Man United routs Palace, Kane stars for Spurs
LONDON: Romelu Lukaku extended his hot streak as Manchester United powered to a 4-0 victory against Crystal Palace, while Harry Kane inspired Tottenham’s 4-0 demolition of Huddersfield on Saturday.
With Manchester City facing champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge later on Saturday, United temporarily moved to the top of the Premier League as Lukaku scored his seventh goal in his last six appearances.
Jose Mourinho’s men have now won six successive matches in all competitions and have dropped only two points from their first seven league games.
City must beat Chelsea to regain top spot from their Manchester rivals on goal difference.
Bottom of the table Palace arrived at Old Trafford as the first English top-flight team to lose their first six games without scoring a single goal.
It took just three minutes for United to breach Palace’s leaky defense when Juan Mata marked his 200th Premier League appearance with his first goal of the season, the Spanish winger finishing emphatically from Marcus Rashford’s cross.
Mourinho’s men struck again in the 35th minute as Ashley Young whipped a cross to the far post, where Marouane Fellaini stabbed home for his third goal of the season.
Fellaini was not finished yet and the Belgian midfielder headed United’s third from a Rashford free-kick in the 49th minute.
In the 86th minute, Lukaku capped United’s fourth 4-0 league win this term when the Belgium striker scored his 11th goal in 10 games since his close-season move from Everton.
“Three points and a good performance. We started strong and finished strong,” Mourinho said.
“We rotated after playing in the Champions League. The players’ mentality allowed me to do that.
“The momentum is good and the players are happy and confident.”
At the John Smith’s Stadium, Kane’s masterclass ensured Tottenham cruised to their biggest win of the season.
Kane hit a hat-trick when Tottenham beat APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League in midweek and the England striker demolished Huddersfield to take his tally to 11 goals in his last six appearances.
He opened the scoring with a clinical strike in the ninth minute and Ben Davies added Tottenham’s second seven minutes later.
Kane’s superb curling effort in the 23rd minute made it three before Moussa Sissoko added a 90th-minute fourth as Mauricio Pochettino’s side kept in touch with the leaders.
Tottenham have won six of their last seven matches in all competitions and Pochettino said: “Harry Kane is in an amazing moment. He is scoring goals, his energy is fantastic.
“We deserved the victory. We dominated the game and that’s why I am so happy with everyone.”
Diafra Sakho eased the pressure on West Ham boss Slaven Bilic as his lastgasp strike clinched a 1-0 win over Swansea at the London Stadium.
Amid rumors that sacked Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti is a target for the Hammers, Sakho netted in the 90th minute to give Bilic’s side just their second league success this season and lift them out of the relegation zone.
Peter Crouch gave Stoke a 2-1 home win over his former club Southampton.
Senegal forward Mame Biram Diouf put Stoke ahead five minutes before halftime.
Moments later Saints defender Virgil van Dijk conceded a penalty with a foul on Saido Berahino, but the striker’s spot-kick was saved by Fraser Forster.
Japan defender Maya Yoshida equalized for Southampton with a blistering volley in the 75th minute, but Stoke substitute Crouch grabbed the 85th-minute winner.
Richarlison’s late leveller earned Watford a 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion.
Albion had scored only four times in their previous six league matches, but Salomon Rondon put them ahead in the 18th minute at the Hawthorns and the hosts doubled their lead three minutes later through Jonny Evans.
However, Abdoulaye Doucoure gave Watford a lifeline in the 37th minute and Richarlison equalized in the closing seconds.
Bournemouth remain second bottom after being held to a 0-0 draw by Leicester at Dean Court. POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa: Bangladesh had their best day in three Test series in South Africa but could not prevent the hosts from moving into a dominant position on the third day of the first Test at Senwes Park on Saturday.
Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah hit half-centuries to enable Bangladesh to avoid the follow-on but their total of 320 was still 176 short of South Africa’s first innings total of 496 for three declared.
In contrast to the first day, Bangladesh dismissed both South African opening batsmen cheaply at the start of the second innings.
South Africa were 54 for two when bad light ended play early, an overall lead of 230.
Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram were out for 18 and 15 respectively, after making 199 and 97 in the first innings.
Mominul made 77 — the highest Test score by a Bangladesh batsman against South Africa — and Mahmudullah hit 66 as Bangladesh topped 300 for the first time in nine Test innings in South Africa, where they have lost all four previous Test matches by an innings.
On a slow pitch, Bangladesh had four successive half-century partnerships between the third and sixth wickets.
The tourists batted with positive intent, although much of the good work was undone when they lost their last five wickets for 28 runs, four of them after the second new ball had been taken.
The diminutive Mominul and fellow left-hander Tamim Iqbal saw off some hostile bowling by Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada at the start of the day, with the first nine overs producing only seven runs.
Both batsmen survived close leg before wicket decisions against reverse-swinging deliveries from Rabada.
But 17 runs came off Rabada’s fifth over of the day, including two successive boundaries by Mominul, and South Africa’s change bowlers were unable to maintain the pressure.
The only wicket of the morning fell to new cap Andile Phehlukwayo when Tamim, on 39, glanced an off-target delivery down the leg side and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock flung himself to his right to take a good catch.
Mominul was well caught at short leg by Markram off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj soon after lunch after a 150-ball innings which included 12 fours.
Mahmudullah, strong on the drive, found another useful ally in Sabbir Rahman (30) before both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession.
Rahman played a lifting ball from Duanne Olivier onto his stumps and Mahmudullah fell to the first delivery with the second new ball when an attempted cut against Morkel crashed into his stumps off an inside edge. Mahmudullah faced 124 balls and hit 11 fours and a six.
Maharaj was the most successful South African bowler, taking three for 92.