Liverpool were sent spinning to a 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley in the English Premier League on Saturday while Chelsea came from behind to win 2-1 at Watford thanks to late goals from Michy Batshuayi and Diego Costa.
Leicester City were left in touching distance of a fairytale first Premier League title on Sunday after Leonardo Ulloa's double helped them outclass Swansea City at a delirious King Power Stadium.
Manchester City now need, at most, 11 points from their remaining seven matches to secure their third Premier League title in four seasons.
Something will have to give when in-form Liverpool and bitter rivals Manchester United clash in one of the Premier League's showcase fixtures at Anfield on Sunday.
'Yes, I was sure this was the right decision. We brought Roberto Firmino on for Mo Salah. We could have scored before, we could have scored afterwards, we could have scored all the time. We lived more or less in their box'
A downbeat Arsene Wenger said he has decided on his Arsenal future and would reveal all soon after his side slumped to a dismal 3-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
It was not a day for FA Cup romantics as Manchester United scrambled past Sheffield United and minor league Eastleigh came within a whisker of causing the third round's only genuine shock.
Belgium's soccer team received a hero's welcome in Brussels on Sunday, after achieving their best-ever World Cup result in Russia.
Irresistible Chelsea go into the Christmas round of fixtures knowing they can end the year by re-writing the record books.
Arsenal ended their seven match winless run in the Premier League with a surprise 3-1 London derby victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday while Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw at Leicester City.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, who had won their last ten away games in the Premier League, stay third on 27 points, a point behind second-placed Leicester.
Spurs, who stayed fifth in the table with 36 points from 18 matches, one behind arch-rivals Arsenal and three adrift of third-placed Manchester City, visit 10th-placed Watfor
Champions Liverpool are five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a 7-0 away hammering of Crystal Palace while Arsenal's troubles continued with a 2-1 defeat at second-placed Everton on Saturday.
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.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field...
Marcus Rashford scored twice as holders Manchester United brushed aside second-tier Burton Albion 4-1 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday.
Minor league Eastleigh suffered FA Cup heartbreak when they conceded a late equaliser to four-times winners Bolton Wanderers on a gluepot pitch at their snug Ten Acres ground on Saturday.
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.
Chelsea moved within two points of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool thanks to an Olivier Giroud header at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
It is a mark of how far Tottenham Hotspur have come that they start as favourites to win what could be a pivotal Champions League Group E fixture away to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday despite the absence of key defender Toby Alderweireld.
Tottenham Hotspur sacked coach Andre Villas-Boas on Monday, a day after the London club were thrashed 5-0 at home by Liverpool, the Premier League club said on their website (www.tottenhamhotspur.com).
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea begin their Premier League title defence against Swansea City on Saturday in the unusual position of heading into a new season having been significantly outspent by their rivals.
Leicester City has a chance to go top of the English Premier League table with a maximum nine points.
Christian Benteke's superb hat-trick rescued a potentially priceless Premier League point for Aston Villa.
Antonio Conte spent the immediate aftermath of Chelsea's title-winning 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Friday being bounced skywards by his players but once back on terra firma his mind was already focusing on the next target -- the double.
Nuggets of news coming from the English Premier League
Liverpool were left frustrated by Championship side Blackburn Rovers who defended heroically to draw 0-0 at Anfield.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at the Premier League schedule, saying his players have not had a chance to recover from their midweek Champions League match before playing Fulham on Saturday.
Swansea went ahead five minutes before the break when an attempt to clear by Liverpool's 75 million pounds ($104.88 million) defender Virgil Van Dijk landed at the feet of Mawson who swept the ball home for his sixth league goal this season.
Juergen Klopp, who has breathed new life into Liverpool in his seven months in charge, would seal his place in the hearts of the club's supporters if he pulls off victory over Sevilla in Wednesday's Europa League final.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
Liam Delap, the son of former Stoke City defender Rory, scored the opener for Pep Guardiola's side in the 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium
Burnley reached the Europa League third qualifying round with a 3-1 win over Aberdeen after extra time at Turf Moor on Thursday but now face another tough battle to increase their squad size.
Burnley's seemingly doomed attempt to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of the Premier League
Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini believes he was made the scapegoat for the team's torrid time under former manager David Moyes in the Premier League last season.
