English Premier League
Manchester City 5 – 1 Fulham
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Manchester City 5 – 1 Fulham. Erling Haaland capped a golden week by completing a second-half hat-trick as Manchester City extended their 100% start to the Premier League season with a win over Fulham.
On Tuesday, Haaland was named PFA Player of the Year. On Thursday, he got a similar award from Uefa.
Here, he was back doing what he does best – putting the ball into the net, as he took his tally to six for the campaign.
Haaland had set up the opener for Julian Alvarez – and with the score at 2-1 going into the second half, the favour was returned, as the Argentine sent him charging into the box with a fine first-time pass for City’s third.
The Norwegian then kept his nerve to score City’s fourth from the penalty spot after Issa Diop had fouled Alvarez.
Haaland had already been named man of the match when he applied the superb first-time finish to Sergio Gomez’s cut-back to claim yet another match ball.
Fulham would argue the pivotal moment in the game came just before the break, after Tim Ream had equalised within a minute of Alvarez’s opener on the half hour.
Video assistant referee Tony Harrington ruled an offside Manuel Akanji was not interfering with play as Nathan Ake’s 10-yard header bounced past him, even though the Swiss made a play for the ball.
Fulham boss Marco Silva evidently thought otherwise and was booked as he led the protests.
Victory means City enter the first international break two points clear of their nearest challengers.
That will be a concern for them all because Pep Guardiola’s side have not won their opening four games since his first season in charge – meaning they didn’t manage it in any of their five title-winning campaigns under the illustrious former Barcelona coach, who is currently recovering from back surgery.
For half an hour in this game, they were off the pace.
Without the injured Jack Grealish, £55m new arrival Jeremy Doku was handed his debut. The Belgian produced an encouraging performance, including one excellent touchline burst that nearly set up Phil Foden.
But until Alvarez scored, City were below par and the way they let Ream run unchecked to the far post to equalise hinted at a lack of focus.
Ake’s goal changed the complexion of the entire contest, allowing Haaland to take centre stage as he has done so often.
Incredibly, the 23-year-old now has Premier League 51 goal involvements – 42 goals and nine assists – in just 39 appearances. It is the fastest anyone has achieved that, breaking Andy Cole’s record by four games.
With six goals in four league games, Haaland has matched his start to last season. Already City and their star striker have laid down a marker it will be difficult to match.
There will presumably come a point when Fulham boss Silva starts to bite his tongue over the perceived injustices being meted out to his side.
He has not arrived at that stage yet.
When VAR Harrington indicated to referee Michael Oliver that Ake’s header should stand, the Fulham manager erupted.
Bernd Leno raced from his goal to tell Oliver he had been impeded by Manuel Akanji, who made a play for the ball as Ake’s header went past him. Leno could hardly be claimed as a neutral witness but TV replays did indicate the German’s movement in making a save began after the ball went past Akanji.
Silva was still complaining to fourth official Michael Salisbury long after play restarted, which itself took an age as the players continued to argue around the centre circle.
Having now lost 15 successive games to this particular opponent, Fulham were not expected to claim victory.
However, their chances were hardly helped by the absence of star man Joao Palhinha, whose hoped for move to Bayern Munich fell through on Friday afternoon, even though he had travelled to Germany passed his medical, posed in a Bayern shirt and carried out in-house interviews.
Eighteen-year-old academy product Luke Harris will have learned from his extended appearance, although that came at the expense of an injury to captain Tom Cairney, which, all in all, contributed to a day Fulham would probably prefer to forget ever happened.
source – BBC
English Premier League
Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool: Reds Outclass United in Comprehensive Win
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Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool. Liverpool continued their flawless start to the season with a dominant 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, underlining their impressive form under new manager Arne Slot.
The game showcased Liverpool’s superiority, prompting renewed scrutiny on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who was granted a new contract after last season’s FA Cup triumph despite an underwhelming start this campaign.
Since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have maintained an unbeaten record with three straight Premier League wins, all without conceding a goal. This performance was their most commanding yet.
Liverpool took control with two quick goals just before halftime. Trent Alexander-Arnold had an early goal disallowed for offside before Luis Diaz capitalized on Casemiro’s mistakes. Diaz first headed home a cross from Mohamed Salah in the 35th minute and then netted again seven minutes later, finishing off a pass from Salah.
Salah added a third in the 56th minute, scoring his 12th goal in 15 appearances against United, converting a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai and beating United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
While United had some chances, primarily through Joshua Zirkzee, Liverpool rarely looked troubled and kept their opponents at bay.
Ten Hag, who survived a summer review partly due to the FA Cup win, needed a strong start but has instead seen his team struggle. After scraping a late win against Fulham and losing to Brighton, this heavy defeat to Liverpool exacerbates the pressure on him.
The United fans’ frustration was palpable, with jeers at halftime and full-time, and discontent with substitutions like Alejandro Garnacho’s replacement by Amad Diallo. Casemiro’s poor performance, which led to the first two Liverpool goals, saw him replaced by Toby Collyer at halftime.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, watching from the directors’ box, witnessed the harsh reality of United’s current predicament as Liverpool dismantled their side with ease.
Ten Hag’s challenges are compounded by injuries to key players like Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, and Rasmus Hojlund. Yet, these issues do not excuse the glaring quality deficiencies displayed by United.
Liverpool’s new era under Slot has begun smoothly, with previous wins over newly promoted Ipswich Town and Brentford. This match was seen as a significant test of Slot’s ability to manage Liverpool post-Klopp, and the emphatic win confirms that he is instilling a more controlled and effective approach.
Slot’s Liverpool, while still retaining their attacking prowess, demonstrated a new level of tactical control, rarely relinquishing their grip on the game once ahead. Goalkeeper Alisson made crucial saves to deny United, particularly from Zirkzee.
In contrast, this defeat highlights ongoing issues for Manchester United. Ten Hag’s future may hinge on his ability to quickly turn the tide, with the pressure intensifying from a demanding fan base and the looming prospect of speculation should results not improve.
Slot’s Liverpool performance was rounded off by enthusiastic celebrations from the away fans and a modest response from the new manager, signaling a promising start to his tenure and a strong connection with the supporters.
source – BBC
English Premier League
Newcastle United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
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Newcastle United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle United preserved their unbeaten start to the season with a dramatic 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at a vibrant St James’ Park.
The hosts took the lead in the 37th minute when Harvey Barnes controlled a difficult side-footed shot with finesse, following a pull-back from Lloyd Kelly down the left flank.
Tottenham equalized in the 56th minute. After Pedro Porro’s effort was deflected onto the crossbar, Brennan Johnson, making his debut after the break, saw his shot deflected into the net by Newcastle defender Dan Burn.
Spurs intensified their attack, with Nick Pope making a crucial save to deny James Maddison’s curled attempt and Johnson firing over the bar as they pressed for a second goal.
However, Newcastle seized the advantage with 12 minutes remaining. Joelinton orchestrated the play from midfield, releasing substitute Jacob Murphy, who delivered a low cross for Alexander Isak to score the decisive goal.
The match also marked a significant moment for Newcastle as Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali made his first Premier League appearance since serving a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations. Tonali, who had previously played in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest, received a warm standing ovation from the home fans when he came on as a substitute.
With the win, Newcastle climbed to fourth in the Premier League table with seven points from their opening nine matches. They could drop to fifth if Liverpool secures a win against Manchester United later on Sunday. Tottenham’s defeat saw them slip to 10th, ending their unbeaten run and leaving manager Ange Postecoglou to reflect on a missed opportunity.
Spurs dominated possession with two-thirds of the ball and had 20 shots compared to Newcastle’s nine, yet the Magpies capitalized on their limited opportunities, scoring twice from their three shots on target.
Newcastle almost took the lead early on, with Alexander Isak’s chip narrowly missing after a clever interception from Son Heung-min. Barnes, Emil Krafth, and Kelly all had chances before a temporary halt due to an injury to assistant referee Ian Hussin disrupted Newcastle’s rhythm.
Tottenham had their chances, including a header from Cristian Romero that was ruled offside and missed efforts from Wilson Odobert and Porro. Pape Sarr also tested Pope, but the visitors were unable to capitalize on their dominance.
Barnes’ goal seemed to be a turning point, but Tottenham’s second-half surge appeared to set them up for a win. Instead, they were struck by a late counter-attack as Murphy’s assist for Isak sealed the win for Newcastle.
Tonali, who has made only 14 appearances for Newcastle since his £55 million transfer from AC Milan last season, was warmly welcomed by fans. The Gallowgate End displayed numerous Italian flags and banners celebrating his return.
Despite frustrations in the transfer market, including failed bids for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Tonali’s return is a boost for Newcastle and manager Eddie Howe as they aim to build on their promising start to the season.
source – BBC
English Premier League
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
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Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace. Eberechi Eze delivered a sensational equalizer as Crystal Palace drew 1-1 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The result comes as a boost for Palace, who had suffered consecutive defeats prior to this match.
Chelsea, fresh off a dominant 6-2 win over Wolves, started strong and looked set to continue their winning form. Cole Palmer came close early on, narrowly missing the target, while Dean Henderson made a stunning save to deny Noni Madueke. Nicolas Jackson eventually broke the deadlock, finishing off a rapid Chelsea counterattack by tapping in Palmer’s cross at the near post.
Palace had a narrow escape when Will Hughes, already on a booking, avoided a second yellow card for a foul on Palmer. Shortly after, Eze leveled the score with a brilliant strike, curling the ball past Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez.
Sanchez made an excellent save to deflect Daichi Kamada’s powerful shot, keeping Chelsea in the game. However, Jackson had a chance to secure the win for Chelsea in stoppage time, only for Henderson to thwart his effort with a crucial save.
The draw marked Crystal Palace’s first point of the season after two previous losses, while Chelsea now have four points from their opening three games.
Chelsea’s summer has been marked by significant changes, with over £200 million spent and 13 new players joining the squad, while 37 players have either been loaned out or sold. With the transfer window closing on Friday, the focus can now shift entirely to the pitch.
Jadon Sancho, Chelsea’s final summer signing, was introduced to fans before the game, though only one of the new arrivals, Pedro Neto, started against Palace. Despite their initial dominance, highlighted by Jackson’s first-half goal, Chelsea struggled to convert their chances, reminiscent of their issues from last season. Jackson had two late opportunities to clinch the victory but was thwarted first by the side-netting and then by Henderson.
Chelsea’s search for their first home win of the 2024-25 season continues. Despite the encouraging performance against Wolves, they couldn’t convert their dominance into a win.
Eze and Michael Olise were standout performers for Palace last season, with Olise’s form earning him a move to Bayern Munich. Eze, however, has continued to shine, and his superb goal against Chelsea underscored his importance to the team. Though Palace had few opportunities, Eze made the most of his, demonstrating once again why he is a game-changer for the Eagles.
The draw is a positive result for Palace, who have historically struggled against Chelsea, having lost their last 13 encounters with them. It provides a solid foundation for their season moving forward.
source – BBC
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