Late own goal gives Chelsea win, Fulham bag first three points

Chelsea kept up their 100 percent start to the Premier League season by snatching a 2-1 win at a stubborn Newcastle United on Sunday, grabbing victory thanks to a late own goal by DeAndre Yedlin.

Eden Hazard had blasted Chelsea ahead in the 76th minute from the penalty spot after Swiss defender Fabian Schar had tripped Marcos Alonso, allowing the visitors a breakthrough after they had monopolised possession.

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez had played a dogged 5-4-1 formation in an effort to shut out his former club. They created little at the other end, but they drew level when Spanish forward Joselu headed in at the near post in the 83rd minute.

Chelsea got back in front with a fortuitous goal four minutes later from Yedlin, who had stretched his foot out to block a shot from Alonso which had looked to be going wide.

Chelsea join Liverpool and Watford at the top of the table on nine points after three games while Newcastle have one.

Fulham beat Burnley

Two goals in three minutes by Aleksandar Mitrovic helped promoted Fulham to a first win of the Premier League campaign on Sunday when they beat Burnley 4-2 at Craven Cottage.

Jean Michael Seri, an Ivory Coast international who was another of the Londoners’ expensive close-season signings, opened the scoring in only the fourth minute but Jeff Hendrick soon equalised.

Mitrovic, signed from Newcastle after a loan period last season, struck in the 36th and 38th minutes before James Tarkowski cut the arrears to 3-2 by halftime.

Andre Schurrle scored late on to confirm Burnley’s drop into the bottom three.

Watford edge out Crystal Palace

Watford extended their superb start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday after Etienne Capoue escaped a red card and created the Hornets’ opening goal.

Capoue could consider himself fortunate to escape with only a yellow for an early foul on Wilfried Zaha.

And that proved a crucial moment as Capoue set up Roberto Pereyra’s third goal of the season to put Watford ahead.

Jose Holebas’s miscued cross found its way into the net to double Watford’s lead.

Zaha got one back for Palace in the closing stages, but it came too late to stop Watford securing their third successive league victory.

First Published: Aug 26, 2018 23:15 IST