Premier League | Manchester City defeat Chelsea, Manchester United thrash Crystal Palace

10/01/2017

Kevin De Bruyne’s stunning goal secured a 1-0 win for Manchester City against Chelsea. With the help of the Marouane Fellaini’s two goals, Manchester United outclassed Crystal Palace 4-0 leaving Palace still goalless and pointless in this campaign.

Chelsea 0 – 1 Manchester City

In the Premier League’s biggest match of the weekend, Chelsea faced Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. City entered the game without injured striker Sergio Aguero, but proved themselves a better side than Chelsea, especially after Morata had to be substituted due to a suspected hamstring problem.

The substitution severely blunted Chelsea's attack, and Kevin de Bruyne took full advantage by scoring an excellent winner as Manchester City beat Chelsea to go back to the top of the Premier League. The only goal of the game came in the second half when De Bruyne, a former Chelsea player, played a one-two with Gabriel Jesus before smashing in a fantastic shot from 25 yards out, taking City back to the top of the Premier League after United had brieflly occupied top spot just hours before.

Manchester United 4 – 0 Crystal Palace

Manchester United showed their dominance this season by thrashing Palace in a one-sided affair. Palace have lost all seven Premier League games this season without scoring. In the match, unbeaten United took a lead in just three minutes after the game started, when Marcus Rashford helped Juan Mata, who was waiting near the penalty spot for a goal which also helped mark his 200th Premier League appearance. Following a brief resistance, much-maligned midfielder, Marouane Fellaini doubled United's lead late in the first half.

In the second half, Fellaini doubled his tally with a header on the six-yard line from Rashford’s free-kick. Romelu Lukaku, as is now becoming customary, added gloss to the scoreline by scoring his 11th goal in 10 games in the 86th minute.

Stoke City 2 – 1 Southampton

Stoke’s substitute Peter Crouch gave his team a reason to celebrate as he scored the match-winning goal in the face-off against Southampton. Stoke led the game when Mame Diouf’s header found the Saints' goal after 40 minutes gone. Southampton’s goalkeeper Fraser Forster successfully saved a penalty from Saido Berahino before Maya Yoshida equalized for the Saints. But beanpole striker, Crouch, came off the bench in place of Breahino and scored the decider, to leave both the teams firmly ensconced midtable at the 12th and 13th positions.