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Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield on Sunday afternoon as Arne Slot’s side returned to the top of the Premier League table.
An end-to-end first half failed to create any real chances of note before Curtis Jones produced a brilliant block on Cole Palmer, and then raced into the Chelsea box to win a penalty.
Salah converted from the spot and Liverpool were in the ascendancy from there, with Cody Gakpo having a goal ruled out before half-time.
The second half started in a similarly frantic fashion, though Chelsea landed the first blow, equakising quickly after Nicolas Jackson latched onto a brilliant through ball from Moises Caicedo.
But parity was short-lived, as Curtis Jones got to the end of a Salah cross to poke past Sanchez for 2-1 in the 51st minute.
The rest of the half was far less eventful, with neither side managing to fashion a chance of note before seven minutes were added on.
The home side looked to close out the game as the Blues tried to mount some final attacks, and the Reds’ defence stood firm to confirm the three points.
Follow all the Premier League action with our live blog below:
Curtis Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chances
When Arne Slot had suggested Chelsea were potential champions, it posed the question of whether they could keep up with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. It soon transpired they could not keep up with the Joneses.
Or not Curtis Jones, anyway. Winners are not always scored by the best player on the pitch but, in a match that could shape two clubs’ seasons, this one was. Jones’ display of extraordinary dynamism restored Liverpool to the top of the table. It meant that Chelsea, already beaten by Manchester City, have failed their two biggest tests of the season so far. Liverpool, now seven points clear of them, have passed their toughest.
They did so courtesy of a couple of very different indictments of Chelsea’s transfer business. Many a charge can be levelled at Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital but it was a previous Chelsea regime who let Mohamed Salah leave. With a goal and an assist, he gave them added reasons to regret a past mistake. If Jones is precisely the kind of player the modern-day Chelsea would sell, Liverpool do not need to dispense with homegrown talents for pure profit. Jones joined them at nine. At 23, he had one of his finest afternoons in a red shirt.
Jones embodies former Liverpool great as questions raised over Chelsea’s title chance
Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea: Curtis Jones scored the winner after Mohamed Salah’s opener at Anfield
Russell Martin on brink after Southampton crumble against Leicester
Jordan Ayew completed a sensational turnaround as his added-time winner capped a 3-2 comeback win for Leicester at 10-man Southampton.
Substitute Ayew smashed in Harry Winks’ low corner eight minutes into stoppage time, after Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Vardy’s penalty sparked an incredible comeback.
Goals from Cameron Archer and Joe Aribo had lifted the hosts and built hope of a first victory of the Premier League season.
Russell Martin on brink after Southampton crumble against Leicester
Southampton 2-3 Leicester: The Saints boss is under more pressure after his team gave up a two-goal advantage in this crucial Premier League fixture
Everton impress with first away victory as Ipswich’s struggles continue
Everton beat Ipswich 2-0 at Portman Road to secure their first away victory of the Premier League season and leave the Tractor Boys still looking for a maiden win since sealing promotion.
The visitors were clinical with their finishing as Iliman Ndiaye scored in the 17th minute and Michael Keane doubled the Toffees’ advantage five minutes before the break.
Ipswich had wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead through Jack Clarke but he skied his effort high over the bar and they were also denied a first-half penalty when referee Michael Oliver was called to the VARscreen to reverse his initial decision.
Everton impress with first away victory as Ipswich’s struggles continue
Ipswich 0-2 Everton: Iliman Ndiaye and Michael Keane secured the points with fine goals for the Toffees
Aston Villa’s new talismen turn on heroics in comeback win over Fulham
Aston Villa rediscovered their winning form in the Premier League with a dominant 3-1 victory over 10-man Fulham.
Raul Jimenez’s fifth-minute fifth goal of the season had put Fulham ahead against a Villa side who had drawn their last two domestic matches.
But Morgan Rogers equalised soon after in the ninth and, after Andreas Pereira scuffed a penalty for Fulham, Ollie Watkins put Villa ahead before they took advantage of Joachim Andersen’s red card to wrap the game up through an Issa Diop own goal.
Aston Villa’s new talismen turn on heroics in comeback win over Fulham
Fulham 1-3 Aston Villa: Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins overturned the deficit in a strong performance for Unai Emery’s men
How Ange Postecoglou’s pivotal James Maddison decision changed Tottenham’s direction
Sometimes, well, you can actually change the players rather than the manager. At least for one match. In a game where both coaches were under some pressure, Ange Postecoglou was proactive with his own replacements, while Julen Lopetegui paid for his indecisiveness. The wonder is whether the Basque will even be at West Ham by the time Mohammed Kudus returns to the team, as the forward is facing at least a three-game ban, after one game here that visibly frustrated him.
His team were dismal in a 4-1 defeat that could have seen Tottenham score eight. As deserving as that would have been, the victory was still the tale of two subs – or really four. Spurs had been beginning to get on top towards the end of the first half, with Dejan Kulusevski having equalised Kudus’s own opening strike. There was still more that could be done, though, especially given that James Maddison had been quite ineffective. That was particularly so at corners.
How Ange Postecoglou’s pivotal James Maddison decision changed Tottenham’s direction
Tottenham 4-1 West Ham: Postecoglou replacing Maddison at half time changed the game, as the hapless visitors fell apart in this London derby
Manchester United’s sense of injustice sparks comeback win for Erik ten Hag
Perhaps it took a sense of injustice to spare Manchester United further ignominy. When the half-time whistle blew, they were losing and losing their rag, Brentford on course for a first win at Old Trafford since 1937, and United set for a third consecutive league defeat at Old Trafford – a fate they had not suffered since 1979. As it stood, they were the joint lowest scorers in the Premier League, their drought stretching past five hours. The class of 2024 were failing, the class of 2004 fuming. Ruud van Nistelrooy was booked. Darren Fletcher ran after the officials in the tunnel.
Ethan Pinnock’s opener – though actually far less controversial than United imagined – had annoyed their past. Their present responded. The temptation was to call it a much-needed win for Erik ten Hag, though perhaps the scarcity of victories means they all are, but ended with a first triumph in six games, just a fourth in 12 outings this season. The outstanding Alejandro Garnacho delivered a wonderful equaliser, Rasmus Hojlund a decider to cap a show of spirit.
Man Utd’s sense of injustice sparks comeback win for Erik ten Hag
Manchester United 2-1 Brentford: Fury at the opening goal at Old Trafford fuelled a second-half comeback and a first win in a month for the Dutchman
Arsenal faced ‘impossible task’ down to 10 men at Bournemouth, claims Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta lamented the “impossible task” faced by Arsenal following William Saliba’s red card as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth to miss the chance to go top of the Premier League.
The defender was dismissed after 30 minutes following a VAR review for hauling down striker Evanilson near the halfway line and denying him a clear run on goal.
It set the stage for a first league loss this season for Arteta’s side who conceded a second-half rocket to Ryan Christie before Justin Kluivert’s late penalty, though the story could have been different had Gabriel Martinelli not fired a golden chance straight at goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga moments before the Scot’s opener.
Arsenal faced ‘impossible task’ down to 10 men at Bournemouth, claims Mikel Arteta
Bournemouth 2-0 Arsenal: William Saliba saw red before Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert struck for the Cherries
John Stones strikes late as Man City beat Wolves with controversial goal
John Stones scored a last-gasp header, which was subject to a dramatic VAR call, to earn Manchester City a 2-1 win at Wolves.
City looked like failing to capitalise on Arsenal’s slip-up at Bournemouthas they were being held after Jorgen Strand Larsen’s early opener for the dogged hosts was cancelled out by Josko Gvardiol.
But Stones climbed highest in the fifth minute of added time to power home Phil Foden’s corner and spark wild scenes of celebration.
John Stones strikes late as Man City beat Wolves with controversial goal
Wolves 1-2 Man City: Stones’ stoppage time header ensured the Premier League champions claimed all three points
What Liverpool’s brutal seven-game run will reveal about their season under Arne Slot
Game one is out of the way...
The best beginning to a reign made by any Liverpool manager is only a start. Arne Slot has found ways of deflecting the compliments his immediate impact at Anfield has generated. He has referenced the reality that some of his predecessors’ medal collections are sufficiently impressive that they do not need to be judged by their first 10 games or an early-season status as league leaders. He has cited the relatively kind fixture list: Liverpool have played the teams currently occupying 17th, 11th, 14th, 10th, 13th, 20th and 18th places. Their Carabao Cup win was against the club in 12th. Their Champions League victories were against the sides sitting sixth and 13th respectively in Serie A.
And now it gets harder. Liverpool’s next month amounts to a barometer of their prospects, a test of whether they are title challengers, potential Champions League winners, able to retain the Carabao Cup that proved Jurgen Klopp’s last trophy. It is Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton, Brighton again, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa, a seven-game stretch that could derail Liverpool’s ambitions or serve as a springboard to a challenge on multiple fronts.
For Slot, it amounts to a voyage of discovery. Have his first 10 games given him a clear idea of what Liverpool can achieve or is he still trying to find out himself?
Next up
Liverpool’s next match takes place in the Champions League, as they travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig on Wednesday. They then travel to London for a huge game at the top of the table, as they face Arsenal at 4.30pm on Sunday, 27 October.
Chelsea travel to Greece to face Panathinaikos in midweek, before they host Newcastle on Sunday at 2pm.
