Liverpool’s hold on their Premier League title continued to weaken as they went down 3-2 at Brentford on Saturday, their fourth successive league defeat leaving them sixth in the table.

Manchester United climbed up to fourth with a roller-coaster 4-2 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion while promoted Sunderland are in dreamland after a 2-1 win at Chelsea lifted them to second place.

Newcastle United sealed a late 2-1 victory at home to Fulham thanks to an 89th-minute goal by Bruno Guimaraes.

Liverpool, who appeared to have emerged from their slump with a 5-1 Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, suffered more misery in London after recent defeats at Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

They have lost four league games in a row for the first time since 2021 and could find themselves seven points behind leaders Arsenal if they beat Crystal Palace on Sunday.

“What I have to do is look at what we do wrong and what we do right. I have a clear idea of where we have to improve but that hasn’t been the case in other games,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said. “We didn’t do the basics right today.”

Dango Ouattara volleyed Brentford in front following a long throw-in by Michael Kayode was flicked on and Kevin Schade went through to make it 2-0 in the 45th minute.

Milos Kerkez replied for the visitors in first-half stoppage time with his first Liverpool goal from Conor Bradley’s cross.

But Igor Thiago restored Brentford’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot and although Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool hope with a clinical finish, they could not force an equaliser in 10 minutes of stoppage time.

MAN UNITED EARN THIRD LEAGUE WIN IN A ROW

Manchester United are beginning to show signs of consistency, with Matheus Cunha, Casemiro and a Bryan Mbeumo double helping them secure a third successive league win for the first time since Februsry 2024.

Cunha arrowed home a sublime 24th-minute strike into the bottom corner and Casemiro doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a deflected shot before Mbeumo’s well-taken third put the hosts in complete command.

Danny Welbeck pulled one back for Brighton with a free kick, however, before Charalampos Kostoulas’s stoppage-time header ensured a nervy finish.

With Brighton committing everyone forward in search of the equaliser, however, Mbeumo fired a fine strike into the roof of the net to confirm United’s win.

“I enjoy it a lot here,” Mbeumo told Sky Sports. “It hasn’t been easy at the start. It’s a new environment, a new expectation but I think with the link up with the team, everything is going the right way.”

TALBI’S LATE SUNDERLAND WINNER

Sunderland shocked Chelsea when substitute Chemsdine Talbi curled in a winner deep into stoppage time.

The visitors had gone behind in the fourth minute when Alejandro Garnacho claimed his first goal for the London side, but the lead was cancelled out by Wilson Isidor in the 22nd minute.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw until Talbi collected a pass from fellow substitute Brian Brobbey and placed his low shot perfectly to grab his first goal for Sunderland.

“It’s a good performance, especially after the early goal,” Sunderland coach Regis Le Bris said. “We won three points. We are happy with the way we played. It is important to grab this opportunity when possible.”

Chelsea’s loss left them eighth in the table.

Newcastle were heading for a frustrating draw before captain Guimaraes scored at the death. William Osula drove to the edge of the box, but his shot was parried into the path of the Brazilian who poked the ball home from close range.

Jacob Murphy had scored for the Magpies in the 18th minute, before Sasa Lukic levelled after halftime.

“Late goals don’t just affect the game you’ve won, they affect mood and belief going forward,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.

“It can have a big knock-on effect. We’ve had heartbreak the other way. This felt like a massive moment for us. We found a way to win.”

Newcastle climbed to 11th in the table and Fulham fell to 16th. Brentford are 10th.

-Reuters

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Bruno Fernandes has revealed he rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in favour of pursuing his Manchester United dreams.

United captain Fernandes is set to make his 300th appearance for the club in an Oct 25 Premier League match against Brighton at Old Trafford.

United have struggled for much of Fernandes’ time in Manchester and last season they finished 15th – which ranked as the club’s worst final top-flight position since 1973-74.

They also lost the Europa League final against fellow strugglers Tottenham to shatter their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Fernandes was offered an escape route during the close-season when Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly expressed interest.

But he spurned the move to focus on unfinished business with the 20-time English champions, who last won the title in 2013.

“We always say we have an offer from Saudi because obviously wherever I have to go, they have to come. They can choose not, but I’d prefer them to come,” he said, in reference to wife Ana and his family.

“And obviously the first thing she said was ‘have you achieved everything you wanted to achieve at the club?’ Because she knows that I haven’t.”

Fernandes has sometimes been criticised for an overly emotional attitude on the pitch, with team-mates subjected to frustrated tirades.

But United boss Ruben Amorim accepts the Portugal midfielder’s fiery personality is part of his burning desire to win the Premier League and Champions League.

“The manager spoke with me,” Fernandes said.

“He said I was still part of the project. He wanted me to stay. The club said the same.

“I always said that if the club was like ‘Bruno, we want to cash in, we want to make some money, we don’t think you can be part of the future project’ or whatever, I would be like ‘OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family, and I will leave’.

“But obviously that wasn’t the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims.”

Fernandes has a contract until 2027, with the option of a further year.

And the 31-year-old has no intention of discussing his future with anyone until after the World Cup in 2026.

“As I’ve always said, I feel good here,” he said. “I want to achieve my dreams still. But obviously I can’t talk by the side of the club.

“I’ve seen a lot of news. I’ve seen a lot of people talking that I had an agreement to go already next season. If the club has done that agreement, it wasn’t made with me, so I haven’t spoken with anyone

.

“My agent also knows how I work, so if he wants to talk to me, it will be after the World Cup. Because until then, I won’t speak to anyone.” –

-AFP

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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire struck a late header to seal a thrilling 2–1 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Sunday, ending their nine-year drought without a win at Anfield and dealing a blow to the reigning champions’ title chase.

Liverpool, who have lost four consecutive games across all competitions for the first time since November 2014, dropped to fourth in the table on 15 points, four behind leaders Arsenal.

United, who won back-to-back league games for the first time since manager Ruben Amorim was appointed last November, climbed to ninth with 13 points.

United’s Bryan Mbeumo stunned the home crowd with a goal a minute after kickoff when Amad Diallo pushed forward before flicking a ball for the forward to run onto and fire home from inside the box.

Irate Liverpool fans thought play should have been stopped before the goal with Alexis Mac Allister down clutching his head after a collision with teammate Virgil Van Dijk.

SQUANDERED CHANCES

Cody Gakpo hit the post three times before finally scoring the equaliser in the 78th minute, when he tapped in Federico Chiesa’s cross.

But Maguire sent United fans into a frenzy with the winner in the 84th when Bruno Fernandes floated the ball in for the big defender to outjump Ibrahima Konate and power home a header.

“It means everything,” Maguire told Sky Sports.

“They’ve had the better of us over the last few years and it’s not been good for our club and we’ve have not given our fans enough days like today. It’s been a long time coming, coming to this ground and picking up three points.

“I’ve been here seven years now and to come to this ground every time and not get three points has been tough. So it’s for the fans, I hope they have a great night tonight.

There were shouts for a Liverpool penalty early on when Casemiro’s cross struck Diallo’s arm. But the VAR video referee determined Diallo’s arm was in a natural and justifiable position.

Liverpool had 19 shots to United’s 12 including several jaw-dropping near misses.

‘SLOPPY’ LIVERPOOL

Gakpo was lively all game, hitting the post twice in the first half, and then nearly making it third time lucky when he smashed another shot off the post shortly after the break.

He missed a sitter in the dying minutes, however, when he headed the ball well wide of the net.

An off-form Mohamed Salah squandered a brilliant chance in the second half when the ball fell to him unmarked at the far post, but he launched it wide, his face etched with frustration.

“I think we conceded a very sloppy second goal,” said Reds captain Virgil van Dijk. “We worked so hard to get back into the game and we created great opportunities to score the winner but if you concede a second goal like that, that is the disappointing part.

“We need to stay humble and stay working and keep our confidence as high as possible,” he added. “When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It is a long season.”

-Reuters