Premier League Matchweek 4 Wrap-up: Manchester City Remains Perfect

Manchester City remains perfect in the Premier League overcoming an early goal from Brentford. Arsenal picked up a third-consecutive derby win at Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool loses first game of the Arne Slot era and more.

Erling Haaland (left) bagged two more goals on the weekend as Manchester City improved to 4-0-0 in the Premier League / IMAGO/Every Second Media

Premier League Matchweek 4 wrapped up Sunday afternoon with Newcastle United defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers on the road thanks to two goals in five minutes from Fabian Schär and Harvey Barnes.

Manchester City remained perfect in the Premier League erasing an early goal from Yoane Wissa to defeat Brentford. Arsenal won a third consecutive north London derby away from home thanks to a set piece goal from Gabriel. Nottingham Forest won its first game at Anfield since 1969 handing Arne Slot his first league loss as Liverpool manager while Ipswich Town grinded out a difficult clean sheet at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Here is SI Soccer's Premier League Wrap-up for Matchweek 4.

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Arsenal

Arsenal celebrates the winning goal in front of its supporters at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium / IMAGO/Ashley Western

What a victory for Mikel Arteta. No Declan Rice, no Martin Ødegaard, no Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori, the list goes on... yet no problem for the Gunners. It's unfair to call it an injury crisis in that Arsenal still fielded its first-choice defense and attack, but the midfield was going to be an issue that Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur could exploit in the 196th north London derby.

Arteta set up his side to soak up pressure and a counter-attacking opener should've come in the first half if not for poor decision making from Gabriel Martinelli. Arsenal navigated a silly yellow card from William Saliba to go into halftime honors even.

Spurs fans would've said coming in that the only way the team drops points on the day would be through a set piece. Arsenal fans would've turned right around and said set pieces were where they needed to take advantage. They were both right. Gabriel blasted a free header past Guglielmo Vicario in the second half to take all three points back home along with bragging rights.

Title-winning teams find a way in games when they're counted out, missing key players, away on the road to its biggest rival. Arsenal might not have the titles to show for it the past two seasons, but this team isn't going anywhere.

There are two tests Arsenal has yet to pass under Mikel Arteta: winning at the Etihad Stadium and Anfield. He gets his chance next weekend in what will be must-see Premier League action.

Liverpool

Slot's first loss in the Premier League and at Anfield is difficult to swallow. Nottingham Forest, who fought off relegation in recent seasons, won at the ground for the first time in 55 years. Callum Hudson-Odoi's curler in the second half was also the first goal Liverpool have conceded this campaign.

This isn't where the wheels come falling off and it's "Slot Out" in a matter of weeks, but it's a wake-up call for the Dutch manager. Better to have one early in the season than a run of bad form when the title race is over and it's all about finishing top four, or in a European competition spot.

Liverpool begins a run of three games in nine days with a trip to the San Siro in the Champions League, followed by Bournemouth and West Ham United in the league and EFL Cup respectively.

Manchester City

Is it inevitable? Is a fifth-consecutive league title on the cards and the other teams are hopeless to do anything about it? Close your eyes Arsenal fans: can this team go invincible?

Doubters will point to it being a long season and the unpredictability of the Premier League. Manchester City supporters will point to its striker, wingers, midfield, defense, manager and trophy cabinet. Brentford has been a bogey team for City in the past and it looked like Saturday could be where the champion drops its first points of the season... and then Erling Haaland happened.

One goal off a third-consecutive hat trick, and a header away from a perfect hat trick at that, the goal machine is firing on all cylinders. Arsenal visits the Etihad next weekend giving Guardiola the opportunity to deliver an early gut punch in the title race.

Everton

Sean Dyche's (right) Everton has zero points through Matchweek 4 / IMAGO/Manjit Narotrax

Sean Dyche's days at Everton might be numbered as the Toffees lost another game in which they lead by two goals. A side that's narrowly avoided relegation in two of three previous seasons, Everton has zero points to its name through four games conceding a league-high 13 goals.

Dyche has to shore up his defense and get this team acting more resilient and pragmatic in games with crucial fixtures away to Leicester City next week and home games against Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.

If this poor run of form continues and Everton have single-digit points come the end of, or even middle of October, a new manager might be needed to get things right before relegation is inescapable, let alone likely.