 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Photos from the EPL matches played on Saturday
Leaders Chelsea stretched their Premier League winning run to a club record-equalling 11 as Diego Costa's header shortly before halftime secured a 1-0 victory at London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Spain international climbed high to connect with Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the 43rd minute, guiding a header beyond the reach of Wayne Hennessey at a foggy Selhurst Park.
It was Costa's 13th league goal of the season and took his Chelsea haul to 50 in all competitions.
Chelsea were well worth the win and had chances to extend the lead after the break with Marcos Alonso and N'Golo Kante forcing fine saves from Hennessey before Alonso struck the underside of the crossbar with a free kick.
Antonio Conte's side have 43 points from 17 games, nine more than Liverpool and Arsenal who are not in action on Saturday. Palace have won only once in their last 11 league games and remained three points above the bottom three.
Vardy off but Leicester make great comeback to draw 2-2
Jamie Vardy was controversially sent off but 10-man LeicesterCity produced an extraordinary comeback from two down to earn a 2-2 draw while showing the spirit of champions at StokeCity on Saturday.
The England striker received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge in the 28th minute which did not connect with Mame Biram Diouf and Leicester seemed to lose their discipline, ending up with six yellow cards to go with the red.
Bojan scored a 39th-minute penalty after a Danny Simpson handball and Joe Allen tapped in a second just before the break.
The usually unflappable Claudio Ranieri was so incensed by referee Craig Pawson's decisions that Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel had to pull his manager away from the official at halftime.
After beating ManchesterCity last weekend, Leicester may have felt their season had turned and they showed real courage to fight back with a header from substitute Leonardo Ulloa and another in the 88th minute from Daniel Amartey, his first goal for the club.
Sunderland off bottom as Van Aanholt strike sinks Watford
Sunderland clambered off the bottom of the Premier League table as Patrick van Aanholt's second-half goal secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Watford at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
The Dutch defender finished off a rare move of quality four minutes after the break, poking a shot past Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes after being found in the area by Jermain Defoe.
Sunderland grew in confidence after taking the lead and Victor Anichebe went close to doubling their lead with a piledriver that flew just wide.
Troy Deeney wasted a chance to level for Watford but Sunderland held out for their third home win of the season.
Luckless Hull pay penalty as West Ham snatch win
Mark Noble's penalty earned West Ham United a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory over HullCity after the luckless visitors were denied three times by the woodwork at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Nervy West Ham were outplayed throughout the first half in which Hull's Dieumerci Mbokani shot against the inside of a post and the pattern continued after the break.
Captain Noble almost scored an own goal when his header struck a post before Andrew Robertson's sweetly-struck shot rattled the frame of Darren Randolph's goal.
West Ham's good fortune continued in the 76th minute when Tom Huddlestone was harshly-adjudged to have pulled down Michail Antonio and Noble stepped up to convert the spot-kick and condemn Hull to a seventh away defeat of the season.
Negredo double helps Boro ease past Swansea
Alvaro Negredo scored a first-half double to set Middlesbrough on the way to a vital 3-0 Premier League win over Swansea City on Saturday and pile more pressure on Bob Bradley's struggling team.
Negredo, on loan from Valencia, took his season's tally to five at the Riverside and Marten de Roon sealed victory with a terrific goal from an excellent move just before the hour as Boro finally shed their goal-shy reputation.
The game had been billed as a duel between the two Spanish international strikers Negredo and Swansea's Fernando Llorente but the Boro man won hands down, scoring on 18 minutes with a lovely first-time finish from Adam Clayton's low cross.
He claimed his second from the spot after Adam Forshaw was tripped in the box by Jordi Amat, sending Swansea to second-bottom of the table after conceding 18 goals in their last six away games.
