Liverpool continued their strong start to the Premier League season, narrowly defeating Crystal Palace 1-0 to remain at the top of the table. At the same time, both Arsenal and Manchester City secured come-from-behind victories on Saturday.
City edged Fulham 3-2 to stay just one point behind Liverpool, and Arsenal overcame Southampton 3-1. Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, now boasts nine wins in his first ten games since replacing Jurgen Klopp. Despite the win, Slot expressed frustration over Crystal Palace’s late pressure, prompted by Liverpool’s slender lead.
Diogo Jota put Liverpool ahead early, converting a cross from Cody Gakpo at nine minutes, but missed subsequent opportunities to widen the lead. Palace, although unable to capitalize on these missed chances, witnessed Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, exiting the game with a hamstring injury. Slot commented on the tight score, noting, “If you score the second, you break them mentally,” acknowledging the persistent hope among Palace fans due to the close scoreline.
After a significant Champions League victory against Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal faced an unexpectedly resilient Southampton. Cameron Archer of Southampton briefly shocked the Emirates by scoring ten minutes into the second half. However, Arsenal quickly responded with Kai Havertz continuing his scoring streak, followed by impactful contributions from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
Meanwhile, Fulham tested Manchester City’s resolve at the Etihad. Despite losing key player Rodri due to injury, Mateo Kovacic stepped up, scoring twice to help City overturn an early deficit. Fulham remained competitive until the final moments, but City secured their 17th consecutive win against them.
In other matches, West Ham alleviated some pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui with a 4-1 victory over Ipswich, and Brentford’s high-scoring affair resulted in a 5-3 win against Wolves. Leicester claimed their first league win of the season by defeating Bournemouth 1-0.
The upcoming fixtures include a critical game for Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag. He faces significant pressure as his team prepares to face Aston Villa on Sunday.
