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JAMIE VARDY SCORES ON BOTH NETS BUT RESCUE A POINT FOR LEICESTER AGAINST BURNLEY

Jamie Vardy scored an own goal but still rescued a point for Leicester and kept winless Burnley waiting for their first victory of the season.

The striker put through his own net for the first time in his career but his brace ensured the Foxes grabbed a 2-2 draw.

Maxwel Cornet’s goal left Burnley on the brink of their first win at Leicester for 14 years before Vardy struck with five minutes left.

Chris Wood thought he had stolen the points in stoppage time when he headed in but the goal was correctly ruled out by VAR for offside.

The draw kept the battling Clarets, who impressed with their defensive resolve, in the Premier League drop zone while the Foxes sit 12th.

Matt Lowton set the tone early when he produced a fine block to deny Harvey Barnes when he arrived to meet Ademola Lookman’s cross

Youri Tielemans drilled over before teeing up Vardy, only for the striker to head over after 10 minutes.

The forward, making his 400th career appearance, should have scored and he marked his milestone in the worst possible fashion by giving Burnley a 12th-minute lead.

The Clarets had been bright going forward and when Cornet won a corner, Ashley Westwood swung it in and Vardy, at the near post, glanced the ball past his own keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester mounted a response and Barnes tested Nick Pope from distance as the hosts dominated the ball.

Burnley held firm, although they needed Lowton to be in the right place to brilliantly block Vardy’s close-range effort after Ricardo Pereira was allow to deliver from the right.

The striker would have been forgiven for thinking it was not his day but he came good eight minutes before the break.

Referee Chris Kavanagh played a good advantage after Barnes was clobbered and when Tielemans fed Vardy his first-time effort found the bottom corner.

Yet, just three minutes later, Burnley stunned the Foxes again when Cornet grabbed his first Clarets goal.

The industrious Vydra wriggled free on the right and his deep cross found Cornet to arrow a fine volley past Schmeichel from 12 yards.

But Burnley suffered a blow when the Ivory Coast international was forced to limp off soon after with a hamstring injury – not before being booked for time wasting having come back on the pitch for treatment.

It would have been a relief for the Foxes’ defence, again struggling without the influential Jonny Evans, who continues to battle a foot problem.

That was recognised by Brendan Rodgers, who went to a back three at the break as Timothy Castagne replaced Pereira.

Leicester, though, failed to rediscover composure after the restart with Schmeichel particularly guilty of poor decision making and battling Burnley remained equal to their threat.

James Tarkowski frustrated Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho was introduced as Leicester tried to find a second leveller.

Again, they dominated possession but failed to force Pope into any meaningful save with Iheanacho seeing a shot blocked.

Rodgers’ decision to replaced Lookman with James Maddison was met with jeers from the home fans to underline their frustrations.

Tarkowski headed Tielemans’ drive behind with seven minutes left and, just as it looked like Burnley would hold on, Vardy struck again.

Iheanacho put him clear on the left and, when Pope raced out, the striker rounded him to roll in the equaliser.

There was still time for more drama in stoppage time when Wood headed in but the goal was ruled out for offside by VAR.

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BRUNO FERNANDES LOSES LAST MINUTE PENALTY AS UNITED LOSE AT HOME TO ASTON VILLA

Aston Villa claimed just a second victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in 38 years after Bruno Fernandes missed an injury-time penalty.

The game had looked set to end goalless until the 88th minute, when defender Kortney Hause flicked a near-post header beyond David De Gea.

Hause, in the side because Axel Tuanzebe was ineligible to face his parent club, went from hero to villain in the space of a couple of minutes when he handled Fernandes’ cross but the playmaker sent his spot-kick high over the bar.

It was a second home defeat of the week for United and a first in the Premier League this season, while they also lost Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw to injury in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke in his programme notes about wanting to avoid another slow start after the disappointment of Carabao Cup defeat by West Ham in midweek.

He made 11 changes, reverting back to the team that beat the Hammers in the league last weekend, while Hause was the only change from Villa’s victory over Everton.

United were soon on the attack and a good break down the left involving Shaw and Paul Pogba ended with Fernandes scooping a shot well over.

Cristiano Ronaldo had his first sight of goal in the 11th minute, sending a shot wide, but it was Villa who should have taken the lead five minutes later.

Matty Cash caught out Shaw and broke away down the right before sending a low ball across the six-yard box to Matt Targett, who poked over an open goal from close range.

An immediate response from United saw Pogba find Greenwood, but his shot was easily saved by Emiliano Martinez.

Maguire put De Gea in trouble with a misplaced back pass that the keeper could only direct to Ollie Watkins but the Villa man sent a shot straight at the Spaniard, who gratefully gathered the rebound off Danny Ings.

Villa’s defence were frustrating United, with Pogba the latest to see a shot deflected wide in the 23rd minute.

Having earlier received treatment, Shaw was forced off 11 minutes before the break, with Diogo Dalot coming on, and the chances continued to arrive at both ends.

In the 39th minute, Douglas Luiz won a free-kick and then saw his goal-bound effort headed wide by Maguire, with Ezri Konsa heading over from the resulting corner.

Martinez produced his first serious save in the 43rd minute, pushing away a Maguire header from Fernandes’ free-kick, while United should have taken the lead in injury time but Pogba guided his header from a corner just wide with Martinez helpless.

Maguire was forced off 20 minutes into the second half after having his left calf strapped, Victor Lindelof slotting into defence.

Villa were the better side after the break and De Gea dived to his right to keep out a dipping shot from Watkins, while Jacob Ramsey would have had a clear sight of goal from 12 yards but for an ill-timed slip.

United began to threaten again as the game headed into its final stages, and one of the bigger cheers of the day was for the introduction of fit-again Edinson Cavani as a late substitute.

But it was Villa who made the breakthrough before dramatically hanging on for a deserved three points.

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GABRIEL JESUS GIVES MANCITY VICTORY, ENDS CHELSEA UNBEATEN START

Gabriel Jesus fired an early Premier League warning shot as defending champions Manchester City toppled title rivals Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Brazil forward Jesus angled a deflected finish in the 53rd minute to help City leapfrog Chelsea in the table on goal difference, ending the Blues’ unbeaten league start.

City offered far the greater enterprise, with Jesus’ winner helping Pep Guardiola avoid an unwanted first of losing to the same rival manager four matches in succession.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel and his team had sunk City three times last term, culminating in the 1-0 Champions League final triumph in Porto.

But in a new campaign that promises a mouthwatering title tussle between holders City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, Guardiola’s men have delivered the first real statement victory.

City’s ferocious press stifled Chelsea throughout, and the visitors to west London coped easily with the hosts’ formation tweak.

Tuchel packed the midfield with all three of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, but that 3-5-2 left Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku too often too isolated up front.

Mason Mount’s injury absence robbed the Blues of a major pressing threat at the top of their tree however, handing the visitors time to build from the back.

Chelsea could do little more than contain the visitors in a first half where the home players found possession greatly limited.

The Blues certainly sacrificed a creative edge for that central stability, with Werner and Lukaku often isolated up front.

Werner did beat the City line once, but could not pick out Lukaku in the middle.

Kevin De Bruyne’s cutback found no one in the area for City, leaving Chelsea to breathe a sigh of relief, before Jorginho produced an important clearance after a Phil Foden corner.

Then, at the end of the half, Jesus hooked well wide from the best chance to that point.

The City forward smartly lost Antonio Rudiger in the box and teed himself up well – but undid the good work with a botched finish.

For once Tuchel resisted the temptation to make a half-time change, and no sooner had the second half started than the home boss would have wished he had twisted instead of stuck.

Jack Grealish offered a warning shot by curling one wide, before Jesus finally broke the deadlock.

Joao Cancelo’s low effort found its way to Jesus in the box, the Brazil forward spun in traffic and his low shot took a slight deflection en route to finding the Chelsea net. Edouard Mendy was left with no chance, as City gained just reward for boasting the greater attacking endeavour.

Grealish almost doubled City’s lead minutes later, but the former Aston Villa man angled his effort just wide after neatly stepping beyond Cesar Azpilicueta.

Just before the hour Tuchel finally made the first change, with Kai Havertz replacing Kante. France’s World Cup-winning midfielder had struggled to settle in his new role in Chelsea’s three-man midfield.

City pressed on undeterred however, and Silva had to clear Jesus’ shot off the line after Grealish again left Azpilicueta for dead.

Lukaku thought he had equalised for Chelsea from Havertz’s square pass, only for the Germany star to be rightly ruled offside in the build-up.

Chelsea continued to press but with no clear incision, despite greatly raising their tempo.

But City could have wrapped up the win when Grealish ghosted through on goal, only for Mendy to stand him up and produce a fine save.

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WESTHAM BIDDERS ADMIT DEFEAT IN TAKEOVER ATTEMPT

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has turned down a second and final offer for the club, according to the PAI Capital consortium attempting a takeover.

PAI says the bid included a £150 million (€175 million) cash injection to be used for development of the training ground, youth academy, scouting set-up and player recruitment across the men’s and women’s teams.

However, the consortium claim Sullivan has turned down the offer “on the basis that, with the team performing so well, it is not the right time to sell”.

In a statement, PAI Capital managing partner Nasib Piriyev said: “I am disappointed that we cannot conclude the deal as hoped, as we have some big ideas for the club.

“This is something we have been working on for over nine months, with a committed team behind the bid.

“West Ham is close to my heart and I hope that our interest has been healthy for the club – I believe that all competition is good for focusing minds and improving performance.

“Of course, we respect the owners’ wishes and simply put on the record that we are here if, and when, they decide the time is right for them to sell.

“Until then, I wish all the best to the club, and I thank the fans for their patience, understanding and support.”

PAI’s initial approach to West Ham was dismissed by Sullivan in February, and the consortium had since gained the backing of former Hammers players Tony Cottee and Rio Ferdinand.

But West Ham’s stance has remained the same throughout – that there has been no formal bid for the club and that Sullivan and co-owner David Gold have no intention of selling.

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THOMAS TUCHEL DEFENDS MARCOS ALONSO’S DECISION TO STOP TAKING THE KNEE

Thomas Tuchel has defended Marcos Alonso’s decision to stop taking the knee before Chelsea matches.

Blues defender Alonso has explained he will continue to stand and point to the ‘No To Racism’ badge on his shirt, insisting taking the knee has lost some of its impact.

And now Chelsea boss Tuchel has thrown his support behind the Spanish full-back, insisting that the 30-year-old is “absolutely committed against racism”.

Chelsea’s other players are expected to continue to take the knee, but manager Tuchel is confident Alonso’s motives are solely positive in the fight against discrimination.

“It wasn’t a discussion within the group but of course if a player takes a decision like this, we are not in a bubble, so of course discussions come up,” said Tuchel.

“The most important thing for me is that I know Marcos personally and I trust 1000 per cent that he is absolutely committed against racism, any form of racism.

“And there is no question about it. We are all against it. We took altogether the decision to take the knee.

“Maybe it takes sometimes an action against a routine to wake up again and have another good discussion and the discussion takes a new direction.

“Because we want to do the most we can against racism and stand up against it. So there are different forms of doing it.

“Marcos took his decision, he’s a grown up, a responsible person. This is his decision and we accept it and he gave his reasons for it.

“And from here the discussion can end or it can go on in a productive way.

“The most important thing for me is that we live it every single day and this is what we do in Cobham.”

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha stopped taking the knee last season, opting to stand instead in his own protest against racism and discrimination.

Alonso is the latest Premier League star to take their own approach and the former Real Madrid defender has the full backing of his club.

Asked if he could understand Alonso’s reasoning, Tuchel said: “There are so many games maybe it becomes normal, maybe it lowers the effect of it: if this is his point I can see his point.

“We can now see if it’s necessary to have this discussion and for him to be the only guy to stand up.

“He is experienced enough, responsible enough and that’s the way it is.

“This development also started with single people taking the knee and then became a bigger thing.

“And I think Marcos’ point is that it cannot end like this, it cannot become normal. It should be normal that we are against racism.

“I understand that Marcos thinks there is always more to do, and it’s also right.

“At the same time we also want to focus on sport, but use the platform and use the possibilities that we have in how we live together and how we produce performances together is living by example and I think this is the most important part.”

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JARRED GILLETT TO MAKE DEBUT AS PREMIER LEAGUE’S FIRST OVERSEAS REFEREE

Jarred Gillett will become the first overseas official to referee a Premier League this weekend.

The Australian, 34, will take charge of the Watford v Newcastle match on Saturday.

Gillett was promoted to the Select Group 1 of referees by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) ahead of the start of the current season.

He moved to England in the 2019-20 season to referee in the EFL after officiating in the A-League in his home country.

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James Rodriguez closing in on Everton exit

Everton playmaker James Rodriguez is reportedly in talks with a club in Qatar ahead of a proposed transfer this month.

Since the departure of Carlo Ancelotti and the appointment of Rafael Benitez, the Colombia international has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park.

According to BBC Sport, Rodriguez has flown to the Middle East to negotiate a permanent move to a club in Qatar, where their transfer window is open until September 30.

Despite only joining Everton last summer, the Toffees are prepared to let the 30-year-old leave as they are keen to remove his £200,000-a-week salary off their wage bill.

Rodriguez, who was linked with a return to Porto over the summer, is yet to feature under Benitez this season and has seemingly played his final game for the club.

The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder has made 26 appearances across all competitions for Everton, scoring six goals and providing nine assists.

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Manchester United to make Paul Pogba highest-paid Premier League player ever

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to make Paul Pogba the highest-paid player in Premier League history.

The France international has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, already contributing seven assists from five appearances in the top flight.

However, the 28-year-old’s increased productivity has come at a time when he has less than 12 months remaining on his contract, putting him in a position where he can speak to other clubs in January.

According to The Sun, United are ready to increase their efforts to keep Pogba at Old Trafford by offering him a contract which would break new ground.

The report suggests that the World Cup winner will be given the opportunity to earn approximately £400,000 per week, the most lucrative terms in the history of England’s top division.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are both monitoring the situation ahead of potentially opening discussions at the start of 2022.

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CHELSEA THRASH SORRY SPURS 3-0 TO GO TOP OF THE TABLE

Thomas Tuchel’s half-time intervention allowed Chelsea to show their Premier League title challenging credentials with an impressive 3-0 win at Tottenham.

After being second best in the first half, Tuchel introduced N’Golo Kante and switched formation and it paid immediate dividends as Thiago Silva and the Frenchman both scored in the opening 12 minutes of the second half, with Antonio Rudiger adding a late third.

It extended their unbeaten start to the season and this statement victory – their third successive win at Spurs’ new home – shows they will be contenders to win the title this season.

Tottenham – like Chelsea – were mourning the death of Jimmy Greaves and they are a million miles away from the side that Greaves was a rampant scorer in during the 1960s and even further away from the one that reached the Champions League final just over two years ago.

After winning their opening three games under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, things are beginning to unravel with a second successive 3-0 defeat in the league.

There are serious concerns over the form of Harry Kane, who was desperate to leave the club this summer and on this evidence it is easy to see why.

With the death of Greaves announced early on Sunday, this was a perfect fixture considering he played for both teams.

The atmosphere was heightened by a warming pre-match tribute to Greaves, where a host of former players came pitchside to join in the minute’s applause for Tottenham’s record goalscorer, who scored 266 goals in 379 appearances.

Tottenham fed off the energy of that and started the game brightly, with two loose balls in the area just evading Giovani Lo Celso.

Chelsea were a threat on the counter-attack, though, and had Spurs on the rack as they broke in a three-on-two situation.

Mason Mount fed Romelu Lukaku, whose return ball was under-hit, allowing Emerson Royal to get across and block Mount’s shot.

With Kane, Son Heung-min, Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli in the team there was a different feel about Spurs from the one that limped to a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last week and they had two big openings.

Son, returning from an injury, sent Sergio Reguilon through on goal and the Spaniard had the opportunity to drive in on goal, but instead he tried to pass to Lo Celso and the ball was cut out.

Then, just after the half-hour it was Son who was in after a Lo Celso pass, but the South Korean’s touch was heavy and Kepa Arrizabalaga came out to block the shot.

Tuchel was not happy with what he saw and brought Kante on at half-time and switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

And it transformed the game as Chelsea took a 49th-minute lead.

Marcos Alonso had a flying shot tipped over by Hugo Lloris and at a second corner from that save, Silva climbed highest and found the bottom corner with his header.

Chelsea were rampant and deserved the luck they got for their second goal just before the hour.

Lo Celso ran into trouble and was dispossessed, with Kante afforded space to line up a shot, which took a wicked deflection off Eric Dier and flew into the bottom corner.

Spurs – seemingly shattered from their first-half exertions – had nothing in the way of a response, with Kane’s fizzed shot at Arrizabalaga their only meaningful effort of the second half.

At the other end Chelsea had enough chances to rack up a handsome victory, but Lloris saved well from Silva, Timo Werner was twice denied when through on goal and Lukaku headed straight at the Frenchman.

Eventually the third goal came in injury time as Rudiger swept home Werner’s cross as Chelsea end the weekend on top of the Premier League table.

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MARK NOBLE MISSES LAST-GASP PENALTY AS JESSE LINGARD RETURNS TO HAUNT WESTHAM

Mark Noble came off the bench only to miss a stoppage-time penalty as Manchester United snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory at the London Stadium.

Club captain Noble, West Ham’s Mr Reliable from the spot, was sent on by manager David Moyes to take the penalty after Luke Shaw handled in the area.

The long-serving midfielder, who retires at the end of the season, had not missed a spot-kick since December 2016, but he was denied a sentimental winner by United goalkeeper David De Gea.

It was a hugely dramatic end to a thrilling match which saw Jesse Lingard return to haunt the club for whom he starred on loan last season.

In a bitter blow for West Ham and Moyes, who tried to re-sign Lingard over the summer, the England forward curled in what turned out to be the winner two minutes from time.

Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier scored his fourth goal in three matches since returning to United, cancelling out Said Benrahma’s deflected opener for the hosts.

Defeat was tough on West Ham, who showed no signs of fatigue from their Thursday night exertions in Europe as they went at United from the off.

Benrahma robbed Harry Maguire in the area and pulled the ball back for Jarrod Bowen 10 yards out, but his shot lacked power and was blocked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Moments later a glorious cross-field move from the Hammers culminated in another chance for Bowen, whose deflected shot was kept out by the boot of De Gea, with Tomas Soucek firing the rebound over.

Ronaldo’s first glimpse of goal came midway through the first half, with a couple of stepovers gaining him a yard on Vladimir Coufal before shooting straight at Lukasz Fabianski.

United seemed to have weathered the early storm and almost took the lead through Bruno Fernandes, Fabianski getting the smallest of touches to tip his effort on to a post.

But moments later West Ham went ahead when Benrahma’s shot from the edge of the area took a huge deflection off Raphael Varane to wrongfoot De Gea and roll into the net.

The lead lasted only four minutes before Ronaldo struck, guiding a Fernandes cross into the chest of Fabianski and reacting quickest to tuck in the rebound.

Fabianski got down well to deny Ronaldo a second before Nikola Vlasic skied a chance for the Hammers as a breathless first half came to an end.

West Ham had a major let-off at the start of the second when a wayward pass from Pablo Fornals allowed Fernandes to slip Ronaldo in, but he was denied by Fabianski.

Ronaldo felt he should have had a penalty when he went down under Coufal’s challenge in the area, but referee Martin Atkinson thought otherwise.

The Portugal star was also denied by a timely block from the impressive Kurt Zouma as he looked to get on the end of another Fernandes cross.

Lingard came on as a 73rd-minute substitute and 15 minutes later found the top corner with a fine curler.

When Shaw handled Andriy Yarmolenko’s cross to concede a VAR-awarded penalty the script was written for Noble, but De Gea tore it up with a diving save to secure the points.