Midfield duo deliver vital win for champs

LONDON • Manchester City beat West Ham 2-1 in swirling snow yesterday to return to second place in the Premier League.

The English champions stayed in close touch to leaders Chelsea with victory at home to high-flying West Ham, as the top flight increasingly resembles a three-horse race.

Riyad Mahrez had a strike ruled out for offside at the Etihad but the hosts eventually claimed the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when his ball into the box was deflected into the path of Ilkay Gundogan, handing the midfielder a simple finish.

Declan Rice forced a good save from Ederson as the Hammers threatened late on but substitute Fernandinho made it 2-0 to City in the closing minutes.

Manuel Lanzini pulled one back in stoppage time but it was not enough for David Moyes' team, still in fourth place, to avoid a second successive defeat.

City manager Pep Guardiola was pleased with the hard-fought win, coming days after an energy-sapping victory over Paris Saint-Germian in the Champions League.

"The first half was almost impossible to play. The game against PSG was so demanding and the team gave a good performance," he said.

"The chances we created... it could have been three or four. The players we have out... those that came here were brilliant. All of them. We cannot forget which opponent we played. They have everything."

Elsewhere, Watford boss Claudio Ranieri endured a miserable return to Leicester, where he led them to their most memorable triumph, the 2015-16 league title.

Jamie Vardy reminded the Italian of his enduring quality even in his mid-30s, scoring twice at the King Power Stadium in the Foxes' 4-2 win.

Ranieri received a rapturous reception on his emotional first return to the stadium as an opposition manager since his firing in February 2017.

Non-penalty goals Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has scored in 37 EPL appearances since the start of last season; the most of any midfielder, ahead of Bruno Fernandes in second place (13 in 49 matches).

Man City 2 West Ham 1

Leicester 4 Watford 2

Brentford 1 Everton 0

Burnley v Tottenham
Postponed due to snow

Chelsea v Man United
Late kick-off

James Maddison gave Leicester an early lead, only for Joshua King to level from the penalty spot in the 30th minute.

Leicester regained the lead when Vardy lifted the ball over goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann from an acute angle before grabbing his second to go into half-time with a 3-1 lead.

Emmanuel Dennis pulled a goal back just after the break but Ademola Lookman scored from close range to restore the home side's two-goal cushion.

On Ranieri, Vardy said: "He got the reception the fans wanted to give him. We knew it was down to business on the pitch, though, and we wanted the win."

Brentford heaped more pressure on Rafael Benitez by beating Everton 1-0 to secure their first Premier League win since early last month, courtesy of a first-half penalty from Ivan Toney.

The Toffees have now taken just two points from their past seven league matches and are sinking fast down in 14th spot, with Wednesday's Merseyside derby with Liverpool a defining moment in their season.

Tottenham's game at Burnley was called off due to heavy snow and was "a joint decision with everyone concerned".

The game will be rescheduled to another date as yet to be fixed.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE