Matchweek 8 in the Premier League was short of goals and long on talking points. Ten games produced 19 goals, three home wins, four away wins and three draws, with seven of them finishing with a clean sheet for at least one side, two own goals, one penalty and one player sent off. Aston Villa ended Man City's run of seven wins from seven to start the season, Tottenham won 2-0 at Chelsea, and Bournemouth won 3-0 away at Man United. When it all settled, City and Arsenal were level on 21 points at the top. Here is how every game played out in the Premier League, from Friday to Sunday.
Premier League Matchweek 8 results at a glance
Premier League Matchweek 8 results, in kick-off order:
- Ipswich 1-1 Nott'm Forest
- Aston Villa 2-1 Man City
- Coventry 0-1 Fulham
- Arsenal 2-0 Everton
- Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham
- Hull 1-1 Brentford
- Man United 0-3 Bournemouth
- Liverpool 2-0 Brighton
- Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle
- Sunderland 0-0 Leeds
Every stat for all 10 games is on the Premier League Matchweek 8 fixtures and results page.
Ipswich 1-1 Nott'm Forest
Forest outshot Ipswich by more than two to one and still left with a single point. Nott'm Forest went in front on 13 minutes through Neco Williams, set up by Daniel Muñoz, and Ipswich were level by the 41st minute, Julio Enciso finishing with his left foot. That was the end of the scoring, though not of the pressure. Forest had 17 shots to seven, five on target to three and five corners to none, and their chances were worth 2.76 expected goals to Ipswich's 0.86. Ipswich still had 49 per cent of the ball and completed 474 passes to Forest's 468, so this was never one-way traffic. The only bookings were Issa Diop for Ipswich on 51 minutes and Murillo for Forest three minutes later. The draw leaves Ipswich 12th on ten points, down two places. Forest move up one place to 18th on six, still inside the bottom three.
Aston Villa 2-1 Man City
Man City arrived with seven wins from seven and left with their first league defeat of the season. Nicolas Jackson put Aston Villa ahead on six minutes, set up by John McGinn, and Erling Haaland equalised with a header on 52, from an Iliman Ndiaye pass. Jackson won it on 60 minutes with his second goal, set up by Ibrahim Mbaye. The numbers say City had reason to feel hard done by: 63 per cent of the ball, 15 shots to eight, seven on target to two, and 2.29 expected goals to 0.65. Villa took their chances and defended the rest. It was an even game for discipline, with eight yellow cards, four for each side: Marc Guéhi, Rayan Cherki, Elliot Anderson and Ryan McAidoo for City, Johan Manzambi, Matty Cash, Brian Madjo and Emiliano Buendía for Villa. Villa climb from 12th to ninth on 11 points. City stay top, level with Arsenal on 21, with the better goal difference.
Coventry 0-1 Fulham
It took until the 80th minute, and a corner, to separate these two. Oscar Bobb scored the only goal for Fulham, set up by Joshua King, and it was just enough. Coventry had the better of the shot count, 13 to 12, but the gap in quality was small: Fulham's chances were worth 0.58 expected goals and Coventry's 0.40, and Fulham put three shots on target to the hosts' two. The visitors had 64 per cent of the ball, with 646 passes at 90 per cent accuracy to Coventry's 352 at 79, and six corners to four. Fulham were booked twice as they saw the game out, Shea Charles on 36 minutes and Antonee Robinson on 82. The win lifts Fulham from 18th to 15th on eight points, out of the bottom three. Coventry slip from 17th to 19th on six, with six defeats in eight games.
Arsenal 2-0 Everton
Arsenal kept pace with Man City at the top, and they did it with set pieces. Ezri Konsa scored from a corner on seven minutes, set up by Viktor Gyokeres, and Gabriel headed the second on 68, from a Ben White pass. The corner count tells the story of the afternoon, 12 to three, along with 20 shots to eight and 2.29 expected goals to 0.72, though Everton did put three shots on target to Arsenal's four. Arsenal had 58 per cent of the ball and completed 508 passes at 87 per cent accuracy. The referee was busy, too: Vitaliy Mykolenko was cautioned for Everton in first-half stoppage time, Myles Lewis-Skelly for Arsenal on 58 minutes, James Garner and James Tarkowski for Everton, and both managers, Mikel Arteta and David Moyes, were booked. Arsenal stay second on 21 points, and they also won 2-0 when the sides last met, in March. Everton slip from eighth to 11th on ten.
Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham
A scrappy game was settled in the last 13 minutes. Chelsea had 32 per cent of the ball and seven shots to Tottenham's 15, and they held on until Mike Penders turned a corner into his own net on 77 minutes. Three minutes later the hosts were down to ten men, Cole Palmer shown a second yellow card on 80, and Mathys Tel made it 2-0 for Tottenham on 87. The chances backed the visitors up, 0.98 expected goals to 0.46, though each side had four shots on target. It was a bad-tempered afternoon. Conor Gallagher, Micky van de Ven and Mateus Fernandes were booked for Tottenham, as was their manager, Roberto De Zerbi, while Pedro Neto and Morgan Rogers went into the book for Chelsea. Tottenham climb from 16th to 14th on nine points. Chelsea slip from fourth to fifth on 13, and last time these two met, in May, Chelsea won 2-1.
Hull 1-1 Brentford
Hull were in front through a penalty and spent most of the second half under pressure. Oli McBurnie scored from the spot on 24 minutes, a minute after Aaron Hickey had been booked for Brentford, and Hull led at half-time. Dango Ouattara equalised on 63 minutes with a right-footed shot, set up by Thiago. The visitors were the more threatening side overall: 58 per cent of the ball, 445 passes at 82 per cent accuracy to Hull's 327 at 69, 14 shots to 12 and six on target to two. Even so, the chances were close to level on the numbers, 1.94 expected goals for Hull to 1.71 for Brentford. Hickey's yellow card was the only booking of the game. Brentford have now drawn five of their eight games and stay sixth on 11 points. Hull have drawn four and are 10th on ten, down one place.
Man United 0-3 Bournemouth
This one is hard to write as a United supporter, but the figures are plain. Man United had 63 per cent of the ball, 619 passes at 83 per cent accuracy and 17 shots to Bournemouth's 10, and finished without a goal. Bournemouth were ruthless with what they had: Rayan scored on 38 minutes, set up by Justin Kluivert, Marcus Tavernier made it 2-0 on 43, set up by Adrien Truffert, and Evanilson added a third on 71, from a Lewis Cook pass. Their ten shots were worth 2.56 expected goals, and United's 17 were worth 0.84. Four United players were booked, Andrey Santos, Ayden Heaven, Youri Tielemans and Harry Maguire, against one for Bournemouth, Tyler Adams. Bournemouth climb from 15th to 13th on nine points. United, with one win in eight, fall from 13th to 16th on seven.
Liverpool 2-0 Brighton
Liverpool won this one without much of the ball and without needing it. They had 36 per cent of it, 324 passes to Brighton's 576, and were outshot 17 to 13, but two goals in four minutes did the job. Brighton's Pascal Groß turned the ball into his own net on 17 minutes, and Alexander Isak doubled the lead on 21, set up by Bradley Barcola. Liverpool put four shots on target to Brighton's one, and the expected goals were almost level, 1.28 to 1.31. Brighton lost Ferdi Kadıoğlu to injury after six minutes, replaced by Costinha, who was himself booked on 73, and Olivier Boscagli was cautioned in first-half stoppage time. Liverpool rise from fifth to fourth on 15 points. Brighton stay third on 16, and despite the defeat their goal difference of plus 16 is still the best in the league.
Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle
Crystal Palace had more shots and more corners than Newcastle and still lost. The first half was goalless, and Newcastle broke through on 47 minutes when William Osula scored with his left foot, set up by Jacob Murphy. Harvey Barnes doubled the lead on 58 with a right-footed finish from an Amar Dedic pass. Palace's chances were worth more on paper, 2.20 expected goals to 1.30, from 17 shots to 10, with seven corners to four, but only four of those shots were on target to Newcastle's two. Discipline was level, three yellow cards each: Nico González, Fabian Schär and Lewis Hall for Newcastle, Yéremy Pino, Anan Khalaili and Jaydee Canvot for Palace. Newcastle rise from 11th to eighth on 11 points. Palace fall from 14th to 17th on seven, with the worst goal difference in the league, minus 10.
Sunderland 0-0 Leeds
There was nothing to separate these two, and the figures agree. Sunderland and Leeds had 50 per cent of the ball each and four shots on target each, and their chances were almost identical, 1.03 expected goals to 1.07, though Sunderland had more shots overall, 15 to 11, and Leeds one more corner, five to four. The first half brought two bookings, Ethan Ampadu for Leeds on 29 minutes and Reinildo Mandava for Sunderland on 39. Sunderland lost Nordi Mukiele to injury on 52 minutes, replaced by Omar Alderete, and Jayden Bogle was booked for Leeds on 67 before the game ended goalless. Sunderland stay bottom of the Premier League on five points from eight, with one win. Leeds, seventh on 11 points, have now drawn five of their eight games.
Premier League table after Matchweek 8, and what comes next
Eight games in, Man City and Arsenal lead the Premier League table on 21 points each, with City ahead on goal difference. Brighton are third on 16 and Liverpool fourth on 15. At the bottom, Sunderland are 20th on five points, with Coventry 19th and Nott'm Forest 18th, both on six. Matchweek 9 brings some big games: Man City v Brighton on Saturday 31 October is first against third, Chelsea v Man United the same day pairs fifth with 16th, and Liverpool v Arsenal on Sunday 1 November meets fourth with second. Every fixture is on our Premier League fixtures page.
