West Ham ruined Gareth Bale’s Tottenham return with a stunning late fightback from three goals down to rescue a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Aston Villa extended their perfect start with a dramatic 1-0 win at Leicester on Sunday.
Tottenham were leading 3-0 when Bale came on as a 72nd minute substitute for his first appearance since joining on a season-long loan from Real Madrid.
But he suffered a debut to forget as Tottenham capitulated in astonishing fashion.
The Wales star was one of the main Tottenham culprits as he missed a golden opportunity to wrap up the points before West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini snatched a stoppage-time equaliser.
Tottenham took the lead with just 45 seconds gone when Son Heung-min and Harry Kane combined to create a goal for the seventh time this season.
Kane was the catalyst, dropping deep into midfield before unfurling a majestic long pass that found Son, who cut into the West Ham area and curled his shot into the far corner.
It was Kane’s turn to get on the scoresheet in the eighth minute as he nutmegged Declan Rice and fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Tottenham’s sizzling start featured a third goal in the 16th minute, with England captain Kane heading in from Sergio Reguilon’s pin-point cross for his 10th goal of the season.
Back at Tottenham seven years after leaving for Real in a then world record deal, Bale hopes to prove he is still a world-class talent despite a long spell out of favour with Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
But it was West Ham who were the dominant force after Bale’s introduction to replace Steven Bergwijn.
Fabian Balbuena nodded in from Aaron Cresswell’s cross after 82 minutes and Davinson Sanchez’s headed own goal from Vladimir Coufal’s delivery three minutes later left Tottenham panicking.
Bale should have scored in stoppage-time, but he shot wide after bursting into the area and Lanzini made him pay with a brilliant 25-yard blast into the top corner.
West Ham are the first team in Premier League history to avoid defeat in a game having trailed by three or more goals as late as the 81st minute.
“The game was under control. We had Harry Kane to score the fourth when he hit the post, then Gareth Bale to kill the game. This is a game that was in the pocket and we lost two points,” Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho said.
“We should be stronger. They were lucky but maybe they deserved that luck. We were unlucky but maybe we deserved that.”
At the King Power Stadium, Villa left it until the 90th minute to seal their fourth successive victory.
Ross Barkley, on loan from Chelsea, took John McGinn’s pass and fired home from the edge of the area.
Just months after avoiding relegation on the final day of last season, Villa move up to second place.
They thrashed champions Liverpool 7-2 before the international break and now sit three points behind leaders Everton.
Mitrovic misery
At Bramall Lane, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic endured a penalty nightmare in a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.
Mitrovic fired over with his second half penalty after Jack Robinson handled.
On-loan Leipzig winger Ademola Lookman put Fulham ahead in the 77th minute with a superb solo effort, beating two men before firing into the roof of the net.
But Serbia international Mitrovic was penalised for a high foot on Robinson in the 85th minute following a VAR check and Billy Sharp made him pay as he drove his penalty down the middle.
Alexis Mac Allister’s first Premier League goal gave Brighton a dramatic 1-1 draw at rivals Crystal Palace.
Palace took the lead in the 19th minute when Tariq Lamptey was harshly adjudged to have pulled down Michy Batshuayi in the penalty area.
Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha sent Brighton keeper Mat Ryan the wrong way from the spot for his fourth goal of the season.
But Mac Allister equalised in the 90th minute before Brighton had defender Lewis Dunk sent off for a two-footed lunge on Gary Cahill.
