Leicester 2 Watford 1
Jamie Vardy closed in on Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League scoring record with another goal in Leicester's 2-1 home victory against Watford.
Vardy netted for the ninth successive fixture to leave him just one game away from equalling the Dutchman’s 10-match scoring streak set in 2003 while at Manchester United.
The 28-year-old, who was relatively quiet for much of the afternoon, struck his 12th goal of the season from the penalty spot and can move level with Van Nistelrooy after the international break when Leicester travel to Newcastle.
Should he score at St James’ Park, Vardy can break the record against Van Nistelrooy’s former club at the end of the month.
Vardy's effort on Saturday gave Leicester a two-goal lead, adding to Ngolo Kante's opener, but Troy Deeney got Watford back into the game from the penalty spot.
The Hornets could not rescue a point though and Claudio Ranieri’s side moved level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City ahead of their game on Sunday at Aston Villa.
Norwich 1 Swansea 0
Norwich ended their six-game winless run with a vital 1-0 victory that extended Swansea’s misery.
In a match with few significant chances, midfielder Jonny Howson headed the only goal midway through the second half to secure the three points that crucially keeps them clear of the Premier League's bottom three.
Swansea, with just a solitary win since August, and perhaps in a demonstration of manager Garry Monk running out of ideas, were unchanged from last week's 3-0 defeat by Arsenal.
Norwich, similarly without a single win throughout October, started with Andre Wisdom, Gary O'Neil and Wes Hoolahan in place of Youssouf Mulumbu, the injured Matt Jarvis and the suspended Russell Martin.
Beyond Cameron Jerome’s ninth-minute effort, in which the striker, despite being unchallenged and blessed with time and space inside the six-yard box, somehow managed to head Robbie Brady’s masterful left-wing cross high and wide, threats on goal were almost non-existent in the first half.
When almost immediately after half-time Brady forced a fine save from Lukas Fabianski with a close-range header from Howson's cross, it was hoped that each team's desperate need of three points would inspire a greater intensity, but at least until Gylfi Sigurdsson went close in the 66th minute the game's pattern was largely unchanged.
With little pressure building, Sigurdsson hit the top of the crossbar with a curling shot from substitute Wayne Routledge’s cross.
Equally out of nowhere and at the opposite end, Gary O’Neil shot wide of the target with a powerful effort, but with that Norwich took encouragement, and the opening goal followed.
Brady won a corner when his shot, from the edge of the area, was saved by Fabianski, and from the resulting corner he crossed to substitute Dieumerci Mbokani, who left the goalkeeper out of position by heading into Howson’s path from where the midfielder nodded in with ease from the closest of range.
Norwich thereafter retained their lead when their deep-lying defence and midfield limited Swansea’s chances. Worryingly for Garry Monk, despite time and plenty of possession, his team simply never came close.
West Ham 1 Everton 1
Romelu Lukaku continued his remarkable scoring streak against West Ham to rescue a 1-1 draw for Everton at Upton Park.
The Hammers must be getting utterly sick of the sight of the Belgium striker, who made it seven goals in his last seven appearances against them with a well-taken equaliser.
Lukaku’s latest strike, shortly before half-time, cancelled out Manuel Lanzini’s classy opener and meant more frustration for West Ham against the Toffees.
The east London side have won just one of their last 18 encounters against Everton – and that victory came on penalties in the FA Cup third round last season.
Sunderland 0 Southampton 1
Dusan Tadic’s nerveless penalty extended Southampton’s unbeaten run to eight games and plunged Sunderland further into trouble.
The Serb converted from the spot with 69 minutes gone after Yann M'Vila had tripped Ryan Bertrand to secure a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light as the Saints edged a dour contest in which Black Cats goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon had earlier kept them at bay with a string of important saves.
