Aston Villa thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 to move into seventh place in the Premier League on Sunday but Newcastle United’s poor domestic form continued as they slumped to defeat at Brentford.
Nottingham Forest ended a winless Premier League run stretching back to the first weekend of the season as they came from behind to beat Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground.
Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion shared the spoils in a dour 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Before the day’s big clash between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, the focus was very much on the teams hoping to push themselves up towards the top four.
Villa’s revival was tempered by defeat at Liverpool last weekend but Unai Emery’s side returned to winning ways with a thumping defeat of a Bournemouth side who suffered a second successive reality check after a flying start to the campaign.
Emiliano Buendia netted a superb free kick to give the hosts the lead and they doubled their advantage before halftime with Morgan Rogers playing in Amadou Onana to score.
Antoine Semenyo had a penalty saved by Emiliano Martinez as Bournemouth improved after the break but when substitute Ross Barkley headed Villa’s third, the points were safe.
Donyell Malen, also off the bench, turned in a shot by Youri Tielemans to complete the rout late on as Villa joined Bournemouth on 18 points from 11 matches. Bournemouth dropped down to ninth on goal difference.
Newcastle claimed a third successive Champions League win in midweek but in the Premier League they are stuttering.
It looked good for Eddie Howe’s side as they went ahead at Brentford with a Harvey Barnes goal.
But Brentford responded impressively after the break with Kevin Schade equalising with a header before Newcastle’s afternoon disintegrated.
Newcastle’s England defender Dan Burn was sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Dango Ouattara in the penalty area and they lost keeper Nick Pope to an injury, meaning Aaron Ramsdale’s first act was to try and save Igor Thiago’s penalty.
He could not do it and Thiago then wrapped it up with his eighth league goal of the season in stoppage time.
Brentford moved to 12th with 16 points while Newcastle’s fifth defeat of the season left them 14th with 12 points.
Sean Dyche enjoyed his first Premier League win at Forest since replacing Nuno Espirito Santo as his side responded to going behind to dominate Leeds.
Lukas Nmecha put Leeds ahead in the 13th minute but their lead was shortlived as Ibrahima Sangare levelled.
Captain Morgan Gibbs-White headed Forest into the lead and Elliot Anderson’s late penalty wrapped it up.
Forest remain 19th with nine points but are only a point behind 17th-placed Burnley.
Palace were without injured captain Marc Guehi and were laboured in a dull stalemate with arch-rivals Brighton — the result leaving the sides in 10th and 11th respectively.
