FOOTBALL – LIVERPOOL underlined just how hard it will be to wrench the Premier League title away from them when they started with the two most expensive signings in their history on the bench but still beat Mersey rivals Everton 2-1 yesterday.
Florian Wirtz, whose fee was an initial club record $134.66 million, kicked his heels on the sidelines for an hour while deadline day signing Alexander Isak had even less time to impress.
But Liverpool’s ‘lesser lights’ were more than up to the task with Ryan Gravenberch accepting an assist from Mohamed Salah to put his side ahead before Hugo Ekitike, another summer signing, made it 2-0 at a raucous Anfield.
Idrissa Gueye did pull a goal back for Everton but Arne Slot’s side held on to make it five wins from five games at the end of a week in which they also kicked off their Champions League campaign with a dramatic 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid.
“You could see how well we can play if we are fresh -- the first 45 minutes, unbelievable, the way we played,” Slot said.
“But the second half was more difficult because of Everton, of course, but also because we ran a bit out of energy. But we didn’t run out of mentality.”
Tottenham Hotspur moved second with 10 points as they recovered from a two-goal deficit at Brighton & Hove Albion to draw 2-2 -- Jan Paul van Hecke’s own goal handing them a point.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are still seeking their first point of the season after losing 3-1 at home to promoted Leeds United while the gloom deepened at West Ham United where pre-game protests against the club’s owners were followed by a 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace that left them 18th.
Ange Postecoglou got his first point since taking over as Nottingham Forest manager when his side drew 1-1 at Burnley.
Meanwhile, Manchester United breathed life into their stuttering Premier League season when goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro earned them a thrilling 2-1 home victory over Chelsea.
A frantic first half got off to the worst possible start for Chelsea when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was sent off in the fifth minute for a flying lunge at Bryan Mbeumo, up-ending the United forward when he was through on goal.
&uuid=(email))