Liverpool, Arsenal win as Salah, Milner set records

London, August 17

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There were wins for Liverpool and Arsenal and records for the prolific Mohamed Salah and the enduring James Milner on the first Saturday of the Premier League season.

Liverpool’s new era under Arne Slot began with a 2-0 victory over promoted Ipswich, with Salah netting the second to take his tally of goals in the opening round of a Premier League season to nine — breaking a tie he had with English greats Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Frank Lampard.

Arsenal, runner-up in the league for the past two seasons, also won 2-0 at home to Wolverhampton thanks to goals by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.

Liverpool and Arsenal are widely expected to be the biggest threats to champions Manchester City in their bid for a record-extending fifth straight English top-flight title. City open their title defence at Chelsea on Sunday, with the season having been launched Friday by Manchester United beating Fulham 1-0. Netherlands striker Joshua Zirkzee marked his debut for Manchester United by coming off the bench and scoring an 87th-minute goal.

In other matches on Saturday, Newcastle overcame a 28th-minute red card to Fabian Schar for a headbutt to beat Southampton 1-0 through Joelinton’s goal and Everton also had a player sent off, Ashley Young, in their 0-3 loss at home to Brighton.

Brighton’s team featured Milner, who — at 38 — was starting his 23rd season in the Premier League, beating the record of 22 he held jointly with Man United great Ryan Giggs. Milner is seven years older than his manager, Fabian Hurzeler, who had a winning start to English football after moving from German team St. Pauli.

Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Bournemouth in a match that featured a serious-looking leg injury to Forest’s Brazilian midfielder Danilo, who was carried off on a stretcher early after screens were put up around him while he received treatment. — AP