Crystal Palace beat Manchester United for the first time in English Premier League history, and Liverpool retains their 100% start to the season with a comfortable win over Arsenal.
Manchester United 1 v 2 Crystal Palace
As was the case on Monday night, Manchester United had the chance to go top of the English Premier League (EPL) – albeit briefly – if they could beat Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. As was the case on Monday night, they blew it.
Palace arrived at Old Trafford winless and goalless from their first two outings and had never won an EPL game against United in 21-matches. But they dug in, frustrated their classier opponents, and found the same fissures at the back that Chelsea found on the opening night.
United dominated the possession but failed to register a shot on target until the 58th minute, by which time, Palace had scored an unlikely opener. 32-minutes had passed when Vicente Guaita pumped a long ball forward. Jeffrey Schlupp climbed higher than Victor Lindelof, and Jordan Ayew lost Harry Maguire to get on the end of the flick and score Palace’s first goal of the season.
United had enjoyed 80% of the ball up until that point, but it was Palace who came closest to scoring again when David De Gea blocked a close-range effort from the former United misfit Wilfried Zaha.
The plot of the second half was the same as the first with United running into the defensive dam of Palace. Then, a crack. Scott McTominey burst into the box, and Luka Milivojević tripped him, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot.
After Paul Pogba’s penalty debacle at Wolves, Marcus Rashford stepped up to convert, but the result was the same as Rashford smashed the inside of the post, and the ball rebounded out for a throw-in.
United thought they had snatched a point when new boy Daniel James chipped the ball into the top corner in the 89th-minute for his second goal in successive games, but Palace stole the win with the last kick of the game.
Zaha burst into the box, and in the resulting melee, the ball broke to Patrick van Aanholt, and the Dutch full-back fired towards the near post, and De Gea allowed it to squirm underneath his wiry frame to give Roy Hodgson’s men their first three points of the season.
United’s performances have been better this season, but break apart, they have only won once in their past nine matches, and have only kept one clean sheet in 18 games. It’s little wonder the bookies make them a 50/1 shot for the league title.
Liverpool 3 v 1 Arsenal
Liverpool maintained their 100% win rate with a comfortable 3-1 win over Arsenal. It’s now two-years and 124 days since an EPL side has won at Anfield.
Arsenal began like a spider catching the glint of a webbed fly. Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang could have opened the scoring in the 11th-minute, lobbing the ball inches over the crossbar, after picking up a hurried clearance from Adrián. Then Nicolas Pépé showed the promise that prompted Unai Emery to spend a club-record €79m on the man when he sprinted away from the Liverpool defence, only to fluff his lines with only Adrián to beat.
Pépé’s chance seemed to wake Liverpool from their slumber, and their unique brand of suffocating football sprung into life. Liverpool took control, and a reward arrived when Joël Matip climbed highest to head home a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.
Arsenal had previously earned one point in their last seven games when going behind against Big Six opposition, and it looked unlikely that stat would change after Liverpool went 2-0 ahead shortly after the break.
Mohamed Salah turned David Luiz in the box, and the former Chelsea defender lazily tugged at his shirt leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot. Salah put the ball on the circle of lime before smashing it home.
Salah could have made it two when he headed an Andy Robertson cross over the bar from close range. Then the Egyptian made amends minutes later after skinning Luiz down the right flank before motoring into the area and finishing with aplomb.
Arsenal scored a late consolation goal through Lucas Torreira.
Results in full
Brighton 0 v 2 Southampton
Man Utd 1 v 2 Crystal Palace
Watford 1 v 3 West Ham
Sheff Utd 1 v 2 Leicester City
Liverpool 3 v 1 Arsenal
To be played (Sun)
Bournemouth v Man City
Spurs v Newcastle
Wolves v Burnley
Premier League table
1. Liverpool – 9 pts
2. Arsenal – 6
3. Leicester – 5
4. Man City – 4
5. Man Utd – 4
6. Spurs – 4
7. Brighton – 4
8. Bournemouth – 4
9. Sheff Utd – 4
10. Crystal Palace – 4
11. Everton – 4
12. Chelsea – 4
13. West Ham – 4
14. Burnley – 3
15. Aston Villa – 3
16. Norwich – 3
17. Southampton – 3
18. Wolves – 2
19. Newcastle – 0
20. Watford – 0
Odds
To win
Man City 1/2
Liverpool 9/4
Spurs 20/1
Man Utd 50/1
Arsenal 50/1
Chelsea 50/1
Relegation
Newcastle 10/11
Sheff Utd – Evens
Norwich 13/8
Burnley 9/4
Aston Villa 5/2
Crystal Palace 7/2
Watford 13/5
Brighton 11/4
Golden boot
Harry Kane 7/2 (2 goals)
Mohamed Salah 9/2 (3 goals)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 6/1 (2 goals)
Raheem Sterling 6/1 (4 goals)
Sergio Aguero 8/1 (2 goals)
First manager to leave
Javia Gracia 13/8
Steve Bruce 5/1
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer 7/1
