FOOTBALL – Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic said his side could be proud of their performance last night after a 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge extended the promoted side’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
Chelsea went ahead through Morgan Rogers before Mohammed Belloumi punished a defensive error to level for Hull, who then took the lead with Belloumi’s second and looked set for another shock win until Joao Pedro struck in the 66th minute.
Chelsea pressed for a winner late on but Hull held firm to claim a point and move to eight from their opening four matches.
“I feel good – we have to be happy, it’s a huge result for us,” Jakirovic told the BBC.
“We took a point in a very demanding match.”
Widely predicted for relegation before the campaign, Hull have opened with successive wins, announcing themselves with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United on the opening weekend before winning away at Championship winners Coventry and drawing with Aston Villa.
Their impressive start has been built on defensive organisation and disciplined performances against more established opponents, with goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis again playing a key role when he produced several important saves as his side held their own against Chelsea’s attacking threat.
Arsenal maintained their 100 per cent start to the season as keeper David Raya saved a penalty and Bruno Guimaraes scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory at Sunderland to move clear at the top of the Premier League on Saturday.
Raya rescued Arsenal by pushing Enzo Le Fee’s spot kick against the post in the 55th minute and two minutes later summer signing Guimaraes curled the reigning champions ahead.
It was far from a vintage Arsenal display against a tenacious Sunderland, who deserved something for their endeavour, but they dug deep and wrapped it up late in stoppage time when Bukayo Saka converted a penalty.
Arsenal have 12 points from their opening four games.
Liverpool’s stuttering start to the season continued as they could only draw 0-0 at home to Fulham.
Aston Villa scored their first league goal of the season but went down 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest, while Ipswich Town snatched a 3-2 victory at 10-man Crystal Palace.
Bournemouth drew 2-2 at home to Brentford and shot-shy Tottenham Hotspur remained the only side in the top flight without a goal after drawing 0-0 at home to Everton.
Liverpool have now drawn three of their opening four Premier League games under new manager Andoni Iraola, and they could have few complaints after a flat display against a Fulham side who earned their first point of the season.
The closest they came to a breakthrough was a Victor Munoz header against the crossbar in the first half.
Liam Delap scored his first goal for Forest since his £50million ($67.59m) move from Chelsea to give his side the lead at Villa Park, but Villa finally registered with Alysson’s first goal for the club, the Brazilian nodding in John McGinn’s cross.
Forest grabbed their first win at Villa for 32 years in the 88th minute though as Igor Jesus finished from close range from a Morgan Gibbs-White flick.
Promoted Ipswich secured their second win of the season with an enthralling 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace.
Anan Khalaili put Palace ahead from Daichi Kamada’s pass but Emersonn headed Ipswich level from a Leif Davis cross.
Axel Disasi was red-carded before half-time for a reckless foul on Jack Clarke and Davis struck again on the stroke of halftime.
Palace thought they had rescued a point with Jorgen Strand Larsen’s stunning finish but Zian Flemming pounced in stoppage time to send the away fans into raptures.
New Bournemouth manager Marco Rose is still waiting for his first Premier League victory.
Bournemouth hit back from Kevin Schade’s opener to lead with goals by Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier but Schade’s lob maintained Brentford’s unbeaten start.