Sunday's Premier League action saw late drama
Sunday's Premier League action saw late drama

Premier League review: Chelsea and Leeds leave it late to win


A review of Sunday's action in the Premier League, where Chelsea and Leeds both secured victory with late goals.


Results

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Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle

Kai Havertz’s fine last-gasp finish sealed a nervy Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League win over resurgent Newcastle, providing rare distraction from the Blues’ continued fears for their future.

Germany forward Havertz superbly brought down Jorginho’s masterful lofted pass before slotting home, to cut through an otherwise stodgy affair and hand the Blues a fifth successive Premier League win.

Thomas Tuchel’s relief was writ large by the Blues’ German boss launching himself onto the field in exuberant celebration as Havertz netted the winner.

The former Paris St Germain boss spun to the crowd to join the Chelsea fans in a moment that saw all the Blues’ worries on the future drain away for just a split second.

Havertz’s 11th goal of the season proved enough to topple a resolute and disciplined Newcastle, on a day where Chelsea’s off-field problems dominated proceedings from first to last.

But just when the Blues were fretting on a niggling draw, up stepped Havertz to sink Eddie Howe’s robust Newcastle, whose nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was ruined in heartbreaking fashion.


Leeds 2-1 Norwich

Joe Gelhardt stepped off the bench to fire a stoppage-time winner as Leeds beat Premier League relegation rivals Norwich 2-1.

The 19-year-old striker replaced Mateusz Klich in the second minute of added time and salvaged his side’s survival bid two minutes later – after Kenny McLean’s stoppage-time goal appeared to have snatched Norwich a point.

In a breathless finish, Leeds had let slip a slender lead after Rodrigo’s early opener only to end up snapping a club record equalling six-game winless run and secure head coach Jesse Marsch’s first win in charge at the third attempt.

In truth, Leeds should have been out of sight against Dean Smith’s basement side as Raphinha twice struck the crossbar and Patrick Bamford fired wide with just Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul to beat.

But with just a one-goal deficit Norwich never gave up and looked to have snaffled a point when McLean turned home an equaliser at the death before Gelhardt struck.

Southampton 1-2 Watford

A brace from Cucho Hernandez kickstarted Watford’s survival bid with a 2-1 win at Southampton.

The Colombia attacker struck twice in the first half and although Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back for the hosts before half-time, the Hornets held on to register only their sixth Premier League win of the season.

Roy Hodgson’s side stay in the relegation zone but have moved up one position and are level on points with 17th-placed Everton.

Both sides had lost on Thursday night and Saints reacted by leaving top goalscorer Armando Broja on the bench while the visitors made three changes from the 4-0 loss at Wolves.


Everton 0-1 Wolves

Boyhood Liverpool fan Conor Coady headed a second-half winner for Wolves at Goodison Park to push 10-man Everton closer to their first relegation in 71 years.

The England international expertly glanced home Ruben Neves’ cross early in the second half and Jonjoe Kenny’s dismissal following two yellow cards in the space of three minutes saw the visitors coast to a 1-0 victory to move up to seventh in the Premier League table.

Wolves’ captain has now scored more league goals this season (three) than he had in his previous six combined.

Everton, by contrast, have not scored in their last three league games and that, coupled with Watford’s win at Southampton, leaves them outside the bottom three on goal difference alone.

Frank Lampard’s side do have three matches in hand on most of their rivals but a run of just nine points from the last 60 available and only two league wins since September has left a squad drained of confidence in danger of dropping out of the top flight for only the third time in their history and first since 1951.


West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa

Andriy Yarmolenko scored an emotional goal on his return to football as West Ham beat Aston Villa 2-1.

The Ukraine forward was back in the Hammers squad for the first time since being granted compassionate leave due to the war in his homeland.

Yarmolenko received a standing ovation from both sets of fans as he came on as a 53rd-minute substitute for Michail Antonio.

And the 32-year-old, whose family are still in Ukraine, was in tears after firing West Ham into the lead in the 70th minute.

It was a memorable, poignant moment in an otherwise forgettable match at the London Stadium.

Pablo Fornals hit West Ham’s second and Jacob Ramsey grabbed Villa’s consolation as the Hammers ended a three-game losing streak in all competitions.

But it came at a cost with injuries to Antonio and Aaron Cresswell, bad news with the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Sevilla just four days away.


Arsenal 2-0 Leicester

Alexandre Lacazette and Thomas Partey were on target as Arsenal reclaimed a top-four spot in the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Leicester at the Emirates.

The victory saw the Gunners climb back above Manchester United to return to the position they held going into the weekend, with a one-point advantage over Ralf Rangnick’s side and also with three games still in hand.

Partey gave Arsenal an early lead with an 11th-minute header and Lacazette scored from the penalty spot midway through the second half to seal all three points.

Lacazette’s goal was the French forward’s first since Boxing Day but he remains without a goal from open play since December 11 and, despite a run of impressive performances in recent weeks, his future at the club remains uncertain.

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