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EPL: Liverpool, Man United earn big wins; Spurs draw vs Arsenal

November 07, 2016

IMAGE: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2nd l) of Manchester United celebrates scoring his sides second goal with Phil Jones (l) during the Premier League match vs Swansea City. Photograph: Stu Foster/Getty Images.

Jose Mourinho's wretched week ended on a high note as Manchester United's big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba finally began firing, both finding the target in a 3-1 win at dismal Swansea City on Sunday.

Mourinho watched from the stands at the Liberty Stadium following his touchline ban imposed by the Football Association on Wednesday and was buoyed to see Ibrahimovic score twice -- his first league goals in eight weeks -- and Pogba net a superb volley.

United, vastly improved after their midweek Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce, went ahead with a 15th minute strike from Pogba worthy of his 89 million pounds price tag before Ibrahimovic ended his goal drought with a sharp first-half double in the space of 12 minutes.

Mike van der Hoorn offered winless Swansea manager Bob Bradley brief hope of an unlikely salvage job when he headed in Gylfi Sigurdsson's 69th minute free kick but his Swans remain mired in relegation trouble, on five points, the same as bottom club Sunderland.

Liverpool go top with Watford rout

IMAGE: Liverpool players celebrate their victory against Watford. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters.

Liverpool surged to the top of the Premier League for the first time in the Juergen Klopp era at an exultant Anfield as another of their kaleidoscopic attacking displays overwhelmed Watford 6-1 on Sunday.

Klopp's men took their unbeaten streak to 12 matches in all competitions as Sadio Mane scored twice and they blew away Watford's challenge with three first-half goals in the space of 16 minutes.

First, Philippe Coutinho crossed for Mane to glance home a 20th-minute header before the Brazilian playmaker himself hammered home his fifth of the season three minutes later and Emre Can nodded in Adam Lallana's cross just before the break.

Watford's pain continued in the second half, Lallana setting up a tap-in for Roberto Firmino, Mane notching his sixth of the season and substitute Georginio Wijnaldum netting his first for the club soon after Daryl Janmaat had earned a miserly consolation for the visitors.

Harry Kane clinches draw for Tottenham vs Arsenal

IMAGE: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his sides first goal against Arsenal on Sunday. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane returned from injury to earn his side a 1-1 draw in the north London derby and deny Arsenal leadership of the Premier League on Sunday.

Kane equalised from the penalty spot shortly after halftime after defender Kevin Wimmer's own goal had given Arsenal the lead shortly before the interval.

Tottenham remain unbeaten in the Premier League, although winless is seven games, while Arsenal are unbeaten in all competitions since the opening day of the season.

Both sides struck the woodwork, Theo Walcott for Arsenal before halftime and Christian Eriksen late on for Spurs.

Arsenal remain third with 24 points, one behind leaders Chelsea. Tottenham are fifth on 21.

Leicester's 20-match unbeaten home streak ended by WBA

LeicesterCity's proud unbeaten home streak was ended after 13 months as Matt Phillips earned West Bromwich Albion an unlikely win at the King Power Stadium on Sunday.

The champions succumbed in the 72nd minute when Phillips latched on to a careless, under-hit back pass from Danny Drinkwater to outpace Wes Morgan and dink the ball expertly over Ron-Robert Zieler for his first Baggies' goal.

Albion's win had looked unlikely when Leicester, who rested Jamie Vardy before using him as a second-half sub, hit back strongly once James Morrison had headed the visitors in front in the 52nd minute.

Three minutes later, Islam Slimani equalised from Riyad Mahrez's pinpoint cross -- the Algerian's first assist in his last 18 Premier League games -- but Leicester were left to rue another loss that leaves them just two points above the relegation zone.

Snodgrass leads struggling Hull to 2-1 over Southampton

Robert Snodgrass and Michael Dawson struck twice in three minutes as struggling Hull came back from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1 at the KCOM Stadium on Sunday and secure their first Premier League win since defeating Swansea 2-0 on Aug 20.

Hull looked set to continue their dismal run of six straight defeats when Charlie Austin put the visitors in front from the penalty spot six minutes in after Maya Yoshida was dragged down in the penalty box by Curtis Davies.

The Tigers lost both starting strikers Abel Hernandez and William Keane to injuries in the first half-hour but substitute forward Snodgrass looked lively after replacing the latter in the 26th minute and eventually turned the tide.

Despite Hull being under the cosh for much of the game, Snodgrass conjured up a brace of second-half strikes, first firing home himself to level the score in the 61st minute and then launching a free kick for Dawson to head Hull into the lead.

Hull remain in the bottom three on 10 points, level with West Bromwich Albion but behind them on goal difference, with Southampton three points ahead of them in 10th position.

Source: REUTERS
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