Palmer nets four first-half goals, Haaland kept scoreless, Arsenal leaves it late to beat Leicester

By Steve Douglas, The Associated Press on September 28, 2024.

Chelsea knew it was getting a talented player by signing Cole Palmer from Manchester City last year.

But maybe not this good.

Palmer created some history Saturday when he became the first player to score four goals in the first half of an English Premier League match. His flurry of strikes came in Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Brighton that further strengthened the belief that the London team will be a force this season after spending more than $1 billion on players over the past two years.

Palmer was one of the club’s expensive signings – he cost at least 40 million pounds (US$50.7 million) – but that looks a bargain now. His 22 league goals last season was second only to Man City’s Erling Haaland and also included a four-goal haul against Everton, and he is already up to six goals in this campaign in just six games.

Palmer is also a regular in England’s squad, scoring the team’s goal in the 2-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship final in July.

How City could have done with having Palmer a few hours earlier on Saturday, when the champion drew at Newcastle 1-1 to drop points for the second straight weekend. Haaland was kept scoreless in a league game for the first time this season and stayed on 10 goals. Defender Josko Gvardiol netted for City instead.

Arsenal took advantage of its big rival’s slip-up by beating Leicester 4-2 thanks to two stoppage-time goals – an own-goal and a close-range finish by Kai Havertz.

Arsenal joined first-place City on 14 points but both could be overtaken if Liverpool beat Wolverhampton away in the late game.

Brentford became the first Premier League team to score inside the first minute in three straight games, but couldn’t hold on after Bryan Mbeumo’s strike and drew with West Ham 1-1.

Everton gained its first win of the season in beating Crystal Palace 2-1 and Fulham won at Nottingham Forest 1-0, with Mexico striker Raul Jimenez scoring in a third straight game.

Missing Rodri

It was City’s first league match since influential midfielder Rodri was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury sustained in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal last weekend and the champions were far from their fluid best without the Ballon d’Or contender.

Haaland barely got a chance at St. James’ Park, so couldn’t tie the record of City great Sergio Aguero in scoring in each of his first six games of a Premier League season.

Gvardiol was a frequent scorer late last season in his forays forward and put City ahead in the 35th minute, collecting Jack Grealish’s inside pass before cutting inside onto his weaker right foot and shooting low into the corner.

Anthony Gordon converted a penalty for Newcastle’s equalizer in the 58th after the England winger – playing as the central striker in the absence of the injured Alexander Isak – was tripped by City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes after running through on goal.

Late show

Arsenal’s players were left dejected by conceding a stoppage-time equalizer at City last weekend.

Six days later, they were celebrating late goals after Leicester, a promoted team without a win so far, threatened to pull off an unlikely draw at Emirates Stadium from two goals down.

Gabriel Martinelli and Trossard scored for Arsenal in the first half, only for the Gunners’ usually obdurate defence to surprisingly let in two goals by Leicester right back James Justin. Justin’s second was a stunning volley with the outside of his right foot that went in off the far post.

Arsenal went back in front in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Leandro Trossard volleyed a deep corner by Bukayo Saka toward goal, though it needed a deflection off Wilfred Ndidi to find a way into the net. Havertz bundled in the fourth in the ninth minute of added-on time.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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