City win to keep perfect Liverpool in their sights

Manchester City clung onto the coat-tails of Premier League pacesetters Liverpool with a hard-fought win against Everton yesterday after Jurgen Klopp’s men extended their perfect start to the season. Elsewhere, 10-man Tottenham put their recent wobbles behind them to clamber into the top four with victory against Southampton while Chelsea grabbed their first home league win under new boss Frank Lampard.In the early match, Liverpool won their seventh Premier League game out of seven thanks to Georginio Wijnaldum’s fortunate strike in a 1-0 victory at Sheffield United. The European champions looked short on invention against the well-organised Blades until Wijnaldum’s shot from the edge of the box 20 minutes from time trickled between the legs of United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Liverpool, who have won 16 consecutive league games, finished a single point behind champions City in the Premier League last season but are now setting a searing pace as they chase their first top-flight title since 1990.City were under huge pressure to respond in the late kick-off at Goodison Park and took the lead through Gabriel Jesus midway through the first half. But while Pep Guardiola’s men were irresistible going forward, they looked shaky at the back, with makeshift centre-back Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi in central defence.Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised and both sides had further chances to score before a Riyad Mahrez free-kick and a late Raheem Sterling goal sealed a 3-1 victory, which moved City back to within five points of Liverpool.Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino recalled his big guns for the home match against Southampton, making 11 changes from the side that suffered a shock League Cup exit at Colchester in midweek. Spurs had won just two of their opening eight games in all competitions before Saturday and looked in deep trouble when they were reduced to 10 men.Tanguy Ndombele fired the home side ahead but they suffered a blow when Serge Aurier was sent off after half an hour for two yellow cards. Hugo Lloris then gifted Southampton an equaliser with a goalkeeping howler, Danny Ings dispossessing the Frenchman in his six-yard box and forcing the ball home before Harry Kane restored the home side’s lead shortly before half-time.The 2-1 win lifted Spurs into fourth place in the Premier League, one spot behind West Ham, who drew 2-2 away to Bournemouth after beating Manchester United last week.Also yesterday, there was a first league win of the season for Wolves, 2-0 against bottom club Watford, and Crystal Palace were 2-0 winners against Norwich. Aston Villa twice led against Burnley but were pegged back and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.High-flying Leicester host struggling Newcastle today while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s misfiring Manchester United are at home to Arsenal tomorrow.English Premier League results:Aston Villa 2 (El Ghazi 33, McGinn 79) Burnley 2 (Rodriguez 68, Wood 81); Bournemouth 2 (King 17, Wilson 46) West Ham 2 (Yarmolenko 10, Cresswell 74); Chelsea 2 (Jorginho 50-pen, Willian 76) Brighton 0; Crystal Palace 2 (Milivojevic 21-pen, Townsend 90+2) Norwich 0; Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 33) Man City 3 (Jesus 24, Mahrez 71, Sterling 84); Sheffield United 0 Liverpool 1 (Wijnaldum 70); Tottenham 2 (Ndombele 24, Kane 43) Southampton 1 (Ings 39); Wolves 2 (Doherty 18, Janmaat 61-og) Watford 0Today: Leicester v Newcastle (1530 GMT)Playing tomorrow: Manchester United v Arsenal (1900)