Vardy breaks scoring record, City go top

The England forward struck in the 24th minute, running onto Christian Fuchs's pass and arrowing a shot past David de Gea to break a record he had previously shared with former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Van Nistelrooy was quick to congratulate Vardy, writing on Twitter: "Well done @vardy7! You're number one now and you deserved it. #11inarow."

It was Vardy's 14th goal of the campaign, which makes him the top scorer in the English top flight, but his side went in level at half-time after Bastian Schweinsteiger headed in an equaliser from Daley Blind's corner.

Leicester and United were both seeking to supplant Manchester City, who overcame Southampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium earlier to provisionally reclaim first place.

Kevin De Bruyne scored for the first time in six games to put City ahead and went on to create goals for Fabian Delph and Aleksandar Kolarov, with Shane Long replying for Southampton.

"I was very pleased with the team's reaction," said City manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side were beaten by Liverpool and Juventus in their two previous games.

"We were a little nervous until the third goal, but I'm happy with the performance and the result."

Sergio Aguero gave City's fans concern when he hobbled off mid-way through the second half, but Pellegrini said that his substitution was merely "a precaution".

Pellegrini was forced to do without injured goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was replaced by Willy Caballero.

But the hosts went in front in the ninth minute when Raheem Sterling robbed Maya Yoshida and crossed for De Bruyne to tap in from close range.

De Bruyne's corner in the 20th minute allowed Delph to crown his first league start for City with his first goal for the club, a 25-yard shot that deflected in off Virgil van Dijk.

- Palace humble Newcastle -

Long reduced the arrears with a header from a Sadio Mane's cross early in the second half, but Kolarov restored City's two-goal cushion by lashing in from De Bruyne's dinked cross in the 70th minute.

Aguero had departed by that stage, having turned his ankle as he landed after challenging for a high ball, but on the plus side City were able to welcome back both Wilfried Bony and David Silva from injury.

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew oversaw a 5-1 victory for his side that sent his former employers Newcastle United into the relegation zone, increasing the pressure on his struggling successor Steve McClaren.

Papiss Cisse put Newcastle ahead with a 10th-minute header, but Palace hit back through Wilfried Zaha and braces from Yannick Bolasie and James McArthur.

"We have to bring the fans what they want and that is not it," admitted McClaren.

"We have 25 games to go (eds: 24), we are in a relegation fight, no doubt about that, but we have to work hard on the training field."

Bournemouth moved above Newcastle, but remain in the bottom three, after a thrilling finale at Dean Court saw them fight back twice to hold Everton to a 3-3 draw.

After Ramiro Funes Mori and Romelu Lukaku put Everton in control, Bournemouth hit back to level through a spectacular 25-yard strike by Adam Smith and an 87th-minute effort from Junior Stanislas.

Ross Barkley looked to have given Everton victory when he restored their lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time, only for Stanislas to snatch an implausible equaliser with a cool header three minutes later.

Sunderland climbed out of the relegation places at Newcastle's expense with a 2-0 home win over Stoke City, Patrick van Aanholt and Duncan Watmore scoring late on after visiting captain Ryan Shawcross was sent off.

Aston Villa remain bottom and are now seven points from safety after a 3-2 home defeat by Watford left new manager Remi Garde without a win in three matches.

Villa captain Micah Richards cancelled out Odion Ighalo's 17th-minute opener for Watford, but an Alan Hutton own goal and a Troy Deeney header gave Watford the points. Jordan Ayew netted a late consolation for Villa.