Huddersfield end United’s unbeaten run
Huddersfield Town stunned Manchester United 2-1 yesterday, a defeat that ended the visitors unbeaten start to the Premier League season and dropped them five points behind leaders Manchester City who beat Burnley 3-0.
Huddersfield’s victory in driving wind and rain was their first over United since 1952 and all the more unexpected after a run of one goal in six league games.
But the top-tier newcomers fully deserved their first league win since mid-August after hitting United twice in the first half and withstanding everything the visitors — and the appalling weather — threw at them.
Former Manchester City midfielder Aaron Mooy and Laurent Depoitre scored within 33 minutes, with United’s afternoon made worse by an injury to Phil Jones.
Jose Mourinho responded by bringing on Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford for Juan Mata and Anthony Martial at halftime and Rashford scored his seventh goal of the season to set up a rousing finish.
By Manchester City’s recent free-scoring standards, their 3-0 victory over Burnley was modest, with the match turning on a controversial first-half penalty when Bernardo Silva went down theatrically in the area.
TV replays showed minimal contact from Burnley keeper Nick Pope and the Portuguese may find himself in trouble with the threemember FA review panel which looks at simulation and last Friday issued its first retrospective ban on a player for diving.
Sergio Aguero converted the penalty to equal Eric Brooke’s alltime scoring record for the club with his 177th goal. Nicolas Otamendi and Leroy Sane made the scoreline more comfortable.
Elsewhere, Chelsea made up ground on third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who play Liverpool this morning, by beating Watford 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.
The game was closer than the scoreline suggests, with Marco Silva’s impressive side coming from behind to lead before two goals from Michy Batshuayi and another from Cesar Azpilicueta ended the argument.
Pressure will be growing on Stoke City manager Mark Hughes after a disappointing 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth which left them into the relegation zone.
Hughes had hoped the return of Ryan Shawcross would strengthen his defence after last week’s 7-2 demolition by Manchester City, but Shawcross gave away a penalty, which Junior Stanislas converted and Andrew Surman also found the net.
Mame Biram Diouf narrowed the gap but the goal was not enough.
A Federico Fernandez own goal and a second-half strike by Shinji Okazaki gave Leicester City caretaker manager Michael Appleton a much-needed 2-1 win at Swansea City in his first game in charge, lifting the Foxes out of the relegation zone.
But there was no escape for Crystal Palace, whose 1-0 defeat at Newcastle left them bottom. Mikel Merino scored Newcastle’s 85thminute winner.
Southampton also left it late to beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 but the wait was worth it with substitute Sofiane Boufal beating five men before slotting the ball past Ben Foster for what was Southampton’s third league win of the season.