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Aston Villa missed the chance to climb into the Premier League’s top four after a 1-1 draw at Wolves. Pau Torres’ equaliser, just two minutes after Hwang-Hee Chan’s opener, saw them come from behind at Molineux. Mario Lemina was sent off in stoppage time for a second booking and Ollie Watkins hit the post with the final touch of the match. Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Brighton opened the door for Villa to move into the Champions League spots but they never did enough for victory. Wolves earned another solid point following last week’s swashbuckling 2-1 win over Manchester City to continue their progress under Gary O’Neil. The manager would have been encouraged by another gritty performance and with better finishing from Pedro Neto it would have been another victory. It was Villa, though, who started the brighter as Torres miscued a header and Jose Sa turned Matty Cash’s angled effort behind before John McGinn twice fired off target. It preceded a good spell for Wolves, the hosts attempting to stamp their authority on the game without ever testing Emi Martinez. Their final ball continued to elude them until Hwang crossed for Rayan Ait-Nouri to steer wide after 33 minutes. Yet it was the hosts’ one decent chance of the half and they needed Lemina to rush out and block Douglas Luiz’s shot just before the break. Villa’s start to the season, which had lifted them to fifth, was their second best in the Premier League but there were signs of tiredness and the visitors’ decision to resort to gamesmanship early belied the quality they have. They emerged for the second half sharper, though, and Jose Sa turned over when Watkins directed McGinn’s pass goalwards. It was a brief spark from Villa but there was little surprise when Wolves grabbed the lead after 53 minutes. Douglas Luiz was caught by Hwang with the ball worked wide to Neto who ran at Torres. He engineered enough space to cross low for Hwang to poke in his fifth league goal of the season from close range. But the celebrations were cut short just two minutes later when Villa hit back. The hosts failed to clear from Douglas Luiz’s free kick and Watkins’ cute cross was turned in by Torres. It raised hopes the scrappy and, sometimes, ill-tempered game would take a step up in quality but neither side were able to ram home an advantage. Wolves wanted a penalty when Neto tumbled under pressure from Boubacar Kamara while Villa failed to threaten Sa again. With 12 minutes left, Neto should have settled the game when Sasa Kalajdzic’s excellent cross found Wolves’ star man, only for him to blaze over from 10 yards. The hosts then had to see out eight of the 12 minutes of stoppage time – during which Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Zaniolo went close – with 10 men when Lemina was dismissed for a second yellow card, after tugging back the Italian forward. Watkins almost snatched it with the final touch of the game when his header smacked the base of the post. Read More Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Substitute Mohammed Kudus earns West Ham a point with late equaliser against Newcastle Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Mauricio Pochettino believes victory at Burnley will boost Chelsea’s confidence Ollie Watkins extends stay at Aston Villa with new long-term contract We’re not top-four contenders: Unai Emery plays down Aston Villa’s strong start

David Moyes was frustrated by some of the decisions made by referee Peter Bankes in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Mohammed Kudus climbed off the bench to score his first Premier League goal a minute from full-time as the Hammers snatched a point. But Moyes was fuming with Bankes for awarding a free-kick for Lucas Paqueta’s challenge on Sandro Tonali which led to Alexander Isak’s first goal. The Hammers boss also felt Bruno Guimaraes could have been shown a second yellow card, having been booked moments earlier, when he tripped James Ward-Prowse. “It might have got away from us a wee bit but I wouldn’t blame them with the referee’s decisions,” said Moyes. “That came from the free-kick that got the first goal back. I think on another day it wouldn’t have been given. “I thought that was pretty harsh on us, as was the decision early on which could have been a second yellow card. I’m not going to say something to get me into trouble. I just think it was a really close call.” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe defended his Brazilian midfielder. He said: “It’s one of those where he’s made two challenges in quick succession which probably makes them look worse than they are. I think it would’ve been incredibly harsh.” Tomas Soucek fired West Ham into the lead after eight minutes but Isak’s quickfire second-half double put Newcastle in control. Isak also hit a post from a tight angle before Ghana winger Kudus lashed in an equaliser from 20 yards. West Ham almost won it when Jarrod Bowen, on the day he signed a new long-term contract, fizzed the ball across goal and wide. “I’m pleased with a point,” added Moyes. “We played well in the first half against a top team, one of the best teams in Europe the way they’ve been playing. “It was tough, they played really well. We had difficult moments but we stuck at it. We could have gone 3-1 down but we could have won it 3-2. The game was very close,” Howe admitted Isak’s late miss after rounding Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola proved costly. “He’s played really well today, he’s gone round the keeper and done everything right, but the angle got too tight in the end. But when you’ve drawn that’s maybe a moment you’d like to replay again. “It was a really tough first half, we weren’t ourselves and probably deserved to be 1-0 down. It was totally different in the second half, we deserved to lead so it’s disappointing not to get over the line.” Read More Aberdeen held to goalless draw by bottom side St Johnstone at wet Pittodrie Gregor Townsend eager for Scotland’s old heads to prolong international careers Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Kieran Hardy gets World Cup call as Wales look to boost scrum-half options Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Jake Jarman takes vault gold at World Gymnastics Championships

Aberdeen were held to a goalless draw by bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone in a Premiership contest which will not live long in the memory. The Dons were chasing a third straight league win, which would have propelled them into the top half of the standings for the first time this season. But they did not trouble Dimitar Mitov enough to merit maximum points as winless Saints picked up a deserved point at a wet, miserable Pittodrie. Aberdeen made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 with HJK Helsinki in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, Connor Barron and Jonny Hayes coming in for Leighton Clarkson and Jack MacKenzie. St Johnstone were able to select skipper Liam Gordon after his red card against Livingston last weekend was downgraded to a yellow on appeal. But Gordon and his fellow defenders did not have much to do in an uninspiring first half, which produced next to nothing in the way of chances. Other than a Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes free-kick from distance, which Mitov fumbled before gathering at the second attempt, there was not an effort on target at either end, However, Aberdeen thought they had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when their former stalwart Andrew Considine headed into his own net when trying to deal with Barron’s cross. But with Duk marginally offside and deemed to be interfering with play, the goal was chalked off following a VAR review – much to the annoyance of the home support. An inventive free-kick almost paid off for the Dons early in the second half as Hayes fed Barron to create a better crossing angle, but his delivery just evaded Richard Jensen. Reds boss Barry Robson made a double switch in the 56th minute in a bid to energise his midfield, with captain Graeme Shinnie and Jamie McGrath making way for Clarkson and Dante Polvara. The visitors were still comfortable, although Luke Robinson nearly put his team in trouble with a stray pass in a dangerous area, which Aberdeen should have made more of. Down the other end, Gordon unleashed a powerful 25-yard shot, which deflected narrowly wide for a corner as Saints sensed they could break their winless duck at the eighth attempt. It was the hosts who looked likeliest, though, as they upped the pressure in the closing stages. Bojan Miovski spurned their best opportunity in the 71st minute when he collected Barron’s pass and cut across the box to work a shooting chance on to his favoured left foot, only to blaze his shot harmlessly over from 12 yards. The North Macedonia international then flashed a stoppage-time header wide from a Hayes free-kick as the match ended in stalemate. Read More Gregor Townsend eager for Scotland’s old heads to prolong international careers David Moyes critical of referee Peter Bankes after draw with Newcastle Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Kieran Hardy gets World Cup call as Wales look to boost scrum-half options Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Jake Jarman takes vault gold at World Gymnastics Championships

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The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

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Mohammed Kudus climbed off the bench to score his first Premier League goal as West Ham snatched a 2-2 draw against Newcastle. The Magpies looked set to follow up their memorable 4-1 Champions League win over Paris St Germain on Wednesday with a hard-earned three points on the road after Alexander Isak’s quickfire double cancelled out Tomas Soucek’s early opener. But Ghana winger Kudus, the £38million summer signing from Ajax, struck a minute from full-time to earn the hosts a deserved point. West Ham, who had their own continental exertions in the Europa League against Freiburg on Thursday, took the lead with the first attack of the match. Lucas Paqueta was the architect with an exquisite chip which sent Emerson Palmieri racing through on goal. The full-back knocked the ball past Nick Pope before unselfishly squaring it for Soucek to tuck into an empty net. Bruno Guimaraes, who signed a new contract at Newcastle this week, was lucky to escape an early red card when, seconds after being booked for fouling Emerson, he blatantly tripped James Ward-Prowse. Newcastle, as many teams do at West Ham, dominated possession – they had 72 per cent in the first half – yet all they had to show for it was a Miguel Almiron shot from 25 yards which flew wide and Dan Burn glancing a header the wrong side of the post. David Moyes revealed after Paqueta’s star turn in the 2-1 win in Freiburg that the Brazilian playmaker at times has him “tearing his hair out”. One such maddening moment came in first-half stoppage time when he tried one trick too many and was dispossessed inside the West Ham half, but Newcastle were unable to take advantage as the hosts eventually cleared their lines. After the break Edson Alvarez, West Ham’s Mexican midfield enforcer, was inches from his first goal for the club when he headed Ward-Prowse’s corner wide. Newcastle finally tested Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola, who made an incredible save to keep out Burn’s header from Isak’s cross. But moments later the visitors drew level, Isak reacting quickest after Alvarez inadvertently headed Kieran Trippier’s free-kick back across goal and firing home. And within five minutes Newcastle were leading when Trippier’s superb cushioned volley-cross was tucked away from close range by Isak. The Sweden striker went agonisingly close to claiming a hat-trick when he rounded Areola but, from a tight angle, could only hit the post. It proved costly when Kudus collected Vladimir Coufal’s pass 20 yards out and lashed the equaliser past Pope. The Hammers almost won it in stoppage time but Said Benrahma was just unable to convert Jarrod Bowen’s drive across goal.

Arsenal host Manchester City at the Emirates this afternoon, hoping to boost their Premier League title aspirations. In a game filled with tactical chess moves, Mikel Arteta’s side have lost the last 12 Premier League matches against the champions, but the fitness of Bukayo Saka is a big question mark heading into the contest. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, will be forced into a big midfield decision, with Rodri suspended. “Having success against City is something you have to value, the way we played as well and it gave us confidence and a lift that we can beat them,” said Arteta. “One thing for certain is that we know we will have to be at our best in every department for 100 minutes and then we will have a chance.” Follow live updates from Arsenal vs Man City in the Premier League and get the latest match odds here. Read More The tactical conundrum behind Arsenal’s quest to end absurd Man City streak How do you replace the best holding midfielder in the world? Mikel Arteta gives Bukayo Saka injury update ahead of Arsenal vs Man City

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An NFL rumors roundup focuses on Matt Canada's job safety, potential Broncos trades to come, and the Cowboys prep for the Niners sounding a bit curious.