Football – Manchester City slumped to a fourth successive defeat as Brighton & Hove Albion hit back from a goal down to beat the struggling Premier League champions 2-1 at home yesterday.
Matt O’Riley’s goal condemned City manager Pep Guardiola to the worst run of his illustrious coaching career and left his side in danger of falling adrift in the title race.
Liverpool opened a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as breakaway goals by Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sealed a 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa.
Manchester City’s earlier defeat was the perfect pre-match tonic for Liverpool and Nunez’s 20th minute strike following a lightning counter-attack set the tone at Anfield.
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher made some vital saves to preserve his side’s lead but Salah raced clear in the 84th minute to wrap up the points and maintain their sensational start to the season under new manager Arne Slot.
They have won 15 out of 17 games in all competitions since the Dutchman replaced Juergen Klopp in the close season.
Liverpool will head into the international break with 28 points from 11 games with reigning champions City on 23.
Brighton, who lost to Liverpool having been in front a week ago, moved into fourth place on 19 points from 11 games with City on 23 points and Liverpool on 25.
Fulham climbed to seventh after a 2-0 win away at London rivals Crystal Palace while Brentford came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2 and move into the top half.
Wolverhampton Wanderers finally tasted victory after a wretched start to the season as they beat fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 to climb off the foot of the table.
Pablo Sarabia scored after two minutes – Wolves’ fastest goal in a Premier League match – and Matheus Cunha wrapped up the points to the relief of manager Gary O’Neil.
West Ham United and Everton played out a dull 0-0 draw at the London Stadium.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva said after the 4-1 thrashing away to Sporting in the Champions League in midweek that the team were in a dark place.
And despite Erling Haaland’s 12th league goal of the season giving them the lead at Brighton, the gloom deepened as they lost their grip on the game and late goals by Joao Pedro and O’Riley capped a memorable night for Brighton.
“I will reflect in these ten days. Clear our heads, players come back fit, this is the target,” Guardiola, whose only similar run in all competitions was at Bayern Munich in 2015 when he suffered three back-to-back defeats and a penalty shoot-out loss in the German Cup, told reporters.
It is also the first time City have lost four successive games in all competitions in 18 years.
Goals by Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson gave Fulham maximum points at Selhurst Park where the hosts were reduced to 10 men after Daichi Kamada was shown red for a dangerous tackle.
Brentford twice trailed at home to Bournemouth but striker Yoane Wissa’s double sealed a comeback win.
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