After Arsenal suffered a 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, there were five 3pm kick offs in the Premier League, and here’s how they concluded…
With this a contest that neither side could afford to lose, it was a predictably dull opening 45 minutes at Selhurst Park. Watford’s almost complete lack of threat in the final third lifted the confidence of the Eagles, who slowly grew into the game.
After the break Palace were in the ascendancy and, 68 minutes in, Sam Alladryce’s relegation-threatened side had the lead, through an own goal by Troy Deeney.
Watford failed to hit back, increasing the pressure on manager Walter Mazzarri, while Palace distanced themselves further from the bottom three.
Everton marched to the dressing room with a deserved 1-0 win at the break, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin completing a sublime attacking move in the ninth minute. The Toffees dominated proceedings for the opening period and Ronald Koeman will have been demanding more goals from his team in the second period.
Having failed to take advantage of their control, though, Hull grew in confidence and began to threaten the Everton goal. But just as the visitors were on top, Tom Huddlestone was shown a straight red for a challenge on Idrissa Gueye.
It was only a matter of time before Everton made the most of the midfielder’s dismissal, then, and just five minutes later substitute Enner Valencia doubled the host’s lead. Romelu Lukaku, who didn’t feel the wrath of the Goodison Park faithful despite his comments about the direction of the club earlier in the week, finished the contest in added time with two goals to seal a 4-0 win.
Willian’s free-kick in the 13th minute looked to have set Chelsea on their way to another straightforward victory, before Jonathan Walters equalised from the penalty spot having been adjudged to have been illegally brought down by Gary Cahill, making it 1-1 at the break.
The Blues were missing the influence of Eden Hazard in the final third and struggling to break down a stubborn Potters defence. Marcos Alonso almost restored his team’s lead, though, hitting the crossbar with a delicious free-kick mid-way through the second half.
This looked to be Chelsea’s best chance of the second period, before Cahill stunned the home support with an 87th-minute winner from close range.
Burnley dominated the first half at the Stadium of Light, but Sean Dyche will have been left frustrated at watching his side waste their possession. Ashley Barnes missed an excellent opportunity to draw first blood and the Black Cats, despite seeming lacking in belief, were still therefore very much in the game at half-time.
It was a contest without quality in the final third, as both sides battled for an opening goal but failed to test respective goalkeepers, Jordan Pickford and Tom Heaton. A point was to be no more than either deserved.
A pulsating start at the London Stadium saw Riyad Mahrez and Robert Huth give the Foxes a two-goal lead in the opening seven minutes. Manuel Lanzini cut the deficit with a sublime free-kick 20 minutes in, before a close-range finish from Jamie Vardy gave Leicester a 3-1 lead at the break.
The game seemed far from over and soon after the hour mark, Andy Carroll nodded the ball into danger from a corner and André Ayew reacted first to head past Kasper Schmeichel to really suggest a comeback was on.
This wasn’t to be the case, however. Schmeichel denied an equalising strike for West Ham in added time with a spectacular save to see that Leicester’s winning run under Craig Shakespeare continued.
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