EPL: Kane at the double as Spurs rout Everton

LONDON - Harry Kane continued his rich scoring streak by netting twice in Tottenham Hotspur's 4-0 win over Everton at Wembley as Mauricio Pochettino's side made up ground on third-placed Chelsea who shared a goalless draw with 10-man Leicester City.

For a while, it looked as if Kane might be outshone by his team mate Son Heung-min, who scored in a home game for the fifth successive time.

Then Kane took over to net in the 47th and 59th minutes to take his season's league tally to 20, the fourth consecutive campaign he has reached the landmark.

Christian Eriksen rounded off a cleverly worked team move, again featuring Son, for Spurs' fourth as Everton crashed to their heaviest defeat under Sam Allardyce, who gave a debut to 27 million pound ($37 million) new signing Cenk Tosun.

With three of the top four not playing, fifth-placed Tottenham moved level with Liverpool on 44 points, three behind Chelsea. Antonio Conte's side missed the chance to go second as Leicester hung on for a draw at Stamford Bridge despite the 68th-minute dismissal of Ben Chilwell.

It was the third successive game in all competitions that Chelsea failed to score, with striker Alvaro Morata looking frustrated and short of confidence.

Manager Conte believes they are paying the price for playing seven games in three weeks, with no let-up in prospect as they contest four competitions. "I think I saw a lot of very tired players," Conte said.

Elsewhere, there were more controversial refereeing decisions as English football continued to debate whether the video assistant referee (VAR) system, which was tested in some cup games last week, would benefit the Premier League.

The first flashpoint occurred at Vicarage Road where TV replays revealed Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled the ball over the line with his right hand in the 2-2 draw with Southampton.

A seventh Premier League defeat in eight games had looked likely for Marco Silva's side after James Ward-Prowse scored twice but Andre Gray set up a thrilling finale before Doucoure's contribution led to furious Southampton protests.

"We can do nothing now," said Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino diplomatically. However, Watford striker Troy Deeney admitted that had the VAR system been in operation "we probably wouldn't have got it".

At Newcastle United, bottom side Swansea City believed they were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Mohamed Diame appeared to handle the ball.

Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal said: My assistant says that it's a very clear penalty and a red card also, but what can we do? Nothing, only talk about this. This is one of the situations VAR will in the future say clear penalty – it will be clear."

HAPPY HAMMERS 

There was nothing controversial about West Ham United's 4-1 destruction of Huddersfield Town, a victory that puts the Hammers 11th in the table.

When David Moyes took over as West Ham manager many observers questioned his ability to get the team scoring again. But the Scot has proved all the doubters wrong with the London side scoring 12 goals from his past five league games in charge.

A Manuel Lanzini double plus strikes from Mark Noble and the impressive Marko Arnautovic gave the visitors a comfortable victory that took them above Huddersfield, for whom Joe Lolley scored and new 14 million pound ($19.2 million) signing Alex Pritchard came on as a substitute.

The win was Moyes' 200th in the Premier League, a landmark reached by only three other managers.

At Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace's revival under Roy Hodgson continued with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burnley which moved them five points above the relegation zone.

Alan Pardew was another manager breathing easier after West Bromwich Albion beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 to record their first win in 21 league games and his first in nine as their manager.

Both Albion goals came via headers from Chris Brunt corners, with Jonny Evans and Craig Dawson rising above Brighton's defence.

($1 = 0.7283 pounds) (Reporting by Neil Robinson; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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Record-breaking City march on, Everton's woes continue

LONDON - Manchester City restored an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Huddersfield Town, while Everton's season went from bad to worse following a toothless 4-1 defeat at Southampton on Sunday.

Huddersfield appeared on course to earne an impressive point against City but Raheem Sterling bundled home a fortunate 84th-minute winner for the visitors after Sergio Aguero had earlier converted a penalty to cancel out Nicolas Otamendi's own goal.

With a 12th victory in 13 games, Pep Guardiola's City have made the best ever start to a Premier League season and lead second-placed rivals Manchester United by eight points.

Southampton's Charlie Austin scored twice as they coasted to victory over managerless Everton, while Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez scored a 92nd-minute winner as they climbed into the top four with a 1-0 victory at stubborn Burnley.

City did not sweep aside Huddersfield as many expected, but the manner of their post-match celebrations illustrated how important victory was on a winter's evening in Yorkshire.

They may have had many more eye-catching performances this season, but Sunday's victory was typical of title-winning sides.

A rapidly-maturing Sterling, who has scored 12 times in 18 games this season in all competitions, won the penalty that led to Aguero's equaliser and was in the right place at the right time late on to score after Gabriel Jesus was denied.

"Today was a game that epitomised the Premier League - winter is here, it's colder, it's harder to move the ball, they defended well," said City captain Vincent Kompany after his side reached 37 points from a possible 39.

"I feel the team deserved the win, we kept at it, even being 1-0 down we believed."

United are second on 29 points after a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday followed by Chelsea (26), who drew 1-1 at Liverpool (23), Arsenal (25) and Tottenham Hotspur (24).

EVERTON WOES

Everton have scored just 13 league goals since the departure of striker Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in the close season, while the 28 they have conceded is the most of any side in the top flight this term.

On the south coast, Dusan Tadic gave Southampton a deserved lead with a neat finish in the 18th minute before Everton equalised when Gylfi Sigurdsson's long-range effort went in despite hitting the crossbar twice and the post once.

Austin restored the home side's lead with a close-range header in the 52nd minute before adding a near carbon-copy second to double the advantage six minutes later.

Steven Davies added a fourth with a superb effort late on as Everton's despondent players capitulated after the break.

The Toffees, who sit two points above the relegation zone with 12 points, have now won only once under caretaker manager David Unsworth.

"I take responsibility, but we all have to as well," said former Everton defender Unsworth. "We're in a tough place and things have to change quickly.

"Confidence is as low as it has ever been. The club has to decide (on a new manager) and the sooner that happens the better. The players need this resolving.

"What I see is a happy squad but I'd rather have an unhappy squad that's winning. I want what's best for the club and I hope the players do too."

NERVELESS PENALTY

After top-four contenders Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool failed to win on Saturday, Arsenal capitalised but were indebted to Sanchez's nerveless late penalty against Burnley.

Arsenal have now won three successive games against the Lancashire club with goals on or after the 90th minute.

"In the first half we didn't find our game, they stopped us from playing very well," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. In the second half it was a question of the final ball and patience, not making a mistake at the back,"

Asked about the late penalty decision, the Frenchman said: "From outside it looked 100 percent (a penalty).

And regarding the battle for Champions League qualifying places, he added: "It's early, (the top four) changes from one week to another. We wanted to win away from home and we did it. Let's focus on the next one."

(Reporting by Tom Hayward; editing by Ken Ferris)

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Williams stuns Arsenal, Leicester brought low

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Ashley Williams's 86th-minute header ended Arsenal's 14-game unbeaten run and kept Arsene Wenger's side from the Premier League summit as Everton claimed a much-needed 2-1 win on Tuesday.

Arsenal would have provisionally supplanted leaders Chelsea on goals scored with victory and took a 20th-minute lead when Alexis Sanchez's free-kick deflected in off Williams.

But Seamus Coleman equalised with a 44th-minute header before Williams's first Everton goal ended his team's five-game winless run and sent Ronald Koeman's men up to seventh in the table.

"We showed two faces," Everton manager Koeman, who had defender Phil Jagielka sent off in stoppage time, told BT Sport.

"The first face, I hate that face because it is all about being nervous. You cannot lose the game like that.

"This was a good match though because we showed how we have to play -- with commitment and aggression. You see the reaction of the crowd when you go for it and that's what we did."

Arsenal manager Wenger said the game had been "very physical".

"We faced many physical challenges and that disturbed our game, but we were a bit unlucky to lose as well," he said.

"They were a bit scared at first, but they got their confidence. We did fight, I cannot fault that."

Meanwhile, champions Leicester City were brought down to earth after their 4-2 demolition of Manchester City as Marc Pugh's goal earned Bournemouth a 1-0 win at the Vitality Stadium.

Arsenal made only one change from their 3-1 win over Stoke City, fit-again right-back Hector Bellerin replacing injured centre-back Shkodran Mustafi, and took a 20th-minute lead.

The goal stemmed from a comedy of errors on the edge of Everton's box as Ross Barkley lost possession, Williams fouled his own team-mate Idrissa Gueye and Jagielka tripped Francis Coquelin.

- Thudding header -

Sanchez sent the free-kick curling towards Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and in seeking to clear the ball, Williams succeeded only in deflecting it into his own net.

It was Sanchez's 12th effort of the campaign, putting him level with Chelsea's Diego Costa as Premier League top scorer.

Everton did not look like equalising, with Romelu Lukaku and Aaron Lennon slicing shots off target, but with half-time looming they drew level.

Leighton Baines curled a right-foot cross towards the back post from the left and Coleman nipped in between Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal to glance a deft header past Petr Cech.

Mesut Ozil spurned a glorious opportunity to restore Arsenal's lead early in the second half, wafting a shot over the bar from Sanchez's cut-back, while Barkley drilled wide at the other end.

The noise level rose as the game wore on and with four minutes to play Everton struck the winner, Williams flying in at the back post to send a thudding header past Cech from Barkley's corner.

Everton had Jagielka sent off after he picked up a second yellow card, but the hosts survived amid frantic late scenes that saw Arsenal substitute Alex Iwobi have a shot blocked on the line.

It was Arsenal's first league defeat since their 4-3 loss to Liverpool on the season's opening day and means they will be six points off the pace if Chelsea win at bottom club Sunderland on Wednesday.

Leicester remain without back-to-back league wins this season after defeat at Bournemouth -- their eighth of the campaign -- kept them in 14th place, just four points above the relegation zone.

Pugh marked his first start of the season with the game's only goal, slamming home the rebound after Leicester goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler saved from Benik Afobe in the 34th minute.

"The result is too severe against us because we created more chances than Bournemouth," said Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri.

"If we continue to fight at this level, sooner or later we will get a good result."

Eddie Howe's Bournemouth leap four places to eighth, nine points clear of the bottom three.

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Liverpool stunned, Baines denies United

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Liverpool's title challenge suffered a stunning setback as they conceded three goals in the last 14 minutes of an astonishing 4-3 defeat against Bournemouth, while Everton's Leighton Baines scored a last-gasp penalty to earn a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool missed out on a chance to go second in the Premier League and instead remain four points behind leaders Chelsea after their incredible meltdown at Dean Court.

Goals from Sadio Mane and Divock Origi had Liverpool ahead at the break and the points still seemed to be heading back to Anfield when Emre Can's strike restored their two-goal advantage following Callum Wilson's penalty.

But Ryan Fraser, who had come off the bench to win the spot-kick, then buried his maiden Premier League goal before crossing for Steve Cook to superbly equalise, with Nathan Ake bundling home a last-gasp winner as Loris Karius failed to hold another Cook effort.

"First of all I have to say a deserved win for Bournemouth. A big fight from them. We gave the game away at a decisive point," Klopp said.

"We opened the door and they ran through and scored some wonderful goals. So that's the deserved result.

"Even when we are in the lead at 2-0 it's how we try to play football then we were static. We gave the game away because we didn't play football any more."

Bournemouth are in just their second season in the top-flight and this was arguably the tiny south coast club's finest hour.

"It would have been easy for our players to give up and see out time, but our group knows not to give up," Cherries boss Eddie Howe said.

"In the second half we looked like scoring every time we attacked. For this club and everyone involved it's make for a very special day.

"These days are huge for us. We'd never been in the Premier League until last season so we're making history for the club."

- Punished -

At Goodison Park, United took the lead in the 42nd minute when Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg made an ill-advised decision to come for Anthony Martial's cross and Zlatan Ibrahimovic lofted his shot into the net for his fourth goal in his last three games.

But Jose Mourinho's side couldn't find a crucial second goal and the United manager was punished for sending on Marouane Fellaini in the closing stages when the former Everton midfielder carelessly conceded an 89th minute penalty with a clumsy challenge on Idrissa Gueye.

Everton left-back Baines stepped up to slot the spot-kick past David de Gea to leave sixth placed United 13 points behind Chelsea after a third successive draw left them with only one win in their last eight league games.

"We were best team on the pitch by far and it is a result that doesn't reflect the difference of the performances of both teams," Mourinho said.

"We have to work the way we are doing. To perform in five consecutive matches against difficult opposition, I am so happy with the individual performances."

On Saturday, Chelsea had cemented pole position with a 3-1 victory at title rivals Manchester City, while Alexis Sanchez's hat-trick in a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham took Arsenal into second place.

City's frustration boiled over in stoppage time with red cards for Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, the former for an ugly lunge on David Luiz, the latter for pushing Cesc Fabregas over an advertising board.

While City spluttered, Arsenal stepped up their title challenge with a ruthless performance that kept them within three points of Chelsea.

Sunderland climbed off the bottom with a 2-1 win over spluttering champions Leicester.

Harry Kane's double and a brilliant strike from Son Heung-Min inspired Tottenham as they got back on track with a 5-0 demolition of Swansea.

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PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea storm to summit after Man City stumble

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea exploited a slip-up by Manchester City to claim top spot in the Premier League by stylishly crushing Everton 5-0 on Saturday.

Marten de Roon's stoppage-time equalizer earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw at City and Antonio Conte's Chelsea took advantage to move a point clear of Pep Guardiola's side at the summit.

"When you win in this way it's fantastic because we played good football with good intensity," Conte told BT Sport.

"All the players played in the right way with and without the ball. We created many chances to score and also it's the fifth clean sheet in a row, which is fantastic.

"It is fantastic to be top of the league."

Arsenal and Liverpool could also surpass City before the weekend is out, the former tackling Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derby and the latter entertaining Watford.

Elsewhere, bottom club Sunderland ended their wait for a first win of the season at the 11th attempt by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Bournemouth despite having Steven Pienaar sent off.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea produced one of their most scintillating performances in recent memory as the 2014-15 champions made it five straight wins without conceding a goal.

Hazard opened the scoring in the 19th minute, drifting in from the left to drill a shot into the bottom-right corner, and a minute later Pedro Rodriguez teed up Marcos Alonso for the hosts' second.

Diego Costa made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time, slamming home at the back post after Nemanja Matic flicked on Hazard's corner to bring up his ninth goal of the campaign.

Chelsea's fourth goal was a jewel, Pedro returning Hazard's pass with a sweet back-heel and the Belgian dancing into the box from the right before lashing home with his left foot.

Pedro volleyed in the fifth, in the 65th minute, after Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg parried a shot from Hazard.

City went into their game on the back of a stirring 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona and Boro's former Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes looked determined to restore Catalan pride at the Etihad Stadium.

He saved brilliantly from Sergio Aguero and David Silva, only for Aguero to put the hosts ahead in the 43rd minute by converting Kevin De Bruyne's sumptuous cross for his 150th goal in 223 City appearances.

- Barnes late show -

Boro showed more attacking intent in the second half, former City striker Alvaro Negredo almost catching out Claudio Bravo with an audacious lob from his own half before Bravo saved smartly from Adam Forshaw.

After Aguero had squandered a late chance, Dutch midfielder De Roon met George Friend's deep cross with a thumping header to earn Boro a dramatic point.

"We did absolutely everything to win the game. It is a pity," said Guardiola, whose side have drawn their last three home league games 1-1 following previous stalemates against Everton and Southampton.

"It is a miss because we have dropped six points in the last three home games, but we are still there. We have to move forward."

Sunderland remain bottom, below Swansea City on goal difference, but manager David Moyes belatedly has a victory to his name following a hard-fought success at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium.

After Adam Smith had teed up Dan Gosling to bundle in an 11th-minute opener for Bournemouth, Victor Anichebe equalised with his first Sunderland goal.

Pienaar was sent off just before the hour after receiving a second yellow card for a lunge on Junior Stanislas, but Jermain Defoe netted a 74th-minute winner from the spot after Smith felled Anichebe.

"It is a big relief," Moyes told Sky Sports. "We owed the supporters the victory. They have kept with us.

"We needed a win, but it is only one. We need a few more."

There was late drama at Turf Moor as Burnley withstood a Crystal Palace fightback to prevail 3-2 courtesy of Ashley Barnes's 94th-minute strike.

Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gundmundsson put Burnley 2-0 up, only for Palace to hit back through second-half goals by substitute Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke.

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson crossed for Barnes to fire home and condemn Palace -- who later hit the post through Andros Townsend -- to a fourth straight defeat.

Stoke City drew 1-1 at West Ham United, Bojan Krkic exploiting an error by home goalkeeper Adrian to equalise in the 75th minute after a Glenn Whelan own goal had put the hosts ahead.

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LEAGUE CUP: Fabregas downs Leicester, Everton crash out

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Cesc Fabregas made an emphatic point to Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as his double sealed a 4-2 win at Leicester, while Everton and Bournemouth suffered shock third-round exits from the English Football League Cup on Tuesday.

Fabregas has been limited to three substitute appearances in the Premier League since Conte took charge over the summer, but the Spain midfielder proved he can still be a game-changer with an influential display capped by the decisive two goals in extra-time.

"I was happy to play from the start! Hopefully this will shut up a few journalists talking rubbish all the time," said Fabregas, who has been linked with a move away from Chelsea.

Elsewhere, second-tier Norwich spoiled Everton's impressive start to the season and inflicted Ronald Koeman's first defeat as Toffees boss with a 2-0 win at Goodison Park.

Bournemouth were the other top-flight casualties as second-tier Preston won 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick from Denmark striker Simon Makienok.

At the King Power Stadium, Shinji Okazaki put Premier League champions Leicester ahead in the 17th minute when the Japan striker punished terrible Chelsea defending to head home from close range.

Okazaki followed his first goal since March with a second in the 34th minute.

Gary Cahill reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time, the defender heading home after being left unmarked at the far post from a Fabregas corner.

The Blues equalized four minutes after the interval through Cesar Azpilicueta's blistering long-range effort.

Leicester had to play extra-time with 10 men after Marcin Wasilewski's 89th minute dismissal for elbowing Diego Costa and Fabregas made them pay, finishing a flowing move in the 92nd minute and drilling home again two minutes later.

Everton are second in the Premier League but Koeman made six changes and his stand-ins were brushed aside by promotion-chasing Norwich.

The Canaries went ahead when former Everton striker Steven Naismith slipped as he went to shoot and inadvertently lobbed the ball into the net.

Josh Murphy's superb strike from the edge of the area in the 74th minute completed the upset.

"I can't criticise the players. We played well but weren't clinical enough. The difference was Norwich were clinical with their two chances," Koeman said.

- Hat-trick hero -

At Dean Court, Makienok, who hadn't scored in his previous 19 appearances, gave Preston the lead in the 10th minute before Bournemouth equalised through Lewis Grabban's 53rd minute penalty.

Dan Gosling put the hosts ahead from close range in the 76th minute, only for Makienok to force extra-time in the 85th minute and then win it for Simon Grayson's men in the 111th minute.

Lucas Perez's first goals for Arsenal inspired a 4-0 rout of second-tier Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who has never won the League Cup, made 11 changes from the team that thrashed Hull on Saturday and the understudies went ahead in the 23rd minute through a long-range effort from Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Spanish striker Perez, who arrived from Deportivo La Coruna on transfer-deadline day, opened his Arsenal account in his third appearance with a 60th-minute penalty after a foul on Chuba Akpom.

Perez got his second in the 71st minute and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got Arsenal's fourth in stoppage time.

"It was a motivated team against us and we had a complete performance. The speed and movement of our play was fantastic," Wenger purred.

Liverpool, last year's beaten finalists, remain on course for a return to Wembley after a 3-0 win against Championship side Derby at the iPro Stadium.

Estonia centre-back Ragnar Klavan took advantage of poor Derby defending to fire home in the 24th minute.

Philippe Coutinho doubled Liverpool's lead in the 50th minute and Divock Origi put the result beyond doubt four minutes later.

Newcastle defeated Championship rivals Wolves 2-0, Leeds beat fellow second-tier side Blackburn 1-0, while Reading won 2-1 in another all-Championship clash at Brighton.

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