City, Liverpool all cruise in respective FA Cup matches played on Saturday.
Liverpool coach Arne Slot said he was delighted to have Mohamed Salah returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty soon, despite an apparent falling-out just weeks ago.
Manchester City halved Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League to three points with a 3-0 win over visitors Fulham, while Aston Villa stayed in the frame with a late 1-0 victory at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.
Man City snatch chaotic 2-1 win at Liverpool to stay on Arsenal's heels
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is destroying his legacy at the club with his fiery reaction to being left out of the side, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Chelsea battled from two goals down to beat West Ham 3-2 in the Premier League on Saturday with a stoppage-time Enzo Fernandez winner.
Arne Slot planned to have a face-to-face meeting with Mohamed Salah on Friday ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Arsenal missed the chance to go eight points clear at the top of the Premier League in a turgid 0-0 draw with champions Liverpool.
The Egypt forward has been left out of the club's Champions League match against Inter Milan.
Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is expected to be sidelined for at least a couple of months after breaking his leg and undergoing surgery.
IMAGES from UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Premier League leaders Arsenal needed two own goals, the second deep in stoppage time, to scrape a 2-1 home win over bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers and open a five-point gap, while earlier on Saturday Mohamed Salah put aside a tumultuous week to help Liverpool beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0.
Carragher said manager Arne Slot should build the team around Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
Promoted Sunderland, who have defied expectations to stay in the top half of the Premier League table, could be the worst affected with six players going to the tournament, while the likes of Fulham, Manchester United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will also have to make do without some key personnel.
After Saturday's 2-1 win at Chelsea - their 12th in 13 league matches - Aston Villa have claimed 18 points from losing positions so far this season, more than any other team.
Egypt become third African country to qualify for World Cup
Arsenal maintained a searing pace at the top of the Premier League with a straightforward 2-0 win at Burnley, while Liverpool snapped a dreadful four-match losing run with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa to climb provisionally to third.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
Arsenal missed a chance to tighten their grip on the Premier League title race with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Chelsea on Sunday.
Salah has called out UEFA for omitting key details about the death of Palestinian football legend Suleiman al-Obeid in their tribute post
Mohamed Salah had already clinched the Premier League Player of the Season award, the Golden Boot for most goals scored and the Playmaker award for most assists, making him the first player to win all three awards in the same season.
Three stars-Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, PSG's Ousmane Dembele, and Barcelona's Raphinha-have dominated the season with goals, assists, and match-winning performances.
Virgil van Dijk scored with a stunning late header in the second minute of stoppage time to give Liverpool a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in their opening group stage match of the Champions League, at Anfield, on Wednesday.
Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored an 88th-minute penalty to give them a 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan.
Manchester United's Harry Maguire struck a late header to seal a thrilling 2-1 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Sunday
Bruno Fernandes milestone and late drama lift Manchester United past Chelsea with a chaotic 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford
Bayern Munich made it 16 wins from 16 games this season to underline their credentials as early Champions League favourites, beating holders Paris St Germain 2-1 away as Luis Diaz scored two goals and was shown a red card on Tuesday.
Aitana Bonmat won the women's Ballon d'Or for the third year running while the 18-year-old Yamal, who was Dembele's teammate at Barcelona when he first broke through in 2023, was again awarded the men's Kopa Trophy.
Meanwhile, Egypt and South Africa also took significant steps towards following the Atlas Lions, moving closer to featuring in the marquee event, which will be played across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Obeid's widow Doaa al-Obeid now clutches the blue-and-white number 10 shorts he wore for his Gaza club, Al-Shati, one of the only mementos she has of her late husband, as she and her five children mourn the revered 41-year-old striker.
Nine players from treble-winning Paris St Germain have been nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or this year along with the club's coach Luis Enrique as France Football announced the list of nominees on Thursday.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool honour Portugal forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva last month, ahead of the season-opener kick-off against Bournemouth on Friday.
Bryan Mbeumo hit new heights in the 2024-25 league season, finishing with 20 goals to help Brentford to a solid 10th-place finish.
Liverpool talisman Mo Salah and substitute Federico Chiesa struck late goals as the Premier League champions began the defence of their title by beating Bournemouth 4-2 in a thriller on the opening night of the season at Anfield on Friday.
Crystal Palace beat Premier League champions Liverpool 3-2 on penalties to win the Community Shield after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Wembley on Sunday.
Liverpool's Salah named Premier League player of the season, Gravenberch best youngster
'RIP Diogo. Condolences to his family and friends during this incredibly sad time,' former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard posted.
Fresh off a dominant title-winning campaign, Liverpool kick off the new Premier League season on Friday as the team to beat, as the Reds have transitioned from Juergen Klopp's high-octane chaos to a more measured possession-based style under Arne Slot.
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