LONDON — There were wins for Liverpool and Arsenal and records for the prolific Mohamed Salah and the enduring James Milner on the first day of the Premier League season.
Liverpool´s new era under Arne Slot began with a 2-0 victory over promoted Ipswich, with Salah netting the second to take his tally of goals in the opening round of a Premier League season to nine – breaking a tie he had with English soccer greats Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Frank Lampard.
Arsenal, runner-up in the league for the past two seasons, also won 2-0 at home to Wolverhampton thanks to goals by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Egyptian winger Salah has consistently dazzled fans and opponents alike with his lightning-quick speed, skill, and clinical finishing
Salah went from provider to scorer five minutes later with a smart finish and it proved enough to ensure Slot made a triumphant start with a 2-0 win on the road.
By netting Liverpool’s second, the Egypt star took his tally of goals in the opening round of a Premier League season to nine.
Salah previously shared the record of eight goals with Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer.
Salah marked his 350th appearance for the Reds by assisting Diogo Jota’s opener before netting himself as they began life after Jurgen Klopp with victory at Portman Road.
Salah, whose contract runs out at the end of this season and needs resolving, marked his 350th Liverpool appearance by taking his goal involvements tally to 300 (212 goals, 88 assists). He has also scored nine goals on the opening of a Premier League season.
Arne Slot said that Salah can play for many years due to the care he puts into looking after his body. Slot’s remarks came after the 32-year-old Egyptian scored and assisted to help Liverpool to a convincing 2-0 win at newly-promoted Ipswich.
And new Reds head coach Slot, who joined from Feyenoord to replace Klopp this summer, said: ‘If I see what (Salah) does to keep his body as it is to be ready to play every game, then I think there are many more years inside of him to play.
“But I’m looking now at Brentford (the next game) and not at the end of the season! I don’t believe in individuals, I believe more in the team. Mo can score goals because of good runs from other players or because of buildups from the team. So I think Mo also needs the team.’
“It was quite tough, to be fair. The weather is really warm but it’s a tough team and I’m glad that we won the game,” Salah told TNT Sports TV.
“I am always happy to make the difference for the team, that’s the most important thing, that the team won the game, so we just need to carry on,” added Salah, who took his Liverpool goal involvement tally for all competition to 300.
Salah said that Liverpool expected a tough outing considering Ipswich were making their Premier League bow after a long absence from the top-flight.
“First game of the season, the crowd is always up and they always push them forward. It’s quite tough; we knew that before the game – we have played for many years now in the Premier League so we have that experience. So, yeah, we expected a tough game.”
Salah is at a loss to explain why he has done so well on the opening day of the season. “I don’t know,” Salah exclaimed when quizzed about his record in first matches of the term.
“Hopefully I’ll keep going like this through the whole season, not just the first game! I try to help the team all the time.
“The most important thing is that the team wins the game. I’m always happy to score goals and to give assists so I just need to carry on.”
Slot got off to a winning Premier League start as Liverpool manager thanks to two quickfire goals from Diogo Jota and Salah in a 2-0 win at newly-promoted Ipswich.
Salah set up Jota for the game’s first goal before clipping the ball into the net a few minutes later to etch his name on another milestone in the annals of EPL.
Salah steers clear of Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Frank Lampard to become EPL’s most lethal opening-day marksman.
The goal ensured an encouraging start to the new era at Liverpool, with Arne Slot at the helm.
Slot has the unenviable task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but the Dutchman will have been heartened by a commanding second-half performance.
Ipswich was riding the crest of a wave after back-to-back promotions and a return to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.
Celebrity fan and minority owner Ed Sheeran was in attendance at Portman Road, although the singer-songwriter had to leave at halftime to attend a gig in Serbia.
Sheeran saw the best of the Tractor Boys, who were far from overawed by their illustrious opponents early on.
Omari Hutchinson had a shot blocked inside two minutes before Jacob Greaves headed the best chance of the first half too close to Alisson Becker.
Slot is the only new face at Anfield as Liverpool are the only side in the Premier League yet to make a signing in the transfer window.
The need for some fresh faces was shown in a sloppy and slow first 45 minutes on the ball.
However, Slot’s halftime team talk did the trick as the Reds were a different side after the break and could have ran out far more convincing winners.
Greaves needed to make a vital clearance to prevent Salah’s effort from curling in at the far corner.
But Liverpool also had a narrow escape as a potential penalty for a Virgil van Dijk push on Liam Delap was ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up.
Luis Diaz missed a glorious chance to open the scoring when he scooped over from close range after wonderful play from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai to tee up the Colombian.
Alexander-Arnold’s teasing cross was then headed wide by Jota with the goal gaping.
Liverpool’s pressure finally told on the hour mark as another defence-splitting pass from Alexander-Arnold opened up Ipswich and Salah unselfishly squared for Jota to make amends for his earlier miss.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 as Salah pounced to score for the ninth time on the opening weekend of the season for Liverpool after a one-two with Szoboszlai.
Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton made a string of saves in the closing stages, notably from Salah and Conor Bradley, to prevent a more embarrassing opening-day defeat.
Kieran McKenna’s men had been unbeaten at home in the league for nearly 12 months.
But Ipswich was given an early lesson in the gulf in quality between the Championship and Premier League.
Things will not get any easier for Ipswich next weekend when they travel to defending champions Manchester City.
Liverpool, on the other hand, has the chance to build up some early momentum under Slot.
Either side of a trip to Manchester United next month, they face Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace in their next six Premier League games before the October international break.
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