EPL Roundup : United lose, Chelsea win and Leicester triumph to go top of the table
Manchester United were stunned by a counter-attacking Norwich City to go down 2-1 at Old Trafford. Chelsea entered the post-Mourinho era with a convincing 3-1 win over Sunderland at home. Leicester City ensured they will be top of the table on Christmas, as they prevailed 3-2 away to Everton in a topsy-turvy encounter. Tottenham extended their unbeaten run, winning 2-0 away at Southampton to go 4th in the table. Palace went level on points with United as they scored a late winner to win 2-1 away to Stoke City. Bournemouth continued their resurgence, winning 2-1 for the third time in a row away to West Brom.
Manchester United 1-2 Norwich City
The Red Devils started brightly, with Wayne Rooney finding the back of the net in the 10th minute, after good work by Mata and Fellaini, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. Rooney continued to play brightly, creating a couple of opportunites to reflect United’s dominance. However, Cameron Jerome stunned Old Trafford into silence with a goal in the 39th minute giving Norwich the lead, evading a couple of challenges to strike straight at De Gea, who should have done better.
Louis van Gaal’s half time teamtalk probably was a complex philosophical lecture, as United’s defence seemed to have been pondering Socrates rather than paying attention on the pitch, when Norwich doubled their lead in the 54th minute. Jerome took advantage of Phil Jones going walkabout, sending Alex Tettey into space with a lovely through ball, who toe poked the ball past De Gea into the bottom corner.
Anthony Martial sparked United’s comeback in the 66th minute, as a wonderfully measured cross from Young found Martial in the box, requiring the French youngster to display great close control to evade a couple of last-ditch tackles and thunder the ball into the back of the net from close range.
Norwich survided the United onslaught, almost conceding a late equaliser in injury time as Chris Smalling should have done better with his head when put clear by a through ball from Rooney. The final whistle blew to consign Louis van Gaal’s men to another defeat, continuing their winless run of 6 games in all competitions.
Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
The Blues took to the pitch with the entirety of Stamford Bridge singing recently sacked manager Jose Mourinho’s name, ignoring new manager Guus Hiddink and Didier Drogba in Roman Abramovic’s box seats. The players soon had them singing from the same hymn sheet in no time, however. Much maligned defender Branislav Ivanovic opened his Premier League account in the 5th minute, towering above Seb Coates to powerfully head home a Willan corner.
Ivanovic continued his resurrection in the 13th minute, turning provider for the second goal as the right wing cross he whipped in hit Coates and was assuredly finished by Pedro’s left foot. Coates, who was at fault for both goals was hauled of for Adam Johnson in the 23rd minute, with Sam Allardyce making a tactical switch to stifle Chelsea.
A resurgent Chelsea were not to be denied, however, as just three minutes into the second half, a ball from Pedro sent Willian clear, lulling Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon into fouling the Brazilian. Oscar duly tripled Chelsea’s lead, deceiving Pantilimon with a stuttering run-up and slotting his penalty away in the 50th minute.
Sunderland restored the two goal deficit two minutes later – an inswinging free kick from Johnson found Kaboul, who headed powerfully across goal. Courtois managed to get a hand on the header but could only divert the ball onto the path of an onrushing Borini, who tapped home.
As the final whistle blew, bridges appeared to have been rebuilt, as Guus Hiddink watched Chelsea being applauded off the pitch for the first time in ages.
Everton 2-3 Leicester City
Leicester’s talisman Riyad Mahrez continued his stunning form, scoring a penalty in the 27th minute to give Leicester the lead, with Okazaki doing well to get past Funes Mori and earn the penalty. Howard almost denied Mahrez his 13th goal of the season, and his opposite number, Kasper Schmeichel fell to the same fate, denying Ross Barkley with two wonderful saves but conceding anyway. Romelu Lukaku pounced on the rebound to score for the seventh consecutive game, perhaps giving Jamie Vardy food for thought.
Vardy nearly responded with a goal in the second half, as he was put through by a lovely slide rule pass from Mahrez, but Tim Howard brought him down for Leicester’s second penalty. Mahrez struck into the opposite corner but repeated the outcome, to raise his season’s tally to 14 and give the Foxes the lead in the 65th minute.
Shinji Okazaki extended Leicester’s lead just 4 minutes later, receiving the ball from Vardy in front of goal and scrambling home a finish. Leicester’s 2 goal cushion went down to an uncomfortable one in the 89th minute, as substitute Kevin Mirallas profited from a wonderful Ross Barkley backheel to score. Leicester held on for a nervy final few minutes, cementing their place at the top of the table as the final whistle blew.
Southampton 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham’s quickfire double at the end of the first half cemented their superiority over Southampton, as Kane and Delli Alli scored within 3 minutes of each other. Playing in his 100th game for Spurs, Kane rode a couple of challenges to get past Southampton’s scrambling defence and race clear, finishing into the bottom corner and to give Tottenham the lead.
Minutes later, Kyle Walker found himself in acres of space down the right, using the time afforded to him to pick out Delle Alli at the back post with a low cross. The recently capped English international responded in kind, calmly taking a touch and slotting the ball home as a static Southampton defence watched on.
Southampton were as abject in the second half, as Spurs ran out comfortable 2-0 winners to extend their unbeaten run to 7 games.
Stoke City 1-2 Crystal Palace
The Londoners took the lead late into the first half, with Glenn Whelan fouling Wilf Zaha in the box to concede a penalty. Connor Wickham powered the penalty straight down the middle of the goal, scoring for the first time in 14 games to give Palace a first half lead.
Damien Delaney repaid the favour, as he clumsily handled the ball in the box to give Stoke a way back into the game. Bojan confidently slotted the penalty away, helping Stoke equalize in the 76th minute. Stoke piled on the pressure, but Palace survived and stole a late winner, with substitute Lee Chung-Young striking a spectacular long range effort to win Palace the game in the 88th minute.
West Bromwich Albion 1-2 AFC Bournemouth
West Brom ended the game with nine men, as red cards to James McClean and Salomon Rondon gave the Cherries the upper hand. A dull first half with no incidents of note was completely overturned as the second half began.
McClean went off for an early bath for a studs-up challenge, and Adam Smith’s low drive in the 52nd minute ensured Bouremouth took advantage. Gareth McAuley gave the hosts a precious equalizer in the 79th minute, heading home from a corner, the decision being aided by goal-line technology. Sadly, the human referees failed West Brom as a foul outside the box was given as a penalty, and Charlie Daniels smashed it in off the underside of the bar in the 87th minute to give the Cherries their third win on the trot.