2016-17 Premier League Saturday Dec 31,2016

Burnley Vs Sunderland
Burnley beats Sunderland 4-1

Chelsea Vs Stoke City
Chelsea beats Stoke City 4-2

Goal Scorers
For Chelsea - Gary Cahil(34);Willian(57 and 65) and Diego Costa(85)
For Stoke City - Bruno Martins Indi(46)and Peter Crouch(64)

Premier League leaders Chelsea equalled the top-flight record of 13 consecutive wins in a single season by beating valiant Stoke in a thriller at Stamford Bridge.

An exceptionally entertaining second half included five goals as the Blues were twice made to retake the lead by a Potters side who gave them one of their toughest tests this season.

Gary Cahill gave Chelsea the lead when he headed in shortly before half-time, but Stoke defender Bruno Martins Indi levelled only a minute after the break when he poked in from close range.

Willian handed the Blues the advantage again only for Peter Crouch to level with a side-foot effort high past Thibaut Courtois.

Stoke barely had time to celebrate, as moments after the restart Chelsea drove towards goal with Willian applying a fierce, angled finish.

With five minutes remaining, the Blues all but sealed the three points when Diego Costa - magnificent as a target-man - shrugged off the attentions of Martins Indi to fire in the fourth.

• Chelsea are just the second Premier League team in history to win 13 consecutive games in a single season, following Arsenal in 2001-02.
• Fabregas registered his 100th Premier League assist - the fourth player to achieve this feat (Ryan Giggs - 162, Frank Lampard - 102, Wayne Rooney - 101).
• Fabregas was the quickest player to reach 100 Premier League assists, however (293 apps).
• It's the first time Fabregas has assisted in back-to-back Premier League games since January 2015.
• Costa has had a hand in 19 Premier League goals (14 goals, five assists) this season. In only three games has he failed to either score or assist a goal.
• Crouch scored his first Premier League goal since May 2015 v Liverpool - 587 days ago.
• Martins Indi netted his first Premier League goal just 55 seconds into the second half. It was the quickest Stoke had scored in the second half since April 2013 (Charlie Adam v Norwich, 45:51).

Leicester City Vs West Ham United
Leicester City beats West Ham United 1-0

Manchester United Vs Middlesbrough
Manchester United Vs Middlesbrough 2-1

Goal Scorers
For Manchester United -Anthony Martial(85)and Paul Pogba(86)
For Middlesbrough - Grant Leadbitter(67)

Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba scored late goals as Manchester United came from behind to beat Middlesbrough in the Premier League.

Midfielder Grant Leadbitter had given Boro a shock lead, drilling home a low finish from Alvaro Negredo's knock down.

Up until then, United had dominated a match in which Pogba struck the post with an overhead kick and Martial hit the same upright with a long-range strike.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic also had a goal harshly ruled out for a high boot on ex-United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, while the Spaniard twice blocked the United striker's shots from close range in the second half.

• Manchester United have won five consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April 2015 (when they won six in a row).
• After failing to score with their first 30 shots on goal against Middlesbrough, the Red Devils then scored with their final two attempts to make it 2-1.
• Paul Pogba has been directly involved in five goals in his last four Premier League appearances (two goals, three assists).
• Boro have now won just one of their last 23 away games in the Premier League (won one, drawn six, lost 16).
• Grant Leadbitter scored his first Premier League goal since 14 March 2009 (2849 days ago, for Sunderland v Wigan) - only seven players in competition history have gone longer between goals

Southampton Vs WBA
WBA beats Southampton 2-1

Swansea City Vs Bournemouth
Bournemouth beats Swansea City 3-0

Liverpool Vs Manchester City
Liverpool beats Manchester City 1-0

Goal Scorer for Liverpool - Georginio Wijnaldum

Liverpool maintained their pursuit of Premier League leaders Chelsea as they moved to within six points of the pacesetters with victory over Manchester City at Anfield.

Georginio Wijnaldum's soaring eighth-minute header from Adam Lallana's cross was enough to put Liverpool in second place and put a serious dent in City's own title challenge.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp led the celebrations at the end of a game that was high on energy but sadly lacking in any moments of genuine quality.

City, who laboured throughout, improved in the second half but never seriously threatened Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and this loss leaves them 10 points adrift of Chelsea.

• Liverpool have won four consecutive league games against Manchester City for the first time since 1981 (when they managed a run of seven).
• Pep Guardiola has now suffered twice as many league defeats this season (four) as he did in the entire 2015-16 Bundesliga campaign with Bayern Munich (two).
• Manchester City have kept just four clean sheets in their 19 Premier League games under Guardiola.
• Liverpool have scored 87 league goals in 2016; their most in a calendar year since 1985 (also 87).
• Adam Lallana has made seven assists in the Premier League this season (in 17 appearances); his most in a single campaign.
• Lallana also ends 2016 having been involved in 21 goals in the Premier League (11 goals, 10 assists); no midfielder in the competition has had a hand in more.