The Foxes crush Newcastle United
Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans scored twice as Leicester City thrashed Newcastle United 4-0 in the Premier League on Sunday.
Leicester found the net either side of halftime through a penalty from Tielemans and a tap-in from Zambian forward Patson Daka. Tielemans and James Maddison scored late on to condemn Newcastle to their eighth defeat of the season.
Sweet dreams, Blue Army! ? pic.twitter.com/fIYdkPAhwZ
— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 12, 2021
Tielemans scored from the spot shortly before the break after Maddison had been tripped by Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles. Leicester doubled their lead in the 57th minute when Maddison found Harvey Barnes who ran through on goal and laid it off for Daka to score.
Newcastle barely threatened Kasper Schmeichel’s goal and the closest they came to scoring was through Leicester defender Timothy Castagne when he overhit a back pass to the Danish keeper who had to race back and clear the ball off the line.
Tielemans got his second late on, hitting the ball into the roof of the net from close range before Maddison put a gloss on the scoreline with his fourth league goal of the season.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are 19th in the standings, only kept off the bottom thanks to Norwich City’s worse goal difference. Leicester climbed to eighth.
Crystal Palace stun Everton
Conor Gallagher scored twice and James Tomkins was also on target as Crystal Palace stopped a run of three defeats by beating Everton 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday to renew pressure on visiting manager Rafael Benitez.
Gallagher fired home four minutes before halftime as Palace took advantage of a defensive error and Tomkins hit home from a corner midway through the second half.
Despite a tough week you backed us from the first minute ?
That win was for you ❤️?#CPFC pic.twitter.com/jyzZRLEqe2
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 12, 2021
Salomon Rondon pulled one back for Everton with 20 minutes left before Gallagher whipped a stunning curling shot from outside the area into the top of the net to ensure the home win in stoppage time.
The result lifted Palace above Everton in the Premier League standings as they moved up two places to 12th.
It also heaped pressure back on under-fire Benitez, who had earned some respite on Monday when Everton came from behind to beat Arsenal, but whose side has now won only one of their last 10 matches.
Gallagher’s opening goal came after an errant back pass from Everton’s Demarai Gray was intercepted by Jordan Ayew, who then passed from the left into Gallagher’s path for a polished finish.
Everton’s defence allowed Will Hughes’ 62nd-minute corner to evade them and find Tomkins unmarked at the back post, where the Palace defender had ample time to recover from an initial poor first touch to hit home and double the lead.
There was a further sign of potential discord at Everton when striker Richarlison provided a petulant response to being substituted, but it was his replacement who reduced the deficit in the 70th minute to offer the possibility of a comeback.
Conor Gallagher put it on a postage stamp ?#CPFC pic.twitter.com/BmhDyMsWGc
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 12, 2021
Rondon set up a shot for Abdoulaye Doucoure and then reacted quickest when his effort was blocked, sliding home the rebound.
Five minutes later Everton went close to an equaliser when Rondon passed back for Andros Townsend, after a storming run down the right from Ben Godfrey, but the effort was blocked.
Substitute Anthony Gordon was free on goal in the 85th minute but his shot was saved by Vicente Guaita as Everton squandered another opportunity to equalize.
But Gallagher ensured the win as he disposed Seamus Coleman and then struck home a superb effort to underline his promise.
The win ended a run of 13 matches without success for Palace against Everton and halted a streak of recent losses to Aston Villa, Leeds United and Manchester United.
Image Courtesy: Reuters