Perfect start ends as Villa shock City, leaving Arsenal level at top

The Premier League title race is now a two-horse race at the top of the table.

Manchester City suffered their first league defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Aston Villa. The result allowed Arsenal to close the gap after their own match against Everton. Both clubs now possess 21 points following eight rounds of fixtures. City are currently managing an ongoing financial review while playing in the league.

Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the loss at Villa Park. He opened the scoring in the sixth minute after stealing the ball from Marc Guehi, assisted by John McGinn. Erling Haaland equalized for City shortly after halftime, heading in a free kick delivered by Iliman Ndiaye. Jackson restored Villa's lead at the 60-minute mark, finishing from a cutback by Ibrahim Mbaye under goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The win moved Unai Emery’s team to sixth place with 11 points and marked their third consecutive league victory over Manchester City.

Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 in heavy rain at the Emirates Stadium. Ezri Konsa scored the opening goal in the seventh minute, bundling in a rebound from a corner kick taken by Martin Odegaard. This was Arsenal's first set-piece goal since May, ending a 13-game drought in all competitions. The second goal came in the 68th minute, combining two players reaching career milestones. Ben White, playing his 200th game for the club, crossed to Gabriel, who headed in on his 200th Premier League appearance. Everton currently sit in ninth place.

The title race remains tight as other results impacted the standings. Tottenham Hotspur defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. This is only their second league win at that venue in 36 years. Mathys Tel scored the decisive goal in the 87th minute. Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders made his first league start and conceded an own goal in the 77th minute. Cole Palmer received a second yellow card in the 80th minute. Fulham also secured a victory, beating Coventry City 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Oscar Bobb in the 80th minute.

Arsenal and Manchester City are now level on points. The gap that existed before the weekend has vanished. The upcoming schedule will determine if one team can pull away, but for now, the lead is shared.