| Victory extended United’s unbeaten Premier League run to a 16th match – their longest run since Sir Alex Ferguson retired |
Manchester United became the first club to reach 2,000 points in the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday.
United, crowned champions 13 times since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, maintained their top-four pursuit with goals from Juan Mata and Anthony Martial.
Watford have never won at Old Trafford in the league and once playmaker Mata swept in Martial’s cross in the 32nd minute that sorry statistic was in no danger.
The hosts dominated and doubled their lead on the hour when Martial was played in by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s clever touch and he tucked in a near-post shot past keeper Heurelho Gomes for only his third league goal of the season.
United, now unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League games, moved above Liverpool into fifth place with 48 points before Liverpool host second-placed Tottenham Hotspur later.
Elsewhere, Manolo Gabbiadini netted twice, Jason Denayer turned the ball into his own net and Shane Long scored late as Southampton hammered struggling Sunderland 4-0 at the Stadium of Light.
Gabbiadini appeared to chest Ryan Bertrand’s cross into the net on the half-hour mark to open the scoring and he added another 15 minutes later with a smart turn and shot.
In the second half, Sunderland battled vainly to try to find a way back into the game, but the only goal they managed came at the wrong end as Jason Denayer put the ball into his own net.
Substitute Shane Long completed the rout two minutes into stoppage time to leave Southampton in 11th place in the table while Sunderland remained bottom.
Middlesbrough’s lack of cutting edge came back to haunt them as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Everton at the Riverside Stadium, a result that will please neither team’s manager.
Victor Valdes made three crucial saves to keep Boro’s hopes of a first win in eight league games alive, stopping a Romelu Lukaku shot in the first half and twice denying Ademola Lookman in the second, but his team did not capitalise at the other end.
The result means Everton stay seventh in the table, while Boro, who travel to fellow strugglers Crystal Palace next, are still in 15th place, two points above the relegation zone.
Jonny Evans scored headed a stoppage-time equaliser to earn West Bromwich Albion a 2-2 draw in a lively mid-table scrap at the London Stadium.
West Brom took an early lead when Nacer Chadli punished slack home defending to fire home and Salomon Rondon struck the woodwork as the visitors bossed the opening stages.
But West Ham improved and Sofiane Feghouli equalised just past the hour, tapping in after Manuel Lanzini’s curling shot was tipped against the crossbar by West Brom keeper Ben Foster.
West Ham went ahead in the 87th minute when Lanzini was rewarded for an impressive display by firing home a fiercely-struck shot after a pass from Feghouli.
West Brom had the last laugh, though, when Evans rose to nod in Chris Brunt’s corner.
Joe Allen scored a personal best sixth Premier League goal of the season as Stoke City secured a deserved 1-0 win over struggling Crystal Palace.
Palace, embarrassingly beaten 4-0 by Sunderland last time out, were clearly under orders to provide more of a physical challenge and had three players booked before the interval.
Stoke should have taken the lead earlier when Allen headed an easy chance wide but had their patience and persistence rewarded when Ramadan Sobhi laid the ball off to the Welshman, who steered in from 10 metres on 67 minutes.
Palace sent on Jeffrey Schlupp to join other new signing Luka Milivojevic but only looked truly dangerous from set-pieces. They remain 19th, above bottom-placed Sunderland on goal difference.