Daily Times

Leicester City maintained their impressive form as a 2-0 home win against Southampton extended their unbeaten Premier League run to five games to lift them into second place on Saturday. Goals from James Maddison and Harvey Barnes saw off the Saints as Leicester moved above champions Liverpool who host leaders Manchester United in Sunday’s big showdown. Earlier in the day there was a first win for new West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce as his side beat faltering Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 at Molineux. There was also an important win for Chelsea who got back on track after a dreadful run of form with a 1-0 victory at Fulham. West Ham United beat Burnley 1-0. Leicester’s away form has far outshone their home form this season and a Southampton side who beat Liverpool last time out looked capable of causing problems. But Maddison’s scorching angled drive after 37 minutes gave them the lead before Barnes raced clear in stoppage time to seal only a fourth home league win of the campaign for Leicester. Brendan Rodgers’s side have 35 points from 18 games, one point behind United and two better off than Liverpool. Manchester City, who also slipped below Leicester ahead of their Sunday clash with Crystal Palace, have 32. A day after Premier League chief Richard Masters called on players to set the right example by not celebrating goals with the usual hugs, both Leicester’s scorers adhered to the rules, as did West Ham United’s match-winner Michail Antonio who adopted a bizarre routine that looked like he was swimming backstroke across the London Stadium turf. “I said to them there is lots of negativity around it but see it as a positive and be creative,” Leicester manager Rodgers said of Maddison’s imaginary handshake routine.