Crystal Palace hit late to frustrate Manchester City; Arsenal held

LONDON: Crystal Palace grabbed a last-minute equalizer, through Fernandinho's own goal, to earn a 2-2 draw at Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday after two goals from Sergio Aguero looked to have given the champions victory.

The result leaves City still trailing leaders Liverpool by 13 points ahead of the Anfield side’s home game against Manchester United on Sunday.

Palace, who won this fixture last season, took the lead through new signing Cenk Tosun in the 39th minute, the Turkish forward heading home at the back post after Gary Cahill had nodded a corner across the area.

City dominated but had to wait until the 82nd minute to get level when Aguero slid in at the back post to convert a Gabriel Jesus ball.

The Argentine then made it 2-1 with a fine, angled header from a Benjamin Mendy cross from the left.

But Palace grabbed a point after Wilfried Zaha powered past John Stones and his cross deflected in off Fernandinho and beat City goalkeeper Ederson.

Martinelli on target for Arsenal in draw with Sheffield United

Arsenal’s Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli seized his chance to shine with a goal on Saturday, but Sheffield United earned a 1-1 draw at The Emirates with a strike from John Fleck.

The 18-year-old Martinelli, starting in place of suspended frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, struck from close range late in the first half after a whipped-in cross from Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal had a good shout for a penalty when Nicolas Pepe went down in the second half but VAR ruled in favour of the visitors, who then made the most of the let-off.

Fleck earned them a point late on when he beat Bernd Leno from close range, and the visitors ended strongly.

Sheffield United are seventh on 33 points from 23 games, while Arsenal remains in mid-table with 29 points.

Last-gasp Hayden header earns Newcastle dramatic win over Chelsea

Newcastle United claimed a first win in their last five Premier League games in dramatic style as Isaac Hayden headed a last-gasp winner to seal a 1-0 victory over top-four chasing Chelsea at St James’ Park on Saturday.

Chances were few and far between in the first half, with Newcastle’s struggling striker Joelinton going closest, heading against the crossbar.

After the break, Willian fired wide following a swift Chelsea counter, before Tammy Abraham missed the target after rounding Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka as the visitors remained frustrated.

Chelsea’s leading goal scorer this season Abraham thought he had won it late on, but his flicked effort was cleared off the line by Matt Ritchie, another chance that went begging for the visitors.

Just as the game looked to be heading for a stalemate, Newcastle earned one last corner in stoppage time, with Hayden rising highest to meet the cross from Allan Saint-Maximin to send St James’ into raptures.

The result moves Steve Bruce’s side up to 12th in the standings on 29 points from 23 games, with Chelsea remaining in fourth place.

That bad luck with injuries continued, however, as Jetro Willems was carried off on a stretcher early on.

Joelinton, who has one league goal since his becoming Newcastle’s club-record signing in the close season, headed against the crossbar in the 21st minute as the hosts took the game to Chelsea.

A superb pass from Reece James set N’Golo Kante up for the game’s next chance, but the Premier League’s most prolific shot-stopper, Dubravka, made another timely save.

Chelsea created several openings after the break, only for poor finishing and determined to defend keeping them from scoring.

Abraham, after twice going close, was substituted, looking frustrated as he walked off, but Chelsea still could not find the crucial breakthrough.

The deciding strike came after Ritchie’s corner had been cleared, only for Saint-Maximin to cross brilliantly for Hayden to head home and give Bruce a second-ever win over Chelsea as a manager.

Norwich log a crucial win over Bournemouth despite pitchside VAR red card

Pitchside monitors were used for the first time in the Premier League as Norwich City earned a crucial 1-0 win in their fight for survival over Bournemouth at Carrow Road on Saturday, in a match where both sides had a man sent off.

Steve Cook’s blatant handball in the penalty area as he attempted to block Ondrej Duda’s strike earned the Bournemouth captain a red card with just 31 minutes on the clock.

Teemu Pukki dispatched the penalty down the middle, easing the home crowd’s nerves.

Bournemouth pressed for an equalizer after the break and they got a boost as Ben Godfrey was sent off with 14 minutes left after referee Paul Tierney was advised by VAR to have another look at Godfrey’s tackle on Callum Wilson.

After the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the body that manages elite referees, issued guidance for referees to use the screens this week, Tierney took a second look and brandished the red card, having initially shown a yellow.

The home side held on nonetheless for the win, moving them to within three points of Bournemouth in 19th place, with Eddie Howe’s men now three points from safety after the 10th defeat in their last 12 league games.

Deeney misses penalty as Watford stifle Spurs in the goalless draw

Watford stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to six matches but missed out on a fourth successive victory when Troy Deeney’s second-half penalty was saved in a 0-0 home draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Skipper Deeney stepped up to take the spot-kick in the 69th minute after Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen clearly handled Gerard Deulofeu’s shot, but his effort was saved by Spurs keeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

Tottenham nearly snatched a last-gasp victory when Erik Lamela’s scuffed shot was only just cleared off the line by Watford’s new signing Ignacio Pussetto, but they had to settle for their first goalless draw in 94 Premier League games.

Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham is winless in four league games as their challenge for a top-four finish stall. But Spurs will welcome their first away clean sheet in the league since New Year’s Day 2019.

While Watford will rue Deeney’s miss, their trajectory continues upwards under Nigel Pearson. They have taken 14 points from his seven games in charge and now have 23 points from 23 games, moving into 16th place before the 1500 GMT games.

They have kept four clean sheets in their last six games.

Glorious winter sunshine greeted the teams at Vicarage Road where fans celebrated the life of Watford’s greatest ever manager Graham Taylor in a colorful pre-match tribute.

The game itself was flat, however, although VAR was again a talking point when referee Michael Oliver was unable to check a possible red card decision on Watford’s Etienne Capoue because his communication equipment appeared to malfunction, causing a delay to play and howls of derision from the crowd.

Tottenham, with Argentine duo Giovani Lo Celso and Lamela keeping their places in midfield, were sharp in the early stages but struggled to open up a Watford team demonstrating the resolve Pearson has instilled.

Watford gradually grew into the game though, with Deulofeu and Ismaila Sarr worrying Tottenham down the flanks.

Tottenham’s young defender Japhet Tanganga, given the third start in a week by Mourinho, was yellow-carded after hauling down the lively Sarr. Former Tottenham player Capoue was also booked for a wild tackle on Lo Celso.

The visitors had the best chance in the first half when Dele Alli’s slide-rule pass released Lucas Moura, but keeper Ben Foster was alert to the danger and smothered the Brazilian’s shot. Son Heung-min also lashed a volley over the bar.

Watford was far more forceful after the break and should have gone ahead when Abdoulaye Doucoure got free at the near post but could not wrap his foot around a low cross.

An intense spell of Watford pressure eventually ended with Vertonghen inadvertently handling Deulofeu’s shot. “I thought it was a harsh decision,” a generous Pearson said.

While Watford’s new signing Pussetto came off the bench to make a point-saving intervention in a stoppage-time scramble, Tottenham also handed a debut to Portuguese winger Gedson Fernandes as a second-half substitute.

West Ham held at home by Everton

West Ham United remained mired in relegation danger after they could only draw 1-1 with a rejuvenated Everton side in the so-called ‘David Moyes derby’ at the London Stadium on Saturday.

A scrappy first half low in quality burst into life just before halftime when Issa Diop headed in a Robert Snodgrass free-kick to put the hosts in front. But Everton’s response was immediate and Lucas Digne’s corner was flicked on by Mason Holgate and Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in at the far post.

West Ham manager Davis Moyes, formerly the long-serving boss of Everton, has lifted the spirits since returning for a second stint in charge of the Hammers. But his side did not offer enough to grab a precious winner in the second half as they remained only one point above the relegation zone. Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton is 11th. Agencies

Also Read: Crystal Palace held by 10-man Arsenal in the Premier League

Also Watch: Watch Bhogali Bihu preparation from Guwahati ahead ‘Uruka’ (Night before Magh Bihu)