Premier League round-up: Spurs hold on to beat luckless Reds

Tottenham came out on top of a highly contested game to win 2-1 against Liverpool at White Hart Lane.

The Reds were on top in the second half and must feel they should have at least left London with a draw, but two early goals from Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale were enough to secure three points for Spurs.

Lennon put the home team one-up after only a minute of play, as he got on the end of a Bale cross to poke into the net after classic wing play from the Welshman, with Bale turning from provider to scorer moments later with a sweet free-kick strike.

Liverpool had chances to come back but just couldn’t convert. Jordan Henderson was presented with the ball and an open goal from 22 yards only to slide his effort hopelessly wide, while Luis Suarez had a sliding shot swiped off the line by Kyle Walker.

A comedic goal own-goal from Bale got the visitors back into the game in the second half, but they just couldn’t produce the goods despite largely dominating possession.

Elsewhere in the capital, Chelsea continued their unimpressive run with a poor showing in a goalless draw against neighbouring Fulham, meaning the European Champions haven’t found the net in three consecutive games.

The Blues’ only clear-cut chance came to Fernando Torres, but his acrobatic scissor kick was well cleared off the line by Aaron Hughes.

John Arne Riise also squandered a great chance to win the game for the Cottagers, but he scuffed his shot into the turf and wide of the goal from a free position at the back post.

Everton came back from finding themselves a goal down after the first minute to draw 1-1 with Arsenal at Goodison Park.

It was a lively encounter between two teams who should be challenging for fourth spot, and Theo Walcott opened the scoring with a tidy finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Aaron Ramsey.

But Everton continued their rich scoring form with the equaliser after the half-hour, with Marouane Fellaini

marking his return from suspension with a powerful low drive into the left-hand corner of the net which seemed to baffle Wojciech Szczęsny.

Swansea shocked in-form West Brom with a fine showing, netting three goals in the opening half to record a 3-1 win over the Baggies.

The inspired summer signing Michu got the Swans’ first after just nine minutes with the simplest of tap-ins after an accurate cross from Pablo Hernandez.

And the home side doubled their lead two minute later through a Wayne Routledge goal after more clever wing-play from Hernandez, and Routledge got his second, Swansea’s third, with five minutes left of the first half with a smashing finish with seemed to plough right through Baggies keeper Boaz Myhill.

Romelu Lukaku managed to pull one back for the visitors on the stroke of half-time with a net-breaking strike, but it was only a consolation in a one-sided match.

Man City responded to a poor first-half outing to win 2-0 over Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Two second-half goals from Mario Balotelli and James Milner secured the win for the defending champions, while Wigan forward Arouna Kone came very close to putting the home team in front shortly before Balotelli scored his first of the season.

Milner concluded the scoring with a fine strike from outside the box to ensure City kept the pressure on Manchester United, who are only one point clear at the top of the table.

United just about managed to maintain their place at the top with a 1-0 win over West Ham at Old Trafford, with Robin Van Persie scoring the only goal of the game.

Van Persie netted the fastest goal of the season so far, with only 32 on the clock when his deflected shot went in past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

The Hammers had opportunities to equalise through Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole and Modibo Maiga, but the league leaders managed to hold on the claim a nervy three points.

Stoke continued Newcastle’s miserable run with a 2-1 victory against the Magpies at the Britannia Stadium.

Newcastle went one-up shortly after the re-start when Papiss Cisse scored with a neat finish inside the six-yard box on his return to the side, but two swift goals in four minutes from Jonathan Walters and Cameron Jerome set the Britannia alight and stunned the visitors with five minutes left to play.

Finally, Mark Clattenburg’s return to Premier League action was overshadowed by a goalkeeping blunder from Southampton’s Paulo Gazzaniga which gifted Norwich the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.

Southampton started the brighter of the teams and the home side grabbed the opening goal via the ever reliable Rickie Lambert, who got on the end of an Adam Lallana free kick to prod the ball home.

But Norwich replied not long after through a mishap from Saints stopper Gazzaniga, who made a mess of a Robert Snodgrass free kick which somehow made its way into the net.