Liverpool extended their lead to five points at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory at home over Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Manchester City suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, losing 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion, who mounted a comeback on Saturday.
Arne Slot’s team secured their ninth win out of the first 11 league matches, with goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah showcasing their lethal counter-attacking prowess.
City went ahead with Erling Haaland netting his 12th league goal of the season, but late strikes from Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley left Pep Guardiola’s team with much to reflect on during the international break.
Liverpool approach the international pause with 28 points from 11 matches, while City have accumulated 23. Brighton & Hove Albion hold the fourth position with 19 points. Third-placed Nottingham Forest could increase their tally to 22 points if victorious against Newcastle United on Sunday.
Dutch manager Slot has enjoyed an impressive beginning at Liverpool, achieving 15 wins in his first 17 matches since succeeding the esteemed Juergen Klopp. His approach is more pragmatic than Klopp’s yet equally captivating at times, as demonstrated on Saturday.
Nunez initiated the scoring 20 minutes into the match when Liverpool launched a rapid counter-attack following an Aston Villa corner. After Mohamed Salah was knocked over by Leon Bailey, Nunez seized the opportunity, skillfully circling Emiliano Martinez and firing a shot into the net from a tight angle. Villa, experiencing a challenging phase in their season, were denied an equaliser thanks to some outstanding saves by Caoimhin Kelleher. However, they were dealt a blow late on when another swift counter from Liverpool’s end saw Salah break free and score with style.
“In general, we controlled the game and scored from two counter-attacks, which perhaps wasn’t anticipated,” commented Slot. “Margins are thin; we have one, but it’s small. Many challenges await us.”
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva remarked after the 4-1 defeat to Sporting in the Champions League midweek that the team felt they were in a difficult situation. Despite Haaland’s early goal against Brighton, their troubles worsened as they lost control of the game, with Joao Pedro and O’Riley ensuring a memorable night for the Seagulls.
“I intend to use these ten days for reflection. Our aim is to clear our minds and ensure players return in top condition,” stated Guardiola, who experienced a similar streak of defeats at Bayern Munich in 2015, which included three consecutive losses and a penalty shoot-out exit in the German Cup. “We’re trying to assess our performance—four consecutive losses. The key issue is how we are playing. At times, our level is excellent, but we struggle to maintain it.” This marks the first instance in 18 years that City have suffered four consecutive defeats across all competitions.
Fulham rose to seventh place after securing a 2-0 victory against their London rivals, Crystal Palace, with goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson. The home side was reduced to ten men following Daichi Kamada’s red card for a dangerous challenge. Brentford overcame Bournemouth 3-2, coming from behind twice, driven by Yoane Wissa’s two goals. Wolverhampton Wanderers finally celebrated a win after a difficult season start, defeating fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 to move off the bottom of the table.
Pablo Sarabia netted a goal just two minutes into the game—marking Wolves’ quickest goal in a Premier League fixture—while Matheus Cunha secured the victory, much to the satisfaction of manager Gary O’Neil. This win elevated Wolves to 18th position with six points, leaving Southampton at the bottom with four. Ipswich Town, now the sole team in the Premier League yet to secure a win, have five points as they prepare for their match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Meanwhile, West Ham United and Everton ended in a goalless draw at the London Stadium.
