Villa keeps perfect start to season
FOOTBALL
LONDON: Aston Villa preserved the English Premier League’s only 100% record as Ross Barkley’s late goal earned it a 10 win at Leicester City yesterday to move into second place, one point behind early leader Everton whose perfect start ended on Sunday.
Gareth Bale’s first appearance for Tottenham Hotspur for seven years, following his loan move from Real Madrid, was eclipsed by West Ham United which scored three times late to draw 33 in the London derby.
Brighton and Hove Albion scored late to earn a 11 draw at Crystal Palace. Sheffield United and Fulham also drew 11 as both teams picked up 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 dour Midlands derby in stoppage time — his second goal since joining from Chelsea.
Dean Smith’s side has won four from four, the first time Villa has done that in the top flight since 193031 campaign when it went on to finish second.
Villa is a point behind Everton which drew 22 with Liverpool in a controversial Merseyside derby on Sunday which left Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk with a serious knee injury that will require surgery.
Tottenham and West Ham battled out an extraordinary derby.
Son Heungmin put Tottenham ahead inside a minute and two goals from Harry Kane had Spurs three up after 16 minutes.
Bale, back at the club he left in 2013 to start a trophyladen career at Real Madrid, came off the bench in the 72nd minute for his eagerlyawaited homecoming, but the script was not written for the Welsh winger.
Fabian Balbuena’s 82ndminute header and Davinson Sanchez’s own goal set up a nervy finale and then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Manuel Lanzini fired an unstoppable shot from outside the area to spark wild celebrations from the visiting side.
Bale missed a great chance when the score was 32.
‘‘That’s three matches at home and two draws that could perfectly be two victories, and it’s a big punishment because we look to the table and it’s difficult to believe after scoring so many goals and playing so well that we only have eight points,’’ Spurs manager Jose Mourinho said.
West Ham is the first team in Premier League history to avoid defeat in a game having trailed by at least three goals as late as the 81st minute.
‘‘We are playing against a team everyone is talking about and after 10 minutes I was thinking ‘is this going to be six or seven?’ We changed and it made us better,’’ West Ham manager David Moyes said.
Palace had hung on to the lead given to it by Wilfried Zaha’s 19thminute penalty but three points would have been more than it deserved.
Substitute Alexis Mac Allister netted in the 90th minute to give Brighton a point.
Sheffield United substitute Billy Sharp converted a late penalty to earn his side a point against Fulham which had taken the lead shortly before when Ademola Lookman marked his first start with an excellent solo effort. — Reuters