Rampant Liverpool moved 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League after Roberto Firmino struck twice in an emphatic 4-0 win at second-placed Leicester City.
Carlo Ancelotti got off to a winning start as Everton manager but new Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had to settle for a draw at Bournemouth in the Premier League onLiverpool manager Juergen Klopp has been vocal in his criticism of his team’s intense schedule but the European champions showed no signs of any adverse influence from their trip to Qatar, where they won the Club World Cup. Thursday.
Fourth-placed Chelsea suffered a shock 2-0 loss at home to Southampton while Harry Kane and Dele Alli were on target as Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat Brighton & Hove 2-1.
Italian Ancelotti, a Champions League winner with AC Milan and Real Madrid, was appointed by Everton on Saturday to replace the sacked Marco Silva and was given a warm welcome by the Goodison Park crowd.
A scrappy game was decided 10 minutes from the end when Djibril Sidibe whipped in a cross from the right which Dominic Calvert-Lewin met with a sAnthony Martial scored twice as Manchester United hit back in emphatic fashion from a rocky start against a benevolent Newcastle United to open their Christmas programme with a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford on Thursday.uperb angled diving header that flew in off the inside of the far post.
It was a less enjoyable start for former Everton midfielder Arteta, as he took charge of Arsenal for the first time at Bournemouth.
Arteta restored Mesut Ozil to the starting line-up and the German forward looked sharp in the opening exchanges, but chances were rare.
Arsenal’s sloppiness was punished when they gave the ball away cheaply on the left wing and Bournemouth sliced through them quickly, midfielder Dan Gosling stabbing home Jack Stacey’s centre from close range to give the home side the lead.
The Gunners equalised in the 63rd minute as Reiss Nelson’s shot deflected into the path of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and he swivelled to rifle the ball home.
“It was intense, I was so excited, I just wanted to pass that energy to the players and I really enjoyed it. I think we had the chances in the second half to put the game in our favour,” Arteta said.
POOR FORM
Chelsea’s poor form continued with goals from Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond earned Southampton a surprise victory at Stamford Bridge and condemned Frank Lampard’s side to their fifth defeat in seven league games.
Obafemi broke the deadlock with his first goal of the season, bursting inside from the right and curling into the top corner after a tigAfter a 2-0 loss at Watford last weekend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had demanded a response from his players but a yellow card for Scott McTominay after 24 seconds and going behind to Matty Longstaff’s 17th-minute goal was not what he had in mind.ht opening half hour.
The Saints added their second when Redmond nicked the ball over the advancing Kepa Arrizabalaga to finish a slick attack.
Spurs were also facing a possible upset, until Kane followed up his own shot to equalise in the 53rd minute and cancel out Adam Webster’s first-half header.
Alli got the winner in the 72nd minute with a brilliant lofted finish as he met a Serge Aurier ball.
Substitute Conor Hourihane got the winner for Aston Villa in their 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Norwich City to end Villa’s four-match losing run.
Watford moved off bottom spot with a hard-earned draw at in-form Sheffield United.
Gerard Deulofeu’s goal on the break put Watford ahead but Oliver Norwood’s penalty ensured the points were shared.
A magnificent solo goal in the 90th minute from Jordan Ayew secured a 2-1 win for Crystal Palace at home to West Ham United.
West Ham had grabbed the lead through Robert Snodgrass but former Hammer Cheikhou Kouyate equalised before Ayew’s jinking run and fine finish stole the points for Roy Hodgson’s side.
Ten-man Manchester City gave up a two goal lead as they crashed to a 3-2 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Friday to leave them 14 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The 89th minute winner from Matt Doherty means Liverpool have a 13 point lead over second-placed Leicester City, who they beat 4-0 on Thursday, and Juergen Klopp’s side have played one game less than their two challengers.
“Nobody expected us to be this far away from Liverpool at this halfway point,” said City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
“We have to continue now. We know that winning the title is very complicated. I wouldn’t say impossible but very difficult.”
Wolves, who also beat City 2-0 in October, became just the second team to complete a league double over Pep Guardiola’s side, following Chelsea in 2016-17 and it was another comeback triumph for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
The Midlands side have now won 14 points from losing positions this season, more than any other team in the league.
City’s Brazilian keeper Ederson was sent off in the 12th minute after he raced out of his area and clipped Diogo Jota, who tumbled to the floor.
The VAR review backed referee Martin Atkinson’s decision but the system was soon back to familiar controversy when it awarded City a penalty — ruling that Leander Dendoncker had trod on the foot of City winger Riyad Mahrez.
Wolves keeper Rui Patricio saved Raheem Sterling’s spot kick, but VAR spotted an encroachment in the area by Conor Coady who had cleared the loose ball and so the penalty had to be retaken. Again, Patricio saved from Sterling but this time the England winger drove home the rebound to put City in front.
Sterling then doubled City’s lead, five minutes after the interval, with a composed finish after had been sent clear by a defence-splitting pass from Kevin De Bruyne.
