CHELSEA OFF TO A FLYING START, SPURS GET PAST NEWCASTLE

LONDON: Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri got off to a winning Premier League start as new signing Jorginho slotted home coolly from the penalty spot in a 3-0 win at Huddersfield on Saturday.

Tottenham also made light of discontent over their lack of summer transfer activity by resisting a l ate Newcastle onslaught to win 2-1 at St. James’s Park thanks to goals from Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli. Watford, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace also picked up 2-0 wins on the opening weekend of the season.

Chelsea have endured a turbulent pre-season with Sarri sworn in to replace fellow Italian Antonio Conte less than a month before the campaign got underway.

The Londoners also smashed their transfer record and set a new world record fee for a goalkeeper in splashing 80 million euros on Kepa Arrizbalaga this week after Thibaut Courtois departed for Real Madrid. But the young Basque ‘keeper was rarely troubled in recording a clean sheet as the visitors’ greater quality told at the John Smith’s Stadium after a slow start.

Crucially Chelsea have held on to Eden Hazard, but while the Belgian was only deemed fit enough for a place on the bench following his World Cup exertions, N’golo Kante was thrown straight into the side after starring in Russia for world champions France.

PIQUE ANNOUNCES END OF SPAIN CAREER

BARCELONA: Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has confirmed he will not play again for Spain despite his former Barca coach Luis Enrique being appointed as coach. Pique declared his intention to quit international football after the 2018 World Cup following a World Cup qualifier against Albania in October 2016, saying he was tired of repeated criticism from supporters and the media, and that he wished “to be left in peace”.