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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2016 Sport 52 FOOTBALL Vardy sinks Manchester City as Gunners go top JAMIE Vardy plundered a hat- trick as Premier League cham- pions Leicester returned to form with a 4-2 win over Manchester City, after Arsenal earlier moved above Chelsea to the top of the table. England forward Vardy brought his 16-game goal drought for the Foxes to an end after just three minutes at the King Power Stadi- um when he slotted in after a pass from Islam Slimani. Leicester, who had been strug- gling for domestic form despite reaching the last 16 of the Cham- pions League, struck again just two minutes later when Andy King curled the ball into the roof of the net. Vardy was on the mark once more in the 20th minute when he latched onto a brilliant cushioned lay-off from Riyad Mahrez into the City box and rounded Claudio Bravo to slot home. With 12 minutes left, Vardy completed his treble when inter- cepting a stray pass from John Stones before beating Bravo again, the ball going over the line off the post from a tight angle. City defender Aleksandar Kolarov netted a free-kick in the 82nd minute before Nolito knocked in another late conso- lation for Pep Guardiola's well- beaten team. Arsenal claimed top spot after coming from behind to beat Stoke 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Stoke took the lead from the penalty spot on 29 minutes after Granit Xhaka felled Joe Allen, and Charlie Adam slotted past Petr Cech. The Gunners, though, levelled three minutes before half-time when Theo Walcott glanced in at the near post from a cross by sub- stitute Hector Bellerin, who had replaced the injured Shkodran Mustafi. Mesut Ozil turned the match around four minutes into the sec- ond half when he looped a head- er over Stoke keeper Lee Grant from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's chipped pass. A third for Arsenal with 15 min- utes left, substitute Alex Iwobi combining with Alexis Sanchez to slot in, took them above Chel- sea who host West Brom on Sun- day. Swansea moved off the bottom of the table and out of the relega- tion zone with a 3-0 win over fel- low strugglers Sunderland at the Liberty Stadium. Gylfi Sigurdsson put the Swans ahead from the penalty spot on 51 minutes after handball by Jason Denayer. It was 2-0 just three minutes lat- er when Fernando Llorente slot- ted in from close range before the Spaniard headed in a third with 10 minutes left to send the Black Cats back down into 20th place. A late equaliser from substitute Fraizer Campbell earned Crys- tal Palace a dramatic 3-3 draw at Hull. The hosts took the lead on 26 minutes through a controversial penalty from Robert Snodgrass, who Palace felt had dived to win the spot-kick under a challenge from Scott Dann which showed no contact. The Eagles drew level on 53 minutes when Christian Benteke converted a penalty after referee Mike Jones ruled Wilfried Zaha had been tripped by Snodgrass. Zaha put Palace ahead with a fine individual effort after 70 minutes, but Hull equalised with- in two minutes when Adama Dio- mande slotted home. Jake Livermore capitalised on some poor defending to put Hull in front but Campbell had the last say against his former club, head- ing in an equaliser with just a minute left. Burnley beat Bournemouth 3-2 at Turf Moor. The Clarets went ahead on 13 minutes when Jeff Hendrick sent a half-volley into the top right corner from 25 yards. Before Bournemouth, who had beaten title hopefuls Liverpool 4-3 last weekend, could regroup, they were 2-0 down as defender Stephen Ward knocked a loose ball in from close range on 16 minutes. Benik Afobe pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time when he converted Simon Francis' cross. George Boyd made sure of the points when he shot low past Ar- tur Boruc with 15 minutes left be- fore Charlie Daniels netted a late consolation in stoppage time. In yesterday's early kick-off, Italian striker Stefano Okaka opened his Watford account with a brace in the 3-2 win over Ever- ton at Vicarage Road. Romelu Lukaku fired the visi- tors in front on 17 minutes before Okaka, a summer signing from Anderlecht, f licked in an equal- iser on 36 minutes. Sebastian Prodl nodded the Hornets into the lead just before the hour and Okaka added a third with a near-post header from a 64th-minute corner. Lukaku reduced the deficit with four minutes left, but Watford closed out the match to take all three points. Jamie Vardy celebrates his hat-trick