|
Marcos Alonso, Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas were all on target as Chelsea defeated Arsenal 3-1 at Stamford Bridge to consolidate their lead at the top of the Premier League table. The Blues broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, with Alonso beating Hector Bellerin to a loose ball to head home the rebound after Diego Costa had first crashed his own header back off the crossbar. Hazard doubled their lead eight minutes after the restart, driving from his own half towards goal, while shaking off Francis Coquelin in the process, before gliding into the box and slotting past Petr Cech. And Fabregas made it three against his former side late on, sending the ball into an empty net from distance after intercepting a poor clearance from Cech. Giroud scored a consolation goal for Arsenal deep into stoppage time, heading in a Nacho Monreal cross, but it was too little, too late for the visitors. The victory took Chelsea 12 points clear at the top of the table, before Tottenham Hotspur reduced the lead to nine points later in the day. Hull City inflicted a fourth defeat in five games in all competitions on Liverpool with a 2-0 win at the KCOM Stadium to boost their fight against relegation. Alfred N'Diaye put Hull into the lead on the stroke of half-time, pouncing on a loose ball to score from close range following a mistake from Simon Mignolet. The Tigers could have added another after the break with Abel Hernandez wasting two opportunities in quick succession, first sending a strike into the side netting and then being thwarted by Mignolet. Hull did, however, make it two five minutes from time through Oumar Niasse, who latched onto a Andrea Ranocchia long ball before slotting past Mignolet. Harry Kane scored the winner as Tottenham beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at White Hart Lane to move three points clear in second place. Despite creating a number of chances in the first half, Tottenham were unable to make a breakthrough, with Toby Alderweireld hitting the woodwork with a header and Kane having a goal ruled out for offside. However, Kane did manage to break the deadlock in the 58th minute, sending Victor Valdes the wrong way from the penalty spot, after Son Heung-Min had been brought down in the box by Bernardo, to secure the win. Sam Allardyce's reunion with Sunderland was an unhappy one as his former club recorded a 4-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Sunderland edged ahead after 10 minutes through Lamine Kone, who bundled the ball over the line after his header had first been blocked, before Didier Ndong then made it two shortly before the break with a strike from distance. The Black Cats were in dreamland by the time the half-time whistle sounded, with Jermain Defoe scoring two in two minutes in stoppage time with a pair of fine finishes. Romelu Lukaku scored four goals and registered an assist as Everton saw off Bournemouth with a 6-3 win at Goodison Park. Everton needed just 31 seconds to open the scoring, with Lukaku receiving the ball from Morgan Schneiderlin in the box before cutting inside and firing home. Lukaku turned provider after 23 minutes, teeing up James McCarthy to double the Toffees' lead, and he was back on the score sheet six minutes later, taking advantage of a mistake at the back before netting his second. Joshua King pulled one back for Bournemouth in the 59th minute and bagged another 11 minutes later, but Lukaku ensured Everton would end up the victors with two more goals in the closing stages to cap off a memorable game for the striker. There was still time for Harry Arter to score a third for Bournemouth and Ross Barkley a sixth for Everton in stoppage time. West Ham came from behind to record a 3-1 win against Southampton at St Mary's and move into the top half of the table. Manolo Gabbiadini's Saints debut got off to the perfect start when he broke the deadlock after 12 minutes, racing clear of the defence before firing past Darren Randolph. West Ham, however, were level just two minutes later when Andy Carroll connected with Pedro Obiang's ball to slot into the back of the net, with Obiang then scoring himself in the 44th minute with a long-range strike to turn the game on its head. An own goal from Steven Davis seven minutes after the restart completed the scoring for the Hammers, with a Mark Noble free kick deflecting off the midfielder past Fraser Forster. Burnley's away troubles continued as they went down to a 2-1 defeat to Watford at Vicarage Road. Burnley got off to a bad start after losing Jeff Hendrick to a red card inside six minutes, with Watford then going on to score four minutes later through Troy Deeney, who was on hand to head in M'Baye Niang's delivery. Niang got in on the act himself in first-half stoppage time after heading Jose Holebas's cross into the corner and, although Burnley pulled a goal back through an Ashley Barnes penalty after a Sebastian Prodl handball, Watford held on for the victory. James Morrison scored the only goal of the game as West Bromwich Albion saw off Stoke City with a 1-0 win at The Hawthorns. James Morrison fired the Baggies ahead after just six minutes, latching onto a Nacer Chadli pass before gliding the ball past Lee Grant. Former West Brom player Saido Berahino was brought on in the second half by Stoke but the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.
|
