LONDON – Struggling Nottingham Forest pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over Liverpool to claim only their second victory of the season in the English Premier League, while champions Manchester City continued their chase of leaders Arsenal.
Manchester United earned a stoppage-time 1-1 draw at Chelsea as Everton snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Liverpool had gathered some momentum after a poor start to the season and arrived at the City Ground to face bottom club Forest on the back of consecutive league wins.
But their resurgence was stopped in its tracks when Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi scored the only goal of the game early in the second half, coming back to haunt Liverpool after joining the club in 2015 but never playing a competitive game.
It was Forest’s first win since they beat West Ham United on Aug. 14, while Liverpool sank to a third defeat of the season.
The result brought Liverpool back down to earth after last week’s 1-0 win over Manchester City and another 1-0 success over West Ham in midweek and underlined Juergen Klopp’s side’s struggles away from home this season, with only two points from five matches on their travels.
“Massive, massive blow because I have no idea how we can lose this game to be honest,” Klopp said according to Reuters.
“The performance I can kind of explain, the result not. We had to put the game to bed to be perfectly honest.”
Forest moved off the bottom with nine points and manager Steve Cooper said: “This is a big win but only a win. We’ve got to build on that and carry on. To win a game against someone like Liverpool, you need to have very good moments at both ends.
Liverpool is seventh on 16 points after 11 matches, 11 behind leaders Arsenal.
JORGINHO PENALTY
Chelsea thought they had taken the points in a disappointing clash with United at Stamford Bridge when Jorginho tucked away an 87th-minute penalty after a clumsy foul by Scott McTominay on Armando Broja from a corner.
United, though, grabbed a deserved point when a Casemiro looping header crossed the line despite Kepa Arrizabalaga’s desperate attempts to claw it out in the fourth minute of added time.
It was the fifth draw in a row between the sides and a record 26th in the Premier League.
Chelsea remained in fourth place with 21 points with United on 20, both having played 11 games.
Manchester City reduced the gap with Arsenal to one point as goal machine Erling Haaland scored twice with Kevin De Bruyne adding a beauty of his own in a 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Pep Guardiola’s side equalled a 91-year-old top-flight record as they completed a 10th consecutive Premier League home win in which they have scored at least three goals in each match.
The last club to do that was Aston Villa in 1930 and 1931.
Haaland used his strength to win a physical battle with Brighton’s Adam Webster and score the opening goal, and then converted from the penalty spot for the second.
Brighton, still looking for a first win for new manager Roberto de Zerbi, pressed City and Leandro Trossard pulled back a goal before De Bruyne made sure of victory with a superb curler.
“Compliments to my players because I know how difficult it was. I said how difficult this game could be but in the end we did it,” Guardiola said.
Everton enjoyed their biggest win of the season with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil all on target as Frank Lampard’s team moved up to 11th in the standings.
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