Premier League round-up: Liverpool back on track, Arsenal win at Huddersfield and Cardiff stun Southampton
Liverpool got their title challenge back on track with a comfortable 3-0 win against Bournemouth, while Arsenal beat Huddersfield and Cardiff stunned Southampton.
Premier League results
Reds get title challenge back on track
Liverpool answered their critics to batter Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield to go back to the top of the Premier League table after losing top spot to Manchester City during the week.
Back-to-back draws had signaled calls of the wheels coming off Jurgne Klopp's side, but goals from Sadio Mane, Gini Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah settled any nerves that may have built up among Reds fans.
Mane made it a goal in each of his last four games before Wijnaldum, who has been a big miss for the Reds in recent games, lobbed a beautiful second to double the advantage.
Salah then reached 20 goals for the season by finishing off a wonderful team goal as Roberto Firmino latched on to a fine through ball before a majestic flick landed in Salah's path and he was able to curl home the third as Liverpool went three points clear of Man City.
Gunners go level with Chelsea
Unai Emery's side had few problems disposing of Huddersfield at the John Smith's Stadium as goals from Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette gave them a 2-1 victory.
Arsenal remain in sixth but drew level with fifth-placed Chelsea, who play Man City on Sunday, and move back to within a point of flying Manchester United as the top four chase really hots up.
Both goals came in the first half with Iwobi putting the Gunners ahead after 16 minutes before Lacazette doubled their lead just a minute before half time.
The Terriers improved in the second half and got a late consolation with a Sead Kolasinac own goal but it was not enough as they slipped to a 19th defeat of the season to remain rooted to the foot of the table and heading for inevitable relegation.
Cardiff grab dramatic winner
Cardiff secured a vital victory in their pursuit of Premier League safety by concluding a traumatic week with a 2-1 win at Southampton thanks to Kenneth Zohore's dramatic stoppage-time finish.
Their struggle against relegation has been largely overshadowed by the confirmation of the death of their striker Emiliano Sala, whose body was this week recovered from the crashed plane that had been taking him to Cardiff, and they paid him the ultimate tribute by securing three important points.
Victory crucially takes Cardiff out of the bottom three and above Southampton, who had been undefeated in the top flight since the turn of the year under their new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
It also ensured successive top-flight victories for the Bluebirds for the first time since April 1962, and came after the hosts had already pulled level in stoppage time.
Sol Bamba had earlier grabbed a goal against the run of play, before the late drama saw Jack Stephens score in the 91st minute to grab what looked like being a vital point for Southampton, until Zohore restored the lead right at the end.
Stalemate at Selhurst Park
Wilfried Zaha rescued a point for Crystal Palace as Roy Hodgson's side hit back for a 1-1 draw against West Ham at Selhurst Park.
West Ham took the lead after Vicente Guaita brought down Michail Antonio, allowing Mark Noble to step up and tuck the ball home.
Zaha netted from a tight angle 14 minutes from time to cancel out Mark Noble's first-half penalty.
No Silva lining for Marco
Watford piled the pressure on their former manager Marco Silva as the Hornets beat Everton 1-0 at Vicarage Road in what was a difficult return for the boss.
Andre Gray scored the winner after 65 minutes, sweeping home a Will Hughes ball after a neat backheel from Craig Cathcart.
Everton did hit the woodwork through Gylfi Sigurdsson and Lucas Digne but their recent slump continued. It was the Toffees' 10th defeat in 16 games in all competitions.
To add to a miserable afternoon, Kurt Zouma was dismissed for a second yellow card in the final moments as Silva, who headed straight for the tunnel on the final whistle, now faces further scrutiny.
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