Chelsea survived a scare to maintain their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over neighbours Queens Park Rangers.
Charlie Austin’s fourth goal in five games just after the hour mark cancelled out Oscar’s brilliant first-half strike to give struggling Rangers hope of a point.
But 15 minutes from time Eden Hazard tumbled under Eduardo Vargas’ challenge and the Belgian got up to coolly convert his fifth goal of the season.
Southampton stay second after their 1-0 victory at Hull City, Victor Wanyama scoring from 40 yards after third-choice goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic’s poor clearance had fallen straight to him.
Arsenal moved into the top four with a 3-0 home victory over Burnley, although they had to be patient against the winless opponents.
Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers ended Burnley’s brave resistance with two goals in as many minutes inside the final quarter. Sanchez’s 10th goal of the season in injury time wrapped up matters.
Arsenal move above West Ham on goal difference after the latter fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at Stoke City.
Victor Moses’ first league goal in 14 months and Mame Biram Diouf put Stoke 2-0 ahead but Enner Valencia and Stewart Downing extended West Ham’s unbeaten run to four matches.
Mario Balotelli was restored to the Liverpool line-up after his goal-scoring cameo as a Capital One Cup substitute in midweek but Brendan Rodgers’ team drew a blank in a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.
Ayoze Perez, on as a half-time substitute for Papiss Cisse, profited from Alberto Moreno’s mistake to grab the 73rd minute winner from close-range and make it four successive wins in all competitions for Alan Pardew’s revitalised Newcastle, who are now only a point behind Liverpool.
Swansea held Everton to a goalless draw at home despite having Jonjo Shelvey sent off 19 minutes from time after picking up a second yellow card.
West Brom deepened Leicester’s gloom with a 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium, the Foxes now having gone five games without a win after Esteban Cambiasso’s 47th minute own goal handed Albion victory.
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