Liverpool took full advantage of an early kickoff at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, winning 2-0 to go three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Chelsea returned to the top of the Premier League on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at a rain-drenched Ewood Park. Aston Villa could have gone above Manchester United into the top four but lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough for whom Tuncay Sanli scored an 88th-minute winner.
Chelsea romped to a 5-0 victory at Middlesbrough and Manchester United beat West Bromwich Albion 4-0 while Liverpool and Arsenal produced stirring fightbacks to claim home wins over Wigan Athletic and Everton. Liverpool snatched a 3-2 triumph over Wigan, while Arsenal netted three second-half goals to record a 3-1 victory against Everton.
Swansea City and Hull City were fined 20,000 each following a mass confrontation between their players during a Premier League match this month, the Football Association said on Wednesday.
Aston Villa returned to winning ways in stunning fashion as Ollie Watkins scored twice in a 3-0 away thumping of an abject Arsenal in drizzly north London on Sunday.
West Bromwich Albion have bolstered their defensive ranks by signing centre half Jonny Evans from Manchester United on a four-year deal.
Favourites Chelsea will play Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup quarter-final tie at Stamford Bridge next month.
Newcastle United were left deep in relegation trouble after being held to a goalless draw at home to Portsmouth in a tense Premier League match on Monday. With four matches left to play, Newcastle remain in the drop zone with 31 points, although the draw was enough to move them ahead of Middlesbrough on goal difference and up to 18th place.
Brazil striker Robinho's life at Manchester City suddenly appears rosy again after he ended his long wait for a goal in the 4-2 Premier League defeat of West Bromwich Albion last weekend.
Barnsley's reward for knocking holders Chelsea and Liverpool out of the FA Cup is a semi-final against fellow Championship (second division) side Cardiff City.
Roy Keane has agreed terms to take over as manager of second division Sunderland
Aston Villa moved back to fifth in the English Premier League with an astonishing 3-2 win over Everton on Sunday after a goal in the first minute and one from each side in stoppage time. In the day's other match, West Bromwich Albion failed to win for the ninth successive match and stayed bottom after being held to a 1-1 draw by Portsmouth at The Hawthorns.
Liverpool took full advantage of an early kickoff at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, winning 2-0 to go three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Manchester United wasted the chance to close on the Premier League leaders when a sloppy second half cost them in a 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday.
A rare header by Cesc Fabregas three minutes into injury time earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw on Saturday after hosts Sunderland seemed on course for an upset victory in the Premier League. Manchester United edged closer to the leading pack with a 2-0 win at a rain-sodden Blackburn Rovers after goals from Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney.
Arsenal launched their bid for a first Premier League crown in five years with a comfortable 1-0 win over promoted West Bromwich Albion on the opening day of the season on Saturday. Liverpool, who have their eyes on a first title since 1990, also got off to a winning start by beating Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light with a late goal from Fernando Torres.
Liverpool will seek a 10th successive EPL win when they conclude a memorable year at home to West Bromwich Albion
Portsmouth reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 69 years after beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 in the semi-final.
Portsmouth reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 69 years on Saturday when a 54th minute goal from Nwankwo Kanu gave them a 1-0 semi-final win over West Bromwich Albion at Wembley Stadium. Portsmouth will now play either Cardiff City or Barnsley, who meet in an all-Championship semi-final on Sunday, in the final at Wembley on May 17.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
English football giants Manchester United confirmed being hit by a cyber attack in a 'sophisticated' operation.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany will not make his return from injury in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris St Germain, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Monday. Central defender Kompany, who took part in the open section of a training session, has endured an injury-disrupted campaign and a recurrence of a calf problem has kept the Belgium international on the sidelines for nearly a month. "He is not 100 percent. It is not possible," Pellegrini told reporters.
Tottenham Hotspur are favourites to win the Premier League this season according to table-topping Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, because their title charge has virtually gone under the radar.
The holders and runners-up made their exit from the League Cup in the fourth round after being beaten by Bolton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion respectively.
Goals from Freddie Hinds, Bobby Reid and Niclas Eliasson put the visitors through to the third round. Watford finished with 10 men after Jose Holebas was sent off.
Normally the candidates for goal of the season are spread throughout the 10 months of the campaign, but this weekend's Premier League matches produced six memorable strikes in little over 24 hours.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been named the Premier League manager of the month for February, while in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane picked up his fourth player of the month award.
The 20-year-old midfielder scored twice in England's flattering 2-1 win over the United States.
Manchester City cannot afford another defeat on Tuesday at home to Barcelona, who thumped them 4-0 two weeks ago, having taken just one point from their last two Champions League Group C matches.
Romelu Lukaku extended his impressive FA Cup scoring record by netting twice in Manchester United's 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town to earn Jose Mourinho's side a quarter-final tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
After an indifferent Premier League start and without an away win this season, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal's belief that his side can still win the Premier League is misplaced, says former club captain Gary Neville.
Goalkeeper David James is also set for a surprise return to the England squad for the World Cup warm-up match against Argentina.
The victory lifted Newcastle up to 10th place in the Premier League. West Brom stay 17th.
