Manchester United on Tuesday cut Manchester City’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points as Ashley Young inspired a 4-2 win against Watford, while Tottenham Hotspur’s fading title hopes were extinguished by a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City.
Young’s first United goals since May last year were followed by an Anthony Martial strike as United produced a scintillating first half at Vicarage Road.
United’s third consecutive league win was only secured after a late wobble as Troy Deeney and Abdoulaye Doucoure struck for Watford before Jesse Lingard settled the visitors’ nerves with a fine solo effort.
Photo: AP
Although United have closed the gap on City, Pep Guardiola’s side, looking to make it 12 successive league victories, were yesterday to have a chance to re-establish their eight-point lead hosting Southampton.
Having provoked the Lewis Dunk own-goal that clinched United’s win over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, Young opened the scoring against his old club in the 19th minute.
Picked out on the edge of the Watford penalty area by Lingard’s pass, Young smashed his shot into the bottom corner.
Young was not finished, the wingback doubling United’s lead with another sumptuous strike six minutes later as his long-range free-kick flashed past Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
Martial netted United’s third in the 32nd minute with a cool finish from Romelu Lukaku’s pass for his eighth goal of the season.
Deeney’s 77th-minute penalty, awarded for Marcos Rojo’s foul on Roberto Pereyra, was followed by Doucoure’s strike in the 84th minute, but Lingard notched United’s fourth two minutes later.
At the King Power Stadium, Tottenham succumbed to a damaging defeat that leaves them with just one win in their past five league games.
England leftback Danny Rose was back in the Tottenham team after being dropped for their two previous league games.
However, Rose’s presence did little for Tottenham, who fell behind in the 13th minute when Jamie Vardy bagged his 100th career league goal.
The Leicester striker’s milestone arrived with a superb volleyed finish from Marc Albrighton’s pass.
Riyad Mahrez made it two majestic strikes for Leicester in first-half stoppage time, when the Algeria winger drilled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Tottenham winger Erik Lamela entered for his first appearance in 13 months and made an immediate impact as his pass teed up Harry Kane to blast in his 16th club goal of the season in the 79th minute.
However, Mauricio Pochettino’s fifth-placed team could not muster an equalizer and last season’s runners-up remain 13 points behind City.
Crystal Palace missed a chance to move off the bottom of the table as Roy Hodgson’s side settled for a 0-0 draw at archrivals Brighton.
Palace would have climbed to 18th place with a win, but they were unable to break down Brighton in the first Premier League meeting between clubs, who have a fierce rivalry, despite being separated by more than 70km.
In their first meeting in more than four years, south Londoners Palace picked up their first away league point this season, while south coast-based Brighton are now without a win in their past three league games.
Elsewhwere, West Bromwich Albion blew a two-goal lead as Newcastle United rescued a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns.
Former Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has held talks with Albion following Tony Pulis’ recent dismissal, but it was caretaker boss Gary Megson who remained in charge.
Megson was unable to secure Albion’s first win in 12 league games and his side are only two points above the relegation zone.
West Brom forward Hal Robson-Kanu broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time when he nodded home from Kieran Gibbs’ cross for his first goal since August.
Sam Field, a teenage English midfielder, got the second in the 56th minute, finishing off Matt Phillips’ cross for his first Albion goal.
However, Ciaran Clark’s header reduced the deficit three minutes later and Newcastle avoided a fifth consecutive defeat thanks to a Jonny Evans own-goal from Matt Ritchie’s 83rd-minute free-kick.
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