West Ham United went top of the Premier League table as they put on a masterclass of counter-attacking football that brought a 3-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
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Brighton had gone into the day as league leaders after consecutive 4-1 wins, and dominated the early stages against West Ham at Amex Stadium. But the Seagulls found themselves behind in the 19th minute.
Michail Antonio dispossessed Adam Webster to advance on the Brighton goal, and the forward squared for James Ward-Prowse to convert at the second attempt.
It was Ward-Prowse's fourth goal against Brighton and 50th in the Premier League, coming a week after he set up two goals on his West Ham debut.
Brighton continued to dominate possession, but West Ham kept soaking up the pressure before hitting their hosts on the break again on 58 minutes through an exquisite finish by Jarrod Bowen.
Antonio released substitute Said Benrahma down the left and he crossed for Bowen, whose superb first touch allowed him to poke the ball into the far corner from close range.
Five minutes later Antonio got on the scoresheet himself in ruthless fashion. From the right wing, Bowen picked out the forward, who bamboozled his way past Webster before firing into the far corner.
See: Man Utd recover from worst start to beat Forest
Pascal Gross pulled a goal back for Brighton with a fierce low shot from outside the area with 10 minutes remaining for his club-leading 27th Premier League goal, moving ahead of the 26 scored by both Neal Maupay and Glenn Murray.
Brighton substitute Joel Veltman saw his excellent volley well saved by Alphonse Areola, who then did even better to thwart Evan Ferguson in stoppage time.
Brighton were unable to convert their 80 per cent possession into points as they lost to West Ham for the first time in the Premier League, in their 13th meeting.
Back-to-back 3-1 wins send West Ham level with Tottenham Hotspur on seven points and a +4 goal difference, with the Hammers just ahead in top spot having scored seven goals to Spurs' six.
See: Postecoglou pleased as Maddison continues Spurs' strong start
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
38 | +45 | 82 |
It is almost exactly two years since they last topped the Premier League table overnight, on 28 August 2021.
Sunday's matches
Both leaders could be overtaken by Manchester City if the champions extend their 100 per cent start to three matches by winning at Sheffield United on Sunday.
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If Man City cannot, a big victory for Liverpool at Newcastle United - and they have won four of their last five trips to St James' Park - could take them top.
In Sunday's other match, Burnley are seeking a first win of the season at home to Aston Villa.