UPDATE

As it happened: Man City hammer Norwich after Liverpool defeat Burnley

Big wins for City, Villa after Liverpool ease past Burnley

Last updated:
7 MIN READ
Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates his first goal for the club
Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates his first goal for the club
Reuters

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07:59 PM August 21, 2021

Thanks for following, guys. Keep up to date on gulf.news.com. I love Brentford....

07:55 PM August 21, 2021

FULL-TIME

And we are done

Great results for City and Villa. Worl to be done elsewhere...

RESULTS

Aston Villa 2 Newcastle United 0
Crystal Palace 0 Brentford 0
Leeds United 2 Everton 2
Manchester City 5 Norwich City 0

07:51 PM August 21, 2021

Looks like Palace and Brentford are settling for a draw - four points from two games gets the Bees well up the table - while shared points at Elland Road in a four-goal thriller between Leeds and Everton. Great win for Villa over Newcastle and a proper statement from the champions City against Norwich. Just awaiting the whistles.

07:43 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! CITY 5 NORWICH 0

Mahrez completes the rout with six minutes to go. This has been ruthless from City and great to watch. 

07:39 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! LEEDS 2 EVERTON 2

The mavericks have done it again! 12 minutes to go and Raphinha rasps in a leveller. 

07:34 PM August 21, 2021

PALACE 0 BRENTFORD 0

No joy for Brentford as we approach 15 mins to go. But there are having a real go as Toney puts one over. Loving these guys and their spirit. 

07:30 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! CITY 4 NORWICH 0

They are flying in now as Sterling slots home to eradicate that shonky opening loss to Spurs and get the defending champions back on track.

07:28 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! VILLA 2 NEWCASTLE 0

Looks like game over in Birmingham also as Anwar El Ghazi slots home from the penalty spot.

07:24 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! CITY 3 NORWICH 0

Easy street now for City as Aymeric Laporte bangs it home. 

07:14 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! LEEDS 1 EVERTON 2

Great finish from Demarai Gray as he corrects himself to bury the ball in the far corner. We know Leeds score goals, but how many will they concede this season? 

07:10 PM August 21, 2021

LEEDS 1 EVERTON 1

It is chucking it down in Leeds as both teams struggle on the slippery surface. Having said that... 

07:06 PM August 21, 2021

Back up and running at four games across the EPL. Can City see it out? Will Leeds grab three points? What about Brenford holding their own?  Will Villa but Newcastle in the doldrums? 

06:52 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 0

As I was tidying that up, a cheeky Danny Ings snuck in to give Villa the lead over Newcastle. Could be a long season for Steve Bruce's side.

06:50 PM August 21, 2021

HALF-TIME

Story of the 45 has to be Grealish getting his first City goal. The first of many, Pep will be hoping...

Scores
Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 0
Crystal Palace 0 Brentford 0
Leeds 1 Everton 1
Man City 2 Norwich 0

06:46 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! LEEDS 1 EVERTON 1

Well, the goals are coming at Elland Road and Leeds are level. They never do things the easy way but they are a joy to watch when attacking. Mateusz Klich picks up a Bamford pass and clips it over Pickford. 

06:42 PM August 21, 2021

CITY 2 NORWICH 0

Five minutes to half-time and City would like another to kill this. The game has quietened down a bit after that barnstorming start. 

06:40 PM August 21, 2021

No goals at Palace v Brentford or Villa v Newcastle yet, but there have been plenty of chances from all four teams. Don't expect them to be drawing a blank on 90 minutes. 

06:38 PM August 21, 2021

CITY 2 NORWICH 0

As I suspected, that first goal has been given as an own-goal to Norwich keeper Tim Krul. Harsh on the fantasy guys with either Torres of Krul in their team. 

06:35 PM August 21, 2021
06:32 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! LEEDS 0 EVERTON 1

Spoke too soon. Calvert-Lewin converts from the spot after he was tumbled in the box.

06:28 PM August 21, 2021

Brentford's Mbeumo just mussed a golden chance against Palace. Oddly, Leeds have not scored nor conceded yet. That is weird. 

06:23 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! CITY 2 NORWICH 0

You could say justice is served, but there is more of a story to this goal, as it is Jack Grealish - City's 100m-pound man - who grabs his first goal in the Sky Blue shirt. And how he is loving it. (I bet he won't celebrate like that if he scores against Villa).

06:21 PM August 21, 2021

So despite the new rules (online and in favour of the striker, etc...), we have a big debate. That looked fine to me and most of those inside the Etihad. So where is the line drawn? 

06:19 PM August 21, 2021

NO GOAL: CITY 1 NORWICH 0

Torres thinks he has his second as he wheels away to celebrate. The evil VAR and ref Graham Scott say no-no. On we go. All City still.

06:16 PM August 21, 2021

Elsewhere, Newcastle's Wilson shoots wide against Villa, and ​Palace's Gallagher hits the crossbar against Brentford. It's all happening at one game though... ​​​​​​

06:09 PM August 21, 2021

GOAL! CITY 1 NORWICH 0

Didn't take long. Torres plonks into the net with shades of own-goal. We shall see who that is given to. Torres takes the plaudits. Perfect start for City.

06:06 PM August 21, 2021

CITY 0 NORWICH 0

City set out their stall by camping deep in the Canaries' area. Not chances of note, but possession around 90 per cent after 5 mins. 

06:03 PM August 21, 2021

Manchester City have lost three games in a row and Pep has never lost four. Will we see a new (unwanted) landmark? Norwich upset City last season, remember...

06:00 PM August 21, 2021

KICK-OFF

We are up and running. Who will get the early edge in four cracking games? 

05:59 PM August 21, 2021

Kick-off moments away. We will bring you all the goals as they come in across the four games (I hope). I expect a feast so strap in. 

05:46 PM August 21, 2021

15 minutes to kick-off now in our four live games. A very strong side for City (no Ake or Mendy this time), and Norwich will need to put in a strong show to come away from the Etihad unscathed

05:44 PM August 21, 2021
05:41 PM August 21, 2021

LIVERPOOL 2 BURNLEY 0

The scoreline was flattering on Burnley as Klopp's Reds dominated proceedings. With Virgil back, they are looking good. I'm probably most annoyed that Firmino came on with 10 minutes to go to mess up my fantasy team plans...

05:39 PM August 21, 2021

Some real juicy clashes coming up as City look to get some points on the board as defending champions - especially after Liverpool's early win. Can Brentford keep up their dream start after that brilliant opening-day win over Arsenal? What will Rafa conjure up with Everton amid so much speculation over the future of (not playing) James Rodriguez?

05:37 PM August 21, 2021

City v Norwich

Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva all return for City against Norwich after that loss to Spurs on the opening day
Manchester City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Walker, Gundogan, Rodri, Grealish, Silva, Torres, Jesus.
Subs: Steffen, Ake, Zinchenko, Mendy, Fernandinho, Sterling, Mahrez, Doyle, Palmer.
Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis, Lees-Melou, Gilmour, Rupp, Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica.
Subs: Gunn, Omobamidele, Dowell, Tzolis, Sorensen, McLean, Sargent, Mumba, Idah.

05:36 PM August 21, 2021

Palace v Brentford

Fresh off their win over Arsenal, high-flyers Brentford are up against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Kouyate, Schlupp, McArthur, Benteke, Gallagher, Zaha.
Subs: Butland, Matthews, Tomkins, Ayew, Mateta, Kelly, Riedewald, Rak-Saky.
Brentford XI: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Onyeka, Mbeumo, Norgaard, Canos, Toney.
Subs: Goode, Forss, Wissa, Fernandez, Ghoddos, Dervisoglu, Bidstrup, Sorensen, Roerslev.

05:35 PM August 21, 2021

Villa v Newcastle

Both Aston Villa and Newcastle will be out for points
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, El Ghazi, Buendia, Ings
Subs: Steer, Targett, Wesley, Hourihane, Tuanzebe, Nakamba, Hause, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka
Newcastle XI: Woodman, Murphy, Schar, Fernandez, Lascelles, Ritchie, Hayden, Willock, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin
Subs: Gillespie, Clark, Joelinton, Lewis, Hendrick, Krafth, Fraser, Gayle, S. Longstaff

05:34 PM August 21, 2021

Leeds v Everton

Kalvin Phillips returns for Leeds against an Everton side in a bit of turmoil
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Firpo, Phillips, Raphinha, Dallas, Klich, Harrison, Bamford.
Subs: Forshaw, Roberts, Klaesson, Helder Costa, Rodrigo, Summerville, Shackleton, Cresswell, Drameh.
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Digne, Allan, Doucoure, Gray, Richarlison, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Kenny, Holgate, Delph, Townsend, Begovic, Gbamin, Davies, Kean, Branthwaite.

05:31 PM August 21, 2021

Team news up first

05:30 PM August 21, 2021

We have four more games coming up at 6pm, so let's get stuck in.

6pm fixtures

Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Crystal Palace v Brentford
Leeds United v Everton
Manchester City v Norwich City

“It will be a stern task for anyone to pull away this season, unlike in the past couple of campaigns,” says Craig Leader, manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights, Dubai. “One thing is for sure is the crowds. There are back in the stadiums and back in the establishments here. It is great to see as it adds to the atmosphere.”

05:28 PM August 21, 2021

LIVERPOOL 2 BURNLEY 0

We already have one game in the bag as Liverpool eased past Burnley 2-0 at Anfield thanks to goals from Salah and Mane, to (temporarily, perhaps) go top of the table.

05:26 PM August 21, 2021

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this busy English Premier League day.

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