Premier League round-up: Advantage Manchester United after win over Liverpool, Newcastle cruise to victory

Premier League results

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Everton 2-0 Brighton
Huddersfield 0-0 Swansea
Newcastle 3-0 Southampton
West Brom 1-4 Leicester
West Ham 0-3 Burnley
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace

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Manchester United gave their hopes of a second-place finish in the Premier League a massive boost as they beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford, making his first Premier League start since Boxing Day, struck a well-taken first-half double to put Jose Mourinho’s men on their way to victory, and they held on despite Eric Bailly's own goal in the second half.

The win gives United a five-point gap over Liverpool with eight games of the season remaining, making them 4/9 favourites with Sky Bet to finish as runners up. Liverpool are 100/30, with Spurs next at 13/2.

United, who were without Paul Pogba but boosted by the return of Marouane Fellaini to the squad, took the lead on 14 minutes when Romelu Lukaku’s flick-on found Rashford on the left of the box. The 20-year-old’s quick turn inside lost Trent Alexander-Arnold and he fired across goal and into the far corner.

Ten minutes later, with Lukaku’s physicality again playing a part in the build-up, the ball fell nicely for Rashford, who had space to shoot around Alexander-Arnold and double his tally in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate.

Virgil van Dijk had a great opportunity to pull one back with a header from six-yards, but he failed to connect with the ball, while Juan Mata could have made it three as he lost his marker in the box and sent a bicycle kick high and wide of the target.

The visitors were given hope of a comeback when defender Bailly clumsily put the ball into the back of his own net with nearly 25 minutes to play, but United held on despite concerted Liverpool pressure for a valuable three points.

Elsewhere...

Basement side West Brom are running out of games to preserve their Premier League status after they lost 4-1 at home to Leicester.

Claude Puel’s Foxes were winless in their last five Premier League outings but goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez helped them come from behind after Solomon Rondon’s eighth-minute opener for the Baggies.

The three points were then secured when Kelechi Iheanacho and Vicente Iborra added headers, completing the Soccer Saturday Price Boost which included Leicester, Cardiff and Middlesbrough at enhanced odds of 8/1.

Alan Pardew’s side are now eight points adrift of 17th with just eight games remaining and 1/50 to be playing Championship football next season with Sky Bet.

Chelsea closed the gap on the top four of the Premier League to two points with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

Willian scored his fifth goal in as many appearances for the Blues when he opened the scoring on 25 minutes, before a Martin Kelly own goal seven minutes later set them on their way to three points.

Olivier Giroud came close as he had an effort blocked on the line after beating Wayne Hennessey, later going on to hit the woodwork in the second half.

Palace had a goal harshly disallowed before Patrick van Aanholt pulled one back in the final minute, but it was too little too late for Roy Hodgson's Eagles, who stay in the bottom three after back-to-back defeats.

Sky Bet: Chelsea 11/2 to win at Barcelona in Champions League last 16 second leg

Newcastle moved five points clear of the bottom three after easing to a 3-0 victory over Southampton and are out to 14/1 for relegation, with Saints just 2/1.

Magpies loanee Kenedy – whose only Premier League goal was for Chelsea after 39 seconds – opened the scoring after 63 seconds before adding another on 29 minutes following a pacey counter-attack by the hosts.

Rafa Benitez’s side enjoyed a strong start to the second half, making it three on 57 minutes after Matt Ritchie met Jonjo Shelvey’s brilliant through-ball, converting from the edge of the box on another tough afternoon for Mauricio Pellegrino’s Saints.

Everton were another side in a poor run of form, with just two wins in their last 11 league fixtures prior to Saturday, buth a 2-0 win over Brighton at Goodison Park eased the pressure on Sam Allardyce.

Gaetan Bong put the ball into the back of his own net on the hour mark, before Cenk Tosun made sure of the victory as the January signing added his second goal in as many games.

Anthony Knockaert saw red for a late challenge on Leighton Baines and Everton, who missed a late penalty through Wayne Rooney, were able to coast to an important and overdue win.

Burnley’s form since Christmas had been similarly troubling until they beat Everton, before following one victory with another as they beat West Ham 3-0.

Quick-fire goals from Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood gave the visitors the lead in the second half, before summer signing Wood added a second after an error by Joe Hart.

Ugly scenes followed at the London Stadium, as angry West Ham fans voiced their frustration towards co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, who were forced to leave early over concerns for their safety.

West Ham are 9/4 to be relegated with Sky Bet.

And finally, Huddersfield failed to capitalise on Jordan Ayew’s 11th-minute red card as they were held to a goalless draw by Swansea, much to the delight of visiting boss Carlos Carvalhal.

Swansea are now 4/1 for the drop having been odds-on when he took over. Huddersfield are half that price at 2/1.

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Odds correct as of 1935 10/03/18.

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