LONDON: Premier League champions Manchester City responded to last weekend’s defeat by Liverpool with a 3-1 home victory over Brighton.

Pep Guardiola’s men narrowed the gap on Arsenal at the top to one point – Mikel Arteta’s side away at Southampton on Sunday.

Erling Haaland ended his goal ‘drought’ – one game, failing to score v Liverpool last week – with a first-half double, one of them a penalty, to take his tally for the season to 17 goals from 11 games.

City have conceded only seven goals in eight home games in all competitions this season; at the other end, they have scored 34.

It’s been a tough start for Roberto De Zerbi after replacing Graham Potter at the Amex. An impressive 3-3 draw at Liverpool has been followed by defeats to Tottenham and Brentford, along with a draw v Nottingham Forest in midweek.

They face their former boss at Chelsea next week.

Leandro Trossard briefly pulled one goal back early in the second half. He has now scored four goals in the Seagulls’ visits to Anfield and the Etihad this season.

Liverpool lose

Nottingham Forest ended a 10-game winless Premier League run with a huge 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the City Ground.

Taiwo Awoniyi’s second-half strike from close range beat Alisson Becker after his initial effort rebounded off the post – against his former side of six years.

Liverpool failed to score from a total of 15 attempts, four of them rated as big chances (+0.35 xG) – two falling to Virgil van Dijk in added time – as England goalkeeper Dean Henderson made some big saves.

The curse of the early kick-off? Jurgen Klopp is infamously not a fan of them and the German boss was baffled that his side failed to take those chances, but it will also be at the other end which is of equal concern.

Chelsea held

Chelsea were poised for another win after Jorginho’s late penalty against Manchester United at Stamford Brdge but summer signing Casemiro struck four minutes into added time.

Aside from the penalty, Chelsea’s best quality chance fell to Trevoh Chalobah in the second half, while United’s fell to Marcus Rashford in the first half when they were more dominant.

Everton ended a three-game winless run with a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on the score sheet on 11 minutes before Anthony Gordon and Dwight McNeil added more. This equalled their biggest Premier League win in two years.

Patrick Vieira’s Palace have not won away from home this season.

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