EPL: Silva inspires Man City, Falcao rescues Man United draw

Sport360 staff 21:28 20/12/2014
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  • David Silva helped himself to a brace as Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-0.

    David Silva struck a brace as Manchester City beat Crystal Palace, while Radamel Falcao reminded of his talents with the equaliser in Manchester United’s draw at Aston Villa. 

    Manchester City were not hampered by their lack of strikers as they beat Crystal Palace 3-0 to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea.

    Silva struck twice at the Etihad Stadium and Yaya Toure also got on the scoresheet as the champions moved level on points with the Blues at the top of the table. It was in-form City’s eighth successive win in all competitions – one short of equalling a club record.

    Palace offered little in what was a routine victory for City, who will be pleased to have won so comfortably without injured strikers Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic, and captain Vincent Kompany.

    Manchester United’s six-game winning run came to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw by10-man Aston Villa

    Falcao scored just his second United goal, cancelling out Christian Benteke’s beautiful opener for the hosts.

    Gabby Agbonlahor’s controversial red card – after a 50-50 challenge with Ashley Young – forced Villa to play the final 25 minutes with 10 men, but they held on to earn a deserved point.

    Radamel Falcao's header from an Ashley Young cross was the equalising goal for Manchester United.

    Southampton brought their worst losing streak of the 21st century to a comprehensive end as they impressively dispatched Everton.

    The astonishing start to life under Ronald Koeman recently came to a dramatic end, with Tuesday’s embarrassing Capital One Cup exit to third-tier Sheffield United a fifth successive defeat in all competitions.

    That loss had repercussions far beyond denting confidence as suspension and injury problems mounted, yet Saints rallied to see off Everton 3-0 thanks to Romelu Lukaku’s own goal and second-half efforts from Graziano Pelle and Maya Yoshida.

    Charlie Austin returned from suspension to steal the show with a hat-trick as QPR recovered from two goals down at home to West Brom to win 3-2 and move out of the  bottom three.

    Harry Redknapp’s side looked like the QPR of old in the opening exchanges, gifting chances and possession to West Brom and operating with no defensive cohesion. West Brom took full advantage and raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of first Baggies’ goals for both Joleon Lescott and Silvestre Varela.

    But QPR showed great resolve and it was that man Austin who was the hero of the piece once again, first tucking away a penalty three minutes after Varela’s strike, then turning home from close-range early in the second half and heading home an 85th minute winner to lift QPR to 15th in the table.

    Charlie Austin scored all three goals as QPR came from two goals down to beat West Brom/

    Elsewhere, a freak goal by Ki Sung-yueng gave Swansea a 1-0 victory at Hull City, first-half goals from Erik Lamela and Harry Kane ensured Tottenhambeat Burnley 2-1 and West Ham maintained their recent momentum and piled the pressure on Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson with a 2-0 victory at Upton Park – thanks to strikes from Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing.

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