🦁 Arsenal inflict first loss on Ruben Amorim; Villa earn much-needed win | OneFootball

The Premier League's midweek action continued tonight with six matches, headlined by Manchester United's visit to Arsenal.

Elsewhere, league leaders Liverpool travelled to Newcastle, and Manchester City hosted Nottingham Forest looking to end a seven-game winless run.

Here is what went down around the grounds.

Set-piece success for Arsenal once again

Scorers: Timber 54', Saliba 73'

Arsenal's incredible corner prowess proved the difference as they dispatched Manchester United 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium, inflicting a first defeat on Ruben Amorim.

The Gunners had the ball in the net inside three minutes, but Kai Havertz was clearly offside when he played the ball to Gabriel Martinelli.

Thomas Partey then missed a glorious chance as the home side piled the early pressure on, heading wide from almost a yard out.

United quickly gathered their composure, and were relatively comfortable for most of the first half, albeit without making any chances of note. The referee blew his whistle for the break with neither side registering a shot on target.

After the break, the tempo increased and Arsenal took the lead from yet another corner. Declan Rice whipped the ball in, and Jurrien Timber got his head to the ball at the near post.

They almost doubled their lead shortly after, this time Saka's corner skimming off substitute Joshua Zirkzee's head and just past André Onana's post.

United had their best chance in the 66th minute, again from a set-piece. Bruno Fernandes' floated a free kick in for Matthijs de Ligt to meet with a looping header that David Raya did well to turn away.

Arsenal got their second goal and, unsurprisingly, it came from a corner that United just could not deal with. Saka's ball came to Thomas Partey at the back post, and his header back across the box bounced off William Saliba and into the net.

Onana just about kept his side in the game, saving well from Havertz, who should have done better inside the box, before Mikel Merino headed wide from another Saka delivery.

United had a late chance to get back into it, Antony firing straight at Raya after a well-worked free kick with Fernandes, but Arsenal held out rather comfortably for a valuable win, which closes the gap on Liverpool to seven points.

Villa seal much-needed win

Scorers: Rogers 21', Watkins (pen) 27', Cash 34'; Damsgaard 54'

Aston Villa ended an eight-game winless run with a dominant 3-1 victory against Brentford at Villa Park.

There were only a handful of opportunities in the early moments, but the hosts grabbed the lead when their best chance arrived.

Villa were quick on the counter, before slowing down the ball. It was eventually shifted out to Morgan Rogers who found the top right corner from just outside of the box.

Ollie Watkins doubled his side's lead six minutes later from the spot after being taken down by Ethan Pinnock.

It was three before the break as Brentford's terrible away form continued. This time, it was Matty Cash who scored, volleying home after good work from Rogers.

Mikkel Damsgaard gave the Bees a slim chance of a comeback nine minutes after the break, finishing well after the ball came his way, but that's all they amounted to as Villa earned a much-needed three points.

Six goal-classic at St. James' Park

Scorers: Isak 35', Gordon 62', Schar 90'; Jones 50', Salah 68', 83'

Fabian Schär rescued a late point for Newcastle against a Mohamed Salah-inspired Liverpool in a pulsating 3-3 draw at St. James' Park.

Eddie Howe's men sprang out of the blocks, and had the first chance of the game inside two minutes. Caoimhín Kelleher did well to deny Sandro Tonali's low shot from the edge of the box.

Liverpool grew into it after a slow start, with Alexis Mac Allister coming the closest to the opening goal, hitting the post with a low strike.

Jacob Murphy then hit the woodwork for the Magpies with a rasping strike from the right-hand side, that had Kelleher beaten.

After almost teeing up Lewis Hall for a goal, Alexander Isak took matters into his own hands, giving his side the lead with an incredible strike. After turning Virgil van Dijk, he unleashed a rocket from 25 yards that was past Kelleher before he knew it.

Liverpool eventually drew level though, thanks to the efforts of star man Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian dragged the visitors forward and cut the ball into the box where it met a surging run from Curtis Jones for the equaliser.

After Darwin Núñez missed a gilt-edged chance to put Liverpool in front, a player they almost signed in the summer, Anthony Gordon, made them pay. He was slipped in by Isak, chopped inside Joe Gomez before shooting underneath Kelleher.

Just six minutes later, Salah equalised yet again for Liverpool, scooping the ball into the net after being found by a Trent Alexander-Arnold ball. It was the seventh consecutive game in which the Egyptian has scored, and broke Wayne Rooney's record of 36 Premier League games to have both scored and assisted in.

He then put his side in the lead with seven minutes to go, seconds after smashing the crossbar. Alexander-Arnold found him again inside the box, but there was still so much to do, turning and hitting the ball, giving Nick Pope no chance.

Just as Arne Slot's men looked set to seal another win, Kelleher made a rare error, failing to claim a cross, allowing Fabian Schär to sneak in to score and earn a deserved point for his side.

City ease crisis with dominant win

Scorers: Bernardo 8', De Bruyne 31', Doku 57'

Manchester City sealed their first win in eight games with an impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

City started the stronger, and took the lead after just eight minutes through Bernardo Silva. İlkay Gündoğan lifted the ball over to the returning Kevin de Bruyne, and his header found Silva, who poked the ball over the line for his first league goal of the season.

De Bruyne was sublime in the first half, and got himself on the scoresheet just after the half hour mark, just after Chris Wood missed a golden opportunity to level things up for Forest.

Jérémy Doku was allowed cut inside from the left too easily, and found his countryman in acres of space inside the box. The City captain took a touch before firing the ball past another Belgian, Forest keeper Matz Sels.

Doku then got on the scoresheet himself 12 minutes into the second half, again cutting inside before curling home a lovely strike to seal a much-needed three points.

Chelsea run riot against sorry Saints

Scorers: Aribo 11'; Disasi 7', Nkunku 17', Madueke 34', Palmer 77', Sancho 87'

Chelsea continued their fine form with an impressive 5-1 win against 10-man Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium, which keeps them in second position in the table.

The game off to a flying start, with thre goals inside the opening 17 minutes.

Chelsea broke the deadlock, Axel Disasi getting his head first on Enzo Fernandez's corner. However, their lead only lasted a matter of moments, with Joe Aribo pulling Saints level after being found in the box by Kyle Walker-Peters.

The Blues regained their lead shortly after through Christopher Nkunku. It was a moment to forget for Southampton keeper Joe Lumley, as his pass from goal was intercepted by Noni Madueke, who found Nkunku to finish.

Both Cole Palmer and Tosin Adarabioyo hit the woodwork with efforts as the visitors threatened to run away with the game in the opening half hour.

They got a deserved third in the 34th minute, Madueke easily skipping past Ryan Manning before curling past Ludley.

Any hope of a Saints fightback appeared to be extinguished shortly after, when captain Jack Stephens was shown his second straight red card of the season, this time for foolishly pulling Marc Cucurella's hair at a corner.

After the break, Chelsea continued to utterly dominate the game, but somehow did not add to their lead until 13 minutes from time through Cole Palmer, who tapped home from close range after Nkunku was taken down by Ludley.

Jadon Sancho added a late fifth with his first goal for the Blues, as Enzo Maresca's side enjoyed another great night.

Everton hit hapless Wolves for four

Scorers: Young 11', Mangala 34', Dawson (OG) 49', (OG) 72'

Everton hammered Wolves 4-0 at Goodison Park for a much-needed victory, which only increases the pressure on under-fire Gary O'Neil.

Ashley Young got the ball rolling in the 11th minute, whipping a low free-kick around the Wolves wall and past José Sá.

Struggling to get into the game, Gary O'Neil's side had a reprieve shortly after, Orel Mangala being adjudged to be offside prior to James Tarkowski putting the ball in the net.

Mangala atoned for his offside by grabbing the second goal himself 10 minutes before the break, and his first for the Toffees. Vitalii Mykolenko's strike ricocheted into his path on the edge of the box, and the midfielder gave Sá no chance with a brilliant strike.

Everton got their third four minutes into the second half, Craig Dawson diverting a corner into his own net under pressure from Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

With Wolves fans either walking out of the ground or chanting for O'Neil's departure, Dawson's night got even worse, as another ball came off him as Sean Dyche's side had a dream night.

📸 Julian Finney - 2024 Getty Images