Chelsea slipped up, Arsenal rolled on, while the two Manchester clubs also had easy outings on a day that saw plenty of goals in the English Premier League.
Newcastle shocked Chelsea 2-0 at St. James’ Park in the early kick-off, denying them the chance to go top. Manchester United emerged from Craven Cottage with a 3-1 win thanks to a first-half blitz while Manchester City hit seven past a hapless Norwich City side.
In the late kick-off Aaron ‘Rambo’ Ramsey continued his brilliant start to the season with a magnificent goal in the top of the table clash at the Emirates against Liverpool.
Here are the statistical highlights from Saturday’s games:
Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool
- Aaron Ramsey now has six goals in his last seven league matches and 10 overall this season.
- Liverpool have conceded in each of their last seven league matches, and they might not be helped by Brendan Rodgers switching defensive systems at half time.
- Arsenal have now got 25 points from an available 30.
- Arsenal continued their trend of having scored in every Premier League match this season.
Manchester City 7-0 Norwich City
- Joe Hart missed his first league game since April 2010 (v Man City for Birmingham) ending a run of 127 successive starts after he was dropped to the bench by Manuel Pellegrini.
- Alvaro Negredo has now scored 21 goals in his last 28 League appearances (for Sevilla & Man City included).
- Man City became the seventh club to score in 55 successive English top flight home matches and the first, since Manchester United set a run of 66 home matches between 2009 and 2013.
- Yaya Toure scored his fifth Premier League goal of the season – all five have come from a set-piece – he is the top Premier League scorer from set-pieces this season, ahead of Wayne Rooney (4).
Newcastle United 2-0 Chelsea
- Jose Mourinho suffered his second Premier League defeat as Chelsea manager at Newcastle’s St James’ Park – the joint-most defeats he has suffered at a single venue as Chelsea boss, along with Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium (two defeats in three visits).
- Chelsea’s five points from their opening five away matches this season is their worst such return since three from their opening five in 2000-01.
- Jose Mourinho suffered his worst Premier League defeat as Chelsea manager since a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa in September 2007.
- Newcastle won consecutive Premier League home matches against Chelsea for the first time since beating them 2-1 in both March 2003 and April 2004.
- Loic Remy has now scored six Premier League goals in his last six appearances.
Stoke City 1-1 Southampton
- Marko Arnautovic has featured in more games in 2013 without a single win than any other player in the top five European Leagues (19).
- Stoke have gone seven games without a win, no side in the Premier League is on a longer run.
- The Potters have conceded five goals in their last seven games at the Britannia Stadium.
Fulham 1-3 Manchester United
- Alex Kacaniklic scored his first Premier League home goal since scoring in the 5-0 home win vs Norwich in August 2012. Before yesterday, he had not finished on the losing side in the previous five Premier League matches in which he had scored (four wins).
- Robin van Persie’s goal put him clear as the highest-ever Dutch goalscorer in the Premier League (128), overtaking Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on 127, and put him outright 10th in the all-time scorers in the division.
- Fulham become the fifth club that Wayne Rooney has scored 10 Premier League goals against, after Portsmouth, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Arsenal.
- Robin van Persie scored his seventh Premier League career goal in 14 appearances against Fulham.
- The previous instance where Manchester United were 3-0 up after 23 mins in a Premier League game prior to yesterday was their 5-1 home win vs the same opponents Fulham on August 20th 2006.
West Ham United 0-0 Aston Villa
- Villa failed to score for a fourth consecutive game. The last time they did that was nearly four years ago (vs Arsenal twice, Liverpool and West Ham – Dec 2009-Jan 2010).
- West Ham drew for the 16th time in the PL against Aston Villa, the most they have drawn with any PL opponent.
West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Crystal Palace
- Saido Berahino scored his sixth goal of the season.
- Crystal Palace have now lost seven Premier League games in a row.
- Marouane Chamakh has only scored once in his last 21 league appearances.
- West Brom have lost just once in their last seven games.
- Keith Millen has secured 0 points for Crystal Palace in his caretaker spell.
(Stats courtesy: Infostrada and Opta Stats)