Man City extend record to 17, Kane equals Shearer record: Premier League round-up

Reigning champions had the majority of possession and chances but Allardyce's side held firm.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 23, 2017   Manchester City's Sergio Aguero scores their third goal                 REUTERS/Andrew Yates    EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
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A round-up of all the reports and results from this weekend's Premier League action. All Kick-off times UAE (+4 GMT).

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Manchester City 4 Bournemouth 0
Man City: 
Aguero (27', 79'), Sterling (53'), Danilo (85')

  • Two goals by Sergio Aguero and one each for Raheem Sterling and Danilo enabled leaders Manchester City to extend their record-breaking run to 17 successive Premier League wins as they thrashed Bournemouth 4-0. The run had begun with victory in added time away to the same opposition in August. This one was much more comfortable and dropped Bournemouth into the bottom three. Aguero set Pep Guardiola's team on their way in the 27th minute. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic lost possession with a poor clearance and Aguero met Fernandinho's pass with a diving header. Soon after halftime, leading scorer Sterling finished a fine move involving David Silva and Aguero, who then headed his second of the afternoon from a cross by substitute Bernardo Silva. Danilo, another substitute, scored the fourth within three minutes of coming on.

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Brighton and Hove Albion 1 Watford 0
Brighton:
Gross (64')

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 23: Pascal Gross of Brighton and Hove Albion celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Watford at Amex Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Brighton, England.  (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Brighton's Pascal Gross scores the only goal of the game. Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
  • Brighton and Hove Albion moved clear of the relegation zone after a second-half goal by German forward Pascal Gross gave them a deserved 1-0 win over Watford in a lively Premier League clash. Gross delighted the home fans with a fierce low shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 64th minute, as it squeezed through Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes's hands and lifted Brighton into 12th place on 21 points from 19 games. The result also snapped Brighton's seven-game winless streak while Watford, who have now taken only one point from their last six games, stayed 10th after a fourth successive defeat. Gomes kept out a Connor Goldson header in a tight first half but Brighton pressed on relentlessly after the break and missed a string of chances either side of Gross's winner, with striker Tommer Hemed and centre back Lewis Dunk coming close. 

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Southampton 1 Huddersfield Town 1
Southampton:
Austin (24')
Huddersfield: Depoitre (64')

Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton vs Huddersfield Town - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - December 23, 2017   Southampton's Charlie Austin scores their first goal   REUTERS/Peter Nicholls    EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Charlie Austin scores the opening goal for Southampton. Peter Nicholls / Reuters
  • Virgil van Dijk was once again left out in the cold as Southampton drew 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town, with the storm of transfer rumours around the Dutch defender continuing to grow. Van Dijk, a long-term target for Liverpool who has also had his name linked to Manchester City and Chelsea, was an unused substitute in the 1-0 loss to Chelsea the previous weekend and was left out of the squad entirely against Huddersfield. After withstanding an opening barrage from the visitors, Southampton took the lead half-way through the first half when Wesley Hoedt flicked on James Ward-Prowse's corner and Charlie Austin stooped to head the ball into the net. Southampton pressed hard for a second but Laurent Depoitre equalised for Huddersfield in the 64th minute, slipping between Maya Yoshida and Jack Stevens to head home and secure a well-earned point for his side.

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Stoke City 3 West Bromwich Albion 1
Stoke:
 Allen (19'), Choupo-Moting (45'+2), Sobhi (90'+5)
West Brom: Rondon (51')

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 23:  Ramadan Sobhi of Stoke City celebrates with teammates Maxim Choupo-Moting and Peter Crouch after scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion at Bet365 Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England.  (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Stoke City's Ramadan Sobhi, right, after scoring his side's third goal. Gareth Copley / Getty Images
  • The pressure on Stoke City manager Mark Hughes eased a little following a 3-1 home victory against West Brom. Five defeats in the previous six Premier League matches had dragged Stoke towards the relegation battle, but Hughes said in the build-up to the game he did not feel defeat here would spell the end of his four and a half years in charge. Chairman Peter Coates, however, described Saturday's fixture against the second-from-bottom club as "one we need to win." It looked like Stoke would comfortably oblige after first-half goals from Joe Allen and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting put them firmly in control but West Brom rallied at the start of the second half and Salomon Rondon halved their deficit. However, West Brom were unable to get anything from the game and Alan Pardew is still looking for his first victory since taking over as manager five matches ago. More worryingly, his group of players are without a Premier League win for 17 matches.

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Swansea City 1 Crystal Palace 1
Swansea:
J Ayew (77')
Palace: Milivojevic (59' pen)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Swansea City vs Crystal Palace - Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Britain - December 23, 2017   Swansea City's Jordan Ayew celebrates scoring their first goal    Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra    EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Swansea City's Jordan Ayew. Peter Cziborra / Reuters
  • Crystal Palace striker Luka Milivojevic's second-half penalty was cancelled out by Jordan Ayew's terrific strike as managerless Swansea earned a 1-1 draw in an even contest at the Liberty Stadium. Milivojevic beat goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with a precise spot kick down the middle after Swansea defender Federico Fernandez had brought down Palace midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the box 13 minutes into the second half. Palace's lead did not last long as Swansea forward Ayew smashed the ball into the bottom left corner from outside the box in the 77th minute to give hope to the Welsh side, who were led by temporary manager Leon Britton after Paul Clement's sacking. Ghana international Ayew added a touch of urgency to Swansea's attack and went close with another shot from distance two minutes later but the visitors held on to secure a point. 

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West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 3
West Ham:
 Arnautovic (6'), A Ayew (69')
Newcastle: Saivet (10'), Diamé (53'), Atsu (61')

Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United vs Newcastle United - London Stadium, London, Britain - December 23, 2017   Newcastle United players celebrate after the match    Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien    EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Newcastle United players celebrate after the match. Tony O'Brien / Reuters
  • Newcastle halted their alarming slide and ended West Ham's recent revival by edging a five-goal thriller 3-2 at the London Stadium. Marko Arnautovic gave West Ham, who had a spring in their step following recent wins over Chelsea and Stoke, a sixth-minute lead. But the wheels fell off spectacularly as Newcastle raced ahead through goals from forgotten midfielder Henri Saivet, Mohamed Diame and Christian Atsu. Andre Ayew, who had earlier missed a penalty, pulled one back but Newcastle held on for victory, their first win in 10 matches, to ensure they will not spend Christmas in the bottom three.

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Everton 0 Chelsea 0

Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Chelsea - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - December 23, 2017   Chelsea's Eden Hazard in action with Everton's Beni Baningime            REUTERS/Phil Noble    EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.  Please contact your account representative for further details.
Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, left, and Everton midfielder Beni Baningime. Phil Noble / Reuters
  • Chelsea wasted a chance to move level on points with second placed Manchester United as Everton maintained their improvement under Sam Allardyce in a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park. It marked a sixth game unbeaten for Everton under former England manager Allardyce, but Chelsea's failure to convert possession into goals will not have pleased manager Antonio Conte. Conte has already conceded his inconsistent team won't be able to defend the Premier League title and this was another frustrating afternoon for the Italian as Chelsea squandered their territorial dominance. Chelsea remain third and are 13 points behind leaders Manchester City, who play Bournemouth later on Saturday.

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Burnley 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3
Tottenham: 
Kane (7' pen, 69', 79')

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane celebrates scoring his side's third goal of the game during their English Premier League soccer match against Burnley at Turf Moor, Burnley, England, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017. (Anthony Devlin/PA via AP)
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane. Anthony Devlin / PA
  • Harry Kane moved level with Alan Shearer's record by scoring 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year with a hat-trick against Burnley at Turf Moor. Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the seventh minute before striking 10 minutes apart in the second half to ensure a successful evening's work for Spurs against a Burnley side who have impressed this season. The result moves Tottenham above fierce rivals Arsenal into fifth place on goal difference in the Premier League, one point  behind Liverpool in the final Uefa Champions League place.

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Still to come:

Leicester City v Manchester United (11.45pm)