Manchester City and Liverpool frustrated, Tottenham maintain strong start
Champions Manchester City and Liverpool were both held to draws in the Premier League on Saturday leaving Arsenal on top of the table ahead of their game at Manchester United on Sunday.
Liverpool were frustrated by Frank Lampard’s determined Everton in a goalless Merseyside derby while Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
Tottenham Hotspur maintained their fast start to the Premier League season with Harry Kane sealing a 2-1 victory over Fulham and Chelsea left it late as they came back from a goal down to beat West Ham United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool had 23 goal attempts but could find no way through at Goodison Park where both sides hit the woodwork and Everton were denied a winner by a VAR decision.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have nine points from a possible 18 and find themselves six points behind leaders Arsenal and five behind Manchester City and Spurs.
“Rule number one: if you cannot win the derby, don’t lose it. We could have won it today but we could have lost it in a few moments as well,” Klopp said.
Erling Haaland continued his electric start to his Manchester City career notching his 10th goal in his sixth game as he put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead after the break, guiding in a superb deep cross from Kevin De Bruyne.
But Villa stuck at their task and were rewarded when Jamaican winger Lion Bailey fired past Ederson with a sweet first-time shot after excellent work from Jacob Ramsey.
Substitute Philippe Coutinho had the ball in the net but he had already been flagged for offside, meaning their could be no VAR review — and to Gerrard’s annoyance the replays showed the Brazilian had been onside.
Chelsea hit back to beat West Ham United 2-1 with goals from substitutes Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz cancelling out Michail Antonio’s opener.
But West Ham were left seething when an equaliser by Maxwel Cornet in the dying moments was ruled out after a VAR check ruled that Jarrod Bowen had fouled Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy.
Newcastle United also felt aggrieved as they had a goal chalked off following a VAR decision in a 0-0 home stalemate with Crystal Palace, their fourth draw in six games.
Ivan Toney scored a stunning hat-trick for Brentford in a 5-2 mauling of Leeds United.
Wolverhampton Wanderers claimed their first win of the season as they beat Southampton 1-0 with Daniel Podence on target just before halftime.
Nottingham Forest, who signed 21 new players in the transfer window for a combined 145 million pounds ($167 million), including several on deadline day, squandered a 2-0 lead at home to Bournemouth to eventually lose 3-2 and fall into the bottom three.
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