Author: moshood

Odsonne Edouard’s first-half goal was enough to hand Crystal Palace a 1-0 victory over Southampton.

The visitors put pressure on the hosts early before the Eagles took control and looked the more dangerous side throughout, the Frenchman finally breaking the deadlock just before the break.

Che Adams returned to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting line-up and at times looked to spoil the Eagles’ afternoon, but could only watch his best effort ping off the post.

It was a satisfying third consecutive home win for the hosts, who now will not return to Selhurst Park until Boxing Day.

Palace’s first opportunity came when Michael Olise curled a free-kick toward goal but saw it tipped away by Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu.

Palace seized momentum as captain Luka Milivojevic’s powerful shot was blocked by Lyanco.

The Eagles came close following a fancy piece of footwork by World Cup hopeful Eberechi Eze to feed Wilfried Zaha, whose attempt from the left rolled across the face of goal.

The hosts somehow avoided what has become an unwelcome signature for Patrick Vieira this season, conceding a first-half opener, after Adams wove through multiple Palace shirts only to direct his shot at the right post.

And it was frustration at the other end for Eze as Bazunu dove to block a low effort at the left post before he drilled a second attempt from the same spot just wide.

The hosts thought they had the opener when Edouard found the back of the net at the 32-minute mark but the Saints were spared by the offside flag.

Moments later the Southampton keeper did well to save a Joachim Andersen header, but Palace looked close to breaking the deadlock as they held strong in the final third.

It was Edouard who finally found the net, following a few quick touches and putting enough on a neat Tyrick Mitchell pass to slot in the opener from six yards out on 38 minutes.

Southampton looked re-energised to start the second half, though Palace keeper Vicente Guaita was not called into action until he was forced into a kneeling save from a powerful Adams shot then parried away Stuart Armstrong’s low effort at the left post.

Guaita blocked another Adams attempt as the Eagles looked to extend their advantage, Zaha latching onto a long ball from Olise but unable to get a shot in and Milivojevic’s long-range effort sailing well high of the woodwork.

Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse eyed up an equaliser but dragged his shot wide as the game neared the 70th-minute mark.

Substitute Jordan Ayew drove into the area on the right, looking like he might try to double the Eagles’ lead only to waste the chance when he elected to pass.

The decision did not prove costly as Palace fended off five minutes of added time and Guaita punched away any hope of the sides splitting the points.

Kevin De Bruyne’s stunner fired Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League after victory at Leicester.

The midfielder’s sensational freekick broke the stubborn Foxes’ resistance as City, without the injured Erling Haaland, grabbed a hard-earned 1-0 win.

Youri Tielemans hit the bar for the hosts, who made City work, but Pep Guardiola’s men moved a point clear of Arsenal, who host Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Leicester remain 17th but will take confidence from a dogged performance which can still give them the foundations to escape trouble.

Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers wanted 17-goal Haaland to play but will have undoubtedly been happy to see the red-hot forward absent, after failing to recover from a foot injury and virus, although City dominated the first half.

Rodri’s looping header was tipped over by Danny Ward while De Bruyne scuffed wide during an efficient, but relatively quiet, opening from the visitors.

Patient, they bided their time for an opportunity and it eventually arrived after 17 minutes when De Bruyne impressively plucked a ball out the air to tee up Bernardo Silva, who was denied by Ward’s legs.

The Foxes had almost been passed into submission but gave a glimpse of their own threat when Ederson saved smartly from Harvey Barnes’ angled drive after Jamie Vardy broke.

City remained undaunted though, De Bruyne firing at Ward as normal service quickly resumed with the visitors camped inside the Leicester half.

They were so high there was always scope for the Foxes to break but, such was City’s control, they never gave the hosts a glimmer.

To their credit, Rodgers’ side remained focused, keeping their concentration as City continued to probe for the right opening without finding the space they craved.

Caglar Soyuncu, in from the cold for his first league appearance since May, helped patch up a three-man defence while Ward, following four clean sheets in five games, continued to grow in confidence.

It was an impressive effort but the hosts were almost undone 32 seconds after the restart when Rodri guided Bernardo Silva’s ball inches wide.

As it was, City only needed three more minutes to find the breakthrough and, when it came, it was stunning.

Jack Grealish was felled by Nampalys Mendy 25 yards out and De Bruyne stepped up to fire a brilliant freekick into the top corner, via the post.

Leicester looked for a swift response and almost got it when James Maddison’s corner found Tielemans on the edge of the area and the midfielder cracked a perfect first-time volley which Ederson turned onto the bar.

It was a warning for City and, since Pep Guardiola took charge in 2016, no team had scored more top fight goals against them than Leicester, with 17.

The Foxes did mount a late rally as Timothy Castagne turned Maddison’s free kick over and Ederson comfortably claimed efforts from Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho.

City hung on but only after Ruben Dias avoided an embarrassing own goal in injury time when John Stones’ clearance hit the defender and dropped wide.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter endured mocking taunts of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as his unbeaten start was smashed by a stunning 4-1 Premier League battering at former club Brighton.

Rampant Albion raced into a commanding half-time lead, with own goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalobah compounding Potter’s misery following Leandro Trossard’s early opener.

Kai Havertz pulled a goal back just after the restart but the Blues were unable to prevent a first defeat in 10 games since the sacking of Thomas Tuchel as Pascal Gross rubbed salt into the wound in added time.

The remarkable result at a raucous Amex Stadium was the Seagulls’ maiden victory under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi and a first over the west London club since 1933, with the unforgiving home supporters gleefully revelling in their ex-manager’s suffering.

Potter returned to Sussex with six wins and three draws from his nine fixtures at Stamford Bridge and looking to inflict further punishment on an Albion side who began the day with just two points from a possible 15 since his departure seven weeks ago.

He received jeers – and a smattering of applause – when he stepped off the team coach, while there were further boos when he emerged from the tunnel.

Brighton fed off their fans’ hostile energy and quickly took control of the contest during a blistering start.

Chelsea captain Thiago Silva had already twice been forced to head off his own goal-line – first to deny Trossard and then Pervis Estupinan – when three sides of the ground erupted in the fifth minute.

Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma claimed the assist on his full Premier League debut, delightfully dancing into the box and offloading to in-form Trossard, who rounded goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga before emphatically dispatching his seventh goal of the season beyond former Seagulls defender Marc Cucurella.

Potter was soon looking stunned in the away dugout as Albion duly doubled their advantage with just 14 minutes on the clock.

Solly March’s inswinging corner from the right caused chaos in the Blues box and recalled midfielder Loftus-Cheek could only divert the ball into his own net via the underside of the crossbar.

The quick-fire goals produced a deafening noise inside the ground, with chants of “Potter, what’s the score?” growing louder and followed by playful questioning of his job security.

Despite their dreadful start, Chelsea were far from dejected and had numerous chances to halve the deficit as the breathless, end-to-end action continued.

Christian Pulisic somehow fired wide with the goal gaping after Robert Sanchez pushed away Conor Gallagher’s initial effort.

Spain goalkeeper Sanchez then went one better, producing a stunning one-handed diving save to turn Gallagher’s flicked header over the crossbar.

Havertz was also kept out, while Raheem Sterling was later denied a penalty when he went down under a challenge from Gross.

Any growing momentum for the visitors was extinguished three minutes before the break as Chelsea again contributed to their own downfall.

This time the sliding Chalobah did the damage, diverting the ball beyond Kepa after rampaging full-back Estupinan cut the ball back from the left.

Potter replaced keeper Kepa with Edouard Mendy for the second period due to an apparent injury but quickly had reason for greater optimism.

Midfielder Gallagher delivered an inviting cross from the right following Loftus-Cheek’s lay-off and Havertz escaped Albion’s defence to head home unmarked.

Sanchez prevented a Gross own goal as the Blues pushed for another, before Potter hooked the ineffectual Sterling and Brighton’s player of the season for 2021-22 Cucurella, with Ben Chilwell and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang introduced.

Chelsea dominated for much of the final 25 minutes but could not make further inroads on the scoreboard and were eventually sent home embarrassed after Gross tapped in on the rebound after lively substitute Julio Enciso was denied by Mendy.

Italian De Zerbi jubilantly celebrated a milestone moment with his new fans on a chastening afternoon for predecessor Potter.