LONDON - Arsenal thrashed Manchester United 3-0 yesterday after a pulsating first-half display to climb above them into second place in the Premier League on goal difference.

They stunned Louis van Gaal's side, who had been top before the weekend, by scoring three times in the first 20 minutes through Alexis Sanchez (two) and Mesut Ozil.

United dropped to third, two points behind leaders Manchester City who have 18 from eight games.

Earlier, Liverpool's 1-1 draw at Everton could not save manager Brendan Rodgers from the sack, a decision announced three hours after the end of the game.

Romelu Lukaku equalised for the hosts after Danny Ings had headed Liverpool in front.

In yesterday's other match, Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen scored with two stunning free-kicks to earn his side a 2-2 draw at Swansea City.

Andre Ayew and an own goal by Harry Kane had twice put the Welsh side in front. Spurs stayed eighth, level on 13 points with Everton and still three ahead of Swansea.

Liverpool and Everton played out the sixth draw in their last seven meetings as a fiercely contested but error-strewn Merseyside derby finished 1-1 yesterday.

Danny Ings put Liverpool ahead when he capitalised on some lacklustre Everton defending and headed in from James Milner's cross following a corner in the 41st minute.

But Romelu Lukaku ensured Everton took a deserved share of the spoils when he profited from Emre Can's miscued clearance in first-half stoppage time.

In the ferocious intensity of the opening stages of the 225th meeting between the teams, the play was epitomised by mistakes. Referee Martin Atkinson allowed the contest to flow after initially being over-zealous with his use of the whistle, and Can and Lukaku began a wrestling match, while James McCarthy snapped at Philippe Coutinho's heels in archetypal derby fashion.

Half-chances for Ings and Milner reflected Liverpool's early positive intentions but it was Everton who twice tested Simon Mignolet in the first half-hour.

Goodison Park rose to its feet when Ross Barkley's free-kick picked out the unmarked head of Steven Naismith, only for Mignolet to paw the ball away.

The Liverpool goalkeeper was called upon again shortly after that as he dived to his right to tip a McCarthy shot past the post, following some neat Everton build-up play. Tempers flared when Can held on to the ball to delay an Everton throw-in and both he and Barkley received yellow cards for their troubles.

With the momentum seemingly with the Toffees, Liverpool struck the first blow following a corner, with Barkley punished for some slack marking.

Milner's delivery hung in the air but Barkley lost Ings and failed to get his head to the ball, which left the Liverpool striker with a free header from close range.

Everton's response was instantaneous, with Liverpool's defending for the equaliser also having a calamitous look about it.

Gerard Deulofeu crossed from the right and Can volleyed a panicked clearance into the chest of Martin Skrtel, which saw the ball drop invitingly for Lukaku.

The Belgium international reacted and adeptly cracked a low left-footed shot into the corner of the net.

Liverpool's brittle defence was ruffled by Everton's high pressing after the interval and the result was Rodgers's side hit aimless long balls, easily handled by the home side's defence, and sporadically threatened.