Kovacic double helps Man City edge out Fulham as Arsenal beat Southampton at Emirates

Elsewhere West Ham thrash new boys Ipswich and Brentford overcome Wolves in eight-goal thriller

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, right, celebrates scoring their first goal in the 3-2 Premier League win against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, October 5, 2024. PA

Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City scores their opening goal. EPA

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic scores his side's second goal. AP

Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic celebrates scoring their second goal. PA

Manchester City's Jeremy Doku celebrates scoring their third goal. PA

Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz scores their second goal. AFP

Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham celebrates after scoring his team's second goal. Getty Images

Manchester City's Jeremy Doku celebrates with Erling Haaland after scoring their winner. PA

Fulham's Andreas Pereira scores their opening goal. AFP

Fulham's Andreas Pereira, left, celebrates with teammate Raul Jimenez after scoring his side's first goal. PA

Mateo Kovacic grabbed two goals as Manchester City saw off a stubborn Fulham to triumph 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The win means Pep Guardiola's side are unbeaten in 50 consecutive home games in all competitions and it leaves them just a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park, going into the international break.

Arsenal are also just a point behind Liverpool after beating Southampton 3-1 at home thanks to goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

At the Etihad, Andreas Pereira opened the scoring for Fulham after 26 minutes when a superb back-heeled cross by Raul Jimenez set him up to score from close range.

Croatian midfielder Kovacic, deputising for the injured Rodri, levelled on 32 minutes with a deflected shot after a half-cleared corner. He then put City ahead just after the break with a strike from the edge of the box.

Jeremy Doku gave the home side a 3-1 lead with a brilliant shot into the top corner on 82 minutes before Rodrigo Muniz struck just before full-time for the visitors.

Kovacic told BBC Radio 5 Live after the game: "It means a lot because my wife is pregnant so it was great to get some goals for the little one. It's nice to score but the most important thing is the team and that we won today. It is never easy to play in the Premier League and today we showed great character. Good game for us."

On filling the Rodri void in midfield, he said: "I am playing there in the middle at the moment and of course we need to cover for Rodri, we miss him a lot. I think any team would miss him, the player that he is, and we wish him a speedy recovery and hope he comes back in a good a shape as possible.

"For now we have to adapt and for sure the manager has a lot of options so we can rotate."

Arsenal also came from behind to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.

Southampton took a surprise lead 10 minutes after half-time at the Emirates when Cameron Archer finished neatly from a counter-attack after Raheem Sterling, on his first league start for the Gunners, had been dispossessed.

Three minutes later the home side hit back when Havertz produced an excellent strike that went in off the post. Martinelli then made a surge into the box to connect with Saka's cross before the England winger got on the scoresheet himself with a clinical finish after 88 minutes.

Southampton manager Russell Martin told the BBC: "I think the game panned out how we though it might. They had the ball but I loved the way we defended. We asked for more courage on the ball and I thought we showed that. We had some really brilliant moments in the second half. When we scored we'd limited them to few chances.

"But they scored too quickly after that, it's a mistake and we get caught losing the ball.

"I think we're learning and growing and we're on a journey. But we're doing it under huge scrutiny and the intensity of the Premier League. I have to keep the guys on track and on path."

West Ham eased the pressure on new manager Julen Lopetegui as they ran out 4-1 winners against new boys Ipswich at the London Stadium.

The Hammers clinched their first home win of the season with goals from Michail Antonio, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Luca Paqueta. Liam Delap scored for Kieran McKenna's visitors.

And there was an eight-goal thriller at the G-tech Stadium as Brentford beat Wolves 5-3 to claim their first league victory since August.

Nathan Collins opened the scoring for the Bees after just 75 seconds before Matheus Cunha equalised for the visitors two minutes later.

Bryan Mbeumo then scored from the spot for Brentford but Wolves equalised for a second time through Jorgen Strand Larsen.

Christian Norgaard put Brentford ahead after 28 minutes before Ethan Pinnock made it 4-2 in first-half stoppage time.

After the break, substitute Fabio Carvalho scored a fifth for the home side before Rayan Ait-Nouri struck in stoppage time for Wolves.