Arsenal pass Aston Villa test, Brighton rock Man Utd

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LONDON – Arsenal passed an early test of their Premier League title credentials with a 2-0 win at Aston Villa as Manchester United crashed to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at Brighton on Saturday.
Erling Haaland’s hat-trick fired champions Manchester City to the top of the table with a 4-1 win over Ipswich, while Tottenham thrashed Everton 4-0.
Arsenal’s two defeats to Villa last season cost them a first league title in 20 years.
The Gunners gained revenge in Birmingham but needed a stunning save from David Raya to prevent Ollie Watkins heading Villa in front.
Leandro Trossard came off the bench to make the breakthrough with a composed finish on 67 minutes.
Thomas Partey then made sure of the victory with a low effort that Emiliano Martinez should have kept out.
Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the past two seasons and they seem set to battle it out for the title once more.
Pep Guardiola’s men were shocked early on by newly-promoted Ipswich when Sammie Szmodics squeezed a shot through Ederson’s legs at the Etihad.
But City responded with three goals in four minutes.
Haaland levelled from the penalty spot before Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric handed his old club a gift as he was dispossessed by Savinho and Kevin De Bruyne slotted into an empty net.
City made it three when the unstoppable Haaland flicked De Bruyne’s deft pass past Muric.
Haaland completed his 10th City hat-trick in the 88th minute with a typically predatory finish for his fourth goal already this season.
With 94 goals in 96 starts for City, Haaland deserves to be ranked alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo according to boss Guardiola.
“The numbers are ridiculous. He can compete in terms of goals with Ronaldo and Messi,” he said.
– More trouble for Ten Hag –
 
Hope of a new dawn for under-fire United boss Erik ten Hag was shattered by Joao Pedro’s 95th-minute winner for Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
“Both goals are very soft,” said Ten Hag. “As a team, we should have done better. We have to be more clinical in both boxes.”
United fell behind to a 32nd-minute goal from Danny Welbeck.
Amad Diallo equalised for United after an hour, cutting inside for a shot that deflected in off Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
Joshua Zirkzee prevented Alejandro Garnacho from putting the visitors ahead in the closing stages when the United forward touched home his team-mate’s finish on the line from an offside position.
Brazilian striker Pedro rubbed salt into United’s wounds as he headed home from Simon Adingra’s cross to ensure Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler maintained his 100 percent start following last weekend’s win at Everton.
The 31-year-old German is the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.
“My team deserved to win. These moments make memories and we have to enjoy it,” Hurzeler said.
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma got back in favour with boss Ange Postecoglou as his superb strike opened the floodgates against Everton.
Postecoglou picked Bissouma following a one-game suspension for posting a social media video that showed him inhaling nitrous oxide.
“You know what it’s like when you punish your child and they do everything right for the next two days?” Postecoglou had said of Bissouma’s return.
The Mali international made the most of his reprieve in the 14th minute, lashing home from the edge of the area for his first league goal for Tottenham in his 52nd appearance.
Son Heung-min doubled Tottenham’s lead in the 25th minute, forcing Jordan Pickford into an embarrassing mistake as the Everton ‘keeper was robbed by the South Korean for a simple finish.
Cristian Romero headed Tottenham’s third in the 71st minute. Son bagged his second with a clinical finish six minutes later.
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui earned the first win of his reign as second-half goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen sealed a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace.
Alex Iwobi’s 70th-minute goal clinched Fulham’s 2-1 win against Leicester at Craven Cottage, after Emile Smith Rowe’s first-half opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Wout Faes.
Nottingham Forest won 1-0 at Southampton thanks to Morgan Gibbs-White’s 70th-minute strike.
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By Steven Griffiths
AFP