LONDON: Chelsea have a new, high-price centre-forward while Liverpool are still putting their faith in the same old faces – and Anfield saw a 1-1 draw which underlined the difference in summer transfer strategy.

The Blues took an early lead through Kai Havertz and Liverpool equalised with a penaltyj in first-half stoppage time after Reece James had reached out his hand to knock away a goal-bound shot. James sent properly sent off and Mo Salah converted the spot kick.

Liverpool had most of the second half but Chelsea, with Thiago Silva brought in to shore up the defensive action, held out for the draw. For Chelsea it was a point gained, for Liverpool it was potentially two points lost.

Roberto Firmino had to be substituted through injury in the first half but Salah was the only Liverpool player to muster more than one shot on target, demonstrating the trouble the hosts had in troubling Edouard Mendy even when they had a man advantage.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City never looked back after taking a 2-0 lead inside the opening 12 minutes of a one-sided 5-0 win over Arsenal with goals from Ilkay Gundogan and Torres. The Gunners then capitulated after the sending off of Granit Xhaka with Gabriel Jesus, Rodri and Torres completing the rout.

The result left the Gunners bottom at full-time, still without a point from their opening three matches of the new league campaign, with pressure mounting on their manager – Guardiola’s former assistant Arteta.

Ivan Toney maintained Brentford’s unbeaten start to the season as the Bees earned a deserved 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

The striker’s first goal of the campaign ensured Thomas Frank’s side continue their seamless adaptation to life in the Premier League.

Emi Buendia’s leveller, his first goal since a club-record move from Norwich, pegged the Bees back but five points from their first three games represents a healthy return, as they denied former boss Dean Smith victory at Villa Park.

Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired Everton to a commanding 2-0 win at Brighton as the Toffees extended their unbeaten start to the new Premier League campaign.

Everton jumped into the embryonic table’s top four thanks to two wins and a draw, with Gray claiming his second goal of the season and Calvert-Lewin making it three in three games.

Brazil forward Richarlison had a petulant strop when denied the chance to take a penalty, with Calvert-Lewin instead coolly dispatching the spot-kick.

A late penalty from James Ward-Prowse snatched a point for Southampton who twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Newcastle and keep the pressure on Magpies boss Steve Bruce.

The Saints skipper struck to make it 2-2 six minutes into stoppage time after the Magpies found themselves on the wrong end of a VAR decision for the third successive Premier League game.

It was no more than the visitors deserved after out-playing and out-thinking their hosts for much of a contest they probably should have won at a canter, but found themselves chasing after Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin had struck either side of Mohamed Elyounoussi’s equaliser.

Norwich were denied a first point of the new Premier League season after Marc Albrighton’s deflected 76th-minute strike earned Leicester a 2-1 victory at Carrow Road before VAR ruled out a late leveller.

After Jamie Vardy and Teemu Pukki had ended their respective goal droughts in the first half, a frantic second period produced more drama in Norfolk.

Daniel Farke’s men had looked the more likely to find a late winner but Albrighton punished the Canaries with a sucker-punch before celebrations by the hosts late on were cut short when Kenny McLean’s header was ruled out for offside.

A second-half double from Conor Gallagher saw Crystal Palace open their goalscoring account for the season as they battled to a 2-2 draw at West Ham.

The Eagles remain winless under new boss Patrick Vieira but this was a step in the right direction as they twice came from behind to earn a point at the London Stadium.

West Ham went into the game in fine form as manager David Moyes named an unchanged side for the third game in a row, seemingly justified in his selection when both Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio had put the hosts ahead.

Another fine individual display for Antonio saw him assist and score but this time it was not enough to seal all three points as West Ham dropped points for the first time this campaign.

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