Arsenal secured their first Premier League win under new manager Unai Emery on Saturday, as they beat West Ham United 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool moved to the top of the table after beating Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 on Saturday. Mohamed Salah was on target for the Reds, who made it three wins from their first three games.
Champions Manchester City previously held top spot, but they endured a frustrating 1-1 draw with a determined Wolverhampton Wanderers side.
Leicester City were the only other winners in the Premier League on Saturday. The Foxes saw off Southampton 2-1 thanks to a late Harry Maguire goal.
Saturday’s Results
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Manchester City
Arsenal 3-1 West Ham United
Bournemouth 2-2 Everton
Huddersfield Town 0-0 Cardiff City
Southampton 1-2 Leicester City
Liverpool 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Saturday Recap
Manchester City dropped points for the first time this season in an entertaining game against Wolves at Molineux.
The champions looked shaky defensively thoughout the match, with captain Vincent Kompany enduring a tough afternoon alongside Aymeric Laporte.
Wolves thought they had gone ahead when Raul Jimenez smartly finished off a counter-attack at the far post, only to see it ruled out for offside.
The visitors also had chances. Raheem Sterling’s half-volley was tipped onto the crossbar brilliantly by goalkeeper Rui Patricio, and Sergio Aguero struck the post with a low shot.
Wolves were better after half-time and capitalised on some poor defending to take the lead. Joao Moutinho was given too much space to swing in a cross, and an unmarked Willy Boly saw the ball bounce over the line off his arm.
BBC Sport’s Simon Stone felt it was unintentional:
Simon Stone @sistoney67
Boly from the corner – with his hand…….(unintentional but definitiely his hand as he dived low)
City equalised just 12 minutes later through Laporte’s first goal for the club. Ilkay Gundogan sent in a free-kick, and the defender headed powerfully past Patricio.
Both teams had chances to win it in the closing stages. Diogo Jota fired a shot just over the bar, while Aguero was denied by the woodwork again with a free-kick that had beaten Patricio.
Wolves showed great energy, desire and belief against the champions in a brave performance. They may have had a slice of luck with their goal, but they caused Pep Guardiola’s side problems on the counter and deserved a point.
Arsenal were forced to come from behind to beat West Ham at the Emirates. They also had to make do without Mesut Ozil, who was left out of the squad.
Emery explained why the German was missing, per ESPN FC’s Mattias Karen:
Mattias Karén @MattiasKaren
Unai Emery denies claims that he and Mesut Ozil had a bust-up in training: ”It isn’t true. He was sick yesterday. And we decided he shouldn’t play. … He was sick and today he was here. … I said today come if he feels better. And he feels better and he is here.”
West Ham went ahead through Marko Arnautovic’s drilled, low shot after 25 minutes, but Arsenal responded well and were level five minutes later when goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski could only palm Hector Bellerin’s cross to Nacho Monreal to tap home.
Both sides looked fragile defensively, and there were more chances before half-time. Michail Antonio wasted a good opportunity for the visitors, while Petr Cech saved well from Robert Snodgrass.
Sports reporter Nick Godwin offered his view:
Nick Godwin @NickGodwinsport
Some fairly comical defending from #arsenalfc in that first half. #whufc should be winning this game. To say the fans are unconvinced is an understatement.
Emery changed things in the second half by bringing on Alexandre Lacazette for Alex Iwobi. However, Arsenal got a slice of fortune to go ahead through Issa Diop scored an own goal.
The summer signing from Toulouse turned Lacazette’s cross, intended for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, into his own net.
Substitute Danny Welbeck made the game safe in stoppage time after a pass in from Bellerin to give Arsenal their first points of the season. However, it was a far from accomplished performance, and Emery still has plenty of work to do.
Credit: Bleacher Report
