Big guns begin with wins in contrasting Premier League openers

TITLE challengers Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal all made winning starts but in contrasting fashion on the first weekend of the Premier League season.

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Defending champions Liverpool required late drama to beat Bournemouth 4-2 on an emotional night at Anfield, City cruised to a 4-0 win at Wolves, while Arsenal fought a rearguard action to hold on to a 1-0 victory at Manchester United.

A new-look Liverpool attack already appears an upgrade on the one that fired Arne Slot’s men to the title with four games to spare last season, but an array of attacking weapons has come at a cost.

Hugo Ekitike scored and provided an assist for Cody Gakpo on his Premier League debut. But the Reds needed two late goals from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to see off the Cherries after surrendering a 2-0 lead.

The second of Antoine Semenyo’s double for Bournemouth will ring particular alarm bells for Slot, as the Ghanaian was able to gallop unchallenged from just outside his own box before firing past Alisson Becker.