Manchester City smash through the 100-goal barrier

ARSENAL 2

FULHAM 0

Two goals in five second-half minutes from Santi Cazorla ensured Arsenal retained their grip on top spot in the English Premier League.

Following the Gunners’ wobble in December, Arsene Wenger’s side have won their last five league matches, with Fulham their latest victims as the Cottagers were beaten 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

In front of their own fans Arsenal typically dominated play, but had to wait until the 57th minute for Cazorla to sweep home the first of his brace with his right foot.

Just past the hour mark and Spaniard Cazorla, with only two goals to his name ahead of this game, doubled his tally for the season, this time with a superb let-foot drive from outside the area.

MANCHESTER CITY 4

CARDIFF CITY 2

Manchester City smashed through the 100-goal barrier for the season as they overcame Cardiff 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Late goals from Yaya Toure and fit-again Sergio Aguero ensured another victory for the Premier League title favourites.

Edin Dzeko had brought up their century in the first half but Cardiff gave them a battle and equalised through Craig Noone before Jesus Navas grabbed City’s second. Fraizer Campbell claimed a Cardiff consolation in injury-time.

City were in control for most of the game but it was not until Toure’s 76th-minute strike that the result was certain.

SUNDERLAND 2

SOUTHAMPTON 2

Relegation-threatened Sunderland salvaged a point from a 2-2 draw with Southampton after trailing 2-0 in the first half at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The home side, who stay in the English Premier League drop zone, also had a goal chalked off after a narrow offside call in the second half of the lunchtime kick off.

Southampton, faced with upheavals off the pitch this week following the resignation of chairman Nicola Cortese and doubts over the future of coach Mauricio Pochettino, were also rocked on it with Gaston Ramirez and Dejan Lovren being carried off on a stretcher after being hurt late in the game.

The Saints dominated the first half-an-hour and deservedly led with goals from Jay Rodriguez, who scored with a shot from just outside the penalty area after four minutes, and Lovren who made it 2-0 with a right-foot shot after 31.

Sunderland immediately halved the deficit when Fabio Borini netted with a low angled shot a minute later and they pulled level when the in-form Adam Johnson hammered home after 71.

In between those two strikes Borini also had a goal disallowed when he was ruled narrowly offside after planting home a well-taken strike after 64 minutes.

The result meant Southampton stayed ninth before the rest of the afternoon’s league programme.

WEST HAM UNITED 1

NEWCASTLE UNITED 3

Andy Carroll squandered a glorious chance to decorate his Upton Park return with a crucial goal as Newcastle United ended their three-match losing run in the Premier League.

Carroll, back from a long-term foot injury, made his second appearance of the season as a 62nd-minute substitute and was guilty of an awful miss.

With West Ham trailing 2-1 and the match finely poised, the England striker had the goal at his mercy after being teed up by Stewart Downing only to loft his attempt high over the crossbar.

Strikes from Yohan Cabaye and Loic Remy put impressive Newcastle in a commanding position, but Mike Williamson’s own goal in first-half injury time set up a more competitive second half.

West Ham, buoyed by the arrival of Ravel Morrison, displayed greater fight and Carlton Cole should have scored the equaliser but also butchered the simplest of chances.

Newcastle added their third four minutes into injury time when Cabaye curled a free-kick around the wall, off the left post and into the net.

The result means West Ham slip back into the relegation zone while Newcastle have concluded their four-match losing run in all competitions.

CRYSTAL PALACE 1

STOKE CITY 0

Jason Puncheon ended the Tottenham penalty-miss argument with a coolly-taken strike as Crystal Palace saw off Stoke 1-0 at Selhurst Park for their first Premier League win in four matches.

Southampton loan-man Puncheon’s embarrassing penalty miss in the 2-0 defeat at Spurs last week sparked a war of words with former Palace boss Neil Warnock.

The 27-year-old reacted angrily to Warnock suggesting he would never have allowed Puncheon to take spot-kicks, launching an ill-advised Twitter tirade.

Warnock threatened legal action as the spat spiralled, before Palace boss Tony Pulis calmed the situation by backing Puncheon for further set-piece duty.

Pulis was desperate not to concede a Premier League double to former club Stoke, especially two days after turning 56.

Puncheon’s finish was all the sweeter for the context, after a first half devoid of end product to add to that horror-show penalty.

It was enough to set Palace up for their first league win since Boxing Day, and condemn Mark Hughes’ Stoke to their fifth consecutive winless Premier League clash.

NORWICH CITY 1

HULL CITY 0

Norwich defender Ryan Bennett scored his first goal for nine months as the Canaries defeated Hull 1-0 at Carrow Road.

Despite club-record signing Nikica Jelavic in the Hull side, it was Bennett who broke the stalemate in the 87th minute with a fine header to a cross from Robert Snodgrass.

Further misery followed for the visitors when Tom Huddlestone was dismissed two minutes later for his second bookable offence.

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