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WRAP: Liverpool stunned by Forest, Haaland hits another two in Man City win

football14 September 2024 21:01| © AFP
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Liverpool's perfect start under Arne Slot came to a stunning end as Nottingham Forest won 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday, while Erling Haaland's double sent Manchester City three points clear at the top of the Premier League in a 2-1 win over Brentford.

Earlier, Manchester United eased the pressure on Erik ten Hag with a comfortable 3-0 win at Southampton.

Forest had not won at Anfield in the top flight for 55 years but the home faithful were stunned when Callum Hudson-Odoi fired in the winner 18 minutes from time.

Liverpool had won all three of their opening games under Slot without conceding, including a 3-0 win away at Manchester United two weeks ago.

But the Reds were sloppy and sluggish after the international break and made to pay.

Luis Diaz hit the post and Diogo Jota wasted a big chance to put Liverpool ahead before halftime.

And they were punished when Hudson-Odoi latched onto Anthony Elanga's pass, cut inside and unleashed an accurate strike low beyond Alisson Becker.

"The result frustrates the most and we cannot be happy about how the game went. It was a stop-start game and we hardly created any chances," said Slot.

"We only have to look at ourselves, we have to be better. Far too many times we lost the ball around the area, it was not good enough. We have to be better with the ball."

Victory lifts Forest into fourth with eight points from their opening four games.

"The players did it so well. We were against the ropes but we stayed in the game and found our moment," said Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

HAALAND DENIED HAT-TRICK HISTORY

City took full advantage of Liverpool's defeat to move clear at the top by stretching their 100 per cent record to four games despite a disastrous start.

However, Haaland's form at the start of the season remains unstoppable, even if the Norwegian just missed out on a record third consecutive hat-trick in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old's powerful deflected effort brought City level before he showed a combination of strength and skill to shrug off Ethan Pinnock and dink the ball over the onrushing Mark Flekken.

Only the post denied Haaland another hat-trick after halftime but he now has a Premier League record nine goals in the first four games of the season.

“He’s just an absolute machine in front of goal and I can’t speak highly enough of him," said City's Jack Grealish of Haaland, who had been doubtful due to the death this week of a close family friend.

"It does speak volumes about him as a person and his mental strength."

United had been left to fester on their humbling by Liverpool for two weeks over the international break, but bounced back after a slow start at Southampton.

The Red Devils needed a penalty save from Andre Onana to deny Cameron Archer before two goals in five minutes just before halftime swung the game decisively in the visitors' favour.

Matthijs de Ligt nodded in his first United goal before Marcus Rashford ended his six-month drought by finding the bottom corner with a curling effort.

Southampton are yet to register a point in four games since their return to the top flight and inflicted more damage on themselves when captain Jack Stephens saw red for a wild lunge on Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentine dusted himself off to then round off the scoring with a thumping finish into the roof of the net in stoppage time.

“Once Andre stopped the penalty, straight after, we scored a goal with Matthijs de Ligt, the game was all ours and we dominate the game from that point," said Ten Hag.

EVERTON BLOW ANOTHER LEAD

Aston Villa moved up to third after Everton blew a two-goal lead for the second consecutive game.

Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave the Toffees a dream start at Villa Park.

But Everton remain without a point this season due to dreadful defending.

Ollie Watkins struck twice either side of half-time to level before Jhon Duran's stunning strike from distance earned Villa a third win in four games.

Christopher Nkunku struck late to hand Chelsea's billion pound squad an unconvincing 1-0 win at Bournemouth.

The Blues had goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to thank for saving Evanilson's first-half penalty before Nkunku came off the bench to slot home from Jadon Sancho's pass.

Brighton remain unbeaten but were unable to break down Ipswich in a 0-0 draw at the Amex.

Crystal Palace came from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw against Leicester thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's double.

West Ham also struck late through Danny Ings to snatch a 1-1 draw at Fulham.

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