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Leeds downs Burnley, draws for W.Ham/Brighton, Liverpool/W.Brom, Wolves/Spurs

Sports Desk, Dec 27 (efe-epa).- An early Patrick Bamford penalty was enough to snatch three points for Leeds United against Burnley at home in Premier League action on Sunday.

The English striker was brought down in the penalty area by Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope, who came off the line with a flailing challenge. Bamford smashed the penalty home to put Leeds 1-0 up in the 5th minute.

Burnley’s Harvey Barnes had a goal ruled out in the 18th minute when the referee blew the whistle for a foul on Leeds keeper Illan Meslier during the build up.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Yorkshire team held on to the advantage for the 90 minutes and moved up to 11th place in the Premier League with 20 points. Sean Dyche’s Burnley dropped to 17th, just above the relegation zone, with 13 points.

Leeds had lost three of its last four matches at Elland Road.

The Czech Republic’s Tomas Soucek, with a header from a rebound in the final stretch, kept West Ham from losing to Brighton in London, although both sides had to content themselves with the 2-2 draw.

Graham Potter’s visiting team – which has gone six matches without a win – thought they finally had a win in hand, until the final seven minutes of the game.

Brighton had twice taken the lead on tallies by Neal Maupay and Lewis Dunk. but West Ham always managed to come back from behind, the first time thanks to Benjamin Johnson and the second on Soucek’s head-shot.

After the match, Brighton’s Potter said: “We didn’t defend the corner well. We all knew that Soucek was the main and obvious threat and we gave him a free run at us. I’m disappointed we haven’t won.”

Brighton is now close to relegation, while West Ham – which has two draws and a defeat in its last three outings – remains in the middle of the Premier League table.

Sadio Mane scored Liverpool’s only goal in its 1-1 outing against West Bromwich Albion, tying Uruguay’s Luis Suarez as the fifth-highest goal scorer in club history with 69 tallies.

Mane converted on a pass from Joel Matip – who left with an adductor injury in the second half – to get the team on the board first at Anfield and although the game ended in a draw the team still remains No. 1 in the table with Everton, which defeated Sheffield on the road on Saturday, is just two points behind at No. 2.

Mohamed Salah could have increased that advantage on several occasions, but never was able to find the twine.

In the 82nd minute, a pass by Matheus Pereira was headed into the net by Semi Ajayi for the tie.

Wolverhaptom, with a goal just four minutes before time, salvaged a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, with Jose Mourinho’s squad doing without the services of Gareth Bale, on the injured list again, and for the fourth time in a row was unable to pull a win out of the hat.

Molineux Stadium was the scene for the match-up, with Tottenham getting on the board first in the very first minute on a low blast by Tanguy Ndombele from 20 meters that rocketed past the Wolves’ goalkeeper, Rui Patricio.

Tottenham adopted a more defensive stance in the second half, and Romain Saiss was able to equalize on a header that ricocheted into the net after Pedro Neto’s corner kick.

The final result left Tottenham in fifth place, six points behind Liverpool, while Wolverhampton is floating in the middle of the table.

EFE

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