A roundup of Saturday’s action in the Premier League…
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Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea — FULL RECAP
Have Chelsea already won the PL? It’s a question which Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Mustoe and Kyle Martino tackled (below video) even before the Blues moved to 11 league games without dropping a point with another dominant defensive display, away to Crystal Palace. Diego Costa scored the game’s only goal, his PL-leading 13th of the season, two minutes before halftime, and that was all Antonio Conte’s side would require. In those 11 wins, Chelsea have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 25-2, including three straight 1-0 victories since last conceding a goal to Manchester City on Dec. 3.
West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Manchester United — FULL RECAP
Speaking of winning streaks — albeit of the significantly shorter variety — Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired Man United to their third straight victory, away to West Brom, with a goal early in each of the first and second halves. Jesse Lingard set up the first with a delightful cross from the right wing after five minutes (WATCH HERE), and Wayne Rooney fed the big Swede for his second of the game, his 11th of the season, 11 minutes into the second half. The Red Devils are now level with Tottenham Hotspur (who play on Sunday) on 30 points for fifth in the league table, just four and three back of Arsenal and Manchester City (who play each other on Sunday) for third and fourth, respectively.
- VIDEO: Lingard hits a peach of a cross for Zlatan; 1-0, United
- Mourinho, Zlatan react to comfortable win at West Brom
Stoke City 2-2 Leicester City — FULL RECAP
Jamie Vardy was sent off after 28 minutes for a lunging challenge on Mame Biram Diouf, and the Foxes duly fell 2-0 behind before the halftime interval, thanks to Bojan Krkic’s penalty kick in the 39th minute and Joe Allen’s fifth goal of the season two minutes into stoppage time. Then, it all came crashing down for the Potters, who conceded twice in 14 minutes at the tail end of the second half, first to Leonardo Ulloa and finally, in the 88th minute, to Daniel Amartey, in settling for a 2-2 home draw against the defending champions.
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 17: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City (L) is shown a red card by referee Craig Pawson during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Leicester City at Bet365 Stadium on December 17, 2016 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Middlesbrough 3-0 Swansea City — FULL RECAP
Another game, another putrid defensive display from Swansea, who have now conceded 11 goals in their last four league games (three losses, one win). Alvaro Negredo finished from near the penalty spot after 18 minutes, and directly from the penalty spot just before the halftime hour. Marten de Roon completed the rout on 58 minutes, and just like that, Bob Bradley’s Swans suddenly find themselves back in 19th place, only clear of 20th on goal differential.
West Ham United 1-0 Hull City — FULL RECAP
West Ham are another side suddenly streaking, having won two league games in a row for the second time this season, and the first time since Oct. 22. Saturday’s home triumph over Hull, in which Mark Noble scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot in the 76th minute, propels Slaven Bilic’s side to the dizzying heights of 13th place in the league table.
Sunderland 1-0 Watford — FULL RECAP
Patrick van Aanholt, ever the goal-scoring threat at left back, put Sunderland ahead of Watford in the 49th minute, and that’s how proceedings would finish at the Stadium of Light. With their fourth win of the season (and third in six games), David Moyes’ Black Cats are up to 18th and now just a single point behind Crystal Palace one place outside the relegation zone.
Sunday’s PL schedule
Bournemouth vs. Southampton — 8:30 a.m. ET, on NBCSN and NBCSports.com
Manchester City vs. Arsenal — 11 a.m. ET, on NBCSN and NBCSports.com
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Burnley — 11 a.m. ET, on CNBC and NBCSports.com