Premier League Standings: Arsenal and City Share Top Spot at 21 Points

Manchester City lost their first league match of the season on Saturday, falling 2-1 at Aston Villa. The defeat allowed Arsenal to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal won 2-0 against Everton in heavy rain at the Emirates Stadium. The victory lifted the Gunners to 21 points after eight games, matching their rivals exactly.

Arsenal struck early in the seventh minute. Martin Odegaard delivered a corner that Jordan Pickford initially saved, but Ezri Konsa pounced on the rebound. Konsa bundled the ball in from close range, scoring his first goal for the club. It marked Arsenal's first set-piece goal since May, ending a 13-game drought.

The second goal came in the 68th minute. Ben White, playing his 200th game for the club, crossed to the far post. Gabriel headed the ball home on his 200th Premier League appearance. Everton remains in ninth place.

At Villa Park, Nicolas Jackson scored both goals for the home side. He opened the scoring in the sixth minute after John McGinn set him up. Erling Haaland equalized for City shortly after halftime with a header from a free kick. Jackson restored Villa's lead in the 60th minute, finishing under goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. This was Villa's third consecutive league win against City.

City is currently appealing a decision by an independent commission that found the club committed 114 breaches of financial rules. The club denies wrongdoing. Unai Emery's team moved to sixth place with 11 points from the win.

In other matches, Tottenham Hotspur defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Cole Palmer was sent off in the 80th minute, and Mathys Tel scored the final goal. Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders also punched a corner into his own net. Fulham beat Coventry City 1-0, with Oscar Bobb scoring in the 80th minute to lift Fulham to 13th place.