Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, avoiding a third successive defeat. Liverpool also secured a 2-0 win against Everton in the Merseyside derby. Newcastle United climbed into the top five with a dominating 4-0 win over Crystal Palace, while Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers also achieved victories. However, the return of Premier League action was overshadowed by the sad news of the death of former England and Manchester United great Bobby Charlton at the age of 86. United is set to face Sheffield United later on Saturday.
In their match against Brighton, Manchester City began strongly and took the lead in the seventh minute when Julian Alvarez scored from a pass by Jeremy Doku. Erling Haaland, who had not scored for City in almost a month, capitalized on Brighton’s sloppy play to score in the 19th minute. Despite Ansu Fati’s goal for Brighton in the 73rd minute, City held on to secure their 21st consecutive home win, even with defender Manuel Akanji being sent off in stoppage time.
Liverpool benefited from Everton’s Ashley Young being sent off in the first half of their match, eventually winning 2-0. Mohamed Salah scored both goals, with the first being a penalty following a handball by Michael Keane. Salah’s second goal came in stoppage time thanks to a perfectly timed pass from substitute Darwin Nunez.
Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy had a standout performance, scoring a goal and providing two assists in a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Newcastle’s victory moved them up to 16 points in the table. Wolves also secured a late 2-1 win against Bournemouth, managed by their former boss Gary O’Neil.
Burnley suffered a 3-0 defeat against Brentford, keeping them stuck in the relegation zone. However, fellow promoted side Luton Town showed fight and secured a dramatic late 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. Chris Wood scored twice for Forest, but goals from Chiedozie Ogbene and Elijah Adebayo salvaged a point for Luton Town.
Salah’s performance for Liverpool highlighted his consistency, as he has either scored or assisted in each of his last 13 Premier League appearances at Anfield. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised Salah for his consistency, stating that big players step up when needed. Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy also displayed his skills, scoring a goal and creating opportunities for his teammates.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
