Saturday Premier League wrap: The things you might have missed

Manchester City 2-2 Tottenham

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Despite his recent comments about not being good enough to manage Manchester City, Pep Guardiola got his tactics spot on in the first half. The Citizens bombarded Tottenham's defence and had it not been for such impressive defending, City could have had the game wrapped up. 

 

The second half saw Kevin De Bruyne deployed in a much deeper role, giving him more space and time on the ball. It worked a treat - it was the Belgian's ball over the Spurs defence which led to Leroy Sane tapping in the opener after a huge error by Hugo Lloris handed City a 1-0 lead. De Bruyne then doubled the advantage by capitalising on another Lloris mistake, punishing the Frenchman's spill from close range. 

 

But Dele Alli’s header gave Tottenham a way back into the game, and they completed the comeback when Son Heung-min levelled the scores up. But it wasn’t without controversy: Raheem Sterling was pushed down in the area a minute before the South Korean scored.  

Goals: Sané (49'), De Bruyne (54') - Alli (58'), Son Heung-min (77')

Stoke 1-1  Manchester United

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Wayne Rooney scored a brilliant late free-kick to become Manchester United’s all-time record goalscorer and rescue a point for Jose Mourinho's side at the Britannia Stadium. 

It’s fair to assume Mourinho will be fuming with his team's inability to win this game, though, especially when you consider that a United player (Mata) was credited with Stoke’s goal, the Spaniard missed an open goal and Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn't have his best day at the office. 

The draw, however, does see United extend their unbeaten run to 17 games. 

Goals: Mata (19' og) - Rooney (90'+4)

Bournemouth 2-2 Watford

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Watford and Bournemouth shared a point apiece at the Vitality Stadium in an entertaining 2-2 draw on the south coast. With it, this latest stalemate means they've drawn all four of their Premier League meetings (yawn, we know). 

The home side started strongly and had plenty of chances in the first half, but it was Watford who took the lead through Congolese defender Christian Kabasele.

Whatever Eddie Howe said at half-time worked, though – if only for a couple of minutes. Bournemouth came racing out of the traps and equalised through Josh King, before the Hornets took the lead again through the talismanic Troy Deeney. But Walter Mazzarri was denied a particularly cheery evening by Benik Afobe's 82nd-minute equaliser which earned the hosts a point. 

Goals: King (48’), Afobe (82') - Kabasele (24'), Deeney (64')

Crystal Palace 0-1 Everton

Sam Allardyce is still hunting desperately for his first win as Crystal Palace boss, after Everton right-back Seamus Coleman dealt his side a late defeat at Selhurst Park.  

Everton were probably expected to beat the Eagles after crushing Manchester City at home last week, but that won't make things any easier for a Palace side bemoaning a recent run of one win in 16 and now in the relegation zone after Swansea's shock win at Anfield earlier in the day. 

Palace again showed a lack of threat up front and spent most of the game under the cosh. Worrying times in south-east London. 

Goals: Coleman (87')

Middlesbrough 1-3 West Ham

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West Ham seem to be dealing without Dimitri Payet pretty well. Andy Carroll netted a double against Middlesbrough to follow up last weekend's blistering overhead kick against Palace, helping the happy Hammers to another three points that take them into the top half.  

Despite the home team's strong defensive record, Boro struggled to keep the big man at bay – despite having levelled midway through the first half via Cristhian Stuani – and remain very much embroiled in a relegation battle as their goalscoring troubles continue. 

Goals: Stuani (27') - Carroll (9', 43'), Calleri (90'+4)

West Brom 2-0 Sunderland

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West Brom’s brilliant season continued as they swiped aside a flimsy Sunderland at The Hawthorns.

Darren Fletcher got the game’s opener, before Chris Brunt doubled the Baggies’ lead nine minutes before the break. 

Sunderland’s attempts to get back into the game were virtually non-exsistent, and after West Brom’s second there was no chance of taking the points away from the Midlands team.  

Goals: Fletcher (30'), Brunt (36')

Liverpool 2-3 Swansea

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Coming into this game, Liverpool held the Premier League's best attacking record and Swansea bemoaned the worst defensive one. Typical, then, that at half-time it was 0-0 with Anfield snoozing and most spending a lot more time peeking at an onlooking Will Ferrell. 

But the second half might just go down as one of the finest in the league's history. Swansea raced into a 2-0 lead with a quickfire Fernando Llorente double, before Liverpool levelled things up with a brace from Roberto Firmino.

But as Jurgen Klopp's Reds pushed for a winner they were caught out on the counter, and Swansea took the lead again through their Icelandic schemer Gylfi Sigurdsson. A late surge of attempts from the home side weren't enough, and the Swans sealed a famous win – officially, their first in the Premier League under new boss Paul Clement. 

Goals: Firmino (55', 69') - Llorente (48', 52'), Sigurdsson (74')

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