English Premier League: Chelsea snatch comeback win; Arsenal, Liverpool cruise

Chelsea snatch comeback win over West Ham

Chelsea battled from two goals down to beat West Ham 3-2 in the Premier League on Saturday with a stoppage-time Enzo Fernandez winner crowning the second dramatic comeback win in four days for the Blues under new coach Liam Rosenior.

The Hammers, struggling in the relegation zone, took full advantage of a careless performance in the first half by Chelsea, who started with key players on the bench after beating Napoli 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The visitors went ahead in the seventh minute when a cross by captain Jarrod Bowen went in at the far post and half an hour later Crysencio Summerville connected with a cutback from Aaron Wan-Bissaka to double their lead.

With boos from the home fans ringing in his ears, Rosenior made three substitutions at the break, setting Chelsea on their way to what was looking like an unlikely win with two of the replacements - Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella - scoring to bring the hosts level.

In the 57th minute, Joao Pedro headed home from a Wesley Fofana cross, triggering wave after wave of Chelsea attacks, and in the 70th Cucurella brought Chelsea level with a diving header after the ball rebounded off the crossbar.

West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo wasted a chance to put the visitors back in front in the 86th minute before Fernandez completed Chelsea's comeback. Two minutes into added time, the Argentina World Cup winner timed his run into the box perfectly to connect with a pass from Joao Pedro.

Rosenior told reporters he understood the frustration of the Stamford Bridge crowd at the break.

"I would have booed us in the first half. Our performance was nowhere near the level it needed to be," he said. "So to see them after the game, 45 minutes later, so happy and delighted with what they saw from the team, makes me very proud."

"Hopefully, this is a huge breakthrough for the squad," said Rosenior, who joined Chelsea less than a month ago after coaching sister club Racing Strasbourg in France. "There’s a spirit and fight and resilience in this group that I really, really like."

West Ham coach Nuno Espirito Santo said his side had been in control until they allowed Fofana too much space to cross for Chelsea's opening goal.

"And then after that, it's like survival," he said.

Chelsea climbed to provisional fourth place in the Premier League table, two points ahead of Manchester United who host Fulham on Sunday.

West Ham remained 18th, five points away from safety with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest facing Crystal Palace at home on Sunday. West Ham's Todibo was sent off in the dying moments for his part in a touchline melee, adding to the challenge facing the Hammers to avoid relegation.

Ekitike double as Liverpool crush Newcastle to end slump

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike struck twice in two minutes to spark Arne Slot's side to a 4-1 comeback win over Newcastle United on Saturday for the champions' first Premier League victory in over a month.

Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konate scored in the second half to help Liverpool climb to fifth in the table with 39 points, 14 behind leaders Arsenal, as Newcastle fell to 10th on 33.

Newcastle started briskly and Anthony Gordon scored his first league goal in open play for more than a year in the 36th minute as the visiting fans eyed a first victory at Anfield since 1994.

The optimism was short-lived, however, as Ekitike turned the game on its head with goals in the 41st and 43rd minutes.

Ekitike scored with a stab home at the near post after Wirtz worked the ball into the box before pulling it back for the Frenchman who then latched onto a ball down the line from Milos Kerkez and poked it into the far corner to put the hosts ahead.

Wirtz struck in the 67th minute with a shot in off the far post after a one-two with Mohamed Salah and Konate, whose father died this month, scored deep into stoppage time to complete the rout.

Konate, who missed two games to attend his father's funeral, was mobbed by his teammates as he wiped away tears.

"I know that the team had some injured players, and the manager said to take my time and I don't have to rush back," Konate said. "It was important for me to come back and help the team."

Slot's team had not won a league match in their previous five attempts, but hoped their Champions League victories over the last two weeks -- including Wednesday's 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag -- could turn their league fortunes around.

"The 15 minutes before halftime, it was a great combination of the players showing what they were showing and the fans were so loud," Slot said.

"At halftime, we were all of a sudden 2-1 up and then second half we had more than enough chances to go to 3-1 earlier, but in the end 4-1 is a great win for us."

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was disappointed.

"I thought it was a strong performance. 4-1 is really hard on us," he said. "We scored a great goal, started really strongly."

Arsenal thrash Leeds to stretch lead

Premier League leaders Arsenal ended their mini-slump with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Leeds United on Saturday to move seven points clear despite Bukayo Saka being ruled out through injury just before kickoff.

Martin Zubimendi's header and an own goal by Leeds keeper Karl Darlow put Arsenal in command before halftime, and Viktor Gyokeres's volley and a clever finish by Gabriel Jesus wrapped things up after the break.

Arsenal's first victory in four Premier League games moved Mikel Arteta's side to 53 points from 24 matches with Manchester City and Aston Villa, who both play on Sunday, on 46.

"To win 4-0 here is very difficult, let's see when the next time that happens. Big credit to the boys," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who withstood a second-half soaking as the rain hammered down at Elland Road, said.

"The team showed a real dominance, resilience and character and obviously quality. I really liked the attitude of the team."

Saka's withdrawal with a hip niggle did not bode well for Arsenal whose loss at home to Manchester United last week following consecutive 0-0 draws had raised questions about their nerve as they seek their first title since 2004.

With Leeds having lost only once in their last 10 league games it looked like being a real test of Arsenal's mettle.

They passed it in style, however, as the depth of their squad was again apparent with Saka's replacement Noni Madueke making a huge impact. It was his cross that Zubimendi met to put Arsenal in front after 27 minutes and his corner which was fumbled into his own goal by Darlow.

The raucous Elland Road crowd tried to lift their side but there was no way back after substitute Gabriel Martinelli did brilliantly down the right and whipped in a low cross that Gyokeres met with a volley past Darlow.

Martinelli's fellow Brazilian Jesus, also off the bench, then showed sparkling footwork before curling in a clinical finish in the 86th minute.

Late goal helps Everton hold Brighton

Bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers slipped closer to the drop as they lost 2-0 at home to Bournemouth,  a result that left them 17 points behind Nottingham Forest who occupy the spot immediately above the relegation zone.

Everton moved up to eighth after Beto's goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time earned them a 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.