EPL Table: 2018 Week 18 Standings After Saturday's Premier League Scores
Manchester City and Chelsea both lost ground in the Premier League title race after shock home defeats on Saturday. City still trail leaders Liverpool by four points after being stunned 3-2 by Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.
The day also saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoy a memorable debut as Manchester United caretaker manager. Smiles were back on players' faces as Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial inspired the Red Devils to a 5-1 hammering of Cardiff City away from home in United's first game since Jose Mourinho was sacked on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Chelsea only remain in the top four on goal difference after Jamie Vardy helped Leicester City leave Stamford Bridge with all three points.
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Chelsea's defeat is welcome news for an Arsenal side that started the day by beating Burnley 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners stay fifth but are now level on points with the Blues.
Burnley remain mired in the relegation zone, where Fulham stay bottom despite picking up a useful point away to Newcastle United. Southampton are three points clear of trouble after heaping more misery on Huddersfield Town.
Wins for Watford and Bournemouth took them back into the top eight, with the former beating West Ham United away, while the Cherries downed Brighton & Hove Albion at home.
Saturday Results
- Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
- Chelsea 0-1 Leicester City
- Huddersfield Town 1-3 Southampton
- Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace
- Newcastle United 0-0 Fulham
- West Ham United 0-2 Watford
- Cardiff City 1-5 Manchester United
Standings (Played, Won, Goal Difference and Points, per the league's official website)
1. Liverpool: 18, 15, +32, 48
2. Manchester City: 18, 14, +37, 44
3. Tottenham Hotspur: 17, 13, +15, 39
4. Chelsea: 18, 11, +20, 37
5. Arsenal: 18, 11, +16, 37
6. Manchester United: 18, 8, +4, 29
7. Watford: 18, 8, 0, 27
8. Bournemouth: 18, 8, -1, 26
9. Leicester City 18, 7, +1, 25
10. Wolverhampton Wanderers: 18, 7, -2, 25
11. Everton: 17, 6, +2, 24
12. West Ham United: 18, 7, -2, 24
13. Brighton & Hove Albion: 18, 6, -6, 21
14. Crystal Palace: 18, 5, -8, 18
15. Newcastle United: 18, 4, -8, 17
16. Southampton: 18, 3, -14, 15
17. Cardiff City: 18, 4, -20, 14
18. Burnley: 18, 3, -20, 12
19. Huddersfield Town: 18, 2, -20, 10
20. Fulham: 18, 2, -26, 10
The champions thought they were coasting when Ilkay Gundogan gave them a 27th-minute lead. Palace showed commendable resolve, though, and Jeffrey Schlupp fired the visitors level six minutes later.
A true shock was on when Andros Townsend scored a sensational volley from distance 10 minutes before the break. The winger swung his boot at Bernardo Silva's headed clearance and achieved the sweetest contact to leave Ederson with no chance in the City goal.
City's revival appeared inevitable, but Palace continued to go off-script. The Eagles went 3-1 in front when Luka Milivojevic struck from the penalty spot after Kyle Walker felled Max Meyer in the box.
A City starting XI without the big three of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne could muster few answers. De Bruyne came off the bench just after the hour mark with the hosts in desperate need of his energy and vision.
It was De Bruyne who got one back for the out-of-sorts hosts when his overhit cross deceived Vicente Guaita in the Palace goal. The stroke of luck wasn't enough, though, as City were unable to find an equaliser.
As much as the Citizens missed their premier attacking talents, the absence of regular holding midfielder Fernandinho arguably proved more costly. His replacement, John Stones, struggled with the flow of play:
United clicked into gear as an attacking force in a way rarely seen during Mourinho's ill-fated tenure. Pogba pulled the strings as the Reds eased into a two-goal lead thanks to Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera.
Rashford nearly let the Bluebirds back in it when he was flagged for handball, allowing Victor Camarasa to convert from the penalty spot. United's response was a thrilling exchange of passes featuring Martial, Pogba and Jesse Lingard that culminated in the latter playing in Martial to find the net.
Lingard tucked away a penalty after the break, before rounding Neil Etheridge for his second after more good work from Pogba:
Solskjaer, who was relegated as Cardiff manager in 2014, had succeeded in restoring the confidence among United's ample array of attacking talents. The renewed belief will be key following this exceptional start for the new man, who is overseeing a gifted squad still capable of breaking into the top four.
Not unlike City, Chelsea huffed and puffed to no avail in the final third. The Blues couldn't wear down a well-drilled Leicester unit.
The Foxes also carried a threat on the break. Their pace out wide, coupled with the relentless running of Vardy, forced the home side into some last-ditch defending.
It was Vardy who put the away side in front when he capped a fast break by collecting a James Maddison pass and finishing well. The goal continued an enviable scoring record against the division's big boys:
Leicester stayed strong at the back, but Antonio Rudiger and Marcos Alonso both spurned great chances to equalise.
The stunning result eases the pressure on Foxes boss Claude Puel.
Arsenal began the day with a performance that's become typical of the Unai Emery era. The Gunners were in fine fettle in attacking areas but creaky at the back.
However, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gives Emery arguably the best striker in England's top flight. The division's top scorer bagged a brace to put Arsenal into a commanding 2-0 lead after 48 minutes.
Scoring in pairs has become a happy habit for the prolific 29-year-old:
Aubameyang's latest goals should have been enough to see Arsenal comfortably over the line. Instead, Burnley refused to wilt and got one back courtesy of Ashley Barnes three minutes after the hour mark.
Some nervy followed moments for the Gunners, who needed solid defensive displays from centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos and wing-back Sead Kolasinac to keep the door closed.
The tension was eased when skipper for the day Mesut Ozil ran at the Burnley defence and the ball broke to Alex Iowbi. The substitute tucked away a tidy finish to seal the points.
It was also a worthy moment for Ozil, who responded brilliantly after being left out by Emery for Wednesday's 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat for "tactical reasons."
There were different interpretations of Emery's decisions to recall Ozil and hand him the armband. Some deemed it merely a face-saving gesture designed to present a temporarily united front:
Others believe Emery is cajoling a languid and mercurial talent to deliver more consistently:
Watford halted West Ham's recent run by leaving the London Stadium with three priceless away points. A Troy Deeney penalty in the first half sent the Hornets on their way to a terrific result, and Gerard Deulofeu sealed it three minutes from time after being played in by Roberto Pereyra.
Bournemouth had David Brooks to thank for getting back to winning ways after the winger scored twice to see off Brighton. The Seagulls' task wasn't helped by centre-back Lewis Dunk being sent off after he received a second yellow card with less than 20 minutes left, and Brooks netted his second soon after.
Southampton followed last week's impressive win over Arsenal with a second victory under Ralph Hasenhuttl. Nathan Redmond and Danny Ings staked the Saints into a two-goal lead in Huddersfield, with the latter converting from the penalty spot.
Philip Billing got one back for the Terriers, but 18-year-old Michael Obafemi restored Southampton's advantage.
The Saints' win is bad news for Newcastle and Fulham after the pair struggled to a goalless draw at St James' Park. A rare clean sheet is not enough to prevent the Cottagers from staying bottom at Christmas.
