Manchester City passed their first major test of the season on Saturday with flying colours by beating Arsenal 4-2 to make it four wins out of four.
Champions Manchester United recovered from conceding an early goal at Tottenham Hotspur to win 3-1 even though Paul Scholes was sent off after an hour.
Chelsea maintained their perfect record with their fifth win but needed a last-minute Florent Malouda goal for a 2-1 victory at Stoke City.
Yossi Benayoun scored a hat-trick as Liverpool ended their sticky run by thrashing Burnley 4-0 at Anfield.
The results take Chelsea to 15 points with Manchester United, Manchester City and Spurs all on 12.
LOW-KEY EASTLANDS
After a big build-up it was a low-key first hour at Eastlands.
City went ahead with an own goal via the head of Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia with Arsenal levelling through Robin van Persie after 62 minutes.
City then cut loose with three goals in 10 minutes.
They regained the lead after 74 minutes through Craig Bellamy. Emmanuel Adebayor, City's 25 million pounds ($41.74 million) summer signing from Arsenal, headed the third and Shaun Wright-Phillips then finished off a great breakaway.
Adebayor's decision to run the length of the pitch to celebrate his goal earned him a booking but the Togo international, who has now scored in all four of City's league games, was quick to apologise.
"I shouldn't have done what I did but the emotion took over me and I'm sorry for what I've done," he told Sky Sports. Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky got Arsenal's late second.
Spurs, who had not beaten United in their last 19 meetings, went ahead inside a minute when in-form Jermain Defoe swept in a bicycle kick from a Peter Crouch knock-down.
Any thoughts of another upset win soon disappeared, though, as Ryan Giggs equalised with a free kick and Anderson's first goal for the club had the visitors deservedly ahead at halftime.
United had midfielder Paul Scholes sent off for a second booking after an hour but remained the more dangerous side and wrapped up a terrific win with a length-of-the field counter-attack superbly finished by Wayne Rooney 13 minutes from time.
United play City next weekend.
Last season Chelsea scored twice in the last three minutes to claim a 2-1 comeback win over Stoke at Stamford Bridge and they left the Stoke fans fuming with a repeat performance.
After Abdoulaye Faye had put Stoke ahead, Didier Drogba equalised with a well-taken shot in first-half injury time.
It was all Chelsea in the second half but they had to wait until the last minute for Malouda to snatch the winner.
Burnley's hopes of adding the scalp of Liverpool to those of Manchester United and Everton were swept aside at Anfield.
Three for Benayoun and one for Dirk Kuyt were just reward for a dominant performance.
