Sports

Manchester United ease to victory; Chelsea move up to third

Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-1 win at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice and Edinson Cavani grabbing his first for the club.

Sentinel Digital Desk

LONDON: Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-1 win at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice and Edinson Cavani grabbing his first for the club.

United have failed to win at home in the league this season and there were questions over Solskjaer's future after the midweek defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League.

But United, who move up to 13th and ten points, responded with a display which, while far from smooth, was full of character, epitomised by captain Harry Maguire's determined display at the back.

"We knew we had to get three points today. It's early in the season and we don't look at the table but the points we have accumulated isn't good enough for this club," said Maguire.

"It's important to bounce back from setbacks. We've been questioned but we know we don't answer them in 90 minutes, we answer them day in, day out. The lads are working tirelessly for this club, everyone wants to improve and do better. The manager has to pull the lads off the training ground."

Palace hand Leeds another heavy defeat

Leeds United suffered another heavy defeat with a 4-1 reverse at Crystal Palace.

Marcelo Bielsa's side, who were beaten by the same scoreline at home to Leicester City on Monday, slumped to 14th place with the loss while Palace moved up to sixth, on 13 points from eight games, just three points behind leaders Southampton.

Scott Dann headed Palace into a 12th minute lead with a thundering header from an Eberi Eze corner.

Leeds thought they had drawn level with a nice finish from Patrick Bamford but the effort was ruled out for a narrow offside by VAR.

After that let-off, Palace doubled their lead with a brilliant free kick from Eze, his first goal for the club, as he struck a 20-metre shot into the top corner.

Bamford did score with a confident drive after being set up by Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich's headed pass when he buried the ball in the bottom corner for his seventh goal of the campaign. But Palace restored their two-goal advantage just before the interval when Helder Costa's sliding tackle deflected a low cross from Wifried Zaha inside the near post, confounding Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Zaha also had a hand in Palace's fourth, running at the Leeds defence before slipping the ball to Jordan Ayew who made no mistake.

Leeds have conceded 17 goals this season, more than any other team in the league, an issue Bielsa must urgently address.

Chelsea's Lampard hails 'top-class' Ziyech after win over Sheffield Utd

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard believes Hakim Ziyech has added a new dimension to their attack after the Moroccan international's masterful performance in Saturday's 4-1 win against Sheffield United.

David McGoldrick's neat flick gave the visitors a surprise ninth-minute lead but Chelsea responded with goals by Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell before halftime.

Frank Lampard's side bossed the second half and captain Thiago Silva scored his first goal for the London club with a 77th-minute header before Timo Werner added a fourth.

Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech, another of Chelsea's recent signings, claimed two assists in a masterful performance.

Chelsea have 15 points from eight games, one behind surprise leaders Southampton and title holders Liverpool, who visit Manchester City on Sunday.

Sheffield United are still looking for their first victory of the season and have picked up only one point so far — the joint-lowest total after eight games in Premier League history.

Ziyech, who joined Chelsea from Ajax Amsterdam in the close-season for a reported 40 million euros ($48 million), was a constant threat to the United defence and claimed two assists as he helped Lampard's side move into third in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old winger has scored twice and provided three assists in seven games in all competitions, and Lampard said he was impressed by how quickly Ziyech has settled.

Soucek earns West Ham win as Fulham miss

last-gasp penalty

Tomas Soucek's stoppage-time goal earned West Ham United a 1-0 win over Fulham 1-0 in the Premier League but Ademola Lookman spurned a glorious chance to earn a point for the visitors with a botched last-gasp penalty.

Big Czech Soucek had been largely anonymous in the London derby but he showed his knack for scoring important goals when he steered a shot past Fulham keeper Alphonse Areola.

There was a twist to come though as Fulham were awarded a penalty via a lengthy VAR check in the fifth minute of stoppage time only for Lookman to try an audacious 'Panenka' and chip the ball tamely straight into the hands of Lukasz Fabianski.

Victory for West Ham lifted them to 11th spot with 11 points. Agencies