EBERECHI EZE

It must be getting harder and harder for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to deny his team is a genuine title challenger in the Premier League this season.

Arsenal’s newcomers have made an immediate impact by opening the English Premier League beating host Crystal Palace 2-0.

Chelsea has come from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 and prevent City from clinching a third English Premier League title in four seasons and dethroning Liverpool.

Sheffield United's Oliver Burke, right, is challenged by Manchester City's Ruben Dias during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Sheffield United at the the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. (Laurence Griffiths/Pool via AP)A last-minute consolation and a bundled effort from a long throw-in are the only goals Manchester City has conceded in nine games across all competitions in 2021. City's lead grew to three points on Saturday after its battling 1-0 win over last-place Sheffield United was followed by second-place Manchester United's latest slip-up, a 0-0 draw at Arsenal. SLUMPING SAINTSAfter a strong start to the season, Southampton is slipping down the standings and lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa to make it three defeats in a row. Crystal Palace is three points behind Southampton in 13th after beating Wolverhampton 1-0 thanks to the latest wonder strike by Eberechi Eze.

After his team’s stirring comeback in a 3-1 win at Everton in the Premier League, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer didn’t hold back, either. Edinson Cavani capped the fightback with his first goal for United deep in stoppage time. ZIYECH STARSLike United, Chelsea also fought back from conceding an early goal and ultimately swept aside Sheffield United in a 4-1 win. And like United, Chelsea had a creative playmaker pulling the strings as the catalyst for the recovery. “We played against him in the Champions League last year,” Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said of Ziyech.