Sterling, 24, had a hand in all five goals, including an 11-minute hat-trick, as City romped to a 5-1 Champions League victory over Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday, to take his tally to 12 goals in 13 appearances this season.
Real Madrid moved seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3-1 win over bottom side Real Zaragoza as Barcelona could only draw 0-0 at lowly Villarreal on Saturday.
The following are three talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
Reaching the King's Cup final is of even greater importance than usual for Real Madrid following a demoralising setback in La Liga.
Premier League champions in 2012 and 2014, Manchester City went to the top of the table with a 3-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday. They moved on goal difference above Chelsea and neighbours Manchester United, who have also won their three opening games.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Victor Valdes are unavailable for the King's Cup last-16 first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday because of flu and fever, the La Liga club said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).
A depleted Barcelona reached the King's Cup semi-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win over Real Betis despite losing Wednesday's second leg to the second division leaders.
European champions Barcelona have pledged to capture the Club World Cup for striker David Villa, who suffered a sickening leg break in Thursday's semi-final in Japan.
Striker David Villa will be out for up to five months after breaking his left leg in Barcelona's 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al Sadd of Qatar on Thursday.
European champions Barcelona have swept the board in World Soccer magazine's prestigious annual awards with Lionel Messi named World Player of the Year, Pep Guardiola Manager of the Year and the side that won the Spanish and Champions League last season named as Team of the Year.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
With Barcelona already through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners, Pep Guardiola gave several young players from the club's academy a chance against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday and they did not disappoint.
Champions Manchester City's 12-match winning streak in the Premier League came to an end as Julio Enciso's stunner earned sixth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion a 1-1 draw.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hat-tricks to fire champions Manchester City to a rampant 6-3 thrashing of local rivals Manchester United in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's much-anticipated return to Barcelona was scuppered on Monday when the AC Milan striker was injured in training and ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League Group H opener at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola named injury concerns Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta in his starting team to play Manchester United in the Champions League final on Wednesday. United central defender Rio Ferdinand was also included in the starting lineup after shaking off a calf injury.
Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez has joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli from Manchester City on a deal until 2027.
Silvinho may have been a mere decoy or he could be Barcelona's answer to a defensive problem in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea on Wednesday. The Brazilian attended the pre-match news conference with coach Pep Guardiola but neither revealed how Barcelona would overcome the loss of centre-backs Carles Pujol and Rafael Marquez.
Gonzalo Higuain's stunning injury-time strike secured a remarkable 3-2 comeback win for hosts Real Madrid in the Primera Liga on Tuesday.
Barcelona drew 1-1 draw at Levante on Wednesday to seal their third consecutive La Liga title and the 21st in the club's history.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 4-0 home win over Getafe on Tuesday, denying leaders Barcelona the chance to win the La Liga title without kicking a ball.
Tireless Inter Milan produced a rip-roaring home performance to overpower Barcelona 3-1 and leave the holders in real trouble after a thrilling Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday.
Barcelona will travel by bus to play Inter Milan in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, the European Cup holders said on Sunday. The La Liga leaders will travel in two buses the 634 kilometres to Cannes on Sunday and stay overnight before covering the last 351 kilometres to Milan on Monday, the club said on their website.
Barcelona took another step towards retaining their La Liga title when goals from Bojan Krkic, Pedro and Yaya Toure fired them to a 3-0 home win over Deportivo Coruna on Wednesday.
Youngsters Theo Walcott and Bojan Krkic could take centre stage when Arsenal visit Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
Barcelona were drawn in Group E with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv.
Villarreal can prevent Barcelona from completing a clean sweep over their closest challengers when the runaway Primera Liga leaders visit the Madrigal on Sunday.
English newspapers had linked Sanchez with a move to Pep Guardiola's side in exchange for England forward Raheem Sterling.
Barcelona's advantage over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga was cut to five points when they surrendered the lead and were held to a 1-1 draw in a thrilling clash at battling Sevilla on Sunday.
Barcelona were handed their first defeat of the season by Atletico Madrid after a 2-1 loss on Sunday.
Manchester City moved four points clear of Arsenal atop the Premier League table with an 11th consecutive victory.
Barcelona will decide on Tuesday whether to risk Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi in their Champions League clash with Inter Milan at the Nou Camp, coach Pep Guardiola said on Monday.
Barcelona are the club everyone wants to avoid in the draw for the Champions League Round of 16 on Friday and Barca coach Pep Guardiola has said he does not want to face a French side.
Lionel Messi made brilliance look routine with a stunning double to help Barcelona to a 5-0 win over Real Sociedad that restored the champions' two-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb signed a four-year contract with Barcelona to complete his move from Arsenal, the Spanish Primera Liga club said on Wednesday. The 27-year-old, a long-term target for Barcelona, flew to Spain on Wednesday to take his medical, arriving just after the club had agreed to sell Brazilian Ronaldinho to AC Milan.
Barcelona suffered their first Champions League defeat in 10 matches on Tuesday when goals from Aleksandr Ryazantsev and Gokdeniz Karadeniz gave Rubin Kazan a shock 2-1 win in their Group F clash.
European champions Barcelona have injury worries up front for their Champions League Group F match at home to Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is not about to change his team's trademark style against Champions League quarter-final opponent
Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be given the choice of whether to stay or leave the Bundesliga champions, manager Pep Guardiola said on Thursday.
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