Sergio Aguero sends Man City top, John Terry rescues Chelsea

Sport360 staff 21:10 16/01/2016
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  • Star man: Sergio Aguero.

    Fabian Delph and David Silva were also on target as City got back to goalscoring form at the Etihad Stadium after Wednesday’s frustrating Barclays Premier League stalemate with Everton.

    Palace had some good early chances but the result was never in doubt after City took control with goals from Delph and the impressive Aguero in the first half.

    As snow fell after the break, Aguero’s second on 68 minutes made the result certain before the striker selflessly passed up a hat-trick chance to tee up the fourth for Silva.

    The result left Palace without a win – or a goal – in five league games.

    City boss Manuel Pellegrini sprang a few surprises as he left Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas and Bacary Sagna on the bench and handed an opportunity to striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

    Iheanacho, the highly-rated Nigerian who scored the winner off the bench at Selhurst Park in September, had made just one previous league start but earned his chance after impressing in the FA Cup last weekend.

    The 19-year-old’s inclusion alongside Aguero meant a switch to 4-4-2, and that initially appeared to favour Palace and their packed midfield.

    The visitors were able to get balls into the box and Joe Hart had to be alert to keep out a powerful header from Damien Delaney in the second minute.

    Scott Dann also had two opportunities with free headers and City had another escape when Hart kicked the ball straight at James McArthur attempting to clear and Delaney put the rebound over.

    City took time to gain a foothold in the game but Silva served warning by shooting wide before Delph struck the opener after 22 minutes.

    The goal came out of nothing, with Delph appearing to have little on as he took aim from 30 yards, but Wayne Hennessey could not keep out his low shot.

    Palace responded with Yohan Cabaye’s free-kick well saved by Hart but City threatened again as Iheanacho missed his kick in front of goal and Aguero almost found the target with a shot off the ground after slipping.

    Aguero did strike four minutes before the interval, scoring after casually taking aim from outside the area, although he needed a big deflection off Dann’s head to deceive Hennessey. The Argentinian had another effort deflected over just before the break.

    City suffered a blow early in the second half as Aleksandar Kolarov was carried off injured.

    Palace appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty after a Fernando clearance struck Martin Demichelis’ hand, and Joel Ward then cut inside to shoot wide.

    But City soon tightened their grip with a nice team goal. Aguero and Silva combined before Toure – on for Iheanacho – strode forward to play Kevin De Bruyne into space on the right. The Belgian pulled the ball across goal and Aguero had a simple tap-in for his second.

    Palace fought on and Cabaye went close from 40 yards but City retained firm control.

    They wrapped up victory with a slick counter-attack six minutes from time. De Bruyne released Aguero from inside his own half and he outpaced the backtracking defence to set up an easy finish for Silva.

    Champions Chelsea remain six points above the bottom three after interim manager Guus Hiddink avoided the first defeat of his second stint at the club by the narrowest of margins.

    Everton went 2-0 up early in the second half as Terry scored an inelegant 50th-minute own goal and Kevin Mirallas followed up with a slick turn and shot, both goals created by Leighton Baines.

    Cesc Fabregas brought Chelsea back into the game, freeing Diego Costa to round Tim Howard and reduce the arrears in the 64th minute before equalising with a deflected shot less than two minutes later.

    After Costa had limped off injured, centre-back Ramiro Funes Mori put Everton ahead in the 91st minute from Gerard Deulofeu’s cross, only for Terry to flick home a last-gasp equaliser despite an apparent offside.

    Jonjo Shelvey shone on his Newcastle debut following his ?12 million (16 million euros, $17.3 million) move from Swansea City, sparking the moves that led to early goals for Ayoze Perez and Georginio Wijnaldum.

    Substitute Nikica Jelavic hit back for West Ham in the 49th minute after intercepting a back-pass from Chancel Mbemba, but Newcastle held on to escape the relegation zone at the expense of Shelvey’s old club Swansea.

    Bournemouth pulled five points clear of danger by beating fellow strugglers Norwich City 3-0, with Dan Gosling, Charlie Daniels and 10 million record signing Benik Afobe on target.

    Meanwhile, James Ward-Prowse scored a fine free-kick and a penalty as Southampton, watched by new striker Charlie Austin, won 3-0 at home to West Bromwich Albion, with Serbian winger Dusan Tadic also scoring.

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