Juergen Klopp’s team is top with 18 points though Chelsea can go level on points if it wins at West Ham on Sunday. (Source: Reuters)
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool stayed perfect in the Premier League with its sixth straight victory on Saturday after beating Southampton 3-0 at Anfield.
Switzerland international Xherdhan Shaqiri marked his first start for the club with a role in two first-half goals. His deflected cross was turned in by Wesley Hoedt for the opener and a brilliant curling free-kick against the crossbar presented Mohamed Salah with a simple close-range effort for the third.
Either side of those goals, Joel Matip scored his first at Anfield as Southampton was pulled apart by a Liverpool side still nowhere near top gear.
Juergen Klopp’s team is top with 18 points though Chelsea can go level on points if it wins at West Ham on Sunday.
Liverpool still has some way to go to match the club’s best start to a campaign, though, as the 1990-91 side won 10 successive competitive matches.
Klopp changed his system to accommodate Shaqiri, switching to 4-2-3-1 with Salah moved to the centre and Shaqiri playing behind.
In the 10th minute Shaqiri cut in from the left to race onto Sadio Mane’s perfectly-weighted throughball, hitting a right-footed shot off Shane Long onto Hoedt with scrambling goalkeeper Alex McCarthy unable to keep it out.
Salah was denied by a superbly timed block from Cedric Soares after combining with Roberto Firmino but that led to the second goal as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner was powerfully headed home by Matip, making his first start since March 31.
Salah avoided the worst drought of his short Liverpool career in first-half added time thanks to his anticipation and no shortage of Shaqiri brilliance, netting his 30th goal in his last 31 Anfield appearances.
He was denied a second for offside in the 89th minute after Mario Lamina had cleared James Milner’s shot off the line.
The only downside to the afternoon was the departure of Virgil van Dijk with a bruised rib.
For Southampton it was a third loss in six league matches.
Wolverhampton Wanderers hold Manchester United on Sir Alex Ferguson’s return to Old Trafford
Fred’s goal came against the run of play as United struggled on Alex Ferguson’s homecoming. (Source: Reuters)
MANCHESTER: Nuno Espirito Santo put one over his mentor Jose Mourinho when promoted Wolverhampton held Manchester United to 1-1 at Old Trafford in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Wolves manager Espirito Santo, who once played under the United coach at Porto, saw Mourinho’s team take the lead in the 18th minute when Paul Pogba set up Fred.
Fred’s goal came against the run of play as United struggled on Alex Ferguson’s homecoming. The former manager was back at Old Trafford for the first time since he underwent emergency brain surgery in May.
Wolves deservedly leveled on a counterattack eight minutes after the interval. Raul Jimenez collected the ball in the center of the penalty box after another raid down the United left which began with sloppy play from Pogba.
Awkwardly placed for a shot, Jimenez laid the ball to Joao Moutinho, who curled a classy finish past United goalkeeper David De Gea.
United might well have been nursing successive home defeats were it not for the brilliant De Gea, who made several good saves, including one from Adama Traore in added time.
Aguero marks new deal with goal as City thrashes Cardiff 5-0
The Argentina striker’s fourth league goal of the season came on his 300th appearance for City, which bounced back from its surprise midweek loss to Lyon in the Champions League. (Source: Reuters)
CARDIFF: Sergio Aguero celebrated signing a new contract with Manchester City by scoring the opening goal in a 5-0 win over Cardiff in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The Argentina striker’s fourth league goal of the season came on his 300th appearance for City, which bounced back from its surprise midweek loss to Lyon in the Champions League.
Bernardo Silva, Ikay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez _ with two second-half goals as a substitute _ also scored at Cardiff City Stadium as City recorded a fifth win in the opening six games of its title defense.
City announced on Friday that Aguero penned a one-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until 2021 and likely meaning he’ll see out a decade at Etihad Stadium.
The fans’ favorite was back in the starting lineup after getting dropped to the bench against Lyon and was dangerous throughout, getting his goal in the 32nd by finishing off a squared ball by Bernardo.
The Portugal playmaker turned scorer three minutes later when he flicked in a cross from Leroy Sane.
Gundogan curled in a classy third just before halftime after exchanging passes with Raheem Sterling, before Mahrez scored in the 67th – with his first since joining in the offseason from Leicester – soon after replacing Aguero and again in the 89th.
Huddersfield remain winless after losing 3-1 at Leicester
Leicester climbed into the top half of the standings with the win. (Source: Reuters)
LEICESTER: Huddersfield dropped to the bottom of the English Premier League standings after squandering an early lead to lose 3-1 at Leicester on Saturday.
The visitors are yet to win any of their six league games so far _ they have drawn two and lost four _ and look set for a tough season after just about staying up in their first year back in the top flight.
Mattias Jorgensen put Huddersfield ahead at King Power Stadium in the fifth minute but Leicester was level in the 19th through Kelechi Iheanacho.
James Maddison curled in a brilliant free kick in the 66th before Jamie Vardy sealed victory with a goal on the breakaway in the 75th.
Leicester climbed into the top half of the standings with the win.
Burnley earn first EPL win by crushing Bournemouth 4-0
Four straight defeats and only one point from five games for last season’s seventh-placed side added up to Burnley’s worst start to a topflight campaign for nearly a century. (Source: Reuters)
BURNLEY: Burnley rose off the bottom of the English Premier League after thumping Bournemouth 4-0 for its first win of the season on Saturday.
Four straight defeats and only one point from five games for last season’s seventh-placed side added up to Burnley’s worst start to a topflight campaign for nearly a century.
Bournemouth, by contrast, arrived at Turf Moor in the top five after its best opening to a Premier League, but quick-fire goals from Matej Vydra on his full debut and Aaron Lennon late in the first half eased Burnley nerves.
Substitute Ashley Barnes added a late double to make it 4-0, the first time Burnley has scored four in a game since December 2016.
Their first win in 10 league games moved them up to 16th in the standings, while Bournemouth dropped to sixth place.
Palace’s Wan-Bissaka struck by bottle in Newcastle draw
LONDON: Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka was struck by a bottle thrown by visiting fans as his side drew with Newcastle 0-0 in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Newcastle, still waiting for its first league victory of the season, turned in another toothless showing.
The traveling Newcastle supporters marked Mike Ashley’s first appearance at a game since May 2017 by protesting against the club owner.
“We want Ashley out,” was chanted repeatedly, and one Newcastle fan saw fit to throw a bottle at Palace right back Bissaka, who appeared unhurt by the incident and played on.
Palace also has problems. The London club has yet to win at home this season and wasted the best chances of a turgid encounter.
Driving rain drummed home the harsh realities that winter is coming, and on this evidence, lean times could await both clubs.