Arsenal go top as Liverpool hold Man City to a 1-1 draw

Goals from Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and Arsenal's Kai Havertz on Saturday saw the defending champions knocked off the top of the table. Liverpool secured a 1-1 draw against City at Etihad Stadium and Arsenal scored late to beat Brentford 1-0.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are likely to lead the challenge to City's domestic dominance. But threats lie elsewhere as well.

This season's surprise package, Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham, could go level on points with second-place City if they beat Aston Villa on Sunday. Villa have the chance to move level with third-place Liverpool and a point behind Guardiola's team.

But it is Klopp and Arteta who have experience of pushing Guardiola all the way, with Liverpool the only team to break City's supremacy over the past six years when crowned champions in 2020.

Klopp has rebuilt the squad that won every major honour for Liverpool from 2019-22. And his new-look team served notice by ending City's 100 per cent winning home record in the league when Alexander-Arnold's 80th-minute strike evened the score after Erling Haaland's opener.

"For us I think we passed a test today, I am not sure if it was 'the' test," Klopp said. "Last year with a team that played long together we got completely under the wheels here (losing 4-1) and had no real chance. Today we had a chance."

The result meant Arsenal had their chance to go top, having led the table for 248 days last season before falling away late on.

Arteta likely feared the worst as the clock ticked down at Gtech Community Stadium with the game goalless.

But Havertz's 89th-minute header completely changed the mood, securing a 1-0 win and moving Arsenal a point above City.

"When you have an opportunity to take a bite out of everybody you have to do it," Arteta said. "I love winning and we are top of the table and this is where we have to want to be."

But Guardiola is a master of handling the pressure at the top.

"We are hungry and upset in the locker room, but it was an incredibly great game," said Guardiola after drawing with Liverpool. "We were not going to win or lose the Premier League today, we just had to be ourselves."

City striker Erling Haaland set a Premier League record by scoring 50 goals in the fewest number of games.

He reached that milestone in his 48th match, breaking the record held by former Manchester United and Newcastle striker Andy Cole, who took 65 games.

Chelsea's heaviest loss under Mauricio Pochettino - 4-1 to Newcastle - prompted Brazil defender Thiago Silva to apologise to fans on social media.

Chelsea have now conceded four goals in back-to-back games, following the 4-4 draw with Manchester City earlier this month.

The loss, which also saw Reece James sent off, ended the London club's recent revival after a run of just one defeat in eight league games.

Everton's 10-point deduction has offered a potential lifeline to the three teams who were promoted last season and look set to struggle for survival. While Burnley and Sheffield United failed to take advantage, Luton won for the first time at home in the league this term and moved four points clear of the relegation by beating Crystal Palace 2-1.

Bottom of the table Burnley were denied their first league win in front of home fans when West Ham scored two late goals in a 2-1 victory.

Jay Rodriguez's penalty had put Vincent Kompany's team ahead in the 49th, but an own-goal from Dara O'Shea in the 86th was followed by Tomas Soucek's winner for West Ham in stoppage time.

Bournemouth beat Sheffield United 3-1 at Bramall Lane, with Marcus Tavernier scoring twice.

Brighton's Lewis Dunk was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of a minute after he protested a penalty awarded to Nottingham Forest.

Despite his dismissal, Brighton held on to win 3-2 as substitute Joao Pedro scored twice.

Australian Associated Press