Manchester United climbed into the Premier League’s top four with a 4-2 victory over Brighton, as Sunderland went second after stunning Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday.
In the late kick-off, Brentford defeated Liverpool 3-2 to inflict a fourth straight league loss on the champions.
Mohammed Salah scored in the 89th minute to threaten to snatch a point, but the Bees clung on for dear life during 11 minutes of added time.
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The decisive moment in the end was a second half penalty to Brentford after VAR intervened.
Virgil van Dijk was penalised for a foul on Dango Ouattara, who scored the opening goal in the fifth minute, that was initially deemed to be outside the penalty area, but VAR stepped in and deemed that it was on the line, and a penalty was awarded.
Igor Thiago then converted from the spot to reinstate a two-goal buffer.
Milos Kerkez scored in first half stoppage time to claw a goal back for Liverpool after Ouattara and Kevin Schade did the early damage for the hosts.
The Reds’ poor run has seen them fall four points behind leaders Arsenal, who are in action at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
United took nearly a year into Ruben Amorim’s reign to win back-to-back league games but have now won three-in-a-row after ending Brighton’s run of success at Old Trafford.
The Seagulls had won on their previous three visits amid a run of six wins in seven league games against United.
There are signs of the Red Devils’ £200 million trio ($408 million) of attacking additions in the transfer window, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, beginning to click.
Cunha curled in his first goal for the club from outside the box to open the scoring.
Casemiro’s deflected effort doubled United’s lead before half-time. Sesko then teed up Mbeumo to fire in at the near post.
Danny Welbeck’s brilliant free-kick and Charalampos Kostoulas’ header set up a nervy finale.
But Mbeumo smashed home his second goal to seal the points in the 97th minute. United surge ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham into the Champions League places and within three points of leaders Arsenal.
West Ham facing relegation threat | 00:59
– Chelsea ‘not good enough’ –
Sunderland’s dream return to the top flight after an eight-year absence goes on after Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage time winner at Stamford Bridge.
The Black Cats already seem set to buck the trend of all promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship in the past two seasons.
Chelsea looked like they would be the side to go second in the table when Alejandro Garnacho drilled in his first goal for the club after just four minutes.
Sunderland levelled midway through the first half when Wilson Isidor bundled in from close range after Chelsea failed to clear a long throw-in.
The visitors comfortably held the Club World Cup winners at bay in the second period before landing the sucker punch on the counter-attack in the 93rd minute when Brian Brobbey teed up Talbi to curl perfectly into the bottom corner.
Defeat leaves Chelsea down in seventh and any hope of a title challenge fading fast.
“We were not good enough and in the Premier League the consequences can be bad,” said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
“If you want to be there (challenging for the title), you need consistency.”
Newcastle beat Fulham 2-1 thanks to captain Bruno Guimaraes’ 90th minute strike at St. James’ Park.
Jacob Murphy pounced on an error by Calvin Bassey to give the Magpies a first-half lead.
Sasa Lukic headed in Fulham’s equaliser just before the hour mark. But Marco Silva’s men fell to a fourth consecutive defeat that leaves them hovering just above the relegation zone.
Guimaraes swept home the rebound after Bernd Leno had saved William Osula’s initial effort to propel Newcastle up to 11th.