Liverpool equal Premier League record with 9-0 hammering of Bournemouth
Liverpool earned their first win of the season in stunning fashion after equalling the record for the biggest ever Premier League victory with a 9-0 thrashing of promoted Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday.
Two goals inside the opening six minutes from Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliot put the hosts into a commanding position from the off.
A stunning strike from England full-back Trent Alexander Arnold which arrowed into the top corner gave Liverpool a three-goal lead in the 28th minute before Roberto Firmino got in on the act with a fourth three minutes later.
Not done there, Liverpool had a fifth before the interval, with Virgil van Dijk heading home from a corner -- the first time the Reds had netted five in the first half of a league game since 1958.
Chris Mepham's own goal had the visitors staring at the prospect of an embarrassing drubbing, with such worries heightening after a close-range finish from Firmino and substitute Fabio Carvalho's volley.
After Diaz headed in the ninth, Liverpool had five minutes to become the first side to score 10 goals in a Premier League match. But despite some late scares, Bournemouth did just enough to avoid suffering that ignominy.
Along with Manchester United twice and Leicester City, four teams have now scored nine in a Premier League match, while Liverpool equalled their own league win record with Saturday's thrashing.
The last time Liverpool failed to win any of their opening four games of a season was back in 2012-13, a feat never likely to be repeated once Diaz's third-minute header on the end of Mohamed Salah's cross had found the net.
It was the first time in eight league games that Liverpool scored first, and before long the hosts added a second in the Merseyside sunshine as young Elliot rifled home from the edge of the penalty area.
A third was quickly forthcoming, and worth the wait for an expectant Anfield, with Alexander-Arnold firing an unstoppable strike into the net, while there was more than an element of fortune about Liverpool's fourth finished off by Firmino.
In finding the net, the Brazilian became the first Liverpool player to be involved in four goals - three assists and a goal - in the Premier League.
Van Dijk's header meant it was going to be a long second half for the visitors, with the feeling of dread even more prevalent after Mepham's own goal just after the break made it six.
A poor parry from Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers was then punished by Firmino, before Carvalho and Diaz again had supporters calling for 10, with Bournemouth looking decidedly panicked, but it was not to be.
Gabriel goes from villain to hero to maintain Arsenal's 100% start
Arsenal preserved the Premier League's last remaining 100% record as they came from a goal down to beat Fulham 2-1 thanks to a late winner by Gabriel at The Emirates Stadium on Saturday that kept the Gunners top of the table.
The home side enjoyed overwhelming possession but a dreadful mistake by Gabriel allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic to give previously unbeaten Fulham a 56th-minute lead.
It was Mitrovic's 100th goal for Fulham but Arsenal were behind for only eight minutes as captain Martin Odegaard's deflected effort levelled it up.
Mitrovic was close to putting Fulham back in front with a diving header but Arsenal's pressure finally told as a fumble by their former goalkeeper Bernd Leno from a corner allowed Gabriel to make ammends with a simple tap-in.
Arsenal were not at their best against well-drilled Fulham, who should have equalised through Nathaniel Chalobah late on, but they stay in first place with 12 points from four games, two more than champions Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Haaland scores hat-trick as City fight back to beat Palace 4-2
Manchester City's Erling Haaland struck a second half hat-trick as the Premier League champions came back from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The Norwegian, who averaged almost a goal per game in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund before his move to City in June, has now scored six times in his opening four league matches for Pep Guardiola's side.
The win moves City to the top of the table, level on 10 points with Brighton & Hove Albion. Palace are 13th with four points from their opening four games.
Haaland was given a standing ovation when he was substituted six minutes from the end but at halftime City were staring at a possible repeat of their 2-0 home loss to Palace last season.
An own goal from John Stones in the fourth minute put Patrick Vieira's south London side ahead and then the visitors doubled their lead when an unmarked Joachim Andersen powered in a header from an Eberechi Eze corner in the 21st minute.
City struggled to find their fluency but the almost inevitable comeback started in the 53rd when Bernardo Silva cut in from the right and his low shot took a slight deflection and beat goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
Guardiola then made a double substitution and moved Phil Foden to left back and within a minute he had delivered a pinpoint cross which Haaland met with a fine glancing header.
The striker then turned the ball in from close range after a clever move inspired by Silva and saved the best for last -- showing Ilkay Gundogan the pass he wanted to run onto and then holding off Joel Ward as he fired into the bottom corner.
"It was a proud moment for me and my family and I'm so happy. Amazing feeling to score a hat-trick," said Haaland.
"It's about trying to continue what we are doing. It was about small adjustments and we did that and got results. We had to listen to the manager," said the Norwegian.
Haaland said it was important that City did not panic after Palace's early goals.
"It's a mentality that we trust each other and we know the chances will come. It's about keeping going. In the end we scored four goals and that's a really good thing.
"It's a warning that we have to become better, training hard and develop. When we play at home we shouldn't concede early goals. It's about working harder," he said.
Fernandes on target as Manchester United sink Southampton
Manchester United posted back-to-back wins and ended a run of bad form away from home with a 1-0 victory at Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday thanks to a second-half strike from Bruno Fernandes.
United's second win on the bounce halted a seven-match losing streak on the road stretching back to last season and provisionally lifted them to sixth place in the table after four games.
With an unchanged lineup after their 2-1 win against Liverpool, United should have gone ahead in the 19th minute but were denied by Gavin Bazunu and Armel Bella-Kotchap, who kept out Anthony Elanga and Christian Eriksen from close range.
Bella-Kotchap nearly gave Southampton the lead after bringing down a James Ward-Prowse corner only to blaze his shot over the bar on the half-hour mark.
Eriksen was a lively presence with his penetrating through balls but United struggled to unlock Southampton, who had Bella-Kotchap to thank for his timely intervention when Elanga was through on goal after linking up with the Danish playmaker.
United began strongly after the break and their pressure told in the 55th minute when Fernandes, leading the side in the absence of Harry Maguire, scored with a low volley from the edge of the box after being expertly fed by Diogo Dalot.
"It was a great ball (for the goal), even great play from behind. Everything was perfect. Someone runs, someone gets the space behind," Fernandes told BT Sport.
"We did two or three seasons ago not losing from home but we want to win every game. That's what it's about to play for Manchester United."
Southampton had a penalty appeal turned down minutes later when a high ball appeared to have struck Scott McTominay on the arm before David de Gea made a superb reflex save to keep out a header from Joe Aribo.
United boss Erik ten Hag turned to Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro, who arrived from Real Madrid earlier in the week, to see out the game, but the hosts did not go down without a fight.
They dominated the ball in the closing stages and substitute Sekou Mara almost found an equaliser deep into stoppage time but his overhead effort was cleared off the line as United held on for the win.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuettl was proud of his players despite the narrow defeat, adding that his side deserved more from the game.
"We had very good moments and a lot of good chances in the box. They had two shots on target in the second half," said the Austrian.
"I felt we were always dangerous. Every set piece was dangerous and we were really stretching them, but the ball didn't want to go in. I'm not scared with this team because they really fight for our targets and this is good to see."
Ten-man Chelsea beat Leicester 2-1 as Sterling scores twice
Raheem Sterling's first two goals for Chelsea steered the 10-man Blues to a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Leicester City as Thomas Tuchel's side overcame the early dismissal of Conor Gallagher in the Premier League on Saturday.
Two yellow cards for Gallagher after less than 30 minutes seemed have left Chelsea with a mountain to climb.
But the brace from Sterling, who joined from Manchester City in the close season, put the hosts in control - the first a deflected looping shot over goalkeeper Danny Ward in the 47th minute and a tap in 16 minutes later from a Reece James cross.
Leicester hit back in the 66th when Harvey Barnes exchanged passes with Jamie Vardy and drove an angled shot past keeper Edouard Mendy at his near post.
Leicester, who have struggled so far this season, pushed for an equaliser and Mendy was forced into saves from Barnes and Vardy, who also shot into the side netting. As the clock ticked down, substitute Ayoze Perez hit the bar.
But Chelsea, marshalled in defence by Thiago Silva and Trevoh Chalobah, held on for their first home win of the season, leaving them in sixth place with seven points from four games. Leicester are languishing second-bottom with one point.
Brentford snatch late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Everton
Vitaly Janelt hooked in an 84th-minute equaliser to earn Brentford a 1-1 home Premier League draw against Everton after Chelsea target Anthony Gordon had looked as if he might have delivered a much-welcome leaving-present victory for the visitors.
Midfielder Gordon, who could be on his way to Chelsea for around 60 million pounds in the next few days, put Everton ahead after 24 minutes and, despite almost incessant pressure by the home side from then on, they looked as if they might hold out for their first win of the season.
Brentford, who hammered Manchester United 4-0 in their last home game, hit the woodwork three times and the home fans were beginning to think it wouldn't be their day until Janelt rescued a point six minutes from time.
Everton, with just a point to their name from their opening three fixtures, had looked decidedly shaky at the back in the opening stages but took the lead with the sort of goal that looked as if it had been coming at both ends almost since kick off. Conor Coady launched a long ball over a static defence, Gordon took a touch to bring it down then slotted it calmly past David Reya.
Either side of that Brentford twice hit the post, first via a Mathias Jensen shot and then when Ivan Toney, completely unmarked by any of Everton’s three centre backs, hung in the air and thumped a header against a post. The rebound fell nicely for Yoane Wissa who volleyed horribly over the bar.
The muscular presence of Toney was a painful reminder to Everton of their lack of any real striker, and until Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit to return they look destined to continue to struggle for goals.
Brentford took total control in the second half as Christian Norgaard hit the bar and Jordan Pickford made some sharp saves and they eventually got the breakthrough when Keane Lewis-Potter flicked on a corner for fellow substitute Janelt to knock in from close range.
The draw takes Brentford to five points from four games with Everton on two from four.
At the end of the game Gordon gave his shirt to an Everton fan, who will wonder if he will see him wear the Everton blue again.
"He has been a different class," Everton defender James Tarkowski said of Gordon. "All the paper talk and all the speculation, to be fair he just cracks on. Whatever comes will happen, but I love having him on my team. There is a reason why teams are after him."
Gross strikes as unbeaten Brighton pip Leeds to go second
Brighton & Hove Albion kept up their impressive unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a second-half goal from German midfielder Pascal Gross securing a 1-0 victory over Leeds United at the Amex Stadium on Saturday to climb to second spot.
Gross broke the deadlock after Brighton wasted a number of chances when he ran onto a Leandro Trossard pass to slot in his third goal of the campaign, leaving the south-coast side level on 10 points with leaders Manchester City after four games.
"We deserved to win. We played really well," said Gross. "Sometimes the last pass was missing, but I saw a good game and a good performance against a very good team.
"A goal is always big in the game. It comes down to small margins in the Premier League, so we will take the result today. I thought we were playing well and in the second half we were confident we would win the game."
Leeds manager Jesse Marsch kept faith with the side that dismantled Chelsea 3-0 last weekend, but the visitors failed to get going against a determined Brighton who stretched their run without a league defeat to nine games going back to last season.
Brighton could have found themselves up 1-0 early in the opening period but the unmarked Adam Webster headed wide from a Gross free kick before the hosts let Leeds off the hook again with two more opportunities.
Graham Potter's side continued to attack immediately after the interval but they failed to get a breakthrough when Solly March was played through by Gross and his shot was kept out by Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Substitute Luis Sinisterra highlighted the lack of a cutting edge in Leeds' attack when he missed from point-blank range and his team paid the price as Gross went on to score shortly after in the 66th minute.
Brighton can look to continue their superb form when they visit Fulham in midweek while Leeds, who are rising high in fifth place with seven points despite their first defeat of the season, will aim to bounce back at home to Everton.
"We're taking it game by game. It's a good start, but we're just focusing on the next game," Gross said.
