Boxing Day- Premier Review

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Chelsea continue winning run - - (December 26 2016)

A review of Boxing Day's action in the Premier League.

Chelsea set a new club record by sealing their 12th Premier League win in a row with a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth on Boxing Day.

Pedro scored twice, either side of a second-half penalty from the excellent Eden Hazard, as Chelsea continued their relentless charge and surpassed the 11 consecutive victories secured under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009.

In December last year, defeat at home to Bournemouth contributed to the end of Jose Mourinho's tenure at Stamford Bridge but 12 months on, Antonio Conte's men sit seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

A routine win over the Cherries represents an ominous statement of intent to the chasing pack, particularly given Chelsea had two key players suspended in Diego Costa, who had scored 13 of their 35 league goals this season, and N'Golo Kante.

Michy Batshuayi had been expected to stand in for Costa but the £33million striker, who has made only three starts this term, all in the EFL Cup, was overlooked and instead Pedro came into the team.

Premier League

Man Utd 3 - 1 S'land
Swansea 1 - 4 West Ham
Hull City 0 - 3 Man City
Leicester 0 - 2 Everton
Chelsea 3 - 0 B'mouth
Watford 1 - 1 C Palace
Arsenal 1 - 0 W Brom
Burnley 1 - 0 M'boro

Premier League Results

Pedro is one of many to have been revitalised under Conte and his superb strike in the 24th minute set Chelsea on their way before Hazard won a penalty shortly after the interval and then converted it for his 12th goal of the campaign. Pedro then added a third in injury-time.

Three goals in the final 18 minutes saw Manchester City climb to second in the Premier League table courtesy of a laboured 3-0 win at Hull.

Mike Phelan's Tigers frustrated Pep Guardiola's title challengers for most of a drab encounter at the KCOM Stadium but Yaya Toure finally broke the deadlock with a 72nd-minute penalty.

Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho made victory certain by tapping in from close range six minutes later and the influential Raheem Sterling forced Curtis Davies to concede a late own goal.

Defeat was harsh on Hull, who have won just once in the league since August, after a battling display almost saw them take the lead when Bacary Sagna cleared off the line from Michael Dawson.

But the visitors could not afford to drop points, after leaders Chelsea won earlier in the day and with a tough trip to Liverpool next weekend.

Arsenal were in danger of falling further behind the league leaders until Olivier Giroud headed home an 86th-minute winner to snatch a 1-0 victory against West Brom.

Alexis Sanchez had earlier hit the post for the Gunners, who struggled to break down the resilient Baggies and now sit nine points adrift of the top.

Manchester United endured no such problems as Mourinho's side eased past relegation battlers Sunderland 3-1 to make it four league wins in a row.

Premier League

1 Chelsea 46
2 Man City 39
3 Liverpool 37
4 Arsenal 37
5 Tottenham 33
6 Man Utd 33
7 Everton 26
8 So'ton 24
9 W Brom 23
10 Watford 22
11 West Ham 22
12 Stoke 21
13 B'mouth 21
14 Burnley 20
15 M'boro 18
16 Leicester 17
17 C Palace 16
18 S'land 14
19 Swansea 12
20 Hull City 12

last updated 26/12 19:16

Daley Blind, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan ensured a miserable return to Old Trafford for Black Cats boss David Moyes, before Fabio Borini's brilliant volley provided some late consolation. Sunderland sit 18th in the table and United stay sixth.

Also languishing in the relegation zone are Swansea, whose poor form shows no sign of abating after a 4-1 defeat at home to resurgent West Ham.

Sections of the Swansea support were calling for manager Bob Bradley to be sacked as a fourth defeat in five matches left their side four points adrift of safety.

Andre Ayew, who left the Liberty Stadium in the summer, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll all scored for the Hammers. Fernando Llorente was on target for the hosts.

Reigning champions Leicester have now managed only one win in nine as Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku earned a 2-0 win for Everton, while Andre Gray's late strike sealed Burnley a valuable 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough.

Boro goalkeeper Victor Valdes was left red-faced as he allowed Gray's shot to spill out of his hands and over the line.

In the day's early kick-off, Sam Allardyce was denied a winning start as Crystal Palace manager after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Watford.

It could have been very different had Christian Benteke converted a first-half penalty to give Palace a two-goal lead but the striker missed and Troy Deeney slammed home his own spot-kick to secure Watford a point. Yohan Cabaye had earlier put the Eagles ahead.