Manchester City ’s hopes of defending their Premier League title were dealt a severe blow as they were beaten 1-0 by Burnley at Turf Moor. T...
Manchester City’s hopes of defending their Premier League title were dealt a severe blow as they were beaten 1-0 by Burnley at Turf Moor.
The damaging defeat leaves the champions five points behind leaders Chelsea but having played two games more.
And they can only have themselves to blame after another sub-standard display against Burnley, who are now just a point from moving out of the relegation zone.
Arsenalmoved six points behind Chelsea with a 3-0 win over West Ham, while there were also wins for Aston Villa, West Brom and Crystal Palace.
Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini fired Arsenal to their fifth Premier League win in a row as they strengthened their hold on third place with a 3-0 win over West Ham at the Emirates.
France striker Giroud - who has now scored five times in his last five matches against West Ham - struck just before half-time and then combined with Ramsey on 81 minutes for Arsenal's second before linking up with Santi Cazorla, who teed-up fellow sub Flamini for a third six minutes from time.
Sunderland are deep in the relegation mire after they were thrashed 4-0 at home by fellow strugglers Aston Villa.
Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor scored twice each in the first half as Sunderland completely capitulated before half-time, causing angry scenes among the home supporters at the Stadium of Light.
Leicester's hopes of Premier League survival were dealt a major blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw at the King Power Stadium by a Hull side who had to play with 10 men for the last 20 minutes.
Midfielder Tom Huddlestone was sent off when he received his second yellow card in the 72nd minute but Hull held on for a point and will feel they were the team who should have won the game with Nikica Jelavic somehow missing a fantastic first-half opportunity and then sub Abel Hernandez squandered a chance to grab a late winner.
In the lunchtime game, three first-half goals helped Crystal Palace increase QPR's relegation fears after a 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park. Wilfried Zaha opened the scoring, before James McArthur and Joel Ward made the points safe.
A late wonder goal from Matt Phillips briefly gave QPR hope but it was too little too late.
Elsewhere, a well-taken header from Brown Ideye earned West Brom a 1-0 win over Stoke as Tony Pulis claimed a victory against his former side.
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