The teenager became Liverpool’s youngest goal-scorer, finishing superbly after Newcastle had fought back from two goals down in spite of Anthony Gordon’s red card.

Bruno Guimarães and Will Osula had briefly restored parity for Newcastle.

At the Emirates, Arsenal overwhelmed Leeds with a commanding 5–0 win.

Viktor Gyökeres scored twice, but injuries to Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard overshadowed celebrations.

Manchester City suffered a shock 2–0 home defeat to Tottenham.

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Richarlison led the line impressively, with Spurs exploiting City’s defensive gaps to secure a famous victory.

Chelsea produced a ruthless display, thrashing West Ham 5–1 away.

The defeat intensified pressure on Hammers manager Graham Potter after another disorganised defensive performance.

Everton delighted their home fans with a 2–0 triumph against Brighton at Goodison Park, collecting their first points of the season in convincing style.

Manchester United endured further frustration at Fulham.

Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, and Emile Smith Rowe’s late strike earned the hosts a valuable 1–1 draw.

Elsewhere, Burnley eased past newly promoted Sunderland 2–0 at Turf Moor. Bournemouth edged Wolves 1–0, while Brentford beat Aston Villa by the same scoreline.

Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest shared the points in a 1–1 draw at Selhurst Park, where off-field protests by supporters overshadowed events on the pitch.

Matchweek Two delivered surprises and statement performances, with Tottenham’s resilience, Arsenal’s firepower, and Ngumoha’s heroics ensuring a weekend rich in storylines across the Premier League.

Source: NAN

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Bassey’s only other Fulham goal came almost a year ago but the Nigeria international produced a well-directed header in the 62nd minute to leave Forest empty-handed despite Chris Wood scoring his 18th league goal of the season for the visitors.

Emile Smith Rowe headed in Adama Traore’s cross to give Fulham an early lead at Craven Cottage but striker Wood levelled before halftime with a clinical finish.

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Forest were unable to make much of an impression after Bassey’s goal and a lively Fulham side could have added to their lead on several occasions.

While Forest remained in third place with 47 points from 25 games, Fulham are firmly in the hunt for European qualification, sitting in eighth spot with 39 points.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest side could have no real complaints at the outcome as they managed only two attempts on target at a murky Craven Cottage.

The hosts began in positive fashion and nearly went in front when Raul Jimenez’s looping header went just wide of the post.

But Fulham did not have to wait long for their reward as Traore delivered a superb inswinging cross with his left foot and Smith Rowe timed his run to perfection to power his header past Forest keeper Matz Sels.

Sels had to make a great save to deny Jimenez as the hosts dominated but Wood equalised with the type of goal that has made him one of the surprises of the season.

He got a little lucky as a flighted pass from Morgan Gibbs-White struck him on the back to wrong-foot Fulham’s defence.

But he took full advantage, producing a silky turn before planting a left-foot shot beyond Bernd Leno.

It was a similar pattern after the break with Fulham’s power and pace disrupting Forest.

The hosts scored the winner as Jimenez flicked on a cross to the back post where Bassey produced a header any striker would have been proud of.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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The result ended the visitors’ three-game unbeaten 2022/2023 English Premier League (EPL) run and left them in the relegation zone after the day’s other results.

Leicester City, who had taken five points from their last three matches, have 30 points with three games left, falling to 18th place below Everton and Nottingham Forest.

Both sides won their matches later in the day.

Fulham never really looked to be in danger with Leicester City playing catch-up throughout the contest after a dismal first-half display, which was criticised by playmaker James Maddison.

“Big game for us and we were not at it. We were not hungry enough to want to win the game. We need to do the basics well,” Maddison told reporters.

“We can’t defend like we did, that is why we are where we are. But it is not just the defence, it is the team.

“The team needs to be watertight and that comes from the front too.

“They played through us. They scored three goals in the first half and it left too much to do.”

Leicester City face UEFA Champions League-chasing Liverpool and Newcastle United in their next two games.

Fulham were gifted the opener in the 10th minute by a howler from goalkeeper Daniel Iversen.

This was after he misjudged the trajectory of a Willian free-kick and could only watch as the ball bounced past him and into the back of the net.

Leicester City’s sole attacking outlet in the first half was the ever-lively Jamie Vardy, who twice tested Bernd Leno from range.

The hosts continued to press forward, with Carlos Vinicius squeezing a shot past Iversen in the 18th minute.

Cairney later scored either side of half-time to give the West London club a four-goal advantage.

Leicester City pulled a goal back as winger Harvey Barnes fired into the roof of the net in the 59th minute before Vardy won and missed a penalty kick.

But Willian wrapped up a one-sided victory by curling home Fulham’s fifth from distance.

The visitors scored through Barnes and Maddison late on but they merely added some respectability to the scoreline on an awful day for Dean Smith’s team.

Marco Silva’s Fulham have now won 14 league games this season — equalling a club record in the Premier League.

“Great moments of football, great goals. The way we played from the first minute was really good,” Silva told reporters.

“We prepared well for the game and the players executed the plan very well. We clearly deserved the three points and it should have been much more comfortable.

“That is something for us to work on and keep improving,” he said.

Fulham remain 10th in the table.

Source Reuters/NAN

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Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah scored the lone goal which even edged him even closer to a Steven Gerrard record.

There was none of the drama or histrionics of Sunday’s 4-3 win over Tottenham in bringing up a fifth successive Premier League victory for the first time since April last year.

Salah’s 39th-minute penalty kick, his second in successive games after back-to-back misses, took him to 185 goals for the club.

He is one goal behind Gerrard, while also going fifth on the club’s list of all-time league scorers with 136.

Manager Jürgen Klopp’s behaviour in the technical area was the very model of exemplary behaviour following a Football Association (FA) misconduct charge for comments about Sunday’s referee Paul Tierney.

He was perhaps making the most of his time on the touchline as he has until Friday to respond to the charges.

Having already served a one-match ban this season, the punishment could be much more severe.

Klopp had written in his programme notes that going 3-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes against Tottenham had given them some problems.

It was a match they eventually went on to win with an added-time goal.

They did set off looking like they might replicate that, with Trent Alexander-Arnold alone having three attempts on goal in the first 10 minutes.

But they lacked some of the sharpness they had shown at the weekend.

Also, Fulham were also more organised than their fellow Londoners and that kept opportunities down to half-chances at best.

Alexander-Arnold’s advanced position stepping into midfield allowed him to get closer to his opponents’ goal.

But, unusually for him, he was off target with two attempts and another hit tamely at goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Salah, whose cross just evaded Darwin Nunez eight yards out, weaved his way past a couple of defenders close to the byline but could not find the target from a narrow angle.

Luis Diaz also had a shot deflected wide.

Liverpool’s mastery of control in the opposition half was almost absolute, regularly winning back possession before Fulham had time to begin the semblance of an attack.

But in their own final third it was much less so.

Virgil Van Dijk had to slide in to turn Harry Wilson’s cross behind after the former Liverpool winger had broken into the space behind Kostas Tsimikas.

Carlos Vinicius had also exploited Ibrahima Konate’s hesitation to force a good save out of Alisson Becker.

When the breakthrough arrived it was no surprise it came from a counter-press after Nunez had initially lost possession 15 yards outside Fulham’s penalty area.

Tosin Adarabioyo squared a short pass to Issa Diop but the centre-half, back in the team due to Tim Ream’s season-ending injury, dawdled in making his clearance.

Nunez was on him like a shot to nick the ball off his toes, with the Frenchman’s swing at fresh air catching the forward’s back leg as he went past him.

Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the penalty kick spot and Salah scored an identical penalty kick to the one against Spurs, blasted straight down the middle.

The second half was much of the same, with Liverpool exerting most of the pressure without really pressing home their advantage.

That made their slender lead vulnerable.

Alisson had to save well from Vinicius to prevent the equaliser with 13 minutes remaining to keep their slim Champions League qualification hopes alive.

They are, however, still relying on Manchester United to drop points as their arch-rivals have two matches in hand, starting at Brighton on Thursday.

Source: dpa/NAN

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The rejuvenated French midfielder arrowed home an unstoppable shot past Fulham keeper, Alphonse Areola, to settle the contest in the 65th minute at a windy Craven Cottage.

Fulham had actually taken the lead in the fifth minute when Ademola Lookman beat David de Gea with a clinical finish.

But United awoke from their early slumber and were level after 21 minutes when Areola’s fumble allowed Edinson Cavani to convert from a close range.

United suffered a late scare when Aleksandar Mitrovic’s header deflected off Eric Bailly by going agonisingly wide but United hung on for an eighth away win of the season.

In doing so they equalled a club record of 17 away top-flight games without defeat, although more significantly it saw them move two points clear of Manchester City to lead the table at the halfway stage for the first time in eight years.

City had briefly topped the standings after beating Aston Villa 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

Leicester had knocked United off the top with a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday.

It was club record signing Pogba’s goal last week at Burnley that sent United to the top, and he again demonstrated that when he is fit and focussed he can be an unstoppable force.

“Fantastic goal by Paul and we had some other chances to finish the game but of course when it is just one goal and the players they put on it is going to be like heart in your mouth,” manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of the player who has only sporadically shone for United since returning in 2016.

“Paul has really come on. He is fit, he can play in midfield and he can play wide. That is key with Paul, getting him match fit and running fit and he is now. He played very well.”

After City had claimed a sixth successive league win shortly before United kicked off alongside the River Thames, the pressure was on Solskjaer’s side to respond.

The early signs were worrying as Scott Parker’s Fulham were far quicker out of the traps.

They took the lead after a long spell of possession which ended with Andre Anguissa’s pass picking out Lookman to plant a shot past De Gea with United’s defence having switched off, awaiting an offside flag that never came.

The visitors soon clicked into gear though and moments after Bruno Fernandes had thumped a shot against the post he swung in a low cross that Areola flapped at and Cavani tapped home.

Areola redeemed himself with a great save from Fernandes and Harry Maguire also headed wide as United took charge.

Fulham enjoyed another bright spell early in the second half with Lookman presented with a great chance after good work by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, only to shoot straight at De Gea.

United looked the more likely winners though and after 65 minutes Pogba took matters into his own hands.

Cutting in from the right Pogba had only one thing on his mind and dispatched a left-foot shot that flew past the helpless Areola.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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This was following the dynamic duo – Kan and Son – both scoring in a 3-0 win over Leeds United that lifted Spurs to third in the Premier League on Saturday.

Kane gave his side the lead from the penalty spot — his 10th league goal of the season — then combined with Son who doubled Tottenham’s tally just before halftime.

It was Son’s 100th goal for Tottenham and the 13th time this season that the pair had combined for a league goal, equalling the whole season record set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton for Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95.

“I think in the Premier League there are many good players everywhere even in clubs where you don’t believe they can have great players,” Mourinho said.

“But I have to say that Sonny and Harry are doing special things this season.

“They are very good players as you know for many years.

“I want more goals, especially from other players but today the second goal is great, it is also great because it was something we spoke about against a team that defends the way Leeds does.”

While the score line rather flattered Tottenham against a Leeds side who enjoyed 64% possession, it snapped a four-game winless sequence in the Premier League and sent Mourinho’s side back into the top four of the table.

They are in third spot with 29 points from 16 games, four behind joint-leaders Liverpool and Manchester United.

“Of course the result is important.

“We didn’t play the last match and the run of results in the least few weeks was not good so we needed these three points, so we go up a little bit in the table,” Mourinho said.

Tottenham’s game in midweek was postponed after Fulham players tested positive for COVID-19.

This is a decision that Mourinho still find puzzling on the day that three of his own players were condemned for breaking the rules to attend a party.

“I go back to the initial rules of if you have 14 players available you have to play,” Mourinho said.

“I don’t see another reason for not doing it. I think every club does the best for their players to keep them all safe but then there are moments in private lives which you cannot control.

“Not everyone can be blamed so we have to carry on. If somebody has some positives, we have to play.”

Source: Reuters/NAN

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Fulham also have an option to make the 23-year-old’s arrival permanent and the Nigeria international said he was happy to return to London where he was born and raised.

“It feels amazing to be back closer to my family, back in the capital,” Aina told the club’s media channel.

“There’s a great bunch of lads here. I’m really good friends with Big Hec (Michael Hector) and Josh Onomah.”

Aina, who came through neighbouring Chelsea’s youth system, spent the last two seasons with Torino, where he played 69 times with his versatility allowing him to play on either flank.

“I feel very comfortable on either foot. I can fill in wherever needs be,” he added.

“I’d say I’m pretty quick and I like to attack, but I also like to help the team and do the dirty work as much as I can.”

Aina’s signing follows the capture of midfielder Harrison Reed, goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, right-back Kenny Tete and midfielder Mario Lemina and left-back Antonee Robinson.

Winger Anthony Knockaert’s loan move was also made permanent.

Fulham, who gained promotion to the Premier League after winning the second tier Championship playoffs last season, begin their campaign on Saturday with a visit from fellow London side Arsenal.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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The Latics broke the deadlock through Kal Naismith inside the opening minute of the contest, before Kieran Dowell and Kieffer Moore netted a brace each.

Jamal Lowe and Joe Williams also got on the scoresheet before the half-time break.

Dowell completed his hat-trick in the second half for Wigan’s eighth goal as the club celebrated their biggest league win.

They surpassed a 7-0 victory achieved against Oxford United in 2017.

The result also matched the biggest ever Championship victory — Bournemouth’s 8-0 win over Birmingham City in 2014.

Wigan, who face a 12-point deduction after going into administration, are 12 points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play.

The defeat leaves relegation-threatened Hull a point adrift of the safety zone, having lost four matches in a row.

West Bromwich Albion’s grip on an automatic promotion spot loosened when they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Fulham at the Hawthorns.

Grady Diangana’s effort from close range in the second half was saved brilliantly by visiting goalkeeper Marek Rodak.

Also, Fulham forward Anthony Knockaert hit the crossbar with a thunderous effort.

West Brom are currently second in the league and four points above third-placed Brentford, who have a game in hand against Preston North End on Wednesday.

Slaven Bilic’s West Brom still remain in control of their own destiny.

Maximum points from their remaining two games against Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers will secure a return to the Premier League.

Source: Reuters/NAN

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