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Mane's ton up as Liverpool go top of EPL

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Liverpool, with Mo Salah on target in the win over Palace, are back on top of the Premier League.
Camera IconLiverpool, with Mo Salah on target in the win over Palace, are back on top of the Premier League. Credit: EPA

Liverpool's Sadio Mane has scored his 100th goal for the club to help secure a 3-0 victory over lively Crystal Palace and take them top of the Premier League at Anfield.

But while Mane claimed a Premier League record for the most consecutive goals against one club - his ninth in a row versus Palace - champions Manchester City slipped up in Saturday's programme with a goalless draw at home to Southampton.

Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita added late strikes after Mane's first-half goal to see Liverpool open up a three-point lead on 13 points at the top of the table, though Chelsea and Manchester United could join them if they win on Sunday.

Everton's chance of joining their Merseyside neighbours at the top, though, was comprehensively dismissed at Aston Villa, who routed the Toffees 3-0 with second-half goals from Matty Cash and sub Leon Bailey sandwiching an own goal from Lucas Digne.

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At Anfield, Mane brought up his century of goals in his 224th appearance for the Reds in all competitions - the 18th player to do so - when Salah's header was pushed into his path by Palace keeper Vicente Guaita to give him an easy finish from close range after 43 minutes.

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Salah killed off the contest on 78 minutes and there was still time for Keita to add a magnificent third when he volleyed in from the edge of the box as the clock ticked into injury-time.

Pep Guardiola had issued a controversial rallying cry to City fans after Wednesday's Champions League win over Leipzig, and the supporters responded by producing a vibrant atmosphere at the Etihad. The players, though, fell flat.

Indeed, City may have felt relieved to claim a point after referee Jon Moss overturned decisions to award Southampton a penalty and send Kyle Walker off in the second half.

Despite City lacking their normal cutting edge, Raheem Sterling thought he'd snatched victory for them with a last-gasp strike, only for the flag to be raised for offside with VAR confirming the decision. City are among four teams on 10 points, three behind Liverpool.

Elsewhere, Martin Odegaard's first-half free-kick clinched Arsenal a 1-0 win at Burnley, whose winless home Premier League run was extended to 13 matches.

Norway international Odegaard curled home the only goal in the 30th minute to further ease the pressure on Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, whose side were indebted to a controversial VAR intervention, which Burnley felt robbed them of a second-half penalty.

Referee Anthony Taylor had initially pointed to the spot when Burnley substitute Matej Vydra went down under Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale's challenge, only to change his mind after watching the replay.

At Carrow Road, visiting striker Ismaila Sarr struck twice as Norwich's losing start to the season extended to five games with a 3-1 defeat by Watford.

In the day's early game, Ivan Toney proved Brentford's match-winner at Wolves, scoring from the penalty spot and making the other goal for Bryan Mbeumo in their 2-0 win they achieved despite having Shandon Baptiste sent off for a second yellow card offence in the 64th minute.

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