London — Liverpool equalled the Premier League's record win with a 9-0 demolition of Bournemouth, while Erling Haaland's hat-trick inspired Manchester City's comeback 4-2 victory against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
On a remarkable day in the top-flight, 10-man Chelsea beat Leicester 2-1, while Manchester United's revival continued with a 1-0 win at Southampton.
Liverpool stole the spotlight as they recovered from Monday's lacklustre 2-1 loss at Manchester United in astonishing style.
It was always coming! 🔥
Erling Haaland has a #PL hat-trick - this is his fourth #PL match 🤯
📺 Stream #MCICRY live: https://t.co/0BMWdennut pic.twitter.com/810kWpd60U
After three games without a win, the Reds rebounded by equalling Manchester United's 9-0 wins against Ipswich in 1995 and Southampton in 2021, as well as Leicester's thrashing of Southampton in 2019.
It took just three minutes for Luis Diaz to strike at Anfield as the Colombia winger headed home Roberto Firmino's cross.
Three minutes later, Liverpool moved further ahead as Harvey Elliott bagged his first Premier League goal with a 20-yard curler.
Trent Alexander-Arnold rifled into the top corner from 25 yards in the 28th minute.
🗣 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 27, 2022
Liverpool are 7-0 up against Bournemouth with 20 minutes to go 👀
Roberto Firmino gets his 💯th goal for Liverpool
📺 Stream #LIVBOU live: https://t.co/0BMWdeFwIB pic.twitter.com/qqNHMnT5z9
After providing three assists, Firmino scored himself with close-range volley to put the result beyond doubt by the 31st minute.
Virgil Van Dijk headed in Andrew Robertson's corner on the stroke of half-time as Liverpool scored five in the first half of a Premier League game for the first time.
Chris Mepham's own goal from Alexander-Arnold's 46th minute cross was followed by Firmino grabbing the seventh in the 62nd minute.
Fabio Carvalho's first goal since his summer move from Fulham made it eight in the 80th minute.
Diaz notched the historic ninth from Kostas Tsimikas' corner with five minutes left as Liverpool equalled their biggest ever top-flight margin of victory, set against Palace in 1989.
"We wanted to show a reaction. Getting to be the best version of ourselves. We scored wonderful goals," Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said.
"The game settled and we kept scoring. It was about keep going. Not to humiliate Bournemouth, we couldn't respect them more, but a really good day for us."
Champions Manchester City staged another impressive rally as they came from 2-0 down to beat Palace at the Etihad Stadium.
Palace went ahead in the fourth minute as Eberechi Eze's free-kick deflected off John Stones into the net for an own goal.
City fell further behind in the 21st minute when Palace defender Joachim Andersen was left unmarked to head in Eze's corner.
But the champions came from 3-1 down to draw at Newcastle last weekend and Bernardo Silva gave them hope of a repeat with a 53rd minute effort that deflected in off Jeffrey Schlupp.
City equalised in the 62nd minute when Phil Foden's cross reached Haaland and the former Borussia Dortmund striker headed his first home goal since joining in the close-season.
In the 70th minute, Haaland got his fifth in four games, prodding home from Stones' pass after a flowing move. The Norwegian sealed his hat-trick from Silva's pass in the 81st minute.
"We have the ability to score goals but lately we are conceding a lot. It's nice to have a comeback," City manager Pep Guardiola said.
"What Erling Haaland has done today he has done all his career. It is nothing special."
Sterling sparkles
Raheem Sterling scored his first goals for Chelsea in a dramatic win over Leicester.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher was sent off in the 28th minute for a needless foul on Harvey Barnes just moments after being booked.
Sterling struck in the 47th minute, the former Manchester City forward's shot deflecting off Daniel Amartey into the net.
Sterling doubled his tally in the 63rd minute as he tapped in from Reece James' cross before Barnes squeezed in a low shot three minutes later.
Erik ten Hag said Manchester United have learned from their dismal start to the season after Bruno Fernandes clinched a hard-fought win against Southampton.
Ten Hag's side sat bottom of the Premier League after losing their opening two games.
But United have recovered from that embarrassing start to secure successive league victories for the first time since February.
Fernandes netted in the 55th minute when he met Diogo Dalot's cross with a volley from just inside the area.
"I think the players learnt some lessons from Brentford. We were more compact on the long balls. Of course we were really happy," Ten Hag said.
Vitaly Janelt scored an 85th minute equaliser as Brentford drew 1-1 with Everton, who took the lead through Anthony Gordon's 24th minute opener.
Brighton beat Leeds 1-0 with Pascal Gross's 66th minute goal at the Amex Stadium.
AFP