Defending champions Manchester City & title hopefuls Liverpool started their new season in comfortable manner with wins over Arsenal and West Ham United respectively.
Mane & Salah goals down West Ham
Liverpool kicked off their season amid great expectations as they defeated West Ham United 4-0 at Anfield.
Spurs and Chelsea off to a victorious start
Maurizio Sarri kicked off his Chelsea managerial career and the 18/19 Premier League season with a
Mohamed Salah started where he left off last season as he finished off a typical Liverpool move after an Andrew Robertson cross.
West Ham had no answers to Liverpool where the front three of Salah, Mane and Firminho looking threating every time they had the ball. Naby Keita looked impressive in the middle of the park wearing the famous no.8 jersey of Steven Gerrard.
Marko Arnautovic did have a couple of chances on the counter attack where the Liverpool defense was caught napping. Lukasz Fabianski in the West Ham goal was kept busy throughout the first half pulling out important saves and blocks to keep the Hammers in the game.
Just before the break Sadio Mane tapped in a second where the West Ham defense failed to execute the offside trap. James Milner providing a great cut back.
Half Time – Liverpool 2 – 0 West Ham
Second half was no different to the first. Mane slotted home a third goal his second for the afternoon with an assist from Firmino. Replay showed the linesman missed out the off side.
West Ham hardly looked threatening and Manuel Pellegrini looked to have run out of ideas.
Liverpool kept their dominance despite not having the same zip as in the first half. With Jordan Hendersson coming into the fray Liverpool looked for game management.
Daniel Sturridge then came on for Salah and with his first touch scored in from close range where West Ham failed to mark the far post.
Xherdan Shaqiri, along with Naby Kieta and Alisson all getting their Reds debut as Liverpool got their 500th Premier League win.
Full Time – Liverpool 4 – 0 West Ham
Goal Scorers
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah 19’, Sadio Mane 45+2’ & 52’, Daniel Sturridge 88’
Bookings
Yellow Cards
Liverpool – Alexander Arnold 21’
West Ham – Michail Antonio 52’, Fabian Balbuena 55’
Man City stroll to win over Arsenal
Manchester City got their title defence off to an impressive start beating Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates, justifying their tag of favourites to retain the Premier League.
Raheem Sterling got the defending champions off to a brilliant start when he smashed a shot home from the edge of the box, after creating space for himself with great footwork.
Leicester City beaten by Manchester United in season opener
Manchester United kicked off the 2018/19 English Premier League season with a 2-1 win
Petr Cech nearly doubled the City advantage in bizarre circumstances; a clearance from a Guendouzi backpass narrowly going past his own post. Man City were electric on the counter throughout the first half, showing no signs of any world cup hangover, but Arsenal gradually grew into the game as the half progressed.
Arsenal’s best chance of the half came through Bellerin when the right back hit a powerful drive straight at Ederson, a comfortable save for a keeper of his calibre.
Half Time – Arsenal 0 – 1 Manchester City
Arsenal had more joy in the second half with the introduction of Alexander Lacazette, as the French forward helped Arsenal create more offensively though they couldn’t apply the finishing touch on more than one occasion.
City continued to threaten on the counter, with Petr Cech denying Aguero brilliantly in a 1v1 situation. It would all be in vain though as a few minutes later Mendy teed up Bernardo Silva who took his first time shot brilliantly to put City in complete command of the tie.
Aubameyang had a goal disallowed for offside and it was as close as Arsenal would go all game to pulling a goal back. The Gunners looked disjointed in attack and struggled to break down a disciplined City defence leaving Unai Emery with plenty to ponder before the Chelsea clash next week.
Full Time – Arsenal 0 – 2 Manchester City
Man of the Match – Raheem Sterling
Goal Scorers
Man City – Raheem Sterling 14′, Bernardo Silva 64′
Bookings
Yellow Cards
Arsenal – Sokratis, Xhaka
Man City – Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne
In other matches
Southampton vs Burnley
Saints kicked of the new season welcoming Burnley to the St Mary’s Stadium. The clarets who are in Europe this season finished their best last season at seventh place.
It was a subdued first half for both teams. Burnley seems to have instructions to shoot at sight as they managed 12 shots in the half however only 4 being on target. Alex McCarthy in goal was the busiest in the half.
On paper Burnley should have come through with all three points. Southampton who gave good count of themself will be happy to come out with a point.
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