be happy just with glimpses of talent and that I am not going to change'
Manchester's police commissioner demanded an inquiry into the 'fiasco' of a fake bomb left behind from a training exercise at Old Trafford that forced the abandonment on Sunday of a Premier League soccer match.
Premier League newcomers Watford suffered a League Cup upset in a 1-0 loss at Preston North End while five-times champions Aston Villa overcame plucky Notts County 5-3 after extra-time to reach the third round on Tuesday.
Arsenal missed the chance to heighten the congestion at the top of the Premier League and suffered fresh injury blows when a frustrating 1-1 draw at Norwich City failed to take them alongside leaders Manchester City and Leicester City on Sunday.
Harry Kane's 101st Premier League goal was the difference as Tottenham Hotspur earned a 1-0 win over Arsenal, to continue their fine recent form in north London derbies in front of a Premier League record crowd at Wembley on Saturday.
Arsenal sent Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup, avenging last weekend's rout at Anfield, when they beat Brendan Rodgers's high-flyers 2-1 in a full-bloodied fifth round tie at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Diego Costa left the Stamford Bridge pitch to exultant cheers after a hat-trick against Swansea City on Saturday highlighted a breathless start to a Chelsea career for a team that has been designed around him.
Manchester United spurned a chance to move into the Premier League's top four after striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bournemouth on Saturday.
Newcastle United forward Papiss Cisse has been banned for seven matches and Manchester United defender Jonny Evans for six after they spat at each other during a Premier League match, the Football Association (FA) said on Saturday.
Premier League clubs West Bromwich Albion and Watford were knocked out in the League Cup second round by lower-league opponents on Tuesday as a strong Liverpool side crushed championship Burton Albion 5-0.
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