David de Gea's late own goal earned Sunderland a 2-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday and a vital three points in their bid for Premier League survival.
Champions Chelsea begin title defence at home to Swansea City, while runners-up Manchester City kick-off at West Bromwich Albion
Chelsea's terrible start to the season plumbed new depths on Saturday when the Premier League champions lost 2-1 at West Ham United.
Theo Walcott's double fired Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League as the Gunners got their title challenge back on track with a 3-1 victory at West Ham United on Thursday.
Leaders Chelsea have seen their lead reduced to just three points after a shock defeat, and a revival from defending champions Manchester City. Manchester United are back in third after a run of five straight wins. If Chelsea slip agains, City continue to pile on the pressure and United keep the winning momentum it will make EPL battle further interesting.
Manchester United stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions after Daley Blind, in-form striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and substitute Henrik Mkhitaryan gave them a 3-1 home win over Sunderland on Monday. Left back Blind fired United ahead with a crisp 39th-minute shot after Ibrahimovic teed him up perfectly. The towering Swede doubled the lead with a clinical 82nd-minute finish for his 17th goal of the season. Fit-again Mkhitaryan put the icing on the cake with a spectacular backheel effort after a sharp Ibrahimovic cross from the right, although television replays suggested the Armenian was marginally offside. Striker Fabio Borini gave Sunderland fans something to cheer with a dipping late volley.
Table toppers Chelsea have seen their lead reduced to just six points thanks to a revival from reigning champions Manchester City. If Chelsea slip, City can pile on the pressure to make the EPL battle a little interesting.
Middlesbrough were rewarded for beating Manchester City with a trip to FA Cup holders Arsenal while Chelsea's conquerors Bradford City host Sunderland or Fulham after the fifth round draw on Monday.
Wayne Rooney ended his eight-game Premier League scoring drought with a 2-0 victory against a dogged Sunderland.
League leaders Chelsea were made to battle for a narrow 2-1 win over strugglers Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge as they maintained their unbeaten start in the Premier League on Saturday.
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.
In a thriller at Anfield, a weakened Liverpool side came back from the brink to beat Leicester City on penalties after a 3-3 draw, setting up a semi-final against Arsenal.
Chelsea and Manchester City tightened their stranglehold on the Premier League title race on Saturday, recording victories over struggling clubs to stretch further clear of their increasingly forlorn pursuers.
Jermain Defoe's childhood obsession with scoring goals has put him within reach of a top-five spot in the Premier League's all-time list
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
The points table of the English Premier League 2016-17 season.
England football team manager Sam Allardyce has been caught up in a newspaper sting in which he is alleged to have met a bogus consortium of Far East businessmen seeking advice on the Premier League's billion pound transfer market.
Liverpool needed two extra-time goals to beat NottsCounty 4-2 at Anfield on an eventful night for the Premier League clubs in the League Cup second round on Tuesday.
Chelsea were given a stiff examination by Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday before extending their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Manchester City's faltering attempts to retain their title suffered a huge blow on Saturday when they lost 1-0 at Burnley, giving Chelsea the chance to open an eight-point lead when they host Southampton on Sunday.
Arsenal's Premier League title charge gathered momentum as they moved two points clear at the top with a scrappy 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday as Leicester City's push faltered with a goalless home draw against Bournemouth.
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce reckons Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone would be labelled boring for his defence-oriented style if the Argentine were managing a Premier League club.
ManchesterCity and Manchester United scored 10 goals between them and boosted their title aspirations with convincing wins over NorwichCity and Fulham respectively on an eventful afternoon in the Premier League on Saturday.
The points table of the English Premier League 2015-16 season.
Robert Huth's double and a Riyad Mahrez goal sent Premier League leaders Leicester City six points clear after a stunning 3-1 victory at shell-shocked title rivals Manchester City on Saturday.
Arsenal's victory was scrappy and nervy but Laurent Koscielny's 72nd-minute winner was enough to move them two points clear at the summit after LeicesterCity's surprise push faltered with a goalless draw at home to 10-man Bournemouth.
Arsenal moved top of the Premier League table but were unconvincing in a 0-0 home draw with Middlesbrough who were well worth their point on Saturday.
Chelsea ticked off three more points in their Premier League title quest with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday but Tottenham Hotspur's Houdini-like 3-1 win at Swansea means the race is far from over.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
New England manager Sam Allardyce believes it is just the right time in his career for him to be taking on what some have called the impossible job.
Leicester City has a chance to go top of the English Premier League table with a maximum nine points.
Fernando Torres capitalised on a defensive blunder to score a last-minute winner and secure Chelsea a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
From moments of sublime skill to crazy rushes of blood to the head, Paolo Di Canio has rarely been out of the news during his career playing and managing in England and the Italian's propensity for drama shows no sign of waning.
Chelsea's on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato scored on his debut to help push pathetic Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Saturday. Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
Arsenal will reportedly play Chelsea in a fourth-round Capital One Cup match after winning 4-3 on penalties against West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday at The Hawthorns.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
The walkout by home fans in the 77th minute over rising ticket prices is no excuse for Liverpool's 2-2 Premier League draw with Sunderland on Saturday, captain Jordan Henderson has said.
The points table of the English Premier League 2014-15 season.
Arsenal's improbable late run at the Premier League title gained momentum with a 1-0 victory at struggling Burnley on Saturday, an eighth straight triumph that moved them within four points of leaders Chelsea.
Sergio Aguero scored five times in 20 minutes including an eight-minute hat-trick as Manchester City came from behind to thrash Newcastle United 6-1 and go back to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday.
