MANCHESTER CITY 2 SWANSEA 1
Manchester City snatched a dramatic victory at the death over Swansea to go back to the top of the Premier League.
Yaya Toure’s stoppage-time shot hit Kelechi Iheanacho on its way in to clinch a 2-1 win just two minutes after Bafetimbi Gomis looked to have given the battling Swans, who sacked manager Garry Monk on Wednesday, a deserved point.
Wilfried Bony returned to haunt his former side after his seventh goal of the season gave City a first-half lead.
Bony headed in Jesus Navas’ 26th-minute corner for his third goal in four outings, but Gomis scored at the start of injury-time only for Toure to win it seconds later.
Victory sent City top ahead of Leicester, who play Chelsea on Monday, on goal difference, while Swansea are just a point above the relegation zone after one win in 12 games.
SUNDERLAND 0 WATFORD 1
Odion Ighalo’s 10th goal of the season handed promoted Watford a third successive league victory and plunged Sunderland deeper into relegation trouble.
The Nigerian’s fourth-minute strike proved enough to clinch all the points in a 1-0 win at a wintry Stadium of Light as the visitors launched an early blitz and then defended their lead with little difficulty to claim their seventh top-flight win of the campaign.
Sam Allardyce’s men at least made a game of it after a dreadful start with substitute Jermain Defoe seeing a strike correctly ruled out for offside and forcing a fine late save from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, but the visitors were the better side and were worthy winners.
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CRYSTAL PALACE 1 SOUTHAMPTON 0
Crystal Palace climbed to sixth place on the table with a comfortable 1-0 defeat of Southampton.
In the latest demonstration that European football is not beyond them, they outplayed their similarly-ambitious rivals and secured victory with a goal from Yohan Cabaye, their £10million record signing.
Southampton goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey impressed with a reaction save from Steven Davis’ close-range header, before Palace responded by scoring in the 38th minute.
On the right wing near the penalty area, the again-impressive Yannick Bolasie defeated the defence with a low cut-back to Cabaye that gifted the Frenchman a close-range tap-in into a near-open goal.
WEST HAM 0 STOKE CITY 0
Injury-hit West Ham could not find a way past stubborn Stoke in a goalless draw at Upton Park.
The Hammers dominated for long periods but sorely missed the attacking talents of Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho, Manuel Lanzini and Victor Moses in front of goal.
Manager Slaven Bilic, who has ordered the club to move training grounds in a bid to halt their injury jinx, almost saw his patched-up side pick up a first win in six matches, but Mauro Zarate’s shot cannoned back off the post.
A draw was probably a fair result, though, as Stoke were also denied by the woodwork when Marko Arnautovic hit the crossbar midway through the second half.
NORWICH CITY 1 EVERTON 1
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku scored for a seventh straight game but Norwich responded to earn a deserved 1-1 draw in the Premier League clash at Carrow Road.
Lukaku became the first Everton player to score in seven successive games in 40 years, since Bob Latchford in December 1975, when heading in Gerard Deulofeu’s cross after 15 minutes.
The Belgium striker will bid to close in on Jamie Vardy’s record of scoring in 11 straight games against Vardy’s club Leicester next Saturday.
He has 28 Everton goals this calendar year, but might have had three more in a first half the visitors dominated to such an extent they could have been coasting at half-time.
Fit-again Leighton Baines hit a post and Arouna Kone was twice denied by Declan Rudd, yet Norwich responded little more than a minute after the restart through Wes Hoolahan.
Cameron Jerome might have won it for the Canaries, but fired over from Hoolahan’s flick.
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