Manchester City go top in English Premier League

LONDON: Defending champion Manchester City is on top of the English Premier League for the first time this season.

And if Pep Guardiola's team keeps playing like this, it could be difficult to knock City off its perch — even in a tight title race that saw three different team's lead the standings during Saturday.

On a day when previous leader Chelsea faltered, City displayed total dominance in a 3-1 win at Watford that showed off the kind of fluid passing game that helped Guardiola's team win three of the last four league titles.

Bernardo Silva scored twice after Raheem Sterling's early opener as City proved once again that it can do perfectly fine without a recognized striker in the lineup. It was a fifth straight league win for City, which is one point ahead of Liverpool and two in front of Chelsea after 15 rounds.

West Ham shook up the title race by beating Chelsea 3-2 at home in the early game, and Liverpool then needed an injury-time goal from Divock Origi to earn a 1-0 victory at Wolverhampton that put Jurgen Klopp's team on top for a few hours.

Sterling scored the opener in the fourth minute as City capitalized on a loose pass, and Phil Foden crossed into the center for Sterling to head home unmarked. Silva then doubled the lead in the 31st by weaving past two defenders before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

City completely dominated the first half, with 81% possession, and could have added more goals before Silva got the third with a clever curled effort into the top corner in the 63rd.

Watford pulled one back through Cucho Hernandez, who followed up his shot after it rebounded off a post, to deny Pep Guardiola's side a ninth clean sheet of the season.

Newcastle finally has a win in the Premier League, 15 games into the season.

Callum Wilson scored late in the first half, and Newcastle held on to beat Burnley 1-0 in a game between relegation strugglers.

The win was also the first by Newcastle under new manager Eddie Howe, who was hired last month to replace the fired Steve Bruce.

Burnley had been unbeaten in five games but could muster only one shot on target at St. James' Park.

Neal Maupay's goal in the eighth minute of injury time rescued a 1-1 draw for Brighton at Southampton.

Maupay reacted quickest to tap in from close range after Jakub Moder's free-kick, to deny Ralph Hasenhuttl a win on his third anniversary as Southampton manager. Armando Broja's smart finish put Southampton ahead in the 29th. Agencies

Also Read: Wins for President ACA, Rangia, Margherita, Lakhipur

Also Watch: