Champions Arsenal profited from leaders Manchester City’s first slip-up of the season to go level at the top of the division on points on what might be an important day for the season. It was the two teams' contrast in style that led to the gap at the top being closed to goal difference only.

Arsenal return to familiar approach pays off

Arsenal showed signs of last season’s title-winning formula with another controlled performance to beat Everton, with a set-piece goal and a clean sheet securing three points.

Mikel Arteta’s side became renowned as the set-piece kings last season, breaking the record for goals from corners on their way to a first Premier League title in 22 years. They were the first champions to score 24 set-piece goals.

But when Ezri Konsa bundled in Martin Odegaard’s corner at the back post against Everton for his first Arsenal goal, it was their first set-piece goal in 13 matches.

"I spoke to the set-piece coach before the game and he told me he's been waiting for my goal as well, so it was only right that I got the goal today,” Konsa said.

Arteta told Sky Sports the goal “gave us the confidence and composure to go and dominate the game”.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya won the Coca Cola Golden Glove last season with 19 clean sheets, conceding only 27 goals – the fewest in the division and his key save from Thierno Barry late in the first half gave the Gunners their second consecutive league clean sheet, a positive response to the shock 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion and having to come from behind to beat Leeds United.

Gabriel Magalhaes scored his first goal of the season in his 200th Arsenal match to secure the points, despite concerns he might be forced off with an injury shortly before the goal.

“The way he overcomes that situation with his willingness to go again and to score that goal, it’s a great description of what he is as a player and as a leader in this club,” Arteta said, without specifying the issue with the Brazilian.

Jackson ends Manchester City's perfect start

City’s 100 per cent win record was ended at a familiar venue of woe, Villa Park, leaving them ahead of Arsenal only on goal difference as their more chaotic approach caught up with them.

Enzo Maresca’s side have scored 20 goals – seven more than Arsenal – but conceded nine – four more than the champions. They have conceded seven goals in their last four Premier League games and have kept only one clean sheet in their last five games in all competitions.

Erling Haaland scored in his seventh consecutive Premier League game to equalise, matching his own previous best run set in 2022. But errors at the back from Marc Guehi and then Gianluigi Donnarumma proved critical, in addition to a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal, Maresca lamented.

“We lost because we were not being clinical enough in their box,” the head coach said after City's third defeat in a row to Villa in the competition and a fourth in succession at Villa Park.

And after a tough start to the season, Villa’s replacements for the star players lost in the summer are starting to shine.

Nicolas Jackson, signed from Chelsea following Ollie Watkins’ move to Al-Hilal, was the pick of the bunch with two goals that inflicted City’s first defeat of the season.

The striker was a handful for City defenders Guehi and Ruben Dias and took both his goals superbly.

Often criticised for his missed chances, only four players have scored more non-penalty goals per game than Jackson’s 0.39 since the start of the 2023/24 season, including Haaland, Alexander Isak, Watkins and Mohamed Salah.

Best non-penalty goals per 90 since 2023/24

Player	Non-penalty goals/90
Erling Haaland (MCI)	0.69
Alexander Isak (NEW/LIV)	0.51
Ollie Watkins (AVL)	0.44
Mohamed Salah (LIV)	0.40
Nicolas Jackson (CHE/AVL)	0.39

"How he was working, defending, getting duels – wow,” Villa manager Unai Emery told TNT Sport. “He has the power to attack with spaces, duels and his challenge has been when he has chances to score always in the corner in the goal.

"At the beginning of the season he was shooting so much as though he was playing rugby, so he is progressing as well. He is doing his tasks."

At the other end of the pitch, Zion Suzuki, brought in from Parma to replace Emiliano Martinez, pulled off a series of sharp saves to deny City, beaten only by Haaland’s header despite facing seven shots on target.

Following Morgan Rogers’ departure to Chelsea, young midfielder Johan Manzambi has settled well and held his own against City’s more expensive duo of Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez.

Team bonding behind 'complete' Spurs win at Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur are simply not supposed to win at Stamford Bridge, but a stunning victory over Chelsea marked Spurs’ return as a force under head coach Roberto De Zerbi after two years of Premier League struggles.

Spurs were bottom of the table until a win against Coventry City on Monday was followed by a history-making victory in the London derby, lifting them into mid-table, their highest league position since New Year’s Day, and within touching distance of the top five.

De Zerbi said a team bonding trip to Marbella in the week before the Coventry match was crucial to their transformation.

“The week in Marbella, to speak better face to face, to open ourselves and remove the mask it is important,” the Italian told Sky Sports. “It is important for the spirit, the belief. The atmosphere inside the dressing room is maybe more important than the tactics."

De Zerbi described them as “a complete team”, adding: "When we stay for dinner and stay together in the dressing-room I see a different group, a different relationship and different atmosphere among the players.”

It was only Spurs’ second league win at Chelsea since the Premier League’s inception in 1992. They had previously lost 22 and drawn 11, with their last victory coming in 2018.

Spurs also have key players returning from injury. James Maddison started and Dejan Kulusevski came off the bench in both victories as the pair return from long-term absences. Pedro Porro made his first appearance in a month.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said the result “felt like Roberto De Zerbi's project coming to life”.

In torrid weather conditions, Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders, the 21-year-old making his first Premier League start in the absence of injured Emiliano Martinez, accidentally punched a corner into his own net in the 77th minute before Cole Palmer was sent off for a second booking – Chelsea’s 100th Premier League red card. Mathys Tel added a late second with a fine solo goal.

Xabi Alonso’s side, suffering their first home defeat under the Spaniard, had scored 17 league goals this season but were kept at bay for only the second time.

As on that other occasion, a defeat at Brentford, Chelsea were missing Joao Pedro, their top scorer with the second-most goal involvements in the league. He had withdrawn from the squad with an injury, with no timeline for a return from Alonso. 

Fulham find cutting edge Coventry lack

Two goals in eight days across two matches have propelled Fulham up SEVEN places in the table.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side were 19th in the table before edging past Hull City by a single goal, then followed that with another 1-0 victory, this time at Coventry.

In a tight game, Oscar Bobb’s late moment of individual brilliance gave them a second successive victory to lift Fulham into 13th.

“For me as a coach it would be easier to sign players with experience but they have the talent and I trust them,” Arbeloa said when asked about the contribution of 23-year-old Bobb. “They are the people and the future of Fulham. I’m happy with this young talent.”

Coventry, meanwhile, once again paid for a lack of clinical finishing. Frank Lampard’s side have not scored in five of their eight Premier League games, more than any other team in the league.

“We didn't threaten them enough to give ourselves a chance of winning the game but then you just don't want to lose,” Lampard told the BBC as his team sit. “Fair play it took a moment of quality from them to get the goal but I’m disappointed to lose."