'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The sixth Match Day of the Premier League season saw some exciting action with Arsenal taking on Everton and Manchester United up against Wolves at Old Trafford. Liverpool won against Southampton to take the top spot in the table while Chelsea dropped points for the first time this season.
Last year's winners Manchester City bounced back from their Champions League loss to defeat Cardiff while Jose Mourinho was left a frustrated figure once again as his former player Nuno Espirito Santo managed Wolves to a draw against United,
Here, we take a look at the five main talking points from Match Day 6 of the Premier League 2018-19 season.
#1 Liverpool extend winning run with a 3-0 rout of Southampton:
After a victory mid-week against Paris Saint Germain on the first Match Day of the Champions League, Liverpool faced Southampton at home. Before this match, Liverpool had won all of their matches and had all of the possible 15 points, while Southampton had only managed 5 points from 5 games.
Juergen Klopp altered his opening formation from the customary 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 with Xherdan Shaqiri alongside Salah, Mane and Firmino forming the attacking four. Mark Hughes played his side in a 3-5-1-1 formation with Shane Long as the lone striker.
The match did not start ideally for Southampton as they conceded a goal in the 10th minute as a Shaqiri cross deflected past Wesley Hoedt and went into the net. Liverpool doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Joel Matip converted from a corner, Alexander-Arnold getting the assist. Liverpool played with a high line for most of the first half and Southampton defended in numbers.
Liverpool got another opportunity in the first half extra time when Salah won a free kick. The shot from Shaqiri hit the crossbar and Salah converted from close range to give Liverpool a convincing 3-0 lead at halftime.
Klopp changed the system to a 4-3-3 in the second half bringing on James Milner for Shaqiri. Liverpool kept the pressure on in the second half as Southampton did little to trouble Alisson. Liverpool did not add any more goals to their first-half tally but it was enough for Klopp's men to continue with their winning run.
Liverpool now sit atop of the table with six wins and 18 points as Chelsea dropped points for the first time against West Ham. The next two matches for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and on the next match day of the Premier League are both against Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea.
#2 Manchester City recover from Champions League loss to beat Cardiff
Following a midweek loss at the Etihad against Lyon, Manchester City resumed their Premier League campaign with a trip to Cardiff. City have not lost any game in the Premier League so far this season, the only match where they dropped points was against Wolves.
City started with their usual 4-3-3 formation with Otamendi, Sane and Aguero coming into the side from the defeat against Lyon. Cardiff started with a 4-4-1-1 with Danny Ward and Bobby Reid up front.
Manchester City had a less than perfect start to the first half, the first goal coming only in the 32nd minute from Sergio Aguero assisted by Bernardo Silva. But once the first goal came, things started looking dire for Cardiff.
Just three minutes later, Bernardo Silva scored with the assist coming from Leroy Sane to make it 2-0 and Ilkay Gundogan scored in the 44th minute to pile more misery for Cardiff before half-time.
Guardiola decided to give Mahrez more playing time bringing him on for Aguero in the 61st minute and he did not disappoint. Mahrez struck from a Gundogan assist in the 67th minute to make it 4-0 and again in the 89th minute, a low range shot from Mahrez gave City a 5-0 lead.
Guardiola's men have shown previous season and this season already that they will be title contenders for sure in England, but it is the Champions League which matters the most, where City will have to establish themselves this season after a rocky start.
With this win, City jumped to second place in the table, two points adrift of Liverpool at the top. Up next for City is a trip to Oxford United in the Carabao Cup's midweek fixture.
#3 Jose Mourinho frustrated as Manchester United draw at home to Wolves
Manchester United started their Champions League campaign with a win against Swiss opponents Young Boys and were back in Premier League action facing Nuno Espirito Santo's Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jose Mourinho started in a 4-3-3 formation with Alexis and Lingard taking the places of Martial and Rashford from the Champions League match. Fred, Pogba and Fellaini formed the midfield three in the absence of Nemanja Matic due to a red card in the previous match.
Nuno started with the same XI for the sixth consecutive match in a 4-3-3 formation with Costa, Jota and Raul Jimenez forming the front three anchored by Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves in midfield.
Fred scored his first goal for Manchester United with an assist from Paul Pogba to give them an early lead in the 18th minute. The Red Devils led 1-0 at halftime and were on track for a fourth successive victory in all competitions but Nuno had other things in mind.
Fred had a chance to score his second goal and double the lead before halftime which was saved by an awesome effort from Rui Patricio. As expected from Wolves, they kept things tidy and Joao Moutinho equalized in the 53rd minute with a superb strike assisted by Raul Jimenez.
Both managers tried to make changes in the second half, with Mourinho bringing on Martial, Mata and Pereira and Nuno bringing on Adama Traore in order to force a result in the match, but to no avail, as the match ended a 1-1 draw. United now are 7th in the table, two points behind Tottenham and Arsenal.
Up next for United is a Carabao Cup fixture midweek against Derby County while Wolves take on Leicester City.
#4 Tottenham back to winning ways with win over Brighton
Tottenham were coming into this match with three successive losses, two in the Premier League against Watford and Liverpool and one in the Champions League match against Inter at the San Siro.
The defeat against Inter raised several questions with respect to Pochettino's squad rotation policy and Tottenham's lackluster attitude in the closing stage of the match. However, Spurs took on Brighton and Hove Albion with an aim of putting the result of the last three matches behind them and start winning again.
Tottenham lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Son, Eriksen and Lucas Moura in attack along with striker Harry Kane. Brighton started with a conservative 4-1-4-1 hoping to provide a tough challenge to Spurs' attack.
The first half was mostly even with Tottenham dominating possession and territory, but Brighton were solid in defence. But late into the first half, Harry Kane earned a free kick for Spurs which hit Glen Murray's outstretched arm resulting in a penalty.
Harry Kane scored from the spot to make it 1-0 and this was the only difference between the two sides at halftime. Pochettino substituted Son for Erik Lamela in the 68th minute while Brighton also introduced Locadia and Jahanbakhsh.
But Lamela scored from a Danny Rose assist in the 76th minute to hand Tottenham a decisive 2-0 victory. Anthony Knockaert did score in the 93rd minute to pull one back for Brighton but it was too little too late as Brighton lost at home 1-2.
Tottenham are up against Watford in the League Cup tie midweek.
#5 Arsenal back in top six after defeating Everton at home:
Arsenal have had a rocky start to their Premier League campaign this season, but have recovered with three consecutive wins in the Premier League as well as a win against Ukrainian outfit Vorksla in the Europa league, earlier this week.
Arsenal were looking to win their fifth consecutive match in all competitions this season. Unai Emery started in a 4-2-3-1 with Torriera starting in place of the favored Guendouzi and both Lacazette and Aubameyang named in the starting XI.
Marco Silva started with a 4-2-3-1 formation as well, with Walcott, Sigurdsson and Richarlison all starting along with Calvert-Lewin in attack.
The first half ended goalless but both teams had ample opportunities to score with Ramsey having a clear-cut chance and Walcott and Richarlison setting up quick counter-attacks for Everton.
Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring in the 56th minute with a thunderous strike and gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, Aubameyang doubled the lead with an assist from Ramsey. These quick goals were enough for Arsenal as once Everton went behind, they could not recover. Silva made changes bringing in Cenk Tosun and Bernard, but the match ended 2-0 in favour of Arsenal.
With this win, Arsenal have leapfrogged to the sixth place in the rankings behind Tottenham only on goal difference. Everton meanwhile sit at 12th with just 6 points from their opening 6 games. Up next for both teams are Carabao Cup matches as Arsenal face Brentford at home and Everton take on Southampton.
