Tottenham earned their first point of the Premier League season after a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, but things are still not clicking for Roberto De Zerbi’s new-look side.
Defeats to Brentford and Newcastle in the opening two games of the season had put Spurs under early-season scrutiny after a summer spend of almost £400million in the transfer window.
And it would have been three defeats to open their league campaign for the first time since 1980 had Forest not had a goal controversially disallowed by VAR midway through the second half.
Neco Williams’ effort was chalked off after the ball was ruled to have hit his arm as he bundled over the line to leave Forest furious.
Spurs only had half-chances as their wait for a goal goes on – this is the first time since 1974/75 that they have not scored in their first three games of a season – and De Zerbi has plenty of work to do
Ben Chilwell celebrated his return to Crystal Palace with a late winner in their 3-2 comeback victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The deadline-day signing from Strasbourg, who spent half of the 2024-25 season on loan from Chelsea at Selhurst Park, was introduced as a 74th-minute substitute and found the back of the net three minutes later.
Josh King opened the scoring for the hosts in the 11th minute before Tyrick Mitchell levelled with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Cesar Palacios opened his Premier League account three minutes before half-time to restore Fulham’s lead, but Mitchell equalised again after the break and Chilwell struck late on to seal a first win for new Palace boss Pierre Sage.
Newcastle and Bournemouth fought out a four-goal thriller
Brighton’s club-record signing Luka Vuskovic headed his first goal in English football to earn a 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Leeds.
Daniel Farke’s unbeaten visitors were on course for victory at the Amex Stadium after Jayden Bogle tapped home a 15th-minute opener.
But Croatia defender Vuskovic – a £46million summer arrival from Tottenham – earned the Seagulls a share of the spoils by nodding in Maxim De Cuyper’s corner 19 minutes from time.
Injury-hit Brighton lacked creativity for large spells but were rewarded for a much improved second-half display and could have snatched a late winner through Pascal Gross.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin wasted a golden first-half chance to double Leeds’ lead, while Ao Tanaka, who assisted Bogle’s opener, struck the crossbar and also had a goal disallowed for offside at 1-0.
The result leaves the West Yorkshire club with five points from their opening three top-flight fixtures, with the Seagulls a point behind.
Substitute Jacob Ramsey struck late on as Newcastle came from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth and preserve Matthias Jaissle’s unbeaten start to his time on Tyneside in the day’s early kick-off.
Marcus Tavernier’s fourth goal in five games against a club where he spent time in the youth set-up and Malick Thiaw inadvertently deflecting into his own net left Bournemouth firmly in command.
However, Harvey Barnes instantly halved the deficit before Bournemouth were undone at the death once again, with Ramsey popping up off the bench to coolly score in the 88th minute to secure a share of the spoils.
While Bournemouth are now unbeaten in nine Premier League matches against Newcastle, they remain winless in three matches this season and four of the five goals they have conceded have been after 80 minutes.