There was a total of 13 goals scored across today’s six Premier League games, and none might have been sweeter than a maiden strike in the English top flight for Watford captain Troy Deeney.
The 27-year-old, prolific in the Championship, had to wait 10 games to open his account for the season but did so in style with this precise finish into the bottom corner in Watford’s 2-0 win at Stoke City.
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Almen Abdi’s 69th-minute second at the Britannia Stadium secured the Hornets a first away victory since their promotion and ended Stoke’s run of four successive wins in all competitions.
Watford are up to 13th in the table, remarkably above Chelsea in the table after the defending champions fell to a fifth league defeat of the season at the hands of high-flying West Ham United at Upton Park.
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Nemanja Matic and Jose Mourinho were both sent off for the Blues, who had Gary Cahill cancel out Mauro Zarate’s opener before Andy Carroll’s first goal since January earned the Hammers a 2-1 win.
United were briefly up to second in the standings – they have since been knocked down to third by Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Everton, which completed a perfect week for Arsene Wenger and company.
First-half headers from Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny secured Bayern Munich’s conquerers three points which take them to the Premier League’s summit ahead of tomorrow’s Manchester derby.
SEE MORE: (Video) Petr Cech makes outstanding save to clinch Arsenal victory over Everton
At the opposite end of the division, Tim Sherwood seems to be coming under increasing pressure after his Aston Villa side threw away the lead to suffer a sixth straight loss at home to Swansea City.
Jordan Ayew put the Villans in front on 62 minutes, but his brother Andre Ayew was the one smiling at full time as his late winner completed a Swans comeback started by Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free kick.
Elsewhere, Jamie Vardy became just the eighth player in history to score in seven successive Premier League games by netting the only goal in Leicester City’s 1-0 home success over Crystal Palace.
The England striker ran onto a delightful pass from Leicester’s other star performer so far this season – Riyad Mahrez – and intelligently lifted the ball over Wayne Hennessey before knocking it home.
The Foxes are fifth in the table, one place above Palace who have been joined in the top half by West Bromwich Albion courtesy of a second 1-0 win on the bounce for the Baggies against Norwich City.
A second goal of the season for £12m summer signing Salomon Rondon – fee reported by BBC Sport -separated the teams at Carrow Road as the Canaries slipped to a fifth match without a win.
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