Chelsea stun Liverpool with late Estevao goal; Arsenal tops Premier League

London: Chelsea struck late to hand Premier League champion Liverpool a third consecutive defeat, with teenage sensation Estevao scoring deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Brazilian slid in at the far post to convert Marc Cucurella’s cross in the fifth minute of added time, sending the home crowd into raptures. The emotional celebrations earned Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca a red card, while the result knocked Liverpool off the top of the Premier League standings going into the international break.

Arsenal climbed to the summit of the table, one point ahead of Liverpool, after beating West Ham 2-0. Manchester United also eased pressure on coach Ruben Amorim with a much-needed victory over Sunderland.

Liverpool, once famed for its late heroics earlier this season, has now seen the tables turned. After netting stoppage-time winners in six of its first seven matches, the champions have now suffered consecutive late defeats — first to Crystal Palace when Eddie Nketiah struck in the seventh minute of stoppage time last week, and now to Chelsea courtesy of Estevao’s 95th-minute strike. In between, Liverpool also lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Moises Caicedo had fired Chelsea in front with a thunderous long-range effort, before Cody Gakpo leveled for Liverpool in the second half. Chelsea, who entered the match on a three-game winless run, pressed relentlessly in the dying minutes — Enzo Fernandez hit the post before Estevao delivered the decisive blow.

At Old Trafford, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim earned a crucial lifeline with a 2-0 win against Sunderland — his 10th victory in 34 league games.

Amorim made bold choices, dropping $84 million signing Matheus Cunha and giving a first start to goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The changes paid off as Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko scored in the first half, giving United their first clean sheet of the season.

The result was timely for Amorim, who has faced mounting criticism from club legends Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, and was under scrutiny heading into the international break — a period often associated with managerial sackings.

Elsewhere, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrated his 300th game in charge with a victory that returned the Gunners to the top of the table.

The victory marked Arsenal’s fourth straight win in all competitions and reinforced their title credentials after a tough start to the season. Saka, who scored on his 200th club appearance, expressed confidence in Arteta’s long-term vision.

However, the win came at a cost, with captain Martin Odegaard suffering another injury setback.

In Leeds, Mohammed Kudus scored his first goal for Tottenham to continue Thomas Frank’s strong start as manager. Kudus’ second-half strike secured a 2-1 victory, moving Spurs up to third.

Mathys Tel gave Tottenham the lead with a deflected effort before Leeds equalized through Noah Okafor in the 34th minute. Frank’s side, which has lost just once in the league since his summer appointment, held firm to claim another impressive away win. AP