Premier League reports & highlights on Saturday December 28
A full round-up of Saturday's Premier League matches with reports and video highlights, as Watford hammer poor Aston Villa and Everton pick up a big three points at Newcastle.
Premier League results
- Brighton 2-0 Bournemouth
- Newcastle 1-2 Everton
- Southampton 1-1 Crystal Palace
- Watford 3-0 Aston Villa
- Norwich 2-2 Tottenham
- West Ham 1-2 Leicester
- Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
Newcastle v Everton
A Dominic Calvert-Lewin double made it two wins from two for new Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti in an entertaining 2-1 win at Newcastle that saw 42 goal attempts in the match.
The result inflicted just a second home league defeat for Steve Bruce's side, ending their nine-match unbeaten run at St James' Park.
The 22-year-old striker, who headed the winner in Ancelotti's opening game against Burnley on Boxing Day, shone once again as the Toffees secured a 2-1 success.
Having fired his side in front after just 13 minutes, Calvert-Lewin fumbled what turned out to be winner over the line midway through the second half shortly after Newcastle had hauled level through Fabian Schar.
It proved a painful defeat for Steve Bruce, who restored the likes of Andy Carroll and Jonjo Shelvey having rested them for the Boxing Day thumping at Old Trafford, only to see his side's attacking intent go unrewarded.
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Danny Ings capitalised on calamitous Crystal Palace defending to earn Southampton a 1-1 draw and a precious point in the fight for Premier League survival.
In-form Ings, who was coveted by Palace boss Roy Hodgson before joining boyhood club Saints in 2018, slotted home his 12th top-flight goal of the season with 16 minutes remaining following a dreadful pass from Eagles defender Martin Kelly.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's hosts had looked in danger of slipping to a seventh St Mary's defeat of the campaign after James Tomkins nodded them ahead early in the second period.
Palace were also left to rue a disallowed first-half strike from midfielder Max Meyer, which was chalked off by VAR due to a narrow offside call against Wilfried Zaha.
Saints, who sit four points above the relegation zone, are now three games unbeaten on the back of vital victories at Aston Villa and Chelsea, while Palace remain comfortably in mid-table.
Watford v Aston Villa
Birmingham-fan Troy Deeney struck a brace to hand Watford a vital 3-0 win over relegation rivals Aston Villa at Vicarage Road.
The Hornets skipper grabbed his first three minutes before half-time and added a second from the penalty spot in the 67th minute - 10 minutes after team-mate Adrian Mariappa had been sent off.
Ismaila Sarr scored a third not long after to make it back-to-back victories for Nigel Pearson at Vicarage Road and they are now three points from Premier League safety.
Villa boss Dean Smith endured a terrible afternoon in Hertfordshire and has major problems with this their fifth defeat from their last six league games.
Norwich 2-2 Tottenham
Tottenham needed a late penalty from Harry Kane to salvage a 2-2 draw at Norwich, who were the latest team to suffer from VAR's interpretation of the offside law.
Kane struck from the spot in the 83rd minute to deny the Canaries a first Premier League home win since beating Manchester City in September after they led through Mario Vrancic's opener and Serge Aurier's own goal.
It might have been a completely different story had Teemu Pukki's goal not been marginally ruled out by the perpendicular lines of VAR with Norwich leading 1-0, as the focus again zooms in on the offside law and technology's role in applying it.
There were fortunate to come up against a Spurs team enduring one of their worst performances of a patchy season, but Jose Mourinho's men, who had previously levelled through Christian Eriksen, did at least rally for a point thanks to marksman Kane.
The draw, however, meant they missed the chance to go into the top four for the first time since September 14 and Mourinho is still scrambling to find a way to make his side more solid.
For Norwich, who remained bottom, their winless run now stretches to eight and this was the fourth home game in a row where they let a winning position slip.
West Ham 1-2 Leicester
Demarai Gray missed a first-half penalty but scored a second-half winner as Leicester piled more pressure on West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini with a 2-1 victory.
Gray, one of nine new faces in a much-changed Foxes line-up, fluffed the opportunity to open his Premier League goal account for the season from the spot after only 12 minutes.
But the winger made amends after the interval to fire second-placed Leicester to a first league win in four games while inflicting a fourth straight home defeat on woeful West Ham, who have won just twice in 14 matches.
The natives are getting increasingly restless at the London Stadium, and Pellegrini's decision to substitute record signing Sebastien Haller, rather than give him some support in attack, was met with loud jeers.
Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford fired Manchester United to a 2-0 victory at Burnley as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer oversaw a triumphant conclusion to a topsy-turvy 2019.
From the high of March's Champions League comeback win at Paris St Germain to chastening losses to the likes of Everton, Newcastle and Watford, this will be remembered as challenging year of transition at Old Trafford.
There remains plenty of work to do but United head into the New Year buoyed by back-to-back wins, with Martial and Rashford scoring at Burnley just 50 hours after the comprehensive comeback against Newcastle.
Solskjaer's side could have scored more at Turf Moor but this was another victory when bossing possession, while they also ended a club-record 14-match run without a Premier League clean sheet.
Burnley have not beaten United since 2009 and never looked likely to spring a surprise on Saturday, with Rashford hitting a post in a first half that Martial opened the scoring in after Charlie Taylor flapped under pressure.
Phil Bardsley forced David De Gea into a fine save after the break, but Sean Dyche's men looked more likely to get a red card than a goal on a night when Rashford turned home at the death to add gloss to the scoreline.
Brighton v Bournemouth
Brighton recorded their first home win since November 2 with a convincing 2-0 victory over a lacklustre Bournemouth side at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls suffered their biggest home defeat in the Premier League in this fixture last season but got off to a dream start this time around, when Alireza Jahanbakhsh hit his first goal for the club.
The game was not without controversy, with VAR overruling a second-half goal from Dan Burn after the left-back was judged to be offside.
Brighton did not have to wait too long for their second goal, however, as Aaron Mooy, who impressed throughout in the centre of midfield, took a touch on his chest before firing home and making sure of all three points for the home side.
The result moves the Seagulls three points above Bournemouth, who have just two wins from their last 14 top-flight matches.
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