EPL round-up: Manchester City win 5-1 goalfest; United, Chelsea register victories

Rahemm Sterling scored his first Premier League hattrick

Manchester City destroyed Bournemouth in a 5-1 hammering at the Etihad to keep their lead at the top of the table. Elsewhere, Manchester United broke their Goodison Park hoodoo with a 3-0 win there as Chelsea got all three points at home against Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa.

West Ham registered an away victory at Selhurst Park as West Brom won by a single goal at home. Southampton let a 2-goal lead slip as they were held to a draw at home by Leicester City.

After the tame 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane early on, the blizzard of goals in the first halves of all games was a welcome difference. There were 6 games on at the same time, more or less business as usual but each one had a different story, but they all had goals.

Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa

Scorers: Diego Costa 34’, Alan Hutton [O.G] 54’

The reigning champions got off to a good start testing the Aston Villa defence that seemed extremely fragile. The Blues were gifted the ball on many occasions and on one of those, Willian crossed the ball for Diego Costa to score in his first game returning from suspension.

Mourinho brought on Matic to replace Ruben Loftus-Cheek at half-time and it seemed very much like Chelsea were again ready to grind out a 1-0 win but Fabregas helped break apart Villa’s defence again as he played in Costa whose shot came off Hutton and looped into goal.

Crystal Palace 1-3 West Ham

Scorers: Yohan Cabaye [Pen] 25’ (Cry Pal), Carl Jenkinson 22’, Lanzini 88’, Dmitri Payet 90’+4

Carl Jenkinson gave his side the lead early on, only for Cabaye to put them back on level terms from the spot of after he was brought down in the box by the Arsenal loanee. A few minutes later Dwight Gayle would be sent off to reduce the home side to 10 men. But it wasn’t till late that West ham grabbed the win through Manuel Lanzini and then Payet confirmed the win deep in extra time.

Everton 0-3 Manchester United

Scorers: Morgan Schneiderlin 8’, Ander Herrera 22’, Wayne Rooney 62’

The Red Devils got off to a great start with Schneiderlin getting the ball into the back of the net. Their dominance continued with Herrera’s goal when Rojo’s pin-point cross found him unmarked in the box. Everton would have no answer for the visitors as Rooney would score for the first time against his former employers to make the score 3-0. In the process, Rooney equalled Andy Cole’s record as the second highest goalscorer in the Premier League.

Manchester City 5-1 Bournemouth

Scorers: Raheem Sterling 7’ 31’ 45’+, Wilfried Bony 11’ 89’ (Man City); Murray 22’

Raheem Sterling scored a hattrick in the first half of the game to more or less ensure his side’s victory, He started off the scoring as a dominant Manchester City side beat out Bournemouth convincingly. Bony would score one in the first half amid the Sterling show and a second late in the game to complete his brace. Substitute Iheanacho would get the goal in the back of the net in extra time but it was disallowed for offside.

Southampton 2-2 Leicester City

Scorers: Jose Fonte 21’, Virgil van Dijk 37’ (Southampton); Jamie Vardy 66’ 90’+1

A great game of football was also one of two halves. The first was dominated by Koeman’s Southampton who seemed to have the game wrapped but Ranieri’s Leicester City had a brilliant second half to bring the score level late in the game through Jamie Vardy.

West Brom 1-0 Sunderland

Scorers: Saido Berahino 54’

Tony Pulis’ side came out victorious in a drab affair against Sunderland as Saido Berahino scored the lone goal of the 90 minutes. It was an affair that saw defence largely win out as neither side produced too much creativity but the more clinical side won out.