Newcastle hit Sheff Utd for eight, Son double holds Arsenal

LONDON: Newcastle thrashed Sheffield United 8-0 to shrug off their slow start to the Premier League season on Sunday, as Son Heung-min´s double earned Tottenham a point from a pulsating 2-2 draw against Arsenal.

Saudi-backed Newcastle had lost three of their opening five Premier League games to dampen expectations of a title challenge on Tyneside. But Eddie Howe´s men showed no mercy as they put the Blades to the sword with ease.

Three goals in 14 first-half minutes set the tone as Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn and Sven Botman put the visitors on course to cruise to victory. Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak were then on target after the break as the Magpies became the first side to have eight different goalscorers, not including own goals, in a Premier League game.

"The big thing for us was that we really wanted to score and we weren´t content with three," said Howe. "I want that mentality to run through the team." However, Newcastle fell just short of the nine-goal Premier League record for a margin of victory.

The size of the defeat sinks Sheffield United to bottom of the table on goal difference with Paul Heckingbottom´s future as manager now in doubt. Spurs have still won just once in their last 31 away league meetings with Arsenal, but the optimism garnered under Ange Postecoglou´s early weeks in charge was not punctured at the Emirates despite twice falling behind in the north London derby.

Arsenal´s bright start was rewarded when Bukayo Saka´s strike was deflected into his own net by Cristian Romero. But for the fifth time in seven games under Postecoglou, Tottenham fought back from a goal down.

James Maddison´s cross was swept home by Son at the near post three minutes before half-time. Romero´s afternoon went from bad to worse when he was harshly penalised for handball and Saka stroked home the resulting penalty to restore Arsenal´s lead.

But the Gunners lost record signing Declan Rice at half-time to injury and that proved costly as an error from his replacement Jorginho gifted Tottenham an equaliser just a minute later. Maddison was again the creator as he robbed the Italian midfielder and teed up Son for a cool finish into the far corner. "Arsenal are a top team and we had to defend at times. But we showed real courage and bravery to keep playing our football," said Postecoglou.

A draw leaves Spurs and Arsenal in fourth and fifth respectively, four points off the top. Liverpool cut Manchester City´s lead at the top to two points with a 3-1 win over West Ham as Jurgen Klopp´s men showed more promising signs of getting back to their best.

The Reds sank to fifth last season, but have the firepower that could make them the biggest threat to City´s throne as champions. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was upended in the box by Nayef Aguerd. West Ham bounced back to fully merit their equaliser before half-time when Jarrod Bowen´s diving header found the far corner.