Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka scored twice, including a late winning penalty, as the hosts beat Liverpool 3-2 in a pulsating Premier League clash to send the Gunners back to the top of the table on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace beat Leeds 2-1 and West Ham defeated Fulham 3-1.
Arsenal players celebrate their win over Liverpool.Credit:Getty Images
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal opened the scoring after 58 seconds, Gabriel Martinelli sweeping home a perfect pass from captain Martin Odegaard, but Liverpool grew into the game and Darwin Nunez levelled in the 34th minute.
There was a lengthy break midway through the first half as Trent Alexander-Arnold received treatment for an ankle injury sustained in a tangle with Martinelli, and the England defender had to be replaced by Joe Gomez at halftime.
By then Arsenal were back in front, sweeping forward on the counter-attack as Martinelli turned provider, whipping the ball across the box for Saka to poke home a simple finish in first-half stoppage time.
Odegaard missed a golden opportunity to increase Arsenal’s lead after the break and two minutes later Diogo Jota found Firmino with a perfectly weighted through ball for the Brazilian to slot across goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and into the net.
Arsenal came blazing back and a wild series of shots and blocks ended in a penalty when Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara was adjudged to have fouled Gabriel Jesus and Saka made no mistake from the spot to put his side 3-2 up in the 76th minute.
It was enough to seal a win that takes Arsenal back into first place on 24 points, one ahead of second-placed Manchester City after nine games.
Palace too good for Leeds
Eberechi Eze’s fine late winner earned Crystal Palace a 2-1 comeback victory over Leeds United.
The visitors raced into an early lead through Pascal Struijk, reacting first after Brenden Aaronson’s stunning run and shot had come out off the post.
Leeds striker Patrick Bamford, starting his first match since August, missed a glorious opportunity to double the visitors’ lead, wastefulness that proved costly when Palace levelled through Odsonne Edouard’s header in the 24th minute.
Palace were much the better side in the second half but struggled to break down a resolute Leeds until Eze picked the ball on the edge of the penalty area, threw a dummy and rifled a 76th-minute winner into the net.
The away side kept coming, but could not make their pressure pay, and Palace moved out of the relegation zone and up to 15th in the table, level on nine points with Leeds one place above them.
Controversy at West Ham
Gianluca Scamacca scored a brilliant but contentious goal to help West Ham make it three victories in a week by beating Fulham 3-1.
The Italy striker, who scored against Wolverhampton last weekend and at Anderlecht in the Europa Conference League in midweek, showed his growing composure in front of goal with an audacious chip over Fulham keeper Bernd Leno to make it 2-1.
Scamacca barely celebrated, suggesting he felt something was amiss, but the goal survived an initial VAR check for offside and then a second, lengthy review of the ball appearing to brush the striker’s fingers after he controlled it.
The goal was given and prompted a touchline meltdown from Fulham manager Marco Silva, who was booked for his angry protests.
Fulham had taken the lead through Andreas Pereira’s first goal for the club but, when he foolishly gave away a penalty, Jarrod Bowen levelled from the spot.
Scamacca’s strike then put West Ham in control before his replacement, Michail Antonio, added a third in stoppage time.
Reuters, AP
