Saturday Premier League wrap: The things you might have missed

Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace

Chelsea ended a run of consecutive defeats in the Premier League with this straightforward stroll against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

The damage was done in a dominant first half where the Blues scored twice, but really should have had more after firing 14 efforts at goal and ceding none on target in reply. Willian did open the scoring on 25 minutes, though, notching a fifth goal in as many matches after seeing his low left-footed shot deflect in.

Antonio Conte's side doubled their advantage seven minutes later after some messy Palace defending. The ball was worked wide to Davide Zappacosta; his eventual effort was blocked by Martin Kelly, but the ex-Liverpool man only succeeded in diverting it onto his own goalkeeper and in. 

Palace improved after the break and should have halved the deficit when new signing Alexander Sorloth smacked the post, but eventually they did do so when Patrick van Aanholt burst forward to poke home a 90th-minute goal against his old club. Ultimately it was too little, too late though – Chelsea came away with a win that really should have been greater.

Goals:  Willian 25', Kelly o.g. 32' -- Van Aanholt 90'

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool

Marcus Rashford's terrific first-half double secured Manchester United a key victory over bitter north-west rivals Liverpool, taking them five points clear above the Reds. 

Eric Bailly's comedy own goal midway through the second half had given Jurgen Klopp's visitors a lifeline, but United never really looked in grave danger of surrendering their victory and came away from Old Trafford with a well-earned victory. 

Local boy Rashford was the star of the show, hitting a first Premier League brace since his league debut against Arsenal in February 2016. His first was the finest; a brilliant finish beyond Loris Karius after he'd collected a flick-on from Romelu Lukaku and beaten Trent Alexander-Arnold all ends up. Ten minutes later he hit his second from a similar position, slotting home neatly after Virgil van Dijk had inadvertently deflected the ball into his path. 

Nerves were jangled after half-time when Bailly turned home a cross into his own net, but United managed the final 25 minutes expertly to get the win they ultimately deserved. 

Goals: Rashford 14', 24' -- Bailly o.g. 66'

Everton 2-0 Brighton 

Finally some respite for Sam Allardyce, who watched his Everton side grab all three points with a hard-fought win over Brighton at Goodison Park. 

The deadlock was broken with 30 minutes remaining when Yannick Bolasie sent a deep cross to the back post, where Theo Walcott awaited. At first it looked like the former Gunner had applied a finishing touch, but eventually it transpired that poor Seagulls stopper Gaetan Bong will have the own goal to his name. 

January signing Cenk Tosun put the points beyond doubt in the 76th minute with his second goal in as many games, four minutes before Anthony Knockaert was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Leighton Baines.

Brighton keeper Mat Ryan saved a Wayne Rooney penalty before the end, but no matter – this stops a rot of back-to-back defeats for the Toffees and gives Big Sam some breathing room ahead of what could be a difficult final eight matches of the season. If only for a while. 

Goals: Bong o.g. 60', Tosun 76' • Red card: Knockaert 80' 

Huddersfield 0-0 Swansea

They huffed and puffed like a giant blowing up balloons, but Huddersfield merely left the party light-headed and feeling woozy. The Terriers may have had the benefit of an extra man for 80 minutes of this match, but after a predictably dominant display they walked away with just a point after failing to capitalise on an 11th-minute red card for Jordan Ayew.  

Swansea were forced into an uphill struggle when Ayew was dismissed early on, feeling the wrath of referee Michael Oliver after his heavy touch led to a full-blooded 50/50 challenge on Jonathan Hogg. 

Huddersfield ended the game with 81% possession and 30 shots to Swansea's none – and yet somehow the spoils were shared. Incredible. 

Goals: N/a • Red card: J. Ayew 11'

Newcastle 3-0 Southampton

Newcastle leapt five points clear of the relegation zone with a comfortable win over Southampton, who remain only a point above the dotted line – for the time being, at least. 

Chelsea loanee Kenedy struck a first-half brace to leave the visitors on their knees at half-time, firing in a brilliant opener inside two minutes after taking Jonjo Shelvey's pass on his chest and then beating Alex McCarthy with a close-range shot. He struck his second after Newcastle punished Southampton from their own corner, countering via Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez to tee up their Brazilian team-mate for No.2. 

It got even better after half-time for the Magpies when Matt Ritchie added a third to earn Shelvey his second assist of the match, and seal a huge win for Rafa Benitez. 

These are seriously troubled times for Southampton, who have won only one of their last 17 Premier League games and don't look like snapping out of their stupor any time soon. 

Goals: Kenedy 2', 29', Ritchie 57' 

West Brom 1-4 Leicester

Leicester's delightful double act of 2015/16 turned on the style at The Hawthorns as Leicester came from behind to pile more misery on Alan Pardew and West Brom. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez both scored after Salomon Rondon had given the hosts an early lead, combining beautifully for Vardy's equalising stunner before Mahrez dinked a delicate second past Ben Foster midway through the second half. 

For a few minutes at least, West Brom fans had been hopeful when Oliver Burke took full advantage of some lax defending from Ben Chilwell and sent in a brilliant cross that Rondon diverted beyond Kasper Schmeichel.

But the Baggies' lead didn't last long – and was taken away with a moment of pure brilliance from their East Midlands rivals. Mahrez sent a fine ball over the top to Vardy, who swivelled a first-time goal-of-the-season contender past Ben Foster.

It was Mahrez who sent Leicester on their way to victory after the interval, though, collecting sub Kelechi Iheanacho's pass over the top and finessing a finish home. His assister then turned goalscorer with a neat header from Ben Chilwell's cross – his first Premier League goal for the Foxes – before the returning Vicente Iborra headed home Leicester's fourth from a corner.   

Time is almost up for West Brom. 

Goals: Rondon 8' -- Vardy 21', Mahrez 62', Iheanacho 76', Iborra 90'  

West Ham 0-3 Burnley

Another day, another West Ham humbling. Pitch invaders, board-directed rage and a stolen corner flag summed up another abysmal afternoon for the east Londoners, who remain only three points above the relegation zone with a tough run-in to come. 

Mark Noble was forced to wrestle one unwanted intruder to the ground, but he couldn't do much to stop his beloved team capitulating here. This was another example of Sean Dyche's phenomenal work at Burnley, however, who have remained well above the mid-table melee all season and scored an opening goal worthy of such heights here. Ashley Barnes was the man to get it, rifling a stonking effort into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area with 25 minutes remaining.

As tensions boiled over in the stands, an unmarked Chris Wood tapped home from Aaron Lennon's cross to seal the three points – and there was still ample time for it to get much, much worse when Wood hit an effort straight at Joe Hart... which bounced off the Englishman and into the net.  

Misery from everywhere angle where West Ham are concerned right now. 

Goals: Barnes 66', Wood 70', 81'   

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