PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea reclaim top four spot with victory

Olivier Giroud, Willian and Ross Barkley struck to sink Watford 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and limit Chelsea’s fall from the Premier League’s top four to less than five hours.

France’s World Cup-winning striker Giroud angled in his third goal in five league games, Brazil forward Willian tucked away his third penalty in as many league matches and Barkley capped another industrious performance with a stoppage time strike.

Chelsea’s midweek defeat by West Ham, coupled with Manchester United thrashing Bournemouth 5-2 on Saturday had seen the Blues drop out of the top four for the first time since October. But Frank Lampard’s men reclaimed fourth spot with a commanding Saturday night win.

Ole Gunnar’s Solskjaer’s United remain in hot pursuit after Mason Greenwood’s double helped them come from a goal down to hammer Bournemouth.

Greenwood’s first, a penalty from Marcus Rashford and a fine solo effort from Anthony Martial put the hosts in control following Junior Stanislas’ shock opener.

Cherries forward Joshua King converted from the spot to halve the deficit, but Greenwood’s second and a Bruno Fernandes free-kick saw United stay three points behind Leicester in third.

Jamie Vardy registered his 100th Premier League goal as Leicester got their challenge for Champions League football back on track with a 3-0 success over Crystal Palace.

Vardy, stuck on 99 goals since the final match before the lockdown, netted the Foxes’ second and third at the King Power Stadium after Kelechi Iheanacho opened the scoring.

Bukayo Saka celebrated his new Arsenal deal by inspiring a crucial 2-0 win at Wolves while Norwich slipped closer to relegation with a 1-0 home defeat by Brighton.