LONDON: Defeats for both Manchester clubs left London ever more firmly in command at the top of the Premier League. Tottenham and Chelsea drew 1-1 while Arsenal went lone top by winning 2-1 at Swansea on goals from Serge Gnabry and Aaron Ramsey.
West Brom heaped more pressure on newManchester United manager David Moyes with a shock 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
United – thumped 4-1 by Manchester City last weekend – had hit the crossbar through a first-half header from Anderson, but Old Trafford was left in stunned silence when Morgan Amalfitano scored a superb solo effort after 54 minutes.
The on-loan Marseille midfielder collected the ball on the half-way line, surged past both Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand before chipping goalkeeper David de Gea as the travelling Baggies fans dreamed of a first away win over Manchester United since 1978.
A curling free-kick from Wayne Rooney which floated through the penalty area and into the far corner levelled three minutes later, only for the visitors to go back on the attack.
Jonas Olsson headed against the bar and De Gea saved a 25-yard free-kick from Amalfitano, before he was beaten again when England Under-21 international Saido Berahino converted the midfielder’s through ball in the 67th minute.
Substitute Marouane Fellaini’s conversion from Nani’s cross was correctly ruled out for offside and Boaz Myhill saved from Carrick as United subsided.
Manchester City also came unstuck as they went down 3-2 at Aston Villa after a second-half rally by Paul Lambert’s men.
Yaya Toure slotted home following a corner just before half-time to put City ahead. Villa – thrashed 4-0 at home by Spurs in the League Cup on Tuesday – levelled through Karim El Ahmadi on 51 minutes, despite replays suggesting the Morocco midfielder was offside.
City, though, were quick to respond and lead again when Edin Dzeko bundled in a corner five minutes later.
However, Villa were level when Leandro Bacuna clipped in a 20-yard free-kick in the 73rd minute before going ahead seconds later with another quick goal as Andreas Weimann got on the end of a long ball to beat Joe Hart and complete a miserable afternoon for the Manchester clubs.
In the lunchtime kick-off, Chelsea fought back to deny Tottenham the chance to go clear at the top of the Premier League as John Terry’s header earned a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, where Fernando Torres was controversially shown a red card.
Tottenham dominated the first half and took the lead through Gylfi Sigurdsson, but Terry – one of the personalities with whom Andre Villas-Boas clashed when in charge at Stamford Bridge – powered in a header on 65 minutes set up what looked to be a thrilling finish, which was overshadowed somewhat when, with nine minutes left, referee Mike Dean showed the lively Torres a second yellow card for jumping into Jan Vertonghen with his elbow when replays showed there was no contact.
Cardiff heaped more pressure on Fulham manager Martin Jol as a stoppage-time strike from Jordon Mutch earned the Welshman a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage.
Steven Caulker headed the visitors into a 12th-minute lead, but Fulham levelled through a 25-yard effort from substitute Bryan Ruiz on the stroke of half-time.
Just when the match seemed to be heading for a draw, Mutch cracked in a superb winner from 25 yards as the boos rang out on the banks of the Thames following a fourth league defeat in the opening six matches.
Hull beat West Ham 1-0 as Robbie Brady converted a penalty on 12 minutes after what looked minimal contact from Irons defender Joey O’Brien.
Both sides hit the posts in an open game but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was again left fuming when two claims for handball were waived away by referee Kevin Friend in the second half.
Southampton maintained their promising start with a 2-0 victory over struggling Crystal Palace at St Mary’s Stadium.
The Eagles, with just one league win so far, felt they should have been given a penalty in the first half when Maroune Chamakh went clear through and tumbled under a challenge from goalkeeper Artur Boruc – only to be shown a yellow card for diving.
Saints, who won at Anfield last weekend, took hold of the match with two goals in as many minutes following the restart.
Club-record signing Dani Osvaldo opened his account two minutes into the second half when he lashed in Adam Lallana’s pass, before England forward Rickie Lambert crashed in a 25-yard free-kick off the woodwork as as Mauricio Pochettino’s well-organised outfit moved up into the top four.
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