Premier League leaders Leicester City edged closer to an unlikely title as Tottenham blew the chance to go top with defeat at West Ham and fellow challengers Arsenal and Manchester City also lost yesterday.
After Leicester were held to a 2-2 home draw by West Brom on Tuesday, Tottenham could have gone above them on goal difference but were floored by an early headed goal from Michail Antonio at Upton Park to end a six-game winning run.
It got even better for Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes as third-placed Arsenal and Manchester City, in fourth, suffered damaging defeats.
Arsenal were booed off after a 2-1 home loss to relegation-threatened Swansea City while Manchester City’s joy at winning Sunday’s League Cup final proved short-lived as Liverpool gained swift revenge with a 3-0 victory at Anfield.
With 10 matches remaining, Leicester have 57 points, Tottenham 54, Arsenal 51 and City, who have a game in hand, 47, ahead of Manchester United on goal difference after Juan Mata’s late strike earned them a 1-0 win over Watford.
West Ham United shocked Tottenham on seven minutes when Antonio got in front of Nacer Chadli on the near edge of the six-yard box and headed home a Dimitri Payet corner.
Home captain Mark Noble brought a fine save from Hugo Lloris as Tottenham’s best chance came on the hour when Harry Kane somehow missed his kick in front of goal after West Ham keeper Adrian saved a low 25-metre drive from Toby Alderweireld.
Spurs were aiming for a seventh successive league victory for the first time in almost 50 years but lost their first league match since mid-January.
Arsenal dominated the early stages and went ahead on 15 minutes when Joel Campbell slid along the ground to half-volley home a pass from Alexis Sanchez on the turn.
Swansea equalised against the run of play after 32 minutes as Wayne Routledge slotted in a ball from Jack Cork that had sliced the home defence in two.
The game became stretched in the second half. Arsenal twice came close through Sanchez before keeper Petr Cech missed a cross and Ashley Williams bundled the ball in.
Three days after Manchester City lifted the first silverware of the season, their hopes of claiming another trophy in Manuel Pellegrini’s final season were hit by first-half goals from Adam Lallana and James Milner and a late strike from Roberto Firmino.
Lallana opened the scoring with a speculative effort from distance, Milner doubled the lead when he toe-poked home and Manchester City were unpicked again when Firmino swept home from 15 metres after being teed up by Lallana.
At Old Trafford, a late free-kick by midfielder Mata gave United a laboured win over Watford after the visitors missed a flurry of chances.
The 27-year-old Spaniard curled a superb shot from 25 metres into the top right corner in the 83rd minute, much to the relief of his manager Louis van Gaal, whose decision to play two strikers almost backfired.
Fit-again Anthony Martial was deployed up front alongside 18-year-old Marcus Rashford but the pair looked toothless for much of the contest.