Leicester City’s traumatic week ended with a 1-0 win at Cardiff City following the demise of the Midlands club’s late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash.
Several Leicester players were due to fly to Thailand later on Saturday for his funeral and a minute’s silence was held at all Premier League grounds to mark last week’s tragedy outside Leicester’s stadium in which four other people also died.
TV requirements saw Saturday’s games staggered over four separate kick-off times with Liverpool moving top of the Premier League – at least until Manchester City entertain Southampton on Sunday – after their 1-1 draw at Arsenal.
Manchester United recovered to win 2-1 at Bournemouth to move seventh, Newcastle United recorded their first league victory of the season, 1-0 over Watford, while Everton and West Ham United also won.
Most attention was inevitably focused on Cardiff City Stadium where tributes included a wreath brought on to the pitch before the game and the unfurling of a huge flag among the crowd in memory of the 60-year-old Thai billionaire.
A second-half goal from Demarai Gray sparked jubilation amongst Leicester’s players and fans, although referee Lee Probert faced huge criticism for booking the forward after he took his shirt off in celebration to reveal a T-shirt with the words “For Khun Vichai” across the front.
“I feel proud, it’s been a really tough week for everyone,” said Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
“The way everyone at the club handles themselves is a testament to the family Vichai built.”
At the Emirates, a superb late strike from Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal a point after James Milner, who later broke his nose in a freak clash with teammate Joe Gomez, had given Liverpool a second-half lead.
A richly-entertaining game threw up chances for both sides as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp maintained his record of never losing to the Gunners in six encounters.
On the south coast, Manchester United’s late win, via a Marcus Rashford strike, failed to alleviate Jose Mourinho’s disappointment at another below-par performance.
“I said at halftime I was the luckiest manager in the Premier League,” said Mourinho, who added that he thought Bournemouth should have been 5-2 or 6-2 up by then.
“I said it is impossible to play worse than we did so the second half will be better for sure. I really can’t understand the kind of mentality that brings me more white hair!”
The win moved United level on points with sixth-placed Bournemouth and a point off Tottenham Hotspur, who was fifth ahead of their evening kick-off at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Newcastle fans finally had something to celebrate as Rafa Benitez’s side won at the 11th attempt after Ayoze Perez flicked home a 65th-minute header from a Ki Sung-yeung free-kick.
