Manchester United

With only 12 months remaining on his Madrid contract, Varane has been allowed to join the Red Devils.

United are reported to be paying a fee of £42.7million (A$80 million) to secure the transfer, which is subject to a medical and terms being finalised with the player.

Having recently brought in Jadon Sancho, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is poised to add one of the world's best defenders as United outspend their major European rivals ahead of the new season.

Both teams are on 44 points although United have played two more games with City travelling to Burnley tomorrow.

Southampton, already weakened by injuries, were reduced to 10 men after 79 seconds and lost another four minutes from time and drop to 12th on the table.

Newcastle United came back to earth with a bump as Crystal Palace recovered from conceding an early goal to claim a 2-1 victory at St James' Park.

City earlier beat bottom club Sheffield United 1-0 to move to 44 points from 20 matches while United are on 41 points from one game more.

Third-placed Leicester City, who are on 39 points, will go above Manchester United if they can beat Leeds United on Monday.

Following their shock home defeat by Sheffield United on Wednesday, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reverted to his strongest side although he lost Scott McTominay during the first half.

The two sides, who are both top of the Premier League table and go head-to-head in the league on Monday (NZ time), meet in the cup for the first time since Dirk Kuyt scored a late winner as Liverpool beat United 2-1 in January 2012.

United have not beaten Liverpool since March 2018, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer yet to taste victory against the Anfield side in four attempts as manager, once as Cardiff City boss.

United trail their traditional rivals on goal difference with both teams on 33 points from 16 matches ahead of their clash at Anfield on January 17.

Liverpool travel to Southampton on Tuesday (NZ time) while United visit Burnley on January 12.

United stretched their unbeaten league run to 10 games as Bruno Fernandes capped another fine individual performance with a penalty after Bertrand Traore had cancelled out Anthony Martial's opener for the home side.

United are on 26 points, five behind leaders Liverpool and just a point behind second-placed Leicester, who earlier beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in London.

Jamie Vardy scored Leicester City's opening goal and had a hand in the other.

The Foxes now have 27 points from 14 games, four behind champions and leaders Liverpool.

Tottenham dropped two places down to fourth after a second successive defeat.

Chelsea beat Leeds United 3-1 in front of 2,000 spectators at Stamford Bridge while Manchester United fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 at West Ham United -- their fifth straight comeback victory on the road -- in front of the same size crowd.

Clubs in less restricted areas of England were allowed to welcome back 2,000 fans but in higher risk places games carried on behind closed doors with Manchester City beating Fulham 2-0 and Everton held to a 1-1 draw at Burnley.

United have been held to a 2-2 draw by Southampton at Old Trafford.

Southampton opened the scoring in the 12th minute, but United struck back twice before the break and appeared set for all three points until the visitors scored in stoppage time.

United remain fifth on goal difference behind Leicester, while Chelsea are another point ahead in third.

The top four qualify for Champions League football next season.

There are three games left.

Anthony Martial fired the Red Devils ahead in the first half with a shot that City's goalkeeper should probably have kept out at his near post.

United survived some heavy second-half pressure until Scott McTominay scored an injury-time second after Ederson's throw went straight to his feet.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, beaten at home by City in their past three league meetings and the EFL Cup semi-final first leg, claimed a top-flight double over their city rivals for the first time since 2009-10 to leave the champions' title defence hanging by a thread.

A penalty and a spectacular free-kick from Marcus Rashford sealed a third away win in a row in all competitions for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

Michy Batshuayi had drawn Chelsea level but Rashford struck in sublime fashion just as the home side looked to be building momentum, inflicting a first defeat on Frank Lampard's side since the 2-1 loss to Liverpool on September 22.

Scott McTominay, booked for an early lunge on Mateo Kovacic, whistled a shot just wide from Daniel James' corner 13 minutes in.