Four wins a row have lifted Manchester United into the Premier League's top four and Louis van Gaal's managerial reign is beginning to bear fruit after a difficult start.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football.
Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria will miss Tuesday's game against Stoke City and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after limping out of Saturday's 3-0 win over Hull City.
With Premier League leaders Chelsea on top form, Manchester City will be hoping their Champions League win over Bayern Munich boosts confidence and re-ignites their title defence when they visit high-flying Southampton on Sunday (1900 IST) .
Manchester United's Jose Mourinho, humbled for the second time this season in front of the Chelsea fans who once idolised him, did not go quietly on Monday as he declared that he remains the London club's number one manager.
Manchester United defender Daley Blind says his team mates are adapting to Louis van Gaal's Dutch style of play and it is only a matter of time before they start reaping the rewards of their new look.
A controversial penalty in the dying minutes cost Manchester United dear as they suffered another defeat after Leicester City fought back brilliantly to win 5-3 at the King Power Stadium on Sunday.
Manchester City went 11 points clear with a record 14th consecutive Premier League win in an entertaining derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Louis van Gaal praised his side's attacking display against West Ham United but said they 'forgot to score goals' after a fourth 0-0 draw in their last six home matches on Saturday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was again at his irrepressible best with another double earning Jose Mourinho's increasingly confident Manchester United a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.
Luis Suarez struck a clinical hat-trick as Liverpool thrashed West Bromwich Albion 4-1 at Anfield to keep pace with Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday.
Leicester City won at Arsenal for the first time in 47 years on Sunday, with substitute Jamie Vardy's late close-range header enough to secure victory in the Premier League at The Emirates.
What you must know about Anthony Martial, the world's most expensive teenage footballer.
Old Trafford rejoiced on Tuesday in anticipation of their next famous No. 7 after Dutch forward Memphis Depay scored two sublime goals to inspire Manchester United to a 3-1 victory over Club Bruges.
Steven Gerrard is second only to Zinedine Zidane in terms of his world-class status, says former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen.
The signing of Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich was a massive statement of intent by Manchester United.
Manchester United, buoyed by five successive Premier League victories, head into Sunday's derby against Manchester City a place and a point above their rivals and believing they are poised to restore red ascendancy in the city.
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole is recovering in hospital after undergoing a kidney transplant, the club said in a statement on Friday.
Some of the violations that will lead to community service include failure to pay social security contribution of workers, maintain records, furnish information to inspectors, pay gratuity to workers, provide crche facility and medical pay, and retrenching women workers during maternity leave.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Manchester United reached the FA Cup fifth round and avoided any further embarrassment.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte got the upper hand on Jose Mourinho for the second time this season as his double-chasing side beat 10-man Manchester United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to reach the FA Cup semi-finals on Monday.
While Chelsea and Manchester City slug it out at the top of the Premier League, Louis van Gaal's Old Trafford revolution gathers ever more momentum in the red half of Manchester.
- 'The match epitomised our season really' - 'Today we were the better side in the first half but you can't concede the goals we did'
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will delve into the depths of his squad for the visit to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, as an injury crisis engulfs Old Trafford.
Manchester United stayed in fifth place, one point above West Ham, but it was another depressingly dull day at Old Trafford where United were booed off after losing 1-0 to Southampton.
Manchester United may still be some way from the team that won 13 league titles under Alex Ferguson, but a combination of exciting attacking players and suspect defense means they are regaining the club's reputation for great entertainment.
Frank Lampard, Chelsea's all-time record scorer, came on as a late substitute for Manchester City and scored their equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad as the champions ended his former club's perfect start to the Premier League season on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
With most Manchester United fans praying for much-needed defensive reinforcements, manager Louis van Gaal made a surprise deadline-day swoop for flamboyant Colombian striker Radamel Falcao on Monday.
Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice each to help Manchester United ease into the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 home victory over West Ham United on Wednesday as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 home defeat by Southampton. Martial netted twice in the second half to take the tie at Old Trafford away from West Ham, who had levelled through Ashley Fletcher following Ibrahimovic's opener after two minutes. The Swede added the fourth deep into stoppage-time.
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.
Jose Mourinho will have no qualms about frustrating entertainment-hungry Manchester United fans if it means securing a win on his return to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Wounded VfL Wolfsburg, who drew 1-1 with Hanover 96 on Saturday after being crushed 5-1 by Bayern Munich last week, will meet Manchester United in Wednesday's Champions League game.
Holders Bayern Munich recovered from the shock of a stunning Patrice Evra goal to score three times in quick succession to beat Manchester United 3-1 and reach the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo is a colossal figure in club football having completed a hat-trick of Champions League (1 Manchester United, 2 Real Madrid) victories. The three-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo has won several league titles. But the Portuguese magician tasted success for the first time with the national team as Portugal defeated hosts France to lift the 2016 Euro title.
England's 2-1 defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016 may have looked like one of the worst reverses in their history yet in many was it was a perfectly logical result.
Virgil van Dijk made a dream start to his Anfield career, scoring the winning goal on his debut for Liverpool, as they beat city rivals Everton 2-1 in a pulsating FA Cup third round tie on Friday.
Iceland have already exceeded expectations by qualifying second in their group behind Hungary and will go into the game with nothing to lose and the whole world, beyond England, willing them on.
European soccer chief Michel Platini wants yellow cards to be replaced by a rugby-style system of sin bins.
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