Saturday, April 01, 2017

Premier League leaders Chelsea suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace as Tottenham trimmed the Blues’ advantage to seven points.

Spurs’ hard-earned 2-0 win at Burnley narrowed the deficit at the top thanks to Chelsea’s unexpected slip-up against in-form Palace.

Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London.

A manic start at Stamford Bridge saw Sam Allardyce’s visitors recover from conceding the opener to Cesc Fabregas in the fifth minute to be in front by the 11th, Christian Benteke chipping goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after a fine move also involving Wilfried Zaha, who had already just equalised.

Palace were indebted to Wayne Hennessey with a string of important saves, and then they lost Scott Dann to a second-half injury as he scrambled another attack clear. But they held on grimly as Chelsea’s 10-match run of home victories came to an end, despite seven minutes of added time as they tried in vain to find an equaliser.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier celebrates scoring his sides opening goal during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley.

Tottenham were rocked by first-half injuries to Victor Wanyama and Harry Winks at Turf Moor, the latter taken to hospital for emergency treatment after sliding off the pitch and damaging his ankle.

But Eric Dier’s first league goal of the season arrived on the hour, and Son Heung-min added his 15th of the campaign 13 minutes from time as Burnley suffered a rare home defeat.

Everton’s 18-year wait for a victory at Anfield will extend several more months at least after their 3-1 Merseyside derby defeat in the lunchtime kick-off.

Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho’s right-foot shots, in the eighth and 31st minutes, gave Liverpool the half-time advantage – either side of Matthew Pennington’s first goal in his Everton career.

Mane had to go off with an ankle injury early in the second half, but his replacement Divock Origi added a third with another shot from distance on the hour to take the Reds above Manchester City into third place.

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford (right) in action with West Bromwich Albion’s Gareth McAuley during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Manchester United were unable to make any significant ground up from fifth place as they were held to a stalemate at home to determined West Brom.

Andy Carroll’s 50th Premier League goal put West Ham in front, but it failed to halt relegation-threatened Hull’s recent resurgence.

Carroll was on target in the 18th minute at the KCOM Stadium only for the hosts to hit back first through Andy Robertson (53) and then Andrea Ranocchia (85) to earn three more precious points and go level on 27 with Swansea.

Hull City’s Andrew Robertson celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game with team mates during the Premier League match at KCOM Stadium, Hull.

Leicester, meanwhile, were indebted to Wilfried Ndidi’s first Premier League goal – an outstanding long-range strike in the 25th minute – as the champions won 2-0 at home to Stoke, extending new manager Craig Shakespeare’s 100 per cent record to four matches.

Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi celebrates scoring his sides opening goal during the Premier League match at the King Power Stadium, Leicester.

Jamie Vardy volleyed in the second for the Foxes, and his fifth in six matches, early in the second half.

There was no respite for bottom-of-the-table Sunderland at Watford, where Miguel Britos supplied the winning goal with a header just before the hour as the hosts prevailed 1-0.

Watford’s Etienne Capoue (left) and Sunderland’s Jason Denayer battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Vicarage Road, Watford.

David Moyes’ strugglers therefore remain two points adrift of north-east neighbours Middlesbrough.

Comments are closed.

Contact Newsdesk: 053 9259900

More National Sport

Rassie Erasmus delighted with Munster victory

More by this Journalist

Rassie Erasmus delighted with Munster victory