Liverpool in Premier League driving seat as Man City loses

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Liverpool might never have a better chance to end its long wait for a Premier League title.

Leader Liverpool is enjoying an eight-point advantage over defending champion Manchester City after its closest rival stumbled going into the international break.

Adama Traoré struck twice in the closing stages for Wolverhampton Wanderers to beat City 2-0 in Manchester on Sunday, the first defeat at home for Pep Guardiola’s team in any competition since a 3-2 loss to Crystal Palace in the league last December.

City’s chances of reeling in Liverpool are being hampered by injuries in defense and the loss of Kevin De Bruyne, who is injured again after a run of problems last season.

City had dominated possession but failed to really trouble Rui Patrício in the Wolves goal. David Silva struck the post with a free kick but it was as close as Guardiola’s side was going to get before Traoré finished off a break started by Raúl Jiménez in the 80th.

Traoré grabbed his second in similar fashion in injury time after Wolves withstood the home side’s desperate attempts to equalize.

It left Guardiola contemplating the side’s second defeat of the season and the third game in which it has dropped points.

Liverpool maintained its perfect start with a late 2-1 win over Leicester on Saturday. Liverpool has not won the league title since the 1989-90 season.

CHELSEA REVIVAL CONTINUES

Chelsea beat Southampton 4-1 away to stretch the team’s winning run to four games across all competitions.

Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and N’Golo Kanté scored in the first half, before Christian Pulisic brilliantly set up fellow substitute Michy Batshuayi for Chelsea’s fourth goal in the 89th minute.

Pulisic had only come on in the 80th for his first appearance in the league since Aug. 31. The United States midfielder dinked the ball in behind the Southampton defense for former Borussia Dortmund teammate Batshuayi to complete the scoring.

The win lifted Chelsea to fifth place after eight rounds, just behind Leicester on goal difference.

ARSENAL THIRD

Former Chelsea defender David Luiz helped Arsenal move up to third with his first goal for the Gunners in a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.

Luiz headed home off a corner from Nicolas Pepe with only nine minutes gone. It turned out to be the only goal of a game that lacked both chances and quality as the Cherries managed to keep in-form Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the periphery.

Arsenal has still lost just once this season in the league and now sits one point behind Manchester City.