Unai Emery urged his side to “keep improving” after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at the hands of Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield.

Aston Villa have now lost four successive games in all competitions for the first time since April 2022.

They have also lost consecutive league matches for the first time since May 2023, after breakaway goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sent Arne Slot's team five points clear at the top of the standings.

Emery was pragmatic in defeat but insisted his side need to up their game if they are to match the levels they set last season.

"We have to keep improving, recover some players who have just come back after long injuries. Some players are not in the same performance level as last year but today they were a bit better," he told TNT Sports.

"This year a lot of players have come back from long injuries. We have to try to keep the same positive attitude and mentality and try to accept the results that we have had this week.

"The league is tight, there are a lot of teams performing very well and we have to accept that we need to improve. We are under our level from last year a little bit but I am still confident."

Villa have recently seen the return of Tyrone Mings from a long-term injury, but there was further concern for Emery when Jacob Ramsey sustained an apparent hamstring issue late in the first half.

The Villans did have their chances at Anfield, with Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos forcing good saves out of Caoimhin Kelleher.

Indeed, Villa posted 1.5 expected goals (xG), compared to Liverpool's 2.02.

"Liverpool dominated at times but they did not have a lot of clear chances to score," reflected Emery.

"We did our work and we had the chances to score in the first half, in the second half, and we played more or less in the way I wanted."

Villa took 12 shots during the match, only two less than Liverpool (14), with an equal number coming from inside the box (nine each).

They also had shouts for a penalty prior to Liverpool's second goal when Pau Torres went down after he had his shirt pulled in the box, but their appeals were waved away.

"We have to try to be consistent in how we are building and responding. We have to compete and build a team, but we played the match we planned," Emery said, as reported by the Premier League's official website.

"We had chances to score, we had one penalty, maybe a potential penalty, for me, it's clear. With VAR, it was not but I have to accept the decision."

Emery also feels Villa lost to a team that are clear title contenders.

"They started better than us, they are contenders to win the title, but I think you have to try to get our way, and we are in this process," he said. "I am positive."

Paris Saint-Germain restored their six-point lead at the Ligue 1 summit with a 4-2 victory over Angers.

Luis Enrique's side did the damage in the first half at Stade Raymond Kopa, with Lee Kang-In and Bradley Barcola both scoring twice to extend their unbeaten start to the season.

PSG broke through in the 17th minute through Lee, who doubled his and the visitors' tally when he turned in Marco Asensio's low cross three minutes later.

Asensio was the provider again as the Ligue 1 leaders made it 3-0 just after the hour mark, with his centre diverted in by Barcola.

The latter grabbed his second just before half-time when he headed in from Lee's cross.

Angers made the scoreline more respectable in stoppage time, with Esteban Lepaul and Emmanuel Biumla halving the deficit for the hosts.

Data Debrief: PSG make it 30 unbeaten on the road

Now unbeaten in 30 away Ligue 1 matches, PSG are the first team in the top five European leagues to reach that mark since Napoli in 2018.

Lee scored his first brace for the club, while Asensio assisted two goals in the same league match for the first time since doing so for Espanyol against Real Betis in October 2015 (three).

Although, it was not all plain sailing for PSG, who conceded two goals in second-half stoppage time for only the second time in their history (also against Barcelona in the 2016-17 Champions League).

As for Angers, they have become the first team in Ligue 1 history to lose 15 successive matches against the same opponent.

Coco Gauff explained how she kept her cool despite the helter-skelter nature of her WTA Finals clash with Qinwen Zheng.

Gauff prevailed 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in Riyadh on Saturday to become the youngest WTA Finals champion since 2004.

She was pushed all the way by Olympic champion Zheng, who led 5-3 at one stage in the decider and also clawed back four matchpoints before Gauff eventually got over the line.

"Tired, it's been a hard season," Gauff told Sky Sports after her victory.

"It was a really great match. Qinwen played some unbelievable tennis. I was just trying my best to hang in there and I never gave up.

"I was just telling myself, 'It's another point, another chance'. I've been in situations like this in the past and have been able to turn it around, and was able to do it again."

Gauff is the first player since Serena Williams (12, between 2013 and 2015) to win at least eight consecutive hard-court finals.

The 20-year-old collapsed on the court after her winning shot, something the American quipped she had mentally reserved for grand slam victories.

"At the end of the match, when I, like, fell on the floor, I didn't think I was going to do that," said Gauff, who has secured the year-end world number three ranking.

"I made a promise to myself that I will save that for grand slams. But honestly, to the way the match went, I was like, 'I'm just tired. I just want to lay on the ground.'

"I know I was like a couple of points away from losing, but, you know, I just tried to stay in the moment, honestly, and I'm really proud of myself."

For Zheng, it was a case of taking the positives from the first WTA Finals showpiece match that had to be settled by a third-set tie-break/

She said: "The match was very close, and then, you know, at the end, when you play this type of match, it's not about tennis, it's just about choices on court.

"When you lose a match, there's lessons you have to learn. So I would say it's a lot of positive things, because it's my first WTA Finals, but at the same time, I feel hurt to lose this match. But we will see. Maybe next time I will be better."

Juventus climbed to third place in Serie A following a 2-0 victory over rivals Torino at the Allianz Stadium.

A goal in either half from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz settled the Derby della Mole, and saw Thiago Motta's side extend their unbeaten start to the league season.

The Bianconeri broke through in the 18th minute when Vanja Milinkovic-Savic spilt a shot straight to Weah, who made no mistake from close range.

Weah thought he had doubled the lead in the 72nd minute, but the USA international was penalised for handball in the build-up to the opportunity.

However, Juve did put the contest to bed six minutes from time, when Yildiz nodded in Francisco Conceicao's deep cross at the far post.

Extending their unbeaten streak against Torino to 18 matches, Motta's side moved to within a point of Serie A leaders Napoli.

Data Debrief: Bianconeri extend unbeaten start with yet another clean sheet

Juventus have now registered nine clean sheets in Serie A this season, the most by any team in the big five European leagues.

Weah got the ball rolling, as he became the second American after Weston McKennie in December 2020 to score for the Bianconeri against Torino in Serie A.

Yildiz then sealed the victory. The 19-year-old became the third-youngest Juventus player to find the net in the Derby della Mole, after Felice Placido Borel (18 years and 243 days in 1932) and Bruno Nicole (18 years and 244 days in 1958).

Meanwhile, Torino have now suffered three successive defeats without scoring in Serie A for the first time since 2014.

Mohamed Salah played a starring role as Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Arne Slot’s in-form side took full advantage of Manchester City’s defeat at Brighton earlier on Saturday, with Salah scoring one and setting up another to condemn Villa to their second straight league defeat.

Benefitting from Salah's fantastic work, Darwin Nunez broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, firing home from a tight angle.

Unai Emery's team did have chances of their own, with Caoimhin Kelleher making brilliant saves to deny Amadou Onana and Diego Carlos, while Villa also had a penalty appeal turned down after a VAR check.

But Salah ensured the home faithful could relax when he prodded over Emiliano Martinez on the counter in the 84th minute.

While Liverpool, with nine wins from 11, sit pretty at the top, Villa are in eighth, level on points with Fulham, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Data Debrief: Nunez and Salah are Slot's deadly duo

Since the start of 2022-23, only Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne (15) have combined for more Premier League goals than Nunez and Salah (12), who were the difference-makers this time around.

Salah became the first player to reach double figures for both goals (10) and assists (10) for a big five European League side in all competitions this season. He has now achieved this in each of his last four seasons at Liverpool.

Nunez, meanwhile, has been involved in 12 goals in his last 16 Premier League starts for Liverpool (eight goals, four assists), including three goals in his last five top-flight starts at Anfield.

Paulo Fonseca thinks AC Milan "lacked aggression" during their 3-3 draw with Cagliari.

The Rossoneri had won four of their five previous games in all competitions, but fell behind after just two minutes at Unipol Domus to Nadir Zortea.

Rafael Leao's brace turned the contest around before half-time, while Tammy Abraham regained the visitors' lead after Gabriele Zappa pulled the hosts level.

However, Milan could not hold on as Zappa equalised in the 89th minute to ensure the spoils were shared, and Fonseca rued his side's defensive frailties.

"I think the problem wasn't with the ball or offensively, but defensively. We had great difficulty with Cagliari's crosses," Fonseca told DAZN.

"We lacked aggression. You can't win a match like that, especially when you lose aerial duels. I think the mistake was there. It's difficult to win this way.

"We did good things in attack, scoring three goals, but we could not draw this match. It’s a step back, and we can’t concede three goals if we want to win."

Meanwhile, Cagliari ended a run of three successive defeats, and Davide Nicola saluted his team's efforts.

"There was courage, but today I appreciated the ability to interpret the match with a consistent performance," he said.

"My team played football today, even though we must acknowledge Milan's quality and work on improving certain things. We’re growing. We had the right attitude and tried to create chances.

"If we look at the numbers, it's almost a shame to have drawn, but we must humbly remember we were up against a great team. We are satisfied."

Pep Guardiola conceded Manchester City need to "change things quickly" after they suffered a fourth consecutive loss in all competitions against Brighton.

It is the first time the Spaniard has lost four games in a row in his managerial career, while the last time City suffered four consecutive defeats was back in August 2006, under Stuart Pearce.

Erling Haaland had given the visitors a first-half lead, but two quickfire goals from substitutes Joao Pedro and Matt O'Riley turned the match on its head, with Brighton the better side in the second half.

In fact, City have lost a Premier League game in which they led at half-time for the first time since May 2021, and that defeat also came away to Brighton.

And Guardiola suggested his team, who have been rocked by injuries, are simply finding matters too tough.

"We are not able to do 90 minutes right now," Guardiola told BBC Sport. "We played a really good first half and moments in the second half.

"We lost again, so clean our heads, international break and hopefully our players come back fit.

"We have to try and win games again. We were not able to sustain the rhythm in the second half. Four [defeats] in a row. We have to change things quickly.

"The schedule becomes tough, but it is going to happen when the players come back. Maybe after seven years, winning six Premier Leagues, maybe one year another team deserve it. We'll see."

City have conceded 10 goals during their losing streak, managing just four goals of their own in that time.

The reigning Premier League champions have more tough games coming up, with Tottenham and Liverpool their next opponents in the top flight, and Kyle Walker believes the international break may have come at the right time.

"There are slight moments that aren't rubbing off in our favour. Certain challenges we're arriving a little late for. That's the period we're going through. The break is coming at the right time," he said.

"There are many reasons. It's form, it's how we're feeling on a day to day. It's tough. We've been fortunate to have success here in the last eight years. This is the time you show character and stick your boots on and go through the mud. Now we get to see the real characters and want to push forward and achieve something special.

"We've never gone four games without a wi.  Still, it's tough to take. Everyone wants to turn it around."

Fulham boss Marco Silva waxed lyrical over Emile Smith Rowe after his side defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 to move level on points with Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League.

Smith Rowe opened the scoring for the Cottagers in the first-half stoppage time, latching on to a pass from Raul Jimenez and finishing past Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson. 

Harry Wilson, who was Fulham's hero against Brentford on Monday, then sealed the victory with seven minutes left on the clock as Silva's team made it 18 points from 11 matches in the league this season. 

And speaking after the game, Silva was full of praise for his team and particularly Smith Rowe, who bagged his third league goal of the season at Selhurst Park. Only during the 2021-22 season, when he scored 10 goals for Arsenal, has the 24-year-old netted more in a single campaign. 

"When I saw [Smith Rowe] and we had a small chance to fight to have him here, I told our board that we need to fight with everything we can because we needed a player like him," Silva told BBC Sport. 

"Creative in those pocket areas, a player who will score more throughout the season – I don't have doubts. He's a lovely kid, a lovely boy who is going to become a man and improve."

"He's already a really good player, he's going to be a top player. It's so nice to have a talent like him to work with."

Smith Rowe not only scored, but also created three chances, which was a total bettered by only his team-mate Alex Iwobi (four).

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler is delighted with their win over Manchester City, but believes it is important to "stay humble".

The hosts scored twice late in the game to seal a 2-1 comeback victory and earn three points against last season's champions, who had gone a goal up in the first half through Erling Haaland.

Brighton have won a Premier League match against City for just the second time in what was their 15th such meeting (D1 L12), with both wins coming at the Amex Stadium - only at Anfield (four), Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (four) and Stamford Bridge (three) has Pep Guardiola lost more Premier League games as the away manager.

"I've had great experiences at my former clubs, so I wouldn't say it's the biggest win of my career – but it's an important one," said Hurzeler, speaking to BBC Match of the Day.

The result came a week after Brighton had given up a lead to lose 2-1 to Liverpool at Anfield, so this victory was all the more satisfying for the Brighton manager.

"Last week, we talked about a great performance but not the result against Liverpool. Today we got a result, so I'm happy," Hurzeler said.

"On the one hand, it's important to gain self-confidence from games like this. On the other, it's important to stay humble, keep focusing on the hard work and keep focusing on the process."

With his side trailing at half-time, there was plenty of work for Brighton to do, but Hurzeler kept his instructions to his players simple.

"In possession, to stay more patient and to make City move. In the first half, we played too many vertical balls and gave too many easy balls away. The subs were great for us. They had an impact and if you have that in the squad, it helps you," he added.

Matt O'Riley came off the bench to score the winner, becoming the first player to score against City on his Premier League debut since Steven Bergwijn for Tottenham in February 2020.

"Part of it is how he [O'Riley] worked for his comeback. A lot of players would keep their head down and be negative, but he was very positive. I'm happy he got what he deserved," said Hurzeler.

Hurzeler's emotions were echoed by Brighton forward Joao Pedro, who also scored after coming off the bench.

"First, I'm happy to be back. I know I'm an important player for the team, so when we win like this against a big team it is good. Now we have time to breathe and win more games," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm happy to score. After two months out, I'm very happy to be back.

"Last season we dropped too many points and the gaffer told us to believe in ourselves this season, and we are doing well this season against the big teams."

Simone Inzaghi predicts a great match-up between Inter and Napoli, who he believes are stronger and very well-organised under new coach Antonio Conte.

The teams will face off in a top-of-the-table Serie A showdown on Sunday, with Napoli currently sitting top of the pile on 25 points, with reigning champions Inter just one point behind them.

Inter enjoy facing Napoli though, recording their most home wins against the Partenopei in Serie A, winning 51 of their 78 such meetings, including each of the last four. 

Napoli were beaten 3-0 in their last match by Atalanta, but Inzaghi was quick to point out the positive changes Conte had instilled since taking over.

"Tomorrow's game against Napoli will be a good one," he told a press conference on Saturday.

"We are facing the leaders and coach Conte has already managed to give the team an excellent organisation, which is strong and of high quality."

Inter are coming off a dramatic 1-0 home win over Arsenal in the Champions League, thanks to Hakan Calhanoglu's controversial penalty.

They are now unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions, winning each of their last three, but Inzaghi knows hosting the domestic leaders will be a different matter despite their building momentum. 

"We know Napoli, they are an organised team who only conceded away goals in their first game. We know their qualities, and we are preparing to have a great match," he said.

"It's too early to talk about the table. It's the 12th game of the championship, there are so many to go. But we know that this game is important for us because it is the last one before the [international] break, and we'll try to do our best."

AC Milan were held to a draw away to Cagliari after a topsy-turvy 3-3 draw in which both Rafael Leao and Gabriele Zappa scored twice for their respective teams on Saturday.

Following the result, Milan occupy seventh place in Serie A, while Cagliari are 16th – one point above the relegation zone.

Nadir Zortea got things going for the hosts, volleying in from a corner after just 65 seconds. But their joy was short-lived, with Leao notching in the 15th and 40th minutes to turn things round.

Cagliari had a goal from Nicolas Viola ruled out following a VAR review in first-half stoppage time, but they got level eight minutes into the second half.

Zappa's first temporarily restored parity before Tammy Abraham had Milan back in front on 69 minutes.

Things weren't done there though, with Zappa netting his second in the 89th minutes to secure what could be a vital point for Cagliari.

Data debrief: Milan go goal crazy

This was the third time in five matches in all competitions that Milan have scored three goals, following 3-1 victories over Real Madrid and Club Brugge in the Champions League.

Paulo Fonseca's side are the top scorers outside the top five in Serie A with 20 goals in 11 matches.

But they now need to work on keeping them out at the other end, with the 14 they have conceded being the equal-most in the top seven.

 

Premier League debutant Matt O'Riley proved Brighton's hero as he completed a comeback in a 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Amex Stadium.

The substitute returned from injury with a bang as he condemned Pep Guardiola to a fourth successive defeat in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.

Erling Haaland had given City a deserved lead in the first half, but they were pegged back by another substitute in Joao Pedro in the 78th minute.

O'Riley then piled the misery on their visitors with a composed finish five minutes later, ensuring Fabian Hurzeler's side – who were on the wrong end of a comeback against Liverpool last time out – came out on top.

It is a win that lifts Brighton to fourth in the table, while second-placed City missed the chance to go top, and sit two points behind Liverpool, who play Aston Villa later on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Uncharted territory

City are so used to writing history given their success in recent years, but they are making headlines for the wrong reasons this time around. 

As stated before, Guardiola has lost four games in a row for the first time as a manager, but it is also the first time City have suffered four consecutive defeats since August 2006.

After a barren (by his standards) spell for Haaland, who had not scored in two appearances, he has lost a Premier League game in which he has scored for the very first time (W40 D6 previously).

Take nothing away from Brighton though. They are now unbeaten across their first six Premier League home games of the season (W3 D3), their best such start to a top-flight campaign since 1982-83 (seven home games without defeat).

Coco Gauff triumphed over Qinwen Zheng after three sets to become the youngest WTA Finals champion in 20 years.

Having fallen behind in Saturday's final in Riyadh, Gauff bounced back to prevail 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2).

Gauff had squandered two match points when 6-5, 40-15 up in the decider, with Zheng clawing back to force a tie-break.

Yet, the American rediscovered her composure to cruise into a 5-0 lead, and though she saw another two match points fall by the wayside, Gauff got the job done at the fifth time of asking.

A short Zheng return clipped the top of the net, with Gauff scrambling from the baseline to meet it before flicking a forehand to the left of her opponent, with this year's Olympic champion unable to get there.

Gauff, who beat Iga Swiatek in the group stage and downed world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, collapsed to the court in celebration, after winning what was the second-longest WTA Tour-level final of 2024.

Data Debrief: It's a marathon, not a sprint

Zheng made a blistering start, but despite going a break up in the second set, she could not maintain the momentum.

Gauff's wobble in the decider meant the WTA Finals championship match had to be decided by a third-set tie-break for the first time since the tournament's introduction in 1972.

At 20, Gauff is the youngest player to win the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004, and the youngest American champion of the event since Serena Williams in 2001.

Only Nancy Richey and Anna Smashnova (10 each) have won more titles after their first 10 WTA Tour-level finals than Gauff (nine) in the Open Era.

Meanwhile, she is the first player since Williams (12, between the 2013 US Open and 2015 Cincinnati Open) to win at least eight consecutive hard-court finals, and the youngest to do so since Martina Hingis in 1998.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O'Neil was full of praise for Matheus Cunha after his side earned their first Premier League win of the season with a 2-0 defeat of Southampton. 

The Brazilian attacker's delightful pass had allowed Pablo Sarabia to open the scoring at Molineux with only one minute and 48 seconds on the clock. 

It was Wolves' fastest-ever Premier League goal, eclipsing Matt Jarvis’ strike against Blackpool in February 2011 (1:56).

But Cunha did not stop there as he wrote his name on the scoresheet with a stunning strike from distance to put Wolves two to the good six minutes into the second half. 

"Cunha is huge for us. He has such ability but he is one of those players who drifts and takes up positions," O'Neil told BBC Sport after the game. 

"We work very hard on him - on how it is to be a trusted team player when we don't have the ball. He's worked very hard on it after I spoke harshly to him after Brentford away.

"It's a big win for us and Cunha had a big say in it."

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