*Liverpool score late winner to beat Villa
*10-man Leeds beat Man City in stoppage time
An impressive Chelsea moved back into the top four of the Premier League with a dominant victory at Crystal Palace.
Beaten 5-2 at home last weekend by struggling West Brom, the Blues quickly set about making amends, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes, during which the overwhelmed home side barely got a kick of the ball.
Kai Havertz curled in the first before turning provider to set up Christian Pulisic to fire the second into the roof of the net from close range.
Kurt Zouma all-but ended the game as a contest on the half-hour mark, rising highest to head in a Mason Mount free-kick.
And the visitors could easily have had more before the break but for some good goalkeeping from Vicente Guaita and a goalline clearance from Patrick van Aanholt to clear another Zouma effort.
Christian Benteke headed in Jeffrey Schlupp’s cross to reduce the deficit to reward an improved second-half showing from Palace with 25 minutes to go, but Pulisic’s far-post finish from Reece James’ cross ended any hope of an unlikely comeback.
And Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an injury-time winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat Aston Villa and end a run of six consecutive defeats at Anfield.
Ollie Watkins – who scored a hat-trick in Villa’s 7-2 win in the reverse game – fired the visitors ahead with a shot which squirmed through Alisson.
Liverpool were denied an equaliser by an extremely tight video assistant referee offside decision. Roberto Firmino fired home from close range but a long VAR review ruled that Diogo Jota was just offside in the build-up.
They did eventually equalise when Mohamed Salah headed into an empty net after Emiliano Martinez parried Andy Robertson’s cross.
That was their first goal in open play at Anfield since December 27 – a run of 765 minutes and 132 shots since Sadio Mane scored against West Brom. They netted one penalty at their home ground in that time.
Villa went close to a winner as Trezeguet’s spinning effort hit the post.
But the Reds kept persisting and Alexander-Arnold curled home from the edge of the box after Villa failed to clear the ball.
Liverpool move up to fourth place, above West Ham on goal difference, with Villa staying in 10th.
Meanwhile, Leeds played the whole second half with 10 men as they secured an outstanding 2-1 win in stoppage time to slow Manchester City’s charge to the Premier League title.
The players wore black armbands and there was a period of silence before the game for Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died at the age of 99 on Friday, reports the BBC.
RESULTS
Man City 1 – 2 Leeds
Liverpool 2 – 1 Aston Villa
Crystal Palace 1 – 4 Chelsea