Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United enjoyed comfortable wins in the English Premier League on Saturday as fans returned to stadiums after an eight-month absence.
Manchester United dropped out of the Premier League's top four
Manchester United's interim manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been hailed by the Norwegian press and his former United captain and teammate Gary Neville expects him to get the job on a permanent basis this month: "I'll be surprised if Solskjaer is not awarded the job during the international break (in March)."
Woeful defending led to two Brighton goals in two first-half minutes as 34-year-old Glenn Murray and Shane Duffy outsmarted United's 117 million pound ($149.21 million) back four to demonstrate why manager Jose Mourinho had sought to upgrade it.
Striker Marcus Rashford scored a second-half winner as a young and much-changed England avoided an unprecedented fourth successive defeat by beating Switzerland 1-0 in a friendly on Tuesday.
The players, and referee Michael Oliver, also took a knee as the opening whistle was blown, following a moment's silence before kick off in memory of those who died in the pandemic.
A rejuvenated Manchester United claimed a sixth win from six matches since former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stepped in following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku, the subject of criticism from the club's fans, should be "untouchable", his manager Jose Mourinho said.
Victory for Gareth Southgate's England side in the eagerly-awaited Group D clash at a rain-swept Wembley stadium would have sealed a place in the last 16 but they produced a nervous performance against the Scots, who kept their own hopes alive.
There were, however, no eye-catching major deals in the final 24 hours of transfer activity for European clubs which continues the trend of recent January windows.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday.
Manchester United will return to their 'normal team' for the Premier League clash against Watford on Sunday, manager Jose Mourinho said, after suffering a surprising 1-0 defeat against Feyenoord in the Europa League.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Jose Mourinho's reshaped Manchester United destroyed Premier League champions Leicester City 4-1 with a performance that thrilled Old Trafford on Saturday and justified his decision to leave out Wayne Rooney. The shake-up seemed to liberate Paul Pogba who led the way with a polished display, heading his first goal for the club on 42 minutes and starting the clever move that led to Juan Mata firing home United's second after 37 minutes.
Manchester United have been rejuvenated under new manager Jose Mourinho and are poised to mount a strong challenge for the Premier League title, skipper Wayne Rooney has said. The 30-year-old forward, who secured his fifth league title with the club the last time they won it in 2013, scored eight top flight goals last season as United finished fifth and failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Luton pulled one back on the half-hour mark when Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to keep out Jordan Clark's low effort which squeezed between his hand and leg into the net.
With United unable to sign a replacement, the pressure will be on 21-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford to deliver the goals in a more central role than he has previously operated in.
Manchester United will soon be "winning in style" again courtesy of their never-say-die attitude on the pitch, midfielder Juan Mata has said ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Crystal Palace at Wembley. Louis van Gaal's men, who finished fifth in the Premier League this campaign, failed to qualify for the Champions League for a second time in three seasons and hope to win their first trophy since taking home the Community Shield in 2013. The club's three-year barren run has coincided with the retirement of manager Alex Ferguson, who led the club to 13 Premier League title, five FA Cup and two Champions Leagues during his 26 years at the helm. "This club is going to be fighting for titles," Mata told the BBC.
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.
'Solskjaer has improved morale by freeing players from the shackles with which Mourinho had bound them.' 'He has made his team a happier bunch of people,' says Suhit K Sen.
IMAGES from the Europa League semifinal played between Manchester United and Sevilla in Cologne on Sunday.
If Manchester United's performance in a 4-1 rout of English champions Leicester City on Saturday is anything to go by, Wayne Rooney may struggle to get back into the starting eleven. Dropped by manager Jose Mourinho to the substitutes' bench after a series of poor performances, Rooney made a cameo appearance after he replaced Marcus Rashford in the 83rd minute. Although the club captain struck a positive note as he waved and applauded the fans as he headed down the tunnel, his role as the team's driving force is under serious threat after United thrived with Juan Mata filling his position superbly.
'He's an exceptional talent, him and Cristiano have been the best players in the world the last decade and he showed why we think that and why this team have won the Champions League so many times'
England hailed as heroes after World Cup heartache
Touching tributes have poured in from Manchester's two football clubs, as well as a number of prominent players have expressed their condolences to the family and friends of the victims, some of whom were young children.
On a crazy evening it looked as though Joe Willock's screamer had earned Arsenal a memorable victory, but Liverpool proved irrepressible as their barnstorming season continued.
If England beat Panama and Belgium beat or draw with Tunisia then England are through to the last 16.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 28th goal of the season in all competitions put United ahead and Sunderland's cause became all but impossible after Seb Larsson was sent off close to halftime.
Marcus Rashford's penalty and a deflected strike from Mason Mount helped England come from a goal down to overcome top-ranked Belgium 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday and climb above them in their UEFA Nations League group.
Manchester United climbed two places up to second in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford scored deep into stoppage time to give them a fortuitous 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
'We should send a thousand million messages for the black people. I'm embarrassed and ashamed of what the white people have done for the black people'
The game at Huddersfield is the first meeting between the clubs since 1972 and the Yorkshire side have not won one since 20 years before that, in March 1952.
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
Aymeric Laporte's late header sealed a deserved 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur
Even a rump Air India could not hope to get away with the shoddy service and scrappy fare for which I paid nearly two lakh, complains Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
The two previous meetings at Anfield ended in 4-0 and 3-1 defeats for Arsene Wenger's Arsenal teams, but there is a fresh optimism around the club after a successful transfer window.
Here are six who could make the biggest impact in this season's English Premier League.
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