Vydra strikes as Burnley hold Chelsea to 1-1 draw

Premier League leaders Chelsea were held to a surprise 1-1 home draw by struggling Burnley after the visitors’ substitute Matej Vydra struck out of the blue late in the game to cancel out a Kai Havertz opener on Saturday.

The result left Chelsea on 26 points from 11 games, three more than second-placed Manchester City who beat Manchester United 2-0 away in their lunchtime derby. Burnley stayed 18th on eight points.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope kept Burnley afloat early on as he denied Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jorginho but was powerless in the 33rd minute as Reece James and Germany forward Havertz combined to devastating effect.

James found space on the right flank and delivered an inch-perfect cross for Havertz to head low into the far corner from eight metres past Pope, who remained rooted to his line.

Chelsea kept pressing after the break as Thiago Silva’s header shaved the outside of the post before Havertz lofted a close-range shot over the bar and Pope blocked a Hudson-Odoi effort with a reflex save.

Those misses proved costly as Burnley levelled after their first meaningful raid, with Ashley Westwood swinging in a teasing cross which Jay Rodriguez nodded down for Vydra to tap in from close range in the 79th minute.

Palace into top half with 2-0 win over Wolves

Crystal Palace claimed a second successive Premier League victory and extended their unbeaten run to six games as goals by Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher secured a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Both sides went into the game in good form but produced a desperately poor first half at Selhurst Park with neither side creating a chance worthy of the name.

Things improved after the break though and Zaha broke the deadlock just past the hour mark when he stroked home after being played in by James McArthur — the goal originally being disallowed for offside but permitted after a VAR check.

Impressive Chelsea loanee Gallagher made the points safe in the 78th minute with a neat left-foot finish into the corner.

Wolves were unable to get through a well-organised Palace rearguard and rarely looked a goal threat as their own five-match unbeaten run in the league was brought to a halt.

After last weekend’s impressive win at Manchester City and this defeat of Wolves, Patrick Vieira’s Palace are into the top half of the table in ninth spot with 15 points from 11 games.

Wolves are one point and one place better off.

Normann, Pukki score as Norwich beat Brentford for first win of season

Mathias Normann scored a brilliant solo goal and Teemu Pukki netted a first-half penalty as struggling Norwich City sealed their first win of the Premier League season, a 2-1 victory at fellow promoted side Brentford on Saturday.

The result at the Brentford Community Stadium ended Norwich’s 10-match winless run, a dismal spell during which they lost eight games including the previous two.

Norwegian midfielder Normann put Norwich up 1-0 against the run of play in the sixth minute, weaving past Brentford’s defence before neatly tucking the ball into the bottom right corner for only the fourth goal of the Canaries’ campaign.

It was the first time Norwich took the lead in 15 Premier League games, and they doubled their advantage when striker Pukki picked himself up after a clumsy challenge by substitute Charlie Goode and slotted past Alvaro Fernandez from the penalty spot.

After being denied by the Video Assistant Referee early in the second half and a point-blank save by Tim Krul, Brentford got their reward when Rico Henry volleyed in a cross that the Norwich goalkeeper misjudged to give the hosts hope at 2-1.

Pukki went close either side of the break, scuffing one effort with only the goalkeeper to beat shortly before Brentford scored. But the Bees were unable to make Norwich pay for their largesse and fell to their fourth straight league defeat.