Man City Lose Their Perfect Start, Arsenal Go Level, and Spurs Shock Chelsea: Matchday 8 Fallout and Sunday Start Times

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What happened on Saturday?

Saturday 24 October changed the shape of the Premier League title race in one afternoon. Manchester City lost for the first time this season, Arsenal took full advantage, and Tottenham produced the shock of the weekend at Stamford Bridge. Three results, taken together, turned a one team procession into a genuine two team race at the top, and they also gave the chasing pack a reason to believe again. The headline result was at Villa Park. Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1, ending City's run of seven straight league wins at the start of the season. Nicolas Jackson scored both Villa goals, in the sixth minute and again on the hour, and Erling Haaland's headed equaliser in the 52nd minute only lasted eight minutes. City had aimed for an eighth straight win. Instead, they left Villa Park with their first defeat under Enzo Maresca, and with Arsenal now breathing down their necks. At the Emirates, Arsenal did exactly what a title challenger must do when the leader slips. They beat Everton 2-0, with centre backs Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes scoring a goal in each half, Konsa in the seventh minute and Gabriel with a header in the 68th minute. It was a controlled, professional win, and it moved Arsenal level with City on 21 points. City stay top only on goal difference, plus 11 against Arsenal's plus eight. The late game was even more dramatic. Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, a ground where Spurs almost never win. A Mateus Fernandes corner became a Mike Penders own goal in the 77th minute, Cole Palmer was sent off for a second yellow card in the 80th minute, and Mathys Tel sealed the win with a fine solo goal in the 87th minute. It was Tottenham's second Premier League win away at Chelsea in 35 attempts, and their first clean sheet win there since December 1986. Add in Fulham's 1-0 win at Coventry, sealed by Oscar Bobb in the 80th minute, and Ipswich Town's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on Friday night, and Matchday 8 already has a story before Sunday even starts. The question now is whether Sunday's five games tighten things further, or restore some order.

How did Aston Villa beat Manchester City?

Villa's plan was simple to describe and hard to execute: defend with discipline, make City work for every opening, and punish the first mistake. The first mistake came early. Jackson took advantage of a loose ball from Marc Guehi in the sixth minute and finished calmly, giving Villa a lead they would never fully surrender. City dominated possession for long spells, as they always do, but domination without cutting edge is only half a performance. Rayan Cherki was denied by Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, Iliman Ndiaye hit the woodwork, and City's best moments kept breaking down in the final third. Maresca said afterwards that his team lost because they were probably not clinical enough in the opposition box, and that summary is hard to argue with. Haaland's equaliser, a header from an Ndiaye cross in the 52nd minute, looked like the moment City would take control. It was his 13th goal in 10 games in all competitions this season, and it briefly suggested normal service had resumed. But Villa responded within eight minutes. Jackson beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a low effort on the hour, and from there Villa defended their lead with increasing confidence. Haaland had a late effort cleared away in the 89th minute, and that was as close as City came to a second equaliser. For Villa, the win was their third league win of the season and their first home league win of the campaign. It also extended an excellent recent run to six wins from seven games in all competitions. Unai Emery has integrated a changed squad quickly after a summer of high profile departures, and Jackson, after a difficult spell at Chelsea, is emerging as the key figure in that rebuild. Two goals against the champions will do a striker's confidence no harm at all. For City, the defeat ends a historic start. Maresca had become the first manager to win his opening seven Premier League games at a new club. That record now stops at seven. More importantly, City no longer have a cushion. They have seven wins and one defeat from eight games, exactly the same record as Arsenal, and the goal difference gap is only three. The title race, which looked like it might be over by Christmas, is alive again.

What does Arsenal's win over Everton change?

Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton matters for two reasons. First, it banks the points. Second, it shows the mentality of a team that knows how to win when the opportunity appears. Arsenal did not need to be spectacular against Everton. They needed to be solid, take their chances from set pieces and defensive positions, and keep a clean sheet. They did all three. Konsa's early goal, poked in at the back post after seven minutes, settled any nerves. Gabriel's header in the 68th minute, on his 200th league appearance for the club, removed any doubt. Everton had a chance to level when Thierno Barry could not capitalise on a weak Ben White headed back pass to David Raya, but that was the exception in a game Arsenal controlled. Arsenal are the defending champions in this timeline, and they now sit second only on goal difference. That is a powerful position with 30 games still to play. The psychological effect matters too. City knew, as they travelled to Villa Park, that a slip would be punished the same day. Arsenal knew, as they kicked off later, that a win would put them level. Both teams handled that pressure in opposite ways, and the table reflects it. The next test for Arsenal is to keep this pace when the fixtures get harder. The next test for City is to respond to a first defeat without overreacting. One loss does not make City a bad team, and one win does not make Arsenal champions. But the direction of travel has changed, and that is what makes Sunday so interesting.

What happened at Chelsea against Tottenham?

Chelsea against Tottenham started as a tactical battle and ended as chaos, and the last 15 minutes will be talked about for weeks. For 76 minutes, neither side could break through. Then, in the space of 10 minutes, Tottenham scored, Chelsea lost their best player to a red card, and Tottenham scored again. The opening goal was cruel on Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders. The 21 year old, making his first Premier League start, came to punch a Mateus Fernandes corner in the 77th minute, but under pressure from Jan Paul van Hecke he punched the ball backwards over his own goal line. It was an own goal, and it was the breakthrough Tottenham had been waiting for. Three minutes later, Cole Palmer was sent off. Palmer had already been fortunate to avoid an early red card, then stepped on Conor Gallagher's ankle as Gallagher slid for the ball, and referee Chris Kavanagh showed a second yellow card in the 80th minute. Chelsea, already without absent star Joao Pedro, finished the game with 10 men. Mathys Tel finished the job in the 87th minute. The forward drove from inside his own half, deep into Chelsea territory, and finished low into the bottom left corner from just outside the box. It was a superb individual goal, and it sealed a win that few Tottenham fans would have predicted before kickoff. The numbers underline how one sided the second half became in terms of control, if not chances. Tottenham had 68.5 percent possession, 15 shots to Chelsea's seven, and 554 accurate passes to Chelsea's 215. Expected goals were low on both sides, 0.74 for Tottenham and 0.47 for Chelsea, which tells you this was not a game full of clear chances. It was a game decided by a goalkeeping error, a sending off, and a moment of individual brilliance. There are two injury worries to watch from this game. Tottenham midfielder James Maddison left the field in the 51st minute with an injury, after a doubt before the game over missing three days of training since the Coventry game. No diagnosis had been confirmed at the time of writing, so do not assume a timeline. Chelsea also have to plan without Palmer for the next game after his sending off, and that is a major absence for a team that already looks short in attack. For Tottenham, the win moves them to 12th with nine points, behind Hull City on goal difference, and it gives Roberto De Zerbi his biggest moment since taking over. Back to back league wins, after a slow start, suggest Tottenham are improving. For Chelsea, the defeat leaves them fourth on 13 points, still in the top four, but with a goalkeeper low on confidence, a star player suspended, and a huge game against Manchester United at home on Halloween to come.

What does the table look like after Saturday?

The table after Saturday's games shows a clear split. City and Arsenal are level at the top, Brighton are third on 16 points from seven games, and Chelsea are fourth on 13 points from eight games. Liverpool, who play on Sunday, are fifth on 12 points from seven games, so a win against Brighton would move them level with Chelsea. | Position | Team | Played | Goal difference | Points | | 1 | Manchester City | 8 | Plus 11 | 21 | | 2 | Arsenal | 8 | Plus 8 | 21 | | 3 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 7 | Plus 18 | 16 | | 4 | Chelsea | 8 | Plus 2 | 13 | | 5 | Liverpool | 7 | Plus 1 | 12 | | 6 | Aston Villa | 8 | Minus 3 | 11 | | 12 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | Minus 2 | 9 | | 15 | Manchester United | 7 | 0 | 7 | Brighton's goal difference, plus 18 from seven games, is remarkable, and it means Brighton could go second on goal difference if they win at Liverpool and Arsenal and City both slip again. That is a long way off, but it shows how open the top of the table is. At the bottom, Sunderland are last on four points from seven games, and they host Leeds United on Sunday in a game that matters enormously for both clubs.

When are the Sunday games, and where can you watch them?

Five Premier League games are scheduled for Sunday 25 October. Four kick off together, and one follows later. The UK has moved back to Greenwich Mean Time on Sunday morning, while the United States stays on daylight time until 1 November, so the conversions are different from last weekend. Check your local listing before kickoff, because broadcasters can move games at short notice. | Sunday fixture | London GMT | Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam CET | New York, Toronto EDT | Los Angeles PDT | Karachi PKT | | Crystal Palace v Newcastle United | 14:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 | 19:00 | | Hull City v Brentford | 14:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 | 19:00 | | Liverpool v Brighton and Hove Albion | 14:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 | 19:00 | | Manchester United v AFC Bournemouth | 14:00 | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 | 19:00 | | Sunderland v Leeds United | 16:30 | 17:30 | 12:30 | 09:30 | 21:30 | In the United States, the Sunday games are shown across NBC, USA Network and Peacock, with the 10:00 Eastern games split between USA and Peacock and the 12:30 Eastern game on USA. In the UK, check Sky Sports and TNT Sports listings for the Sunday picks, because not every game is televised live in the UK. In Pakistan, the 19:00 PKT kickoffs are the evening games, and the Sunderland against Leeds game starts at 21:30 PKT. The game to watch first is Liverpool against Brighton at Anfield. Liverpool can move level with Chelsea on 13 points with a win, and Brighton can move to 19 points and strengthen their hold on third place with a win of their own. It is also a test of Liverpool's home form against the most free scoring team in the league on goal difference terms. Manchester United against Bournemouth at Old Trafford is the other big Sunday story. United are 15th on seven points from seven games, and they need a win to climb away from the bottom half. Bournemouth are 17th on six points, so this is a genuine six pointer, even this early in the season. A win for either side changes their season. A defeat deepens the pressure. Crystal Palace against Newcastle, Hull City against Brentford, and Sunderland against Leeds United all have their own stakes. Newcastle are 14th on eight points and need to start winning away from home. Brentford are seventh on 10 points and can move into the top six with a win at Hull. Sunderland, bottom on four points, host Leeds United, who are eighth on 10 points, in the late game. Sunderland need points urgently. Leeds need to keep their strong start going.

What happens next in Matchday 8 and beyond?

Matchday 8 finishes on Sunday night, but the Premier League does not pause for long. Chelsea go to Liverpool in the League Cup on Wednesday, then host Manchester United in the league on Halloween, Saturday 31 October. Tottenham are off until Halloween, when they meet Crystal Palace in north London. City and Arsenal will both want to respond to Saturday in their next league games, and the gap at the top is now small enough that every dropped point will be felt. The lesson from Saturday is simple. No lead is safe, no home ground is safe, and no game is won until the final whistle. City learned that at Villa Park. Chelsea learned it in the last 15 minutes at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal learned the opposite lesson: when the leader slips, take the points, and take them cleanly. Sunday's five games will tell us whether that lesson spreads, or whether the top of the table settles again. Related: Chelsea v Tottenham injury guide and Chelsea v Tottenham predicted lineups. Sources: Premier League fixtures and results, NBC Sports live coverage of Chelsea against Tottenham, Sky Sports match statistics, AP reporting on Aston Villa against Manchester City and Arsenal against Everton.