Man City win over Arsenal 2-0, Liverpool smash West Ham

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Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City

Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')

Manchester City ruined the start of the Unai Emery era at Arsenal as the champions signaled their intent to retain the Premier League title with a stylish 2-0 win on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola's side swept to the title last season with a record 100 points and they were quickly back in the groove at the Emirates Stadium.

Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a clinical finish early in the first half and Bernardo Silva's thunderous strike capped a City success that served as a resounding warning to their title rivals.

No team has successfully defended the English title since Manchester United in 2008-09.

But on the evidence of this composed display, City have every chance of emulating their rivals' achievement.

Bernardo Silva of Manchester City celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0 during the Premier League match against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on August 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

"We played at a high level. We created a lot of chances. We are satisfied for many reasons," Guardiola said. "In the first half, we deserved to score two or three more."

City's excellence underlined the size of the task facing new Arsenal boss Emery as the Gunners begin life without Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal were playing a competitive match without Wenger in charge for the first time since September 1996.

Liverpool 4-0 West Ham

Salah (19'), Mané (47', 53'), Sturridge (88')

Jurgen Klopp warned much tougher challenges lie ahead of Liverpool's quest to end a near three-decade wait to win the Premier League after brushing aside West Ham 4-0 at a jubilant Anfield on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah opened his account for the season, Sadio Mane scored twice and Daniel Sturridge added a late fourth in an impressive display by Klopp's men as goalkeeper Alisson Becker, bought for 65 million pounds (83 million dollars) kept a clean sheet on debut.

"We know about our expectations and noticed the very positive atmosphere around us in the whole pre-season," said Klopp.

"It's good people are positive, but the season again will be unbelievably hard."

There was little tinkering for Klopp to do up front after Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino combined for 91 goals last season, and they again provided the firepower to outclass a sorry West Ham despite their own near £100 million outlay on nine new players.

Salah and Mane's pain at international level was Liverpool's gain as early exits at the World Cup with Egypt and Senegal meant they could join the club's pre-season tour of the United States, unlike a host of Premier League stars who returned to training just last week after their exertions in Russia.

Liverpool's Senegalese striker Sadio Mané (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and West Ham on August 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

The hosts finally doubled their lead to give the score the half-time reflection it deserved when another teasing Robertson cross was pulled across goal by James Milner and Mane left unmarked to side-foot home.

Mane produced a fine finish for his second eight minutes after the break after good work by Firmino, but had the linesman to thank just as much for the assist as he somehow wasn't flagged offside before firing past Fabianski.

Former City and Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini is used to competing at the top of the table.

Yet, despite the vast investment in the East Londoners, on this evidence Pellegrini will do well to better West Ham's 13th-placed finish last season as the visitors were happy to limit the damage after the break.

"Every time that you bring so many players it is difficult. We are just starting the season, but we need to analyze this game," said Pellegrini. "We are clear and sure that we need to improve."

Sturridge inflicted the final blow two minutes from time with his first touch after replacing Salah.

Source(s): AFP