Football: Liverpool and City pushed but still emerge victorious

Burnley's Chris Wood, second right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game against Aston Villa during their English Premier League soccer match at Villa Park. Photo / AP

Liverpool and Manchester City put some distance between themselves and the rest of the English Premier League but both sides had to work hard for it.

Liverpool were pushed before being gifted a 1-0 win at Sheffield United yesterday that maintained their perfect start to the season. Manchester City were given all they could handle by Everton before two late goals sealed a 3-1 win.

All Whites striker Chris Wood scored his third goal in two weeks, netting Burnley's 81st-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, following his brace against Norwich a week earlier.

Liverpool made it seven wins from seven to open the season with a big helping hand from Sheffield United's Dean Henderson.

The Blades keeper let Georginio Wijnaldum's shot from near the edge of the area squirm through his legs for the only goal at Bramall Lane.

The 70th-minute shot was Liverpool's first on target but was enough to settle matters.

"These games, they are not all beauties and you have to work hard for the results," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said. "They threw everything at us, they worked incredibly hard, they were a real threat. I am fine with the game, not overly happy, but it happens. We didn't play our best football but there we are."

Liverpool's win put the pressure on City as they visited Goodison Park in the day's late match.

The champions took a first-half lead through Gabriel Jesus, only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to equalise before the break. But Riyad Mahrez re-established the lead with a 71st-minute free kick and Raheem Sterling's late goal clinched victory.

"We deserved the win," Mahrez said. "We could've killed the game in the first half, we had four or five chances. We managed the game well, and soon enough, we scored two goals and won the game."

Ten-man Tottenham Hotspur beat Southampton 2-1 to move into the Champions League places.

Tanguy Ndombele gave Spurs a first-half lead before Serge Aurier was sent off after half an hour.

A blunder by keeper Hugo Lloris allowed Danny Ings to level but Harry Kane scored two minutes before the break. The hosts then doggedly dug in to see out the match.

Frank Lampard finally tasted victory as a manager at Stamford Bridge in the league as Chelsea beat Brighton 2-0 with goals from Jorginho and Willian. It was the Blues' ninth win in nine league games against the Seagulls, an English record for most games won against a single opponent without a loss.

Matt Doherty's goal and Daryl Janmaat's own goal gave Wolves their first win and kept Watford bottom of the table on two points.

Luka Milivojevic and Andros Townsend gave Crystal Palace a 2-0 win over Norwich City and Aaron Creswell's late goal earned West Ham a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.