Premier League round-up: Arsenal, Man City and Brighton share top spot as they maintain 100% form

Arsenal kept pace with Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory away to Aston Villa.

A lethal finish from Leandro Trossard, moments after he was introduced as a second-half sub, and a second from Thomas Partey settled the tie.

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick as City recovered from a 1-0 deficit - courtesy of Ireland’s Sammy Szmodics - to run out comfortable 4-1 victors over Ipswich Town at Eastlands.

And Brighton continued their promising start to the season as goals from Danny Welbeck, against his former club, and Joao Pedro saw them to a 2-1 win over Manchester United.

It was a blunder from Argentinian World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, against the club that let him leave four years ago, that saw him push Partey’s long-range effort into the net.

Belgian playmaker Trossard had put Mikel Arteta’s side in charge just past the hour after England winger Bukayo Sako had done brilliantly to keep the ball in and cut it back in his path.

It was a withering blow for a Villa side who had the best chances throughout, with England forward Ollie Watkins uncharacteristically passing up two golden chances.

The striker shanked wide what appeared a near-certain goal in the first half after Leon Bailey picked Gabriel’s pocket and Morgan Rogers squared for Watkins.

And a fantastic reflex save from David Raya denied Watkins after the break after Amadou Onana’s shot had been deflected onto the bar.

Ezri Konza also guided a side-footed effort millimetres wide as the Villains were made to pay for their profligacy in the closing stages.

Man City scored three goals in four minutes as they overcame an early set-back to ease past Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich in the latter’s first away game back at the top level.

Szmodics timed his run perfectly to latch onto a well-weighted through-ball before calmly slotting the ball through Ederson’s legs, the ball trickling agonisingly into the net.

City asserted their authority quickly, Haaland netting from the spot and Kevin de Bruyne slotting into an empty net following Arijanet Muric making an ill-judged decision to race from his box.

Haaland nodded the ball around Muric before finishing expertly moments later before he added a third with a well-struck daisy-cutter late on to take home the match ball.

Brighton were Erik ten Hag’s nemesis once more at the AMEX as Fabian Hürzeler continued his 100% record as boss since replacing Roberto De Zerbi in the summer.

Welbeck slid home Kaoru Mitoma’s cross on the half hour as he came back to haunt his hometown club once more - his fifth goal against the Red Devils since leaving in 2014.

Amad Diallo levelled against the run of play in the second half and new signing Joshua Zirkzee had a goal ruled out for offside before Pedro headed home deep in injury time.

Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur made short work of Everton at White Hart Lane with a Son Heung-min brace and goals from Yves Bissouma and Cristian Romero securing a 4-0 win.

Nottingham Forest edged out Southampton, for whom Will Smallbone started, thanks to a second-half Morgan Gibbs-White strike.

Fulham ran out 2-1 winners over Leicester City thanks to goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi either side of Wout Faes’ first-half leveller.

And West Ham United enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win away to London rivals Crystal Palace with goals from Tomáš Souček and Jarrad Bowen.

Ireland and West Ham winger Jess Ziu faces long injury lay-off after second ACL tear - https://t.co/94rjArr8tjhttps://t.co/LfH2znlw4o

— extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) August 24, 2024