Premier League round-up: Neal Maupay overhead kick secures point for Brighton
A review of Wednesday's action in the Premier League, where Neal Maupay rescued a point for Brighton with an overhead kick.
Results
West Ham 1-1 Brighton
- Infogol xG: 1.21 - 1.39
Neal Maupay’s spectacular late equaliser ensured West Ham’s Brighton hoodoo struck again in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.
Maupay’s overhead kick a minute from time means West Ham are still waiting for a first Premier League win over the Seagulls after nine attempts.
The Hammers looked to have finally beaten their bogey team as they led through Tomas Soucek’s first-half header.
But Brighton had other ideas and finally put one of their chances away to deny the hosts victory yet again.
This had the feel of a big match in the context of West Ham’s lofty aspirations this season, having clung on to fourth place despite successive defeats on the road against Wolves and Manchester City – and with leaders Chelsea the visitors on Saturday.
Southampton 2-2 Leicester
- Infogol xG: 2.11 - 1.69
James Maddison scored for the third successive game as Leicester twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 Premier League draw at Southampton.
In-form Maddison conjured a moment of magic early in the second period but the Foxes squandered golden chances to complete a comeback success on the south coast.
Jamie Vardy blazed over when through on goal, while Harvey Barnes was denied by a fine save from home goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
Defender Jonny Evans had initially fired the visitors level, in between first-half goals from Saints duo Jan Bednarek and Che Adams.
Brendan Rodgers’ men have fallen agonisingly short of Champions League qualification in the past two seasons and cracking the top four this term already looks a tall order.
A point at St Mary’s was sufficient to move to eighth but left them with just one win from five as their inconsistent form continued.
Southampton, meanwhile, hold a five-point buffer on the relegation zone after scoring more than once in a top-flight fixture for only the third time this campaign.
Watford 1-2 Chelsea
- Infogol xG: 0.86 - 0.90
Hakim Ziyech struck the winner as Chelsea stayed top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Watford, in a game that was temporarily halted after a medical emergency in the stands.
A Watford fan suffered a cardiac arrest in the Graham Taylor Stand 12 minutes into the match at Vicarage Road and referee David Coote took both sets of players off the pitch.
Medical staff from both teams raced across the pitch to assist the supporter, who was stabilised and then carried out on a stretcher to be taken to hospital.
When the match resumed it was Chelsea who took the lead, with Mason Mount stroking the ball past Daniel Bachmann in the 30th minute.
However, the visitors’ advantage did not last long and Emmanuel Dennis, who had been a doubt for the fixture, struck the ball into the bottom corner.
In the second half, substitute Ziyech fired past Bachmann from a Mount pass to secure all three points for Chelsea.
Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester City
- Infogol xG: 0.78 - 1.27
Bernardo Silva’s exquisite volley inspired Manchester City to a battling 2-1 win at Aston Villa.
The forward’s brilliant strike proved the difference as City were made to fight for a fourth straight Premier League win.
Silva’s first-half screamer added to Ruben Dias’ opener had the champions in cruise control before Ollie Watkins’ goal after the break made life uncomfortable.
Jack Grealish was a late substitute on his first return to Villa Park since his £100million summer move to the Etihad to earn a mixed reception.
Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Watford made victory imperative for City and they sit a point behind the leaders in second.
Wolves 0-0 Burnley
- Infogol xG: 0.81 - 0.27
Burnley maintained their impressive record against Wolves with a 0-0 draw that made it six unbeaten versus the West Midlands side for Sean Dyche.
It was the first time that Dyche’s side had played since their thrilling 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace last month after Storm Arwen postponed the Clarets’ clash with Tottenham last Sunday.
Although a point will not please Dyche too much, his side are proving tough to beat as they have only lost one from their last eight Premier League games.
Only the top three teams in the league had conceded fewer than Wolves coming into their fixture with Burnley and that continued as they kept their third clean sheet in a row.
But Bruno Lage’s men need to direct their training efforts to the other end of the pitch as their goal drought continued. Wolves have managed just one goal in their last four games.
Everton 1-4 Liverpool
- Infogol xG: 0.56 - 2.92
Liverpool piled more pressure on former manager Rafael Benitez with a record-breaking 4-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park in the 239th Merseyside derby.
In maintaining their current Premier League average of three goals per game, Jurgen Klopp’s side became the first top-flight English team to score at least twice in 18 successive fixtures in all competitions.
Mohamed Salah’s figures continue to be equally impressive as his double, after Jordan Henderson’s opener, made it 19 goals in as many appearances.
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