By Toby Prince
Nigerian stars are beginning to find their rhythm in the Premier League with two of the country’s finest on target for their respective clubs on Saturday.
Manchester City maintained their 100 per cent record in the league with a slim but crucial 1-0 victory away to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Citizens have Nigeria youngster, Kelechi Iheanacho, to thank for his stoppage time goal, few minutes after coming in as a sub.
Iheanacho, 18, highly regarded at the Etihad, pounced on a rebound from Samir Nasri’s shot to score his first City goal.
“Very good day for me, I feel great for the goal,” an elated Iheanacho told Sky Sports after the game.
Manchester City ride high on the Premier League standings with an incredible 15 points, 11 goals scored and none conceded.
Elsewhere, Odion Ighalo was the hero as his second half strike secured Watford’s first Premier League win of the season, beating Swansea 1-0 at Vicarage road.
The Nigerian striker volleyed home Troy Deeney’s header across the box from a long goal-kick forward on 59 minutes – his second of the campaign.
Ighalo who recently signed a five-year extension with the club, scored his first on his Premier League debut in a 2-2 draw away to Everton in August.
The victory sends the Hornets to 12th place on the log with six points after five games.
Earlier in the day, John Obi Mikel got a rare start, his first of the season, as Chelsea fell 3-1 to Everton at Goodison Park.
An 82nd-minute hat-trick from Steven Naismith halted Mikel’s return to the team after his inclusion sparked some commotion among fans of the club.
The defeat has further plunged the Blues Premier League defence into turmoil, a second successive lost which puts them 11 points adrift of Manchester City.
Arsenal moved to second place, five points behind City, with an emphatic 2-0 victory over Stoke City at the Emirates.
Goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud were enough for the Gunners to see-off the Potters who are now 20th on the log.
