Manchester United brought an end to a run of three successive draws as goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard secured a 2-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.

In a bright start, home keeper Jordan Pickford was quickly out to claim as Lingard threatened, and with four minutes gone Everton's former United star Wayne Rooney almost grabbed the limelight when his shot was blocked by Phil Jones and spun behind.

With 24 minutes gone, United were grateful to Marcos Rojo for a superb sliding block to deny Oumar Niasse as the Everton forward tried to make something of a through pass by Vlasic.

United began the second half strongly and broke through as Martial struck, Juan Mata and Paul Pogba combining to set him up for a superb curling finish from the edge of the area.

Everton mustered a spell of pressure and Niasse guided a chance wide of the far post, but United wrapped it up with nine minutes remaining as Pogba found Lingard and he shimmied away from a challenge to curl a brilliant finish past Pickford.

An injury-time goal gave Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 victory at Burnley just when they looked to have been denied by a late equaliser at Turf Moor.

Sadio Mane's brilliant strike gave Liverpool the lead but Johann Gudmundsson levelled three minutes from time -- only for Ragnar Klavan to head home in the 94th minute.

With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah both out with injury problems, Liverpool struggled to find much attacking threat early on and the hosts came closest when Scott Arfield dragged a shot inches wide of the post.

Mane struck on the hour, taking one touch to control Trent Alexander-Arnold's deflected cross before shooting high into the net -- but Burnley levelled in the 87th minute when Johann Berg Gudmundsson nodded home at the far post.

However, from a set piece in the 94th minute, Dejan Lovren did well to head the ball towards the back post, where Klavan got the final touch.

The result took Liverpool level on points with third-place Manchester United ahead of their game at Everton later on New Year's Day.

Newcastle United deepened Stoke City's problems  as they piled the pressure on Mark Hughes and boosted their hopes of climbing clear of danger with a 1-0 win at the Bet365 Stadium.

The Magpies made a bright start and Christian Atsu fired wide from just inside the area before, with 15 minutes gone, Christian Atsu came far closer as Jack Butland saved his attempt from an Ayoze Perez cross.

Stoke flickered into life and Charlie Adam forced Karl Darlow into a save from long range, but they should have been behind on the half-hour when Perez flicked on and Ciaran Clark steered over from point-blank range.

Newcastle got the crucial goal when, after 73 minutes, Jacob Murphy set off on a run and set up Perez to guide his finish past Butland, but the visitors were grateful to Darlow, who made two fine late stops to thwart Mame Diouf.

Leicester City scored twice in seven second-half minutes as they beat Huddersfield Town 3-0 at the King Power Stadium.

Huddersfield defender Chris Lowe had the first attempt of the game, testing Kasper Schmeichel from range, while Danny Williams appealed in vain for a foul when Harry Maguire seemed to bump him away from a through ball as he looked to run in on goal.

Leicester -- with Adrien Silva on the bench after his protracted move was finally completed -- lost defender Wes Morgan to injury, with Aleksandar Dragovic replacing him.

The hosts made a bright start to the second half and broke through thanks to a brilliant goal, made by Marc Albrighton's fine pass and finished stylishly by Riyad Mahrez, after 53 minutes. Islam Slimani struck on the hour after Mahrez put him through, and Marc Albrighton tapped in a late third.

Callum Wilson's scrappy late equaliser earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw in an entertaining game at Brighton.

Wilson struck inside the last 10 minutes to secure a point from a game in which hosts Brighton had twice led.

The Seagulls scored after five minutes when Anthony Knockaert scored from an angle after Pascal Gross and Jose Izquierdo had set him up, but Bournemouth levelled things up as Steve Cook looped a header home from Lewis Cook's corner.

Glenn Murray restored Brighton's lead early in the second half after more good work from Izquierdo, who could have made it 3-1 but fired his effort too close to Asmir Begovic after an excellent run and was made to pay when Wilson bundled home.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ESPN Staff

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