VAR denies Everton winner in feisty derby draw with Liverpool, Spurs & Chelsea win

Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half at Goodison Park, with Tom Davies denied by the upright for Everton, before Darwin Nunez and Luiz Diaz both saw efforts come out off the frame of the goal for the visitors.

The game opened up after the break, with Jordan Pickford forced into several fine stops in the home goal, while Neal Maupay, making his Everton debut after signing from Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek, should have scored from close range.

Then came the moment Everton fans had been waiting for after Conor Coady tapped home at the far post but with pandemonium ensuing at Goodison, the goal was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR review.

It finishes all square in a compelling Merseyside derby#EVELIV pic.twitter.com/q6N2o5O6Eq

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

Both sides pressed for a winner, with Everton substitute Dwight McNeil’s deflected shot almost catching Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson out and Mohamed Salah firing against the post in stoppage time, but the rivals had to settle for a point each.

The stalemate means Liverpool remain in fifth, six points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of their trip to Manchester United on Sunday, while Everton stay 14th, winless from their six matches so far.

Coming into the match after earning back-to-back home victories, Liverpool headed to a ground where they had not tasted defeat in the Premier League in 12 years on Saturday confident of further derby glory.

But even with big-money close season signing Nunez back up front, Liverpool struggled to get going at Goodison.

When they did create an opening, Liverpool found England goalkeeper Pickford in inspired form, with his save to tip Nunez’s effort onto the crossbar the pick of his first half stops.

Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp threw on a fourth attacker in Roberto Firmino for the second half, with Pickford forced into three saves in quick succession to deny the Brazilian.

The game opened up from there on in. Maupay should have broken the deadlock from close range, firing too close to Alisson, before the striker played a big part in what he thought was the opening goal in the 69th minute.

Coady thought he had timed his arrival at the back post to perfection for his first Everton goal, only to be judged offside in a tight call, much to the away fans’ delight.

Just as they did in their dramatic midweek win over Newcastle United, Liverpool thought they had snatched it at the death, but Salah’s first-time effort cannoned out off the upright once more, with the brilliant Pickford getting the faintest of touches to it.

The stalemate means Everton clashes with Liverpool has seen more goalless draws than any fixture in both English top-flight history (36) and Premier League history (12).

Kane on target as Tottenham beat Fulham to maintain pace

Tottenham Hotspur maintained their impressive start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over Fulham that did not do justice to their best attacking display so far on Saturday.

Goals in each half by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Harry Kane earned Tottenham a fourth win in six games but in-form Aleksandar Mitrovic’s effort set up a nervy finale.

FULL-TIME Spurs 2-1 Fulham

Harry Kane moves clear in third place in the all-time #PL scoring charts as the home side return to winning ways, despite Aleksandar Mitrovic's excellent consolation#TOTFUL pic.twitter.com/XB1Ek3FRIN

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

For the first time Tottenham manager Antonio Conte unleashed Richarlison from the start to form an attacking trident with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and it proved an exciting formula.

Chelsea come from behind to beat West Ham 2-1

Chelsea beat West Ham United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as goals from substitutes Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz cancelled out Michail Antonio’s opener but they also had the VAR referee to thank after an apparent West Ham equaliser was ruled out.

The Blues, looking to improve on their stuttering start to the season, were rocked in the 63rd minute when they failed to clear a corner and Declan Rice squared the ball for Antonio to convert on the goal line.

FULL-TIME Chelsea 2-1 West Ham

A remarkable finale to the match ends in Chelsea's favour, as they battle back from a goal down to beat West Ham#CHEWHU pic.twitter.com/VaDsYYQS9b

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

Thirteen minutes later the hosts were level when Chilwell squeezed between two defenders to get his head on a long forward pass by Thiago Silva and deftly angled the ball between the legs of West Ham goal-keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Havertz completed the comeback in the 88th minute when he connected with a cross by Chilwell to make it 2-1, moments after West Ham substitute Maxwel Cornet had headed against the post when he should have scored.

In the dying moments, Cornet thought he had levelled it for West Ham but his goal was ruled out after a VAR check found that Jarrod Bowen had fouled Chelsea goal-keeper Edouard Mendy.

Spectacular Toney hat-trick sinks Leeds United at Brentford

Ivan Toney struck a sensational hat-trick to earn Brentford a thrilling 5-2 home win over Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Toney sent Illan Meslier the wrong way from the penalty spot to open the scoring in the 30th minute after being fouled by Luis Sinisterra and doubled Brentford’s lead with a sublime freekick from just outside the box in the 43rd.

He completed his sixth career hat-trick in stunning style in the 58th minute, rounding Meslier and floating the ball over two defenders and into an empty net from distance after the Leeds keeper was forced to charge out to clear his lines.

Sinisterra pulled a goal back for Leeds just before halftime with a fine bit of skill, but Leeds then lost their manager Jesse Marsch to a red card for arguing with the officials shortly after Toney’s third goal.

FULL-TIME Brentford 5-2 Leeds

It’s the Ivan Toney show as the forward scores a sensational hat-trick to secure victory in an eventful encounter#BRELEE pic.twitter.com/QwwlYiAe8g

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

Marc Roca scored a second for the visitors in the 79th, but it was Brentford who had the last word when Bryan Mbeumo slotted home a minute later to restore the two-goal cushion before Yoane Wissa added the home side’s fifth in injury time.

The win moved Brentford up four places to seventh in the table, while Leeds dropped to ninth.

Podence gives Wolves first win with victory over Southampton

A Daniel Podence goal on the stroke of half-time gave Wolverhampton Wanderers a 1-0 win over Southampton on Saturday, their first victory of the season.

Matheus Nunes broke down the right and picked Podence out with a low ball to the back post although Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu should have done better to keep out the low drive.

FULL-TIME Wolves 1-0 Southampton

Daniel Podence’s first-half strike is enough to clinch all three points for the hosts#WOLSOU pic.twitter.com/DkK3iB7u1G

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

After the break Che Adams had the ball in the net for Southampton but it was ruled out for handball on what was a frustrating day for the forward.

Adams had a Stuart Armstrong cross against the bar as Wolves held on for a win that moves them up to 14th on six points.

Southampton fall to 12th place with seven points from their opening six games.

Super sub Anthony scores as Bournemouth seal comeback win over Forest

Jaidon Anthony came off the bench to hand Bournemouth a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest as they bounced back from two goals down in a thrilling clash of the promoted sides in the Premier League on Saturday.

Cheikhou Kouyate and Brennan Johnson gave Forest a 2-0 lead at half time but Bournemouth produced a terrific performance in the second half, rallying through goals from Philip Billing, Dominic Solanke and Anthony.

FULL-TIME Nott'm Forest 2-3 AFC Bournemouth

A sensational second-half display from the Cherries sees them score three times to come back and claim victory#NFOBOU pic.twitter.com/XFN72C9ZtK

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 3, 2022

With the score 2-2, Anthony scored the winning goal in the 87th minute as he coolly side-footed a finish past Forest goalkeeper Dean Henderson following a pass from Solanke.

Earlier, Senegal midfielder Kouyate put Forest in the lead in the 33rd minute as he rose highest in the box to power home a header from Morgan Gibbs-White’s corner kick.

Forest doubled their lead before the break when forward Johnson scored an ice-cool penalty, following a lengthy VAR review after a handball incident by Bournemouth skipper Lloyd Kelly.

Bournemouth responded quickly in the second half, with central midfielder Billing finding the target in the 51st minute with a stunning strike from around 30 yards out.

Forest wasted a chance to add a third goal and it proved costly as striker Solanke made it 2-2 for Bournemouth in the 63rd minute, pulling off a superb acrobatic effort which flew into the net via a slight deflection off Scott McKenna.