Arsenal's William Saliba challenges Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood for the ball during the English Premier League match at the City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, on Tuesday. The Gunners won 2-1. AP

With one team scoring after just 18 seconds and another after 21 seconds, the Premier League made an explosive return on Tuesday, following the competition's short winter break.

Arsenal left it much later to find the net in a win that keeps the pressure on Liverpool at the top.

Just when it looked like being another frustrating match for Arsenal's often-profligate attack, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka scored in the second half to edge the team past Nottingham Forest in a 2-1 win. The result sees Mikel Arteta's men jump into second place and trim the gap between them and first-place Liverpool to just two points.

Arsenal might be able to maintain a title push heading into the final months of the campaign, but can Aston Villa?

Unai Emery's team has been the big surprise this season, but a 3-1 loss at home to Newcastle slowed its bid to secure a Champions League spot, with Villa staying in fourth place.

There were five games in total and 16 goals scored, three of them coming for Luton striker Elijah Adebayo in a 4-0 thrashing of Brighton that lifted his team out of the relegation zone.

Adebayo's first came after just 18 seconds and it was barely the quickest of the night, with Ben Brereton Diaz scoring after 21 seconds for Sheffield United in its 3-2 loss at Crystal Palace.

Fulham and Everton drew 0-0 in the other match on the opening night of the league's midweek round.

Jesus saves Arsenal

Jesus has been criticized by some for not being the clinical finisher Arsenal needs to end its 20-year wait for a Premier League title.

The Brazil striker was enduring another frustrating match, heading over in the first half and smashing a shot against the post just after the restart, before becoming Arsenal's salvation.

Despite having 74 percent possession and 19 shots, Arteta's Gunners side struggled to break the deadlock. Then, in the 65th minute, Jesus, who played despite struggling with fluid on his knee in the buildup to the match, received a throw-in from Oleksandr Zinchenko, drove toward goal at an acute angle and sent in a shot that deflected into the net off the heel of Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner — a former Arsenal player.

Jesus then turned provider, as he led a counterattack, passing the ball across to Saka, who took a touch and shot right-footed into the bottom corner from just inside the area in the 72nd.

Substitute Taiwo Awoniyi scored in the 89th for Forest.

"We have to do what we have to do," Arteta told BeIN Sports. "Perform the way that we were doing last year and start of this year, because performances were there, but results were not. Results are going our way now. We have some momentum, let's go for it."

Forest's relegation fears grew with Nuno Espirito Santo's side in 16th place with 20 points, two points above the drop zone.

Liverpool could restore its five-point lead by beating Chelsea at home on Wednesday.

Villa streak ends

Before getting beaten for the second time this season by Newcastle, Villa hadn't lost at home since February last year.

Two goals in four first-half minutes from Fabian Schar put Newcastle in control, before Alex Moreno turned the ball into his own goal just after the break. Ollie Watkins grabbed a consolation for Villa, which will drop to fifth place if Tottenham beats Brentford on Wednesday.

Newcastle had lost six of its previous seven league games to slip away from the top four, but victory lifted the team to seventh place, although it is still 11 points behind Villa.

"It was mixed emotions for me because that team is an elite team. The mixed part is that we haven't seen that for a number of weeks," said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, whose squad has been ravaged by injuries this season. "We looked much more like ourselves and we have players coming back."

Villa's loss kept them fourth in the table on 43 points, while Newcastle climbed above Brighton into seventh with 32.

Adebayo treble

Luton went two goals up against Brighton inside the first three minutes to the delight of a raucous Kenilworth Road crowd.

The Hatter's Adebayo ended the game with a hat-trick, opening his tally with a header from close range after 18 seconds, before speedy winger Chiedozie Ogbene made it 2-0 after two minutes and 17 seconds.

"It's a wonderful feeling ... we said we needed to start sharply and two goals in two minutes was the right way to do that," Adebayo told Sky Sports.

"We just kept our foot on the gas. When you come here it's tough, especially under the lights, and the fans make it a fortress for us."

Luton climbed to 17th on 19 points after 21 games. Its victory compounded the frustration of Everton as it posted a goalless draw at Craven Cottage, taking the Merseyside strugglers back into the drop zone with 18 points from 22.

Everton were lucky to escape with a point after being under constant pressure in an action-packed second half.

"I thought the game was a bit flat," Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford said. "We could have been on the front foot a bit more, but it's a great point.

"We've had to change a lot, but everyone is ready to put on the shirt, put on the badge for the club, and do our best. If we just give 100 percent, we will get points."

Dazzling display

Palace's Eberechi Eze and the returning Michael Olise put on a dazzling attacking display in a come-from-behind victory over bottom side Sheffield United, which took the Eagles up to 14th on 24 points, relieving some pressure on manager Roy Hodgson.

Eze netted both equalizers while Olise scored the winner after a frantic first half hour saw Sheffield United take the lead twice with goals from Ben Brereton Diaz and James McAtee.

"I say it all the time. I enjoy playing with him, because he's a top player," Eze said of Olise.