Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season as they crushed Crystal Palace 3-0 at Anfield on Saturday.

Liverpool were wasteful in the first half as Diogo Jota fired over the bar from a few yards out in a glorious position, while Thiago and Jordan Henderson were also denied by keeper Vicente Guaita.

Jurgen Klopp’s side created numerous chances against a resilient Palace before Sadio Mane pounced on a rebound at the back post in the first half. The goal was Mane’s 100th goal for Liverpool.

Mane’s opener on Saturday made him the first player to net in nine consecutive league matches against a single opponent.

It took his total to 13 against Palace in the Premier League – the most anyone has scored against them – and was the perfect way to notch up his 100th goal in all competitions for Liverpool.

Mohamed Salah doubled their lead with just over 10 minutes remaining when he smashed home a flick-on from a corner.

Naby Keita’s late curling strike made it 3-0 for the hosts.

Elsewhere, Arsenal got their first away win of the season as they defeated Burnley 1-0.

Martin Odegaard curled home a freekick in the 30th minute after Ashley Westwood had clipped Bukayo Saka on the edge of the area.

It was Odegaard’s first goal since joining the Gunners on a permanent basis from Real Madrid in a £30m deal last month.

Arsenal’s midfield axis of Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe either side of a deep-lying Thomas Partey was particularly effective, even if the goal threat of Nicolas Pepe and skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was negligible.

Still only 22, Odegaard still has plenty of time to prove why Real Madrid bought him as a 16-year-old in January 2015.

Although he only made 11 appearances for the Spanish giants, the Norwegian evidently has plenty of confidence.

He was happy to take responsibility from the set-piece after Westwood had fouled Saka and provided the perfect finish, over the ball and beyond the dive of Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Manager Mikel Arteta might have wanted more goal threat from his team, who dominated possession but surprisingly had fewer shots and corners than their hosts.

Burnley were denied a chance to equalise from the penalty spot when referee Anthony Taylor overturned his initial decision after reviewing Aaron Ramsdale’s challenge on substitute Matej Vydra on the pitchside screen.

It was the high point of a spirited second-half performance by the hosts, whose manager Sean Dyche was this week given a new four-year contract and handed a debut to Ivory Coast wide-man Maxwel Cornet.

A second successive win eases Arsenal into mid-table following their poor start to the campaign, but Burnley remain second from bottom with a single point to show from their opening five games.

Defending champions, Manchester City, could not find a way through a resolute Southampton side and ended up fortunate to get a 0-0 draw despite the noisy backing of the home fans at Etihad Stadium.

City, who did not manage a single shot on target until the 90th minute, were sloppy in possession as well as lacking their usual spark in attack and Saints will feel they should have left Manchester with all three points, not just one. The visitors were awarded a penalty on the hour mark when Kyle Walker was sent off for bundling Adam Armstrong over in the box, but both decisions were overturned when VAR intervened and referee Jon Moss watched replays of the incident.

Armstrong had burst into the box after City had again given the ball away cheaply but, despite being first to the ball he was adjudged to have fouled Walker as the City defender attempted a challenge.

That reprieve brought a raucous response from the City supporters, who had already been making themselves heard all afternoon, but they could not galvanise their side.

City thought they had snatched victory right at the end of the 90 minutes when Raheem Sterling followed up after substitute Phil Foden’s header was saved, but he was flagged offside as he converted the loose ball and a lengthy VAR check did not over-rule the decision.

This was a frustrating 90 minutes for City boss Pep Guardiola, but this time he cannot argue his side’s fans did not do their bit.

Any suggestion that Guardiola’s controversial midweek comments asking more City fans to come to this game might cause a rift between him and supporters were emphatically answered from the off.

The City fans in a near-capacity 53,500 crowd serenaded their manager within 70 seconds of kick-off, singing “we’re glad all over, we’ve got Guardiola” and kept the volume up throughout.

If Guardiola’s intention was to get the crowd going immediately, it worked – but while the crowd was lively, his players looked lethargic for long spells against a well-organised and hard-working Southampton side.

Saints remain winless after sharing the points for the fourth time in five league games, while the draw leaves City three points behind leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to five games as Thomas Tuchel’s team beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 on Sunday.

After managing no shots on target in the first half, Thomas Tuchel’s side looked like a different team after the break and scored three second-half goals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Blues opened the scoring four minutes after the re-start when Thiago Silva headed past Hugo Lloris from Marcos Alonso’s corner.

Half-time substitute N’Golo Kante added a second with his first goal in 49 league appearances, though his long-range effort took a massive deflection from Eric Dier.

Spurs started the game brightly and were the better side in the first half, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side managed just two shots on target throughout and struggled to find a response after going behind.

Silva, Alonso, Rudiger, Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner all came close as the Blues enjoyed eight second-half shots on target, but Lloris made a number of saves to deny them.

Chelsea are one of only three teams yet to lose in the Premier League this season, along with Liverpool and Manchester United.

The victory lifts the Blues to joint top of the table, alongside Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Philippine boxing star, Manny Pacquiao, has said he will run for president in next year’s election.

He was nominated as a candidate by a faction of the ruling party, PDP-Laban.

On top of a glittering career as a fighter, Mr Pacquiao, 42, is a senator in the Philippines’ parliament.

Incumbent Rodrigo Duterte is barred from another term but has been picked by a rival party faction to run for vice-president, a move critics say is an attempt to cling to power.

He was selected to run alongside a close ally, Christopher “Bong” Go, but Mr Go says he does not want to succeed Mr Duterte.

While his party says it wants Mr Go to reconsider his decision, his rejection of the nomination has led to suggestions that President Duterte’s daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio could join him on the ticket. As a boxer, Mr Pacquiao won world titles in an unprecedented eight different weight divisions. He lost his most recent bout against a Cuban opponent and said he was considering retiring.

Accepting the nomination, he said: “I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring.”

Mr Pacquiao has pledged to campaign against poverty and corruption.

He is a popular figure in his home country but faces an uphill battle, trailing in opinion polls consistently topped by Sara Duterte-Carpio.

It is not clear which of the PDP-Laban factions will be recognised by the country’s electoral commission for the 2022 election.

The Super Falcons’ class of 1999 that reached the quarter finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup staged in the United States of America will be the star attraction of the 3^rd NFF-Aiteo Football Awards holding at the Banquet Hall of Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Monday evening.

Ably led by Captain Florence Omagbemi, the Falcons defeated North Korea 2-1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with goals from Mercy Akide and Rita Nwadike, before losing 1-7 to the USA despite taking a second-minute lead through Nkiru Okosieme. Defeat to the Americans in Chicago stirred something in Africa’s lone flag-bearer at the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to feature 16 teams.

In their next match, the Super Falcons flew past Denmark 2-0 at the Jack Kent Cooke Stadium near Washington DC, the goals coming from Mercy Akide and Nkiru Okosieme. In the quarter finals, at the same venue, the Nigerian girls stormed back from three goals down to Brazil in the first half to tie the game 3-3, with Prisca Emeafu, Nkiru Okosieme and Nkechi Egbe the scorers. Brazil won in extra-time, in what was the very first time a women’s competitive game was decided by the golden goal. This was after 104 minutes.

“The performance of the Super Falcons in that tournament remains etched in the memory and it is important that we honour them with a special recognition award,” said President of NFF and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick.

Fifteen members of that 1999 squad, as well as Coach Ismaila Mabo, will be on hand at the Banquet Hall of Eko Hotels & Suites on Monday night. Eight of them are being flown down from the United States of America. Sadly, attacking midfielder Ifeanyi Chiejine died last year.

The 20-woman squad: Florence Omagbemi, Ann Chiejine, Yinka Kudaisi, Martha Tarhemba, Adanna Nwaneri, Eberechi Opara, Kikelomo Ajayi, Stella Mbachu, Rita Nwadike, Gloria Usieta, Marvis Ogun, Prisca Emeafu, Judith Chime, Nkiru Okosieme, Maureen Mmadu, Florence Iweta, Nkechi Egbe, Patience Avre, Mercy Akide, Ifeanyi Chiejine.

It would be recalled that at the first edition of the awards held in February 2018, and attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and then CAF President Ahmad (among a clutch of political and football juggernauts), the 1980 class of Green Eagles led by ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu which won Nigeria’s first AFCON title, was specially recognized. At the second edition in April 2019, also attended by notable football and political bigwigs, it was the turn of the 1994 class of Super Eagles, which won Nigeria’s second AFCON title and played at the FIFA World Cup for the first time, to be specially recognized.

Also to be honoured on Monday night, at an event to be attended by the Secretary General of FIFA, Ms Fatma Samoura, is Princess Bola Ngozi Jegede, a respected pioneer sponsor, promoter and galvanizer of women’s football. Princess Jegede, who is also a former Board Member of the Nigeria Football Federation, founded and funded the team, Jegede Babes.

Organizers announced on Sunday that award categories will include Best Performance of the Year (Men; Nigeria-based); Best Performance of the Nigeria (Men, Overseas-Based); Best Performance of the Year (Women; Nigeria-based); Best Performance of the Year (Women; Overseas-based); Club of the Year (Men); Club of the Year (Women); Coach of the Year (Men); Coach of the Year (Women); Referee of the Year (Men); Referee of the Year (Women); Memorable Performance of the Year; Host State of the Year; Best Supporter of Women’s Football; Inspirational Award; Lifetime Achievement Award and Award for Commitment to Women Football Excellence. There will also be post-humous awards for Prince Larry Eze and Ms Henrietta Ukaigwe (both of blessed memory) for their contributions to women football development. 

Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses and the Female Eagles of Mali fought out the first stalemate of the maiden edition of Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Sunday, both sides missing a hatful of chances to put the ball in the net.

The Lionesses, 1-0 winners over the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon on Day 2, were impressive with their ball-management on the park, vision, anticipation and firm control. Mali lost by two late goals to Nigeria on the opening day on Wednesday but were more dogged and pushful against the North Africans on Sunday.

The precocious Fatima Tagnaout, who scored the Lionesses’ goal against the other Lionesses from Cameroon, caught the eye of every spectator with her ball control and dribbling skills, and could have put Morocco ahead as early as the 5^th minute but goalkeeper Fatoumata Karentao read her intention perfectly.

Tagnaout, Sanaa Mssoudy, Najat Badri, Chhiri Ghizlane, Sabah Seghir and Captain Chebbak Ghizlane were impressive in their reading of the game, and kept Morocco in the ascendancy all through the first 45 minutes.

Mali, determined to make something out of their last match of the tournament, looked up to the France –based Aissata Traore most of the time, and her deft touches nearly paid off in the 32^nd minute as she beat three defenders but was checkmated as she bore down on Errmichi’s goal.

Oumou Kone had a brilliant opportunity to put Mali ahead in the 52^nd minute off a defensive error by Zineb Redouani, but her shot flew wide of the goalpost.

Six minutes later, Fatima Tagnaout missed narrowly with the net gaping after a good run and cross by Mssoudy. In the 61^st minute, Badri let fly a shot from outside the box but Fatoumata was able.

In the 72^nd minute, with only the goalie to beat, Tagnaout could not get enough purchase on her touch, and at the other end, Traore’s well-placed shot from the edge of the box rattled Errmichi but she was able to parry the ball for a corner kick.

The Atlas Lionesses finished their campaign with four points, and immediately flew out of Lagos aboard an Air France flight to Paris, to connect Casablanca on Monday morning.

Mali gained one point and would remain grateful for the opportunity offered by the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament to measure their strength ahead of next month’s 2022 Women AFCOn qualifying fixtures.

On Monday evening, Ghana’s Black Queens, trounced by South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, come face to face with the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.

Decades-old rivalry, plus the fact that both teams are still looking for their points of the tournament, renders this encounter potentially explosive.