Jack Grealish scored his first goal for Manchester City as the Premier League champions thrashed Norwich 5-0, while title rivals Liverpool extended their perfect start with a 2-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday.
Grealish marked his home debut following his British record £100 million ($136 million) move from Aston Villa with a close-range effort to double City’s lead in the first half.
Tim Krul’s own goal had given City the lead at the Etihad Stadium.
Aymeric Laporte, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez netted in the second half to ensure City bounced back from last weekend’s defeat at Tottenham.
City had been beaten in both of Grealish’s previous appearances, losing the Community Shield against Leicester and then slumping in their Premier League opener.
But Grealish’s first goal since January helped show Pep Guardiola’s side they can cope without Harry Kane if their prolonged pursuit of the Tottenham striker ends in failure.
Liverpool 2 – 0 Burnley
Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool’s “dreams were fulfilled” as the Reds celebrated the return of a full house at Anfield by sweeping aside Burnley 2-0 on Saturday.
Goals from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane either side of half-time extended Liverpool’s 100 percent start to the season with six points from their opening two games.
In front of a first capacity crowd since March 2020, an emotional pre-match tribute was paid to former players who passed away over the past 17 months as well as Andrew Devine, the 97th victim of the Hillsborough disaster, who died in July.
Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to win the title in the time while football was forced behind closed doors by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Everybody was really looking forward to this football fest today and nobody leaves this place with any kind of disappointment,” said Klopp. “Our dreams were fulfilled atmosphere wise.”
Burnley ended Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield in the Premier League on their last visit in January, which gave way to a club record six straight home defeats for the Reds in a difficult season blighted by a series of injuries to key players.
Sean Dyche’s men are still without a point from their opening two games, compounding fears for their future in the top flight after a summer of little investment from the club’s new American owners.
PHOTO/COURTESY
AFP
