In the Premier League Spurs kept the pressure on leaders Leicester by reducing their lead to five points on Sunday when they comfortably ended Bournemouth’s three match winning streak at White Hart Lane.
Top scorer Harry Kane opened the scoring with one of the quickest goals of the season after only 44 seconds and he struck again 15 minutes later to double Spurs lead. The brace lifted the young England striker to the top of the Premier League goals scorers charts on 21, two ahead of Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen sealed the win 7 minutes in to the second half.
The Tyne Wear derby relegation six-pointer ended in a stalemate yesterday thanks to a late Mitrovic equalizer however, after Norwich’s massive win against West Brom on Saturday the result was of little condolence for both teams as it kept them both in the relegation zone.
Sunderland top scorer Jerome` Defoe piled the pressure on the Toon when he opened the scoring on the verge of half-time and as the game approached full-time it looked like the home team would suffer their seventh derby defeat in a row. However, Mitrovic, to the joy of the Toon faithful, came to the rescue when he headed home Georginio Wijnaldum's cross past the helpless Manone at the back post.
The draw leaves Sunderland two points and Newcastle three points adrift of fourth from bottom Norwich and all three teams have massive must win games again next Saturday, as Sunderland welcome West Brom to the Stadium of Light and Newcastle travel to Norwich.
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Sunday’s Southampton mounted an amazing come back from two goals down at St Mary’s against Liverpool. Coutinho and Sturridge gave the visitors a comfortable 2-0 by half-time and on current form there would not have been many takers for a Southampton win.
Liverpool were totally dominant in the first half and deserving of their two goal lead however, midway through the second half the Saints mounted their comeback thanks to sub Sadio Mane, who made amends for missing a 49th minute penalty, when he turned past Sakho smartly in the box and fired home.
Striker Graziano Pelle levelled proceedings with 7 minutes remaining thanks to his third goal in two games and Mane netted his brace minutes later, which handed the Saint’s a valuable three points that lifted them up to seventh, three points clear of Liverpool and one ahead of Stoke.
The Manchester Derby at the Etihad surprisingly went the way of the visitors thanks to teenage striker Marcus Rashford’s 16th minute opener. The win puts United level on 50 points with fifth place West Ham and more importantly only one point behind City, who currently hold the Champions League qualification place in fourth.
