Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
There was more than a touch of fortune about Liverpool's seventh successive Premier League victory of the season as an embarrassing howler by Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson gifted the leaders a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane.
Later in the day second-placed champions Manchester City won 3-1 at Everton. Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top on a day when Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers all won at home.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp acknowledged that luck was on their side when Henderson allowed Georginio Wijnaldum's shot from the edge of the area to squeeze through his arms and between his legs at a critical point in the second half.
"One team deserved to win, which was us, but all respect to Sheffield United, they were tough," said Klopp.
For the Blades, the challenge was always to hold on to their concentration for the entire 90 minutes against the European champions who have confidence coursing through their veins.
Liverpool, who have now won 16 league games in succession across two seasons, have not dropped a point since March and need one more victory to equal their best start to a Premier League season in 1990 and two to match Chelsea's 2005-06 record.
Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris was guilty of an even worse error than Henderson against Southampton but they still emerged 2-1 winners at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium after Harry Kane scored his eighth goal in six league games against the Saints.
Frenchman Lloris, restored to the team after missing the previous league game for the birth of his third child, dwelt too long on the ball near his line, allowing Danny Ings to charge in and bundle it over to cancel out Tanguy Ndombele's opener.
That was Spurs' second mistake of the day after full back Serge Aurier was sent off for two bookings in four minutes, but Kane still made the difference -- as he often does.
Tottenham, who moved up to fourth, stay ahead of Chelsea on goal difference after Frank Lampard's side recorded a routine 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion with a Jorginho penalty and strike from Willian at Stamford Bridge.
Jesus, Mahrez, Sterling score as Man City overcome Everton
Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling were on target as champions Manchester City won 3-1 at Everton on Saturday to stay five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
After Liverpool's 1-0 win at Sheffield United, the pressure was on City not to allow Juergen Klopp's side to open up an eight-point lead so early in the campaign.
While the scoreline might suggest a comfortable victory for City, in truth Pep Guardiola's team were given a real test by an Everton team that produced eight shots on target and played with aggression and intensity.
City had Brazilian keeper Ederson to thank for vital saves and not until Mahrez and Sterling struck in the final 20 minutes could the champions feel secure of the points.
"Every season it is difficult at Goodison Park. With the ball we were outstanding. They had chances but we had chances too, it was this kind of game. Football is sometimes unpredictable," said Guardiola.
Everton suffered an early blow when they lost winger Theo Walcott in the opening minutes after he was struck in the face by a Sterling cross and had to be taken to hospital for checks.
After Ilkay Gundogan had hit the bar from close range for City, the visitors grabbed a 24th-minute lead when Brazilian Jesus stooped at the back post to head in a perfectly-lofted Kevin De Bruyne cross.
A determined Everton got back on level terms, though, nine minutes later, when after poor clearance from Fernandinho, Seamus Coleman lofted the ball goalwards and Dominic Calvert-Lewin dived to make sure with a header on the line.
Spanish holding midfielder Rodrigo was heavily involved for City, composed and classy on the ball, but with Bernardo Silva, David Silva and Sergio Aguero on the bench, City looked a little short of their usual quality in possession.
Ederson produced a magnificent save to keep out a header from Yerry Mina after the Colombian defender had lost his marker and powered the ball down into the ground.
Sterling should have scored after Mahrez put him clear with a sublime pass but the England forward, who did not enjoy one of his better days, shot wide with only Jordan Pickford to beat.
Mahrez, a frequent threat down Everton's left, took it upon himself to make the difference, with a low free kick into the far corner after Mina had recklessly brought down De Bruyne on the edge of the box.
Ederson had to come to the rescue for City again, getting down well to keep out another Mina header but Sterling made sure of the three points, blasting home off the underside of the bar after a low cross from substitute Aguero was deflected out off Pickford's foot.
Liverpool lead on 21 points with City on 16. Everton are in 15th place on seven points but their manager Marco Silva saw signs of progress.
"We had a good attitude from our players and, to be honest, we had the best chances before they scored to make it 2-1, through Mina and Calvert-Lewin. There was a big save by Ederson," he said.
"It was a good game, a competitive game. We didn't get the points but there were lots of positives," Silva added.
Seventh-placed Bournemouth are also on 11 points after a 2-2 draw with visitors West Ham United, who are third on 12, in a game featuring two VAR interventions involving Nathan Ake.
First VAR overturned the referee's decision to disallow Josh King's equaliser for an Ake offside but the Dutchman then found himself on the wrong side of the technology when it later ruled out his strike which would have put Bournemouth 3-1 ahead.
VAR also cancelled out John McGinn's effort for Aston Villa against Burnley but the Scot still managed to score in a thrilling 2-2 draw where goals from Jay Rodriguez and Chris Wood allowed the visitors to twice come from behind.
Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic and Andros Townsend struck either side of halftime for a deserved 2-0 home win over promoted Norwich City at Selhurst Park while Watford's nightmare season continued with a 2-0 defeat at Wolves.
While the result represented a big improvement on last week's 8-0 rout by Manchester City, Watford remain rooted to the bottom on two points while Wolves' first league win of the season moved them up to 13th place.
"We were looking to improve and we knew we needed to score first; today we did it," said relieved Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
