Chelsea have gone into the international break top of the Premier League after nearest rivals Liverpool and Manchester City shared the points in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
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Mohamed Salah glittered brightest making a fine goal for Sadio Mane before scoring a superb one himself. But each time City came back, first through Phil Foden, then via Kevin de Bruyne's deflected shot.
That left Chelsea, who beat Southampton 3-1 on Saturday, a point clear of Liverpool with City a further point behind them, level with local rivals Manchester United, Everton and surprise packet Brighton.
Tottenham and Brentford, who beat Aston Villa and West Ham respectively on Sunday, are seventh and eight, two more points adrift. In Sunday's other match Crystal Palace came back from 2-0 down to draw with Leicester City.
City had controlled most of the first half at Anfield, but failed to turn their dominating performance into goals and the break arrived with the game still scoreless.
It caught light shortly before the one-hour mark when Salah broke down the right before setting up Mane.
It took Manchester City only 10 minutes to draw level as Gabriel Jesus sent a clever low pass to Phil Foden who found the back of the net.
Salah restored Liverpool's lead in the 76th minute, scoring for the seventh straight game in all competitions. The Egyptian twisted and turned past Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias before firing an angled right-footed shot inside the far post.
"Only the best players in the world score goals like this," said Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool manager added: The first touch, the first challenge he wins, then putting it on his right foot and finishing the situation was absolutely exceptional.
"This club never forget these things so people will talk about this goal for a long time and in 50 or 60 years' time they will remember this goal."
But five minutes later, De Bruyne's shot from the edge of the box went in off Joel Matip.
There was still time for an outstanding piece of defending from City midfielder Rodri, whose superb block kept out a goal-bound effort from Fabinho.
"What a game. That's the reason (over) the last years Man City and Liverpool are always there because we try to play in this way. Unfortunately we couldn't win -- but we didn't lose," said City manager Pep Guardiola.
"That's why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great."
There was a sour note post-match however as City made a complaint to Liverpool alleging a fan spat at their backroom staff.
"I'm pretty sure Liverpool FC will take measures against this person. I know they are greater than this behaviour," said Guardiola, who added he had not seen the incident himself.
Liverpool are investigating the incident.
Newly-promoted Brentford maintained their fine start when Yoane Wissa scored in stoppage time at West Ham to give the Bees a 2-1 victory.
Jarrod Bowen had thought he had scrambled West Ham a draw with a low finish for his first goal in 15 league games in the 80th minute, cancelling out Bryan Mbeumo's 20th minute-opener.
Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of three successive Premier League defeats as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and a Matt Targett own goal secured a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa
Villa had equalised when Ollie Watkins, recalled to the England squad this week, opened his league account for the season with a tap-in.
Also in London first-half goals by Kelechi Iheanacho, on his 25th birthday, and Jamie Vardy gave Leicester a 2-0 lead at Crystal Palace. However, substitutes Michael Olise and Jeffrey Schlupp replied to gain Palace a point.
Australian Associated Press