Premier League round-up: Benteke breaks scoring drought as Crystal Palace win again

Belgian striker scores first goal in 14 games before setting up teammate Zaha with Sako adding a third after Ndidi sent off for Leicester. Also wins for Arsenal, Huddersfield and Chelsea while Stoke v West Ham kick off delayed

Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City vs Crystal Palace - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - December 16, 2017   Crystal Palace's Christian Benteke scores their first goal    Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine    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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Leicester City 0-3 Crystal Palace
Palace:
Benteke (19'), Zaha (40'), Sako (90+4')
Red card: Ndidi (Leicester)

Christian Benteke put his penalty misery behind him to inspire resurgent Crystal Palace to their first away win of the season as 10-man Leicester City were beaten 3-0.

The Belgian striker scored his first goal since May in a victory that came a week after he defied team orders by taking - and missing - a penalty against Bournemouth.

Another apology saw him set up the impressive Wilfred Zaha for a goal, with Bakary Sako adding a late third as Palace moved up to 14th.

Roy Hodgson's men are now unbeaten in seven games and their cause was aided by sloppy Leicester, who had birthday boy Wilfred Ndidi sent off in the second half.

Vicente Iborra had a goal disallowed for the hosts, who had previously won four straight games, as they missed the chance to move within two points of the top five.

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Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal vs Newcastle United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - December 16, 2017   Arsenal's Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring their first goal   REUTERS/Eddie Keogh    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.
Arsenal's Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring the winning goal against Newcastle. Eddie Keogh / Reuters

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle United
Arsenal:
Ozil (23')

Arsenal returned to winning ways but had Mesut Ozil to thank for scoring a wonderful winner as they toiled against out-of-form Newcastle United.

Having taken just two points from their last three games, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could not have wished for a better game in which to register a first Premier League win of the month.

But the performance in a tight 1-0 victory over the Magpies was met with incredulity from pockets of the home fans, with the likes of Alexis Sanchez and the recalled Alexandre Lacazette struggling to make an impact once again.

Newcastle are without a league victory since October 21 and their slide into the relegation battle continued despite a determined showing here, with profligate finishing their main issue.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion vs Burnley - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - December 16, 2017   Brighton's Glenn Murray misses a chance to score    Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs    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.
Brighton's Glenn Murray, centre, misses a chance to score against Burnley. Paul Childs / Reuters

Brighton 0-0 Hove Albion v Burnley

Glenn Murray squandered a first-half penalty as Brighton's winless run stretched to seven games with a goalless draw against high-flying Burnley.

Albion dominated for long spells at the Amex Stadium but their search for a first Premier League victory since the start of November goes on after Murray blazed his 36th-minute spot-kick high over the crossbar.

Anthony Knockaert had earlier rattled the woodwork for the Seagulls, while Sean Dyche's Clarets could have won it late on through Chris Wood as they missed a chance to move to fourth in the table.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea vs Southampton - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - December 16, 2017   Chelsea's Marcos Alonso celebrates scoring their first goal     REUTERS/Toby Melville    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's Marcos Alonso celebrates scoring against Southampton. Toby Melville / Reuters

Chelsea 1-0 Southampton
Chelsea:
Alonso (45+3')

Time was on Chelsea's side as Marcos Alonso's free kick earned a 1-0 Premier League win over Southampton.

Antonio Conte says time is running out in the title pursuit, even if Manchester City slip up, and said the clear leaders had been lucky with late goals.

But the Blues benefited at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, as more than the advertised minimum two minutes of first-half stoppage time had elapsed when Alonso curled in.

Conte, sent off against Swansea and fined £8,000 for misconduct, had been complaining about Saints' persistent fouling and time-wasting.

But it was Mauricio Pellegrino who may feel aggrieved as Saints' winless run was extended to five games to keep them in a congested lower half of the table.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Huddersfield Town - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - December 16, 2017   Huddersfield Town’s Aaron Mooy celebrates scoring their second goal     REUTERS/David Klein    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.
Aaron Mooy was loaned out to Huddersfield Town. David Klein / Reuters

Watford 1-4 Huddersfield Town
Watford: 
Doucoure (68')
Huddersfield: Kachunga (6'), Mooy (23', 88' pen), Depoitre (50')
Red cards: Deeney (Watford), Hogg (Huddersfield)

Aaron Mooy's double fired Huddersfield to a pulsating 4-1 win at Watford and only their second away win of the season.

Elias Kachunga and Mooy put Huddersfield two goals to the good at Vicarage Road before Troy Deeney was sent off for a dangerous lunge on Colin Quaner.

Laurent Depoitre added a third for the visitors shortly after half-time only for Watford to threaten a comeback when Huddersfield's Jonathan Hogg was shown a second yellow card and Abdoulaye Doucoure reduced the deficit with a sweet half-volley.

Doucoure, however, then turned villain by fouling Depoitre in the box late on and Mooy banged in his second, Huddersfield's fourth, from the penalty spot to cap a thrilling victory.

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Mark Noble of West Ham United scores his sides first goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Stoke City and West Ham United at Bet365 Stadium on December 16, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England.  (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
Mark Noble of West Ham United scores from the penalty spot against Stoke on his 300th Premier League appearance. Tony Marshall / Getty Images

Stoke City v West Ham United (delayed kick off)

  • Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 9.30pm

Sunday's matches

  • West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United, 6.15pm
  • Bournemouth v Liverpool, 8.30pm

Monday's match

  • Everton v Swansea City, midnight