Football: Mourinho gives Spurs instant lift

Jose Mourinho started his Tottenham reign with a victory. Photo / Getty Images

Tottenham's decision to switch managers reaped instant rewards as Jose Mourinho got off to a winning start in his highly anticipated fourth coaching stint in the English Premier League.

How long before a slew of other teams — including Tottenham's north London neighbours Arsenal — opt to make a coaching change, too?

Hours after beating West Ham 3-2 — Tottenham's first away win in the league since January — in Mourinho's first match in charge since replacing Mauricio Pochettino, Arsenal needed an injury-time goal to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to relegation candidates Southampton.

Arsenal have won just one of their last seven league games and boos rang around the Emirates Stadium at the final whistle, directed as much at manager Unai Emery as his underperforming players.

Then there's Everton manager Marco Silva, also under mounting pressure after his team lost 2-0 at home to Norwich, who started the game in last place. Languishing in 15th despite a benign run of fixtures to start the season, Everton have a gruelling schedule the next two months, including matches against second-placed Leicester (twice), Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City.

And what about West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini, vanquished by Mourinho and overseeing a team that has collected just two points from their last seven games to plummet to 16th?

West Ham have conceded three goals for three straight games and jittery keeper Roberto received sarcastic cheers from his own fans every time he collected the ball without a mistake.

Sean Dyche has no such worries, as his Burnley team won their first away game of the season, 3-0 at Watford, to climb to sixth.

All White Chris Wood opened the scoring soon after the break and strike partner Ashley Barnes added a second from the penalty spot. Both have six league goals this season and Burnley are the division's sixth-highest scorers.

Tottenham also have no managerial concerns for now, having sacked Pochettino last week to bring in Mourinho after nearly a year out of coaching. Portraying himself as humble and emotionally strong after his turbulent last spell at Manchester United, Mourinho hugged his new players and kept a respectful distance from the travelling Spurs fans while he celebrated a win earned by goals from Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura, and Harry Kane in a 13-minute spell around halftime.

"[Yesterday] I was where I belong," Mourinho said. "That's my natural habitat. Was I extra emotional? No. Was I nervous? No. But I just love it, especially when things go in your direction. Of course, the best thing in football is to win."

That's something Liverpool cannot stop doing. The leaders have 12 wins in 13 after beating Crystal Palace 2-1, courtesy of a late goal in a campaign full of them. Roberto Firmino was the late match-winner for Liverpool this time, the Brazil striker lashing home a close-range finish in the 85th minute to secure a victory that didn't look like coming at times.

"Could we have played better? Yes, but we had players on the pitch who on Thursday morning were still on a plane," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said in reference to the recent international break.

Wilfried Zaha equalised in the 82nd minute for Palace with his first goal of the season after Sadio Mane's opener for Liverpool in the 49th. Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in the division to 30 games.

Meanwhile at Brighton, Jamie Vardy scored for a fifth straight game to guide Leicester to a sixth straight win in all competitions — but his latest goal had a hint of controversy.

Leicester were already 1-0 up through Ayoze Perez when VAR came to prominence in the 80th minute after Demarai Gray was adjudged to have been fouled in the area. After a VAR review, referee Mike Dean awarded Leicester a penalty, Vardy's attempt was saved and James Maddison headed in the rebound. VAR intervened again, saying there had been encroachment by Maddison and Brighton players, and the decision was made to retake the penalty. Vardy made no mistake for his league-leading 12th goal.

Manchester City avoided slipping 12 points behind Liverpool by coming from behind to beat Chelsea in an end-to-end encounter at the Etihad Stadium.

Wolverhampton Wanderers beat 10-man Bournemouth 2-1 to climb to fifth and make it eight games unbeaten in the league.

- AP