Premier League takeaways: Klopp 'no doubts' about Salah, fabulous Ferguson, Son stars

We pick out the main talking points from the latest round of English top-flight fixtures

PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKEND RESULTS: Friday, Sep 1, 2023 - Luton Town 1 (Andersen 90'+2) West Ham 2 (Bowen 37', Zouma 85'): Jarrod Bowen was among the goals again as West Ham temporarily took over top spot with their third win on the spin. "It's incredibly satisfying," said Hammers manager David Moyes. "For any team you want to get a good start to the season. It makes things a lot easier and gives players more confidence." Getty

Saturday, Sep 2 - Sheffield United 2 (Archer 33', Pickford og 45'+3) Everton 2 (Doucoure 14', Danjuma 55'): Both sides picked up their first point of the campaign after an entertaining game at Bramall Lane. But Everton needed a stunning double late save from Jordan Pickford - who had earlier scored an unfortunate own goal - to prevent a fourth defeat in a row. "You think about how mad is football," said Everton manager Sean Dyche. "It would have been an injustice [had Everton lost]." Getty

Brentford 2 (Jensen 7', Mbeumo 90'+3) Bournemouth 2 (Solanke 30', Brooks 77'): A last-gasp leveller from Bryan Mbeumo maintained Brentford's unbeaten record this season while Bournemouth still await their first win under manager Andoni Iraola. "On the performance, very happy," said Bees manager Thomas Frank. "First-half was good. Second-half was fantastic." Reuters

Burnley 2 (Foster 4', Brownhill 90'+4) Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 16', 63', 66', Romero 45'+2, Maddison 54'): Son Heung-min's treble helped unbeaten Spurs recover from going a goal down to thrash pointless Burnley at Turf Moor. "We knew Burnley would come at us and press us," Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou said. "I like the way we handled that. We stayed calm, worked really hard as a unit." Getty

Chelsea 0 Nottingham Forest 1 (Elange 48'): Substitute Anthony Elanga scored his first Forest goal to seal a hard-fought victory at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea dominated possession but were punished for failing to take their chances, summed up by Nicolas Jackson's late miss from close range. "We are building something and it is always up and down," said Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. "We are unlucky because I think we deserved more." Getty

Manchester City 5 (Alvarez 31', Ake 45'+5, Haaland 58', pen 70', 90'+5) Fulham 1 (Ream 33'): Champions City maintained their 100 per cent record took over top spot going into the international break as Erling Haaland scored another hat-trick and set up another goal, meaning the Norwegian now has 42 goals and nine assists from 39 Premier League appearances. City assistant manager Juanma Lillo said: "He's great at providing for other players ... he has this importance to other players, it's not just about scoring goals." AP

Brighton 3 (Ferguson 27', 65', 70') Newcastle 1 (Wilson 90'+2): A hat-trick from teenager Evan Ferguson earned Brighton, who will be playing in the Europa League this season, an impressive victory over Newcastle, who will tackle the Champions League, on the south coast. "Great performance against one of the best teams in the Premier League," said Seagulls manager Roberto De Zerbi. "I like Newcastle, they play good football but today we deserved to win." Getty

Sunday, Sep 3: Crystal Palace 3 (Edouard 56', 84', Eze 78') Wolves 2 (Hwang Hee-chan 65', Matheus Cunha 90'+6): A double from Odsonne Edouard helped Palace secure dramatic victory, with Matheus Cunha's late header proving only a consolation. Eagles manager Roy Hodgson said of Edouard: "He has got better and better, knowing how we want to try and play. He hadn't lost the technique, talent, the skill or the things that made him so big at Celtic." Getty

Liverpool 3 (Szoboszlai 3', Cash og 22', Salah 55') Aston Villa 0: A quality finish from Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool on their way to an easy win at Anfield, with Mohamed Salah putting aside Saudi Arabia transfer talk to put seal on win. "A top team performance," said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. “Everybody showed up. It was a top game, the best for a while to be honest." Getty

Arsenal 3 (Odegaard 28', Rice 90'+6, Gabriel Jesus 90'+11) Manchester United 1 (Rashford 27'): Injury-time goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus secured Arsenal a dramatic victory. Marcus Rashford had put United in front against the run of play only for Martin Odegaard to level within a minute. "We work and do everything we do every day for moments like this. This is sport at the top level," said Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, "it is about the small margins." Reuters

Klopp has 'no doubts' about Salah commitment

It would be fair to say that September 7 cannot come quickly enough for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

That is the day the Saudi Pro League transfer window closes and, as long as Salah is still a Liverpool player, the German will no longer have to field questions about the Egyptian's future … for a few months anyway.

On Sunday, Salah was doing what he does best as he scored goal No 188 in 309 games for Liverpool in their 3-0 demolition of Aston Villa.

But, inevitably, the questions after the game were not centred around Dominik Szoboszlai's first goal for the club or Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season, but about Salah's future with Al Ittihad reported to be planning a new £200 million offer.

When asked whether the 31-year-old had spoken about his desire to say at Anfield, Klopp said: “No. He didn't tell me, but he didn't have to. He speaks with his training and performances and behaviour.

“We had meetings this week and the meetings were not about what we did in the past, it was about what we will do in the future.

“I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club.”

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored against Aston Villa on Sunday but continues to be linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Fine margins as Rice sizzles for Arsenal

It was a breathless end to Arsenal's home win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

With the score deadlocked at 1-1, United substitute Alejandro Garnacho thought he had grabbed an 87th-minute winner, only to be denied by one of those length-of-a-fingernail VAR offside calls.

Then two quick goals deep into injury-time win it for Arsenal, with Declan Rice finding the perfect time to score his first goal for the club before Gabriel Jesus finished calmly to send the Emirates wild.

“It's the best feeling in the world. This is what we play for,” said Gunners captain Martin Odegaard. "It's the fine margins of football," Rice added. "We go up the other end and I score then Gabi [Jesus] seals it."

Declan Rice celebrates after scoring Arsenal's second goal against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium. AFP

Ferguson is latest Seagulls' star in making

Teenage striker Evan Ferguson looks set to become the latest star turn on the Brighton talent conveyor belt.

The Irishman fired a superb hat-trick in their 3-1 win over Newcastle United and became only the fourth player – after Chris Bart-Williams, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen – to score a Premier League treble before their 19th birthday.

Such a result and performance is particularly impressive when you consider the Seagulls lost key midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister during the summer – and went into the game on the back of a 3-1 home defeat against West Ham.

“We are happy that the transfer market is closed,” said Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi. “It is good news for us because we want to keep him [Ferguson] and we want to work with him to improve him.”

The likes of Ferguson, Kaoru Mitoma and Julio Enciso, who is out injured, will all soon be targets for the league's bigger guns in the next transfer windows.

And as De Zerbi's stock continues to rise, the big question will be how long it takes the Italian to tire of being manager of a feeder club for bigger fish and decides to move on himself.

Brighton's Evan Ferguson celebrates scoring the first of his hat-trick against Newcastle. Reuters

Son stars as Spurs strike it hot

It may seem strange to say there might have been some relief in the Tottenham Hotspur camp after their 5-2 battering of Burnley on Saturday. After all, Ange Postecoglou's side are unbeaten after four games having taken 10 points from a possible 12.

But, despite scoring six times in their opening three league games, Spurs strikers Richarlison and Son Heung-min had failed to find the target, with the Brazilian in particular looking desperately short of confidence.

And with talismanic goal machine Harry Kane now plying now his trade in Germany, questions were being asked about who was going to supply their cutting edge up front.

At Turf Moor, captain Son stood up to the plate, with the South Korean firing home his fourth Premier League hat-trick.

“Sonny was outstanding,” Postecoglou said. “He's been an outstanding leader, with the way he presents himself every day in training. He led our press today – and then he has the quality to take his chances. I'm really pleased for him.”

Spurs striker Son Heung-min scores the first of his treble at Burnley. It was the South Korean's fourth Premier League hat-trick. Getty

VAR farce leaves Fulham fuming

It has been a week to forget for Fulham manager Marco Silva, who watched his team collapse to a 5-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.

There is no shame in losing to the champions of Europe at the Etihad Stadium but what left Silva fuming was the latest failure of VAR to right an obvious wrong on the pitch.

With the scores level at 1-1 just before half-time, Manuel Akanji was clearly in an offside position as Nathan Ake's header bounced past him and into the net. But video assistant referee Tony Harrington bafflingly ruled that Akanji was not interfering with play.

“Everyone that plays football and has some knowledge of the game would be 100 per cent sure [VAR] has to disallow the goal,” Silva said.

“It was offside,” admitted City striker Erling Haaland. “I feel bad for them – I would be fuming after this as well.”

Adding to Silva's problems was the absence of key midfielder Joao Palhinha following the collapse of his midweek move to Bayern Munich, even though he had passed a medical, posed in a Bayern shirt and even carried out in-house interviews.

“He had a big chance to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and he was really close,” added Silva, who revealed the Portuguese was not in the right frame of mind to start. “You can imagine the impact that has on a football player when these type of things happen.”

Fulham manager Marco Silva, left, argues with the fourth offical following Nathan Ake's controversial goal for Manchester City. PA