Arsenal goes clear on top of the Premier League, Liverpool and Chelsea stumble

Bruno Guimaraes sent Arsenal three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a moment of brilliance that was doubly painful for Sunderland.

Not only did the Brazil midfielder set up a 2-0 win for defending champion Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. But, as a former Newcastle player, he made the most of his moment, sending a message to the home supporters who booed him by cupping his ears as he ran towards the corner in celebration.

Guimaraes joined Arsenal from Sunderland's fierce north east rival Newcastle in the summer so will have been well aware of the significance of his goal. Coming on as a halftime substitute, he curled a long-range shot into the top corner in the 58th minute.

"It is a beautiful moment for me and my family," Guimaraes told TNT Sports. "Everyone knows my amazing history at Newcastle, but now I'm trying to create a new history here. I've started on the right foot."

Guimaraes' goal came two minutes after Arsenal's David Raya saved a penalty from Sunderland's Enzo Le Fee.

Bukayo Saka sealed the win with a penalty in the seventh minute of added time after Reinildo Mandava was sent off for bringing down the Arsenal forward in the box.

Manchester City is three points behind Arsenal in second place and plays Manchester United on Sunday.

Liverpool and Chelsea dropped more points after being held to surprise draws at home.

Liverpool's big money forwards Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola couldn't find a way past winless Fulham in a goalless contest at Anfield.

Chelsea's fragile defense was exposed again by newly promoted Hull in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa's nightmare start to the season continued with a 2-1 loss at home to Nottingham Forest.

Substitute Zian Flemming scored a 90th-minute winner as Ipswich beat Crystal Palace 3-2, while Bournemouth and Brentford drew 2-2.

Tottenham is still without a goal after a 0-0 draw with Everton.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was furious about a penalty given against his team when Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have pulled down Dan Ballard in the box.

Referees are clamping down on such incidents from set-pieces but Arteta insisted the decision was wrong.

"It's a huge win, but it could have been something very different," he said. "It's unacceptable at this level. Unacceptable. This changes the course of the season, the championship, and it's not acceptable. I've seen it 10 times to make sure because I watched it live and I said it's not possible at this level that there's going to be a penalty."

The Premier League confirmed the penalty was given for holding.

"I've been in football for almost 27 years, 28 years. It's not a penalty in any case, in any game, in any context, in any league," Arteta said.

Liverpool has spent more than half a billion dollars rebuilding its attack over the past two seasons, but was nullified by a Fulham team that had not kept a clean sheet and was pointless going into the game.

In front of a frustrated Anfield crowd, Andoni Iraola's expensively assembled team was held to a draw for the third time this season, halting the momentum of back-to-back wins, including a midweek victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

British record signing Isak ($170 million) came up short, while Barcola — signed from Paris Saint-Germain for $166 million — failed to produce anything in his first start in the league. It was the same story for Florian Wirtz ($156 million) and the relatively inexpensive Victor Munoz ($46 million).

"Collectively we didn't play well. Many things we tried to do, we couldn't do well," Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson said.

Iraola is still finding his feet in his first season at Liverpool after previously impressing at Bournemouth. But it has been an unconvincing start that has left his team with ground to make up even this early in the campaign.

"When you draw, especially at home, you can't be happy," Iraola said. "Today we lacked a bit of freshness and we did not do enough offensively to make the difference. In the first half we started the game slow, we lacked energy and it was not enough."

Chelsea's defensive problems are becoming increasingly costly.

Xabi Alonso's team has conceded at least two goals in each of its league games and 12 goals in six games in all competitions. Its only clean sheet came against third division Luton in the English League Cup.

"We can do better. We got what we deserved," Alonso said. "We need to be more solid and be more controlled. New players and new staff. This is the process. In a few months I'm sure we'll be able to control better."

It took a goal from Joao Pedro in the 66th to salvage a draw after Mohamed Belloumi's double saw Hull rally from 1-0 down to lead 2-1.

Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute.

Tottenham remained goalless and winless in the Premier League on Saturday despite a summer of heavy spending including the arrival of Manchester City forwards Omar Marmoush and Savio.

A 0-0 draw at home to Everton made it more than six hours without a goal for Spurs after spending more than $400 million in the market to overhaul a squad that has flirted with relegation in back-to-back seasons.

A dour match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was short on clearcut chances with neither team looking likely to find a winner.

The point moved Everton level with Merseyside rival Liverpool on six.

Villa's Champions League win midweek proved not to be a turning point in what has been a desperate start for Unai Emery's much-changed team.

The loss of a slew of star players is taking its toll on a team that won the Europa League last season and finished fourth in the Premier League.

Alysson Edward gave Villa fans hope of a point at home after Liam Delap put Midlands rival Forest ahead just after halftime. But Igor Jesus found a winner in the 88th.

Emery bemoaned Villa's second half performance. "We lost because we decided to lose," he said.

Ipswich picked up its second win on its return to the top flight against 10-man Palace. Flemming's 90th-minute winner at Selhurst Park settled a game that swung one way and another. The red card was to Axel Disasi.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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