This ‘Christmas Cracker’ just kept on giving more delight on Thursday, as a Boxing Day Bonanza ensued in the Premier League.
Massive wins for Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle saw the chasing pack stay together at the top.
However, the little guys also plucked up some courage and dug deep to grab three points, as Sunderland, Fulham and Crystal Palace all prevailed away from home to boost their survival hopes.
City downed Liverpool on Boxing Day at the Etihad as Manuel Pellegrini’s men sent out a message with two-straight home wins against league leaders Arsenal and now Liverpool. Will the Citizens now reach the summit? They’re only one point behind the Gunners and always looks so dangerous in every game they play.
(MORE: Latest Premier League Standings)
This year Boxing Day marked the first time in over five years that 10 PL matches were all played on the same day (excluding the final day of every campaign) and we had bucket loads of controversy, stunning goals and talking points to chew on as our Christmas dinner was still being digested.
What a magnificent day of action it was, let’s roundup all the action with recaps, analysis, video highlights and much more from every single game that place on another famous Boxing Day slate of matches.
Let’s get to it.
Another stirring comeback saw Manuel Pellegrini’s side make it nine wins from nine at home. Liverpool went ahead early on as Philippe Coutinho finished off a lovely move, but City hit back through Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo to lead 2-1 at the break. That was how it would remain after Raheem Sterling spurned a great chance to level from close range, in a truly encapsulating game between two sides that will be scraping it out at the end of the season.
Hull were 2-0 up at home against United within the first 15 minutes as goals from James Chester and David Meyler put the Tigers in dreamland. However Untied came roaring back as Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney leveled things before the break, and Chester went from hero to villain as his own goal handed United all three points. Superb comeback from the Red Devils.
After a slight scare at the start of the second half when Carlton Cole put the Hammers ahead, Arsenal got their heads down and ground out a vital win away at Upton Park. Two strikes from Theo Walcott put them ahead, before German international Lukas Podolski came off the bench to seal the three points and put Arsenal top of the league.
Aston Villa 0-1 Crystal Palace
A marvelous stoppage time strike from Dwight Gayle handed Crystal Palace all three points as the Eagles climbed out of the drop zone. Villa were poor and Paul Lambert’s time is running out, but Tony Pulis’ is orchestrating Palace’s great escape expertly.
Three goals in 13 first half minutes saw the Saints tear apart Cardiff in a rampant first half display. A Jay Rodriguez double and a strike from Rickie Lambert gave the Saints their first win in seven games, as Malky Mackay’s problems worsen on and off the pitch.
The Blues made hard work of this, but Jose Mourinho’s men dominated for large spells and really should have won by a wider margin. Eden Hazard’s strike turned out to be the game winner, as Chelsea keep up the chase on those above them.
One incident changed the entire complexion of this match, as USMNT ‘keeper Tim Howard was sent off in the 23rd minute for taking down Sunderland’s Ki following a defensive mix up. The Black Cats South Korean midfielder then got up and slotted home the PK, which turned out to be the game-winner despite 10-man Everton’s constant barrage of efforts that Vito Mannone heroically stopped. Massive win for Gus Poyet’s Sunderland.
The Potters lost the plot at St. James’ Park, as Oussama Assaidi’s opener gave Stoke the lead but two quick-fire red cards and manager Mark Hughes being sent to the stand by Martin Atkinson changed the entire game. Loic Remy missed a penalty, but then scored the equalizer before half time. Newcastle accelerated away against the brave 9-men of Stoke in the second half, as Remy added another, before Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran and Papiss Demba Cisse rounded things off.
Massive win for the Cottagers, as Scott Parker’s late stunner gave them a vital win away at Carrow Road. Norwich went ahead through Gary Hooper’s deflected effort, but Pajtim Kasami’s free kick made it 1-1 at the break. Parker’s late strike sent Fulham wild as they close the gap on everyone around them at the bottom.
Spurs struggled against a plucky West Brom side at White Hart Lane as Christian Eriksen’s sublime free kick was cancelled out a minute later by Jonas Olsson in the first half. Tim Sherwood’s first game as new head coach ended in a draw, and he’ll be disappointed his side didn’t take all three but relieved they didn’t throw it away.
