Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City pummelled West Ham 4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday while in-form Newcastle inflicted another painful defeat on Ange Postecoglou’s struggling Tottenham. Chelsea’s recent woes continued with a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, meaning they have taken just two points from four games over the festive period Defending champions City returned to winning ways at Leicester last week after a long lean spell and picked up three more points against Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s men took the lead in the 10th minute when Vladimir Coufal deflected Savinho’s cross past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Savinho also had a hand in the second goal, shortly before half-time, beating his man twice before crossing to Haaland, who lost Max Kilman and headed home.

The same players combined for City’s third in the 55th minute, before Phil Foden joined the party for their fourth. The home side were denied a clean sheet by Niclas Fuellkrug.

West Ham appeared to have turned the corner last month but they have now conceded nine goals in two games following a 5-0 mauling at home by Premier League leaders Liverpool.

‘Angriest in career’

In the early kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Newcastle came from behind to clinch a fifth straight Premier League win and heap more misery on injury-hit Spurs.

The home side went ahead in the fourth minute through Dominic Solanke.

Newcastle levelled two minutes later when Antony Gordon arrowed an effort into the bottom corner but Postecoglou stood in disbelief on the touchline looking at referee Andrew Madley after Joelinton intercepted Lucas Bergvall’s pass with his hand in the build-up.

VAR deemed Joelinton’s arm to be in a natural position and the contact to be accidental, which provoked a furious reaction from Tottenham’s bench and they were up in arms midway through the first half when the already-booked Dan Burn avoided a second yellow card for handball by the centre circle.

In-form Alexander Isak scored what turned out to be the winner towards the end of the first half.

The victory leaves Newcastle in fifth spot, which may yet prove enough to secure a place in the Champions League next season, but Spurs have slumped to 12th in the table after five defeats in seven matches.

Postecoglou said he was proud of his players but was the “angriest I think I have ever been in my career”.

“I think it’s clear,” said the Australian. “Now whether people agree with me or not whether it wasn’t handball or it was accidental, I’m just not interested in any of that discussion.

“I know what everyone wants me to say, but all I’ll say is that on any other day, on a fair and even playing ground, we would have won that game. Simple as that.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admitted the ball hit Joelinton’s arm but said he was not in control of the referee’s decision.

“I believe his arm is down in a natural position and the referee and VAR have followed the rules and protocols that are in place,” he said. “That’s why it is given.”

Enzo Maresca‘s Chelsea were closing in on Liverpool just two weeks ago but are now nine points behind the Reds, having played two games more.

The Italian made six changes for the match at Selhurst Park and his side took the lead when Jadon Sancho drove down the left and found Cole Palmer, who sliced a low shot into the bottom right corner.

The visitors enjoyed the bulk of possession but they could not capitalise and Jean-Philippe Mateta levelled in the 82nd minute.

Aston Villa beat relegation-threatened Leicester 2-1 at home with goals from Ross Barkley and Leon Bailey.

Brentford recorded a rare win on the road, smashing bottom side Southampton 5-0, and Bournemouth beat Everton 1-0.

Second-placed Arsenal are in action at Brighton in the 1730 GMT kick-off while Premier League leaders Liverpool host crisis-hit Manchester United on Sunday.

Tottenham survived two calamitous errors from stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster on Thursday to beat Manchester United 4-3 and set up a League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, staying on track for their first trophy since 2008. The home side were cruising at 3-0 in the 54th minute of a captivating tie in London after two goals from Dominic Solanke and one from Dejan Kulusevski. But Forster’s mistakes allowed substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo to pull the score back to 3-2 with 20 minutes to go.

It was one-way traffic after that, with United totally on top, but Spurs scored a fourth as Son Heung-min found the net from a corner and they held on despite a late Jonny Evans goal.

Tottenham will face Premier League leaders Liverpool in the two-legged semi-finals, with Arsenal taking on Newcastle.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said his injury-hit team inflicted pain on themselves but gave a passionate defence of his gung-ho approach.

“It should have been a lot more comfortable there, but having said that, I still can’t get away from the fact that this group of players have done an unbelievable job at the moment to get us through this,” he said.

The Australian added: “I know people will say, “Well, don’t take any risks’ and all that sort of stuff, but we wouldn’t be scoring four goals and five goals.

“It’s the hardest thing in the game to do, score goals, and we’re doing it with bare bones.”

Tottenham, 10th in the Premier League, have not won silverware for 16 years, when they lifted the League Cup under Juande Ramos.

But they are now just one stage away from a Wembley final in March, with Postecoglou still on track to deliver on his bold statement that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club.

New United boss Ruben Amorim is back down to earth with a bump after his side’s dramatic 2-1 Premier League win at Manchester City on Sunday.

Amorim made five changes from the team that beat City while Spurs had six academy players on their bench.

Marcus Rashford was left out of United’s squad for the second consecutive game but Alejandro Garnacho, also absent on Sunday, was on the bench and came on as a second-half substitute.

Solanke double

Tottenham opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Solanke reacted quickest after United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, in for Andre Onana, parried a shot from distance into his path.

Kulusevski doubled Tottenham’s lead moments after the restart, finishing unerringly when Lisandro Martinez failed to deal with a James Maddison cut-back, only succeeding in diverting the ball into the Sweden international’s path.

Spurs were 3-0 up when Solanke ran onto a long ball over the top, drifting inside Martinez and Evans and finishing with confidence.

But control turned to chaos just after the hour mark following some incredible goalkeeping errors from Forster, deputising for the injured Guglielmo Vicario.

Forster, being closed down by Zirkzee, passed straight to Bruno Fernandes, whose ball found Zirkzee and the Dutchman slotted the ball into an empty net in the 63rd minute.

Minutes later United scored again when Forster dithered after receiving a back pass.

Diallo closed him down in a flash and slid in as Forster tried to clear, with the ball hitting Diallo and ending up in the net.

United had further chances but instead Son gave Tottenham a cushion in the 88th minute.

Even then United had time to find another, with Evans heading in from a corner, but they ran out of time.

“We were not the best team in all of the game, but most of the parts I think we were the best team,” said Amorim.

“I think we disconnected for eight minutes. It was really hard to recover from that, but then the lads did a great job.”

Diogo Jota rescued Liverpool as the Premier League leaders recovered from Andy Robertson’s early red card to snatch a 2-2 draw with Fulham, while Arsenal’s title challenge was dented by a goalless stalemate against Everton on Saturday. With just four minutes left at Anfield, Arne Slot’s side were in danger of losing for just the second time in 15 top-flight games this season. But Jota grabbed a valuable equaliser as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 19 matches since a loss to Nottingham Forest in September.

With last weekend’s Merseyside derby at Everton postponed by severe weather, Liverpool have now gone two league games without a win following their 3-3 draw at Newcastle.

The Reds sit five points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who can close the gap with a win against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Liverpool were rocked in the 11th minute as Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira met Antonee Robinson’s cross with an agile volley that deflected in off Robertson.

The Reds suffered another blow when Scotland left-back Robertson was sent off in the 17th minute for a professional foul on Harry Wilson.

But Slot’s men have made a habit of coming from behind this season and Cody Gakpo equalised in the 47th minute with a stooping header from Mohamed Salah‘s cross.

The Dutch forward’s ninth goal in all competitions this season was the prelude to a period of sustained Liverpool pressure.

But Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz delivered a sucker punch as he bundled over the line from Robinson’s cross in the 76th minute.

That set the stage for a dramatic finale as Jota levelled in the 86th minute with a cool finish past Bernd Leno from the edge of the area.

Arsenal failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s rare stumble as the Gunners were kept at bay on a frustrating afternoon at the Emirates Stadium.

Lack of firepower

The north Londoners have become a force from set-pieces, scoring 23 goals from corners since the start of last season.

But their lack of firepower outside of that route has been questioned this season and once again they were hampered by a failure to turn pressure and possession into goals.

After a second successive league draw, third-placed Arsenal remain six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand on last season’s runners-up.

Newcastle handed Ruud van Nistelrooy his first defeat as Leicester boss with a 4-0 rout at St James’ Park.

Former Manchester United striker Nistelrooy had taken four points from his first two games since replacing the sacked Steve Cooper.

But Newcastle ended that encouraging start as Jacob Murphy drilled a clinical finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area in the 30th minute.

Bruno Guimaraes nodded in Newcastle’s second goal in the 47th minute after Lewis Hall headed Anthony Gordon‘s free-kick toward the Brazilian.

Alexander Isak bagged the Magpies’ third two minutes later with a close-range finish and Murphy struck again on the hour to leave Leicester two points above the relegation zone.

Jack Taylor’s stoppage-time goal gave Ipswich a priceless 2-1 win over relegation rivals Wolves at Molineux.

Kieran McKenna’s team went ahead through Matt Doherty‘s 15th minute own goal after Wolves made a hash of clearing Liam Delap’s cross.

Just as Wolves fans were calling for chairman Jeff Shi and owners Fosun to sell the club, Matheus Cunha grabbed a 72nd minute equaliser as his shot beat Arijanet Muric’s weak attempted save.

But Taylor headed home from a 94th minute corner to seal Ipswich’s second league win since their promotion to the top tier.

Third-bottom Ipswich are just one point adrift of safety, while second-bottom Wolves are three points behind them after an 11th loss in 16 league games piled further pressure on boss Gary O’Neil.

Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa in a battle of top four contenders in Saturday’s late game.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he did not speak to Manchester City about replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before making his move to Old Trafford. As Amorim prepares for his first Manchester derby on Sunday, the 39-year-old’s link to City prior to his arrival at United has become a hot topic. United hired the highly-regarded Amorim from Sporting Lisbon in November after sacking Erik ten Hag. Amorim had been mentioned as a contender to take over from Guardiola after City announced Sporting’s director of football Hugo Viana would replace Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season.

Guardiola eventually ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract shortly after Amorim’s arrival in Manchester.

Asked if he ever had a conversation about the prospect of joining City, Amorim told reporters: “Never. Never had and this was my only option.

“When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility.

“With Manchester City or Hugo Viana? Nothing about that.”

Amorim’s side ended a run of two successive defeats with a 2-1 victory at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.

But United have won just three of Amorim’s six games in charge and are languishing in 13th place after recent losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job he faces.

Yet, for the first time in years, City go into the derby mired in more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.

‘We have a lot of issues’

Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City’s seventh loss in their last 10 matches, an astonishing decline for a club that has won the last four Premier League titles.

One of those losses was masterminded by Amorim, whose Sporting side enjoyed a 4-1 Champions League triumph over City.

“I never think about these things,” Amorim said of City’s woes. “We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here.

“I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I’m really focused on my team.”

Asked if United are facing a different, weaker City, he said: “No, no, no, no.

“The great teams can respond in any moment, and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments.”

City may be struggling but they still enter the weekend fourth in the Premier League, eight points better off than their neighbours.

“I just want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby like it should be, like two great teams fighting for the title. It is not that in this moment,” Amorim said.

“Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby, but I know it’s really important for our fans.

“But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game.”

Liverpool’s Premier League lead was cut to seven points by Arsenal and Chelsea after the Reds conceded a 90th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday. Chelsea thrashed 10-man Southampton 5-1 to go second on goal difference ahead of Arsenal, who beat Manchester United 2-0. Manchester City snapped their seven-game winless run by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 to go fourth. Mohamed Salah‘s second-half double was not enough to extend Liverpool’s seven-game winning run in all competitions as they failed to win for just the third time in 21 games under Arne Slot.

Twice the league leaders were forced to come from behind at St James’ Park as Alexander Isak blasted Newcastle into a 1-0 half-time lead.

Curtis Jones levelled before Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle’s lead.

Salah twice converted Trent Alexander-Arnold assists to turn the game around, taking his tally for the season to 15 goals.

However, there was a late sting in the tale as a rare error from Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher allowed Fabian Schar to squeeze in a late equaliser for the Magpies.

“He has done remarkably well for us and even today he was good. Unfortunately, he misjudged the situation,” Liverpool boss Slot said of Kelleher’s blunder.

Arsenal take advantage

Arsenal took full advantage by inflicting Ruben Amorim‘s first defeat as Manchester United boss.

Once again the Gunners were able to rely on their prowess from set-pieces to get the job done.

Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock, heading in Declan Rice‘s corner nine minutes into the second half.

William Saliba did not know much about the second, as he diverted in Thomas Partey‘s header from Bukayo Saka’s corner, but the Frenchman did not care as Arsenal had the breathing space they craved.

A fourth consecutive win in all competitions confirmed Arsenal’s return to form and applied a little pressure on Liverpool.

“A special day. It’s a joy to play in this stadium with that energy, it’s something incredible,” Arteta said.

“We scored two set-pieces, but we could’ve scored from open play many more.”

Amorim added: “The set-pieces killed the game. They can put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it’s almost impossible to fight for the ball. 

“We already know we have to be better.”

Chelsea put bottom-of-the-table Southampton to the sword at St Mary’s even before the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair.

Axel Disasi‘s early opener for the Blues was cancelled out by Joe Aribo.

But Christopher Nkunku pounced on sloppy Southampton passing from the back to make it 2-1 before Noni Madueke added a third.

Stephens then saw red in a bizarre incident as he jostled with Cucurella from a Saints corner.

Cole Palmer made sure he got in on the act with Chelsea’s fourth before Jadon Sancho‘s first goal since his loan move from Manchester United rounded off the scoring.

West Ham produced a clinical away performance to beat resurgent Newcastle 2-0 on Monday, easing the pressure on beleaguered manager Julen Lopetegui. Tomas Soucek headed the visitors in front against the run of play at St James’ Park and Aaron Wan-Bissaka grabbed a rare goal in the second half to double the Hammers’ lead. Newcastle were unable to capitalise on the chances they created, failing to build on the momentum created by recent wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle, who missed out on the chance to move into the top six.

Relief

It will be a huge relief for Lopetegui, whose future has been a matter of mounting speculation just months after he replaced David Moyes.

“We are happy, above all because we achieved the three points, which is one important thing, but above all because I think that we played well,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports.

“We are happy, but tomorrow we are working hard, looking forward to the next challenge (against Arsenal). To think about the long future doesn’t help, ever.”

The home side made the early running and in-form forward Alexander Isak had the ball in the net in the fifth minute after a delicate dink over Lukasz Fabianski, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

West Ham, expected to face a tough test on Newcastle’s home turf, showed little adventure in the opening stages.

But their first real foray up the pitch resulted in a corner and the unmarked Soucek powered home a header from Emerson Palmieri’s set-piece in the 10th minute.

Newcastle, on a three-match winning run in all competitions, enjoyed the bulk of the possession as a lively first half unfolded but West Ham were robust in defence and were a constant threat on the counter.

Anthony Gordon had a glorious chance to level after a poor clearance from Jean-Clair Todibo but fired straight at Fabianski.

Minutes later Isak chested down a superb cross from Bruno Guimaraes but steered narrowly wide on the stretch.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle were again on the front foot at the start of the second half but it was West Ham who doubled their lead through Wan-Bissaka.

The former Manchester United man scored his first goal for West Ham and just his third career goal after picking up Jarrod Bowen’s pass and firing across goalkeeper Nick Pope and into the net in the 53rd minute.

Howe brought on Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson in a bid to turn the tide but Newcastle failed to build up a head of steam against their determined opponents, who saw out the game with relative ease.

“The first 60 minutes, albeit we’re losing the game 2-0, I think there was a lot of good play from us, we did open them up and had chances to score,” said Howe.

“Unfortunately goals will always change the perception of everybody but up until that point I was pretty pleased. The last half an hour I didn’t like us at all. I thought we lost our way a little bit, became a bit too desperate to score.”

Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal’s title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League. Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon‘s pinpoint cross from the right. Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta‘s men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam.

If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield.

Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola’s City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big.

The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St James’ Park, with Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide.

But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon’s exquisite first-time cross.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker.

Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino’s shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side.

Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock’s shot saved by David Raya.

The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark.

Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide.

Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equaliser.

Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalise when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time.

The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week.

They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week.

The win lifts Eddie Howe’s Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday.

Manchester City felt the absence of star midfielder Rodri as the Premier League champions were held to a damaging 1-1 draw at Newcastle, while Cole Palmer scored four times in Chelsea’s 4-2 win against Brighton on Saturday. City’s second successive draw in the league was especially frustrating as Arsenal moved level on points with them with a last-gasp 4-2 win against Leicester a few hours later. Rodri has been ruled out for the rest of the season after surgery on a knee injury suffered in last weekend’s bruising 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal.

Josko Gvardiol put City in front at St James’ Park, but Newcastle were well worthy of the point given to them by Anthony Gordon‘s second-half penalty.

Guardiola described Rodri, who is unbeaten in his past 52 Premier League appearances stretching back to February 2023, as “irreplaceable”.

To fill the void left by the Spaniard, Rico Lewis was thrust into a central midfield role alongside Mateo Kovacic.

But City lacked the control and poise so often provided by Rodri on and off the ball.

“It is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep. We had chances but (Nick) Pope (the goalkeeper) was brilliant so we take the point,” said Guardiola.

“We made bad decisions (with the chances) to make it 2-0.”

At the Emirates Stadium, Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead in the 20th minute with his first goal this season, the Brazilian winger drilled a low finish inside the far post from Jurrien Timber’s cross.

Martinelli turned provider on the stroke of half-time, setting up Leandro Trossard to stroke in Arsenal’s second goal.

James Justin reduced the deficit with a deflected 47th-minute effort and stunned the Emirates Stadium into silence in the 63rd minute when his thunderous volley cannoned in off the woodwork.

But Mikel Arteta‘s men stole the points four minutes into stoppage-time when Trossard’s shot deflected off Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi for an own goal, with Kai Havertz netting moments later to confirm the victory.

Palmer runs riot

Palmer became the first player ever to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match with a stunning display at Stamford Bridge.

Former Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Robert Sanchez were guilty of mistakes when Georginio Rutter put the Seagulls ahead in the seventh minute.

Just moments after hitting the post and then having a goal disallowed, it was third time lucky for Palmer in the 21st minute.

Palmer equalised with a clinical finish after Nicolas Jackson seized on Adam Webster’s mistake to tee up his fellow forward.

When Jadon Sancho was tripped in the area by two Brighton defenders, there was never any doubt that penalty expert Palmer would step up to dispatch the 28th-minute spot-kick with ease.

Palmer completed his nine-minute-and-48-second treble in the 31st minute, curling a brilliant free-kick past Bart Verbruggen from 25 yards to make it five goals in six league games this term.

Carlos Baleba pulled one back in the 34th minute, but Palmer’s incredible afternoon wasn’t over and, in the 41st minute, the England star converted Sancho’s pass with an emphatic strike.

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek rescued a 1-1 draw at Brentford, who made Premier League history thanks to Bryan Mbeumo’s quick-fire opener.

Under-fire Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui saw his side fall behind after just 37 seconds as Mbeumo’s superb volley made Brentford the first Premier League team to score in the first minute in three consecutive games.

But Soucek swept in West Ham’s 54th-minute equaliser to avoid a fourth defeat in their last five games in all competitions.

Dwight McNeil struck twice in the second half as Everton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to end their winless start to the league season, just days after the Goodison Park takeover by a group led by American billionaire Dan Friedkin.

Raul Jimenez‘s 51st-minute penalty gave Fulham a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest.

Liverpool will go top of the table if they win at Wolves in Saturday’s late game.

Chelsea suffered fresh frustration after blowing the lead in a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, while Newcastle beat Tottenham 2-1 on Sunday. Enzo Maresca‘s Chelsea have won only once in the first three league games of the Italian’s reign after a chaotic close-season. Beaten by Manchester City on the opening weekend, Chelsea powered to a 6-2 win at Wolves last weekend before scraping into the UEFA Conference League group stage after a 2-1 loss at Servette on Thursday. Former Leicester boss Maresca insists his expensive Chelsea rebuild, featuring a host of new signings, is ahead of schedule despite their inconsistent start.

Jadon Sancho‘s loan move from Manchester United was the final piece in Chelsea’s overhaul since last term and the winger was introduced to the crowd before taking his seat in the director’s box next to Blues co-owner Behdad Eghbali.

But Sancho can’t have been impressed by his new team as they failed to kill off Palace after Noni Madueke picked out Cole Palmer and his pass was slotted home by Nicolas Jackson in the 25th minute.

Isak fires Newcastle

Maresca was furious after Palace midfielder Will Hughes avoided a second yellow card for a foul on Palmer.

Looking for their first point this season after defeats against Brentford and West Ham, Palace made the most of that escape to drew level in the 53rd minute.

England midfielder Eberechi Eze unfurled a superb curling finish that flashed past Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez from 20 yards.

Eze’s eye-catching goal and a late close-range miss by Jackson ended Chelsea’s run of 14 successive wins against Palace in all competitions.

At St James’ Park, Wilson Odobert, Pape Sarr and Pedro Porro all wasted good chances for Tottenham in the early stages.

Newcastle took the lead in spectacular fashion in the 37th minute when Lloyd Kelly pulled the ball back to Harvey Barnes, who unleashed a sublime volley into the far corner from 10 yards.

Tottenham equalised in the 56th minute as Newcastle defender Dan Burn accidently diverted the ball into his own net while trying to clear after Brennan Johnson’s cross eluded Nick Pope, who had weakly parried James Maddison‘s shot in the build-up to the goal.

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali came on for his first Premier League appearance in over 10 months after his ban for breaching betting rules.

The Magpies went back in front in the 78th minute when Jacob Murphy ran onto Joelinton’s defence-splitting pass and laid on a tap-in for Alexander Isak.

Unbeaten Newcastle’s second win in three league games condemned Tottenham to a first defeat this term, with the north London derby against Arsenal next up after the international break.

Liverpool travel to Old Trafford in Sunday’s late game as Reds boss Arne Slot gets his first taste of the bitter rivalry with United.

Hired from Feyenoord to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the close-season, Slot has overseen 2-0 wins against Ipswich and Brentford in his first two games.

Slot’s fellow Dutchman Erik ten Hag is already under pressure at United after their 2-1 defeat at Brighton last weekend.

After the first two matchdays, expected Premier League title challengers Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool all have a perfect 100% record, along with the ever-exciting Brighton. New Liverpool boss Arne Slot has made a perfect start to the daunting task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp with two wins from his opening two Premier League games without conceding. Now, Slot faces his first major test with a trip to Manchester United, while Newcastle and Tottenham also face off on Sunday hoping to dispel early season doubts over their credentials for a top-four finish. We look at the best of this weekend’s action in the Premier League:

Dutch duel at Old Trafford

His first chance to seriously impress the Liverpool support comes at one of Klopp’s least favourite grounds as English football’s two most successful clubs face off at Old Trafford.

Despite Liverpool largely enjoying the superior league position during Klopp’s near nine-year reign, he won just two of his 11 away games to United.

That run included a 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final exit and 2-2 Premier League draw last season that precipitated a Liverpool collapse in his final few months in charge.

Yet the pressure is arguably even more on the Dutch manager in the other dugout.

Erik ten Hag was backed by those at the top of United’s new sporting structure at the end of last season despite finishing eighth – the club’s worst ever Premier League performance.

Hope of a new dawn for the Red Devils has been diminished in the opening weeks of the new campaign.

Joshua Zirkzee’s late winner on his debut at least ensured a winning start against Fulham, but a 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend had many of the same hallmarks that have seen United struggle previously under Ten Hag.

Another damaging defeat at home to fierce rivals will put the former Ajax boss’ future back on the agenda just three games into the new season.

Spurs’ Newcastle nightmares

Tottenham’s last two trips to St James’ Park have resulted in 6-1 and 4-0 thrashings by the Magpies.

Both sides have four points from their opening two games but have a point to prove to further their ambitions of returning to the Champions League next season.

Newcastle battled past newly-promoted Southampton 1-0 with 10 men on the opening weekend but were lucky to emerge with a point from a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.

Eddie Howe’s men also needed penalties to get past Nottingham Forest in the League Cup in midweek and there is frustration on Tyneside at their inability to strengthen in the transfer market.

Newcastle have the financial might of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund behind them but have been restricted by the need to meet profit and sustainability rules.

Tottenham cruised past Everton 4-0 last weekend but a 1-1 draw at Leicester exposed familiar vulnerabilities for Ange Postecoglou’s men on the road as a combination of missed chances and careless defending cost them all three points.

Big-spending Brighton to trouble Arsenal?

Two of the four sides still with a perfect record meet at the Emirates as Arsenal host Brighton.

The Seagulls have become accustomed to having their best talents picked off by richer rivals in recent years but this time it is Brighton who have been one of the biggest spenders in the division.

New boss Fabian Hurzeler has been backed with a near £200 million ($264 million) spending spree on eight new signings.

That investment has been met with an immediate reward in wins over Everton and United, but 31-year-old Hurzeler is aware of the step up in class his side face on Saturday.

“They’re one of the best teams in the world at the moment,” said the youngest manager in Premier League history.

“They don’t have a lot of weaknesses, they have quality and solutions for all phases.

“We’re going to need a really good day. We’ll need individual performances, a great togetherness. We go there to win because my squad has the potential.”