Manchester — Manchester City picked up where they left off last season with a 2-0 win at Chelsea to begin their Premier League title defence as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United also got off to winning starts.
AFP Sports looks at three talking points from the opening weekend’s action.
Salah still top dog at new-look Liverpool
Liverpool fans spent much of the summer mourning the departure of manager Jurgen Klopp, but there was a familiar sight for the Reds as Mohamed Salah struck in a 2-0 win at Ipswich.
The Egyptian’s ninth goal on the opening weekend of the season set a Premier League record.
Salah also teed up the visitors’ opener for Diogo Jota to bring up 300 goal involvements (212 goals, 88 assists) in 350 Liverpool games.
As Liverpool adjust to life under new boss Arne Slot, the 31-year-old’s consistency could be key for a period of transition.
However, questions remain though over what Salah’s future holds with less than a year left to run on his current contract.
“If I see what he does to keep his body as it is and to be ready to play every game, I think there are many more years inside of him to play,” said Slot.
Messi-like Saka inspires Arsenal
Barely a month on from the heartbreak of losing a second consecutive Euros final with England, Bukayo Saka was thrust straight back into action by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The Spaniard got the reaction he hoped for as Saka made one goal for Kai Havertz and then blasted in a superb second to get the Gunners’ title challenge off to a winning start against Wolves.
“Bukayo had an unbelievable action to score the 2-0,” said Arteta.
“With good players it’s like that. With (Lionel) Messi, I know he’s going to come in and do that, but you can’t stop him.”
Arteta’s team selection was a statement of his desperation to dethrone City after finishing second in each of the past two seasons.
Declan Rice, William Saliba and Havertz also started despite a lack of pre-season minutes due to their involvement in the latter stages of the Euros.
City boss Pep Guardiola by contrast gave all of his players at least four weeks off to prepare for a gruelling campaign ahead.
That extra rest could prove critical come the spring, but Arteta knows Arsenal need a fast start with a difficult run of fixtures to come.
Goalkeeper conundrum adds to Chelsea’s bloated feeling
Among the over 50 players on Chelsea’s books are seven goalkeepers with an eighth set to join in Belgian teenager Mike Penders before the end of the month.
Yet, the Blues still lack an outstanding number one, which was exposed when Mateo Kovacic’s long range strike slipped through the grasp of Robert Sanchez to seal City’s victory at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s collection of other stoppers includes the world’s most expensive ever goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is back from a loan spell at Real Madrid, but failed to even make the squad for Enzo Maresca’s first match in charge.
Djordje Petrovic deputised with distinction when Sanchez was injured last season before falling back out of favour, while Filip Jorgensen had to make do with a place on the bench following his £20 million move from Villarreal last month.
Whether to stick by Sanchez is just one of the list of decisions facing Maresca going forward.
The massive challenge the Italian has to maintain harmony among such a bloated squad was exposed by Raheem Sterling’s camp issuing a public statement questioning his future after the England international was left out against City.
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Source: AFP
Picture: X/@LFC
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