EPL round-up: Leicester go top as Machester City, United and Chelsea falter while Arsenal win

Marco Arnautovic tormented a lacklustre Manchester City defence

In the early kickoff, a woeful Manchester City ceded top spot in the league table, going down 2-0 to a wonderfully fluid Stoke City side. Manchester United missed out on the chance to capitalize, drawing 0-0 with West Ham in an eventful match. Leicester are surprise table toppers and surprised their fans further as Jamie Vardy did not score in a 3-0 victory away to Swansea, with Riyad Mahrez grabbing a hat-trick.

Arsenal laboured to a 3-1 win over Sunderland at home, a result that moves them up to 2nd in the table. Chelsea’s tender shoots of recovery were uprooted as they lost 0-1 to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Tottenham remained 5th in the table with a 1-1 draw away to West Brom. Aston Villa’s bid to recover from the bottom echelons of the table took a minor step forward as they drew 1-1 away to Southampton. Watford comfortably beat Norwich City 2-0 to climb to the top half of the table.

Stoke City 2-0 Manchester City

Scorers: Arnautovic 7’, 15’

Xerdan Shaqiri & Marco Arnautovic combined briliantly for both of Stoke’s goals. The first goal involved a lovely shimmy from Shaqiri to get past the fullback on the right wing & his cross was sweetly placed in the corridor of uncertainty for Arnautovic to tap home. Shaqiri was instrumental in the second goal as well, deftly wrong-footing his marker to break through and then bisecting a scrambling City defence with a diagonal through ball that found Arnautovic, who tucked away a composed finish past Joe Hart to put Stoke 2-0 up against the champions within 15 minutes.

Arnautovic could have completed a hat-trick when he was put clean through by Shaqiri once more just before half-time, but struck the post in a one-on-one with Joe Hart. Bojan, Shaqiri and Arnautovic missed additional gilt-edged chances to further the damage in the second half, while a dismal City could barely muster any attacking threat.

Manchester United 0–0 West Ham United

Manchester United did their ‘boring’ reputation no favours as they played out their fifth goalless draw in nine games. The game was anything but boring, however, as both teams missed gilt-edged chances. Victor Moses & Marouane Fellaini were particularly guilty, with the Ghanain missing a one-on-one while the Belgian headed narrowly over. Winston Reid also hit the post with a header before the break.

Zarate and Martial were the chief culprits for wastefulness in the second half, eschewing the chance to give their sides the lead with shots that went wide. Zarate miskicked when put clean through from point-blank range while Martial’s first-time shot from a cross should have found the back of the net. The keepers had their contributions to make as well, with De Gea saving well in the first half while Adrain denied Fellaini a certain goal.

Swansea City 0–3 Leicester City

Scorers: Mahrez 5’, 22’, 67’

A vicious inswinging corner from Marc Albrighton came off the back of Riyad Mahrez and was bundled into the net, as Leicester took an early 5th minute lead away to Swansea. Mahrez was far more stylish in grabbing his second goal; he produced a wonderfully composed finish with the instep of his left foot at the end of a counter that involved good build up play from Vardy and Kante.

The trio were involved in the third goal as well, Kante drove at the heart of the Swansea defence and passed to Vardy who laid it off for an unmarked Mahrez to score his third with his right foot. Leicester went top of the league with this victory, taking their points total to 32. Vardy failed to score for the 12th game in succession, rueing a missed one-on-one, as he would have equalled a league record made in 1931.

Arsenal 3–1 Sunderland

Scorers: Campbell 33’, Giroud 63’, Ramsey 90’ – Giroud (OG 45’)

An injury ravaged Arsenal meant that players like Joel Campbell can capitalize & the Costa Rican took his chance. A lovely through ball from Mesut Ozil put Campbell clean through on the left and the winger scored with a neat finish through the keeper’s legs. Olivier Giroud managed to undo Arsenal’s good work with an own goal before the break; the Frenchman inadvertently turning in an inswinging free kick.

Giroud scored into the very same top corner midway through the second half, but this counted at the right end as a lovely cross from Ramsey found the French striker’s head. Ramsey capped off a wonderful game with a goal at the very end, a mishit shot fell to him in the box, and the Welshman was rewarded for his endeavour.

Chelsea 0–1 AFC Bournemouth

Scorers: Murray 82’

Bournemouth ended a run of eight games without a win in the unlikeliest of locations, the newly promoted side defeating Chelsea in Stamford Bridge. Eddie Howe’s men kept their first clean sheet away from home this season, and looked an unusually organized side going into the break.

Mourinho brought on Diego Costa at half-time in a bid to add to Chelsea’s attacking threat, but all Costa did was get booked instead of score. Glen Murray did score in the last 10 minutes however, the striker heading home from point-blank range after a bit of scruff build-up in Chelsea’s box. Bournemouth had a couple of chances to increase the scale of their victory late on, but in the end 1 goal was enough for them to earn a historic victory.

West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur

Scorers: McClean 39’ – Dele Alli 15’

Tottenham equaled their longest unbeaten run in the league as they ended the game grateful for Hugo Lloris’ saves. Spurs started well enough though, they took the lead in the 15th minute as Eric Dier’s long punt upfield found the run of Dele Alli and the youngster finished expertly, directly volleying the ball on the run into the net.

West Brom displayed their own brand of good football when they equalized. Sessegnon found Darren Fletcher with a neat pass down the line; the former United player produced a wonderful cross on the turn that was headed home by a charging James McClean. Spurs created little in the second half, with Harry Kane particularly quiet. Towards the end of the game, Lloris made a wonderful save from Olsson that earned his side the draw.

Southampton 1–1 Aston Villa

Scorers: Romeu 73’ – Lescott 44’

Joleon Lescott capitalized on some woeful defending from Southampton, as a corner went through multiple defenders before the Villa centre back was able to tap in a goal at the far post. Southampton were particarly disappointed as they had dominated the first half only to head into the break a goal down.

Despite being fortunate to stay in the lead, Aston Villa conspired to throw away a valuable win as they returned the favour to Southampton. A poorly defended corner saw Oriol Romeu brush off the attentions of Carlos Sanchez to bundle the ball home. Ashley Westwood nearly stole the points for Villa towards the end, but the Englishman missed out on a chance to close down Villa’s 7 point gap to 17thplaced Bournemouth.

Watford 2–0 Norwich City

Scorers: Deeney 30’, Ighalo 90’

Odion Ighalo inspired Watford to a 2-0 win over a lackluster Norwich City. The only notable action of a dull first half saw Ighalo fouled by Tettey in the box; Denney confidently tucked away the resulting penalty to put Watford ahead. Ighalo had a goal disallowed for offside before the break, but replays showed that the decision may have been mistaken.

Norwich did not improve after the break, with Ighal continuing to torment the Canaries. Norwich keeper Declan Rudd kept his team in the game, making multiple saves in the second half, but could do nothing in the 90th minute as Ighalo brushed off Bassong with ease and scored past the keeper to propel Watford upto 9th place in the table.