SM
Sports Mole words bigger AMP 2
Arsenal vs. Man City: 4 hrs 16 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
NL
Norwich logo
Premier League | Gameweek 1
Aug 14, 2021 at 5.30pm UK
Carrow Road
LL
Liverpool logo

Norwich
0 - 3
Liverpool


Cantwell (53')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Jota (26'), Firmino (65'), Salah (74')
Milner (25')

Mohamed Salah stars as Liverpool ease to victory at Norwich

:Headline: Mohamed Salah stars as Liverpool ease to victory at Norwich:
The Reds spoiled the party at Carrow Road to claim a comfortable 3-0 win.
Sports Mole
Mohamed Salah stars as Liverpool ease to victory at Norwich

Mohamed Salah claimed two assists and scored Liverpool's third to help them start the new season with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Norwich.

The hosts were in celebratory mood ahead of kick-off after clinching the Sky Bet Championship title in May but Jurgen Klopp's side showed their class with Diogo Jota breaking the deadlock in the first half.

Substitute Roberto Firmino doubled their advantage not long after coming on and Salah wrapped up an impressive first showing from the Reds with a record-breaking strike, becoming the first player to score in five consecutive opening weekends of the Premier League season.

Fans were able to sell out Carrow Road for the first time in 18 months and the Canaries were also back in the Premier League having been relegated and then promoted again during the ensuing period.

It was party time inside the stadium for the Norwich faithful but for Liverpool it was a case of back to business, with Virgil Van Dijk in the starting XI 10 months on from his anterior cruciate ligament injury and this was step one on their quest to winning back their title.

Klopp's men had relinquished the championship in disappointing fashion last season but a strong finish – where they won their last five games – secured Champions League football and after they weathered an initial storm from the hosts in Norfolk they picked up where they left off.

Goalkeeper Tim Krul had to deny Jota and Salah during the opening exchanges, while the latter narrowly volleyed wide with 23 minutes on the clock after a slick move which involved Sadio Mane, the other member of the front three.

Norwich had also posed questions and Teemu Pukki called Alisson Becker into action with a near-post strike but it was not long before Liverpool opened their account for the season in the 26th minute.

Trent Alexander-Arnold produced a trademark deep cross and while Salah's touch appeared to be designed to create an opportunity for himself, it split Norwich's two centre-backs Ben Gibson and Grant Hanley perfectly and Jota did not need a second invitation to rifle past Krul from 12 yards.

It was almost 2-0 eight minutes later but Pierre Lees-Melou, one of three debutants for the hosts, was able to clear Joel Matip's goal-bound effort after his block from Salah's volley had contributed towards Krul's goal being vacated.

The Canaries were on the ropes at the start of the second period, with Max Aarons and Hanley forced to make crucial interventions to thwart more damage being done to the score.

Roberto Firmino celebrates with Virgil van Dijk after scoring their side's second goal (Joe Giddens/PA)

Jota had looked in the mood all night and a dribble from his own penalty area to the opposition's was only ended by a cynical tackle from Todd Cantwell, who received a booking for the foul but curiously it helped raise the decibel levels inside Carrow Road.

Now it was Norwich's turn to enjoy a sustained spell of pressure with full-back Dimitris Giannoulis making several lung-busting runs down the left and Lees-Melou's scuffed effort enough to force Klopp into a change.

Firmino and Fabinho were summoned and the former did not need long to make his mark with the second goal after 65 minutes.

The substitute collected Konstantinos Tsimikas' pass and found Mane, who saw a shot blocked by home captain Hanley but Salah spotted his fellow forward unmarked at the back post and squared for Firmino to tap in from close range.

After registering a second assist of the match, Salah was finally in the goals with 16 minutes left.

Left-back Tsimikas had experienced an eventful full league debut for the Reds deputising for the injured Andrew Robertson, but atoned for an error minutes earlier when his corner was partially cleared to the edge of the area where Salah controlled before rifling the ball high into the net to make it 3-0.

Klopp was able to introduce teenager Harvey Elliott late on, while Van Dijk completed the whole match on his return to competitive action to make it a perfect opening matchday for Liverpool.

Norwich did not lack effort but had no answer to the quality of the visitors and Alisson even denied them a consolation during the final exchanges with a superb save to deny Gibson.

body check tags ::

amp_article__459438 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-08-14 18:49:17:
html db last update - 2021-08-14 18:49:17 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Saturday's Premier League predictions including Manchester United vs. Leeds
Rashford to Villa: What are the details surrounding the high-profile January deal?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool23175156213556
2Arsenal23138244212347
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Manchester CityMan City23125647301741
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
6Chelsea23117545301540
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Aston Villa2410773437-337
9Fulham249963632436
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2481063538-334
11Brentford2394104240231
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd2385102832-429
13Crystal Palace236982630-427
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2376102844-1627
15Everton236892328-526
16Tottenham HotspurSpurs2373134637924
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

A complete guide to transfer deadline day: Who could be on the move? When do the windows shut?

1

AC
A complete guide to transfer deadline day: Who could be on the move? When do the windows shut?

Rashford replacement: Man United 'consider shock move' for Premier League forward

2

RR
Rashford replacement: Man United 'consider shock move' for Premier League forward

Rudiger blow confirmed: Real Madrid injury, suspension news vs. Leganes

NEW

3

RB
Rudiger blow confirmed: Real Madrid injury, suspension news vs. Leganes

Rudiger injury confirmed: How many Real Madrid matches will he miss?

4

RI
Rudiger injury confirmed: How many Real Madrid matches will he miss?

Rashford to Villa: What are the details surrounding the high-profile January deal?

5

RT
Rashford to Villa: What are the details surrounding the high-profile January deal?

Following the Sancho path? Chelsea youngster 'in talks' with European giants

6

FT
Following the Sancho path? Chelsea youngster 'in talks' with European giants

Sunday's Premier League predictions including Arsenal vs. Man City

7

SP
Sunday's Premier League predictions including Arsenal vs. Man City

Malacia's Man Utd exit 'collapses': What now for the 99-minute man?

8

MM
Malacia's Man Utd exit 'collapses': What now for the 99-minute man?

Sunday's Serie A predictions including AC Milan vs. Inter Milan

9

SS

Sunday's La Liga predictions including Barcelona vs. Alaves

10

SL
1x1


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .