By Martyn Herman
LONDON, England (Reuters) -Liverpool kicked off the Arne Slot era in style with a 2-0 win at Ipswich Town in their opening Premier League game on Saturday, their first competitive match without Juergen Klopp at the helm in nine years.
Dutchman Slot will be expected to lead a Liverpool title challenge, as will Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta whose side opened with a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
While Slot enjoyed an encouraging start to his reign, so did Brighton and Hove Albion’s 31-year-old Fabian Huerzeler, the Premier League’s youngest ever permanent manager, as his team won convincingly 3-0 at 10-man Everton.
Manchester United opened the new top-flight season on Friday with a 1-0 home defeat of Fulham while Manchester City, bidding for a record-extending fifth successive English title, begin against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Klopp may be gone, but the key components of his team remain, including Mohamed Salah who sealed the points at Portman Road on his 350th appearance for the club in all competitions.
The 32-year-old Egyptian’s close-range finish from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass, five minutes after Diogo Jota’s opener, was his ninth goal on the opening weekend of a Premier League season, more than any other player.
“If I see what he does to keep his body as it is and to be ready to play every game, I think there are many more years inside of him to play,” Slot said of Liverpool’s talisman.
“But if you’re OK with it, I am looking now at Brentford and not at the end of the season!”
Ipswich were playing their first top-flight game since 2002 after back-to-back promotions and held their own for an hour in front of a vociferous Portman Road crowd.
“I am proud. I think there are so many positives which we can build on for the season,” manager Kieran McKenna said. “Of course most of those positives were in the first half, where there was so much to like about us that we’re going to need.”
LONG WAIT
Arsenal ended last season on 89 points but are still searching for their first league title for 20 years.
They are tipped to be City’s biggest rivals again this season and began with a rather laboured 2-0 win against Wolves with Bukayo Saka assisting the opener for Kai Havertz and then wrapping up the points late on.
“I think we had certain problems. Especially in the second half. It’s part of the game,” manager Mikel Arteta said.
“We will be better.”
Aston Villa opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory at West Ham Ham United with Amadou Onana scoring four minutes into his Villa debut and Jhon Duran netting the late winner.
“He was very mature, responsible and intelligent,” Villa manager Unai Emery said of Onana. “I think this is the first step we need. The adaptation is going to be long, because there are a lot of things we want to get out of him, but his potential is most important.”
West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta scored from the penalty spot in the first half before Duran’s 79th-minute goal sent the Hammers to their 16th opening-day loss — at least four more than any other club.
Everton’s final season at their 132-year-old Goodison Park stadium began in woeful fashion as Brighton took the points with goals by Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra.
The hosts had veteran right back Ashley Young sent off midway through the second half.
Newcastle United were also forced to play with 10 men from the 17th minute after Fabian Schar was sent off for violent conduct against promoted Southampton but they managed a 1-0 win thanks to a Joelinton goal.
The decision to send off Schar was confirmed by VAR with the explanation posted on the Premier League’s Match Centre feed on X — a new feature this season.
Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 at home to Bournemouth as they conceded an 86th-minute leveller scored by Antoine Semenyo.
Forest also suffered an injury blow with midfielder Danilo taken off on a stretcher with a suspected broken ankle.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, additional reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
