Struggling Nottingham Forest pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over Liverpool to claim only their second victory of the season in the Premier League on Saturday, while champions Manchester City continued their chase of leaders Arsenal.
Manchester United earned a stoppage-time 1-1 draw at Chelsea in the day’s late kickoff and Everton snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Liverpool had gathered some momentum after a poor start to the season and arrived at the City Ground to face bottom club Forest on the back of consecutive league wins.
But their resurgence was stopped in its tracks when Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi scored the only goal of the game early in the second half, coming back to haunt Liverpool after joining the club in 2015 but never playing a competitive game.
Forest goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a string of impressive saves including an incredible stop deep in added time to keep out a header from Virgil van Dijk.
It was Forest’s first win since they beat West Ham United on Aug. 14, while Liverpool sank to a third defeat of the season.
The result brought Liverpool back down to earth after last week’s 1-0 win over Manchester City and another 1-0 success over West Ham in midweek and underlined Juergen Klopp’s side’s struggles away from home this season, with only two points from five matches on their travels.
“Massive, massive blow because I have no idea how we can lose this game to be honest,” Klopp said.
“The performance I can kind of explain, the result not. We had to put the game to bed to be perfectly honest.”
Forest moved off the bottom with nine points and manager Steve Cooper said: “This is a big win but only a win. We’ve got to build on that and carry on. To win a game against someone like Liverpool, you need to have very good moments at both ends.
“We’ve done that today.”
Liverpool are seventh on 16 points after 11 matches, 11 behind leaders Arsenal, who visit Southampton on Sunday.
JORGINHO PENALTY
Chelsea thought they had taken the points in a disappointing clash with United at Stamford Bridge when Jorginho tucked away an 87th-minute penalty after a clumsy foul by Scott McTominay on Armando Broja from a corner.
United, though, grabbed a deserved point when a Casemiro looping header crossed the line despite Kepa Arrizabalaga’s desperate attempts to claw it out in the fourth minute of added time.
It was the fifth draw in a row between the sides and a record 26th in the Premier League.
Chelsea remained in fourth place with 21 points with United on 20, both having played 11 games.
Manchester City reduced the gap with Arsenal to one point as goal machine Erling Haaland scored twice with Kevin De Bruyne adding a beauty of his own in a 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Pep Guardiola’s side equalled a 91-year-old top-flight record as they completed a 10th consecutive Premier League home win in which they have scored at least three goals in each match.
The last club to do that was Aston Villa in 1930 and 1931.
Haaland used his strength to win a physical battle with Brighton’s Adam Webster and score the opening goal, then converted from the penalty spot for the second.
Brighton, still looking for a first win for new manager Roberto de Zerbi, pressed City and Leandro Trossard pulled back a goal before De Bruyne made sure of victory with a superb curler.
“Compliments to my players because I know how difficult it was. I said yesterday and at halftime how difficult this game could be but in the end we did it,” Guardiola said.
Everton enjoyed their biggest win of the season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil all on target as Frank Lampard’s team moved up to 11th in the standings.
Premier League leaders Arsenal surrendered the lead to draw 1-1 at Southampton and drop points for only the second time this season while Newcastle United’s impressive start continued when they beat Tottenham Hotspur to storm the top four on Sunday.
Aston Villa moved quickly on from the midweek sacking of manager Steven Gerrard to thump Brentford 4-0.
Leicester City continued their revival by thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 away to ease the pressure on coach Brendan Rodgers but Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch faced calls to go from his own supporters after a 3-2 home defeat by Fulham.
Granit Xhaka scored a superb early goal for Arsenal, who looked untouchable for large parts of their trip to St Mary’s, but Southampton rallied in the second period and Stuart Armstrong netted a deserved second-half equaliser.
The draw meant Arsenal’s four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City from last week was reduced to two points after the champions beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 on Saturday.
“I have a feeling that we lost two points, especially with the way we started the game and the chances we had,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “When you look back at the chances, we should have come out on top.”
Arsenal have 28 points from 11 games to City’s 26.
Newcastle have already drawn with Manchester City and Manchester United this season and their only loss was a stoppage-time defeat by Liverpool.
Sunday’s win at Tottenham sent the clearest message yet that they can challenge for a Champions League berth.
Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron scored in the space of 10 minutes in north London — both goals owing something to mistakes by Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris.
Harry Kane pulled one back for third-placed Tottenham in the 54th minute with his 10th goal of the season but Newcastle comfortably held on for the points.
They have 21 points from 12 games, two fewer than Tottenham.
“Real pride in the players today and great to be part of those scenes,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, who took over last year with the club heading towards relegation, told reporters.
“Probably the best performance since I’ve been here.”
ASTON VILLA MOVE UP
Villa parted ways with Gerrard on Thursday an hour after their 3-0 defeat by Fulham but gave an emphatic response under caretaker Aaron Danks.
They took the lead in the second minute when Leon Bailey hammered home before Danny Ings scored twice, including a penalty, to make it 3-0 after only 14 minutes.
Former Brentford player Ollie Watkins added a fourth goal in the second half to round off a win that lifted Villa to 14th in the standings on 12 points.
Leicester were in a similarly ruthless mood on their trip to Wolves, who sacked Bruno Lage at the start of the month and are yet to appoint a successor.
Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes struck in the first half for Leicester while James Maddison and Jamie Vardy, who scored his first goal of the season, completed the rout.
Leicester coach Rodgers was under serious pressure after losing seven of his first eight matches of the season but his side have now won three of their last five and moved up to 16th on 11 points.
American Marsch is the latest manager to feel the heat after sections of fans at Elland Road chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” during Leeds’s defeat by Fulham.
But he said he was still the right man to lead the club despite his side sitting 18th in the standings.
“We are unified here, from the board to the staff and the players. We are hurting, it’s painful,” he said.
“I understand the fans, their ire should be directed at me. But I’m focused on helping this team to get better and improve.”
