Romelu Lukaku’s eighth goal in as many matches earned Manchester United a hard-fought 1-0 win over Southampton at St. Mary’s.
Lukaku’s goal came in the 20th minute, after his powerful header, off an Ashley Young cross, was saved by Fraser Forster before converting the rebound as the Red Devils went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
After the break, the home side began to ask questions of United, as José Mourinho’s men were pegged back in their own half.
Despite creating little in the game, United failed to kill off the game, having had the chances to do so through Lukaku and Ander Herrera.
Mourinho sent in Chris Smalling and Daley Blind, as he shored up his rear guard.
The Red Devils held on to seal their fifth win of the season in six games, and the three points that ensure they kept pace with neighbors, Man City, who put five goals past Crystal Palace at the Etihad.
At the Etihad, the first half looked set to end goalless, but City found the breakthrough a minute before the break when Leroy Sane’s brilliant solo goal gave them a 1-0 half time lead.
After the break, two goals in eight minutes from Raheem Sterling finally saw the home side cruising, as Palace were made to rue their missed opportunities in the first 45.
Sergio Aguero powered in City’s fourth of the evening in the 79th minute, moving within one goal of the club’s all-time scoring record of 177.
Substitute Fabian Delph completed the thrashing when he added a fifth late on, as City scored their 16th goal in three league matches.
Palace have now lost all their six games in the league this season without scoring a goal.
At Goodison Park, outcast, Oumar Niasse scored a brace as Everton came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1, putting a stop to a run of three consecutive losses in the league.
Josh King had given the Cherries the lead three minutes after the break, before two goals in five minutes from the Senegalese striker, who was banished to the Everton u-23s came to bail out the Toffees.
At Bet365, Alvaro Morata scored a hat-trick as defending champions, Chelsea continued their supremacy over Stoke City with a comfortable 4-0 routing of the Potters.
First Chelsea hat-trick.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 23, 2017
Take a bow, @AlvaroMorata!#STKCHE pic.twitter.com/3UfFEm1Hmd
Pedro Rodriguez was the other scorer on the day,as the Blues ran riot against Mark Hughes men, who simply had no answers for the champions.
At the Liberty Stadium, Watford earned a third successive away win of the campaign after they defeated Swansea 2-1.
Andre Gray’s first goal for the Hornets put the away aside 1-0 ahead at the break, but Tammy Abraham equalised for the Swans after the break.
With the game looking to end in a 1-1 draw, Richarlison sealed three points for the away side, as the Brazilian scored at the dead to hand Marco Silva’s side a third successive win on the road, for the first time in their history.
