Man City, Livepool both held to draws

LIVERPOOL: Champion Manchester City and Liverpool were both held to draws in the Premier League yesterday, leaving Arsenal on top of the table ahead of its game at Manchester United today.

Liverpool was frustrated by Frank Lampard’s determined Everton in a goalless

Merseyside derby while City was held to a 11 draw at Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.

Tottenham Hotspur maintained its fast start to the Premier League season with Harry Kane sealing a 21 victory over Fulham and Chelsea left it late asit came back from a goal down to beat West Ham United 21 at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool had 23 goal attempts but could find no way through at Goodison Park where both sides hit the woodwork and Everton was denied a winner by a VAR decision.

Juergen Klopp’s side have nine points from a possible 18 and finds itself six points behind leader Arsenal and five behind City and Spurs.

‘‘Rule No 1: if you cannot win the derby, don’t lose it. We could have won it today but we could have lost it in a few moments as well,’’ Klopp said.

Everton’s 12year wait for a win over Liverpool at Goodison goes on but manager Frank Lampard took plenty of positives from the draw.

‘‘I thought we were brilliant. It’s one of the best 00s you’re likely to see,’’ the former England midfielder said.

Erling Haaland continued his electric start to his City career, notching his 10th goal in his sixth game as he put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead after the break, guiding in a superb deep cross from Kevin De Bruyne.

But Villa stuck at its task and were rewarded when Jamaican winger Lion Bailey fired past Ederson with a sweet firsttime shot after excellent work from Jacob Ramsey.

Substitute Philippe Coutinho had the ball in the net but he had already been flagged for offside, meaning there could be no VAR review — and to Gerrard’s annoyance the replays showed the Brazilian had been onside.

Chelsea hit back to beat West Ham United 21 with goals from substitutes Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz cancelling out Michail Antonio’s opener.

But West Ham was left seething when an equaliser by Maxwel Cornet in the dying moments was ruled out after a VAR check ruled that Jarrod Bowen had fouled Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy.

Newcastle United also felt aggrieved as it had a goal chalked off following a VAR decision in a 00 home stalemate with Crystal Palace, its fourth draw in six games.

Ivan Toney scored a stunning hattrick for Brentford in a 52 mauling of Leeds United.

Wolverhampton Wanderers claimed their first win of the season as they beat Southampton 10 with Daniel Podence on target just before halftime.

Nottingham Forest, which signed 21 new players in the transfer window for a combined £145 million ($NZ

273.5 million), including several on deadline day, squandered a 20 lead at home to Bournemouth to eventually lose 32 and fall into the bottom three.

Tottenham is enjoying its jointbest start to a Premier League campaign and maintained the pace at home to Fulham.

‘‘We are going to score many goals with these strikers,’’ Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, who started with Richarlison, Kane and Son combined for the first time, said.