City, Liverpool hit the ground running
LONDON, August 10
Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick as champions Manchester City made a hugely convincing start to their title defence with a 5-0 win at West Ham United today, in a game which saw heavy use of video review.
Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, preferred by Pep Guardiola to Sergio Aguero in attack, opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a deft close-range finish after a scorching burst and low cross from Kyle Walker. Sterling made it 2-0, six minutes after the interval, with a cool finish after Kevin De Bruyne had burst from midfield and fed the England forward.
Jesus then became the first player to have a goal disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the Premier League when, in the 53rd minute, he finished off Sterling's pass following a fine move. However, the VAR adjudged that Sterling was marginally offside as he ran into the box.
VAR was used again to review and eventually validate Sterling's second, when lobbed West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The video staff were busy again in the 84th minute when City were awarded a penalty for Issa Diop's foul on Riyad Mahrez. Substitute Aguero's penalty soft penalty was saved but VAR ruled that Declan Rice was encroaching into the box and referee Mike Dean ordered a re-take — which the Argentine scored before Sterling completed his hat-trick in stoppage time.
"It was important to get three points, a clean sheet. At 2-0, they have a chance. Overall for the first game it is an incredible result." Guardiola said.
Liverpool thump Norwich
European champions Liverpool made an emphatic start to the new Premier League season by scoring three times in the opening half an hour as they taught promoted Norwich City a harsh lesson with a 4-1 thrashing at Anfield on Friday. The unfortunate Grant Hanley scored an own goal before Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi netted before halftime, with Norwich scoring through Teemu Pukki just after the hour. — Reuters
Ole needs fast start to dispel doubts
Manchester: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists he does not perceive fans' frustration over the Red Devils business in the transfer window, but needs a fast start to the new Premier League season against Chelsea on Sunday to turn the tide of opinion at Old Trafford. Frank Lampard will take charge of his first competitive game in charge of Chelsea, but while some of the pressure on the Blues' record goalscorer to make an instant impact has been eased to due a transfer ban this summer, Solskjaer's honeymoon period is over. — AFP
