Gunners Pegged Back At The Top

A double gameweek of 14 and 15 saw the traditional December midweek programme before a full weekend schedule. 

Toffees Topple Cherries 

Tuesday night began with Everton securing a narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The crucial strike came in the 78th minute as Jack Grealish saw his effort on goal deflected in to seal the three points in the 1-0 win. 

City Edge Cottagers In Thriller

Manchester City came out on top in a nine-goal thriller at Craven Cottage as they won 5-4 against Fulham. The visitors opened up a 3-0 lead with Erling Haaland (17), Tijani Reijnders (37) & Phil Foden (44) all getting in on the act before Emile Smith-Rowe cutting the gap in first half added time for 3-1. Foden struck for a second time to regain the three goal lead at 4-1 on 48 minute before City were gifted their fifth via a Sander Berge own goal for 5-1. Fulham fought back superbly with Alex Iwobi's 57th minute effort making it 5-2 before a six minute brace in the 72nd and 78th minutes from Samuel Chukwueze setup a tense finish with City holding on for the 5-4 victory. 

Magpies Held By Spurs 

Newcastle United were denied a win as they were held by Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park in a 2-2 draw. A close game saw the sides still deadlocked long into the second half when the hosts opened the scoring with a Bruno Guimaraes strike but the visitors soon drew level with a 78th minute leveller from Cristian Romero for 1-1. Newcastle regained the lead in the 86th minute with an Anthony Gordon penalty but were denied the victory as Romero scored a stunning overhead-kick in added time for a 2-2 final score. 

Gunners Beat Bees

Arsenal extended their good run at the top with a 2-0 win over Brentford at Emirates Stadium. The hosts opened the scoring through Mikel Merino after just 11 minutes and wrapped up the win in added time as Bukayo Saka struck for 2-0. 

Villa Comeback Stuns Seagulls

Aston Villa came out on top in a seven-goal thriller with a 4-3 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. The hosts opened up a 2-0 lead with Jan Paul van Hecke scoring in the ninth minute before a Pau Torres own goal in the 29th minute. Villa fought back to go into the half-time interval level at 2-2 after Ollie Watkins scored in both the 37th minute and seventh minute of added time.  Villa then went ahead with Amadou Onana striking on the hour before Donyell Malen made it 4-2 on 78 minutes. The hosts cut the gap with a second goal from van Hecke in the 83rd minute but could level as Villa held on for the win. 

Eagles Defeat Clarets

Crystal Palace continued their good form with a narrow 1-0 win against Burnley at Turf Moor. The crucial strike came in the 44th minute as Daniel Munoz struck to seal the win for Palace that saw them rise to fifth in the table. 

Forest Extend Wolves Woes

Nottingham Forest extended Wolverhampton Wanderers winless run with a narrow 1-0 win at Molineux. The crucial strike came in the 72nd minute as Igor Jesus opened his account for the visitors as they secured all three points. 

Wonderful Whites Stun Blues 

Leeds United moved out of the bottom three with a comfortable 3-1 win over Chelsea at Elland Road. The hosts opened the scoring with a sixth minute strike from Jaka Bijol and then doubled the lead on 43 minutes as Ao Tanaka made it 2-0. Chelsea cut the gap to 2-1 with a 50th minute effort from Pedro Neto but their hopes of a leveller were dashed when Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck for a 3-1 lead in the 72nd minute which is how it ended. 

Reds Deny Black Cats

Liverpool secured a share of the points in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland at Anfield. A close fought first hour saw the sides remain level as the deadlock was broken on 67 minutes as Chemsdine Talbi's shot deflected off Virgil van Dijk and into the net for 1-0. The hosts levelled in similar style on 81 minutes as Florian Wirtz's strike went in off Nordi Mukiele to make it 1-1 and ensure the points were shared. 

Red Devils Held By Hammers

The midweek action concluded at Old Trafford on Thursday night as Manchester United drew 1-1 with West Ham United. The hosts opened the scoring on 58 minutes with a Diego Dalot effort but their joy was soured with seven minutes left as Soungoutou Magassa levelled to make it 1-1 and salvage a point for the visitors. 

Victorious Villa Stun Gunners

Aston Villa continued their great form with a last-gasp 2-1 win over leaders Arsenal at Villa Park. The hosts opened the scoring in style on 36 minutes as Matty Cash swept in a back post volley for 1-0. Arsenal levelled on 53 minutes as Leandro Trossard tapped in at the far post for 1-1. The points looked set to be shared but Villa took all three thanks to a close range flick from Emi Buendia who sealed the 2-1 win in added time. 

Cherries and Blues Drab Draw

Bournemouth and Chelsea shared the points at the Vitality Stadium in a 0-0 draw that almost had a perfect start for the Cherries but the strike from Antoine Semenyo in the fifth minute was chalked off by VAR due to offside. 

Toffees Trounce Forest

Everton moved up the table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Hill Dickenson Stadium. The opener came inside two minutes as a gift as Nikola Mienkoiic deflected in for 1-0 before a superb counter attack was finished off by Thierno Barry in first half added time to double the lead. The gloss on the win came on 80 minutes as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fired in for a 3-0 final score. 

City Cruise Past Black Cats

Manchester City eased to a 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium. The hosts opened up a 2-0 lead with two strikes in four minutes as Ruben Dias fired in from distance on 31 minutes and Josko Gvardiol headed in on 35 minutes. The win was wrapped up on 65 minutes as Phil Foden flicked in a header and the miserable afternoon for the visitors only got worse as Luke O'Nien was dismissed in added time of the 3-0 loss. 

Magpies Edge Clarets

Newcastle United survived a late scare to seal a 2-1 win over Burnley at St James' Park. The hosts opened the scoring in stellar style as Bruno Guimaraes scored directly from a corner before the visitors day got worse with the sending off of Lucas Pires in the 43rd minute and an Anthony Gordon penalty in first half added time for a 2-0 lead. Burnley cut the gap late on as Zian Flemming slotted in a penalty in the fourth minute of added time but the hosts managed to hold on for the win. 

Spurs Sting Bees

Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-0 win over fellow London rivals Brentford at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The hosts opened the scoring as Richarlison clipped in at the back post in the before Xavi Simons raced from inside his own half to fire in for a 2-0 lead that secured all three points. 

Leeds Luck Denies Reds

Leeds United left it late to seal a 3-3 draw with Liverpool in a thriller at Elland Road. The visitors opened up a 2-0 lead with two goals in as many minutes from Hugo Ekitiké in the 48th and 50th minutes but they were pegged back by two goals in as many minutes from the hosts as Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck a 73rd minute penalty and Anton Stach levelled on 75 minutes with a curling effort. The Reds regained the lead with a Dominik Szoboszlai effort but the drama came in the final seconds of added time as Ao Tanaka flicked in a cross to seal a point in the 3-3 draw. 

Hammers Held By Seagulls 

West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion shared the points in a 1-1 draw at the AMEX Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Both sides had chances to open the scoring but the deadlock was broken on 73 minutes as Jarrod Bowen's sliding effort nestled in the far corner for 1-0 but their joy was soured in the 90th minute as Georginio Rutter slotted in the equaliser for 1-1. 

Eagles Edge Past Cottagers

Crystal Palace edged a 2-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Super Sunday. The hosts struck first as Eddie Nketiah slotted in the bottom corner for a 1-0 lead and they were pegged back on 38 minutes by a superb equaliser from Harry Wilson for 1-1.Palace regained the lead with 87 minutes on the clock as Marc Guehi headed in to send the Eagles into the top four with the 2-1 win. 

Red Devils Rout Winless Wolves

The final game of the week saw Manchester United ease to a 4-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Monday night. The visitors struck first with Bruno Fernandes scoring in the 25th minute for a 1-0 lead that was levelled on the half-time interval by Jean-Ricner Bellegarde for 1-1. United restored the lead with a 51st minute strike from Bryan Mbeumo and the score became 3-1 just after the hour with Mason Mount's effort. The gloss on the win came with eight minutes remaining as Fernandes scored his second of the game with a penalty to round off the 4-1 rout.