KURT ZOUMA

The West Ham United player has been fined for his actions and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has launched an investigation into the matter.

A disturbing clip emerged​ this week showing the French player drop-kicking and slapping a cat while someone laughs in the background.

West Ham ended Liverpool’s 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions with a 3-2 victory that dislodged the team from third place in the Premier League.

West Ham ended Liverpool's 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions with a 3-2 victory that dislodged the team from third place in the Premier League.

Chelsea has come from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 and prevent City from clinching a third English Premier League title in four seasons and dethroning Liverpool.

The fans — 2,000 from West Ham, 2,000 from Chelsea — had contrasting experiences on opposite sides of London. Chelsea’s players treated their select group of attending fans to a comeback of their own at Stamford Bridge. The match saw respective managers Frank Lampard, of Chelsea, and Marcelo Bielsa, of Leeds, meet for the first time in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Guardiola didn’t make a single substitution, at a time when he is pushing the Premier League to increase the number of replacements from three to five for player-welfare reasons. It’s now 11 goals in 11 games for the Everton striker after scoring the equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Burnley.

Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after he scores his sides second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (Peter Powell/Pool via AP)On a day uncertainty reigned in England as the nation prepared to go back into lockdown, the Premier League returned to something resembling normality. Three of the teams expected to contend for the title — Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool — all picked up wins in back-to-back fixtures on Saturday. The latest goal Liverpool let in was avoidable, too, with Joe Gomez heading a clearance straight at Pablo Fornals, who drove a finish into the bottom corner in the 10th minute. Jota’s winner came about the same time British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was announcing a four-week lockdown in England, starting from Thursday.

Early in what proved to be a painful Merseyside derby for Liverpool, Van Dijk was the subject of a reckless lunge by Jordan Pickford that saw the Everton goalkeeper clatter into the extended right leg of the Netherlands defender. Van Dijk roared in agony and, tellingly, stayed down. There was no official word from Liverpool on the potential length of his absence, but Van Dijk reportedly left hospital on crutches in the evening. Van Dijk might have been marking Keane and Calvert-Lewin for both of those Everton chances. For Southampton’s second goal, Kurt Zouma underhit a back pass before goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made two errors in a matter of seconds to allow Che Adams to score.

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, talks with Leeds United's head coach Marcelo Bielsa at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Manchester City at Elland Road in Leeds, England, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. What to make of seeing his Manchester City side held 1-1 by Bielsa's Leeds on Saturday? While Leeds had seven shots on target, Raheem Sterling's 16th-minute strike low shot inside the far post was one of only two for City. We must do more and better.”Especially with City already eight points behind Everton, which is the early leader after beating Brighton 4-2 to make it four wins out of four. Fifth-place Leeds, which like Everton has played a game more than City, is still three points ahead of Guardiola's side.

Manchester United's Eric Bailly receives treatment after a clash of heads during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, England, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Andy Rain, Pool via AP)LONDON Manchester United defender Eric Bailly was wheeled off on a stretcher and wearing an oxygen mask after a second clash of heads during Sunday's FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea. Bailly had returned to action after an aerial collision with Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma. But during a lengthy stoppage, Bailly staggered on the touchline before being placed on a stretcher and wheeled off the Wembley touchline on a stretcher by medical staff wearing protective clothing as part of coronavirus prevention measures. There was applause from the few people inside Wembley, where fans are locked out due to the pandemic.