Manchester United lost further ground to Premier League leaders Manchester City as they played out a 0-0 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Red Devils are now 12 points behind Pep Guardiola's seemingly unstoppable side, who are well on their way to a third title in four seasons.
Elsewhere, Liverpool returned to winning ways against Sheffield United and Arsenal came from behind to beat Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
A Gareth Bale-inspired Tottenham cruised past Burnley 4-0, while Crystal Palace and Fulham played out a dour 0-0 draw.
Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United: Red Devils' 'big six' struggles continue
While this result stretched United's unbeaten away run in the league to a whopping 20 matches – the joint-fifth-longest run in top-flight history – there was still a sense of disappointment at full-time.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have now failed to score in their last six league meetings with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City or Tottenham, with each of their last four such matches finishing goalless.
This fixture has now finished 0-0 in both matches in a single league campaign for just the second time, the other occasion coming back in 1921-22.
It marked the first time Chelsea have drawn 0-0 against an opponent home and away in the Premier League in the same season for the first time since 2008-09 against Everton, while United last did so against Aston Villa in 1996-97.
Thomas Tuchel can at least toast becoming just the second coach to not concede a single goal in his first four home matches in the Premier League after Brendan Rodgers in 2011-12 with Swansea City. Including his final two such matches in charge of Paris Saint-Germain, Tuchel has gone six games without conceding at home in league competition.
Sheffield United 0-2 Liverpool: Klopp's men get back on track
After four consecutive top-flight defeats champions Liverpool got their top-four bid back on track at Bramall Lane.
Curtis Jones opened the scoring with his second goal for the Reds. In doing so, he became the youngest Liverpool player (20 years and 29 days) to score an away Premier League goal since Raheem Sterling in December 2014 against Burnley (20y 18d).
Their second – an own goal by Kean Bryan – was their 7,000th in the English top-flight, becoming only the second team to reach that tally after Merseyside rivals Everton (7,108).
Adrian was in goal for Jurgen Klopp's men and the Spaniard has now been on the winning side in 10 of his 12 Premier League starts for the club, although this was only his third clean sheet.
The Blades, meanwhile, have now lost 21 games this season. They are the first side since Newport County in the fourth tier in 1970-71 to lose as many as 21 of their first 26 matches in an English Football League season.
Tottenham 4-0 Burnley: Brilliant Bale torments sorry Clarets
Bale was at his best as Tottenham registered their biggest Premier League home win since they thumped the Clarets 5-0 in December 2019.
His first came after just 68 seconds, which was the fastest goal Burnley have ever conceded in a Premier League match. The previous quickest was a Yerry Mina effort after 99 seconds for Everton in December 2018.
Harry Kane doubled Spurs' advantage to continue his fine run against Sean Dyche's side. No player has scored more Premier League goals against Burnley than Kane (eight, level with Riyad Mahrez), with the England striker involved in 10 goals in his last six league appearances against them (seven goals, three assists).
Lucas Moura added a third before Bale wrapped up the scoring to take his goal involvements to seven in his last four appearances in all competitions.
At the back, Hugo Lloris celebrated his 100th clean sheet in the competition. He became the 16th goalkeeper to reach that landmark, while he is the ninth quickest to reach it (285 games).
Burnley, meanwhile, have now lost 12 of their last 15 away top-flight matches against Spurs, shipping 48 goals and conceding at least four goals in seven games.
Leicester City 1-3 Arsenal: Gunners storm back to end 'top three' hoodoo
Arsenal ended a four-game winless run against the Foxes in the Premier League, securing their first victory against them in the competition since October 2018.
It started poorly for Mikel Arteta's side, though, with Youri Tielemans scoring his sixth goal of the season early on. That is as many as he had scored in his first two seasons at the club combined.
David Luiz pulled the Gunners level before Alexandre Lacazette put them ahead from the penalty spot. The France international has converted all five of his penalties for Arsenal across all competitions, while only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (13) has now netted more goals for the Gunners than Lacazette (11) this term.
Nicolas Pepe sealed the three points and has now equalled his Premier League goal tally from last season, scoring five this campaign in 13 fewer appearances (18 this term, 31 last season).
The result marked Arsenal's first away victory against a team starting the day in the top three of the Premier League since January 2015 (2-0 v Manchester City) – they were winless in their last 14 such games ahead of this clash (D3 L11).
Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham: Lucky Eagles escape with a point
It should come as no surprise that this game ended goalless given Fulham's penchant for draws this season.
Just one of the Cottagers' first 21 Premier League games under Scott Parker ended level, but the stalemate at Selhurst Park was their 10th draw in their last 15 top-flight matches.
They were comfortably the better side and attempted 16 shots. Fourteen of those came in the second period – the most they have had in the final 45 minutes of a Premier League away game since 2003-04 without scoring.
Palace, meanwhile, have somehow managed to pick up four points from their last two league games despite attempting just six shots (facing 41), having only nine touches in the opposition box (compared to 70 by their opponents), and completing just 442 passes (compared to their opponents' 1065).
Indeed, they managed just 33 attempts in their five Premier League matches in February – the lowest recorded by a team in a single month of at least five games since the start of the 2003-04 campaign.
Xavi wants Barcelona to make defensive improvements against Sevilla
Barcelona boss Xavi wants his side to defend better as they prepare for their LaLiga clash with Sevilla on Friday.
Barca are currently unbeaten in the league so far this term but have conceded four goals in their last two games, coming from behind to beat Celta Vigo 3-2 before a 2-2 draw with Mallorca.
Despite their recent defensive flaws, Xavi’s side have scored 18 goals, which is the joint most in the division alongside league leaders Girona.
The Barca boss acknowledged those differences but thinks his side have to improve at the back.
He said: “We might not be as brilliant in defence as we were last season.
“We need to improve our pressure after losing the ball, press higher up the pitch, concentrate a bit harder.
“But we have got better up front. We created six clear chances against Mallorca and I think that’s good baggage.”
The Catalan giants will face a Sevilla side who, after a tough start to the campaign, are starting to show their true colours and are currently unbeaten in three.
Xavi praised their opponents on Friday and has called on the home fans to be the 12th man.
He added: “Sevilla are the defending Europa League champions and a difficult team to play.
“They’re solid, they like to play down the wings and play a direct, vertical game. But we’re at home.
“We need the fans and the atmosphere at Montjuic to get back on the winning track.”
A win for Barcelona could take them top of the league temporarily before the top two, Girona and Real Madrid, face each other on Saturday.
Xavi is not surprised by how well current league leaders Girona are doing.
He continued: “It’s no surprise to me because they have been doing things well at that club for several years.”
Chaos at Scunthorpe – Owner ends funding with club forced to leave Glanford Park
The future of Scunthorpe has taken another bleak turn after owner David Hilton decided to withdraw his funding, with the club forced to play away from their Glanford Park home.
Now plying their trade in the National League North, Scunthorpe were in the Championship just 13 years ago but now face the continued, very real threat of extinction.
To only complicate matters further, following an announcement they would leave Glanford Park to play their home games at Gainsborough Trinity, their near-neighbours from the Northern League insisted that statement was issued without their “knowledge or consent”.
The Iron confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Hilton had opted to pull his money out of the beleaguered club.
“The club owner and chairman has recently notified the board of directors of his decision to withdraw his funding from the club moving forward,” a statement read.
“He has also notified them that he feels his position at the club is untenable, and is actively seeking a way out. Based on this information, both Ian Dawson and Tahina Akther have decided to resign from their positions with immediate affect.
“We can confirm that numerous parties have made contact with the club with a view to taking over, but faced with stadium issues, numerous litigation proceedings and winding up petitions no potential purchasers are looking to move forward. This includes the consortium of local business people and supporters.
“The chairman and remaining board members have now set out a plan in order to very quickly make the club sustainable.”
The statement went on to confirm they would host their upcoming home games against Buxton and Brackley Town at Glanford Park before relocating due to a dispute with land owners Coolsilk, run by former Scunthorpe owner Peter Swann.
“The club will vacate Glanford Park after the Brackley Town fixture and fulfill the season’s fixtures across at Gainsborough Trinity,” the statement continued.
“This is not a day-to-day cost cutting exercise. This is due to Coolsilk refusing to engage with the club and demanding vacant possession before they will begin to do so.
“This is also due to the risk the club faces of being liable for hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees and back dated market rent, along with significant monthly legal costs of our own that will certainly impact any attempts to create sustainability.
“In any case, Coolsilk own the property and will undoubtedly get possession back at some point, and therefore it is no longer viable without the financial support of the chairman to put the club at risk with such a gamble to merely guarantee a few extra months at the stadium.”
Despite announcing they would play their games 16 miles away at the Gainsborough Martin & Co Arena – Trinity insist they have not signed off on any such agreement.
“Gainsborough Trinity FC are aware of a statement issued today by Scunthorpe United,” they said in their own statement.
“This statement was issued without the knowledge or consent of Gainsborough Trinity.
“Whilst the club has always been clear that any requests from Scunthorpe United to play fixtures at the KAL Group Stadium would be considered, this would always have to be done by due process which would involve both clubs and the ground owner.”
Scunthorpe currently sit fourth in the National League North and have lost just one of their opening nine league games of the campaign.
Ballon d'Or nominee Bonmatí 'like Zidane', says Pauleta
Aitana Bonmati's similarities to Zinedine Zidane are part of the qualities that should win her the upcoming Ballon d'Or, according to former Portugal international Pauleta.
Bonmati's incredible form in the 2022-23 season helped Barcelona to a magnificent treble, recording a competition-leading 12 goal involvements as the Blaugrana claimed Champions League glory, before she also played a major role in Australia and New Zealand as her national team Spain won the Women's World Cup for the first time.
Bonmati was given the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, and the midfielder is the favourite to collect more individual silverware in the near future having been named among the nominees to pick up the Ballon d'Or, the winner of which will be announced at a ceremony in Paris in late October.
Pauleta fully expects Bonmati to be named the 2022-23 season's best player, pointing to Zidane, the winner of the men's Ballon d'Or in 1998, as a star Bonmati shares traits with.
When asked who she thought should claim the trophy, Pauleta told Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit: "I say Aitana [Bonmati] because she had an incredible season with Barcelona and Spain.
"I played against her in the Champions League. I felt something about [Zinedine] Zidane in her game. She's aggressive but with the ball, she's so sweet. She always puts the ball where it needs to be.
"The game is better when she is playing. She has this quality that makes her play beautifully."
Among the other nominees competing with Bonmati is Mary Earps, the Manchester United and England goalkeeper who won the Golden Glove at the World Cup as the tournament's best shot-stopper, saving a penalty from Bonmati's Spain team-mate Jennifer Hermoso in the final.
Prior to her heroics with the Lionesses, Earps had helped United to a strong Women's Super League campaign as well as the club's first-ever FA Cup final.
Fellow goalkeeper Patricia Morais believes Earps should become the first Ballon d'or winner from their position, saying: "I think it will be the England goalkeeper [Earps], for sure. I have no doubt that she will win.
"She's a world-class goalkeeper. She deserves it because I like her style, how she plays football and I identify myself with her."
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