When Erling Haaland first signed for Manchester City, the expectations of a goal-rush grew immediately and the Norwegian is wasting no time. The Citizens were not the only ones who had a sensational result, with their league title rivals Liverpool registering a Premier League record-equaling win to pick up their first win of the season.
In the first game of this weekend, Manchester United once again were found reluctant to play from the back but created some decent chances. Southampton’s defenders put their bodies on the line to prevent the Red Devils from scoring in a very convertible opportunity in the first half, whilst the Saints’ strikers were off target multiple times.
However, the deadlock was broken in the second half when the Portuguese duo of Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes combined to score a majestic goal. Dalot’s cross found an isolated Bruno in the box, and the United skipper caressed it into the net. It remained the only goal of the game as Erik ten Hag picked up his second win as a United manager.
Crystal Palace love coming to Etihad Stadium, and once again, they looked well set to take three points. With two brilliant set-piece opportunities, they went 2-0 up in no time. Whilst John Stones was culpable on the first attempt and had an own goal to his credit, a thumping header from Joachim Anderson helped them remain two goals ahead at half-time.
Bernardo Silva kick-started the comeback for the hosts with a stunning solo effort that found its way past the keeper through a crowd. Haaland scored his first from a stupendous close-range cross by Phil Foden, and had an empty netting to steer the ball into for his second goal. City had already taken the lead, but in the injury time, The Norwegian completed his hat-trick with a little show of his immense physicality.
Gabriel Magalhaes had a torturous night to begin with against Fulham, when his silly mistake allowed Alexander Mitrovic to put his side ahead at the Emirates. Arsenal had the better chances in the following minutes and the equalizer imminently came from their skipper Martin Odegaard, who managed to beat his former Arsenal teammate Bernd Leno with a deflected effort.
A winner proved difficult to come as Fulham remained defensively stringent until the final five minutes of normal time. But eventually, the goal came from a corner whipped in beautifully, which pin-balled its way into the path of Gabriel, who avenged and redeemed himself with the winner. Mikel Arteta’s men remain on top of the table with four wins in four games.
The result of the evening, however, came at the Anfield as Liverpool bludgeoned a hapless Bournemouth unit as ruthlessly as they could. It easily could’ve been more than nine, but what mattered was that the Reds announced themselves back again in the title hunt. Luis Diaz got the opener in the opening few minutes, and Harvey Elliott’s stunning long-range effort made it 2-0.
Trent Alexander-Arnold bettered Elliott’s long-range goal with an own version of his to make it three nil, whilst Roberto Firmino, who assisted the previous three goals, poked home a fourth goal from a nasty deflection inside the box. Virgil van Dijk made it five before the first half finished from an Andy Robertson corner.
Diaz and Firmino added a goal each to their existing tally, whilst Fabio Carvalho got his first goal in the Premier League for his new side. The Reds blasted nine goals, a feat previously achieved by Manchester United (twice) and Leicester City.
Chelsea were down to 10 men when Connon Gallagher got his second yellow inside 30 minutes of the game against Leicester. They held on in the opening half, and somehow managed to score through Raheem Sterling in the first few minutes of the second 45.
After Cucurella assisted the Englishman’s first goal for Chelsea, the other fullback Reece James assisted his second of the night to take a surprise 2-0 lead with one man down. Harvey Barnes scored one as the Foxes threatened, but the hosts picked up all three points by a whisker.
In other results, Graham Potter’s Brighton registered a crunchy 1-0 win against Leeds, with Pascal Gross, the Old Trafford hero, scoring the goal. Brentford and Everton played out a 1-1 draw as Anthony Gordon’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Vitaly Janelt in the second half.
