Slot extends perfect Liverpool start

Arne Slot extended his perfect start as Liverpool manager with a 2-0 win against Brentford on his Anfield debut, while Noni Madueke hit a hat-trick and then apologised for a social media slur as Chelsea crushed Wolves 6-2 on Sunday.

Slot was serenaded by Liverpool fans before kick-off and goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah ensured the mood remained upbeat as Liverpool made it two successive victories under their new boss.

The 45-year-old was taking charge of his first Premier League home game after opening his reign with a 2-0 win at Ipswich last weekend.

Slot was hired from Feyenoord to replace Jurgen Klopp after the German stepped down at the end of last term following nine successful years at Anfield.

The early signs are promising for Slot as he looks to build on the foundations laid by Klopp, who bowed out with a third-placed finish in the Premier League and a League Cup final victory last season.

In front of an Anfield league record crowd of 60,107, Liverpool took the lead in the 13th minute with a blistering break that climaxed with Diaz taking Diogo Jota’s pass and firing high into the net.

Salah put the result beyond doubt in the 70th minute, cleverly adjusting his body position to dink his shot into the far corner from 12 yards after Dominik Szoboszlai tenaciously won possession in midfield.

“I think Liverpool fans saw these performances under Jurgen Klopp many times. I want to see everybody sprinting back and doing everything they can to avoid conceding a goal and that’s what we did very well today,” Slot said.

“If you keep on insisting in what you do, the execution becomes better. Brentford didn’t have the legs anymore to defend us.”

Slot will get his first taste of a Liverpool grudge match next weekend when his team travel to bitter rivals Manchester United.

“Brentford made it very tough for us today but I am not expecting them in the top six this season so we have to improve to make sure we can do it against teams that can end up in the top six,” he said.

At Molineux, Chelsea made the perfect start after just 98 seconds when Matheus Cunha could only flick his attempted clearance from a corner towards Nicolas Jackson, who was left unmarked to head in from six yards.

Jackson’s goal infuriated Wolves fans already angry with Chelsea after Madueke posted and then deleted a critical review of Wolverhampton just hours before kick-off.

Madueke shared his location, which was Wolverhampton, in the post, which read “this place is s**t”.

He was more diplomatic after the match, saying: “I just want to apologise to everyone that I might have offended. It is just a human mistake, an accident.

“It wasn’t meant to be out on my socials like that. I’m sure Wolverhampton is a nice town and I’m sorry.”

– Chelsea run riot –
Cunha equalised in the 27th minute and after Cole Palmer restored Chelsea’s advantage in the 45th minute, Jorgen Strand Larsen dragged Wolves level again.

But Palmer found Madueke in the 49th minute and his shot deflected past Wolves keeper Jose Sa.

Madueke struck again nine minutes later, slotting a composed finish through Sa’s legs.

The 22-year-old completed his treble with a carbon copy of his two previous goals, once again finishing off another Palmer assist to silence the Wolves boo-boys.

Joao Felix came off the bench to cap the rout in the 80th minute following his permanent move from Atletico Madrid earlier in the week.

After a 2-0 loss against Manchester City last weekend in his first game since arriving from Leicester, this was Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s first Premier League win with the Blues.

At the Vitality Stadium, Newcastle rescued a controversial 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.

Newcastle trailed when Joelinton carelessly lost possession and Antoine Semenyo’s low cross was touched in by Marcus Tavernier in the 37th minute.

Eddie Howe’s team equalised in the 76th minute as Harvey Barnes floated in a cross that Anthony Gordon slotted home from close range.

Bournemouth were furious to be denied a stoppage-time winner when VAR ruled Dango Ouattara had handled before heading in.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said: “It’s very difficult to digest. It’s obvious what happened. We should have won the game.

“The ball touched his shoulder. The referee could not do anything else, someone call him and said he have to disallow it. No-one will remember this in two weeks. I’m very frustrated.”