Merseyside Duo Claim First Leg Wins

In the first part of a cup double this week, the Capital One Cup returned with the first leg of the semi-finals.

Tuesday night saw Stoke City host Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium and both sides had good chances to open the scoring in a tight first 30 minutes but with half-time on the horizon, Liverpool made a breakthrough.

Jordon Ibe fired the visitors into a 1-0 lead with 37 minutes on the clock and the slim lead proved to be enough to seal the win and give the Reds an away goal ahead of the second leg in three weeks.

Wednesday night saw Everton host Manchester City at Goodison Park and with the game heading to half-time at 0-0, Ramiro Funes Mori fired the Toffes ahead in the final seconds for a 1-0 advantage. City battled back and drew level with a potentially vital away goal on 76 minutes as Jesus Navas made it 1-1 but Everton were not to be denied success as Romelu Lukaku sealed a 2-1 win with a header just three minutes later to leave City with work to do in the return leg.

Gunners Stay Top While Hammers Humble Reds

Ahead of a cup double of the Capital One Cup semis and the hallowed FA Cup third round, the first weekend of the year saw week 20 of the Premier League season. A mixed week at both ends of the table saw just two sides score more than twice while six sides sealed a shut-out.

The action began at Upton Park as West Ham United hosted Liverpool in Saturday's early kick-off with both sides looking to close up on the top four with a win. The Hammers struck early with Michail Antonio scoring for the second game in a row with a header in the 10th minute to leave the Reds with work to do. The response was mixed from the visitors and given their recent woes in defence, it was no surprise when Andy Carroll doubled the lead via a cross in the 55th minute. At 2-0, the hosts were comfortable and leapfrogged the Reds with the win.

Arsenal hosted Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium in the first of six 3pm games with the Gunners eager to extend their lead at the top while the Magpies looked to end a run of three defeats. The sides seemed to be evenly matched in the first hour despite sitting at either end of the league table but it wasn't to last as Laurent Koscielny sealed a 1-0 win with a 72nd minute strike.

After being deposed at the top by the Gunners, Leicester City looked to draw level at the top as they hosted a Bournemouth side sitting on the edge of the bottom three and looking to open up a gap. A tight first half saw the sides go into the interval  level at 0-0 but as the hour neared, Leicester were given a great chance to go ahead.

The Foxes were awarded a 57th minute penalty which saw Simon Francis sent off but the in-form Riyad Mahrez saw his spot kick saved and despite being down to ten for half an hour, the Cherries did well to hold on for a goalless draw.

Manchester United hosted struggling Swansea City at Old Trafford desperate to end a run of six games without a win while the Swans searched for only their fifth win of a mixed season. The sides remained level at 0-0 into the interval but were soon on different levels as Anthony Martial put the hosts in front within two minutes of the restart. Swansea drew level on 70 minutes with a Gylfi Sigurdsson strike for 1-1 but were soon behind for s second time as Wayne Rooney sealed a 2-1 win for United in the 77th minute.

Norwich City hosted Southampton at Carrow Road in a game between two sides who entered 2016 in the bottom half and not too far from the bottom three. The Canaries went into the game looking to claim a third win in a row and with the game at 0-0 long into the second half, they were given a boost as Saints midfielder Victor Wanyama was sent off in the 73rd minute.

It took just three minutes for Norwich to punish the ten men as Alex Tettey made it 1-0 with a 76th minute opener that was enough to claim a win which moved them up to 15th.

The bottom two faced off at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland hosted rock-bottom Aston Villa with both desperate for a win that would cut the gap to those above them. The hosts opened the scoring on the half hour mark as Patrick Van Aanholt made it 1-0 and the slim lead was enough for them to lead into the interval. Villa managed to draw level with a superb effort from Carlos Gil on 63 minutes but it proved to be in vain as a brace from Jermain Defoe in the 72nd and 90th minutes sealed a 3-1 win for Sunderland which leaves Villa seven points adrift at the bottom.

In a battle between to sides residing in mid table, West Bromwich Albion hosted Stoke City at The Hawthorns with both keen to advance closer to the top eight. A closely matched first half saw them remain level at 0-0 but the Baggies managed to break the deadlock just after the hour mark as Stephane Sessegnon made it 1-0 in the 63rd minute.

 Jon Walters drew the Potters level with ten minute to go but a strange red card for Stoke defender Geoff Cameron left them down to ten for seven minutes and the hosts took advantage late on as Jonny Evans sealed a 2-1 win in added time.

The evening kick-off saw Watford host Manchester City at Vicarage Road with the Hornets keen to close up on the top four while City looked to cut the gap to the top two. The game remained goalless into the half-time break despite good chances from both sides in the first half but with 55 minutes on the clock, Watford went ahead via an own goal from City defender Aleksandar Kolarov. City battled back from the 1-0 deficit as they turned the game around with two goals in as many minutes as Yaya Toure equalised in the 82nd minute before Sergio Aguero sealed a 2-1 victory in the 84th minute.

Super Sunday began with a London derby at Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace hosted struggling Chelsea with the Eagles looking to close up on the top four while the Blues looked to extend their gap above the bottom three. The visitors struck 29th minute opener as Oscar put them 1-0 ahead and their lead was doubled on the hour mark as Willian struck a superb effort for 2-0.

Palace battled to try and cut the gap but just six minutes later their fate looked to be sealed as Diego Costa made it 3-0 to the Blues and that was how it ended as Guus Hiddink claimed his first win since taking charge.

Rounding off the weekend was the game at Goodison Park as Everton hosted Tottenham Hotspur with the Toffees looking to move into the top half while Spurs had eyes on closing on the top three. The hosts struck first with a goal from Aaron Lennon whose strike against his former side made it 1-0 after 22 minutes. However, the visitors ensured the sides went into the half-time interval all square as Dele Alli struck in the final moments of the half. A tight second half saw the score remain level at 1-1 meaning the sides had to settle for a point each.

Gunners Go Top While Reds Edge Sunderland

2015 came to a close with week 19 of the Premier League with the ten games spread across three days which saw just six sides score twice or more while half of the league managed clean sheets.

Bank Holiday Monday saw four 3pm games starting with Crystal Palace hosting struggling Swansea City at Selhurst Park with the Eagles keen to cut the gap to the top four while the Swans looked to move clear of the bottom three. However, the sides seemed to be evenly matched despite sitting at either end of the table as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

Everton faced Stoke City at Goodison Park with the Potters looking to leapfrog their hosts with a win while the Toffees hoped to move further into the top half. The Potters made the first mark on the scoreline as Xherdan Shaqiri fired in for 1-0 after 16 minutes but their joy was short lived ad the in-form Romelu Lukaku equalised for the hosts on 22 minutes. Stoke regained the lead just before the interval as Shaqiri struck a second goal for 2-1 at the break but Lukaku struck back for a second time to make it 2-2 on 64 minutes. Everton went ahead for the first time when Gerard Deulofeu struck for 3-2 on 71 minutes but it was 3-3 in the 80th minute as Joselu levelled for the visitors. The sides looked to be on course for a well-deserved point each but Stoke sealed a 4-3 win late on as Marko Arnautovic tucked away a penalty in added time.

Norwich City hosted bottom side Aston Villa at Carrow Road with the chance to move clear of the bottom three with a win while a success for Villa would be their first since the opening weekend and ensure they would end the year with a double-figured points total. Jonny Howson broke the deadlock for the hosts to make it 1-0 after 24 minutes and from there, the Canaries held off the Villa attack long into the second half before wrapping up a comfortable 2-0 win with an 87th minute strike from Dieumerci Mbokani which left Villa with just eight points from 19 games.

Watford and Tottenham Hotspur met in a London derby at Vicarage Road with the Hornets looking to cut the gap to the top four while Spurs who were already there had eyes on closing up at the top. Eric Lamela fired the visitors ahead inside 17 minutes but the 1-0 lead was cancelled out just before half-time as the in-form striker Odion Ighalo extended his scoring streak to make it 1-1 on 41 minutes. Watford were dealt a blow just after the hour mark as Nathan Ake was sent off leaving them with just under half an hour to hold on with ten men and they came so close to completing their task only to be denied a point by Son Heung-Min's 89th minute strike which sealed a 2-1 success for Tottenham. 

West Bromwich Albion hosted Newcastle United at The Hawthorns with the chance to move as high as 13th with a win while the Magpies looked to escape the danger zone with a success of their own. The Baggies sealed a first win in six games with a narrow 1-0 win over the Magpies with Darren Fletcher striking the winning goal in the 78th minute.

The evening saw three games starting with Arsenal's hosting of Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners knowing a win would see them go top of the table while for the Cherries a success would see them move clear of the drop zone. Arsenal struck an opener through Gabriel in the 27th minute for a 1-0 lead that despite a battling performance from Bournemouth looked to be enough for the Gunners to seal top spot and they confirmed the win with a 63rd minute strike from Mesut Ozil who sealed the 2-0 success.

Traditionally, Manchester United against Chelsea at Old Trafford had been a game between two title challengers but this time around, United sat sixth while the Blues sat down in 14th. Both sides were desperate for a confidence building win with United winless in five and the Blues with just one win in as many games. So it was no real surprise given their recent form that the sides were evenly matched on the night in sharing the points in a 0-0 draw.

West Ham United hosted Southampton at Upton Park with hopes of closing the gap to the top four while the Saints looked to seal back-to-back wins for the first time since early November. The Saints were gifted an early lead as Carl Jenkinson deflected a shot into his own net for a 1-0 lead inside 13 minutes. However, the Hammers battled back in the second half and turned the game around with two goals in ten minutes as Michail Antonio levelled in the 69th minute and Andy Carroll sealed a 2-1 win with a header on 79 minutes.

Tuesday night saw the top of the table clash between Leicester City and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium with the Foxes eager to reclaim top spot from Arsenal while City looked to close the gap on their opponents in second spot. Neither side came out on top as they shared the points in a tight 0-0 draw.

The final game of the year came on Wednesday night as second bottom Sunderland hosted Liverpool at the Stadium of Light and with the Black Cats seven points from safety a win was sorely needed while the Reds looked to end 2015 with back-to-back wins. A fairly tight first half saw the sides remain level at 0-0 but the parity lasted less than a minute after the restart as Christian Benteke slotted in to make it 1-0. The Belgian's second goal in as many games proved to be enough to seal the points for the Reds who moved up to seventh.

Foxes Stay Top Despite Anfield Loss

Although it was the final weekend of the year, the Premier League's 18th gameweek was to be the penultimate round of games ahead of a short turnaround for GW 19 across the 28th, 29th and 30th. Also, the weekend was the first time this season that all 20 sides had played on the same day which used to be the norm before TV influx of the 90's but across the games, there were eight who claimed a shut-out while just six sides scored more than once.

The early kick-off saw Stoke City host Manchester United at the Britannia Stadium with the Potters looking to edge towards the top half while United hoped to avoid a third consecutive league defeat. The hosts made the first breakthrough as early as the 19th minute as Bojan Krkic fired them into a 1-0 lead and their joy was quickly doubled as Marko Arnautovic continued his fine run of form with a stunning strike in the 26th minute. At 2-0, Stoke were comfortable as United failed to cause them any real trouble and as such, the hosts held firm in the second half to seal a famous win that saw the visitors and under pressure boss- Louis Van Gaal slip down to sixth.

A staggering seven games came in the bracket of the '3pm kick-off' beginning with bottom side Aston Villa's hosting of West Ham United at Villa Park with the hosts still to secure a win since the first game of the season while the Hammers looked to cut the gap to the top four. A tight first half from both sides looked to be ending all square but West Ham had other ideas as they struck a late opener via Aaron Cresswell to lead 1-0 at the interval. Villa's season had seen them claim just three points in the last nine games but they made it four in ten with a 62nd minute equaliser as Jordan Ayew made it 1-1 from the penalty spot.

AFC Bournemouth hosted high-flying Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium with the Cherries keen to widen their gap above the bottom three while the Eagles had the chance to move up to fifth with a positive result. Despite being at opposite ends of the standings, the sides were hard to part in a tight game that saw neither able to open the scoring and as a result they shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw.

After a debut win in charge of the Blues, Guus Hiddink's Chelsea hosted in-form Watford at Stamford Bridge looking to avoid slipping into the bottom three while the Hornets had the chance to move into fifth with a victory. The Blues made the first breakthrough in the 32nd minute as Diego Costa put them 1-0 to the good but the visitors denied them a half-time lead as Troy Deeney levelled from the penalty spot in the 42nd minute to make it 1-1 into the interval. Watford completed their comeback in the 56th minute as in-form Odion Ighalo extended his superb scoring streak to open up a 2-1 lead but their joy was to be short lived as Costa struck for a second time just nine minutes later to seal a point in a 2-2 draw.

Liverpool hosted table toppers Leicester City at Anfield desperate to improve their poor home form while the Foxes had the chance to go five points clear at the top. Both sides were evenly matched in the first half with some good chances forcing saves from both Simon Mignolet and Kasper Schmeichel. The Reds managed to open the scoring in the 63rd minute as substitute Christian Benteke rifled past the helpless Schemeichel to give the hosts a 1-0 lead, the Foxes rallied to try and draw level but were denied by a strong Reds defence. Liverpool held firm to secure a vital home win and become the first team to keep the Foxes out this season thereby ending their run of scoring in 22 consecutive games.

Manchester City had the chance to close up on top spot as they hosted struggling Sunderland who were desperate for a win to prevent being cut adrift in the bottom three. City laid a good foundation to their hopes of a win by racing into a 2-0 lead inside 17 minutes after strikes from Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure. Wilfried Bony made it 3-0 just five minutes later to leave the visitors needing a miracle comeback to avoid a heavy defeat. However, City struck a fourth in the 54th minute with Kevin De Bruyne adding to Sunderland's woes before the visitors got off the mark with a 59th minute effort from Fabio Borini but the strike was a small consolation in a 4-1 rout.

Swansea City hosted West Bromwich Albion at the Liberty Stadium desperate to end a run of seven games without a win that put them into the bottom three while the Baggies hoped to extend their gap above the drop zone with a victory.  The Swans flew out of the traps to take the lead inside nine minutes with Ki Sung-yeung firing them into a 1-0 lead. The early success for the hosts proved to be enough to claim a much needed three points as the Baggies were unable to break down a rarely strong Swans backline which leaves them without a win in five games.

Completing the 3pm games was Tottenham Hotspur's hosting of Norwich City at White Hart Lane with Spurs looking to move into fourth spot with a win while the Canaries hoped to avoid slipping into the bottom three. Harry Kane struck a 25th minute opener for the hosts from the penalty spot before making it 2-0 three minutes before half-time. The Canaries had won just twice in the previous nine and it was plain to see why as they failed to mount a challenge to cut the deficit which with ten minutes left was increased to 3-0 as Tom Carroll completed a perfect afternoon that put Spurs just six points off the top.

The first of two evening kick-offs saw Newcastle United host Everton at St James Park with the Magpies keen to move out of the bottom three with a win while the Toffees had the chance to move back into the top half. A tight game saw both sides have great chances to open the scoring but it seems the best was saved till last as Tom Cleverley headed a 93rd minute winner for the Blues as they claimed a 1-0 success.

Southampton faced Arsenal in the final game of the day with the Gunners looking to dethrone Leicester at the top as they visited St Marys with the Saints looking to end a run of five games without a win. A stellar strike from Coco Martina in the 19th minute saw the hosts lead 1-0 into the half-time break before a strike from Shane Long ten minutes after the restart made it 2-0 leaving the Gunners with a difficult task to overcome. However, a fine headed effort from Saints captain Jose Fonte looked to have sealed the win at 3-0 in the 69th minute but Southampton went one better as Long slotted in his second and the hosts' fourth goal in the 90th minute to complete a routing of an Arsenal side who had lost just one of the previous nine games.

Foxes Top at Xmas While Hornets Sting Reds

Ahead of the packed festive programme, gameweek 17 of the Premier League saw some early Christmas presents for struggling sides while some high-fliers suffered massively. A mixed week for defences with three sides scoring three goals while just four teams kept a clean sheet.

As there was no early kick-off on Saturday, six games took place at 3pm but after the sacking of Jose Mourinho and subsequent re-signing of Guus Hiddink for the remainder of the season, the focus was on Stamford Bridge as Chelsea hosted fellow strugglers Sunderland. The Blues seemed to have shrugged off their recent woes by taking an early lead inside five minutes via Branislav Ivanovic and were soon two goals to the good just eight minutes later as Pedro made it 2-0. Oscar looked to have sealed the win as he made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 50th minute but a quick response from the visitors saw Fabio Borini score for 3-1 but they were unable to cut the gap as the Blues earned a rare victory.

Everton hosted league leaders Leicester City at Goodison Park looking to close the gap on the top four while the Foxes knew a win would see them top the tree at Christmas. Riyad Mahrez put the visitors ahead with a 27th minute penalty but the hosts responded well and were level within five minutes as Romelu Lukaku continued his scoring streak to make it 1-1. Mahrez made it two from two from the spot with his second in the 65th minute and the Foxes opened up a two goal lead with Shinji Okazaki's strike just four minutes later for 3-1. The Toffees set up a tense finish after Kevin Mirallas made it 3-2 in the 89th minute but the Foxes held on to cap a superb year going from sitting bottom last Christmas to at least two points clear at the top this time around.

Manchester United hosted Norwich City at Old Trafford with both looking for an upturn in their mixed run of form with the Canaries knowing a win could see them escape the bottom three while the top three called for the hosts. United had been poor in front of goal recently and were unable to register a shot on target in a first half that ended with them 1-0 down after a 38th minute opener from Cameron Jerome.

Norwich were two goals to the good within nine minutes of the restart as Alex Tettey slotted in for 2-0 but United did have a say on the scoreline if only a small one as Anthony Martial made it 2-1 in the 66th minute but the Canaries managed to hold on to their lead and secured a potentially crucial win that took them out of the danger zone and plied the pressure on United boss Louis Van Gaal.

Tottenham Hotspur had the chance to leapfrog United as they hosted Southampton at White Hart Lane with the Saints keen to move into the top half with a first win in five games. The sides seemed to be evenly matched in the first half an hour but they were anything but at the interval as Spurs scored twice in three minutes before the break as Harry Kane and Dele Alli made it 2-0. The hosts were unable to stage a comeback and suffered back-to-back defeats while the visitors secured their first success for four games.

Stoke City hosted high-flying Crystal Palace at the Britannia Stadium looking to move into the top half while the Eagles had they sights set on the top four. A tight first half ended with the Eagles being handed a penalty which Connor Wickham slotted in for a 1-0 lead at the break. Stoke were awarded a chance to level from the spot on 76 minutes which Bojan Krkic slotted in for 1-1 but they were to fall behind late on as Lee Chung-Yong sealed a 2-1 win for the visitors in the 88th minute.

West Bromwich Albion had their sights on a place in the top half as they hosted Bournemouth at The Hawthorns with the Cherries hoping to move further away from the drop zone. The Baggies suffered a blow on 34 minutes as James McClean was sent off for a horrible challenge but it took until the 52nd minute for the Cherries to take advantage as Adam Smith made it 1-0. Gareth McAuley levelled for the ten men in the 79th minute but a Charlie Daniels penalty with three minutes left looked to have sealed a 2-1 win but the woe for the hosts was compounded in added time as Salomon Rondon was sent off leaving them with nine men.

The evening kick off saw a battle between to struggling sides as Newcastle United hosted bottom side Aston Villa at St James Park with Villa hoping to seal just their second win in 17 games. The Magpies had other ideas though as Fabrizio Coloccini put them 1-0 ahead in the 38th minute but Villa avoided defeat with a 61st minute leveller from Jordan Ayew proving to be enough to secure just their seventh point of the season in a 1-1 draw.

Super Sunday began with high-flying Watford hosting Liverpool at Vicarage Road with the Hornets looking to move to within a point of the top four with a fourth win in a row while the Reds looked for a second win in four games. The hosts were gifted a perfect start as a fumble by Adam Bogdan allowed Nathan Ake open the scoring inside three minutes before a clever effort from in-form striker Odion Ighalo doubled the Hornets lead in the 13th minute. The Reds were unable to pull a goal back in a lacklustre hour after going 2-0 down and coupled with an injury to Martin Skrtel, they afternoon could only get worse as Ighalo made it 3-0 with five minutes left of the 90 leaving the Reds in ninth.

Swansea City hosted West Ham United at the Liberty Stadium in the second part of Super Sunday with both sides desperate for a win that would end a poor run of form. The Hammers had drawn the last three games while the Swans had lost the trio so in a close game, the hosts were the happier as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

The final game before Christmas saw a clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners looking to leapfrog their opponents in second place with a win while City had the chance to cut Leicester's gap at the top to three points. The Gunners took a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute through Theo Walcott before going two goals to the good just before the interval as in-form Olivier Giroud made it 2-0 in the 45th minute. City remained in the hunt as the game entered the final 15 minutes and set up a tight finish as Yaya Toure made it 2-1 with a superb strike on 82 minutes but it was to be only a consolation as the Gunners went into the festive period just two points off the top.

Foxes Stun Champions While Reds Late Show Denies Baggies

Ahead of what could be the one of the most exciting festive periods in Premier League history, week 16 became one of the lowest scoring weekends of the season with just seven sides managing to score twice while only four sides claimed clean sheets.

Saturday's opener saw Norwich City host Everton at Carrow Road with the Canaries looking to move out of the bottom three and prevent the Toffees from closing up on the top four. However, their hopes were dented early on as Everton opened the scoring in the 15th minute as the in-form Romelu Lukaku made it 1-0. The Canaries bounced back just after the restart as Wes Hoolahan equalised in the 47th minute for 1-1 and despite both sides rallying for a winning goal, they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

In a battle between two sides looking to move into the top half, Crystal Palace hosted Southampton at Selhurst Park in the first of just four 3pm games. The Eagles were in good form ahead of the game while the Saints were on a mixed run so it was no real surprise that the hosts struck first as Yohan Cabaye fired them into the lead after 38 minutes. Southampton looked to draw level but were unable to breach the Palace defence which ensured the hosts sealed a 1-0 win leaving the Saints without a win in four.



Manchester City had eyes on taking top spot as they hosted a Swansea City side desperate to end a poor run of form which had seen them win just once in nine games. The hosts struck an opener in the 26th minute as former Swans attacker Wilfried Bony made it 1-0 and his side were unlucky not to add to their advantage as the game went on.

The win looked to be on course for the hosts until a leveller from Bafetembi Gomis in the 90th minute saw him end a barren run in front of goal for 1-1. The joy was soured by a deflected effort just minutes later from Kelechi Ihenacho for 2-1 which saw City leapfrog Leicester into top spot.

Sunderland hosted high-flying Watford at the Stadium of Light looking to move out of the bottom three while the Hornets had the chance to go up to seventh. The hosts have had a poor season so far and less than four minutes into the game, their woes were extended as Odion Ighalo fired the visitors into the lead. The game became a tight one between the sides and though they battled on, Sunderland were unable to draw level leaving Watford to claim the points in a 1-0 win and sit comfortably in the top half.

West Ham hosted Stoke City at Upton Park with both sides harbouring hopes of bridging the gap to the top four. However, the sides seemed to evenly matched not only in the table but also on the pitch as they shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

Saturday Night Football saw Bournemouth host Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium with the Cherries looking to record back-to-back SNF wins after last week's win over Chelsea while United had the chance to close up at the top. The Cherries raced out of the blocks with an opening goal from Junior Stanislas coming straight from a corner in the second minute. United drew level in the 24th minute as Marouane Fellaini made it 1-1 but the hosts were able to regain the lead just seven minutes after the interval with as Josh King struck the winning goal to seal a 2-1 win.

Sunday's action started with bottom side Aston Villa hosting Arsenal at Villa Park with the Villa looking to secure a rare victory while the Gunners eyed up top spot. A good start for the visitors saw them given a great chance to open the scoring as they were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute which Olivier Giroud slotted in to make it 1-0.

Villa's woes this season have seen them have two managers and current coach Remi Garde's task of a win grew even tougher before half-time as Aaron Ramsey made it 2-0 in the 38th minute. The two goal lead for Arsenal proved to be enough to send them above Man City at the top and leave Villa eight points from safety.

Liverpool hosted West Bromwich Albion at Anfield looking to avoid back-to-back defeats while the Baggies hoped to widen their advantage over the bottom three. The Reds opened the scoring in the 21st minute as returning captain Jordan Henderson scored on his first league start since August but his effort was soon cancelled out by a clever equaliser from Craig Dawson who made it 1-1 on the half hour mark.

Completing Sunday's trio of games was Tottenham Hotspur's hosting of Newcastle United at White Hart Lane with Spurs eyeing up a top four spot while the Magpies hoped to increase their advantage over the bottom three.  The hosts struck first with Eric Dier heading in to make it 1-0 after 39 minutes and the sides remained just one goal apart until deep in the second half when Aleksandar Mitrovic levelled in the 74th minute and the Magpies sealed their second win in a row with a last-gasp strike from Ayoze Perez for 2-1.

The weekend's action came to an end with Monday Night Football which saw high-flying Leicester City host struggling champions Chelsea with the Foxes keen to regain top spot and prevent the Blues from moving clear of the bottom three. After missing out on the chance to extend his scoring record last week, Jamie Vardy laid the foundations for a new streak as he made it 1-0 to the hosts in the 34th minute and the Foxes doubled their lead just three minutes after the interval. Riyad Mahrez fired in a stunning effort to make it 2-0 and leave the visitors with a huge task to prevent a ninth defeat in a poor season so far. They ticked the first box to a comeback with a 77th minute strike from Loic Remy but at 2-1 they were unable to draw level leaving them just one point above the drop zone while the Foxes moved two clear at the top.

Europa League Matchday Six Review

After the Champions League group stage reached the end leaving eight third placed sides confirmed to drop down into this competition, the Europa League itself also ended the group stage this week with matchday six.

A
In a group where three sides battled for two qualification places, Ajax hosted Molde with the hosts needing a win to advance while the visitors could qualify even with a defeat. The Dutch side boosted their hopes of qualifying as they took an early lead via a 14th minute opener from Van de Beek before being pegged back on 29 minutes by an equaliser from Singh for 1-1. The sides remained level long into the second half with the only notable action before the end seeing Gudelj dismissed on 90 minutes for the hosts who exited the competition.

Fenerbache hosted already eliminated Celtic knowing that a win would guarantee qualification but a draw would need a similar result in the other game for them to advance. Their pursuit of a win was boosted as early as the 39th minute as Lazar Markovic fired them 1-0 ahead but they received a blow on 67 minutes as Diego was dismissed. Celtic utilised their numerical advantage to good effect as they levelled through Kris Commons on 75 minutes but a 1-1 draw was the best they could salvage.


B
Already eliminated Bordeaux hosted Rubin Kazan with the visitors needing a win and a favour from Liverpool to qualify for the next stage. They started their hunt for the win with a 31st minute opening goal from Kanunnikov for 1-0 before the hosts who turned the game around to 2-1 in the space of five minutes with strikes from Laborde and Rolan on 58 and 63 minutes. The Russians levelled with 14 minutes left through Ustinov for 2-2 and despite the hosts going down to ten men with Guilbert's 86th minute dismissal, they were unable to regain the lead and joined their opponents in exiting the competition.

Already qualified Liverpool had eyes on confirming top spot as they hosted a Sion side knowing a draw at the very least would see them join the Reds in the next stage. Both sides seemed to be evenly matched in an average 90 minutes that saw the Reds field a mixed team but in a 0-0 draw, they were happy to end the stage unbeaten while the Swiss side celebrated reaching the next stage for the first time.

C
Already qualified Borussia Dortmund had eyes on top spot as they hosted a PAOK side who looked for their first win with third spot already confirmed as their best possible finish. A tight game between the sides was settled by just a single goal as the Greeks sealed their long awaited first victory with a 33rd minute strike from Robert Mak to seal a 1-0 win.

FC Qabala hosted group leaders FC Krasnodar having already been eliminated but hoping to end with their first win while the Russians hoped to guarantee top spot having already qualified for the next stage. The visitors opened the scoring in the 26th minute as Sigurdsson made it 1-0 before they doubled their lead to 2-0 just before the interval through Pereyra. The gloss on a comfortable win for the group winners came as Carneiro struck for 3-0 in the 76th minute.


D
In a three way battle against Legia Warsaw to advance, FC Midtjylland hosted Club Brugge knowing a win would guarantee qualification as would a draw but the latter would depend on Legia's result while Brugge knew only a victory would see them advance. The hosts struck an opener in the 27th minute through Sisto and looked to be on course to sail into the next stage as the game reached the hour mark but they were soon pegged back by a leveller from Vossen on 68 minutes for 1-1. Both sides pushed for a winner but to no avail as they shared the points and in doing so the hosts secured their place in the next stage.

Already qualified Napoli hosted Legia Warsaw with an immaculate group campaign of 18 points in their sights while the Poles looked to avoid finishing bottom with a win. A seven goal thriller between the sides saw the Italians strike first with a seven minute salvo ahead of half-time as Chabolah and Insigne scored in the 32nd and 39th minutes for 2-0. Callejon added a third just before the hour mark before Vranjes pulled one back for the visitors to make it 3-1. However, any hopes of a comeback were dented within five minutes as Mertens made it 4-1 but Poles looked to have the last say as Prijovic made it 4-2 in the final minutes but even that joy left them as Mertens claimed his second to secure a 5-2 win and confirm a 100% record for Napoli atop the group.
 

E
Already qualified Rapid Vienna looked to confirm top spot as they hosted eliminated Dinamo Minsk who in turn hoped to avoid finishing in bottom spot. The Austrians struck an opener in the 29th minute as Hofmann made it 1-0 and they were two goals to the good by the hour mark after Jelic's effort for 2-0. Dinamo had the last say on what has been a disappointing campaign as they made it 2-1 through Abdussalam on 64 minutes but the goal was just a consolation as the hosts celebrated topping the group.

Viktoria Plzen having already been eliminated and guaranteed third spot had nothing really to lose as they hosted a Villarreal side who had already qualified but were hoping a favour from Dinamo would enable to try and top the group. The two sides shared six goals in a thrilling game that saw the lead change three times and started with Kolar slotting in an eighth minute opener from the penalty spot for 1-0 only to have the effort cancelled out just before half-time as Bakambu equalised for 1-1. Dos Santos put the visitors 2-1 up on 62 minutes before a rapid leveller just three minutes later from Kovarik made it 2-2. The hosts regained their earlier lead in the final minutes as Horava made it 3-2 but their joy was quickly dampened as Soriano Llido scored in added time to salvage a 3-3 draw.

F
Already eliminated FC Groningen hosted group leaders and already qualified Sporting Braga who knew a positive result would confirm them as group winner while the hosts looked to end the stage with their first win. However, the group standings were defied by the match itself as the two sides shared the points in a 0-0 draw which was enough to seal top spot for the Portuguese side.

In the battle to claim the remaining qualifying spot, Slovan Liberec hosted Olympique Marseille knowing a win for either side would be enough to qualify but a draw would see the French side claim a place in the last 32. The visitors started the better of the two sides and opened the scoring inside 14 minutes through Batshuayi before storming into a 3-0 lead with two goals in five minutes either side of the interval from Mdiba and Barrada before two goals in as many minutes from the hosts in the 75th and 76th minutes made it 3-2 as Bakos slotted in a penalty ahead of Sural's effort. Marseille sealed the win and a place in the next stage with a 90th minute strike from Ocampos who made it 4-2.

G
In a meeting between the two eliminated sides, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk hosted Rosenborg with both sides hoping to avoid propping up the group. The hosts started the better of the two sides and took a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute through Nasciemento who added a second on the hour to make it 2-0. Rosenborg went into the game without a win in their five games and the woeful streak was extended further as Shakhov sealed the points for the Ukrainians with a 79th minute effort to make it 3-0.

St Etienne hosted fellow qualifiers Lazio with the Italians knowing anything but a heavy defeat would result in them becoming group winners. A tight affair between the two sides saw Lazio open the scoring in the 52nd minute through Matri only to be denied the win with 14 minutes remaining as Eysseric struck to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw.

H
This group saw all but the eliminated Skenderbeu Korce remain in contention to qualify going into the final round of games with the basement boys playing host to Lokomotiv Moscow who knew a win coupled with a failure to win from Beskitas would secure top spot and qualification to the next stage.

The Russians started their task well by taking an early lead in the 18th minute as Tarasov made it 1-0 but the hosts did well to keep the gap down to one goal long into the second half and with five minutes left, the visitors were anxious of a late equaliser but they were soon safely in the next round as Niasse and Samedov struck in the final two minutes to wrap up a 3-0 victory and secure top spot in the group.

The battle for the other spot in the last 32 saw Sporting Lisbon host the current group leaders Besiktas who needed just a draw to secure a spot in the next stage while their hosts needed a win. The Turks opened the scoring in the 58th minute as Mario Gomez made it 1-0 but the hosts turned the game around with two goals in the space of five minutes from Slimani and Ruiz. Sporting extended their lead with a quick third from Gutierrez to secure a 3-1 win which was enough to leapfrog their opponents and claim a place in the last 32.

I
Already qualified Fiorentina hosted eliminated Belenenses knowing regardless of the result they would finish in second spot while the visitors looked to avoid propping up the group with a win and hoping Lech failed to better their result. The Italians sealed the points with a single goal victory courtesy of a 67th minute strike from Babacar to finish on 10 points and leave the Portuguese side to hope Lech suffered a heavy defeat in order to finish in third spot.

Lech Poznan hosted group winners Basel hoping to claim third spot with only their second win of the campaign while Basel hoped to end the stage with five wins from six games. The Swiss side needed only one goal to secure the win with the vital strike coming in the 50th minute from Boëtius which secured their fifth success and as the hosts only suffered a narrow defeat they sealed third spot ahead of Belenenses. 


J
Already qualified RSC Anderlecht hosted eliminated FC Qarabag needing a win to remain in the hunt for top spot while a win for the visitors would give them a chance of avoid propping up the group. The visitors took a surprise lead in the 26th minute as Quintana put them ahead at 1-0 only for his effort to be rapidly cancelled out by an equaliser from Najar for 1-1. The Belgians struck again just three minutes later as Okaka made it 2-1 and despite a battling spirit from the visitors to draw level, the host held firm to claim the win and leave Qarabag bottom of the group. 

Alike Anderlecht, Tottenham had already qualified and as they hosted eliminated Monaco, they knew that a positive result would be enough to secure top spot in the group while for the French side even a defeat could see them finish in this spot. A 35 minute first-half hat-trick from Erik Lamela saw Spurs take control with the midfielder striking in the second, 15th and 37th minutes to make it 3-0. Monaco pulled one back through El Shaarawy in the 61st minute before Tom Carroll completed the 4-1 rout for the hosts with a 77th minute strike. 

K
Eliminated Apoel Nicosia hosted already qualified Sparta Prague looking to move off the foot of the group with a win while the visitors knew a win and a defeat for Schalke in the other game would see them claim top spot. The hosts took a surprise lead as early as the 16th minute as Cavenaghi made it 1-0 and Apoel did well to maintain their lead past the hour mark before being pegged back by a 63rd minute equaliser from Julis. The Czechs built on their leveller with two goals in ten minutes from Lafata whose 77th and 87th minute efforts secured a 3-1 win which condemned the hosts to fourth spot in the group.

Already eliminated Asteras Tripoli hosted group leaders and already qualified Schalke 04 who knew that a win would be enough to see them become group winners into the last 32. The Germans took the lead in the 29th minute as Di Santo made it 1-0 and they were two goals to the good as Choupo-Moting made it 2-0 in the 37th minute. The hosts had scored four times in their five games but were unable to add to their collection as Schalke struck a third and fourth in the final 12 minutes with Choupo-Moting claiming his second on 78 minutes ahead of Meyer's 86th minute strike to complete a 4-0 rout.

L
Already qualified Athletic Bilbao hosted eliminated AZ Alkmaar knowing a win would see them claim top spot. However, they fell behind inside 26 minutes after an opener from Van Overdeem but went into the interval on level terms after Clemente equalised in the 44th minute for 1-1. The hosts completed the comeback by taking a 2-1 lead just two minutes after the restart with Mikel San Jose slotting in a penalty but their joy was soured late on as the visitors salvaged a draw with an 88th minute own goal from Teixidor for 2-2.

In a battle to claim the remaining spot in the last 32, Partizan Belgrade hosted FC Augsburg knowing that a positive result would see them advance while a win for the Germans would put them into the next stage. The hosts boosted their position by taking the lead after only 11 minutes through Oumarou but in the space of eight minutes either side of the interval they went from 1-0 ahead to 2-1 behind as Jeong-Ho and Verhaegh scored for the visitors. The hosts chances of a comeback suffered a blow as the game reached the final ten minutes as Zivkovic was sent off and their fate was sealed late on as Bobadilla struck in the 89th minute to confirm a 3-1 win that sent Augsburg into the last 32.