A review of the Boxing Day action in the Premier League, where there were plenty of goals across the games.
Results
Manchester City 6-3 Leicester
Manchester City held off a dramatic fightback to move six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a breathless 6-3 victory over Leicester.
The free-scoring champions raced into a 4-0 lead inside 25 minutes at the Etihad Stadium but the visitors fought back to 4-3 in a Boxing Day classic at the Etihad Stadium.
It took a further goal from Aymeric Laporte and a late effort from Raheem Sterling, his second of the game, to finally kill off the Foxes’ unlikely comeback.
Sterling had been on target from one of two penalties awarded to the hosts in the first half, with former Leicester star Riyad Mahrez scoring the other. Kevin De Bruyne had opened the scoring, with Ilkay Gundogan also getting on the scoresheet.
Leicester’s replies came from the impressive James Maddison, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanaco early in the second half, but the injury-hit visitors ultimately could not maintain the momentum.
Yet it was of great credit to the Foxes that they managed to make the game such a contest.
Sporting Life's winners on Sunday
- Sporting Life Accumulator at 10/1
- Declan Rice to be shown a card in West Ham v Southampton at 9/2
- Arsenal to win both halves v Norwich at 11/4
- Mansfield to beat Hartlepool at 11/10
- Over 2.5 Goals in Tottenham v Crystal Palace at 37/40
- Under 40 Booking points in Manchester City v Leicester at 4/5
Norwich 0-5 Arsenal
Bukayo Saka scored twice as Arsenal coasted to a 5-0 Boxing Day victory at Norwich to strengthen their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.
The Gunners have been able to fulfil all of their fixtures of late as others in the table see games postponed due to Covid cases and Mikel Arteta’s side made light work of rock-bottom Norwich at Carrow Road.
Saka scored in both halves, his brace coming either side of a rare Kieran Tierney strike with Alexandre Lacazette winning and converting a late penalty and Emile Smith Rowe striking off the bench as Arsenal outclassed the Canaries, who rarely threatened.
The result means Arsenal can toast back-to-back away league wins for the first time this season and enjoy their leftover turkey sitting six points clear inside the Champions League places.
Tottenham 3-0 Crystal Palace
Lucas Moura scored one and made two more as Tottenham piled on the Boxing Day misery for Crystal Palace with a 3-0 win.
Palace had failed in their attempts to get the game called off after a coronavirus outbreak in their squad, with manager Patrick Vieira one of those affected by a positive test and absent in north London.
And, after the Premier League ruled the game should go ahead, Moura made matters worse with a virtuoso display, setting up goals for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min either side of his own headed effort in the first half.
Wilfried Zaha compounded his side’s woes with a needless red card before the break, leaving Palace to wish their request had been granted.
Kane’s effort saw him equal a Premier League record for Boxing Day goals, level on nine with Robbie Fowler, and his return to form is another step in the right direction for Spurs.
They remain unbeaten in six Premier League games under Antonio Conte and are within striking distance of the top four with games in hand.
Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku climbed off the bench to inspire Chelsea’s comeback victory as he continued to haunt Aston Villa.
The striker scored his first Premier League goal since a September brace against the same opposition as the visitors came from behind to win 3-1.
Lukaku has now scored nine goals in his last 10 top-flight appearances against Villa and also caused havoc to win a stoppage-time penalty for Jorginho to score his second goal of the game.
Jorginho's record from penalties this season.
— Sporting Life Football & Infogol (@InfogolApp) December 26, 2021
Spot. On. pic.twitter.com/geTFyjncUz
His first season back in England has been hampered by an ankle injury but the Belgium international now has two in his last three games to offer Thomas Tuchel a welcome boost after Chelsea dropped off the title race pace.
They now sit six points behind Manchester City and level on points with second-placed Liverpool.
Jorginho’s first penalty had earlier cancelled out Reece James’ own goal as Villa ran out of steam after an impressive opening half to remain 10th.
West Ham 2-3 Southampton
A late goal from Jan Bednarek secured a rare away-day victory for Southampton as West Ham’s slump continued.
Bednarek’s header condemned the Hammers to a 3-2 Premier League defeat, their third straight loss, and earned Saints only their second win on the road this season.
West Ham’s hopes of a place in the top four now look increasingly forlorn after another below-par display at the London Stadium.
Southampton took the lead after only eight minutes when Mohamed Elyounoussi finished from the edge of the penalty area.
Kyle Walker-Peters was allowed to reach the edge of the box and pick out a square ball to the Norwegian winger, who calmly slotted home from 18 yards.
Home boss David Moyes had seen enough by half-time and hauled off Vlasic and Pablo Fornals, sending on Michail Antonio – back from a spell out with Covid-19 – and Manuel Lanzini.
The move paid instant dividends with Antonio pouncing from a corner after Dawson headed Jarrod Bowen’s delivery back across goal.
But Dawson was at fault when Saints went back in front on the hour, the defender being out-paced by Armando Broja before bringing him down on the edge of the box.
Referee Kevin Friend consulted the pitch-side monitor before awarding the spot-kick, which was clinically dispatched by James Ward-Prowse.
West Ham hauled themselves level again four minutes later when the industrious Bowen got free down the right and crossed for Said Benrahma to sweep home.
However, when Ward-Prowse swung in a free-kick with 20 minutes remaining, Bednarek got above Dawson and Tomas Soucek to put the visitors in front again.
Brighton 2-0 Brentford
Neal Maupay struck a stunning goal against his former club as Brighton picked up a first Premier League win in 12 games by beating Brentford 2-0.
Albion top-scorer Maupay – who cost £20million from the Bees in August 2019 – lashed an unstoppable effort into the top right corner just before half-time to light up a below-capacity Amex Stadium.
Leandro Trossard set the Seagulls on course for a first top-flight success in more than three months with an instinctive 34th-minute volley.
Brentford had second-half opportunities to salvage something but were denied by a couple of superb saves from Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, while Marc Cucurella brilliantly cleared an Ethan Pinnock header off the line.
Victory for Graham Potter’s hosts ended a barren streak stretching back to a 2-1 success over Leicester on September 19, lifting them to ninth in the table.
