The Malta Independent on Sunday
Liverpool, Man City helped by goalkeeper errors in EPL wins
It was a day of goalkeeping blunders in the English Premier League.
Liverpool and Manchester City, seemingly set for another duel for the title, benefited from two of them in hard-fought away wins yesterday.
Liverpool eked out a 1-0 victory at Sheffield United but only after home goalkeeper Dean Henderson let a volley from the edge of the area by Georginio Wijnaldum slip through his arms and legs in the 70th minute.
That's seven straight wins to open the campaign for Liverpool, and 16 in a row in the league stretching back to March. Two more and the Reds will equal the top-flight record set by City in 2017.
City, meanwhile, was drawing 1-1 against Everton and dipping below its usual high level when Riyad Mahrez took aim with a free kick in the 72nd minute. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have had it covered but the ball went under his hand and crept inside the far post, before Raheem Sterling wrapped up a 3-1 win with a late goal.
DEFIANT SPURS
Lloris' mistake was probably the worst of the day.
The France captain collected the ball near his line, dithered and tried to beat Southampton striker Danny Ings with a deft turn. Ings dispossessed Lloris and the ball rolled into the net, leaving the score 1-1 after Tanguy Ndombele's early goal.
By that stage, Tottenham was also a man down after the 31stminute red card to Serge Aurier for two bookings but Mauricio Pochettino's team still prevailed, Harry Kane finishing a flowing move in the 43rd to make it 2-1.
WEST HAM FLYING
Doing even better than Tottenham, somewhat surprisingly, is West Ham.
A 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, earned by left back Aaron Cresswell's 74th-minute equalizer, lifted West Ham to third. The London team's only loss came on the opening weekend, a 5-0 hammering by Man City.
HOME WIN FOR CHELSEA
Chelsea finally kept a clean sheet this season, and it earned Frank Lampard a first home win in the league since his return as manager.
Jorginho converted a penalty and Willian scored with a deflected shot as Chelsea beat Brighton 2-0 with both goals coming in the second half.
STILL BOTTOM
Watford will head into October still without a league win.
Wolverhampton Wanderers consigned Watford to a fifth loss in seven games by winning 2-0 at Molineux thanks to an effort from Matt Doherty and an own-goal by Daryl Janmaat.
Watford has two points and was on the end of an 8-0 thrashing by Man City last weekend.
In the other two games, Burnley equalized twice in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at home to Norwich.