Arsenal Stay Perfect, Rivals Slip
Arsenal made it four Premier League wins from four on Saturday, beating Sunderland 2-0 at the Stadium of Light, while Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham all dropped points at home and left a gap opening at the top.
David Raya saved an Enzo Le Fée penalty before Bruno Guimarães, just over two minutes later, scored his first Arsenal goal from long range into the top corner. Bukayo Saka converted a penalty with the last kick to make it 2-0. The result put Mikel Arteta’s side three points clear of Manchester City, who can draw level if they win the derby at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Newly promoted Hull City remain unbeaten and third after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead after seven minutes at the near post. Mohamed Belloumi then scored twice before half-time. João Pedro levelled after the hour from a Cole Palmer cross. In five matches against top-flight sides since Xabi Alonso took over, Chelsea have scored 16 and conceded 12. “I hope one day you’ll say it was a boring game and we win,” Alonso said. Hull had kept three clean sheets before Saturday; they were the last Premier League side to concede this season.
Liverpool were booed off after a 0-0 draw with Fulham at Anfield, still unbeaten under Andoni Iraola but now six points behind Arsenal in sixth. A front line of Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak – each a £100 million signing, did not break down a side that had leaked goals. Iraola blamed a lack of freshness after Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Atlético Madrid. “When you draw, especially at home, you can’t be happy,” he said.
Tottenham, after a reported £300 million ($405 million) outlay, drew 0-0 with Everton and are still without a league goal. They sit just above the bottom three. Aston Villa are in it after Nottingham Forest won late. Liam Delap, a club-record £45 million arrival from Chelsea, opened with a long-range strike. Alysson scored Villa’s first league goal of the season; Igor Jesus got the winner and Oliver Glasner his first victory as Forest head coach, revenge of a kind for last season’s Europa League semi-final.
Crystal Palace lost 3-2 at home to Ipswich after Axel Disasi was sent off in the first half. Zian Flemming’s first goal for the visitors arrived in stoppage time. Brentford stayed unbeaten: Kevin Schade scored twice in a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
Four games in, Arsenal have the only perfect record among the usual title group. City have Sunday to close the gap while Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham will have ground to make up.
