LONDON (AP) — It might be time for Liverpool to start worrying about its slow start to the Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp’s team dropped points for the fourth time in six games after an eventful 0-0 draw at Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday, with Mohamed Salah hitting the post in stoppage time.
Chelsea has VAR to thank for not being in a similar position. Thomas Tuchel’s team, having lost two of their previous three games, held on for a 2-1 victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge after the visitor had an injury-time equaliser overturned by what Hammers manager David Moyes called a “scandalous” and “rotten” decision.
Chelsea already has two losses and a draw in the opening six games, while Liverpool has three draws and one loss, having needed a goal in the eighth minute of injury time to beat Newcastle in midweek.
“It’s not the start we wanted,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. “It’s not a dream, it’s exactly 50 per cent of the points available. But that’s the points we got, and let’s go from here. If we go through these really hard moments together we have a good chance to create better moments in the future.”
The good news for Klopp is that Liverpool didn’t lose any more ground to defending champion Manchester City, which was held to 1-1 at Aston Villa despite another goal from Erling Haaland – the Norwegian striker’s 10th.
City is tied with Tottenham for second place in the table on points, giving leader Arsenal a chance to take a four-point lead if it can maintain its perfect record when it travels to Manchester United.
Tottenham also remained unbeaten after beating Fulham 2-1 at home in another London derby, with Harry Kane scoring his fifth goal to take sole possession of third place in the Premier League’s list of all-time scorers.
Meanwhile, in the highest-scoring game of the day, Ivan Toney had a hat trick for Brentford in a 5-2 victory in over Leeds, whose American manager Jesse Marsch was sent off in the second half for protesting a refereeing decision.
Bournemouth – still without a manager after Scott Parker was fired this week – came from 2-0 down in the second half to earn a 3-2 away win at Nottingham Forest in a game between promoted sides, while Wolverhampton earned its first victory of the season by beating Southampton 1-0. Newcastle missed a host of chances as it was held at home by Crystal Palace to 0-0.
GOALKEEPERS SHINE
Perhaps the only two players to be happy with 0-0 at Goodison Park were the goalkeepers.
Everton’s Jordan Pickford and Liverpool’s Alisson pulled off stellar saves while Liverpool also had three shots hit the woodwork.
