Source: Reuters

Liverpool’s marquee signing Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the champions as they beat 10-man West Ham United 2-0 on Sunday following a dire run of nine defeats in 12 games.

Manchester United ended Crystal Palace’s nine-month unbeaten home run with a 2-1 comeback victory, Aston Villa climbed to third with a 1-0 victory over lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Brighton & Hove Albion won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest to go fifth.

Leaders Arsenal visit fourth-placed Chelsea later on Sunday with a chance to extend their advantage at the top.

Liverpool had endured their worst spell in over 70 years, and manager Arne Slot took drastic measures, leaving Mohamed Salah out of his starting line-up for the first time in the Premier League.

Isak, who had looked short of form and fitness, spurned two opportunities before the break before slotting home a Cody Gakpo pull-back on the hour mark.

“I’ve been waiting for it and chasing it (his first Premier League goal for Liverpool) and sometimes it takes longer than you expect but happy to score a goal and help towards the win today,” Isak told the BBC.

“It’s never easy, as a striker you need momentum. We defended really well and scored twice so happy days.”

Liverpool’s cause was helped by Lucas Paqueta’s double booking for dissent with less than 10 minutes to play, before Gakpo added a second in the 92nd minute.

Liverpool’s victory, only their second in eight league games, moved them up to eighth with 21 points, while West Ham, whose players and fans paid tribute to former captain and manager Billy Bonds who died aged 79 on Sunday, are 17th with 11.

ZIRKZEE AND MOUNT LEAD MAN UNITED FIGHTBACK

At Selhurst Park, Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount struck in the second half to erase as Manchester United battled back for only their second away victory in 12 games.

United climbed above Palace into seventh on 21 points, while Oliver Glasner’s team are ninth on 20.

Jean-Philippe Mateta struck from the penalty spot in the 36th minute after Leny Yoro’s reckless tackle.

CrowdStrike founder and chief executive George Kurtz has bought into the Mercedes Formula One team.

Zirkzee levelled in the 54th minute when he chested down a free kick before firing into the far corner and Mount struck the winner when a free kick was touched into his path and he unleashed a low shot through a sea of Palace legs.

“We have not found it easy away from home this season,” Mount told TNT Sports. “It was all about reacting in the second half and I feel we did that well.”

A superb strike from Boubacar Kamara earned Aston Villa a victory over bottom side Wolves.

Kamara gave the home crowd something to shout about, arrowing a thunderous shot into the top corner in the 67th minute as Villa climbed to third on 24 points. Wolves remained bottom on two points.

Maxim De Cuyper and Stefano Tzimas scored to lift Brighton to victory at Forest and the visitors climbed to fifth in the table on 22 points. Forest are 16th on 12.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.