ESPN FC - Arsenal fly high once again
Mar 20Premier League Matchday 8: Highlights & match reports
Liverpool, Tottenham and Man City all picked up important wins during another fascinating weekend of Premier League football.
The Premier League returns after the international break with a handful of hugely-important clashes even at this early stage of the season.
Read on, or jump to a specific match, for all you need to know about Matchday 8 including match previews, live streams and broadcast information.
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Saturday 16 October
Sunday 17 October
Monday 18 October
Saturday 16 October
Watford 0-5 Liverpool
Roberto Firmino struck a hat-trick and Mohamed Salah scored for the eighth consecutive game as Liverpool delivered a masterclass in a 5-0 demolition of Watford on Claudio Ranieri’s Premier League return.
Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated from the outset to extend their unbeaten league run to 18 games, with Sadio Mane opening the scoring with his 100th Premier League goal.
Firmino doubled Liverpool’s lead just before half-time with a tap-in before adding his second from close range seven minutes after the break, capitalising on a parry from goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Salah provided Liverpool’s fourth with another moment of individual brilliance in the box before curling the ball in to the far corner and Firmino completed his treble in added time.
It was not the welcome return to the Premier League that former Chelsea and Leicester boss Ranieri would have hoped for, after replacing the sacked Xisco Munoz, with the full scale of Watford’s bid to stay in the top flight evident.
Aston Villa 2-3 Wolves
Wolves claimed an astonishing derby win at Aston Villa after three goals in the final 10 minutes capped a stunning comeback.
Ruben Neves’ deflected free-kick snatched a 3-2 victory in injury time to settle a remarkable game which saw the visitors hit back from 2-0 down.
Romain Saiss and Conor Coady levelled for Bruno Lage’s side after Danny Ings and John McGinn had put Villa in control.
But the hosts imploded after Saiss pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left and could not cope as Wolves earned their fourth win in five games.
Leicester 4-2 Man Utd
Leicester brought Manchester United’s record away run to a crashing end as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men collapsed during a chaotic end to a thrilling clash.
Both sides were looking to return from the international break with a bang after recent struggles, with the visitors higher in the Premier League but under more intense scrutiny.
That focus will only increase after Leicester won 4-2 at a rocking King Power Stadium, where Jamie Vardy and substitute Patson Daka scored late to condemn United to a first away league defeat since January 2020.
Man City 2-0 Burnley
Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne were on target as champions Manchester City claimed a battling 2-0 Premier League win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium.
City were not at their fluid best and made some uncharacteristic errors but the Clarets, despite a committed effort, were not capable of punishing them.
Silva put them on course for victory in the 12th minute and De Bruyne made sure of the victory in the second half.
Norwich 0-0 Brighton
Norwich’s wait for a first Premier League win of the season continued as they were left to rue missed chances during a goalless draw with Brighton.
Josh Sargent and Teemu Pukki were guilty of poor misses at Carrow Road, but Daniel Farke’s men did at least earn a second point of the campaign with another clean sheet to make it two games without defeat, having lost their first six matches back in the top flight.
Southampton 1-0 Leeds
Armando Broja struck his maiden Premier League goal as Southampton picked up an overdue first win of the season by deservedly beating Leeds 1-0 at St Mary’s.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl expressed doubt ahead of kick-off about whether Chelsea loanee Broja was ready to start top-flight games.
But the Slough-born Albania striker responded in emphatic fashion, capping a scintillating display by powerfully finishing a flowing breakaway goal in the 53rd minute.
Brentford 0-1 Chelsea
Edouard Mendy’s stunning string of saves ensured Chelsea climbed back to the top of the Premier League with Ben Chilwell’s strike sealing a nervy 1-0 win at luckless Brentford.
England full-back Chilwell’s second league goal in as many games pushed Chelsea back ahead of Liverpool in the standings – but Senegal stopper Mendy’s inspired showing secured the points.
Bryan Mbeumo twice hit the post for Thomas Frank’s ever-impressive Bees, before Mendy conjured at least four last-ditch saves.
Sunday 17 October
Everton 0-1 West Ham
West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna’s header ended Everton manager Rafael Benitez’s 100 per cent home record as David Moyes got the better of his old Merseyside adversary in a 1-0 Premier League victory at Goodison Park.
The pair had previously met 15 times – 12 of those as managers on opposing sides of Stanley Park with the Spaniard then Liverpool boss – and Moyes had won just twice.
So this was a satisfying return to his old stomping ground for the Scot with Ogbonna’s 74th-minute goal denying Benitez the chance to record Everton’s best start to a season since 1978-79.
Newcastle 2-3 Tottenham
Newcastle’s new owners were left with little doubt as to the task ahead of them as they watched a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham in a game delayed for 20 minutes by a medical emergency in the crowd.
In many ways, the result on a long-anticipated day was rendered largely irrelevant after players and fans looked on anxiously as medical crews battled to save the life of a spectator in the East Stand at St James’ Park during an eventful first half on the pitch.
With non-executive chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan looking on, Callum Wilson got Steve Bruce’s 1,000th game as a manager off to the perfect start, but goals from Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane – his first in the Premier League this season – and Son Heung-min put the visitors in complete control by the time the break arrived.
Bruce’s hopes of hanging on to his job look forlorn – Newcastle have failed to win any of their opening eight league games and remain in 19th place in the table – and top-flight survival, as it was for much of the Mike Ashley era, has to be the sole aim for the immediate future.
Monday 18 October
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: NOW via BT TV, 8pm KO
The Premier League weekend concludes with a London derby between Arsenal and Crystal Palace on Monday night.
The Gunners recovered from a disastrous start to the season with three successive wins, but were arguably fortunate to come away from their last match against Brighton with a point.
They are still in the bottom half of the table and will be looking to kick on after the international break starting with a win over an improving Palace outfit.
Arsenal fans will be reunited with club legend Patrick Vieira, who has made an encouraging start to his tenure as Crystal Palace manager.
Vieira made 279 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, with only five players making more for the club in the competition.
His side are 14th in the table with one win but there are clear signs the former New York City and Nice manager is overhauling the club’s conservative style of play after the departure of longstanding boss Roy Hodgson.
England U21 international Conor Gallagher has impressed in the heart of their midfield and Wilfried Zaha has shown signs that he is coming back to his best.
They were denied victory at the death against Brighton but have earned creditable draws against West Ham and Leicester in recent weeks.
Arsenal have won their last seven league home games played on a Monday, scoring 15 goals and conceding just twice. Can they extend that run or will Vieira come back to haunt them?
