Liverpool maintains 100% record

FOOTBALL

LONDON: English Premier League champion Liverpool maintained its 100% start to the season with a 31 win against Arsenal at Anfield yesterday leaving it level on nine points with pacesetters Everton and Leicester City.

Arsenal took the lead, totally against the run of play, in the 25th minute when Alexandre Lacazette scored.

However, Liverpool responded three minutes later through Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson just before the break.

New Liverpool signing Diogo Jota, the Portuguese forward signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers, marked his debut from the bench with the goal in the 88th minute that made sure of the win.

‘‘[We were] dominant against a team in form and careful as hell that we did not get caught on the counterattack,’’ Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.

‘‘Alisson had to make one save. They had two chances in behind but apart from that the football we played was exceptional tonight,’’ he added.

The Gunners, who won their first two games, have now gone 28 matches without a win away from home against ‘‘Big Six’’ opposition but manager Mikel Arteta saw signs of improvement.

‘‘We were in the game for a big part of the game. The reality is they are superior to us in many aspects. You could see that in some phases,’’ the Spaniard said.

Aston Villa moved into the top four after it strolled to a 30 win at Fulham thanks to goals from Jack Grealish, Conor Hourihane and Tyrone Mings in a lopsided contest.

The result left Villa, which narrowly avoided relegation from the top flight last season, fourth on a maximum six points from two games while promoted Fulham is bottom with no points after a third successive defeat. — Reuters