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Egyptian ‘King’ Mohamed Salah struck twice for Premier League leaders Liverpool but it was not enough to earn them victory at Newcastle United as a thrilling 3-3 draw meant the gap at the top of the table was cut to seven points on Wednesday.

Liverpool were minutes away from a 12th victory from their opening 14 league games but Newcastle defender Fabian Schar capitalised following a mistake by keeper Caoimhin Kelleher to equalize in the 90th minute at St James’ Park.

Arne Slot’s side have 35 points with Chelsea and Arsenal both on 28 after convincing wins. Chelsea thrashed 10-man bottom club Southampton 5-1 away while Arsenal inflicted a first defeat on Manchester United’s new manager Ruben Amorim, winning 2-0 at The Emirates with goals by Jurrien Timber and William Saliba.

Champions Manchester City returned to form as they ended a seven-match winless run by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0.

Everton crushed Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 to ease away from the bottom three while Aston Villa got back to winning ways with a 3-1 home victory against Brentford.

Newcastle twice led against Liverpool but Salah’s brace looked like sealing victory for the visitors until Kelleher misjudged the flight of a cross and Schar turned in a half volley from an acute angle in the 90th minute.

“We were outstanding in the second half but the first half we were not good enough,” Slot said. “They were really aggressive and forced us to make mistakes. But the second half was so much better and we had much more control.

“3-3 was probably what the game deserved. We were happy to still be in it at halftime.”

The in-form Salah has now scored and assisted in 37 Premier League games in his career — a new record — and leads this season’s Premier League scoring chart with 13 goals.

Newcastle had dominated the opening period and thoroughly deserved the lead given to them by Isak’s spectacular shot from the edge of the area in the 35th minute.

Liverpool were a different proposition in a sensational second half, however, and Salah’s superb pass with the outside of his foot enabled Curtis Jones to make it 1-1.

POSITIVE START

Amorim has had a positive start with United and arrived in north London on the back of a 4-0 win over Everton.

But the Portuguese got a reality check at Arsenal as Timber and Saliba both scored in the second half.

Timber headed in a Declan Rice corner in the 54th minute before a Thomas Partey header from a Bukayo Saka corner bounced off Saliba and in.

“Until the set pieces the game didn’t have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game,” former Sporting manager Amorim said after his first domestic league defeat for a year.

Arsenal trail Chelsea on goal difference after Enzo Maresca’s side thumped hapless Southampton.

Chelsea took the lead in the seventh minute through Axel Disasi’s header but Joe Aribo drew Southampton level four minutes later before a goalkeeping howler allowed Christopher Nkunku to put the visitors back ahead.

Noni Madueke extended Chelsea’s lead before a moment of madness saw Jack Stephens sent off for a hair-pull on Marc Cucurella. Late goals by Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho rounded off the win.

Manchester City’s horrible run of six defeats from seven games in all competitions ended as goals by Bernardo Silva, captain Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku against Nottingham Forest put City fourth on 26 points.

“Today is hopefully a first step to improve,” De Bruyne said. “It’s good to change the momentum. In some games we lost there were periods we weren’t playing bad.”

Aston Villa ended an eight-match winless streak as they sped into a 3-0 halftime lead against Brentford with Morgan Rogers, an Ollie Watkins penalty and a Matty Cash shot putting Unai Emery’s side in command. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back early in the second half for Brentford.

Ashley Young became Everton’s oldest ever goalscorer as the 39-year-old’s free kick put his side ahead against Wolves for whom Craig Dawson scored two own goals.
Wolves are second from bottom with nine points and fans vented their anger at manager Gary O’Neil.