BPL Reviews

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

ARSENAL 2

EVERTON 1

GOALS:-ARSENAL: GIROUD 36; KOSCIELNY 38. EVERTON: BARKLEY 44.

Arsenal rose to the top of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in 20 months in an ultimately nervous encounter with Everton. After beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the Gunners then overcame Everton with two first-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny. Ross Barkley's deflected effort gave Everton hope but Arsenal held on, though only for 24 hours before the Manchester derby.

ASTON VILLA 1

SWANSEA CITY 2

GOALS:-VILLA: J AYEW 62. SWANSEA: SIGURDSSON 68; A AYEW 87.

Tim Sherwood was sacked by Aston Villa less than 24 hours after the manager saw his side suffer a sixth straight Barclays Premier League defeat and drop to the bottom. Villa are 19th after Swansea's Andre Ayew netted a late winner for the Welshmen. His brother, Jordan Ayew, had given Villa the lead, but within six minutes Swansea were level through Gylfi Sigurdsson. Swansea's 87th-minute winner prompted Sherwood's departure after just eight months in charge.

LEICESTER CITY 1

CRYSTAL PALACE 0

GOAL:-LEICESTER: VARDY 59.

England striker Jamie Vardy became only the fifth Englishman to score in seven successive Barclays Premier League games with Leicester's winner against Crystal Palace. Vardy pounced after Brede Hangeland's mistake, lifting the ball over Wayne Hennessey and firing home from close range. Late on, Palace were denied a penalty when Christian Fuchs appeared to handle in the box.

NORWICH CITY 0

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1

GOAL:-WBA: RONDON 46.

Norwich City suffered a third straight defeat in the Barclays Premier League after Salomon Rondon's header secured a third away win of the season for West Bromwich Albion. Craig Dawson wasted a good chance for West Brom when he headed over unmarked before Rondon's winner.

STOKE CITY 0 WATFORD 2

GOALS:-DEENEY 43; ADBI 69.

Troy Deeney and Almen Abdi both scored as Watford spoiled Mark Hughes's 100th game in charge of Stoke. Deeney claimed his first goal in the Barclays Premier League with a low effort from Odion Ighalo's pass just before half-time. And Ighalo was provider again when he fed Abdi, who sent his drive beyond Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland.

WEST HAM UNITED 2

CHELSEA 1

GOALS:-ZARATE 17; CARROLL 79. CHELSEA: CAHILL 56.

Chelsea who had midfielder Nemanja Matic and manager JosÈ Mourinho sent off, and suffered when sub Andy Carroll claimed a late winner for West Ham. Mauro Zarate fired the Hammers in front when Chelsea failed to clear a corner. Matic was red-carded after being booked twice in nine minutes before the break. Mourinho followed after speaking to referee Jon Moss at half-time. Gary Cahill levelled, but Carroll's header took the Hammers third in the table.