Premier League 2017-18 – Match Week 12

Monday 20 November 2017

Brighton stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to five games as they and visitors Stoke drew a lively encounter at the Amex.

Sunday 19 November 2017

David Moyes’ West Ham reign began with a 2-0 Premier League defeat by upwardly mobile Watford at Vicarage Road.

The Scot’s hopes of a winning start in his 500th game as a manager were dashed by goals in either half from Will Hughes and Richarlison that left his new club in the bottom three and the size of the task facing him even clearer.

For the hosts, it was another energetic and clinical performance that highlighted why coach Marco Silva is coveted by Everton.

Moyes can feel aggrieved at an unpunished handball in the build-up to Richarlison’s strike, and lost £25m striker Marko Arnautovic with a suspected broken hand in the second half.

Saturday 18 November 2017

Arsenal closed to within a point of Tottenham and maintained their arch-rivals’ miserable record at Emirates Stadium with a comfortable north London derby victory.

The pressure was on Arsene Wenger and the Gunners as they trailed Spurs in the Premier League table – but they responded in style and were superior in all areas of the pitch to win with plenty to spare.

Shkodran Mustafi headed a free-kick powerfully past Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris in the 36th minute after referee Mike Dean had contentiously penalised Davinson Sanchez for a challenge on Alexis Sanchez. The German defender also looked to have been offside.

A brilliant Callum Wilson hat-trick set 10-men Bournemouth on their way to an emphatic 4-0 victory over Huddersfield at the Vitality Stadium.

Wilson struck twice in five minutes (25, 31) to hand the hosts a seemingly comfortable two-goal cushion, before Simon Francis gave Huddersfield renewed hope after being sent off for two bookings in first-half stoppage time.

But a well-taken Harry Arter goal 20 minutes from time put the game beyond the visitors before Wilson sealed his hat-trick late on (84) following good play from Josh King.

Bournemouth have now won back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time this season and move to 13th in the table, while Huddersfield remain in 10th.

Burnley showed they “can find different ways to win”, according to manager Sean Dyche as they moved to within a point of the Premier League top four with an impressive victory over Swansea.

The hosts took the lead in the 29th minute when Jack Cork headed home in the six-yard box to finish an excellent move against the club he left in July.

Ashley Barnes then doubled the lead 11 minutes later, smashing in off the left post from 25 yards.

Barnes had earlier gone close but his back-post header was saved by Lukasz Fabianski from close range.

Swansea improved in the second half, having been thoroughly outplayed before the break, but did not have a shot on target until the 95th minute.

Crystal Palace were left frustrated as they twice threw away the lead to draw 2-2 against Everton at Selhurst Park.

Roy Hodgson’s side took an early lead through James McArthur in the first minute, but Leighton Baines put the visitors level within five minutes from the penalty spot.

Wilfried Zaha fired the Eagles in front 10 minutes from the interval, but Everton were again level as Oumar Niasse finished in first-half injury time.

Christian Benteke returned for Palace but wasted a glorious chance late on as Palace remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Manchester City produced yet another dominant performance in a victory at Leicester that protects their eight-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side picked up where they left off before the international break as they recorded a 16th consecutive win in all competitions to take them to 34 points from their opening 12 games – equalling the Premier League record they set under Roberto Mancini in 2011-12.

Gabriel Jesus gave them the lead from close range just before half-time from David Silva’s pass, after the Spaniard was sent through by Raheem Sterling’s disguised through ball.

After the break, Harry Maguire struck the post for Leicester via Fabian Delph’s deflection but Kevin de Bruyne’s thumping finish from Leroy Sane’s cut-back 22 seconds later put City firmly in control.

Mohamed Salah made light work of Southampton as the Egypt star scored twice to help secure a 3-0 win for Liverpool at Anfield.

Salah struck twice in the first half to put Jurgen Klopp’s hosts in control, while Philippe Coutinho netted after the break to see Liverpool ease to a comfortable win against the Saints.

Salah’s summer arrival for £38million, at the time a club record, was questioned by critics after his disappointing spell at Chelsea but on this form he is looking an absolute bargain.

Both his first-half goals had a touch of class and his constant threat had visitors backpedalling for 80 minutes before his departure to a standing ovation – by which time Coutinho had added the third goal.

Chelsea cruised to an easy away win over West Brom to increase the pressure on Baggies manager Tony Pulis.

Alvaro Morata scored his eighth Premier League goal of the season when he converted a rebound after Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster had parried Eden Hazard’s low shot.

Hazard made it 2-0 shortly after when he collected Morata’s flick and took the ball around Foster, before Marcos Alonso volleyed in a third from Cesc Fabregas’ free-kick.

In the second half, Hazard scored his second of the game with a curled finish from 18 yards out after another excellent Fabregas pass.

The victory was Chelsea’s fourth successive league win, while West Brom remain without a win in all competitions since 22 August, a run of 11 games.

Paul Pogba scored on his return from injury as Manchester United came from behind to beat Newcastle United and set a club record of 38 games unbeaten at Old Trafford.

Dwight Gayle gave the visitors a surprise lead when a slip by Victor Lindelof let in the striker to score in off the post.

Pogba, back after nine weeks out with a hamstring injury, crossed for Anthony Martial to head the equaliser before Chris Smalling met Ashley Young’s centre on the stroke of half-time.

Pogba finished off a fine team move before Romelu Lukaku’s first league goal since 30 September sealed a fine win.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench for the final 14 minutes after seven months out with a cruciate knee ligament injury.