Monday 25 / November / 2024
London: Sergio Aguero spelled double trouble for Crystal Palace as Manchester City romped to a 4-0 home win and went top of the Premier League, temporarily at least, on goal difference on Saturday.
The Argentine striker scored in the 41st minute, after Fabian Delph's 22nd-minute opener at the Etihad, then doubled his tally in the 68th and set up David Silva for the fourth six minutes from time.
City leapfrogged leaders Arsenal and Leicester City, with the top three all level on 43 points.
Leicester play bottom side Aston Villa in the late kickoff while Arsenal travel to Stoke City on Sunday.
Fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur closed the gap on the leaders to four points with a crushing 4-1 defeat of struggling Sunderland in the lunchtime match at White Hart Lane.
Danish international Christian Eriksen struck either side of halftime after Sunderland, mired in the relegation zone, had taken an early lead through Patrick van Aanholt.
While Spurs reignited their title challenge, fifth-placed West Ham United's push faltered with a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United.
John Terry scored for both sides as champions Chelsea pulled off a Houdini-like escape in a 3-3 home draw with Everton, the veteran defender grabbing a dubious equaliser in the dying seconds to atone for his 50th-minute own goal.
All the goals at Stamford Bridge came in the second half, with Chelsea battling back from 2-0 down before substitute Ramiro Funes Mori put Everton back in front as the game entered stoppage time.
Newcastle's victory lifted them out of the bottom three while troubled Swansea, who entertain Watford on Monday, dropped to 18th and a point ahead of Sunderland.
On a lively winter's afternoon for south-coast sides, Southampton beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0 for their third successive home win and Bournemouth overcame Norwich City by the same scoreline.
Liverpool, ninth, and Louis Van Gaal's sixth-placed Manchester United clash at Anfield on Sunday.
