Arsenal overcame one of their first big tests this season, with a simply superior performance at the Emirates, to beat Liverpool 2-0. Santi Cazorla opened the scoring before Aaron Ramsey secured the win with yet another amazing strike.

Chelsea, however, were left wanting as they were forced to leave St James’ Park shamefaced thanks to a 2-0 loss to Newcastle. Tottenham and Everton, in a meeting of two of the league’s youngest managers, cancelled each other out in a 0-0 draw.

In proving to be bipolar in their performances yet again this year, Manchester City turned on the style to crush Norwich 7-0 despite having dropped Joe Hart.

Fulham 1 – 3 Man Utd

Cardiff 1 – 0 Swansea

Stoke 1 – 1 Southampton

Sanchez to the rescue

Alexis Sanchez had the only goal in Barcelona’s tight derby clash with Espanyol on Friday taking his tally to seven league goals for the season.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, survived a resurgent Rayo Vallecano after racing out to a 3-0 lead. Two penalty goals with three minutes of each other, however, saw Los Blancos hold on for the 3-2 win.

Atletico Madrid were also victorious, as both Spanish strikers, David Villa and Diego Costa, netted in a 2-0 win over Bilbao.

Sociedad 5 – 0 Osasuna

Getafe 0 – 1 Valencia

Malaga 2 – 2 Betis

Romans falter

Roma will arguably have a true test of their character now, after surrendering their first points of the season, being held to a 1-1 tie by Torino.

Napoli have now tugged them back to a three-point difference as Jose Callejon and Marek Hamsik scored to dispose of Catania 2-1.

Last season winners Juventus are third, tied on points with Napoli, after Paul Pogba scored the lone goal late on to spare the Bianconeri blushes. Milan were not spared any such fate however as they were blanked 2-0 by Fiorentina.

Udinese 0 – 3 Inter

Lazio 0 – 2 Genoa

Verona 2 – 1 Cagliari

Six-star Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund went behind early, but rallied back to thrash struggling Stuttgart 6-1. Robert Lewandowski had a hat-trick, to overtake Mario Mandzukic (8) as the league’s top-scorer with nine.

Bayern had to be far more workmanlike against Hoffenheim, however, also rallying back from 1-0 down. It wasn’t until the 75th minute, however, when Thomas Muller had the winner after Mandzukic had equalised.

Elsewhere, Leverkusen had a hiccup in trying to keep up with the two title-hopefuls as they went down 1-0 to Eintracht Braunschweig.

Hertha BSC 0 – 2 Schalke

Hamburg 0 – 2 Monchengladbach

Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 2 Wolfsburg