Fulham brought Nottingham Forest's unbeaten start to the Premier League season to a halt with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the City Ground.

There was very little to choose between two sides separated by a mere point at kick-off, but Raul Jimenez’s second-half penalty, awarded for Murillo's foul on Andreas Pereira, proved decisive.

Forest had started brightly with Taiwo Awoniyi missing an early chance, while Chris Wood saw a potential opener disallowed for offside following a VAR review in the 25th minute.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo's team failed to find a spark without the suspended Morgan Gibbs-White as Fulham's own impressive start to 2024/25 continued.

The result leaves Forest ninth in the table with nine points, with Fulham leapfrogging their hosts to move into sixth on 11 points.

Data Debrief: Fulham maintain unbeaten run

Fulham are undefeated in their last five games in the Premier League since going down 1-0 at Manchester United on the opening matchday.

They last enjoyed a streak of this length between December 13, 2020 and January 10, 2021.

Jimenez has now scored three goals in his last three games, maintaining his good record against Forest, with three goals in two matches against them.

Cole Palmer made Premier League history as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2 in a six-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge.

Palmer became the first player to score four goals before half-time in a single Premier League game, helping Enzo Maresca’s side record their fourth straight victory in all competitions.

Brighton took an early lead through Georginio Rutter's header, but were powerless as Palmer took command of the contest.

His remarkable quadruple came in the space of 20 minutes - including a penalty and free-kick - with Carlos Baleba's strike to make it 3-2 swiftly cancelled out by Chelsea's talisman.

Nicolas Jackson and Palmer went close after the break for the hosts, who also had a Marc Cucurella goal disallowed for offside, but they held out for another victory.

The Blues climb to third place, a point behind pacesetters Manchester City and Arsenal, while Brighton drop to eighth after suffering their first defeat of the season.

Data Debrief: History-making Palmer does the damage once more

Palmer completed his third Premier League hat-trick - the joint-most by any Chelsea player along with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard - in the space of only nine minutes and 45 seconds.

The Blues forward also hit the post, was denied by the offside flag and then slotted a decent opportunity wide after the break, so we could have been saluting the first player to score six or more goals in a single Premier League game.

His fourth goal was set up by Sancho, who became the third Chelsea player after Eden Hazard (2012) and Cesc Fabregas (2014) to provide an assist in each of his first three Premier League appearances for the club.

As for Brighton, they are now without a victory in each of their last nine Premier League visits to London, since a 3-0 win over Arsenal in May 2023.

Cole Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score four goals in the first half of a game on Saturday, as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

Palmer netted all of Chelsea's goals in a game featuring six first-half goals and none after the break, with Georginio Rutter and Carlos Baleba on target for the visitors.

No player had ever previously scored four times in the first half of a Premier League match, while Palmer's first three goals came within a span of just nine minutes and 46 seconds.

Only five other players have previously scored a quicker hat-trick in the competition, with Sadio Mane's remarkable two-minute, 56-second treble for Southampton against Aston Villa in 2015 the fastest.

Gabriel Jesus previously held the record for the quickest time to net four times in a Premier League game, doing so by the 53rd minute as Manchester City trounced Watford 5-1 in April 2022.

 

There were 19 minutes and 57 seconds between Palmer's first goal and his fourth, with Jermaine Defoe holding the record for the swiftest four-goal haul in Premier League history, needing 17 minutes and 56 seconds for Tottenham versus Wigan Athletic in 2009.

Things could have gone even better for Palmer, who also struck the post with a dinked effort and saw a close-range finish chalked off for offside with Chelsea 1-0 down in the first half.

Palmer has now scored three Premier League hat-tricks for Chelsea, the joint-most of any Blues player in the competition's history, level with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

Fabian Hurzeler acknowledged Brighton made "too many individual mistakes" during their 4-2 defeat against a Cole Palmer-inspired Chelsea. 

The Seagulls suffered their first loss of the season after they were on the wrong end of a six-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge.

Brighton took a seventh-minute lead through Georginio Rutter's brave header, but were soon on the back foot as Palmer took command of the contest.

First, the Blues forward punished Adam Webster's loose back pass, before slotting home a penalty after Carlos Baleba fouled Jadon Sancho in the box.

He then bent a superb 25-yard free-kick into the top corner, and completed his quadruple following Bart Verbruggen's sloppy pass out from the back.

And while confident his players will learn from the experience, Hurzeler admitted they were the victims of their own downfall. 

"We had a good start and controlled the game, had dominance in possession," he told Match of the Day. 

"We scored but, afterwards, we had too many individual mistakes and with too many individual mistakes, you cannot win at Stamford Bridge.

"In possession, we were good but, to win games, you need to be good in both phases, and we didn't defend well.

"We are still in a process, and we have to learn from this quickly. Every time we made a mistake, they punished it and punished it quickly.

"We have to analyse, we have to be honest with each other, and be better next time.

"There are not many players like Cole Palmer in the Premier League, he is special."

Striker Lautaro Martinez scored a goal in each half to help climb to third place in Serie A, following a 3-2 victory away to Udinese on Saturday.

The victory ended a three-game winless run in all competitions for Inter and ensured they got back to winning ways at the first opportunity following their 2-1 defeat in the Milan derby last weekend.

Udinese, meanwhile, are fifth in Serie A, with this defeat their second on the spin in the league after losing at Roma.

Davide Frattesi put Inter a goal ahead after just 43 seconds in Udine, converting Matteo Darmian's low cross to score the earliest goal in a Serie A match since 27 May 2023, but that was cancelled out by Christian Kabasele's 35th-minute header.

Last season's Serie A top scorer Martinez restored the visitors' advantage in stoppage time at the end of the first half before the Argenitne made it 3-1 just after half-time.

Lorenzo Lucca pulled one back for Udinese on 83 minutes to make it a nervy ending for Inter, yet it was the visitors who came closest to bagging again with Mehdi Taremi seeing a stoppage-time goal ruled out. 

Data Debrief: Inter get going on the road

This was Inter's first away victory of the season in all competitions.

It was, in turn, also Udinese's second defeat of the campaign and the second straight match in which they have conceded three goals. Udinese have now shipped 10 league goals, with just two teams in the division having let in more.

Martinez, meanwhile, netted at least two goals in an away league match for the 10th time for Inter. Since his debut in Serie A in the 2018-19 season, no other player has scored at least twice in a single match on the road in Serie A on as many occasions as him.

Arsenal left it late as two goals in second-half stoppage time saw them overcome a resilient Leicester City 4-2 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Leicester looked set to claim a point against the odds thanks to an unlikely James Justin double in the opening 18 minutes of the second half.

Arsenal had been in complete control in the opening exchanges, with Gabriel Martinelli opening his account for the season with an instinctive finish inside the box. 

The Gunners then doubled the hosts' advantage before the break, marking his return from suspension with a goal after firing home Martinelli's cutback. 

Yet Justin – whose second was an eye-catching volley – turned the match on its head until Mikel Arteta’s side came good again in the closing stages.

Trossard was again involved, seeing his effort deflect beyond Mads Hermansen by the unfortunate Wilfried Ndidi in the fourth minute of injury-time. 

The win was sealed five minutes later, with Justin rounding off his eventful encounter with an unfortunate assist as his attempted clearance cannoned in off Kai Havertz to move Arsenal level on points with Manchester City at the summit. 

Data Debrief: Gunners eventually down plucky Foxes

The Gunners are now unbeaten in 40 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W35 D5), winning each of the last 11 in a row.

Arsenal had 36 shots in this match, their joint-most on record (since 2003-04) in a single Premier League game (also 36 v Sunderland in May 2017).

With a goal and an assist, Martinelli has now been involved in 51 Premier League goals for Arsenal (33 goals and 18 assists). Against no side has the Brazilian been involved in more than his five against Leicester (three goals and two assists).

Havertz's late goal also brought up a Premier League milestone, notching his 50th goal involvement (35 goals and 15 assists) in the division, with 24 of those coming in 43 games for the Gunners. 

Dwight McNeil’s brace secured Everton’s first three points of the Premier League season, completing a comeback of their own in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Amid speculation of a takeover attempt at Everton during the week, the hosts also provided renewed hope on the pitch, as they continued their fine form against Palace at Goodison Park.

Marc Guehi gave the visitors an early lead, poking home at the near post, seeming to signal the continuation of Everton’s woes.

But Sean Dyche’s side rallied after the break, with McNeil hitting the back of the net with a delightful long-range strike in the 47th minute before adding a second at the far post just seven minutes later.

Abdoulaye Doucoure had the opportunity to put the game to bed 10 minutes from the end as Calvert-Lewin set him through on goal, but a last-ditch challenge from Lacroix spared Palace’s blushes.

The win lifts Everton out of the relegation zone and into 16th, leapfrogging their opponents, who drop to 17th.

Data Debrief: Dyche's men comeback against the odds

Having dropped points from a winning position in their last three matches, Everton's win was the first time they had picked up three points after trailing at half time in the Premier League since 19th May 2022 against the same opponents.

Meanwhile, it is the first time Crystal Palace have lost an away game after leading at half time in the Premier League since 27th August 2022 against Manchester City.

It leaves the visitors without a win in their last 6 games in the Premier League. Their last longer winless streak was from 11th November 2023 to 27th December 2023, a run of 8 games.

Brentford and West Ham shared the points in a keenly-contested London derby as Bryan Mbeumo’s goal was cancelled out by Tomas Soucek in a 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Mbeumo volleyed home from close range after 38 seconds to give Brentford the perfect start, but the hosts could not build on their advantage and West Ham equalised early in the second half.

Soucek’s goal for the visitors came after 54 minutes following some intricate play around the penalty area.

Both sides spent the rest of the second half searching for a winner, but one was not forthcoming.

The point leaves Brentford 12th in the Premier League table, while West Ham are two places below them in 14th.

 

Data Debrief: Brentford break Premier League record with successive early goals

Brentford have become the first side in Premier League history to score in the first minute in three successive matches.

16 of Soucek’s last 17 Premier League goals for West Ham have either drawn them level (5) or put them one goal ahead (11) in the match.

More worryingly for Thomas Frank, Brentford have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League side since the start of last season (38), with their eight so far this term a joint-high with Everton.

 

Fulham brought Nottingham Forest's unbeaten start to the Premier League season to a halt with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the City Ground.

There was very little to choose between two sides separated by a mere point at kick-off, but Raul Jimenez’s second-half penalty, awarded for Murillo's foul on Andreas Pereira, proved decisive.

Forest had started brightly with Taiwo Awoniyi missing an early chance, while Chris Wood saw a potential opener disallowed for offside following a VAR review in the 25th minute.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo's team failed to find a spark without the suspended Morgan Gibbs-White as Fulham's own impressive start to 2024/25 continued.

The result leaves Forest ninth in the table with nine points, with Fulham leapfrogging their hosts to move into sixth on 11 points.

 

Data Debrief: Fulham increase their unbeaten streak while Jimenez remains in the goals

Fulham are undefeated in their last 5 games in the Premier League, their last joint longest unbeaten streak was from 13th December 2020 to 13th January 2021.

Jimenez has now scored three goals in his last three games, and continues his good record against Forest, with three goals in two matches against them.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola rued his side's finishing after their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.

City had taken the lead in the first half through Josko Gvardiol, after neat play from Jack Grealish helped create the goal, but were pegged back when Anthony Gordon won and converted a penalty after the break.

Despite having 16 shots, and six efforts on target, City only registered 0.87 expected goals (xG), suggesting those chances were not of a high quality.

Erling Haaland failed to extend his scoring run, while Nick Pope made a fine save from Bernardo Silva late on, as City saw a run of 14 successive Premier League matches in which they had scored multiple goals come to an end.

A frustrated Guardiola told TNT Sports: "We made bad decisions at the last minute to make it 2-0. It is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep.

"We had chances but Pope was brilliant so we take the point.

"When we scored we played better. We make a mistake and after they play better. But then we take the game again and had chances to win it.

"They had moments in first ten minutes and after their goal, but in general we played really good."

Guardiola was full of praise for City's midfielders, with Rodri's season-ending knee injury leaving him searching for solutions.

"Mateo [Kovacic] was brilliant, Rico [Lewis] too. Bernardo played there. Really good," Guardiola said.

City are back in European action on Tuesday, as they travel to Slovakia to face Slovan Bratislava.

Eddie Howe hailed Anthony Gordon's performance after he proved decisive in Newcastle United's 1-1 draw with Manchester City.

Newcastle fell behind in the first half when Josko Gvardiol finished off a slick City move, but the home side hit back, with Gordon winning and converting a penalty to earn a point.

With Alexander Isak injured, Gordon, who has won seven penalties in the Premier League since the beginning of last season, at least four more than any other player during that time, led the line for Newcastle.

The England international performed brilliantly, creating two chances while also attempting four crosses as he dragged wide to stretch City's defence.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Howe said of Gordon: "I've said he is capable of doing the role.

"The highlight for me today was his energy and his running. He led the line really well and really pleased that he got his goal. Well deserved."

Gordon confirmed pre-match that he is close to signing a new deal to remain at Newcastle, despite speculation linking him with a move away.

After the match, he told TNT: "The way I play striker, you'll see a lot of pressing, just because I'm not an out-and-out number nine. I have to play it my way."

Newcastle have 11 points from their opening six games, and Gordon is encouraged by the tally given some of the performances this season.

He said: "It's a really good place to be considering we've been nowhere near what we can do. We've got so much more to give."

Howe too was delighted to see such a vast improvement from his side in comparison to their dismal performance away at Fulham last week, which saw them lose 3-1.

"We are happy, especially after last week," he told BBC Sport.

“That was a good display, that was us playing our way, brave. It was two teams going right at each other for probably 70 minutes.

"We got into really good crossing areas and I was really pleased with how we were off the ball and how we attacked the game. I can't ask for much more than that, the lads gave everything."

Atletico Madrid's lack of preparation time has not dampened Diego Simeone's confidence ahead of Sunday's clash with Real Madrid, with the Argentine hoping their past derby successes can provide inspiration.

Atleti are unbeaten through their first seven games of the season in LaLiga, winning four and drawing three to sit third in the table, two points behind their cross-city rivals.

Los Colchoneros have, however, had two fewer days to prepare for the first Madrid derby of the season, having beaten Celta Vigo 1-0 on Thursday. Carlo Ancelotti's champions, meanwhile, downed Alaves 3-2 on Tuesday.

Atleti do boast a strong record against Los Blancos, being the only team to beat them in any competition last season – once in LaLiga last September and again in the Copa del Rey in January.

Simeone has masterminded 12 wins in his 43 Madrid derbies as Atletico coach (15 draws, 16 losses), as many victories as they managed in their previous 77 prior to his arrival.

 

Speaking at Saturday's pre-match press conference, Simeone told reporters: "A lot has changed up to this moment. 

"It's an aspect in which we’ve improved, and that’s why the club has grown as it has, and the team is held to the standards it is.

"Everything starts in the mind. Beyond the physical aspect, which can have an influence at times, motivation is an important weapon for everything in life."

The Argentine did admit the lack of preparation time posed a unique challenge, adding: "It's tough to change things in two days, based on what we've been doing.

"We are still in the process of finding our balance, we are adapting and we get it right more or less. But it is true that we need more time.

"We accept it as it is. We said it before when we went to play against Athletic Bilbao in the (Copa del Rey) semi-final, them with five days and us with two days of rest. No-one cares."

Atleti's only home defeat so far this year came in February's Copa del Rey semi-final against Athletic, who went on to win that trophy.

While Madrid have plenty of firepower despite Kylian Mbappe missing out due to injury, Simeone feels Sunday's visitors will miss the influence of retired midfielder Toni Kroos.

"The opponent has lost a very important player like Kroos," he said. "I think they are looking for that player who gives them that calm to take advantage of all their offensive power."

 

Norwich City climbed to within one place of the Championship play-off spots following a 3-2 victory away at Derby County and a hat-trick from Borja Sainz.

The result ended a run of nine straight home wins in the league for Derby, and it was the first time they have been beaten at Pride Park since February. Norwich, meanwhile, have now won three of their last four matches.

Norwich took the lead in the first half through Sainz in controversial circumstances, with the ball looking as if it had gone out of play during the build-up to the goal.

But Derby would not go down without a fight, equalising through Craig Forsyth on his 300th career appearance, as he fired past Angus Gunn from eight yards.

Just five minutes later, Norwich were back in front with Sainz hitting a bouncing ball from outside of the box and the Spaniard secured his hat-trick with another three minutes from time.

Derby got one back in stoppage time through Corey Blackett-Taylor, but were unable to force an equaliser.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday beat league leaders West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at Hillsborough to win for the first time in the league since the opening day.

Danny Rohl’s side were one up after nine minutes, with Darnell Furlong deflecting Marvin Johnson's effort past his goalkeeper. Josh Windass doubled their lead in the 23rd minute.

The Baggies got back into it after the hour, with Josh Maja heading in from a deep cross for his seventh goal of the season, and substitute Alex Mowatt dragged them level in the 84th minute.

But two minutes later, Anthony Musaba put Wednesday back in front for a lead they would maintain for the remainder of the match. The hosts climb to 16th, two points above the bottom three.

Blackburn Rovers maintained their 100% home record in the league with a 2-0 victory over QPR, who had Jonathan Varane, the half-brother of former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane, sent off in first-half stoppage time for a late lunge on Danny Batth.

John Eustace's side struck twice in the second half to ensure their strong form rolled on.

Anthony Gordon's second-half penalty saw Newcastle United come from behind to frustrate Premier League leaders Manchester City in a 1-1 draw at St James' Park.

Gordon, who has been at the centre of media speculation over his future this week, levelled the scores from 12 yards in the 58th minute, converting a spot-kick that he won after being tripped by Ederson.

Josko Gvardiol had nosed City ahead with a neat close-range finish in the 35th minute on Saturday.

Both sides saw chances go begging as they pushed for a winner, with Erling Haaland heading at Nick Pope late on as the Norway international fired a blank for the first time in the league this season.

Pep Guardiola's side sit top of the standings on 14 points, though they could be overtaken by Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal this weekend, with Newcastle rising to fifth.

Data Debrief: City struggle for goals

City may have extended their Premier League unbeaten run to 29 games in all competitions, but it is the first time they have drawn back-to-back league games since March.

Haaland, who has 10 goals already this season, failed to hit the back of the net despite having five shots (more than any of his team-mates), as he created 0.36 expected goals.

Gordon's spot-kick sealed the all-important point for Newcastle. He has won seven penalties in the Premier League since the beginning of last season, at least four more than any other player.

Meanwhile, Ederson has conceded more penalties in the competition than any other goalkeeper (six), and has failed to keep any of those out. 

Carlo Ancelotti is aiming to avenge Real Madrid's two defeats to rivals Atletico Madrid last season when they travel to the Metropolitano Stadium on Sunday. 

On their way to a 15th LaLiga crown, Madrid lost their only game of the league season in a 3-1 defeat to Diego Simeone's side in September. 

Atletico also knocked Los Blancos out of the Copa Del Ray in the last 16, while their reverse fixture later in LaLiga ended in a 1-1 draw. 

This weekend's hosts have won two of their last three home derbies against Madrid in the league (L1), while also entering the upcoming derby in impressive form.

Atletico have not lost any of their last eight league matches (W5 D3), their best unbeaten run in LaLiga since a 13-match run at the start of last year. 

During Simeone's Atletico tenure, he has 12 wins in his 43 derbies as their head coach against Madrid in all competitions (D15 L16), the same as the number of wins they achieved in their previous 77 meetings with Los Blancos before his arrival. 

Ancelotti also has a poor record against his opposite number, losing nine of his 24 matches against Simeone across all competitions (W9 D6). 

Only against Luciano Spalletti (11) has he suffered more defeats in his entire managerial career, and Ancelotti is expecting another difficult test for his side. 

"It's obvious that we have to avoid the mistakes of last year. That learning could be useful for tomorrow's game. It is a difficult stadium," Ancelotti told reporters.

"I think Atletico have improved a lot, they've signed good players and I think they'll fight until the end for this League with us and with Barcelona."

Madrid, however, will be without their leading marksman Kylian Mbappe, who has been ruled out for three weeks with a hamstring injury.

Mbappe has seven goals in his first nine appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions, racking up more shots (39) than any other player in LaLiga, while also recording a division-high expected goals (xG) total of 6.97. 

But Ancelotti insisted nothing changes for his players in the Frenchman's absence as they aim to keep the pressure on league leaders Barcelona.

"Without Mbappe it changes a little, but not much. It's a shame that he's not here but we can make up for him well," the Italian coach added.

"Camavinga has recovered well, he is in good condition. If a player is available, he can play 90 minutes or none at all."

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