Man City hit six, Man Utd stop rot, Arsenal left fuming at first defeat
Manchester City roared back to the top of the Premier League with a 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth after Manchester United steadied the ship with a last-gasp win at Fulham on Saturday.
Third-placed Arsenal's unbeaten start came to a bitter end though as they went down to a controversial 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United which led to a furious outburst by manager Mikel Arteta.
Young Belgian winger Jeremy Doku was outstanding for champions City, opening the scoring and creating two more goals as struggling Bournemouth were hammered at The Etihad.
Jeremy Doku shines bright ๐
โ SuperSport Football โฝ๏ธ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2023
The Belgian makes history with four assists in a single match, he becomes the first player to achieve this feat in the #PL since August 2021 ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/OKFW316PR5
Pep Guardiola's team have 27 points after 11 matches, one more than Tottenham Hotspur who host Chelsea on Monday. Arsenal have 24 points with Liverpool on 23.
Newcastle are sixth with 20 points.
At the bottom, Sheffield United earned their first win since being promoted as they edged Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 with a last-gasp penalty but Burnley suffered a sixth successive home defeat when they went down 2-0 to Crystal Palace.
Doku's goal in the 30th minute opened the floodgates for Guardiola's treble winners who scored three goals in seven minutes to all but put the game away.
He then assisted on two more goals while Bernardo Silva fired a brace for the rampant hosts.
My guy @JeremyDoku ๐ฅ
โ Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) November 4, 2023
Some display at the Etihad ๐ pic.twitter.com/thMhrm1aXA
"What surprised me the most is how clever he is when he has to take a decision, it's really good," Guardiola said of Doku.
"I don't want to change how he is, every game he has played he has played well especially here at home."
Arsenal had the chance to join City at the top but a bruising battle at St James' Park was settled by an Anthony Gordon goal that stood despite a lengthy VAR review.
VAR checked whether the ball had gone out of play in the build-up, whether there was a foul and for offside, but Newcastle could eventually celebrate.
Anthony Gordon strikes ๐
โ SuperSport Football โฝ๏ธ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2023
It's game on at St James' Park as the Magpies seize the lead, Gordon pounces from close range โฝ
๐ฑ Stream #PL live: https://t.co/TesYUfo62x pic.twitter.com/UUP62SvNZB
"It's embarrassing what happened, how this goal stands. In the Premier League โ this league that we say is the best in the world. I've been 20 years in this country and now I feel ashamed. It's a disgrace," a fuming Arteta said.
Dive into the analysis with Dermot Gallagher ๐จ
โ SuperSport Football โฝ๏ธ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2023
Gallagher dissects the crucial talking points. Was the ball out before the Anthony Gordon goal? Was there a potential foul on Gabriel by Joelinton ๐ #PL #NEWARS pic.twitter.com/AfIQxKI2aX
United have suffered their worst start to a season since 1962 with eight defeats from 15 matches in all competitions leaving manager Erik Ten Hag under intense pressure.
His side were lacklustre at times against Fulham in the day's early kickoff and needed some fine goalkeeping by Andre Onana to keep on level terms in the second half.
But with 90 minutes on the clock captain Bruno Fernandes fired a winner that sparked huge celebrations among the visiting players and fans at Craven Cottage.
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฆ 0๏ธโฃ-1๏ธโฃ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐
โ SuperSport Football โฝ๏ธ (@SSFootball) November 4, 2023
Bruno Fernandes with the dramatic late winner at Craven Cottage to clinch three crucial points for Man United โ ๐ช pic.twitter.com/N2wITzFnBm
GOOD FEELING
"It's a good feeling of course. If you win it always is. But the performance was good. It's a massive win and a solid performance," Dutchman Ten Hag said.
Eighth-placed United have 18 points from 11 games.
Sheffield United have endured a torrid start to life back in the top flight but claimed a morale-boosting victory thanks to an Oliver Norwood penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time.
The Blades had gone ahead in the 72nd minute when Cameron Archer sprinted to the edge of the area and unleashed a shot that went in off the bar but Jean-Ricner Bellegarde equalised for the visitors a minute before the end of normal time.
Cameron. Archer. ๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/nZq0lFE2ib
โ Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) November 4, 2023
A late own goal by Everton's Ashley Young rescued a point for Brighton & Hove Albion in their 1-1 draw at Goodison Park after a rare Vitaliy Mykolenko strike had put the home side ahead early in the contest.
Level again thanks to this man! ๐ฏ๐ต pic.twitter.com/M51MlwBAXc
โ Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) November 4, 2023
Burnley's home woes continued as they lost to Palace, with Jeffrey Schlupp and Tyrick Mitchell on target. Vincent Kompany's strugglers are level on four points with bottom side Sheffield United. Luton Town, who host Liverpool on Sunday, have five.
West Ham United suffered a third successive league defeat as they went down 3-2 at Brentford who have won three on the bounce to move into the top half of the table.
West Ham led 2-1 with a Mohammed Kudus scissor kick and tap-in by Jarrod Bowen after Neal Maupay gave the hosts the lead. But a Konstantinos Mavropanos own goal after halftime and Nathan Collins's header in the 69th secured the points for Brentford.
The match winner's smile ๐ pic.twitter.com/cMziz02HwN
โ Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) November 4, 2023
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