Arsenal ties Manchester City at 21 points after Villa upset
Nicolas Jackson scored twice to stun the league leaders, while Ezri Konsa and Gabriel delivered goals in the rain for Arsenal.
By Larissa Shah ·
Arsenal and Manchester City stand tied at 21 points after eight Premier League games, a parity reached on a rainy Saturday that saw the league leaders suffer their first defeat of the season.
At the Emirates Stadium in north London, Arsenal defeated Everton 2-0. The match began with a set piece that ended a 13-game drought for the Gunners. Martin Odegaard delivered a corner that Jordan Pickford initially saved, but Ezri Konsa pounced on the loose ball to score from one yard out in the seventh minute. It was Konsa's first goal for the club.
"We are champions and to be champions you've got to win games consistently," Konsa said. "This is our home, and we want to win as many games here as possible."
The second goal came in the 68th minute, involving two players reaching career milestones. Ben White, playing his 200th match for Arsenal, crossed to the far post where Gabriel headed the ball in on his 200th Premier League appearance. The result leaves Everton in ninth place.
The points were secured because Manchester City dropped two points at Aston Villa. The visitors lost 2-1 to a side managed by Unai Emery. Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring in the sixth minute after John McGinn stole the ball from Marc Guehi. Erling Haaland equalized soon after halftime by heading in a free kick from Iliman Ndiaye. Jackson then scored his second of the match on the hour, finishing a cutback from Ibrahim Mbaye and beating goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The victory marked Villa's first home league win of the season and their third consecutive league win against City. The club now sits sixth with 11 points. Jackson told TNT Sports, "It's just the beginning; we're trying to work game by game."
City face an off-field challenge as they appeal a finding by an independent commission that they committed 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules. The club maintains it committed no wrongdoing. In other Saturday results, Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Cole Palmer was sent off in the 80th minute, and Mathys Tel scored in the 87th to seal the win, which was Chelsea's second league loss at home in 36 years. Fulham also won 1-0 against Coventry City, with Oscar Bobb scoring in the 80th minute.
