Chelsea, Liverpool register contrasting wins

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London, December 30: Chelsea moved into second place in the Premier League with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Mark Hughes made six changes for the clash with one eye on their meeting with Newcastle United on January 1, and his under-strength side were swept aside.

Antonio Rudiger and Danny Drinkwater put the hosts 2-0 ahead inside the opening 10 minutes as a thrashing looked in the offing.

When Pedro added a third midway through the opening half it became a question of how many Chelsea would score.

Chelsea took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still saw Alvaro Morata and Pedro denied by Jack Butland, although there was nothing the Stoke goalkeeper could do with Willian's late penalty.

Davide Zappacosta added a fifth in the 88th minute with a drilled effort from outside the area.

Victory temporarily lifts Chelsea above Manchester United - who play Southampton later in the day.

Liverpool win

Mohamed Salah's second-half brace sealed a pulsating come-from-behind 2-1 win for Liverpool over Leicester City at Anfield.

Fourth-placed Liverpool are now unbeaten in 12 Premier League matches, a run that owes much to the brilliant Salah.

The Egypt forward now has 23 goals in all competitions this season - more than the total mustered by eight Premier League clubs - and his inspiration was needed after a shaky start.

Virgil van Dijk, who will replace Salah as Liverpool's record signing when his £75million switch from Southampton is completed, looked on from the stands as some abject defending allowed Jamie Vardy to score for the seventh time in his past five outings against the Reds inside three minutes.

OTHER RESULTS

Swansea City 2 beat Watford 1

Burnely FC 0 drew Huddersfield 0

Burnemouth 2 beat Everton 1

Newcastle United 0 drew Brighton 0