Klopp wary of tough challenges
Liverpool won a seventh straight game in all competitions from the start of a season for the first time in 28 years by easing past Southampton at Anfield.
The hosts scored three first-half goals to subdue Saints into just limiting the damage after the break and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said the challenges will get “tougher and tougher” for his side.
“I wasn’t interested in the history before the game but now I like it,” the German said.
“We will try to carry on that path but it’s unbelievable what is coming up now.”
In their next four matches, Liverpool face Chelsea twice, travel to Napoli and then host Premier League champions Manchester City.
“The boys are in good shape. That helps - let’s see if we can carry on,” added Klopp.
On Saturday, the hosts took the lead after 10 minutes when Xherdan Shaqiri’s shot deflected off Shane Long and then Wesley Hoedt for a peculiar own goal. Joel Matip rose above opposing centre-back Jannik Vestergaard to head in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner and double the advantage.
Liverpool added a third just before the break as Shaqiri’s superb free-kick came down off the crossbar and Mohamed Salah turned the ball in from close range. Saints were not quite as poor as being three down at half-time suggests. However, they sat back in the second half, perhaps content not to be embarrassed - though Salah did have a goal disallowed for offside late on.
Klopp’s side go back to the top of the Premier League with their sixth straight win in the competition, and they also beat Paris St-Germain in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. Liverpool won eight straight league games and 10 in all competitions from the start the 1990-91 season.
WOLVES GRAB POINT
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes Wolves “deserved their point” and says he expected more from his attacking players in their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Joao Moutinho’s superb strike saw the newly promoted visitors continue their strong start to life in the Premier League.
The Portuguese whipped in from the edge of the area as Nuno Espirito Santo’s team matched their hosts.
Wolves were lively in the first half and unlucky to go behind as Fred netted his first goal for United - the Brazilian firing in from just inside the box after Paul Pogba’s excellent touch.
And Mourinho said the visitors “were more aggressive, had more intent and were more motivated”.
“I think the result is fair. They deserved their point and we deserve the punishment of only getting one point,” the United boss said. “The way we started we were lucky to be the first team to score. Their approach was more for a football match than ours.” United, with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson watching on during his first visit to Old Trafford since having emergency brain surgery in May, were looking for a third straight league win.
The hosts were on top after the break, but Raul Jimenez’s clever lay-off set up Moutinho for what was a deserved equaliser for the visitors.
The draw keeps Wolves one point behind Manchester United in 10th, as Mourinho’s side climb to fifth