Kylian Mbappe was in inspired form, scoring twice to guide Real Madrid to a comeback 4-1 win over visitors Las Palmas on Sunday that lifted the champions to the top of the LaLiga standings.
City put their struggles over the last two months behind them as Phil Foden scored twice and set up another goal and Erling Haaland also got on the scoresheet in a much-needed win that moved them up to fourth on 38 points.
Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring with a curling shot after 55 minutes, Denzel Dumfries added a second with a powerful header from a corner in the 79th, and Marcus Thuram sealed the win 10 minutes later after Empoli had reduced the deficit.
Borussia Dortmund slumped to a 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday for their third straight Bundesliga defeat that deepened the crisis at the Ruhr Valley club.
Serie A leaders Napoli will need to quickly adapt to life without influential forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, coach Antonio Conte said, with the team facing a tough test at high-flying Atalanta on Saturday.
An eight-match winning streak in the LaLiga has lifted Atletico Madrid to the top of the standings and dreaming of a first league title in four years, but coach Diego Simeone insists on focusing on one match at a time.
Haaland's contract was set to expire in June 2027 but the 24-year-old, winner of the league's Golden Boot for most goals scored in the last two seasons, committed to the club until the age of 34.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said that he understands the club fans booying him and his team in their 5-2 win over Celta Vigo in their Copa del Rey round of 16 clash on Thursday, which he sees as an act of frustration after a humiliating 5-2 loss to rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insisted he must be careful not to lavish Amad Diallo with too much praise after the Ivorian forward's late hat-trick earned his struggling team a 3-1 victory over Southampton on Thursday.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has confirmed his exit from the club in a goodbye message posted on social media on Thursday with the Georgia international set to join French champions Paris St Germain.
Arsenal's 18-year-old left back Myles Lewis-Skelly was thrown into the deep end against Tottenham Hotspur, one of the Premier League's most goal-hungry teams, but the teenager passed with flying colours in an uplifting derby victory.
Inter went a goal down after 15 minutes but quickly bounced back through Denzel Dumfries, and Lautaro Martinez put them in front ahead of the break before the defending champions slowed down after the restart and had to settle for one point.
A sixth successive league defeat for Leicester City was a major blow to the club, said manager Ruud van Nistelrooy after a 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace on Wednesday kept them floundering near the foot of the Premier League.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are proving they are hungry for success again and are delivering a reaction to their disappointing previous season, coach Vincent Kompany said after his team's 5-0 demolition of Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Manchester City threw away a two-goal lead as Brentford's Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard scored late goals to earn the hosts a 2-2 draw in a Premier League thriller on Tuesday.
Liverpool substitute Diogo Jota's second-half header earned the visitors a battling 1-1 draw with surprise Premier League title rivals Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, keeping the leaders six points clear at the top of the standings.
Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target before halftime, after French forward Kylian Mbappe put Real in front in the fifth minute. Raphinha grabbed another in the second half while Rodrygo scored for Real.
Napoli increased their lead at the top of Serie A with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday, thanks to an early own goal from goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo and a stunning second-half strike from Frank Anguissa.
Ten-man FA Cup holders Manchester United dispatched Arsenal in a third-round thriller decided by a penalty shootout on Sunday, while Tottenham Hotspur survived a major scare against non-league side Tamworth.
Walker was left out of Guardiola's squad for the third round tie with the Spanish manager saying the right back had asked to "explore options abroad".
