Premier League defending champions Manchester City and Chelsea have recorded shock defeats to hand Liverpool a four point advantage at the summit the table. City went ahead after 27 minutes through Gundogan but were pegged back within five minutes as Schlupp drew Palace level in the 33rd minute. Pep Guardiola evening went from bad to worse within two minutes of Palace grabbing the equalizer as Andros Townsend sent the Eagles ahead. City found themselves in the unfamiliar position of chasing the game for the rest of the half.
After the restart, things turned for the worse as Roy Hodgson's side doubled their lead through Luka Milivojevic's spot kick. Substitute Kevin De Bruyne gave the hosts a lifeline with a sumptuous goal five minutes from time but that was it. Palace soaked in wave after wave of City attack and held on for a valuable three points at the Etihad. This was the first time Palace had picked up all the three points at Man City in 28 years ending the host's 100% home record in the Premier League this term. Manchester City have now lost two of their last three topflight matches, as many as in their previous 61 league games combined.
Across the country in London, Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea were also chasing the game against Leicester City for most of the second half after going into the interval at 0-0. A well taken Jamie Vardy goal seven minutes after half time stunned the Stamford Bridge faithful. The 2015/16 champions held on to record their first away win against the Blues in 18 years. Chelsea threw everything at Claude Puel's men but failed to get past a resolute Leicester backline and an impressive Kasper Schmeichel in goal. The travelling Foxes severally threatened to double their lead with a few chances of their own notably forcing a full stretch save from Kepa Arrizabalaga and Vardy failing to find the net with an audicious backheel.
Those Premier League results are likely to grab the headlines over the weekend but it was in the Championship, England's second division, where the real upset happened. The travelling QPR registered a narrow 1-0 at Nottingham Forest for the first time in 84 year.
Is there anything sweeter than a player leaving a club is search of more money, slagging off the club during the week prior to the game, only for that player to be on the losing side against a side winning that tie away from home for the first time in their history? Welcome to Jack Robinson's life. To add the icing on the cake for Rangers' fans the scorer of the vital winner, Toni Leistner, is the new centre-back who was signed to replace the departing Robinson. What's more? QPR even kept a clean sheet in the game. Absolute poetry and another reason why we all love football!
Merry Christmas everyone and do not forget to;
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