Manchester City crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat against West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, as Kevin de Bruyne’s first goal for City was not enough to salvage their 100 percent start.
The Hammers have defeated Arsenal, Liverpool and Manuel Pellegrini’s side in their first three away games this season.
City fell behind in the sixth minute when on-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses fired home from long range for the first league goal conceded by Pellegrini’s club this season. Senegal forward Diafra Sakho netted the visitors’ second from close range in the 31st minute.
Photo: Reuters
Belgium midfielder De Bruyne, a £55 million (US$85 million) signing from VfL Wolfsburg last month, marked his first City start with a clinical finish in first-half stoppage-time, but a brilliant Adrian save from Nicolas Otamendi’s header ended the hosts’ winning run at five matches and lifted West Ham to second place.
“We played very well in the second half, though not in the first. We were not the aggressive team we need to be at home,” Pellegrini said. “We knew this would be a difficult game because it was not luck that they beat Liverpool and Arsenal.”
Odion Ighalo kept Newcastle United in the relegation zone as the Nigerian forward’s double inspired Watford’s 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
Ighalo gave Watford a 10th-minute lead with a low strike and he increased their advantage with his fourth goal in six matches in the 28th minute.
Newcastle ended a nearly 500-minute goal drought when Netherlands defender Daryl Janmaat netted in the 62nd minute, but Steve McClaren’s team were unable to avoid their third consecutive loss.
“No one said this job was going to be easy, we didn’t think it would be. We know now this is a tough job,” Newcastle coach McClaren said.
Ten-man Sunderland slipped to the bottom of the table after a 2-0 defeat at AFC Bournemouth.
Eddie Howe’s side raced into a two-goal lead inside the first nine minutes, with Callum Wilson striking in the fourth minute, before Matt Ritchie smashed in a superb volley.
Sunderland’s miserable day was completed when France defender Younes Kaboul was sent off for a second booking in the 74th minute.
Saido Berahino came in from the cold to fire West Bromwich Albion to a 1-0 win at local rivals Aston Villa.
Berahino had threatened to go on strike after Albion refused to sell him to Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day and he was dropped for several matches.
Leicester City staged another impressive fightback to maintain their unbeaten record with a 2-2 draw at Stoke City.
Everton’s Kevin Mirallas was sent off for a foul on Modou Barrow in the final moments of his side’s 0-0 draw at Swansea City.
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