City suffer shock defeat, Liverpool five points clear

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in action with Newcastle United’s Jetro Willems, Soccer, Premier League, Liverpool v Newcastle United, Anfield, Liverpool, Britain, 14 September – Reuters/Phil Noble

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters): Liverpool maintained their 100% start to the Premier League season after coming from behind to beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Anfield, before Manchester City slipped to a shock first defeat of the campaign by newly-promoted Norwich City on Saturday.

Elsewhere on a frantic day of Premier League action Manchester United earned a first victory since the opening weekend by beating Leicester City 3-1, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur registering emphatic wins.

Having seen Liverpool come from behind to beat Newcastle — the Reds’ 14th consecutive league victory — thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Mo Salah in the day’s early kick off, champions City travelled to Norwich five points off the top.

Unbeaten in their last 25 games against newly-promoted sides, City were expected to close the gap back to two points with another victory, but Norwich stunned their illustrious opponents with two goals inside 29 minutes to lead 2-0.

Sergio Aguero edged City back into it just before the break, before a defensive error from Nicolas Otamendi enabled Teemu Pukki to restore Norwich’s two-goal advantage.

Rodri got City back in it late on, but the champions could not find an equaliser as they slipped to a first league defeat since January.

Manchester United have suffered from the penalty spot this season, having missed two spot kicks already with Marcus Rashford the last of those against Southampton.

However, the young striker stepped up from 12 yards against Leicester City after he was felled in the penalty area in the eighth minute at Old Trafford to put United in front.