Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Liverpool slump to shock home defeat
IMAGE: Callum Hudson-Odoi scores Nottingham Forest’s first goal past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the English Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool, on Saturday. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters
A superb second-half goal from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi gave Nottingham Forest the biggest surprise win of the Premier League season so far as they beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday.
The win was Forest’s first at Anfield since 1969 and the players and the away fans celebrated accordingly as the home crowd was left to rue a rudderless display from the Reds that lacked a cutting edge.
Liverpool dominated the opening half and Luis Diaz came close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute, hustling to keep the ball in play on the Forest goal-line and cutting inside before firing a rasping shot off the near post.
Two minutes later Mohamed Salah crossed beautifully with the outside of his left boot for Dominik Szoboszlai to head just wide as Liverpool increased the pressure.
In truth though, Salah was being well-shackled by Forest fullback Alex Moreno, who was relentless in his pursuit of the Egyptian before being replaced late on.
IMAGE: Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah reacts. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters
Liverpool coach Arne Slot must have suspected that it was not going to be his day when Forest keeper Matz Sels took over late in the first half, scrambling to keep out a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner that almost dipped under the bar, and saving smartly from a Carlos Mac Allister header a minute later.
Selz then almost gifted Liverpool the lead before the break as Diaz ballooned a header up in the air and the goalkeeper almost clawed it into his own net as he tried to collect it, but luckily he was able to recover and avert the danger.
For all the chances they created in the first half, all too often the Liverpool attackers found themselves on different wavelengths, and much of their play lacked their usual fluidity as chances went begging.
Their wastefulness was punished in the 72nd minute as Anthony Elanga found his fellow substitute Hudson-Odoi with a brilliant crossfield ball, and the 23-year-old winger cut inside before curling a tremendous effort past goalkeeper Alisson.
Having convincingly won all of their opening three league games under Arne Slot without conceding a goal, Liverpool looked short of ideas as they sought to come back. A Virgil van Dijk header from a corner that flew over was the closest they came to an equaliser.
Manchester City come from behind to beat Brentford
IMAGE: Erling Haaland scores Manchester City’s first goal past Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Manchester City beat Brentford 2-1 to maintain their perfect start to the season after Premier League top scorer Erling Haaland netted twice on Saturday following the fastest goal of the season from the visitors.
Haaland’s double takes his tally to nine goals in four games — more than any English top-flight team has managed so far this season — while City’s victory gave them a three-point lead at the top after Liverpool’s 1-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest.
Haaland searched for the third goal which would have made him the first player to score hat-tricks in three straight Premier League games, but Brentford keeper Mark Flekken made several saves to deny the Norway striker.
Brentford had the perfect start when they scored 22 seconds after kickoff when defender John Stones and goalkeeper Ederson made a mess of Keane Lewis-Potter’s header into the six-yard box, allowing Yoane Wissa to nod the ball into an empty net.
The Bees continued to threaten in attack as they found space on the flanks behind City’s defence time and again, but Haaland restored parity in the 20th minute when he scored from a tight angle with his second touch of the game.
IMAGE: Erling Haaland celebrates scoring Manchester City’s first goal with Kevin De Bruyne. Photograph: Lee Smith/Reuters
Although City had less possession in the first half, they made it count and went ahead when Ederson booted the ball upfield where Haaland outmuscled defender Ethan Pinnock and chipped the ball past Flekken to make it 2-1.
“The second showed what he is all about. He used his body well and a brilliant finish. It is a pleasure to play with him and hopefully he can continue,” City’s Jack Grealish said.
As City began to dominate after midfielder Rodri made his first appearance of the season as a second-half substitute, it was Flekken who came to Brentford’s rescue to keep the scoreline respectable.
He first denied Grealish, who pulled the trigger from 20 metres, before the Dutchman tipped a powerful Haaland shot over the bar. Flekken was called into action again as City counter-attacked when he saved a shot from Savinho.
Brentford did not have the same attacking intent and tempo as in the first half and City secured all three points to move to 12 with the Bees on six after four games.
Manchester United ease past Southampton
IMAGE: Marcus Rashford, right, celebrates scoring Manchester United’s second goal with Amad Diallo. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
New signing Matthijs de Ligt grabbed his first goal for Manchester United while Marcus Rashford scored for the first time since March in a 3-0 Premier League victory at Southampton on Saturday after a shaky start to the season.
Alejandro Garnacho added a late goal for Erik ten Hag’s side who started the day 14th in the standings after back-to-back losses. They now have six points from four matches while newly promoted Southampton remain without a point.
Southampton dominated early on but squandered a chance to take the lead in the 34th minute after United goalkeeper Onana saved Cameron Archer’s poor penalty, sparking an immediate shift in momentum at St Mary’s Stadium.
A minute later, De Ligt headed in a sumptuous ball from Bruno Fernandes after Christian Eriksen’s short corner.
Rashford, who had gone 13 games without a goal, then ended his drought when he was left unmarked on the edge of the box to bend a diagonal shot in the far corner in the 41st.
IMAGE: Marcus Rashford scores United’s second goal past Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. Photograph: John Sibley/Reuters
Ten Hag had been criticised for starting Rashford but he has stuck by the much-maligned 26-year-old — who had not found the back of the net since United’s 2-0 win over Everton on March 9 — saying pre-game that Rashford needed only a goal or an assist and “then he will fly”.
Archer’s penalty miss spoiled a stellar first league start for Southampton’s Tyler Dibling. The 18-year-old, who had scored for England’s Under-19 side in a loss to Germany four days earlier, drew the penalty when he dribbled at Diogo Dalot only to be taken down by the defender in the box.
That was the turning point, as the hosts were almost immediately punished for the miss but goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale tipped a low shot from Joshua Zirkzee just wide of the net.
What started as a solid afternoon for Southampton had a wretched ending as Russell Martin’s side failed to register a shot after the missed penalty and were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when defender Jack Stephens was sent off for a high tackle on Garnacho.
The Argentine forward smashed the ball in with almost the last kick of the game to seal the win for the visitors.
Late Nkunku strike gives Chelsea win at Bournemouth
IMAGE: Christopher Nkunku celebrates scoring late and winning the match for Chelsea. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters
Chelsea substitute Christopher Nkunku struck in the 86th minute to secure a 1-0 victory at Bournemouth in a game littered with a Premier League record 14 yellow cards.
Bournemouth twice struck the woodwork and Evanilson had a first-half penalty saved by Robert Sanchez.
But Chelsea finished the game strongly and Nkunku, who came on in the 79th minute, slotted home from close range to make it two away wins out of two for the London side.
Chelsea moved up to seventh with seven points from four games, while Bournemouth are 11th with five points.
Duran takes Aston Villa past Everton
IMAGE: Jhon Duran celebrates with Morgan Rogers after scoring Aston Villa’s third goal against Everton. Photograph: Craig Brough/Reuters
Jhon Duran scored a brilliant long-range winner as Aston Villa came from two goals down to beat Everton 3-2 in a hugely entertaining clash.
Everton led against the run of play through goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but their defensive frailties that have seen them concede 13 goals in four games this campaign returned.
Ollie Watkins scored a brace for the home side before Duran earned his side the three points with a stunning 30-yard goal 14 minutes from the end that swerved into the top corner.
Villa move up to third place in the table with nine points from their four matches, while Everton are rooted to the foot of the table having lost all four of their games.
IMAGE: Ollie Watkins scores Aston Villa’s second goal. Photograph: Chris Radburn/Reuters
It is the first time in 66 years Everton have started the league season with four defeats as they became the second club in the Premier League era to lose consecutive games when leading 2-0 following their home capitulation to Bournemouth late on last time out.
They led when McNeil stole the ball from former Everton midfielder Amadou Onana and fired a low shot into the far corner of the net.
They doubled their advantage when McNeil turned provider with a free kick that was headed into the net by Calvert-Lewin.
Villa pulled a goal back as Lucas Digne dinked a cross to the back post that was headed in by Watkins for a first league goal since April.
The home side were level when Jack Harrison could only divert a long ball straight into the path of Watkins and the striker easily beat Pickford with a composed finish.
The winner came in spectacular fashion as Duran unleashed a swerving shot from 30-yards that flew into the back of the net, but Everton might have equalised when Calvert-Lewin crashed a shot against the crossbar.
Late Mateta penalty hands Palace home draw with Leicester
IMAGE: Jean-Philippe Mateta scores Crystal Palace’s second goal from the penalty spot. Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice including a last-gasp penalty as they clawed their way back from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against promoted Leicester City at Selhurst Park.
The result was huge relief for Palace, who were booed off the pitch at half-time, but left both sides looking for their first victory this season on two points each after four matches.
Leicester appeared poised to take all the points after Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi scored either side of the break.
But Mateta pulled one back for Palace in the 47th minute when he knocked Tyrick Mitchell’s low cross into the net. He was flagged offside but the goal was eventually allowed by the narrowest of margins after a lengthy VAR check.
Mateta’s 92nd-minute penalty, awarded for Conor Coady’s foul, secured the draw to the relief of the home side.
Vardy opened scoring for Leicester in the 21st minute when Wilfred Ndidi’s through ball drew Dean Henderson out of his goal. The 37-year-old Vardy beat defender Marc Guehi and Henderson to the ball and side-footed it into an empty net.
The visitors had another chance before halftime when Guehi fluffed a clearance. Vardy pounced and found Mavididi down the left wing but he fired wide.
Mavididi did double Leicester’s lead, however, with a powerful strike 19 seconds into the second half after Nathaniel Clyne’s botched clearance.
The goal sparked Palace to life with Mateta scoring a minute later. But it took until stoppage time for the hosts to level when Coady took down substitute Ismaila Sarr in the box and Mateta sent Mads Hermansen the wrong way from the penalty spot.
