MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2018 19 Liverpool live up to title hype Two goals from Sadio Mane helped Liverpool to a campaign-starting, morale-boosting thumping of West Ham

AFP | Liverpool, United Kingdom

ohamed Salah opened his account for the We know about our Mnew campaign as Liv- expectations and erpool backed up pre-season noticed the very hype they can challenge champi- positive atmosphere ons Manchester City for the Pre- around us in the mier League title by sweeping aside West Ham 4-0 at . whole pre-season. Sadio Mane scored twice and It’s good people are Daniel Sturridge added a late positive, but the fourth in an impressive display season again will be by Jurgen Klopp’s men as £65 unbelievably hard million ($83 million) goalkeep- JURGEN KLOPP er Becker kept a clean sheet on debut. Liverpool haven’t been lead to give the score the half- crowned champions of England time reflection it deserved when since 1989/90 and finished 25 another teasing Robertson cross points behind City last season. was pulled across goal by James But after reaching the Cham- Milner and Mane left unmarked pions League final last season to side-foot home. and spending more than anyone Mane produced a fine finish else in the in for his second eight minutes af- the off-season, there is palpable ter the break after good work belief that near three-decade by Firmino, but had the lines- wait can come to an end in May. man to thank just as much for Naby Keita and the assist as he somehow wasn’t Alisson were the only debutants Sadio Mane, right, fires home Liverpool’s third goal against West Ham United at Anfield flagged offside before firing past to start from a reported £170 Fabianski. million summer splurge in the a sorry West Ham despite their League stars who returned to plest of tasks to tap home the Fabianski, who also made a bril- Former City and Real Madrid transfer market as Fabinho and own near £100 million outlay on training just last week after their opener into an empty net on 19 liant save to turn Trent Alexan- boss Manuel Pellegrini is used to had to make do nine new players. exertions in Russia. minutes from Andy Robertson’s der-Arnold’s free-kick behind. competing at the top of the table. with a place on the bench. Salah and Mane’s pain at in- pinpoint cross after he was freed Fabianski was by far the busier Yet, despite the vast invest- However, there was little tink- ternational level was Liverpool’s Salah starts over down the left by the impressive ‘keeper with Alisson making just ment in the East Londoners, on ering for Klopp to do up front gain as early exits at the World A revelation in his first season Keita. one comfortable save and im- this evidence Pellegrini will do after Salah, Mane and Roberto Cup with Egypt and Senegal at Anfield with 44 goals in all Salah should have had more pressing far more with his feet well to better West Ham’s 13th- Firmino combined for 91 goals meant they could join the club’s competitions, Salah is now a as he was well picked out by a to launch a series of Liverpool placed finish last season as the last season, and they again pro- pre-season tour of the United marked man. bursting run by Firmino only to attacks. visitors were happy to limit the vided the firepower to outclass States, unlike a host of Premier Yet, he was given the sim - place his shot too close to Lukasz The hosts finally doubled their damage after the break.

Pogba tight-lipped fearing fine Scottish Premiership Rangers 2 0 St. Mirren told the British press after the St. Johnstone 1 1 Hibernian AFP | London Leicester match in a rare oc- casion he has stopped to speak French Ligue 1 aul Pogba added fuel to ru- with them. Lyon 2 0 Amiens Pmours of his deteriorating Pogba, who was given the cap- relationship with Manchester taincy by Mourinho on Friday, Bordeaux 0 2 Strasbourg Paris United manager Jose Mourin- summed up what it meant for Saint-Germain V Caen (20:00) ho, saying he could not express him to be happy and comfort- himself for fear of being fined. able. The 25-year-old -- who scored “If you’re not happy, you can- a superb goal in France’s 4-2 vic- not give your best,” said Pogba. Lyon win as Fekir parades tory over Croatia in the World “You have to know one thing: Cup final -- was credited with a player that gets chosen and World Cup trophy a ‘monster performance’ by is happy, you always feel more Mourinho in United’s opening comfortable than when he’s not AFP | Paris 2-1 Premier League win over happy. That’s all I say.” Leicester City on Friday. Pogba, who was dropped by ertrand Traore and Mem- However, Pogba -- who cost Mourinho for both legs of the Bphis Depay scored for United a then-world record £89 Champions League last-16 loss Lyon in a season-opening 2-0 million (105 million euros, $116 those for his club last season. World Cup because he could not to Sevilla last term, said there victory over Amiens on Sun- million) in 2016 to prise him Mourinho had implied Pogba be distracted by his entourage or were differences between play- day, as France international away from Juventus -- is known -- whose agent Mini Raiola has by his commercial obligations. ing for France and United. Nabil Fekir showed off the to be upset by Mourinho’s re- reportedly been talking with “There are things and there “I am the same, but it’s a dif- World Cup trophy to home marks about his performances Barcelona -- had flourished un- are things that I cannot say oth- ferent team, obviously,” said fans ahead of kick-off. at the World Cup compared to der Didier Deschamps at the erwise I will get fined,” Pogba Pogba. Burkina Faso forward Traore fired Lyon ahead on 24 minutes when he broke down the right side of the area and sneaked the ball through the Sevilla threaten Super Cup action against Barcelona legs of Amiens goalkeeper Re- gis Gurtner from a tight angle. Nabil Fekir parades the World Cup AFP | Tangiers, Morocco Fekir, who came on as a trophy to the Lyon fans substitute in France’s 4-2 win evilla have threatened to file against Croatia in last month’s “I’m happy to be in form. Sa complaint against Barcelo- World Cup final, was not in- I’ve never enjoyed being on na if the La Liga champions field cluded in the Lyon squad hav- the pitch as much even at Man- more than three non-EU players 3 ing only returned to training chester United or PSV,” said in Spanish Super Cup clash. Only three non-EU players on Monday. Depay, who has played a part The Spanish football feder- are allowed in squads for He scored a career-best 18 in 18 goals in his last 10 league ation (RFEF) said on Saturday Spanish league matches goals in Ligue 1 last season and games for Lyon. that there would be no restric- appeared to be on the verge of “I’m the happiest right now tions on players from outside a move to Liverpool in June and not just in football but also the EU for the Super Cup, de- before negotiations with the in my private life. I hope that’s spite only three being allowed “The club’s legal department Premier League club broke going to continue.” in squads for league matches. Barcelona’s Brazilian players (L), Malcom Oliveira and Marlon is studying the matter and down. Defending champions Par- Sevilla said they could file Santos arrive for a training session should FC Barcelona submit a Bruno Genesio’s side coped is Saint-Germain begin their a complaint if Barca name an team with more than three non- without their captain at the campaign at home to Caen “improper lineup” in Tangier, before the Super Cup,” Sevilla istered. In their last statement EU players, it would present Groupama Stadium as Dutch later on Sunday, with Gianlui- Morocco. said in a statement. for the 2018-2019 season, only possible ground for the filing star Depay made the points gi Buffon in line to make his “Sevilla FC is surprised by the “It has said that as many non- three were due to be allowed, of a complaint on account of an safe with a terrific 20-yard Ligue 1 debut following his RFEF’s announcement 24 hours EU players as desired can be reg- without exception. improper line-up.” free-kick on 75 minutes. arrival from Juventus.