Superb Sanchez, Leicester’s League woes: What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Premier League

As we enter the month of December, the 14th instalment of Premier League fixtures this season provided the same amount of pulsating action it has done throughout the campaign so far.

Saturday’s televised lunchtime kick-off between Manchester City and table-topping Chelsea proved to be a feisty encounter at the Etihad Stadium, with Antonio Conte’s West Londoners coming from behind to claim maximum points.

Gary Cahill’s own goal on the stroke of half-time edged City in front, though strikes from Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard in the final 30 minutes made it eight wins on the spin.

To compound the misery for Pep Guardiola’s side, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho were both sent off in injury-time.

In the 3:00pm games, birthday boy Christian Benteke netted a brace to ensure Crystal Palace ended a run of six straight defeats with a 3-0 win over Southampton at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham goalscorers Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son – Photo: Mark Leech / Offside.

Stoke City moved up to ninth with a 2-0 win at home to Burnley. Jon Walters and Marc Muniesa were on target to see off the Clarets at the Bet365 Stadium.

At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland recorded a third victory in a row, defeating out-of-form title-holders Leicester City 2-1, courtesy of Robert Huth’s own goal and Jermain Defoe’s strike – David Moyes’ buoyed Black Cats remain in the bottom three by just a point.

Tottenham remain fifth after putting five past rock-bottom Swansea City at White Hart Lane. Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen both scored twice, either side of Son Heung-Min’s effort.

West Bromwich Albion moved up to sixth in the standings following a 3-1 win over Watford at The Hawthorns. Goals from Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt, and Matty Phillips confirmed the three points for the Baggies.

In Saturday’s late game, a London derby between two teams East and North of the River Thames, it proved to be the Alexis Sanchez show at the London Stadium, when the forward scored a second-half hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed West Ham United 5-1.  

Sunday’s scheduled fixtures continued the drama! Nathan Ake’s 93rd minute winner completed a sensational comeback for AFC Bournemouth as they defeated Liverpool in a seven-goal thriller at the Vitality Stadium, in a contest in which the Reds had been in control of.

Leighton Baines’ 89th minute penalty rescued a point for Everton, after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had powered Manchester United into a first-half lead at Goodison Park.

So, after Matchday 14, Shoot! looks at What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Premier League…

HOT: Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Arsenal’s Chilean international moved his side three points behind leaders Chelsea as his hat-trick earned the Gunners a 5-1 win over West Ham at the London Stadium.

The 27-year-old forward completed his treble in 14 second-half minutes in the inter-capital clash, having previously assisted Mesut Ozil’s opener.

Sanchez scored his first after 72 minutes, driving low beyond the dive of Darren Randolph into the bottom left corner.

He added another eight minutes later, with a powerful angled drive into the same corner, before galloping beyond the Hammers defence to dink the ball into the net.

NOT: West Ham United

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

By contrast, West Ham United are in trouble – and after their home defeat to the hands of Arsenal on Saturday night, the Hammers find themselves firmly in a relegation dogfight, having struggled to settle into their new home.

Slaven Bilic, who guided West Ham to seventh in the club’s final campaign at Upton Park, has this term, failed to build upon the success that the East Londoners achieved in 2015/16.

After 14 games, Bilic’s beleaguered outfit sit 17th in the division. They have attained 12 points so far, and are a solitary point above Sunderland, who occupy the first relegation spot.

West Ham are winless in six outings, and with their Croatian manager under pressure, things have to change, and they have to change fast.

HOT: AFC Bournemouth

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius spills the ball allowing Nathan Ake of Bournemouth to score the winning goal – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Eddie Howe celebrated surpassing 300 games in the managerial position at AFC Bournemouth by overseeing the Cherries complete an emphatic comeback to beat Liverpool 4-3 at the Vitality Stadium, in front of the Sky cameras.

The Dorset-based outfit are now 10th in their second season at the top-level, following the thrilling game on the south-coast.

A quick-fire double from Sadio Mane and Divock Origi put Jurgen Klopp’s Merseysiders into the ascendancy.

Callum Wilson’s penalty 11 minutes after the break reduced the deficit, but Emre Can restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage.

However, late strikes from Ryan Fraser and Steve Cook hauled Bournemouth level, before Nathan Ake’s injury-time winner completed a memorable turnaround against a title-chasing team.

NOT: Leicester City

Defender Christian Fuchs – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Leicester City shocked the football world last season when they clinched the Premier League title.

Their title-defending campaign has been a completely different story – the Foxes are 15th in the division that they won emphatically in May, just a point above the bottom three.

Following Saturday’s defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, the club from the East Midlands are winless in six domestic encounters.

Key personnel have failed to live up to last term’s limelight, including Jamie Vardy, who has failed to net in 15 games.

Despite their league woes, Leicester’s maiden voyage into Europe has seen them qualify from their group, ahead of a trip to Porto on Wednesday.

They host Manchester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.