Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez returned after a nine-match absence but failed to inspire Liverpool to victory in a cagey 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Monday.
"The best team won, we struggled from the beginning and we couldn't deal with their long balls. Usually, you press the ball to win it, but this was different. They defended so deep and so well," City coach Pep Guardiola told the BBC.
Roman Pavlyuchenko scored his first international goal in nearly 19 months to salvage a 1-1 draw for Russia against Qatar in a friendly on Tuesday.
Stoke had arrived at Manchester United's training ground for the game when they were informed of Michael O'Neill's positive test.
Chelsea have the chance to avenge their shattering penalty shootout defeat to Manchester United in the 2008 final after being drawn to play them in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday.
Manchester City roared back to the top of the Premier League with a 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth after Manchester United steadied the ship
The in-form north London club travel to the Etihad Stadium five points behind Roberto Mancini's City in third place and two behind second-placed Manchester United, who face Arsenal at the Emirates on what could be a pivotal day at the top.
Premier League leaders Manchester City put their recent run of poor form behind them to beat Liverpool 3-0 on Tuesday, while Tottenham Hotspur maintained their title push with a 1-0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion.
West Ham United have been chosen to take over the London 2012 Olympics stadium after fending off rival bidders Tottenham Hotspur, the BBC reported on Wednesday.
Manchester United replaced Manchester City as Premier League leaders with Wayne Rooney ending an 11-match run without a league goal in his side's comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Manchester City move a step closer to the Premier League title after a game in which both sides finished with 10 men.
Images from the English Premier League matches played across England on the weekend.
Kyle Walker speaks about his recent good form and why he believes Tottenham Hotspur can go all the way and win the English Premier League title this season.
The 31-year-old midfielder is yet to taste defeat as a Spurs player -- as the London club have now won six games in a row and marked 11 English Premier League games since their last defeat -- equalling the club record.
Images from the EPL match match being played over the weekend.
Sergio Aguero opened the floodgates as unbeaten Manchester City thrashed promoted Norwich City 5-1 Saturday to power seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his team did not show enough quality to get the three points.
Chelsea moved within three points of clinching the Premier League title with a 3-0 victory that condemned Middlesbrough to relegation on Monday after goals from Spaniards Diego Costa and Marcos Alonso plus a tap-in by Nemanja Matic.
Lionel Messi spoke for the great and the good of world soccer, not to mention millions of grassroots fans, when he acclaimed Leicester City's extraordinary Premier League triumph by tweeting: "The reason why we all love football. Congratulations"
The 26-year-old reveals his delight at Croatia's qualification for Euro 2012 and the secret behind Tottenham's superb start in this season's English Premier League.
Manchester City moved 11 points clear at the top of the English Premier League after a last-gasp goal from Rodri gave them a 2-1 victory at fourth-placed Arsenal on Saturday in a controversy packed game at the Emirates stadium.
Leeds United were handed a tough FA Cup fourth round tie away to Tottenham Hotspur after Sunday's momentous victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Leeds, the League One (third division) leaders, scored the biggest Cup upset for years when they beat United 1-0.
Tottenham Hotspur celebrated the return of manager Harry Redknapp with a comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa which lifted them to third in the Premier League on Monday.
In the latest alcohol-related problem to hit troubled England football legend Paul Gascoigne, he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly on Wednesday.
ROund up of the EPL matches played at the weekend.
Two goals from Gareth Bale and one from Rafael van der Vaart gave Tottenham Hotspur a 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers in a cracking London Premier League derby at White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Chelsea captain John Terry has questioned his team's desire and called on them to end the bad run threatening to derail their Premier League title defence.
Wigan Athletic's players have agreed to refund the club's travelling fans after Sunday's humiliating 9-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Anderlecht kept up their 100 percent record in the Europa League with a 2-0 win at Sturm Graz while Udinese struck late to sink Atletico Madrid by the same score in Thursday's top match.
Chelsea's Premier League title defence continued to splutter when they could only draw 1-1 at Newcastle United and missed their chance of returning to the top of the standings Sunday.
Chelsea's Premier League title defence continued to splutter on Sunday when they could only draw 1-1 at Newcastle United and missed their chance of returning to the top of the standings.
Tottenham Hotspur suffered another English Premier League setback on Tuesday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland at White Hart Lane, where a week ago they overwhelmed European champions Inter Milan.
Frank Lampard's hat-trick inspired Chelsea to a 5-1 thumping of Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur poured more misery on Arsenal with a 2-1 victory in a controversial north London derby in the Premier League on Sunday.
A young Arsenal side delighted a near capacity crowd at the Emirates Stadium with a scintillating 2-1 victory over Liverpool to secure a place in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Holders Manchester United, featuring an on-target Michael Owen among their second string, reached the League Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory at Championship (second division) side Barnsley on Tuesday.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has threatened to boycott post-match television interviews if he is punished for criticising the referee involved in Nani's controversial goal in the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.
Defender Rio Ferdinand will miss Manchester United's Champions League match at Bursaspor, the Premier League club said on Monday.
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