LONDON — Leicester’s lethal double act of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy combined again to see off Crystal Palace on Saturday, clinching a 1-0 victory emblematic of the Premier League leaders’ astonishing pursuit of the title.
Mahrez arrived unmarked in the penalty area to meet Vardy’s cross in the 34th minute at Selhurst Park for his 16th goal of the season.
A year after sitting bottom of the league before winning a late battle against relegation, Leicester is now eight points clear at the summit ahead of second-place Tottenham’s game against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Thirteen of Leicester’s 31 league games have now been secured by one-goal margins. And like so often during this improbable bid for a first-ever league title, it was Leicester’s opponent which enjoyed most of the possession in London.
Stoke edges Watford
WATFORD, England — Stoke moved within a point of Manchester United in sixth place in the English Premier League after accounting for Watford 2-1 on Saturday.
Watford played like a shadow of the side which beat Arsenal to reach the FA Cup semifinals last weekend.
Jonathan Walters, recalled as a starter, took advantage of a Watford error to convert Phil Bardsley’s cross at the far post in the first half. Bardsley set up Marko Arnautovic moments later but the goal was disallowed for a slim offside.
Soon after the interval, Stoke was 2-0 up pouncing on another error. Norwich goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes scuffed his free kick straight to Walters, who volleyed to Joselu to put away.
Watford finally replied when substitute Ikechi Anya crossed for Troy Deeney to head in. But they couldn’t add an equalizer.
Arsenal strikes for early pair to defeat Everton
LIVERPOOL, England — Arsenal responded to its elimination from two cup competitions by beating Everton 2-0 in the Premier League through first-half goals by Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi to keep alive its fading title challenge on Saturday.
It was a comfortable victory for Arsenal at the end of a week when its chances of winning silverware this season virtually disappeared after losses to Watford and Barcelona in the FA Cup and Champions League, respectively.
Everton produced another head-scratching display at Goodison Park, with Welbeck running through unchecked to score in the seventh minute and Iwobi marking his first league start with his first league goal in the 42nd.
Arsenal moved eight points behind first-place Leicester, which visits Crystal Palace later Saturday.
Chelsea stops rival West Ham from moving into BPL top 4
LONDON — With its season all but over, Chelsea took some pleasure in stopping London rival West Ham from moving into the top four of the English Premier League in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League in the last week, Chelsea got its goals from Cesc Fabregas, including an 89th-minute penalty after Ruben Loftus-Cheek was judged to have been tripped by Michail Antonio. Replays suggested minimal contact at most and outside the area.
Andy Carroll made it 2-1 in the 61st, scoring one minute after coming off the bench, after Fabregas’ brilliant free kick cancelled out Manuel Lanzini’s superb opener.
Chelsea stayed midtable while West Ham was fifth, one point behind Manchester City.
Norwich rises out of relegation zone
WEST BROMWICH, England — Norwich rose out of the English Premier League relegation zone and ended an 11-game winless in beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 on Saturday.
Norwich could yet be overtaken by Sunderland, which plays Newcastle on Sunday, but the Canaries were also celebrating their first away clean sheet of the season.
Robbie Brady’s second-half winner in a goalmouth scramble was the high point of a dull match.
West Brom failed to test Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy, and couldn’t prevent an end to its unbeaten run of eight home games since December.