A thrilling and chaotic Saturday in the Premier League saw three of England’s biggest clubs fall victim to late drama, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all suffering defeats in matches decided in stoppage time or late in the second half.
Liverpool’s perfect start to the season was brought to an end at Selhurst Park, where Crystal Palace produced a killer blow in the dying moments. After Federico Chiesa had rescued parity in the 87th minute, substitute Eddie Nketiah struck in the seventh minute of added time to seal a 2-1 win for Palace. Palace had taken the lead early through Ismaila Sarr, and the hosts defended doggedly before breaking Liverpool’s hearts in stoppage time.
Chelsea’s afternoon likewise collapsed under late pressure. The Blues went down to ten men after Trevoh Chalobah was shown a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Despite leading 1-0 through Enzo Fernández’s header, Chelsea conceded twice in stoppage time to Brighton. Danny Welbeck equalized late, and Maxim de Cuyper headed home the winner in added time as Brighton completed the comeback.
Manchester United, meanwhile, were undone away at Brentford. Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved, and United were unable to overturn the early damage inflicted by Igor Thiago, who put the hosts in control with a brace. In the end Mathias Jensen added a late third to give Brentford a 3-1 victory. The defeat piled more pressure on manager Ruben Amorim, whose side now looks vulnerable if they cannot bounce back quickly.
The implications of this dramatic Saturday are significant. Liverpool’s form is no longer perfect, and though they still lead the table, their aura of invincibility has taken a hit. Palace’s victory not only extends their unbeaten run but sends a strong statement about their ambitions this season. For Chelsea, the red-card catastrophe and inability to close out a game at home raise serious questions about squad depth, discipline, and resilience. United’s collapse continues a worrying trend: they remain fragile at key moments and overly dependent on moments of individual brilliance to rescue games.
While City capitalized on their rivals’ stumbles—cruising to a 5-1 win over Burnley in the same round —the losses suffered by Liverpool, Chelsea and United inject fresh unpredictability into the title race. With early season narratives shifting, the weekend may prove a turning point.
