Manchester United were dealt another heavy blow when they lost 1-0 at home against Everton. Romelu Lukaku was a constant threat and created opportunities for himself and the likes of Ross Barkley and James McCarthy.
He brought out a good save from David De Gea after beating Nemanja Vidic and Kevin Mirallas also tested the Spaniard with a powerful drive from distance. Wayne Rooney had a shot from an acute angle blocked by Tim Howard as the American shot stopper did not seem to be in the mood to give up a clean sheet. Howard then did well to rush off his line to deny Shinji Kagawa a great scoring opportunity and when Rooney’s deflected shot had hit the post, he was the first to react by poking the ball away with Kagawa rushing in for an easy tap in. Lukaku then brought out another save from De Gea but the best chance fell for Rooney minutes later from Kagawa’s low cross from the left. It went through a crowd of bodies and through Rooney’s legs with only a tap in required and his tame back flick from the rebound was easily collected by Howard. Patrice Evra tested Howard with a powerful drive from distance after which Lukaku released Gerard Deulofeu down the right but his shot lacked the conviction to beat De Gea. Adnan Januzaj then stung the palms of Howard with a powerful drive after which Evra’s header from a Rooney corner was saved by Howard but Danny Welbeck headed the rebound onto the crossbar with the goal at his mercy. Mirallas struck a sweet free kick against the woodwork on 85 minutes and Bryan Oviedo scored a minute later when he snuck in at the far post to tap in Lukaku’s intelligent pass across the box. Rooney was booked and will miss the crucial encounter against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Arsenal continued their fine run of form by beating Hull City 2-0 at the Emirates. It did not take them long to make an impact when Nicklas Bendtner headed in Carl Jenkinson’s cross from the right on 2 minutes. Allan McGregor had to be alert to prevent any immediate danger but he almost paid the price when his spill from Mesut Ozil’s low shot was pounced on by Bendtner but he could not double his tally. Aaron Ramsey then drew a fine save from McGregor with a low drive aimed at the bottom corner. Bendtner found Ozil with a cross from the right just before halftime but the German could not get his header on target. Ozil did score soon after the restart when he latched onto Ramsey’s superb reverse pass to coolly tap in from close range. Bendtner had a goal bound header from a corner headed away off the line after which Santi Cazorla had an effort pushed away by McGregor. The Gunners host Everton on Sunday and will hope to not let the Toffees emulate their success at Old Trafford.
Chelsea won a seven goal thriller away at the Stadium of Light when they beat Sunderland 4-3. The Black Cats took the lead on 14 minutes when Jozy Altidore’s superb turn and shot beat Petr Cech in goal after Andrea Dossena’s poor free kick had come back off the wall for Jack Colback to find the American striker. The lead lasted just 3 minutes though as Franck Lampard headed in Eden Hazard’s teasing cross from the left after Juan Mata’s corner from the right had not been cleared. Cech produced a save to deny Dossena but the Blues took the lead on 36 minutes when Hazard cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful drive into the far corner with Vito Mannone well and truly beaten. Sunderland drew level 5 minutes after the restart when a poorly dealt with corner found its way to John O’Shea and he beat Cech from close range. Hazard doubled his tally in the 62 minute when he exchanged passes with Lampard before beating O’Shea to unleash an unstoppable shot. Phillip Bardsley scored an embarrassing own goal on 84 minutes when he tapped in Demba Ba’s low cross from the right and his goal 2 minutes later was to no avail as the damage had been done. Sunderland languish at the bottom of the table and hope to change their recent run of form.
Manchester City ended their poor away form by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at the Hawthorns. Sergio Aguero having missed a chance on 5 minutes put the visitors in front 4 minutes later when he blasted home Pablo Zabaleta’s cut back from the right. City doubled their lead on 24 minutes when Aleksandar Kolarov’s low cross from the left was tapped in by Yaya Toure. Boaz Myhill had to tip away Aguero’s effort to keep the score line respectable as halftime loomed. The Baggies had a genuine claim for a penalty waved away when Shane Long was brought down by Kolarov. Toure made it three to the good when Kolarov won a penalty but Chris Foy got his decision wrong yet again as Claudio Yacob had made contact with the ball before bringing down the Serbian. Albion pulled one back on 85 minutes when an attempted clearance went in off Costel Pantilimon with the Romanian custodian oblivious to what had happened. Victor Anichebe scored another in injury time but it was all too little too late.
Luis Suarez went to town scoring four and setting up another for Raheem Sterling as Liverpool hammered Norwich City 5-1 at Anfield. Suarez put the Reds ahead on 15 minutes when he pounced onto a failed clearance to unleash a dipping effort from 40 yards out beating John Ruddy in goal. It is surely a contender for goal of the season. He scored his second on the half hour mark when he guided Phillip Coutinho’s corner from the left. He was not done and completed his hat trick on 35 minutes when he flicked the ball over Leroy Fer before thumping a half volley past Ruddy. Suarez then made it four to the good in the 74th minute when he converted a free kick from 25 yards out. Bradley Johnson pulled one back for the Canaries when he headed in Nathan Redmond’s cross from the left but Liverpool had the last laugh when Sterling slotted home Suarez’s low cross from the left 2 minutes from time.
Marouane Chamakh scored the only goal as Crystal Palace beat West Ham United 1-0 at Selhurst Park. Southampton were beaten 3-2 at home by Aston Villa with Fabian Delph scoring the winner after Jay Rodriguez and Pablo Osvaldo had cancelled out Gabriel Agbonlahor’s and Libor Kozak’s strikes for the visitors. Stoke City played out a goalless draw at the Britannia against Cardiff City while Swansea City beat Newcastle United 3-0 at home. Nathan Dyer and Jonjo Shelvey scored on either side of Mathieu Debuchy’s own goal. Tottenham Hotspur came from a goal down to beat Fulham 2-1 thanks to Vlad Chiriches’ leveller and Lewis Holtby’s winner after Ashkan Dejagah had put the Cottagers in front.
