Barclays Premier League Boxing Day Roundup

Liverpool 1-0 Leicester City

Liverpool had lost 2 of their last 3 games in the premier league and they were looking to change that as they hosted league leaders Leicester at Anfield. The home side had a whole host of chances in the first half that included efforts from Ibe, Lallana and Coutinho but neither of the trio managed to find the back of the net in a dominant first half for the reds. Mahrez had Leicester’s best chance of the half but the Algerian’s effort was too close to the keeper and was pushed to safety.

Liverpool took the lead just past the hour when Firmino clipped the ball into Benteke and the latter slid at the ball and finessed his effort into the bottom corner. Leicester tried to put more pressure on the home side throughout the latter stages but the reds should’ve sealed the game deep into injury time. Liverpool broke at pace with the away keeper tracking back but Benteke fired his effort at the only defender in front of him. It mattered little though as Liverpool are now up to 8th on 27 points while Leicester stay top on 38 points after losing only their second league game of the season.

Tottenham 3-0 Norwich City

Tottenham were looking to stay in the top four with victory over Norwich at White Hart Lane. Brady had the first opportunity of the game for Norwich with a left footed shot that fizzed at Lloris that the Frenchman pushed away to safety. The home side got the opening goal they needed when Kane was brought down in the box. The Englishman took the spot kick and sent his effort down the middle with the keeper diving to his left.

Kane got his second goal just before half time when Ali found him on the right and the former found the bottom corner with a well struck effort. Spurs got another goal with just over 10 minutes to go when Carroll struck in a sumptuous finish from outside the area with his left boot. Norwich failed to grab a consolation late on with Lloris denying a simple goal for Jerome with some goalkeeping heroics. The result keeps Tottenham in the top four while Norwich are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Bournemouth 0-0 Crystal Palace

Bournemouth were looking to keep their run of 6 games unbeaten in the league as they hosted Palace at Vitality Stadium. The away side had a number of chances in the first half with Delaney being expertly kept out by Boruc in goal and Campbell then firing over for the away side from just outside the box. Bournemouth then had a great chance to open the scoring midway through the first half but Ritchie’s header went just wide with him being well placed to score.

Gosling and Stanislaus had further chances for the home side but neither of the efforts troubled the goalkeeper. O’kane then had the next effort for Bournemouth but his rasping shot was too close to the goalkeeper. In the dying minutes the home side mustered up one last chance but substitute Rantie had his effort deflected away to safety. The game finished 0-0 and the Cherries are now three points clear of the relegation zone and Palace are in fifth place and only two points away from the top four.

Swansea 1-0 West Bromwich Albion

Swansea were looking to end their winless run as they welcomed West Brom to the Liberty Stadium. The home side were ahead after just nine minutes with Ki bundling the ball home with the keeper unable to scramble the ball from his goal line. The baggies then won a free kick from just outside the area and Brunt’s resulting strike deflected just over the bar with the keeper beaten all ends up.

Brunt was in the thick of the action again as he then crossed the ball into Lambert but the latter’s resulting header was too weak to get past the goalkeeper. There was then a contentious penalty appeal for the Baggies which resulted in a scuffle between both sets of players but there was nothing given by the referee. The result belonged to Swansea and it sends them a point clear of the relegation zone with West Brom only a further 2 points ahead of the Swans in the table.

Chelsea 2-2 Watford

Chelsea hosted Watford in a potentially tricky encounter as the blues hope to start pushing up the premier league table. Costa had the first effort of the game from a header but the Brazilian was unable to direct his attempt goal wards from inside the box. Costa soon atoned for his miss when he volleyed home from a corner just after the half hour. Watford were level before half time from the penalty spot with Troy Deeney sending the Chelsea keeper the wrong way with the resulting spot kick. The Hornets put more pressure on the home side in the second half and Ighalo was on hand to score a deflected effort that Courtois was unable to keep out for the home side.

Chelsea got themselves back on level terms just past the hour when Costa found a pocket of space between the Cherries defence and fired a low effort into the bottom corner. The blues had a golden opportunity to win it when Hazard was bought down in the box, Oscar stepped up to the spot kick but slipped and sent his effort high and wide. Deeney then had an effort blocked for the Hornets and there were no further chances of any magnitude in the match. Chelsea are now in 15th and are 2 points clear of the drop while Watford are in 7th and just three points away from the top four.

Stoke City 2-0 Manchester United

Louis Van Gaal was hoping for a response from his players as his side took on Stoke at the Britannia stadium. Stoke got their noses in front after 19 minutes when a woeful back pass header from Depay was intercepted by Johnson. The England international put the ball on a plate for Bojan who prodded home past the united defenders on the line. It was soon 2-0 to the Potters when the ball rebounded to Arnautovic off a free kick and he bulleted a fine effort into the corner past the despairing dive of De Gea in the united goal. Depay tried to atone for his earlier error from a free kick but the keeper was equal to his effort and Fellaini was offside when trying to turn in the rebound.

The home side could’ve extended their lead when Arnautovic was put through on goal but the Austrian could only fire wide of the target. United’s best chance to pull a goal back came in the 63rd minute when Rooney found Fellaini but the keeper did brilliantly to keep out the Belgian’s effort. The match ended with Stoke victorious and the result sends them up to 11th on 26 points, United stay on 29 points in 6th place and the pressure on Van Gaal’s shoulders has considerably weighted.

Manchester City 4-1 Sunderland

City were looking to get back on track after their narrow defeat away at Arsenal as the former hosted Sunderland. The home side were in front after 12 minutes through Raheem Sterling who glanced a header into the corner after a perfect cross from Du Bruyne. It was 2-0 just four minutes later with Toure rifling home from outside the box with his left foot. Another goal came for City after 21 minutes with Bony outmuscling the defender and heading into the corner.

The home side added a fourth after the break through Du Bruyne after the Belgian raced onto an inadvertent Sunderland interception and the Belgian international fired hard and low past the keeper. Sunderland got a consolation goal through Fabio Borini who scored at the second attempt past Joe Hart in the City goal. The blues stay in third after the result and are only three points off top of the table Leicester, Sunderland stay second from bottom and are five points from safety.

Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham United

Villa are in a desolate position and are looking to win to get closer to safety against West Ham at Villa park. Bacuna had the first real effort of the game for the home side that Adrian palmed into the path of Gustede but the Villa man was unable to get any purchase on his header. The hammers got the opening goal of the game on the stroke of half time when Cresswell unleashed a left footed shot at goal that arrowed into the bottom corner.

In the second half the home side got the equaliser from the penalty spot with Jordan Ayew firing home a composed finish with Adrian diving the wrong way for the Hammers. Villa could have won it with 15 minutes remaining with a James Collins header but the effort was scrambled clear by the goalkeeper. The result keeps Villa bottom and they still look unlikely to be playing premier league football next season. West ham are 10th in the table after drawing their fifth successive game in the league.

Newcastle United 0-1 Everton

Newcastle would move out of the relegation places with anything other than a defeat as they hosted Everton at St James Park. Everton crafted the first chance through Mirallas who brilliantly controlled the ball before the keeper kept out his close range effort. Mitrovic was then unable to control a header for the home side after 25 minutes after being well placed to score. Lukaku was able to get in a good position for the Toffees and the goalkeeper had to be on hand to save the Belgian’s strike with his legs. In the second half Lukaku and Lennon were then denied by two smart stops by the keeper in quick succession to keep the scores level.

Newcastle then created a number of chances with Perez going wide just outside the box, Mitrovic missing a guilt edge chance with his head and then Wijnaldum heading straight at the keeper from a difficult position to score. Funes Mori then had an effort for the away side that was saved by the Newcastle keeper as both sides tried desperately to score what would be the winning goal. The winner came with just seconds remaining and Cleverly diverted a superb header into the far corner from a set piece for Everton to break Newcastle hearts. Everton are up to ninth on 26 points after their last gasp victory, Newcastle on the other hand are in 18th and are a point from safety.

Southampton 4-0 Arsenal

Arsenal were looking to claim top spot in the league if they could get the result they needed against a Southampton side who are struggling to get results at present. Monreal had the first chance for the Gunners but it was on his weaker side and the shot nestled safely in the hands of the keeper. The opening goal of the game came moments later with Mertersacker heading the ball into the path of Martina and he absolutely rocketed a Roberto Carlos like shot that outwards curled into the bottom left corner leaving Cech no chance in the Arsenal goal.

Theo Walcott had 2 chances for Arsenal to get back on level terms but his first effort lacked pace and his second whistled past the post. The second goal for the home side in the second half when Shane Long was found by Mane in a flowing move and the former had the simple task of finishing beyond the keeper. Fonte powered home a third goal for the Saints from a set piece and the humiliation was complete for the Gunners when Long scored the fourth and final goal of the game on the break. Southampton are up to 12th in the table while Arsenal stay second and need to bounce back quickly in their next game.