With vigor and madness, Arsenal won Sunday’s meeting against Manchester United (3-1) thanks to an eventful end to the game, with two goals in stoppage time, enough to remain at the wheel of the peloton and Liverpool, impressive against Aston Villa (3 -0).
The Gunners were on the verge of a second straight draw at home in the league, a week after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Fulham at the Emirates despite being shorthanded.
But his expensive recruit Declan Rice, who arrived from West Ham this summer for €122 million (according to press estimates), sent in a fierce shot that André Onana failed to catch in the 96th minute.
And Gabriel Jesus, returning from injury, got off to the perfect start, scoring to make it 3-1 in the 101st minute, prompting a roar from all the devils in the Emirates who were bursting under the English sun were filled.
The Gunners were very keen on a Mancunian double chance, were denied by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and then by French defender William Saliba (54th) and then completely cold when referee Anthony Taylor canceled a penalty first awarded to Kai Havertz (60th).
Their fans also shuddered when Alejandro Garnacho scored in the 90th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Arsenal are in fifth place with 10 points, as are West Ham, Liverpool and Tottenham, who are ahead of them on goal difference. Manchester City are at the top with 12 units after their perfect Premier League debut.
Liverpool is sending a message
On Sunday, Liverpool beat Aston Villa 3-0 and sent a message to the competition a week after the incredible 10-11 win in Newcastle (2-1).
The Reds have rebuilt their midfield from A to Z, withstood the Saudi attack on their star striker Salah and apparently digested these summer shocks well.
“It was a great game, the best in a long time,” said Jürgen Klopp. I don’t know when we were so convincing.”
The success against Aston Villa, with an iron defense and a fiery attack in the last four games (15 goals scored and just one conceded), was achieved with comforting mastery.
The Reds silenced the attack led by Moussa Diaby, inflicted a seventh defeat in 28 Premier League games on Unai Emery’s version of the Villains and deceived Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez three times.
Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai (3rd), signed this summer, opened the scoring, Matty Cash scored against his camp (22nd) and Salah (55th) set off the final fireworks, two days after the end of the transfer window in England.
“I never had any doubts about his commitment to this club,” assured Klopp after the Egyptian’s 188th goal in the red jersey. However, according to the press, Liverpool this week rejected a transfer offer from al-Ittihad worth around €175 million, which would have made the striker one of the highest-paid in the world.
On Sunday, Crystal Palace also managed a nice blow against Wolverhampton (3-2), which saw the London team move up to seventh place.
Thanks to their French striker Odsonne Edouard (56th, 84th), who was dismissed after his brace to the cheers of Selhurst Park, the Eagles move to the top of the table. The offensive midfielder Eberechi Eze (78th) was also part of the game.