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LONDON (Reuters) – Aston Villa retained the only 100% Premier League record, as Ross Barkley’s late goal earned them a 1-0 win at Leicester City on Sunday to move to second place, one point behind. from early leader Everton whose perfect start ended on Saturday.
Gareth Bale’s first appearance for Tottenham Hotspur in seven years, following his loan from Real Madrid, was eclipsed by West Ham United, who scored three times at the end to draw 3-3 in the London derby.
Brighton and Hove Albion scored late to draw 1-1 at Crystal Palace. Sheffield United and Fulham also drew 1-1 as both teams added their first points.
Villa’s dream start to the new season, following last season’s narrow escape from relegation, continued as Barkley sealed a generally severe Midlands derby in injury time, his second goal since coming from Chelsea.
Dean Smith’s team has won four of four, the first time Villa has done so in the top flight since the 1930-31 season, when they finished second.
“An important win today,” said Barkley, who also scored in a 7-2 win over champions Liverpool before the international break. “I dedicated that goal to the physiotherapist because he was 50-50 on the week and he did a very good job doing me well.”
Villa is one point behind Everton, who drew 2-2 with Liverpool in a controversial Merseyside derby on Saturday that left Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk with a serious knee injury that will require surgery.
While the Premier League goal run slowed a bit on Sunday, it did not do so in North London, where Tottenham and West Ham battled in an extraordinary derby.
Son Heung-min put Tottenham ahead by one minute and two goals from Harry Kane sent Spurs up three after 16 minutes.
Bale, back at the club he left in 2013 to start a trophy-laden career at Real Madrid, came off the bench in the 72nd minute for his long-awaited return home, but the script was not written for the Welsh winger.
Fabián Balbuena’s header in the 82nd minute and Davinson Sánchez’s own goal scored a nervous ending and then, in the fourth minute of injury time, Manuel Lanzini fired an unstoppable shot from outside the area to provoke wild celebrations from the visitors.
Bale missed a great opportunity when the score was 3-2.
“It’s three home games and two draws that could perfectly be two wins, and it’s a great punishment because we look at the table and it’s hard to believe after scoring so many goals and playing so well that we only have eight points,” said Spurs. said coach José Mourinho.
West Ham are the first team in Premier League history to avoid defeat in a game that has been behind by at least three goals until the 81st minute.
“We are playing against a team that everyone talks about and after 10 minutes I was thinking ‘will it be six or seven?’ We changed and that made us better, “West Ham manager David Moyes said.
Palace had held on to the lead from Wilfried Zaha’s 19th minute penalty, but three points would have been more than they deserved against archrival Brighton.
Substitute Alexis Mac Allister scored in the 90th minute to give Brighton a point, though Lewis Dunk was sent off in injury time for a poor tackle on Gary Cahill.
Sheffield United substitute Billy Sharp converted a late penalty to earn his team a point against Fulham, who had taken the lead shortly before, when Ademola Lookman scored her first start with an excellent solo effort.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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