Leicester City took another step toward winning the Premier League, Norwich City took a stride toward staying up, and Crystal Palace is still without a Premier League win in 2016.
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Those are just some of the talking points from an under-the-radar Saturday in England’s top-flight.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester City -- RECAP
Still top of the league. Still top of the leeeeeague. They’re Leicester City, and they’re still top of the league.
Foxes look increasingly likely to win the Premier League, as old pals Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez linked up to give Leicester City a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park. The lead is 8 points ahead of Spurs’ Sunday match against Bournemouth, while Saturday’s hosts are slipping closer to the relegation zone, with Norwich winning and Sunderland and/or Newcastle to pick up points on Sunday. There have been no Premier League wins for Palace in 2016. Zero.
Chelsea 2-2 West Ham United -- RECAP
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Ruben Loftus-Cheek of Chelsea is challenged by Michail Antonio of West Ham United resulting in a penalty during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on March 19, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)
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Oh, this one was controversial. West Ham led twice thanks to Manuel Lanzini and Andy Carroll goals, but Cesc Fabregas scored a pair of equalizers to stop the Irons from reaching the Top Four. The first one was a gorgeous free kick, but the second was the conversion of a suspect penalty. Ruben Loftus-Cheek appeared to either trip over his feet or catch the very edge of Michail Antonio’s boot just outside the West Ham, but the penalty was given and converted by Fabregas (who actually completely stopped his momentum on the PK attempt). Slaven Bilic was furious, and the Irons are a point back of fourth-place Man City.
Everton 0-2 Arsenal -- RECAP
- WENGER: Arsenal is still alive in Premier League title race
- MARTINEZ: That was the worst we’ve played this season
Everton played very poorly, and Arsenal made the Toffees pay dearly at Goodison Park. First Danny Welbeck was the beneficiary of some very smart football before sliding around Joel Robles, and then Alex Iwobi scored his first Premier League goal as the Toffees never really looked like a comeback was possible.
West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Norwich City -- RECAP
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Robbie Brady of Norwich City celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City at The Hawthorns on March 19, 2016 in West Bromwich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
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Sunday’s Tyne-Wear Derby got a whole lot more intense after Norwich City won to push Sunderland into the drop zone with Newcastle United. Robbie Brady scored for the Canaries, who picked up their first win in any competition since Jan. 2. Norwich is three points clear of 18th place Sunderland, and four ahead of 19th place Newcastle.
Watford 1-2 Stoke City -- RECAP
The Potters carried the play, and the day, although Troy Deeney scored late to produce a bit of drama at Vicarage Road. Jon Walters had a goal and an assist for Stoke, and Joselu scored the other goal as Stoke sits 7th.
Swansea City 1-0 Aston Villa -- RECAP
A sloppy affair at the Liberty Stadium saw the home side take all three points after Brad Guzan punched a free kick off Federico Fernandez and in. Swansea is almost certainly staying up, while Villa is all but in the Championship.
SUNDAY
Newcastle United vs. Sunderland -- 9:30 a.m. ET (NBCSN)
Southampton vs. Liverpool -- 9:30 a.m. ET (Premier League ExtraTime)
Manchester City vs. Manchester United -- Noon ET (NBC)
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bournemouth -- Noon ET (Premier League ExtraTime)
Standings |
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS | |||
| Leicester City | 31 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 54 | 31 | 23 | 9-5-1 | 10-4-2 | 66 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 30 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 53 | 24 | 29 | 8-5-2 | 8-5-2 | 58 | |||
| Arsenal | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 48 | 30 | 18 | 8-3-3 | 8-4-4 | 55 | |||
| Manchester City | 29 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 31 | 21 | 10-1-4 | 5-5-4 | 51 | |||
| West Ham United | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 47 | 35 | 12 | 7-5-2 | 6-6-4 | 50 | |||
| Manchester United | 29 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 27 | 10 | 8-4-2 | 5-4-6 | 47 | |||
| Stoke City | 31 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 34 | 37 | -3 | 7-2-6 | 6-5-5 | 46 | |||
| Southampton | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 7-3-5 | 5-5-5 | 44 | |||
| Liverpool | 28 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 43 | 37 | 6 | 5-5-3 | 7-3-5 | 44 | |||
| Chelsea | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 45 | 41 | 4 | 5-7-4 | 5-4-5 | 41 | |||
| West Bromwich Albion | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 30 | 37 | -7 | 6-4-6 | 4-5-5 | 39 | |||
| Everton | 29 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 51 | 41 | 10 | 4-4-8 | 5-7-1 | 38 | |||
| Bournemouth | 30 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 38 | 47 | -9 | 5-4-6 | 5-4-6 | 38 | |||
| Watford | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 30 | 32 | -2 | 5-4-7 | 5-3-6 | 37 | |||
| Swansea City | 31 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 31 | 40 | -9 | 6-5-5 | 3-4-8 | 36 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 32 | 40 | -8 | 4-2-10 | 5-4-5 | 33 | |||
| Norwich City | 31 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 32 | 54 | -22 | 4-5-6 | 3-2-11 | 28 | |||
| Sunderland | 29 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 35 | 54 | -19 | 4-4-6 | 2-3-10 | 25 | |||
| Newcastle United | 29 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 28 | 54 | -26 | 4-5-5 | 2-1-12 | 24 | |||
| Aston Villa | 31 | 3 | 7 | 21 | 22 | 58 | -36 | 2-4-9 | 1-3-12 | 16 | |||
