Ten-man Chelsea held on for a battling 1-1 draw at Liverpool as both sides missed the chance to go top of the Premier League.
Kai Havertz headed Chelsea into the lead and, after visiting defender Reece James had been sent off for handball shortly before half-time, Mohamed Salah converted the subsequent penalty.
Chelsea were furious at James’ dismissal after Sadio Mane’s effort had appeared to hit the England defender’s arm, with VAR intervention leading to Salah’s spot-kick.
Boss. ✊#LIVCHE pic.twitter.com/BEsbvhVQlO
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 28, 2021
Liverpool poured forward for the remainder of the game but could not break down a resolute rearguard action from Thomas Tuchel’s side, who celebrated as if they had won at the final whistle.
Manchester City thrashed 10-man Arsenal 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium to pile on the misery for under-fire Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Pep Guardiola’s champions never looked back after taking a 2-0 lead inside the opening 12 minutes of a one-sided encounter with goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.
The Gunners then capitulated after Granit Xhaka’s straight red card in the 35th minute for his two-footed lunge on Joao Cancelo, with Gabriel Jesus, Rodri and Torres’ second completing the rout.
PEP ? We found a goal without deserving it. After 2-0 and send off the game was different.
Lovely day and amazing atmosphere, easier for us tough for the opposition.
? 5-0 ? #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/so0WH9S0s5
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 28, 2021
The result left the Gunners bottom at full-time, still without a point from their opening three matches, with pressure mounting on Arteta, Guardiola’s former assistant.
West Ham’s 100 per cent start was halted in a pulsating derby clash with Crystal Palace, which ended 2-2 at the London Stadium.
Palace midfielder Conor Gallagher, on a season-long loan from Chelsea, twice equalised for Patrick Vieira’s side after Pablo Fornals and then Michail Antonio’s 50th Premier League goal had edged the Hammers in front.
Everton extended their unbeaten start under Rafael Benitez with a deserved 2-0 win at Brighton.
Palace battle back with an inspired second-half performance ?#CPFC | #WHUCRY
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 28, 2021
Summer signing Demarai Gray’s second league goal of the season gave Everton an early lead and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a 58th-minute penalty after Joel Veltman’s foul on Seamus Coleman.
It was Everton’s first win at Brighton since 1983 and ended the Seagulls’ 100 per cent start to the season.
Leicester bounced back from Monday night’s 4-1 defeat at West Ham with a 2-1 win at Norwich, who remain without a point.
Jamie Vardy pounced on a mistake by Norwich’s on-loan Manchester United defender Brandon Williams to give the Foxes an early lead.
A hard-fought win at Carrow Road ?#NorLei pic.twitter.com/DGFhFH2B3p
— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 28, 2021
Teemu Pukki equalised from the penalty spot after Caglar Soyuncu’s sliding tackle on Pierre Lees-Melou, but the visitors regained the lead through Marc Albrighton’s deflected shot.
Norwich were denied a second equaliser by VAR when Kenny McLean headed in a corner, with Todd Cantwell deemed to have been offside.
Brentford remain unbeaten since winning promotion to the top flight following a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
Ivan Toney’s thumping finish gave Brentford an early lead before Villa’s summer signing Emiliano Buendia levelled five minutes later with his first goal for the club, a superb finish into the top corner.
Fought until the end ?
Our full report as #SaintsFC earn a point at #NUFC:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 28, 2021
Newcastle registered their first point of the season, but were denied victory by James Ward-Prowse’s stoppage-time penalty in a thrilling 2-2 home draw against Southampton.
Ward-Prowse converted from the spot in the sixth minute of added time after VAR had spotted Jamaal Lascelles’ foul on Adam Armstrong.
Newcastle thought Allan Saint-Maximin had grabbed them a stoppage-time winner after Callum Wilson’s second-half header had been cancelled out by Mohamed Elyounoussi.
