Liverpool retained their five-point lead at the top of the table as they became the first team to win their opening six Premier League games in successive seasons with a fiercely-fought victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

Jurgen Klopp’s title pace-setters looked on course to win in comfort as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s magnificent free-kick and Roberto Firmino’s header gave them complete control at the interval.

Chelsea, who had been denied an equaliser when Cesar Azpilicueta’s close-range effort was ruled out for offside by VAR, were in no mood to capitulate and made Liverpool fight every inch of the way to maintain that perfect record.

Tammy Abraham had chances to increase his tally of seven goals this season, particularly when he was denied by Liverpool keeper Adrian when clean through in the first half, but it was left to N’Golo Kante to set up a grandstand finish with a superb strike with 19 minutes to play.

Liverpool, however, held on, surviving missed chances from Michy Batshuayi and Mason Mount, to produce an instant response to Manchester City’s 8-0 win over Watford on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s stunning free-kick helped 10-man Arsenal come from behind to beat Aston Villa in a pulsating encounter at Emirates Stadium.

Aubameyang curled home his seventh goal of the season with six minutes remaining to complete a remarkable turnaround for the Gunners, who had Ainsley Maitland-Niles sent off after 41 minutes.

John McGinn flicked home Anwar El Ghazi’s cross to put Villa ahead after 20 minutes before Maitland-Niles was shown a second yellow card.

Arsenal levelled early in the second period thanks to Nicolas Pepe’s first goal for the club from the penalty spot only for Wesley to restore Villa's lead from Jack Grealish’s low cross less than two minutes later.

But in a thrilling conclusion, substitute Calum Chambers’ close-range finish brought the Gunners level on 81 minutes before Aubameyang’s late strike secured their third Premier League win of the season to lift Unai Emery’s side back into the top four.

The result was harsh on Villa, who impressed for long periods but paid the price for dropping far too deep in the closing stages and inviting Arsenal pressure. A fourth defeat from six league games means they remain in the bottom three.

Earlier in the afternoon, goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell earned West Ham their second successive home win against Manchester United, who lost striker Marcus Rashford through injury in the second half.

Yarmolenko opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, sending a low finish past David de Gea following patient build-up play involving Mark Noble and Felipe Anderson.

Cresswell sealed all three points for the Hammers in the second half with a superb free-kick into the top right-hand corner.

Chances were at a premium in a cagey first half at London Stadium, with Noble's deflected effort from Pablo Fornals’ free-kick the closest either team came to a breakthrough before Yarmolenko’s strike.

Juan Mata should have levelled for the visitors two minutes into the second half but failed to hit the target after connecting well with Andreas Pereira’s low cross.

The result lifts West Ham above the Red Devils in the Premier League table, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side remain three points off the top four and without an away league win since February.

•Based on separate reports by BBC.

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