Sean Dyche breathed new life into Everton’s Premier League campaign by masterminding a 1-0 defeat over leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park in his first match, with two of his old boys combining for the winner.
The new Toffees manager recalled Dwight McNeil, and the winger Dyche managed at Burnley delivered the corner that was headed in by another former Turf Moor favourite James Tarkowski, his first goal for the club.
A first win since 22 October lifts Everton one place to 18th with 18 points.
A second defeat of the season for an off-colour Arsenal gives Manchester City the chance to cut their lead to two points with a win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Top four
Advantage Man Utd in top-four battle
It is advantage Manchester United over Newcastle United in the battle for a top-four place as the Red Devils enjoyed a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace while the Magpies were held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham United.
Bruno Fernandes gave Man Utd an early lead from the penalty spot after Will Hughes’ handball.
Marcus Rashford continued his hot form with his 10th league goal of the season, but shortly afterwards Casemiro, United’s key midfielder, was sent off for violent conduct on Hughes and will be suspended for the next three matches.
Palace threatened a comeback through Jeffrey Schlupp’s 76th-minute goal but Man Utd held on to move above Newcastle by two points.
They are three points behind Man City with 42 points, while Palace lie 12th with 24.
In a frantic start at St James’ Park, Newcastle thought they had scored after only 36 seconds, but Joe Willock’s effort was overturned by VAR for the ball going out of play in the build-up. It mattered not. Eleven seconds after the restart Callum Wilson scored his 10th goal against the Hammers and his first in the league since October.
But David Moyes’ men responded after a nightmare start, Lucas Paqueta equalising from a corner. The Hammers continued to thwart Newcastle, who drew their fourth match in five in the league and drop to fourth, four points clear of Spurs.
The result keeps West Ham in 16th, a point above the relegation zone.
Mitoma strikes again
A late goal from in-form Kaoru Mitoma gave Brighton & Hove Albion a narrow victory over AFC Bournemouth. After Cherries goalkeeper Neto had kept Brighton at bay with some fine saves, the Japan winger headed in his third goal in as many matches in all competitions to return his team to sixth, on 34 points, two points behind Spurs. AFC Bournemouth drop to 19th with 17 points.
Brentford are a point behind Brighton in seventh after a comfortable 3-0 win over Southampton.
Two first-half goals inside four minutes from Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo put the Bees in control and Mathias Jensen’s second goal in three matches rounded off the win.
Brentford, unbeaten in nine matches, climb a point above their west London rivals Fulham as the race for European places intensifies.
Liverpool woes go on
Liverpool’s disappointing 2023 continued as they succumbed to their third defeat in four matches at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jurgen Klopp’s side fell behind to a fifth-minute own goal by Joel Matip, before Craig Dawson marked his debut with a goal seven minutes later. Ruben Neves’s 71st-minute strike sealed a third straight away defeat for Liverpool for the first time in almost 11 years.
They lie 10th with 29 points, as close to the relegation zone as to the top four. A third win in six matches lifts Wolves to 15th with 20 points, two clear of the bottom three.
Villa Park goalfest
Leicester City debutants scored at both ends as the Foxes shared a goalfest with Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins started the scoring before James Maddison equalised.
Harry Souttar, a Leicester Deadline Day signing from Stoke City, restored Villa’s lead with an own goal. Kelechi Iheanacho headed the Foxes level and Tete put them 3-2 up just before half-time. Dennis Praet sealed a first win for Brendan Rodgers’ side since 12 November to lift them up to 13th with 21 points, seven behind Villa in 11th.
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