PL: Chelsea 3 points clear after Newcastle win as City, Liverpool slump

Chelsea scored three goals without reply away at Newcastle United to stretch their lead at the summit of the Premier League table to as many points as title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City failed to win at home on Saturday.  

A second-half brace from Reece James and a late Jorginho penalty sealed all three points at St James’ Park as Thomas Tuchel’s mean machine steamrolled to their second successive win without the big guns – Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner – up top. 

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Meanwhile, Manchester City and Liverpool both fell off the pace as Pep Guardiola’s men lost at the Etihad to Crystal Palace while Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were held at Anfield after a stunning comeback from Brighton. 

City went a man down at the stroke of half-time after trailing to an early Wilfried Zaha strike. French centre-back Aymeric Laporte was robbed by Conor Gallagher, leading to the opening goal on six minutes and was given his marching orders for a clumsy tackle on the Ivorian forward in the 46th, which the referee adjuded to be the denial of a clear scoring chance. 

City thought they equalised when Phil Foden played in Gabriel Jesus, who hit the post before scoring, only for the goal to be disallowed as the Englishman was foud offside in the buildup. 

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Chelsea academy graduate Gallagher continued to add to his rising stock with his third goal of the season in the 88th minute to confirm the points for Patrick Vieira’s Eagles. 

At Anfield, Liverpool took just four minutes to find the go-ahead goal, as skipper Jordan Henderson smashed home after being found by in-form Mohamed Salah.

The lead was doubled 20 minutes later, after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain picked out Sadio Mane’s run with a perfectly-weighted cross that the Senagalese made no mistake scoring from. 

Mane scored Liverpool’s third and his second goal of the night after closing down Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez, whose attempted clearance hit the Senegalese before creeping into the net. However, that goal was chalked off as the ball had struck Mane’s arm in the process. 

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But Graham Potter’s Brighton rallied back, with Zambian midfielder Enock Mwepu’s cross-shot splitting the difference between the far post and the outstretched Alisson to half the arrears in the 41st minute. 

The comeback was completed in the 65th minute, with Belgian forward Leandro Trossard smashing home after being played in by former Liverpool player Adam Lallana.