Monday Premier League wrap: The things you might have missed
FourFourTwo's recap of Monday's top-flight action
West Ham 0-2 Man United
Second-half strikes from Juan Mata and Zlatan Ibrahimovic made the difference at the London Stadium, but Manchester United also had Mike Dean to thank for this victory. Sofiane Feghouli's controversial sending-off in the 15th minute handed the momentum to the visitors, whose second goal should have been chalked off for offside.
Jose Mourinho will believe his team were owed a touch of good fortune, though, and they did create the better chances in the capital. This was their sixth consecutive triumph in the Premier League, with just a single point now separating the Red Devils from a place in the top four.
40 - Juan Mata has been involved in 40 PL goals (25 goals, 15 assists) since debuting for Man Utd; second only to Wayne Rooney (46). Deft.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
Everton 3-0 Southampton
Ronald Koeman avenges November's defeat by former club Southampton with a comfortable victory over Claude Puel's men at Goodison Park. Enner Valencia opened the scoring in the 73rd minute, before Leighton Baines and Romelu Lukaku put the match out of Saints' reach.
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Southampton's backline has now been breached nine times in their last three outings after only conceding 16 goals in their 17 previous Premier League encounters. Everton, meanwhile, make it three games unbeaten after Boxing Day's victory over Leicester and Friday's 2-2 draw with Hull.
15 - Romelu Lukaku has been involved in 15 PL goals this term (11 goals, 4 assists); at least 10 more than any other Everton player. Sweet.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
Man City 2-1 Burnley
An important win for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola after Saturday’s loss at Liverpool, while Burnley’s away woes continue. The hosts started brightly at the Etihad but the sending-off of Fernandinho just after the half-hour mark disrupted their rhythm and gave the Clarets genuine belief that they could avoid defeat on the road for only the second time this season.
It wasn’t to be, though, as second-half efforts from Gael Clichy and Sergio Aguero turned Guardiola's scowl into a smile. For Burnley, who halved the deficit through Ben Mee with 20 minutes remaining, this was a seventh reverse away from Turf Moor this season – Sean Dyche’s charges have collected just one of their 23 points on their travels, which is unsurprisingly a league low.
3 - Gael Clichy has scored just his 3rd Premier League goal in 311 games (2 for Man City, 1 for Arsenal). Rarity.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
Middlesbrough 0-0 Leicester
A bore draw at the Riverside Stadium that doesn't really suit either side: the champions remain just six points clear of the drop zone and Middlesbrough only four above the dreaded dotted line. Claudio Ranieri will be the happier of the two managers following his team's victory over West Ham at the weekend, though, with Aitor Karanka left to curse his luck after Adama Traore was denied a penalty in the second half.
Boro fans must be sick of the sight of Leicester, with this stalemate extending their winless run against the Foxes to 14 matches.
21 - Leicester have collected just 21 points from their opening 20 games this season; the worst return by a reigning PL champion. Hunted.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
Sunderland 2-2 Liverpool
A share of the spoils at the Stadium of Light, which gives Chelsea the chance to move eight points clear at the top of the table on Wednesday. Liverpool were far from their best against a dogged Sunderland outfit, who twice levelled from the spot after goals from Daniel Sturridge and Sadio Mane had given the visitors a 1-0 and then a 2-1 lead.
Jermain Defoe, who converted both of the Black Cats' penalties, has now scored a Premier League goal in every calendar year since 2001. For Jurgen Klopp's side, this draw brings a four-game winning run to an end.
2 - Sunderland are the first team to score two penalties in a Premier League game against Liverpool since West Brom in April 2011. Spot.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
West Brom 3-1 Hull
Another three points for West Brom, who have now won four of their last five top-flight encounters in front of their own supporters at The Hawthorns. Hull took the lead through Robert Snodgrass – with seven goals and two assists, the Scotland international has now been directly involved in more than 50 per cent of City’s strikes this season – but fell apart after the interval as efforts from Chris Brunt, Gareth McAuley and James Morrison turned the game on its head.
While Hull remain three points adrift of safety, the Baggies are now closer in points to the top four than the bottom three. Tony Pulis for the Champions League?
10 - West Brom are the first side to hit double figures for headed goals in the Premier League this season. Bonce.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 2, 2017
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).