Leicester goes clear at the top of the league with a rout against Stoke City. Watford gained their first win in five matches with the help of Odion Ighalo as Vardy regains his samba.
Crystal Palace 1 – 3 Tottenham Hotspur
Jan Vertonghen opened the scoring with an unfortunate own goal conceded when he attempted to smack the ball away from a cross but sends it to the top corner instead.
Harry Kane restored parity with a header from a cross before Dele Alli magnificiently put Spurs ahead. He picked up a pass from just outside the 18 yard box, controlled it with a flip before blasting a fantastic volley past the goalie and into the bottom corner, all in three touches. A possible goal of the season.
Substitute Nacer Chadli put the icing on the cake with a beautiful strike from 25 yards, consolidating Tottenham’s fourth position in the EPL.
Norwich 4 – 5 Liverpool
It was an exciting first-half at Carrow road with either of the teams enjoying any significant control of the game with some interesting attacking exchanges between the two sides.
The match truly came alive in the 18th minute when the away side opened the scoring. James Milner, despite being in a good shooting position himself fed Roberto Firmino who beat the keeper with a precise shot that bounced in off the bottom of the right post.
Diermerci Mbokani’s brilliant finish put the home side level in the 29th minute before Steven Naismith found himself unmarked to delightfully tuck the ball into the bottom left corner from Wes Hoolihan’s pass.
The second-half was as dramatic as the EPL has been this season. Norwich doubled the advantage when Alberto Moreno jumped into a tackle in the box twice, given the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Wes Hoolihan buried the resulting spot-kick in the middle, sending Mignolet the wrong way.
Liverpool reduced the deficit within a minute with Jordan Henderson’s first time volley before Firmino’s brace brought the Anfield club level when he latched on to a pass by Adam Lallana.
Liverpool went ahead for the second time in the match when James Milner took advantage of a misplaced back-pass to calmly put the ball in the back of the net.
Norwich Levelled the scoring again in extra time when Sebastian Bassong perfectly hit a rebound into the right corner. But Liverpool were not to be denied the three points as Lallana fired home another rebounded effort to conclude a goal-fest.
Sunderland 1 – 1 Bournemouth
Bournemouth record signing, Ben Afobe got on the scoresheet again with a superb header from a beautiful lofted cross by Junior Slanislav.
Fabio Borini’s great vision sends a lovely pass to Patrick van Aanholt, who showed a brilliant composure to bury the ball into the back of the net to level the scoring on the stroke of half-time interval.
This was not the best game in terms of quality and not hugely entertaining, but fair in term of result which is another two points lost for the home team in their fight against relegation.
Leicester 3 – 0 Stoke City
Leicester regained the lead at the top of the EPL with a well earned and a professional performance at home to Stoke City who are usually hard to beat.
Chances were few and far between but the host enjoyed superiority over the opposition and more clinical in front of goal.
Daniel Drinkwater put the host ahead in the 42nd minute with a firm strike from outside the box that was deflected in.
Jamie Vardy continued where he left off before been laid off through injury with a low drive past the goalkeeper after finding himself one-to-one from a killer pass. Ulloa sealed the rout with a sliding goal in the 87th minute after a penetrative work by Okazaki.
Manchester United 0 – 1 Southampton
New signing Charlie Austin’s late goal ensured man united woes under Van Gaal continues. Their forth loss in eight matches. United’s first defeat of the year brought jeers and boos from the home fans tired of lack of charisma, quality and end-products, loosing more ground to Tottenham in fourth place in the process.
The only goal of the game came in the 87th minute when the substitute Austin nodded in James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick before rightfully wheeling away to celebrate his debut goal and continuing Southampton renaissance since the turn of the year.
Watford 2 – 1 Newcastle
Odion Ighalo is at it again helping his team to their first victory in five matches. He is back to the old routine with a magnificieint shot into the bottom right corner when slipped through by his strike partner Troy Deeney to put Watford ahead.
Craig Cathcart doubled the score from a rebounded effort but Newcastle have the deficit in the 71st minute with a bullet header by Jamaal Lascelles from a perfectly taken corner kick.
Newcastle fought hard in the final minutes to level the scoring but Watford held on doggedly.
West Ham 2-2 Man City
A brace apiece from Enner Valencia and Sergio Aguero earned both sides a point each in this entertaining and enthralling encounter.
The draw was hardly deserved by Man City who were sluggish in attack and sloppy in defence but for Aguero’s brace. A goal in each half to rescue a draw for his team who now move ahead of Arsenal into second place before the Gunner’s match against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
Enner Valencia struck for the home team in the first minute to open the scoring from Kouyate’s cross, cancelled out in the ninth minute via a spot-kick by Aguero.
City looked to be heading for another away defeat when Valencia added his second on 56 minutes, but Aguero had other idea. He struck with time running out by deftly lifting the ball over the West Ham goalie, Adrian, to secure his 15th goal of the season.
Sunday, January 24
Everton 1-2 Swansea
Swansea’s composed and professional performance was good enough to secure a valuable away win in their quest against relegation from the EPL.
The first Swansea and the opening goal came, courtesy of a misplaced back pass from the much sought after John Stones. Andre Ayew reacted quickly to insert himself between the defender and the goalkeeper making the later foul him, resulting in a penalty award.
Gyfil Sigurdsson calmly put away the spot-kick before Gareth Barry’s volleyed flick caused a commotion in the Swansea defence, trickling in off Lukas Fabrianski.
Ayew made sure of the three points when his first-time shot on the turn was blocked and diverted into the net by Stones. Swansea are now only four points away from Everton.
Arsenal 0 – 1 Chelsea
Gunners lost ground in their quest for the EPL title by being cut down to size by Diego Costa yet again. Both teams started hesitantly before the match came to Live when Costa feigned a tackle by Mertesacker and was adjudged a sending off offence.
Chelsea however, capitalized on the 10-man Arsenal by dominating the rest of the match. With Costa the usual Arsenal nemesis grabbed the headlines again by scoring the only goal to condemn Arsenal to another Chelsea defeat.
Arsenal are now third on the league table while Chelsea relieved their relegation worries with a vital victory.
Editor’s Note: Article was originally published on January 23 and updated on January 24 with Arsenal vs Chelsea and Everton vs Swansea’s matches.
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