Swansea City’s Premier League relegation jitters increased after a damaging 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Alfie Mawson’s unfortunate own goal separated the sides before the break – his leg deflecting Benik Afobe’s miscued shot past keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Lacklustre in the first half, Swansea were not much better after it and Afobe slid home Bournemouth’s second goal in the 72nd minute.
Swansea’s second straight defeat means they are fourth from bottom just three points above Hull City, who occupy the final relegation place, and with a crucial home match against fellow strugglers Middlesbrough looming after the international break.
Bournemouth are edging towards ensuring a third season in the top-flight and are up to 11th, nine points above Hull.
* Dominic Calvert-Lewin notched his first Premier League goal and unsettled star Romelu Lukaku bagged a brace in Everton’s 4-0 thrashing of 10-man Hull on Saturday.
With Kevin Mirallas in Belgium for the birth of his child, Calvert-Lewin made his second league start this season and the 20-year-old took full advantage with the opening goal in the first half at Goodison Park.
Hull midfielder Tom Huddlestone was controversially sent off for a foul on Idrissa Gueye in the second half, and Everton ran riot in the closing stages.
Enner Valencia got the second and Lukaku struck twice in stoppage-time to lift the Toffees above Manchester United into sixth place.
* An own goal from Watford captain Troy Deeney handed Crystal Palace a vital 1-0 win at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
A big penalty shout from Palace within the opening 10 minutes of a scrappy first half was turned down by referee Martin Atkinson after winger Wilfried Zaha appeared to have been pushed down by Craig Cathcart in Watford’s penalty area.
Deeney’s horror moment came in the 68th minute after Yohan Cabaye swung a free-kick into the Watford box, which should have been easily dealt with by their skipper, but the striker diverted the ball into the bottom corner.
The victory lifted Palace to 16th in the table, four points above the relegation zone, while Watford remain 13th.
* Sunderland’s hopes of avoiding relegation suffered another blow in a 0-0 stalemate with Burnley, who picked up only their third away point in the Premier League this season.
A poor game was short on chances for either side, although Sunderland will rue missing the best two.
Without a goal in four games or a home league win since December, Sunderland are slowly losing touch at the bottom and were seven points adrift of 17th-placed Swansea City before they kicked off in the late game against Bournemouth.
Sebastian Larsson should have put Sunderland ahead shortly after halftime when he blazed over with the Burnley goal gaping.
In stoppage time, Fabio Borini was denied by a great save from Burnley keeper Tom Heaton.
Burnley, who kept only their second clean sheet of the season, held on for a point and remain in 12th spot.