Premier League at its entertaining best
Liverpool matched the record for the biggest ever Premier League win with a 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth on Saturday while Erling Haaland got his first Manchester City hat-trick and Manchester United ended a run of seven straight away league defeats.
Arsenal preserved the Premier League's last remaining 100% record as defender Gabriel went from villain to hero to earn a 2-1 victory over Fulham with a late winner on Saturday.
Liverpool had failed to win in their opening three games, including Monday's 2-1 defeat at United, but talk of a sluggish start to the season was soon forgotten as they took a 2-0 lead within six minutes and added three more before the break.
Six different Liverpool players were on the scoresheet but remarkably Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah was not one of them.
Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino scored twice as Liverpool became the fourth Premier League team to win by a 9-0 margin.
A second-half goal from Bruno Fernandes was enough for United to win 1-0 at Southampton and earn a second straight victory to end their miserable streak of form away from home.
United manager Erik ten Hag had been heavily critical of his side after their last away trip - a 4-0 loss at Brentford - and indicated that his players had learnt their lesson.
"I saw a team on the pitch, good organisation, fight for each other, following the rules and I think there were also some really good moments from playing football," said the Dutchman.
Raheem Sterling's first two goals for Chelsea led the 10-man west Londoners to a 2-1 home win over Leicester City as Thomas Tuchel's side overcame the early dismissal of Conor Gallagher. They are sixth in the standings on seven points.
Brighton set a club record of nine consecutive top-flight matches without defeat as they handed Leeds United their first loss of the campaign to move up to second place.
HAALAND TREBLE
Champions City were 2-0 down inside 21 minutes at home to Crystal Palace but after some tactical adjustments from Pep Guardiola early in the second half they roared to a 4-2 win with new signing Haaland providing a reminder of his goal threat.
The former Borussia Dortmund forward now has six goals from his opening four league games and Guardiola, whose side are in second place level on 10 points with Brighton& Hove Albion, said he was simply showing his ability.
"What he has done today he has done all his career. It is nothing special (for him)," said the Spaniard.
DREADFUL MISTAKE
Arsenal had enjoyed overwhelming possession but a dreadful mistake by Gabriel allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic to give previously unbeaten Fulham a 56th-minute lead with the Serb's 100th goal for the club.
But eight minutes later a deflected effort from Gunners captain Martin Odegaard levelled the score and it was former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno who had a key role in the winner five minutes from the end.
Leno fumbled an Arsenal corner and allowed Gabriel to make amends for his earlier error with a simple tap-in.
Comments