LONDON — Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool to the top of the English Premier League as the Egypt star’s penalty sealed a 2-1 win at struggling Wolves.
Manchester City felt the absence of star midfielder Rodri as the Premier League champions were held to a damaging 1-1 draw at Newcastle.
Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to beat Leicester 4-2 and move level on points with City, while Cole Palmer scored four times in Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Brighton to go fourth.
Salah struck in the second half after Rayan Ait Nouri had cancelled out Ibrahima Konate’s opener for Liverpool.
Arne Slot’s side have won five of their six league games this season and sit one point clear of second placed Manchester City, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Newcastle earlier in the afternoon.
Slot insisted this week that Liverpool are yet to prove themselves title contenders, but the Dutchman has made a strong impression at the start of the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield.
Since their shock home loss to Nottingham Forest, the Reds have reeled off four successive victories in all competitions.
Liverpool fans packed into one side of Molineux chanted Slot’s name loudly as the final minutes wound down on their latest win, AFP reported.
The 46-year-old has masterminded one of the best starts to a managerial reign in Liverpool history. If they continue at this pace it will be hard for even Slot to deny their title credentials.
The only concern for Slot was a late injury to Andrew Robertson that forced the Scotland left-back to limp off.
Liverpool, who last won the title in 2020, hosts Bologna in their second Champions League fixture on Wednesday before travelling to Crystal Palace in next weekend.
Winless and bottom of the table, Wolves were weakened even further by a virus which had ripped through their squad this week.
Given their dire circumstances, Gary O’Neil’s team competed gamely in the first half.
Matheus Cunha’s curler tested Alisson Becker on the Liverpool keeper’s return from injury.
But Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone had to make a superb save when he spread himself to block Dominik Szoboszlai’s close-range effort from Robertson’s cross.
Salah strikes
Without a clean-sheet in their previous 17 league games, Wolves couldn’t hold out forever and Konate broke the deadlock in first half stoppage-time.
Jota did well to whip over a pin-point cross from the left and Konate timed his run perfectly to power his header past Johnstone’s weak attempted save from six yards.
It was the French centre-back’s first goal in the Premier League after three years with Liverpool.
Salah wasted a golden opportunity to double Liverpool’s advantage early in the second half.
Mario Lemina took a pass from Johnstone on the edge of his own area and carelessly conceded possession to Salah, who shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Wolves capitalised on that escape to equalise thanks to shambolic Liverpool defending in the 56th minute.
Konate tried to let the ball run for a goal-kick after a miscommunication with Alisson, but Jorgen Strand Larsen nudged him out of the way and picked out Carlos Forbs.
Liverpool again failed to deal with the danger after Forbs couldn’t convert and Ait-Nouri finally stabbed home from close-range.
But Liverpool was unbeaten in their last 141 Premier League matches when leading at half-time dating back to 2016 against Bournemouth.
Slot’s team hit back emphatically in the 61st minute as Jota was pushed over in the area by Nelson Semedo as the pair challenged for Alexander-Arnold’s cross.
Salah stepped up to smash the penalty past Johnstone for his fifth goal this season.
Konate redeemed himself for his earlier mistake with a last-ditch tackle to deflect Forbs’ shot over after the forward surged through on goal.
Rodri has been ruled out for the rest of the season after surgery on a knee injury suffered in last weekend’s bruising 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal.
Josko Gvardiol put City in front at St James’ Park, but Newcastle were well worthy of the point given to them by Anthony Gordon’s second-half penalty.
Guardiola described Rodri, who is unbeaten in his past 52 Premier League appearances stretching back to February 2023, as “irreplaceable”.
City lacked the control and poise so often provided by Rodri on and off the ball.
“It is always difficult here with their physicality,” said Guardiola according to AFP. “We made bad decisions (with the chances) to make it 2-0.”
Liverpool took advantage thanks to Mohamed Salah’s winner from the penalty spot at Molineux.
Ibrahima Konate headed the visitors in front but was then culpable in a defensive mix-up that allowed Rayan Ait-Nouri to equalise.
Wolves were only on level terms for five minutes before Nelson Semedo bundled over Diogo Jota and Salah converted just after the hour mark.
At the Emirates, Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead in the 20th minute with his first goal this season before turning provider for Leandro Trossard to make it 2-0 before halftime.
James Justin reduced the deficit with a deflected 47th-minute effort and stunned the Gunners in the 63rd minute when his thunderous volley cannoned in off the woodwork.
But Mikel Arteta’s men stole the points four minutes into stoppage-time when Trossard’s shot deflected off Wilfred Ndidi for an own goal, with Kai Havertz netting moments later to confirm the victory.
“To have that mentality, purpose and perseverance is really impressive,” said Arteta of Arsenal’s response.
Palmer runs riot
Palmer became the first player ever to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match with a stunning display at Stamford Bridge.
Former Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Robert Sanchez were guilty of mistakes when Georginio Rutter put the Seagulls ahead in the seventh minute.
Just moments after hitting the post and then having a goal disallowed, it was third time lucky for Palmer in the 21st minute.
Palmer equalised with a clinical finish after Nicolas Jackson seized on Adam Webster’s mistake to tee up his fellow forward.
When Jadon Sancho was tripped in the area by two Brighton defenders, there was never any doubt that penalty expert Palmer would step up to dispatch the 28th-minute spot-kick with ease.
