Manchester United surged 15 points clear at the Premier League summit on Saturday, capitalizing on Manchester City losing at Everton by beating Reading to close in on a 20th English league title.
Ryan Giggs marked his 999th match as a professional by scoring in another age-defying, influential display to help Manchester United go provisionally 15 points clear at the top of the English Premier League on Saturday.
Luton became the first non-league team in 24 years to beat topflight opposition in the FA Cup as Norwich crashed out in the fourth round on Saturday, while third-tier club MK Dons also claimed the scalp of Premier League struggler Queens Park Rangers.
Demba Ba’s debut double helped Chelsea make a perfect start to its FA Cup defense with a 5-1 rout of Southampton in the third round, while Robin van Persie scored an injury-time equalizer for Manchester United to finish 2-2 at West Ham and earn a replay.
Chelsea’s recovery under Rafa Benitez was brought to a shuddering halt by Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday as the Premier League’s bottom team won 1-0 in the west London derby.
Premier League leader Manchester United dropped points in the title race with a 1-1 draw at Swansea on Sunday, while Chelsea routed Aston Villa 8-0 with a devastating attacking master class.
After spurning Manchester City’s advances in the offseason, Robin van Persie scored the goal that ended the champions’ unbeaten start to the Premier League season and took Manchester United six points clear of its neighbor on Sunday.
Fernando Torres rediscovered his goal-scoring touch too late for Chelsea’s Champions League hopes on Wednesday, with the English side becoming the first holders to exit at the group stage despite a 6-1 thrashing of FC Nordsjaelland.
Manchester United fought back from 2-0 down to triumph 3-2 at Aston Villa, and Arsenal chucked away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday.
One glorious night in the cauldron of Celtic Park showed there’s a glimmer of hope for the future of Scottish football.
Celtic overcoming the mighty Barcelona on club football’s biggest stage, the Champions League, provided an adrenaline shot to erase some of the negativity that has been engulfing the national sport.
Chelsea came from behind three times against Manchester United on Wednesday before a nine-goal thriller was settled by Ramires’ extra-time shot clinching a 5-4 victory and a spot in the League Cup quarterfinals.
Arsenal staged a stunning League Cup fightback at Reading after trailing 4-0 in the first half on Tuesday, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 7-5 extra-time victory after Theo Walcott scored a hat trick.
NBC’s network will televise the English Premier League under a $250 million, three-year deal that begins next season.
