Premier League round-up: Jamie Vardy scored for the 10th game in a row to equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League record and maintain Leicester's remarkable challenge as they went top of the table after a 3-0 win away to Newcastle.
The Foxes forward shook off pre-match concern over a hip injury and blasted home in first-half stoppage time to move level with ex-Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy’s streak of scoring in consecutive fixtures.
Leonardo Ulloa laid on the record-equalling effort before heading home himself, and substitute Shinji Okazaki added another as Leicester's incredible season continued in a 3-0 success at St James' Park.
It meant Claudio Ranieri’s men moved above lunchtime leaders Manchester United and set up a showdown between the two next week when Vardy can eclipse Van Nistelrooy’s record against the Dutchman’s old employers.
Aston Villa slumped to a heavy first defeat under Remi Garde in his second game in charge as braces from Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku condemned the basement boys to a 4-0 thrashing at Everton.
Barkley put the Toffees ahead in the 17th minute, finishing at the far post when Brad Guzan turned Gerard Deulofeu's effort his way.
Lukaku then headed home in the 28th minute, before poor Villa defending allowed Barkley to add another three minutes before half-time.
Lukaku notched his second just before the hour, with Barkley and Deulofeu again involved on an afternoon the young trio truly shone.
While Everton boss Roberto Martinez will be delighted to see his team produce another impressive display after the 6-2 thumping of Sunderland last time out at Goodison Park, this was a hugely concerning spectacle for opposite number Garde, whose side remain five points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.
Garde’s first game in the job, the 0-0 home draw with Manchester City, had made for an encouraging start, but the challenge facing the Frenchman was laid bare here as Villa’s winless run in the league extended to 12 matches – a sequence in which they have lost 10 times.
Bojan Krkic fired away-day specialists Stoke to a 1-0 victory at St Mary's to end Southampton's unbeaten run.
The former Barcelona forward tucked in his third goal of the season after 10 minutes, before miserly Stoke shut up shop to register a fourth straight clean sheet on the road.
Mark Hughes’s side have lost just once on their travels, winning three and drawing three, and they moved to within a point of Saints after halting their six-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League.
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman said before kick-off that he did not expect a goal-fest between two evenly-matched sides – and he was right.
The solitary one that did come was well worked, though. Xherdan Shaqiri charged clear down the right, and as England full back Ryan Bertrand ushered the Swiss winger inside, he played the ball across the 18-yard line to Marko Arnautovic.
Austrian frontman Arnautovic helped the ball out to overlapping full back Erik Pieters, whose cross was flicked in at the near post by the unmarked Bojan.
Andre Ayew came to Garry Monk's rescue as Swansea fought back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth at the Liberty Stadium.
Swansea were second-best for long periods and the manner of the performance will not convince the doubters that manager Monk can stop the club’s alarming slide.
But at least Monk's men showed plenty of spirit after Joshua King and Dan Gosling had fired Bournemouth into a commanding lead after 26 minutes to give the Cherries hope of a first win in eight games.
Ayew pulled a goal back within two minutes of Gosling’s strike with a classy back-heel and then won a penalty, albeit in dubious circumstances, which Jonjo Shelvey stroked home before the break.
