Struggling West Ham Utd drop into relegation zone
Everton edge Watford in thriller
LONDON, Feb 1, (AP): West Ham dropped into the relegation zone in the Premier League after squandering a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 with Brighton on Saturday.
West Ham have won only one of their last eight league games - and it doesn’t get any easier for David Moyes’ team, which play Manchester City and Liverpool in their next two games.
West Ham’s defending was shambolic at London Stadium, conceding an own-goal through Angelo Ogbonna to make it 2-1 before Pascal Gross pounced on a short headed back pass and prodded home a finish to bring Brighton back in the game at 3-2.
Glenn Murray, starting a Premier League match for the first time since September, grabbed his seventh career goal against the Hammers in the 79th minute to earn a point for the visitors.
The ball appeared to hit Murray’s arm before he fired home but a VAR check decided otherwise, to disbelief in the stands when the replay was shown.
“You’re scared to celebrate goals these days,” Murray said. “I knew deep down that I didn’t touch it but the doubt sets in, and thankfully they made the right decision.”
It completed a remarkable comeback for Graham Potter’s side, who looked up against it after Issa Diop’s goal and a double from Robert Snodgrass.
West Ham is in third-to-last place, a point from safety.
Brighton manager Graham Potter was on the touchline despite the death of his father just two days earlier.
Theo Walcott struck a last-minute winner as 10-man Everton came from two goals down to beat Watford 3-2 .
Yerry Mina scored twice in first-half stoppage time to haul the visitors level and, despite losing Fabian Delph to a red card in the 71st minute, Walcott netted on the break to seal a remarkable victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Watford appeared on course for another good result in their battle against the drop as Adam Masina’s first goal in more than three years and a strike by Roberto Pereyra had the hosts two goals ahead.
Bournemouth moved out of the relegation zone after beating fellow strugglers Aston Villa 2-1 in .
Philip Billing and Nathan Ake scored for the hosts toward the end of the first half at Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth played most of the second half with 10 men after Jefferson Lerma was sent off for a second yellow card in the 51st minute.
Villa made a game of it as Mbwana Samatta scored in the 70th on his league debut, becoming the first Tanzanian to score in the division.
The Cherries held on to win their second straight league game after a string of four losses to relegation rivals, including Norwich, Watford and West Ham.
Relegation from the English Premier League is looming closer for Norwich aftertheymissed a chance for three valuable points in drawing with Newcastle 0-0 .
Teemu Pukki’s 11 goals this season have made him a hero of Norwich’s struggle against the drop, but the Finn wasted good chances to score in Newcastle.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was on good form to stop a header from Norwich’s Sam Byram early on. Pukki had a half-volley saved by Dubravka in the 17th minute and then another shot blocked in the 29th after he initially got through the Newcastle defense.
Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (right), is fouled by Union’s goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz, followed by a penalty during the German Bundesliga soccer match
between Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin in Dortmund, Germany on Feb 1, 2020. (AP)