Wayne Rooney scored a two-penalty hat-trick as Manchester United won 4-1 at Portsmouth on Saturday to trim Chelsea's Premier League lead to two points.
The brilliance of Chelsea's Eden Hazard ended Liverpool's 100 percent start to the season as Maurizio Sarri's side enjoyed a 2-1 win at Anfield in the League Cup third round on Wednesday.
Alex Ferguson has urged Manchester United supporters to get behind under-fire manager Louis van Gaal despite the side struggling to avoid a third hugely disappointing campaign since the all-conquering Scot retired.
The Stamford Bridge clash (2130 IST) is one half of a heavyweight Sunday double bill as Manchester United also visit Manchester City (1900 IST).
West Ham United stole the limelight with a stunning double swoop for Argentines Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
Everton yet to receive clarification after City game postponed: Ancelotti
An English FA arbitration panel has ruled in favour of Sheffield United's claim for compensation against West Ham United in the Carlos Tevez affair, the Championship (second division) club confirmed on Tuesday.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their perfect start to the season when they came from behind to win 2-1 at West Ham United and stay top of the Premier League on Sunday. Spurs lead the table with nine points from three games, followed by five clubs on six points, including Chelsea who play at Fulham later.
Manchester City have completed the signing of Argentine striker Carlos Tevez after he passed a medical, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
Rohit Sharma to captain India in this year's T20 World Cup
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.
Pressure is something that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says comes with the territory, but after a dismal run, the odds on him becoming the season's first managerial casualty are swiftly shortening.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Two spectacular goals from England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips kept Chelsea firmly on Manchester United's heels after a 4-1 win over West Ham United at Upton Park on Wednesday.
Images from Saturday's action in the English Premier League.
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.
Pat Lampard, mother of Chelsea midfielder Frank and wife of former West Ham United player Frank Senior died on Thursday, Chelsea said in a statement.
Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano signed a four-year contract with Liverpool on Friday.
Manchester United crushed Derby County 4-1 away while Everton beat Aston Villa 3-1 at Goodison Park on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. United were pushed all the way by the Championship (second division) strugglers in the League Cup semi-finals last month but cruised home this time with goals by Nani, Darron Gibson, Cristiano Ronaldo and Danny Welbeck.
Manchester United consolidated their fourth place, on 22 points, after first-half goals from Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney and a brilliant, morale-boosting strike from Robin van Persie after the break sealed a 3-0 victory over Hull City.
Mesut Ozil helped Arsenal shake off the hangover of a midweek pounding in Germany with a starring role in a 3-0 win at Aston Villa while sloppy Liverpool lost 3-1 at West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.
Rafa Benitez's risky decision to start Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt on the bench looked like a masterstroke on Saturday after the strikers came on late to earn a 3-2 victory at Portsmouth which sent Liverpool top. Liverpool's grandstand finish moved them one point clear of Premier League champions Manchester United, at least until Sunday when Alex Ferguson's side visit West Ham United for one of their two games in hand.
Craig Bellamy scored his second goal since joining Manchester City to earn his side a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday.
Everton moved into fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday with a scrappy 2-1 victory at lowly Wigan Athletic.
West Bromwich Albion forward Nicolas Anelka has denied an English FA charge regarding an alleged anti-Semitic gesture he made during last month's 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham United, his club said on Thursday.
Aston Villa took full advantage of the absence of the other Premier League high-fliers on Saturday, winning 1-0 at West Ham United to climb to third. A deflected James Milner shot 12 minutes from time gave Villa 34 points from 18 games and pushed them above Manchester United (32).
Tottenham Hotspur scored a 2-0 victory at Manchester City, whilst Arsenal posted a 3-2 victory at Blackburn Rovers.
Premier League leaders Liverpool stumbled again at home on Saturday, needing two Steven Gerrard goals to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Unbeaten Arsenal stretched their lead in the Premier league to five points after a 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Saturday while Chelsea beat West Ham United 1-0 to overhaul Manchester United and go second.
FA details Mourinho's expletive-laden rant at West Ham
'It's very difficult to play football in these circumstances within 48 hours. It's amazing for the fans around the world, everybody has the Premier League, I'm more than happy to do that but it's very hard for the players'
Rui Patricio saved three penalties as Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated English Premier League champions Manchester City to claim the Premier League Asia Trophy 3-2 in a penalty shootout.
Holders Chelsea will meet Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals of the League Cup next month.
Last season's beaten finalists Arsenal travel to Blackburn Rovers, while Manchester City play Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United host Everton in the other games.
Chelsea's long unbeaten home record in the Premier League ended on Sunday when Liverpool earned a 1-0 victory to take over at the top of the standings. Xabi Alonso's deflected first-half shot sealed the points for the visitors, who move three points clear of Chelsea with 23 points from nine games. It was Chelsea's first home reverse in the league since February 2004, a run of 86 unbeaten matches.
Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the season with a 2-0 victory over promoted Watford as champions Chelsea suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Hull City gatecrashed the Premier League's top four again on Sunday with a 1-0 home defeat of West Ham United.
Chelsea have topped the spending list with Manchester United not far behind, but West Ham United's business epitomises the TV riches which give all Premier League clubs spending power that only the elite teams in Spain or Germany can dream of.
Arsenal turned on the style to beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 on Saturday and get an early-season taste of the top of the Premier League. They top the standings on 12 points, one ahead of Liverpool, who were held to a goalless Anfield draw by Stoke City.
COVID-19 cases in the visiting teams have forced the postponement of the Liverpool v Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers v Watford games scheduled for Boxing Day, the Premier League announced on Thursday.
