FA Cup Round Three Review Part Two

The second part of the third round action begins with the only one postponement across the afternoon's games which given the bad weather was a surprise but for the fans of League two side Newport County and Championship side Blackburn Rovers it was a late decision to call the game off which left them with a midweek re-arrangement.

League Two side Northampton Town hosted Championship side Milton Keynes Dons with the hosts eyeing a potential 'cupset'. However, such a result was dented early on as Cresswell hit into his own net to give the Dons the lead on 13 minutes. The Cobblers staged a stunning turnaround as Holmes struck a nine minute brace in the 49th and 58th minutes to make it 2-1 but they were denied a famous win by a late leveller as Maynard made it 2-2 in the 82nd minute to force a replay.

A battle between two sides at either end of the Premier League table saw Norwich City host Manchester City with the Canaries hoping to boost a mixed season so far while the Sky Blues looked to add another win to their already successful season in the domestic cups. The visitors struck an early opener as Sergio Aguero made it 1-0 on 13 minutes before Kevin De Bruyne doubled the lead in the 31st minute. The Canaries battled to cut the deficit but had their fate sealed midway through the second half as Kelechi Ihenacho wrapped up a 3-0 victory in the 78th minute.


An all Championship battle saw Nottingham Forest host Queens Park Rangers at the City Ground with both the former top flight sides hoping to extend their fine runs in the competition so far. The tie was a close run one with just one goal separating the sides across the 90 minutes with Ward's 24th minute strike enough for the hosts to secure a 1-0 win.

League One side Peterborough United hosted Championship side Preston North End with hopes of a 'cupset' against a side going well in the division above. The hosts made a stunning start as they struck a seventh minute opener through Samuelson and the narrow lead was doubled just seven minutes after the half-time break as in-form Conor Washington made it 2-0. The two goal lead proved to be enough to hold of the visitors as United secured a famous win.

A battle between two former top flight sides currently residing in the Championship saw Sheffield Wednesday host Fulham as Hillsborough. The sides were evenly matched in the first half including scoring a goal each in the final minutes as Barry Bannan gave the Owls the lead on 42 minutes only for the Cottagers to strike back instantly through Dembélé for 1-1 at the interval. The tie was settled midway through the second half as Nuhiu secured a 2-1 win in the 73rd minute.

An all top flight tie saw Southampton face Crystal Palace at St Marys Stadium with both looking to extend reasonable first halves to the season. The Eagles struck an opener in the 29th minute through Joel Ward but were pegged back by a 51st minute equaliser as Oriol Romeu made it 1-1. The tie was decided with a strike in the 68th minute as Wilfred Zaha struck for the Eagles to seal a 2-1 win.

Another top flight battle saw high flying Watford host struggling Newcastle United at Vicarage Road with the Magpies keen to boost a poor season that sees them sit in the bottom three. The tie was settled by just a single goal across the 90 minutes as the Hornets secured a 1-0 success after a 44th minute strike from Troy Deeney.

Top flight West Bromwich Albion hosted Championship side Bristol City at The Hawthorns with the visitors looking to stage a surprise on their Premier League hosts. The first half was a tight affair as the sides remained level at 0-0 into the interval and the deadlock continued past the hour mark until an opener from Saido Berahino put the Baggies in front on 67 minutes.

City drew level just seven minutes later through Kodjia before taking a surprise lead with seven minutes left of the 90 as Agard made it 2-1. However, their joy was to be dented as James Morrison salvaged a 2-2 draw in added time to force a replay.

Another tie between a top flight and Championship side saw West Ham United host Wolverhampton Wanderers with the visitors looking to pass the test against higher league opposition. The tie was a close run one as the sides remained level at 0-0 long into the second half with a late penalty from Nikica Jelavic sealing a 1-0 win in the 85th minute.

The late kick-off saw another top flight- Championship tie as  Manchester United hosted Sheffield United. The two sides looked destined for a replay at Bramall Lane as the game remained goalless deep into the the second half. The tie was sealed with a last-gasp goal as Wayne Rooney slotted in a 93rd minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win for the hosts.

Sunday saw the remaining four ties starting with the early kick-off between League Two promotion hopefuls Oxford United and Premier League strugglers Swansea City at the Kassam Stadium. The Swans took the lead through Jefferson Monterson on 23 minutes before being pegged back in the final seconds of the first half as Sercombe made it 1-1 from the penalty spot. A 15 minute brace from Kemar Roofe turned the tie around as he struck in the 49th and 59th minutes for 3-1. Bafetimbi Gomis pulled the deficit back to 3-2 in the 66th minute but the Swans were unable to prevent the hosts from claiming a famous 'cupset'.

An all League Two meeting saw Carlisle United host Yeovil Town meaning at least one side from the division would reach the fourth round but both sides went into the draw for the next round after a 2-2 draw. Grainger put the hosts ahead in the 25th minute only for the Glovers to level in the 71st minute though Zoko but the sides were level for just five minutes as Ellis regained the lead for the hosts on 76 minutes and the visitors forced a replay late on with a late strike from Jeffers in added time.

Premier League champions Chelsea hosted League One side Scunthorpe United with the visitors hoping to stage a huge 'cupset' akin to Bradford's against the Blues in last seasons fourth round. However, the Blues had taken lessons from last season and secured a 2-0 win to book a spot in the next round. Diego Costa got them off the mark in the 13th minute before a first senior goal for Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the 68th minute completed the win.

The final top flight battle of the round saw high flying duo Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City meet at White Hart Lane. Spurs opened the scoring with an early strike from Christian Eriksen in the ninth minute before the Foxes levelled through Marcin Wasilewski in the 19th minute.

Shinji Okazaki made it 2-1 to the visitors but they will face a replay at the King Power Stadium after  late penalty from Harry Kane made it 2-2 in the 89th minute.

Championship side Cardiff City hosted League One side Shrewsbury Town with the visitors keen to stage a 'cupset' on the former top flight side. The Shrews did just that as they edged a tight game with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of 62nd minutes strike from Mangan.

FA Cup Third Round Review Part One

The dawn of a new year means a resuming of the FA Cup which is at the hallowed third round stage, traditionally full of excitement and few 'cupsets' but unlike previous seasons, I will be covering the round in full which means a huge 32 games and as such, the review will be in two parts with the replays forming a separate piece later in the month.

The round began on Friday night as League Two side Exeter City entertained a depleted Liverpool side at St James' Park. The Reds recent injury crisis left them with the ability to name only five senior players in their 17 with only Christian Benteke in the starting XI having made more than four appearances for the club. Exeter stormed into the lead as expected but it was a surprise that Tom Nichols slotted in after only nine minutes.

The youthful Reds replied with an equaliser from Jerome Sinclair just three minutes later for 1-1 but went into the interval 2-1 down after a stunning corner from Lee Holmes fooled Adam Bogdan and went straight in in the 45th minute. Liverpool avoided defeat but will have to replay up at Anfield after Brad Smith salvaged a 2-2 draw with a 73rd minute effort.

This part includes all of Saturday's action with the exception of the evening game but the action began early on as League Two play-off hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers hosted top flight basement boys Aston Villa. Remi Garde's Villans had yet to secure a win under his charge and with a strong side named there would be no excuses in this game. Micah Richards started the pursuit of success with a 22nd minute opener but the lead lasted until the 50th minute when the hosts were awarded a penalty which Joe Jacobsen slotted in for 1-1 to secure a replay at Villa Park.

In a battle between two sides at either end of the Premier League, Arsenal hosted Sunderland as they began the pursuit of becoming the first side since Blackburn (1884-1886) to win the competition in three consecutive seasons. However, their title defence suffered an early blow as the visitors took the lead with a 17th minute effort from Jeremain Lens but parity was soon restored as Joel Campbell equalised in the 25th minute.

Arsenal looked the stronger of the sides as the score remained level long into the second half but the tie was wrapped up by two goals in three minutes as Aaron Ramsey (72) and Olivier Giroud (75) sealed a 3-1 triumph.

Championship side Birmingham City hosted top flight AFC Bournemouth at St Andrews hoping to avoid a repeat of the 8-0 humiliation that the Cherries handed them in their last visit.  The Blues ensured such a repeat was dead in the water by taking the lead through Michael Morrison in the 40th minute but they would go into the interval on level terms as Lee Tomlin slotted in a penalty on 44 minutes for 1-1. The game seemed destined for a replay at the Vitality Stadium with the sides still level into the final ten minutes but Bournemouth had other ideas and sealed a 2-1 win with an 85th minute winner from Glenn Murray.

After leaving League One side Walsall to take charge at Championship side Brentford, Dean Smith must have been cursing the fact the draw had paired them together and was wary of an upset from his former side. His worries were confirmed before half-time as Sam Manton fired the Saddlers into the lead in the 34th minute in superb style. The hosts battled to draw level and even force a replay but to no avail as the first real 'cupset' of the day was completed with the visitors claiming a 1-0 success.

Last season, Bradford City dumped top flight Chelsea out in the fourth round but to have a chance of a repeat they would have to get past fellow League One side Bury at Gigg Lane. The sides sat just two places apart in the league standings so it was no surprise that they played out a 0-0 draw and will go again at Valley Parade in a replay.

League One side Colchester United hosted Championship side Charlton Athletic looking to stage a shock against the former Premier League team and after just 28 minutes, they were on course for success with an opening goal from Moncur.

Their 1-0 lead became 2-0 just before the half-time break as Marvin Sordell struck in the 41st minute but the Addicks set up a tense finish with a late strike from Reza Ghoochannejhad for 2-1 in the 90th minute but the hosts held on to secure a famous win.

Championship side Doncaster Rovers hosted top flight Stoke City with hopes of a 'giant-killing' against the Capital One Cup semi-finalists. However, it came as no surprise that the visitors took the lead as Peter Crouch fired them 1-0 ahead inside 15 minutes but the hosts battled back and drew level on 25 minutes through Nathan Tyson for 1-1. Stoke secured a place in the next round just before the hour mark as Jon Walters slotted in a 57th minute effort to claim a 2-1 win.

The third round traditionally has a number of non-league sides but this year, just one featured as Eastleigh played host to Championship strugglers Bolton Wanderers. The hosts did superbly to hold their higher league opponents to 0-0 in the first half before being gifted a shock lead just six minutes after the restart as Dervite deflected into his own net. The biggest 'cupset' of the round looked to be on the cards as the 1-0 lead remained with just five minutes left but the visitors spoiled the impending joy with an 87th minute leveller from Pratley to salvage a 1-1 draw and force a replay.

Top flight Everton looked to avoid a 'giant-killing' as they hosted League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge having slipped up to lower-league opponents in recent years. The sides were evenly matched in the first half hour before a breakthrough came for the hosts on 32 minutes as Arouna Kone made it 1-0 to the Toffees. The visitors did well to keep the gap to just a single goal but were unable to draw level as the game went on and their fate was sealed with five minutes left of the 90 as Kevin Mirallas slotted in a penalty to complete a 2-0 win.

League Two strugglers Hartlepool United harboured hopes of a staging a 'cupset' as they hosted Championship promotion hopefuls Derby County.  The hosts did well to hold the Rams to a goalless first half before taking a surprise lead in the 61st minute with an effort from Gray but they were rapidly pegged back by a 67th minute leveller from Butterfield for 1-1. The tie looked to be heading towards a replay with the sides remaining locked at 1-1 into the final ten minutes but the Rams secured a spot in the next round with a 2-1 win as Darren Bent struck in the 85th minute.

In an all Championship battle, Huddersfield Town hosted Reading with both keen to advance with hopes of drawing a top flight teams in the fourth round. A tight first half saw the sides go into the break level at 0-0 but the hosts took the lead with 57 minutes played with Paterson making it 1-0, Vydra replied for the visitors in the 71st minute before Hal Robson-Kanu looked to have sealed a 2-1 win with an 87th minute strike. However, the hosts were awarded a late penalty which Wells slotted in to make it 2-2 and force a replay.

Another all Championship battle saw Hull City host Brighton and Hove Albion at the KC Stadium with the Tigers looking to move a step closer to repeating their 2014 run to the final. The hosts did just that as they secured a spot in the fourth round with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of a 41st minute penalty from Robert Snodgrass.

Two former top flight sides faced off as Championship side Ipswich Town hosted League Two side Portsmouth with the visitors hoping to move a step closer to repeating their 2008 win in the final. The sides remained level into the interval before a goal each in the space of two minutes livened up the tie. Ipswich struck first with a 53rd minute opener before Bennett made it 1-1 on 55 minutes. The tie looked to be heading for a replay until Chaplin fired the visitors into a 2-1 lead on 86 minutes but the replay as confirmed within two minutes as Fraser made it 2-2 in the 88th minute.

A Championship face-off saw Leeds United host Rotherham United with both looking to boost a season to forget so far. The hosts struck a lead late in the first half as Carayol marked his debut with the opener in the 45th minute. The narrow lead continued late into the second half when just alike the first half, the hosts struck late on as Doukara sealed a 2-0 win.

Two former top flight sides who are in the promotion battle for a return met at the Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough hosted Burnley. The hosts sat atop the Championship table ahead of the tie so it was no surprise that they struck first as Fabbrini made it 1-0 in the 36th minute. The Clarets avoided a deficit into the interval as Hennings levelled in the 45th minute for 1-1. The visitors completed the comeback with a 71st minute strike from Ward to secure a 2-1 win and a spot in the next round.

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.