 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Results and images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
Olivier Giroud headed home an 89th-minute equaliser to earn Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Saturday and a Premier League point their performance barely merited.
Just when it seemed Jose Mourinho would again prevail in his long-standing feud with Arsene Wenger thanks to a second-half Juan Mata goal, Giroud popped up to head home fellow substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross in the rarest of Arsenal attacks.
Injury-hit United had largely dominated proceedings and looked set to bring relief to Mourinho after an inconsistent start to the season when Mata struck in the 68th minute, finishing sweetly from Ander Herrera's cut-back.
But in a game that never reached the peaks of the fixture that was once the league's defining contest, there was little consolation for Mourinho in improving his unbeaten league record against Wenger to 12 as Arsenal stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 17.
The match had begun in lively enough fashion, with Alexis Sanchez heading wide at one end and Mata sending a free kick just wide at the other.
Yet it developed into a dull affair until Mourinho finally got animated, screaming for a penalty when Antonio Valencia appeared to be brought down in the box by Nacho Monreal.
Both Mata and Anthony Martial brought fine saves from Petr Cech as United turned up the heat before the interval but, in the main, they were lacking any sort of cutting edge in the absence of the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Wayne Rooney was brought on as a substitute at the end of a week when he had been forced to apologise for his late night socialising on England duty and his introduction livened up United before Mata, the midfielder sold by Mourinho when at Chelsea, broke the deadlock.
Wenger has never had much luck against Mourinho but his substitutions did the trick with Oxlade-Chamberlain causing havoc down the right, floating in a fine cross and watching Giroud head home his 10th goal for Arsenal as a "super sub".
The great escape for the Gunners meant that, even though they were unable to take their chance to go to the top of the table, they retained their six-point advantage over United.
Leaders Liverpool held at Southampton
Liverpool missed a chance to go clear at the top of the Premier League after squandering a string of chances in a dull 0-0 draw against Southampton in driving rain at St Mary's Stadium.
Liverpool have 27 points from 12 games, ahead of Manchester City on goal difference. Third-placed Chelsea, on 25, can leapfrog both of them when they visit struggling Middlesbrough on Sunday.
The visitors dominated the first half and came close when former Southampton forward Sadio Mane, who moved to Liverpool in the close season, forced a good save from goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Georginio Wijnaldum drove a long-range effort over the bar for Liverpool before the leaders wasted their best chance when Roberto Firmino shot wide with the goal at his mercy after a defence-splitting pass by fellow Brazilian Philippe Coutinho.
Toure returns with sensational double for Man City
Yaya Toure made a sensational return to the Manchester City ranks, scoring twice on his comeback to inspire the title contenders to a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.
The Ivorian powerhouse was in the City line-up for his first league appearance of the season, back in the fold after recently making a public apology following comments the player's agent had made about the club and manager Pep Guardiola.
Injury-prone City captain Vincent Kompany had to go off with injury after a collision with his own keeper Claudio Bravo but Toure was soon back in business when his 39th minute shot, via a deflection, flew past Wayne Hennessey.
After Palace equalised in the 66th minute with a Connor Wickham strike, Toure struck seven minutes from time to consign the home side to their fifth consecutive defeat, slotting home from a low corner delivered expertly by Kevin de Bruyne.
Watford inflict more misery on Leicester
Roberto Pereyra scored a spectacular goal after setting up Watford's first-minute opener to secure a 2-1 win over champions Leicester City in an entertaining Premier League clash.
The outcome left Leicester in 14th position on 12 points from as many games, only two above the relegation zone, as their poor away form continued with a fifth defeat in six games.
Fans had barely settled in their seats at Vicarage Road when Argentine forward Pereyra delivered an inch-perfect cross for Troy Deeney to head into path of Etienne Capoue, who scored with a bouncing volley from 12 metres.
Watford continued to press forward relentlessly and livewire Pereyra doubled the lead in the 12th minute when he curled a delightful shot from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner. Riyad Mahrez pulled one back for the visitors with a penalty three minutes later.
Last-gasp Coleman denies Swansea's Bradley first win
Just when Bob Bradley thought Swansea had secured their first win under his management, Seamus Coleman produced an 89th-minute header to give Everton a deserved 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
Bradley made eight changes in a bid to kickstart his side's spluttering season and when Gylfi Sigurdsson scored from the penalty spot, after having been brought down by Phil Jagielka in the 41st minute, it was the first time they had even led under the American.
The goal stunned Everton, still smarting from their 5-0 drubbing by Chelsea before the international break, and Yannick Bolasie went close after the interval as Everton went all out for the equaliser.
After spending almost the entire second period in their own half, Swansea eventually buckled when Coleman headed home in the 89th minute, although the draw means Everton have only won one of their past seven league games.
