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Liverpool go top with Crystal Palace win, Aston Villa claim Arsenal scalp

Harvey Eliot celebrating after scoring the winning goal for Liverpool

LONDON,  UK | Xinhua | Liverpool went top of the Premier League on Saturday following their 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa’s 1-0 defeat of Arsenal.

Mohamed Salah scored his 200th Liverpool goal as Jurgen Klopp’s side sneaked a late win away to 10-man Crystal Palace in the first game of the weekend.

Palace had been booed off the pitch by their fans after their midweek defeat at home to Bournemouth, but outplayed Liverpool for 75 minutes and deservedly took the lead thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 57th-minute penalty.

Everything changed after Jordan Ayew was sent off for seeing a second yellow card in the 75th minute, and a minute later Liverpool were level when Salah’s shot took a deflection on its way through to goal.

Harvey Elliott scored the winning goal in injury time with a curling shot into the corner of the net to beat Palace keeper Remi Matthews, who had only just replaced the injured Sam Johnstone.

Arsenal would have returned to the top with a win away to Aston Villa, but John McGinn’s seventh-minute goal was enough to decide the game in favor of the home side.

McGinn turned the ball home from close range after great work from Leon Bailey, and some desperate defending saw Unai Emery’s side hold on for a win that puts them just two points off the top after beating Manchester City in midweek.

Manchester United’s recovery ran into a brick wall, while that of Bournemouth continues thanks to a spectacular 3-0 win at Old Trafford as the home side were unable to deal with their high-pressing game.

Dominic Solanke put Andoni Iraola’s side up in the fifth minute with a left-foot shot and Philip Billing’s powerful header doubled the lead, before Marcos Senesi rubbed salt into the wound with another header from a corner.

Chris Wilder’s return to Bramall Lane saw bottom side Sheffield United beat Brentford 1-0 thanks to James McAtee’s goal on the stroke of halftime.

McAtee cut inside from the left to unleash a powerful shot in one of the few moments of magic in an otherwise tense and close-fought game.

Steve Cooper’s future is still in the air despite Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw away to Wolverhampton, although the Forest boss will be glad his players showed personality after their midweek thrashing at Fulham.

Harry Toffolo headed Forest ahead in the 14th minute, but Matheus Cunha swept home the equalizer 18 minutes later to finish off a sweeping attacking move from the home side.

Brighton and Burnley also drew 1-1, with Simon Adingra scoring a 77th-minute header for Brighton to cancel out Wilson Odobert’s powerful shot from the edge of the area for Burnley on the stroke of halftime.

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