LONDON -- Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-1 on Freddie Ljungberg's goal Sunday, becoming the only team with a perfect record after four rounds of the Premier League.
Manchester United, with U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, lost for the first time this season, beaten 1-0 by Southampton on an 88th-minute goal by James Beattie.
"When somebody scores at that time of the day it's very difficult to come back," Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said. "But we are a team who have shown we can get over our disappointments."
It was first league defeat for the defending champions since Dec. 26 when they lost 3-1 at Middlesbrough.
Arsenal, off to its best start since 1947 when it won the league, faced goalkeeper David Seaman for the first time since he left in the summer after 13 years to join City.
City took the lead through an own-goal by Arsenal after 10 minutes. Sylvain Wiltord tied it for Arsenal in the 48th minute before Ljungberg scored into an empty net off a rebound for his first goal this season.
Arsenal has 12 points and United is second with nine. Portsmouth has eight and Manchester City seven. Chelsea, which tied Blackburn 2-2 on Saturday, also has seven points.
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