Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is uncertain about the future of Diego Costa, as Spanish media reports have linked the striker with a possible return to Atletico Madrid. The 27-year-old, who joined the London club from Atletico in 2014, did not feature in Chelsea's 3-2 defeat by Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly on Saturday due to a back injury. The Spain international scored 12 times last season as the club finished 10th in the Premier League, with British media reports also linking Everton striker Romelu Lukaku with a potential move back to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, playing with a swagger missing for much of the season, routed Aston Villa 8-0 on Sunday.
IMAGES from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Images from Tuesday's action in the English Premier League
The difference between this side and the under-achieving teams towards the end of Wenger's reign is their experience. Martinelli made his debut in 2019 while Saka has been a regular since the 2019-20 campaign.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
Buoyant Chelsea extended their Premier League lead and calmed nerves at Stamford Bridge with a 4-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday that moved them seven points clear of their nearest pursuers Tottenham Hotspur.
Karim Benzema's hat-trick earned Real Madrid a 3-1 win at reigning European champions Chelsea in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. In another quarter-final match, Villarreal stunned six times European Cup winners Bayern Munich 1-0.
A round-up of Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Chelsea reached the Champions League quarter-finals as a first-half goal from Raheem Sterling and a controversial penalty by Kai Havertz overturned a first-leg deficit.
The Gunners' only league defeat of the campaign was in September away to one of England's traditional top-six clubs, Manchester United, drawing criticism that their strong start to the season was based on wins against lesser opposition.
The 36-year-old player, whose career has been chequered by controversy, spent last season at Petrolul Ploieti, a top-flight Romanian club.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho told his Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte that his antics in whipping up the crowd during the London club's 4-0 victory on Sunday were "humiliating", according to Italian television.
"Diego Costa's out which means we have to solve that problem in 24 hours," new interim coach Guus Hiddink told reporters.
Arsene Wenger hit back at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's thinly-veiled criticism.
Super substitute Demba Ba slide home Chelsea's second goal to secure a semi-final place.
After the reigning English Premier League champions suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, will Jose Mourinho continue to lead the defending champions for the second half of the season? Here's a look the men who could take over at Stamford Bridge.
Champions Chelsea beat 9-man Arsenal 2-0 in a heated match at Stamford Bridge last week but a coffee brand had to bear the brunt of angry Arsenal supporters.
Chelsea's early season slump turned into a full-blown crisis on Saturday when they were beaten 3-1 by Southampton while Manchester City went top of the Premier League with Sergio Aguero scoring five in a 6-1 win over Newcastle United.
The Champions League will resume in August after being halted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a 'Final Eight' tournament being held in Lisbon after the remaining second-leg games from the last 16 ties are decided.
Vibrant Chelsea made it a torrid few days for Liverpool as goals by Willian and Ross Barkley sealed a 2-0 victory to send them through to the FA Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. Liverpool's 44-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League ended in stunning fashion with a 3-0 defeat at Watford on Saturday and they were rocked again at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho will have no qualms about frustrating entertainment-hungry Manchester United fans if it means securing a win on his return to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea have re-signed Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba on a one-year contract, the Premier League club said on Friday.
Having spent much of his time at Chelsea operating in Eden Hazard's shadow, Willian has emerged as a leading light in the team ahead of their Champions League showdown with Barcelona.
Chelsea have already opened the hotel on their Stamford Bridge stadium site to National Health Service staff in London, while the men's squad have donated money to the Chelsea Foundation to help support those in need during the crisis.
Mourinho's tinkerings meant a first start of the season for midfielder Scott McTominay, playing on the right of a three-man defence, while Anthony Martial played instead of the dropped Alexis Sanchez. On this evidence, more changes may be needed when United take on Valencia in the Champions League on Tuesday.
West Bromwich Albion secured a stunning 5-2 win over 10-man Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
Making the most of a rare start for Sarri's side, Loftus-Cheek inspired Chelsea to a 3-1 Europa League win over the Belarus champions at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Chelsea kept alive their remote Premier League title chances with a 2-0 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, set on their way by an exquisite strike from Hakim Ziyech which was quickly followed up by a Thiago Silva header.
Lampard was handed a three-year contract having left second tier Derby County.
Chelsea's Champions League semi-final defeat by Atletico Madrid hinged on a pivotal second-half minute and the expertise of a young goalkeeper on loan from the Premier League club to the Spanish side, Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho returned to Spain with an ultra-cautious approach as his team earned a 0-0 draw with surprise Champions League semi-finalists Atletico Madrid in a first leg lacking in excitement on Tuesday.
Jose Mourinho again showed his tactical acumen could play a pivotal role in deciding the destiny of the Premier League title when his halftime formation switch prompted a stirring Chelsea comeback against Southampton.
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.
Rafael Nadal's dominance on the red claycourts in Paris is unmatched, the Spaniard picking up his 13th French Open trophy last year to match Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam singles titles.
Sarri unmoved as Chelsea capitulation harms top-four hopes
Eden Hazard scored twice and created a third to steer Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over London rivals Arsenal in the Europa League final in what looks likely to be the Belgium winger's final game for the Blues.
We have been monitoring him for the past few months, we had a clear intention to strengthen in the attacking midfielder and the winger positions (and) he is a player that gives us a lot of versatility.
England forward Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea on a five-year contract from Manchester City, the two English Premier League clubs announced on Wednesday.
Jose Mourinho's side had paid lavish sums to bolster key areas by this time last year but, having claimed the title at a canter, the motto of this transfer window seems to be: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
