Returning hero puts City level with Liverpool

MANCHESTER CITY are level with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League following a crucial 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace and it was a returning favourite who turned out to be the Selhurst Park hero.

Yaya Toure, playing his first Premier League match of the season, scored both City goals in the vital victory.

Only a few weeks ago Toure was odds-on never to play for City again but Pep Guardiola’s decision to allow him back into the squad was rewarded with the opener on 39 minutes and then the winner with seven minutes left.

Toure’s future, however, remains uncertain and Hills are 4-7 that the Ivorian remains at the Etihad beyond January and 5-4 that he’s left before February 1.

City, 2-1 to win the title, moved alongside Liverpool on 27
points with the same plus-16 goal difference, although the Reds remain at the summit having scored three more goals despite being held to a 0-0 draw by a resolute Southampton side at St Mary’s on a frustrating afternoon for Jurgen Klopp’s table-topping Merseysiders.

Liverpool are 11-4 to be crowned champions, while Chelsea are 5-2 and the Blues can jump into first position with a win at Middlesbrough today.

Substitute Olivier Giroud’s late header earned Arsenal a fortunate 1-1 draw at Manchester United, who had led through Juan Mata.

Arsenal are fourth but they are only two points back on the leaders and can be backed at 7-1 for the title, while sixth-placed United are available at 25-1.

Tottenham remain the only unbeaten team in the Premeir League after a dramatic 3-2 derby success over West Ham.

The Hammers led 2-1 but Harry Kane equalised on 89 minutes and then won the game with an injury-time penalty.

Bob Bradley is still waiting for his first win as Swansea manager after Seamus Coleman’s late equaliser earned Everton a 1-1 draw against the Welsh outfit.

Gylfi Sigurdsson’s penalty had looked as if it would gift Swansea victory but the draw saw them hit rock-bottom following Sunderland’s convincing 3-0 success over Hull.

Jermain Defoe opened the scoring and Victor Anichebe followed that with a brace but it was not a perfect afternoon for Black Cats boss David Moyes who watched Papy Djilobodji pick up a second yellow card late on.

Champions Leicester are only two points above the drop zone as their poor start to the Premier League campaign continued with a 2-1 reverse at Watford.

A sloppy start saw the Foxes fall behind to early goals from Etienne Capoue and Roberto Pereyra before Riyad Mahrez’s penalty halved the deficit.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s men were unable to grab anything from the trip and Leicester may yet follow last season’s stunning title triumph with a shock relegation this time around.

Nathan Ake’s goal gave Bournemouth a 1-0 win at Stoke.
There was a big coupon-busting result in La Liga as 1-7 favourites Barcelona were held to a goalless stalemate by Malaga at Camp Nou.

Barca, who were without Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, played against ten men after Diego Llorente’s red card on 69 minutes, while the visitors also had Juan Carlos dismissed at the death.