Premier League highlights & reports: Man Utd, Leicester and Chelsea all win, Wolves pile misery on West Ham
Watch highlights from all of Wednesday's Premier League as Man Utd, Chelsea and Leicester all won.
Results
Highlights & reports
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Marcus Rashford's brace ruined Jose Mourinho's Old Trafford return as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United ran out deserved victors against Tottenham.
Less than a year after being sacked as background backbiting compounded poor performances, Mourinho returned to the Old Trafford touchline at a time when pressure was increasing on his successor following the club's worst start to a season since 1988.
The Portuguese received a warm reception at his old stomping ground but Solskjaer's name filled the air on Wednesday night, when Rashford goals either side of a fine Dele Alli equaliser sealed United a much-needed 2-1 victory against Spurs.
The end of Mourinho's three-game winning start to life at the Tottenham helm provided a timely shot in the arm for his former club, with a trip to reigning champions and bitter rivals Manchester City coming on Saturday evening.
Opta Stats
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last nine home matches in all competitions (W5 D4) since losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace in August.
- Tottenham Hotspur have lost more Premier League matches against Manchester United than against any other team (35 defeats).
- Since his debut for the club in February 2016, Man Utd’s Marcus Rashford has scored 57 goals in all competitions – 14 more than any other player at the club.
- Marcus Rashford has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last 10 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United (9 goals, 2 assists).
- Dele Alli has scored in three consecutive appearances for Tottenham Hotspur in all competitions for the first time since March 2017 (a run of four).
- Manchester United have lost none of their last 138 home Premier League matches when scoring first (W125 D13).
- Tottenham have conceded twice in each of their four matches under Jose Mourinho in all competitions – they only had a run of conceding 2+ goals in four consecutive matches once under Mauricio Pochettino, doing so in February and March 2015.
Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa
Tammy Abraham further enhanced his Stamford Bridge status by powering Chelsea to a 2-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa.
The fast-improving England hitman headed home his 11th league goal of the campaign, then laid on a stunning volleyed winner for Mason Mount.
Abraham shook off a hip injury to lead Chelsea's line and proved his pivotal status under boss Frank Lampard by spearheading this hard-fought victory.
The 22-year-old hit 26 goals in 40 matches on loan at Villa last term and haunted his former club with a hugely-impressive display.
Opta Stats
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last 56 Premier League home games against newly promoted teams (W45 D10 L1).
- Aston Villa have picked up just one point from their last 42 available in away games against sides starting the day in the top four (W0 D1 L13).
- Chelsea have won nine of their last 10 Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, losing the other in March 2014.
- Chelsea have won five consecutive home league games against Aston Villa for the first time in their history.
- Tammy Abraham has scored 11 goals in 14 Premier League appearances this season - the only Chelsea players to score more in their first 14 apps in a single PL season are Diego Costa (12 in 2014-15) and Nicolas Anelka (12 in 2008-09).
- Only Jamie Vardy (17) has been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham (14 - 11 goals, 3 assists).
- Trézéguet is the first Aston Villa player to score in three consecutive Premier League starts since Tom Cleverley in May 2015.
- Trézéguet’s goal, assisted by Ahmed El Mohamady for Aston Villa vs Chelsea is the first-ever Premier League goal to be both scored and assisted by Egyptian players.
Leicester City 2-0 Watford
Jamie Vardy continued to close in on his own Premier League goal scoring record as Leicester regained second spot in the table with a 2-0 victory over Watford at the King Power Stadium.
The striker's second-half penalty saw him on the score sheet for the seventh match in a row as Brendan Rodgers' team simultaneously equalled a club record of seven straight wins in the top flight dating back to March 1963.
During Leicester's title-winning season of 2015/16, Vardy scored in 11 consecutive Premier League matches. Should he maintain his form, he would equal those figures in Boxing Day's blockbuster clash at home to leaders Liverpool.
The Foxes toiled at times on Wednesday night against an unadventurous but organised Watford side who, after the sacking of Quique Sanchez Flores at the weekend, were under the guidance of under-23 coach Hayden Mullins.
The visitors stretched Leicester on the break a handful of times without ever troubling Kasper Schmeichel and Vardy's 55th-minute penalty, along with James Maddison's strike deep into injury time, was enough for Rodgers' men to go back above Manchester City.
Opta Stats
- Leicester City have now equalled their top-flight league record for consecutive wins (seven games), with the only previous occasion coming between December 1962 and March 1963.
- Watford have won just eight points in their last 18 Premier League games (W1 D5 L12) - opponents Leicester City have won more than this in their last three league games alone (three wins, nine points).
- Watford have scored just nine goals in 15 Premier League matches this season; an average of 0.6 per game. The only team to have averaged less in the top five European Leagues this season are LaLiga team Leganés (0.53 per game).
- Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy has scored in seven successive Premier League appearances, his best streak since his record-breaking 11-match run in November 2015.
- Jamie Vardy has now scored 50 Premier League goals at home for Leicester City; 30 more than any other player (Muzzy Izzet: 20).
- Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has scored 23 goals in 25 games under Brendan Rodgers in the Premier League; the same tally as he scored under the management of Claude Puel in 51 Premier League games.
Southampton 2-1 Norwich City
In-form Danny Ings struck again as Southampton recorded successive Premier League victories for the first time since March by inflicting a damaging 2-1 defeat on fellow strugglers Norwich.
Saints top scorer Ings scored for the fourth successive top-flight game, before a rare Ryan Bertrand goal put the home side in complete control against their relegation rivals.
Norwich improved after the break and halved the deficit through Teemu Pukki but the hosts clung on as Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl celebrated a year in charge with a precious three points.
Opta Stats
- Southampton have recorded back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since March. Indeed, their previous two such wins in the division came across an 18-game spell (W2 D6 L10).
- Norwich City have now suffered 10 top-flight defeats this season; indeed, five of the last six Premier League teams to lose at least 10 of their first 15 matches of a single campaign have gone on to be relegated (Burnley survived last season).
- Southampton striker Danny Ings (8) has now scored more Premier League goals in 15 appearances this season than he managed in 24 in 2018-19 (7); only in 2014-15 (11) has he had a more prolific campaign in the competition.
- Norwich are now winless in their last 13 away top-flight matches played on a Wednesday (D6 L7) since a 3-2 win at Blackburn back in August 1993.
- Each of the last four Premier League goals Norwich have conceded have been via set pieces (1x penalty, 1x free-kick, 2x corner).
- As well as scoring in back-to-back games for the first time since August, Norwich’s Teemu Pukki has netted his 22nd league goal of 2019; only Jarrod Bowen (24) and Jamie Vardy (26) have scored more such goals within England’s top four tiers this year.
- Danny Ings (four goals) is the first Southampton player to score in four consecutive Premier League games since Jay Rodriguez back in March 2014.
- Southampton remain one of three sides yet to record a Premier League clean sheet at home this season, alongside opponents Norwich and league leaders Liverpool; indeed, Saints (33) and the Canaries (32) have conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season.
Wolves 2-0 West Ham
Wolves turned the heat up on West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini after a 2-0 win at Molineux.
The Hammers boss looks to be on thin ice again after seeing his side slip to a sixth defeat in nine Premier League games.
Leander Dendoncker and Patrick Cutrone earned the hosts a deserved, and comfortable, win.
Saturday's 1-0 win at Chelsea bought Pellegrini some time but the Hammers reverted to type at Molineux on Wednesday.
While they remain 13th West Ham sit just two points above the relegation zone ahead of Monday's London derby with Arsenal.
Opta Stats
- Wolves are now unbeaten in 10 consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since January 1972.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have won three league matches in a row against West Ham United for the first time in the club’s history.
- West Ham United have now won just one of their last nine Premier League matches, conceding 18 goals across those games (D2 L6).
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored in each of their last 10 Premier League games at Molineux – their best period in the top-flight since February 2004 (also 10 in a row).
- Wolves have lost just one of their last 15 home Premier League games (W8 D6 L1), a 5-2 defeat to Chelsea in September.
- João Moutinho has assisted 12 goals in the Premier League - only Matt Jarvis has provided more assists for Wolves (13).
Liverpool 5-2 Everton
Liverpool stayed eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and dumped Everton into the bottom three after a thumping 5-2 derby win at Anfield.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp sprung a surprise by naming Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino on the bench against their Merseyside rivals.
But their replacements Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri, plus the irrepressible Sadio Mane, cut Everton to shreds.
Opta Stats
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 32 Premier League games (W27 D5), their longest ever run without defeat in top-flight history.
- Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has won 100 of his 159 Premier League games, he is the second fastest manager to reach 100 wins in the competition, after José Mourinho (142 games). In fact, he is the fastest Liverpool manager to 100 wins in top-flight history.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 18 Premier League games against Everton (W8 D10). It’s their longest ever unbeaten run against a specific opponent in the competition.
- Everton find themselves in the relegation zone after playing at least 15 Premier League matches for the first time since April 10th 1999 (after 32 games).
- Marco Silva is the first Everton manager to concede five league goals against Liverpool in a single match since Howard Kendall in November 1982 (0-5 against Bob Paisley’s Liverpool).
- Sadio Mane has assisted twice in a Premier League game for the first time since March 2018 v Watford. In fact, before today, the Senegalese forward hadn’t recorded an assist at Anfield in all competitions in 40 appearances since that game against Watford.
- Divock Origi has scored five Premier League goals against Everton; only Robbie Fowler (6) and Steven Gerrard (9) have scored more PL goals for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby. Indeed, Origi has now scored in all four matches against Everton for Liverpool at Anfield (five goals).
- Since the start of last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold has provided more Premier League assists than any other player (18), with 15 of those coming in 2019.
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