Arsenal goes clear on top of the Premier League, Liverpool and Chelsea stumble

Bruno Guimaraes sent Arsenal three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a moment of brilliance that was doubly painful for Sunderland.

Not only did the Brazil midfielder set up a 2-0 win for defending champion Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. But, as a former Newcastle player, he made the most of his moment, sending a message to the home supporters who booed him by cupping his ears as he ran towards the corner in celebration.

Guimaraes joined Arsenal from Sunderland's fierce north east rival Newcastle in the summer so will have been well aware of the significance of his goal. Coming on as a halftime substitute, he curled a long-range shot into the top corner in the 58th minute.

“It is a beautiful moment for me and my family,” Guimaraes told TNT Sports. “Everyone knows my amazing history at Newcastle, but now I’m trying to create a new history here. I’ve started on the right foot.”

Guimaraes' goal came two minutes after Arsenal's David Raya saved a penalty from Sunderland's Enzo Le Fee.

Bukayo Saka sealed the win with a penalty in the seventh minute of added time after Reinildo Mandava was sent off for bringing down the Arsenal forward in the box.

Manchester City is three points behind Arsenal in second place and plays Manchester United on Sunday.

Liverpool and Chelsea dropped more points after being held to surprise draws at home.

Liverpool's big money forwards Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola couldn't find a way past winless Fulham in a goalless contest at Anfield.

Chelsea's fragile defense was exposed again by newly promoted Hull in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa's nightmare start to the season continued with a 2-1 loss at home to Nottingham Forest.

Substitute Zian Flemming scored a 90th-minute winner as Ipswich beat Crystal Palace 3-2, while Bournemouth and Brentford drew 2-2.

Tottenham is still without a goal after a 0-0 draw with Everton.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was furious about a penalty given against his team when Ezri Konsa was adjudged to have pulled down Dan Ballard in the box.

Referees are clamping down on such incidents from set-pieces but Arteta insisted the decision was wrong.

“It’s a huge win, but it could have been something very different,” he said. “It’s unacceptable at this level. Unacceptable. This changes the course of the season, the championship, and it’s not acceptable. I’ve seen it 10 times to make sure because I watched it live and I said it’s not possible at this level that there’s going to be a penalty.”

The Premier League confirmed the penalty was given for holding.

“I’ve been in football for almost 27 years, 28 years. It’s not a penalty in any case, in any game, in any context, in any league,” Arteta said.

Liverpool has spent more than half a billion dollars rebuilding its attack over the past two seasons, but was nullified by a Fulham team that had not kept a clean sheet and was pointless going into the game.

In front of a frustrated Anfield crowd, Andoni Iraola's expensively assembled team was held to a draw for the third time this season, halting the momentum of back-to-back wins, including a midweek victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

British record signing Isak ($170 million) came up short, while Barcola — signed from Paris Saint-Germain for $166 million — failed to produce anything in his first start in the league. It was the same story for Florian Wirtz ($156 million) and the relatively inexpensive Victor Munoz ($46 million).

“Collectively we didn’t play well. Many things we tried to do, we couldn’t do well,” Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson said.

Iraola is still finding his feet in his first season at Liverpool after previously impressing at Bournemouth. But it has been an unconvincing start that has left his team with ground to make up even this early in the campaign.

“When you draw, especially at home, you can’t be happy," Iraola said. "Today we lacked a bit of freshness and we did not do enough offensively to make the difference. In the first half we started the game slow, we lacked energy and it was not enough.”

Chelsea's defensive problems are becoming increasingly costly.

Xabi Alonso's team has conceded at least two goals in each of its league games and 12 goals in six games in all competitions. Its only clean sheet came against third division Luton in the English League Cup.

“We can do better. We got what we deserved,” Alonso said. “We need to be more solid and be more controlled. New players and new staff. This is the process. In a few months I’m sure we’ll be able to control better.”

It took a goal from Joao Pedro in the 66th to salvage a draw after Mohamed Belloumi's double saw Hull rally from 1-0 down to lead 2-1.

Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute.

Tottenham remained goalless and winless in the Premier League on Saturday despite a summer of heavy spending including the arrival of Manchester City forwards Omar Marmoush and Savio.

A 0-0 draw at home to Everton made it more than six hours without a goal for Spurs after spending more than $400 million in the market to overhaul a squad that has flirted with relegation in back-to-back seasons.

A dour match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was short on clearcut chances with neither team looking likely to find a winner.

The point moved Everton level with Merseyside rival Liverpool on six.

Villa's Champions League win midweek proved not to be a turning point in what has been a desperate start for Unai Emery's much-changed team.

The loss of a slew of star players is taking its toll on a team that won the Europa League last season and finished fourth in the Premier League.

Alysson Edward gave Villa fans hope of a point at home after Liam Delap put Midlands rival Forest ahead just after halftime. But Igor Jesus found a winner in the 88th.

Emery bemoaned Villa's second half performance. "We lost because we decided to lose,” he said.

Ipswich picked up its second win on its return to the top flight against 10-man Palace. Flemming's 90th-minute winner at Selhurst Park settled a game that swung one way and another. The red card was to Axel Disasi.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Sunderland's Enzo Le Fee, left, missing a chance to score from penalty spot during the English Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Arsenal in Sunderland, England, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Arsenal's Bruno Guimaraes, center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Arsenal in Sunderland, England, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Ipswich Town's Leif Davis, second left, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, at Selhurst Park, in London, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

Nottingham Forest's Liam Delap celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in Birmingham, England, Saturday Sept. 12, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Fulham's Antonee Robinson, left, and Liverpool's Victor Munoz battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham in Liverpool, England, Saturday Sept. 12, 2026. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Chelsea's head coach Xabi Alonso reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Hull City in London, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Hull City in London, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to leave prison to serve the remainder of his graft sentence at home, after his political party on Friday paid a 50 million ringgit ($12.3 million) fine required under the terms of a royal pardon.

Najib, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2022, when Malaysia’s top court upheld his conviction in his first graft trial linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of state investment fund 1MDB. Malaysia’s king in September granted Najib a rare clemency, allowing him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest.

The house arrest applies only to his reduced six-year sentence in the first trial. It doesn’t cover a separate 15-year prison sentence imposed in December 2025 for corruption and money laundering in a second major trial tied to the 1MDB scandal.

Asyraf Wajid Dusuki, secretary-general of the United Malays National Organization, said in a statement that the party had collected sufficient funds through its donation drive for Najib. He said the party had completed payment of the fine at the High Court earlier Friday.

The payment fulfills a key condition attached to the royal pardon.

The timing of his transfer from prison to house arrest was not immediately clear. Police were stationed at his house in Kuala Lumpur early Friday and the road leading to his home was blocked.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries. The funds were allegedly used to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, art and jewelry.

He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 210 million ringgit ($51.5 million) in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) channeled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.

In January 2024, the Pardons Board halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fine to 50 million ringgit.

King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar subsequently granted Najib a conditional pardon, paving the way for house arrest until Aug. 23, 2028, provided he paid the fine.

Najib is appealing his conviction and sentence in the second trial. The 15-year sentence is to take effect after his existing sentence ends. He was also fined 11.4 billion ringgit ($2.8 billion). If Najib fails to win the appeal, he could go back to prison after Aug. 23, 2028.

Public outrage over the 1MDB scandal led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the ruling coalition, which had governed Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957. Despite his conviction, Najib still wields influence in his party, UNMO, which is now part of a new government that took power in 2022.

Police guard a road leading to the residence of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak where he is expected to serve his remaining prison time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Nov 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)