Joao Palhinha struck in the 87th minute to earn a shock 2-2 draw for Fulham at Arsenal.

The hosts looked to have completed a stunning turnaround when substitute Eddie Nketiah fired past Bernd Leno to give them the lead 18 minutes from time, moments after Bukayo Saka’s penalty had made it 1-1 and relieved the tension in north London.

Saka gifted the opening goal to Andreas Pereira after 57 seconds as Arsenal’s habit of letting in early goals at home returned to haunt them.

Calvin Bassey saw red for Fulham late on for fouling Nketiah, but Palhinha left home fans stunned for a second time when he struck from a corner as Arsenal’s winning start in the Premier League came to an end.

Julian Alvarez fired Manchester City to a hard-fought victory over Newcastle as the treble winners maintained their perfect start to the new Premier League season.

The World Cup-winner curled a shot into the top corner after 31 minutes of a tight encounter at the Etihad Stadium to secure a 1-0 win and three more points.

Eddie Howe’s men had travelled in hope after last weekend’s opening 5-1 drubbing of Aston Villa, but left empty-handed after the hosts summoned up commendable stamina in the wake of their midweek UEFA Super Cup triumph in Athens on Wednesday.

Ange Postecoglou oversaw a thrilling first win as Tottenham manager as Pape Sarr’s strike and a Lisandro Martinez own goal settled a pulsating clash with Manchester United.

Spurs, whose struggles in the second half of last season have been compounded by home-grown star Harry Kane’s recent switch to Bayern Munich, proved too good for a sub-par United on the day.

Former Celtic boss Postecoglou’s influence has borne early fruit and his new-look side sealed a fine 2-0 win thanks to Sarr’s effort and a late Martinez own goal.

Liverpool survived Mo Salah’s penalty miss and Alexis Mac Allister’s red card to surge to a 3-1 Premier League victory over Bournemouth.

The Cherries took a third-minute lead through Antoine Semenyo, but Luis Diaz levelled before Salah converted the rebound after Neto had repelled his spot-kick.

Summer signing Mac Allister’s untimely departure had little impact as Diogo Jota secured the points.

Solly March’s double helped Brighton climb to the top of the table after the 3pm kick-offs following a fine 4-1 win at Wolves.

Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan put the Seagulls in charge, and March struck twice before substitute Hwang Hee-chan pulled one back for the home side, who had Matheus Nunes sent off for a second bookable offence at the death.

Bryan Mbeumo also scored twice to help Brentford to an impressive 3-0 victory at Brentford.

Yoane Wissa opened the scoring and after defender Tim Ream had been dismissed for two yellow card offences, Mbeumo converted the resulting penalty before adding a second in stoppage time.

Marco Silva has confirmed Aleksandar Mitrovic will be leaving Fulham after a deal was agreed with Al Hilal following the 3-0 home loss to Brentford in the Premier League.

The Serbian striker was absent from the squad ahead of his move to the Saudi Pro League and was replaced by summer signing Raul Jimenez, who drew a second straight blank when leading the line.

Silva mentioned Mitrovic forced his way out of the club after it was reported in July the 28-year-old said he would never play for the west London side again if an agreement was not found.

“He is on the way to leave the club,” Silva said.

“I got information from the club after the match, both clubs have got an agreement and now it’s the moment where it is the finish of Mitrovic in our club.

“As you know he forced everything to leave the club, he wanted to leave the club and until the moment that the the board found a financial agreement we kept him at our football club but at the end they reached an agreement and now for us we keep playing without him.

“Football players are human as well, the situation with the market – sometimes they are thinking about other stuff because it was not just Mitrovic in our club (who had interest from other teams) during the last three or four weeks.

“I will talk to him tomorrow and in two days’ time because our relationship is there forever.”

Yoane Wissa’s first-half strike and a Bryan Mbeumo double sealed all three points for Thomas Frank’s men in a dominant display away from home, with Fulham skipper Tim Ream shown a red card.

The Bees boss lauded the strike partnership who have scored five times between them in their opening two games despite the absence of star man Ivan Toney.

Frank said: “I think they are two good players no doubt about that. Bryan has been so good in the four or five years he has been here with us.

“Wissa we knew is a goalscorer and I think he can play winger or nine, he could arguably of got one or two more today.

“It means a lot that in the last two games our strikers have scored five goals and that gives us even more confidence.

“There’s a good understanding between Bryan and Wissa and I think Kevin (Schade) and Keane (Lewis-Potter) are also adding to it.”

Today’s win extended Brentford’s unbeaten run in London derbies to 11 Premier League games and Frank credited the role of their vocal supporters which galvanized his team.

He added: “The supporters were fantastic.

“I am so pleased for them that they got this derby win and this was 100 per cent for the supporters and I hope they have a wonderful evening down the Thames in the pubs.”

Liverpool survived Mohamed Salah’s penalty miss and Alexis Mac Allister’s red card to surge to a 3-1 Premier League victory over Bournemouth.

The Cherries took a third-minute lead through Antoine Semenyo, but Luis Diaz levelled before Salah converted the rebound after Neto had repelled his spot-kick.

Summer signing Mac Allister’s dismissal had little impact as Diogo Jota secured the points.

Solly March’s double helped Brighton climb to the top of the table after the 3pm kick-offs following a convincing 4-1 win at Wolves.

Goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan put the Seagulls in charge, and March struck twice before substitute Hwang Hee-chan pulled one back for the home side.

Bryan Mbeumo also scored twice to help Brentford to an impressive 3-0 victory at Brentford.

Yoane Wissa opened the scoring and after defender Tim Ream had been sent off for a second bookable offence, Mbeumo converted the resulting penalty before adding a second in stoppage time.

Brentford claimed west London bragging rights over 10-man Fulham with a deserved 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.

Yoane Wissa’s first-half strike coupled with a Bryan Mbeumo double was enough for Thomas Frank’s men, who extended their unbeaten record in London derbies to 11.

The Bees continue to adjust to life without Ivan Toney but did not look back after an impressive display from their frontmen who sealed a deserved three points away from home.

Both sets of supporters set the tone as Fulham’s new striker Raul Jimenez enjoyed defending Mathias Jensen’s attacking throw-ins before the Mexican nearly caught goalkeeper Mark Flekken napping with the ball at feet.

Marco Silva had discussed the striker’s plethora of attributes on Friday and his compliments seemed justified as the £5.5million man had multiple touches of the ball in dangerous areas as the hosts pushed to capitalise on a chaotic start from both sides.

Frank’s change of shape from a back five during their 2-2 draw to Spurs to a back four here failed to resolve his side’s possession problems in the first half but a loose ball in midfield saw the pacey Wissa test Bernd Leno after 25 minutes.

After Ethan Pinnock directed a Fulham corner onto his own crossbar, Mbeumo delivered a golden opportunity to Wissa after 38 minutes but the Congo attacker scuffed his effort wide from a position you would back the suspended Toney to convert from.

But just before half-time Wissa did not have to be asked again as he gave his side the lead.

Kenny Tete’s back pass to Issa Diop saw the Frenchman fumble his touch before the Brentford attacker pounced on the loose ball and run through on goal where he dispatched his effort calmy past a helpless Leno.

Fulham responded well after the break as Tete marauded forward before his cut back found Bobby De Cordova-Reid, whose first-time effort cannoned off the crossbar as the Jamaican was denied his second of the season after his winner at Goodison Park last week.

Typical of a derby, Brentford immediately went down the other end in numbers and Jensen’s 54th-minute half-volley was hit into the ground and forced Leno to make an acrobatic save.

But in the 64th minute Wissa wreaked further havoc on the Fulham backline and forced a clumsy challenge from skipper Tim Ream, who gave away a penalty and was shown a second yellow by referee Darren Bond.

Mbeumo scored a penalty for the second week in a row after his composed effort rooted Leno to the spot as the ball clipped the inside of the left post and nestled in the bottom corner to give Brentford a 2-0 advantage.

Fulham hunted for a way back during nine minutes of added time through cameos from Willian and new signing Adama Traore but the extra man paid dividends for the visitors and Kristoffer Ajer’s well-timed cross found the potent Mbeumo who rounded off victory for Brentford.

Everton manager Sean Dyche is confident the goalscoring problem which has affected the team for a year will be solved soon.

Despite creating 19 chances against Fulham, the Toffees slipped to an opening game defeat at home – where the top-flight’s lowest scorers lost a record 10 league matches last season.

Central to the issue is the continuing unavailability of injury-plagued Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose lack of minutes in pre-season means he is still possibly a couple of weeks short of being ready.

However, the arrivals of on-loan Arnaut Danjuma – who made his debut as a late substitute – and young Sporting striker Youssef Chermiti, watching from the stands, will hopefully help to ease the burden as current deputy Neal Maupay wasted a host of chances as he extended his woeful record to one goal in 30 appearances for the club.

“Dominic will get some football this week, amongst others,” said Dyche, who is still looking for reinforcements but knows he must get more out of the limited resources he has.

“He is at the end of his rehab period, so, in the next week or two, we’re going to be stronger, just by our own group and let’s see if we can get something in to help us as well.

“Arnie (Danjuma) is getting fit, properly fit – he knows he’s a bit behind the curve.

“I am confident we have to rely (on players) within the squad because this is what we are at the moment. If we can affect it, we will do.”

Everton had only 41 percent possession but made the most of it and with better finishing could have had the game won by half-time.

While the outcome was disappointing, the manner of the performance was more encouraging than the majority of the relegation scraps they had when Dyche took over in January and guided them to safety on the final day.

“Some of the breakaways, some of the moments, some of the quality of chances were excellent,” the Toffees boss added.

“One of our analysts said about xG, which I’m not that big a believer in but it’s still a reference point, was around three, which is high in the Premier League.

“Inevitably, it’s only a measure but we’ve got to look at where we were and where we are now – and that, I thought, was a big shift.

“Now we’ve got to find those moments to go and score goals.

“But there’s a real strong sign there today, a strong sign of a good outfit there that is creating lots of chances and a lot of good things, so we’ve got to maintain the belief in that.”

Fulham were fortunate to leave Goodison Park with a third successive win and boss Marco Silva admits there is plenty of improvements to be made.

“We need more time to work, our pre-season was not at the level that it should be so we missed a bit of energy,” he said.

“But we were able to win a football match and that shows we have the quality to work.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche was frustrated by his side’s inability to convert their chances and disappointed by the lack of VAR intervention on Michael Keane’s disallowed goal in the 1-0 defeat to Fulham.

Despite an encouraging performance in which they created twice as many chances as the visitors, they were undone by a sucker-punch goal as two Cottagers substitutes Aleksandar Mitrovic and Andreas Pereira combined to provide the third, Bobby Decordova-Reid, with a 73rd-minute tap-in.

But it was the chalking off of Keane’s goal, when he turned the ball into an empty net after goalkeeper Bernd Leno had dropped it in a challenge with James Tarkowski, which was crucial to an Everton side who were the Premier League’s lowest scorers last season.

“Very frustrated with the outcome. We played well and a lot of the things we are looking for were there, especially first half,” said Dyche.

“We limited them to almost no chances or nothing clear while creating nine or 10 in the first half, five of which are high quality. We had one of the highest chance counts in my time. So the mix of the performance is right, but we have to score a goal.

“I am a big fan of VAR, I don’t know why (Keane’s goal was not referred) on this occasion, I get the idea they are promoting the idea the referee’s decision is first but they should step in on this one.

“I can’t really work it out. I have seen it back, Tarky does nothing really, minimal contact other than the keeper landing on him.

“The minimum should be that you go and look at the monitor. He didn’t do anything to put the keeper off and he drops it.”

Fulham boss Marco Silva – a former Everton manager – admitted his side got fortunate with the result.

“It was not a good performance from ourselves. Overall during the game we didn’t perform at our level,” he said.

“Even if we started the game well. after the first 15 minutes we started to lose too many balls in areas it is difficult to lose balls in.

“We gave Everton so many chances to punish us in counter-attacks. It was more our fault because we didn’t perform. Bernd keeps us in the game – a great performance.

“That we are able to win in such circumstances, it is a great feeling. It is not a problem for me to say Everton deserved better.

“It’s a great feeling when you don’t play at your level for 95 minutes and you are able to win away from home.”

Everton paid the price for a string of missed chances as their goalscoring issues were exploited by Fulham in a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

A new season brought new hope for recent relegation strugglers Everton but for all the improvements Sean Dyche has made over the summer, it appears he he has not yet solved their problems in front of goal.

Substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid struck the only goal of the game to get Marco Silva’s side off to a winning start.

Everton, the Premier League’s lowest scorers last season, were again without striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Despite generating twice as many shots as the visitors, Dyche’s side were undone by one square pass across their six-yard area when Andreas Pereira beat Nathan Patterson to an Aleksandar Mitrovic’s through-ball for a 73rd-minute tap-in by Decordova-Reid.

It burst the bubble of optimism which had been generated by an energetic and relatively creative opening 73 minutes of the season and will have infuriated Dyche as much as it delighted former Toffees boss Silva.

Michael Keane’s first-half goal was disallowed as the centre-back turned the ball into an empty net and celebrated almost apologetically before referee Stuart Atwell, having initially not blown, ruled there had been an infringement in the collision between goalkeeper Bernd Leno and James Tarkowski.

Both teams started without their recognised first-choice strikers: Calvert-Lewin was omitted due to his lack of minutes in pre-season while Mitrovic was left on the bench after ongoing interest from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal.

But it was the home team who suffered the most as they generated 19 shots to their opponents’ nine from just 41 per cent possession but failed to capitalise with Calvert-Lewin’s deputy Neal Maupay most culpable.

The £15million signing from Brighton last summer has a return of one goal in his 29 previous appearances but the reason for that conversion rate was evident after just 32 seconds when he clipped a shot wide of the far post with only goalkeeper Leno to beat after being put through by James Garner’s cushioned header.

It did not get any better for the Frenchman, whose heavy touch from Abdoulaye Doucoure’s square pass denied him another shooting opportunity before Leno blocked his close-range scuff from a Doucoure knockdown and then he fired straight at the German when played in by Amadou Onana.

Doucoure, playing just behind the striker, was not without fault either as he should have scored inside five minutes when clean through but shot straight at the goalkeeper when he could also have squared to Maupay.

Everton were fortunate the visitors were even more toothless in attack themselves, although Willian, 35, gave 21-year-old right-back Nathan Patterson, who made just 21 appearances in a debut season affected by injury, an uncomfortable 45 minutes before he was replaced by De Cordova-Reid at half-time.

But Willian was also lucky to escape with a booking for an over the top challenge on Garner.

By contrast, on the other side of the defence Ashley Young, Everton’s second-oldest debutant at the age of 38 years and 34 days, was coping easily with Harry Wilson – 12 years his junior.

The 57th-minute of introduction of Mitrovic and Pereira, seconds after debutant Raul Jimenez had struck the post with his last touch before being replaced, threatened a new element of danger for Everton.

However, it was the hosts who should have scored when Leno parried Alex Iwobi’s shot to Patterson who lashed his shot against the crossbar.

Loan signing Arnaut Danjuma assumed the central striking role from Maupay but, before he had even touched the ball, De Cordova-Reid had scored the goal which secured Fulham’s third successive win at Goodison Park.

The return of Calvert-Lewin and a debut for new signing Youssef Chermiti, the £15million Sporting Lisbon striker watching from the directors’ box, cannot come soon enough.

Willian has re-signed for Fulham on a one-year deal with an option for a further 12 months.

The 34-year-old former Chelsea and Arsenal winger, holder of 70 Brazil caps, scored five goals and provided six assists in 27 Premier League appearances for the Cottagers last season as Marco Silva’s men finished 10th.

Having reached the end of his contract, Willian was understood to have been in talks with Nottingham Forest about a possible move and visited their training ground last week.

But he will again be with Fulham next season, saying in quotes on their official website: “I’m completely happy.

“Happy to sign one more year with Fulham. Happy to continue the work that I did last season with all my teammates and the whole club. I think it’s a club that can do even better this season, so I’m happy to continue this amazing adventure.”

Fulham owner Tony Khan said: “I’m thrilled that Willian will return to Fulham for at least one more season.

“He was a very important addition last summer and was a significant contributor during one of the most successful Premier League campaigns our club has ever had.

“We’re all very excited that he’ll return to Craven Cottage as we aim for another successful season in the Premier League together.”

Willian visited the Nottingham Forest training ground ahead of a possible transfer this summer.

The Brazilian is out of contract at Fulham and has been in talks with Forest about a switch to the City Ground.

He visited the club’s facility on Thursday but has not yet agreed a deal, the PA news agency understands.

The Cottagers have also offered the 34-year-old a new contract after an impressive 2022/23 campaign.

The former Chelsea and Arsenal winger scored five times in 25 appearances as Marco Silva’s side enjoyed a top-half finish.

Forest made 30 signings last year in their first season back in the top tier but they are not expected to be as active this year.

They are targeting up to eight new arrivals as they aim to build on last year’s 16th-placed finish.

Neeskens Kebano has left Fulham following the expiry of his contract last month, the club have announced.

The Congo winger, who made 17 appearances in the Premier League last season, ends a seven-year stay at Craven Cottage where he was involved in three promotions from the Sky Bet Championship to the top flight.

Kebano told FFCtv: “For the fans, honestly, thank you for the love that you showed me during my time here. I’ll never forget you. Fulham forever.”

Fulham are serious contenders in the race for Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse.

The Cottagers are targeting the midfielder, who is interested in a move to Craven Cottage, the PA news agency understands.

Southampton are likely to ask for close to £30million for their captain – who has three years left on his contract – after relegation from the Premier League last season.

West Ham want Fulham’s Joao Palhinha to replace Declan Rice, which would then see the Cottagers line up Ward-Prowse.

Arsenal have had two bids rejected for Hammers skipper Rice this week, although champions Manchester City are reportedly preparing their own offer.

The Hammers are also interested in England international Ward-Prowse but he would prefer a switch to west London.

The 28-year-old sees Marco Silva’s style as the best fit for him as he looks for a route back to the top flight.

A move to Fulham would also see him link up with former Saints team-mate Harrison Reed, with the pair having come through the academy at St Mary’s.

Brentford, given their threat from set pieces, also held an interest in Ward-Prowse but they were quickly rebuffed by the Saints star.

He will leave the club this summer having been unable to keep Southampton in the Premier League after they finished bottom.

They had three managers as Nathan Jones replaced Ralph Hasenhuttl in November – but lasted just 14 games before being sacked – and Ruben Selles was unable to save the Saints.

Southampton appointed Russell Martin on a three-year deal from Swansea on Wednesday, with the Swans looking to bring Michael Duff in from Barnsley.

Martin will have to mount a promotion charge in the Championship without Ward-Prowse, who has made 409 appearances and scored 55 goals for the Saints and is one goal short of David Beckham’s Premier League free-kick record of 18.

Saints could also lose Romeo Lavia, with the midfielder wanted by Liverpool and Arsenal.

Fulham defender Joe Bryan is one of 10 out-of-contract players set to leave the Premier League club at the end of the month after they announced their retained list on Thursday.

The west-London club published their released and retained list ahead of the 2023/24 season which will see Bryan, Shane Duffy, Paulo Gazzaniga, Steven Sessegnon, Thorsteinn Antonsson, Sonny Hilton, Ziyad Larkeche, Jonathon Page, Murphy Parker and Jean-Pierre Tiehi leave Craven Cottage.

Bryan – who spent the last campaign on loan at Ligue 1 Nice – will leave the club after making 117 appearances which included two promotion campaigns.

Meanwhile, Gazzaniga, who began 2021/22 as Marco Silva’s first-choice goalkeeper, has since impressed following a loan spell at Girona and made the move to Spain permanent last week.

Fulham added that Neeskens Kebano, Willian, Luciano D’Auria-Henry, Stefan Parkes, Devan Tanton had all been offered new deals, while Ibane Bowat, Martial Godo and Jay Williams have had their one-year extension options triggered.

A statement on the club website read: “We would like to thank all of these players and the Academy boys, for their efforts during their time at the club and wish them the very best of luck during their respective next chapters.”

Wales manager Rob Page has told top-flight clubs to make a move for “Premier League player” Daniel James.

The Wales winger’s club career remains uncertain following Leeds’ relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

James spent last season on loan with Fulham but has now returned to managerless Leeds and the second tier, where he shone at Swansea to earn a 2019 move to Manchester United.

Page said: “I do think DJ is a Premier League player and he could easily play there again.

“If I’m a Premier League manager and I find out he’s available, personally I’d take him.

“I’m bound to say that because I’m his Welsh manager, but for me he always poses a threat.

“He still has things to work on but with the pace he’s got it is a brave team that plays a high line against him.”

James cost Leeds £25million in joining from Manchester United in August 2021.

The 25-year-old struggled for game-time at Fulham, making only five Premier League starts among 23 appearances in all competitions and scoring three goals.

James has often reserved his best performances for a Wales shirt and started 34 consecutive competitive games before being benched for the World Cup defeat to Iran in November.

“He has taken one for the team in recent months because I’ve asked him to play a different role,” Page said ahead of forthcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

“He likes playing wide left and the way we play now suits us because he gives us the width on the left.

“He’s that option in behind and when you’ve got a tool like that in your armoury it really is effective.

“In the Premier League, and at international level, he poses a threat. It was a frustrating few months for him when I played him at centre-forward with Gareth (Bale).

“Now we’ve changed and he is back out in his natural position.”

Wales return to action at home to Armenia on Friday and against Turkey in Samsun three days later having taken four points from their opening two games in March.

Page, who has taken his squad to Portugal to prepare for the Euro 2024 double-header, says he has felt the benefits of speaking to Warren Gatland, head coach of the Wales rugby team and former British and Irish Lions boss.

“I had a great chat with him over dinner and wanted to pick his brains,” Page said of his meeting with Gatland at the Football Association of Wales’ National Coaches Conference in Newport.

“It’s not every day you get the chance to share dinner with a man of his stature.

“We talked about how we deal with players, groups of men, and it was really interesting.

“He spoke about how he deals with individuals. It was refreshing to learn it’s how I’ve dealt with individuals in the past.

“We are from a similar era and share similar culture and values. When you are dealing with a player, you do it to their face.”

Norwich have signed Republic of Ireland defender Shane Duffy from Fulham on a three-year contract.

The 31-year-old, capped 55 times by his country, made five Premier League appearances for Fulham during the 2022-23 season.

Norwich boss David Wagner told the club’s official website: “We’re delighted to welcome Shane to the club. He’s a player with a vast amount of experience, both domestically and on the international stage.

“I’m confident that he’ll be a great fit for our squad and brings not only the on-field qualities that we have been looking for, but leadership and desire to help drive our club forward.

“From my conversations with Shane, his vision was clear. You can feel that determination and hunger to play and win football games.”

Duffy began his career in England at Everton and had spells at Blackburn and Brighton before a loan move to Fulham last summer was made permanent in the January transfer window.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.