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LONDON (Reuters) – Champions Liverpool and Leicester City maintained their winning starts in the Premier League on Sunday as the second weekend of the new season produced a flurry of goals.
Sadio Mane scored two goals just after the break to give Liverpool a 2-0 win over Chelsea, who played half the game with 10 men after Danish defender Andreas Christensen was sent off.
Mane’s second goal came after a terrible mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, fueling speculation that the London club will confirm the signing of Rennes cap Edouard Mendy.
Leicester joined Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton with six points from two games as they beat Burnley 4-2 to bring the goal tally from the weekend’s eight Premier League games to a staggering 39.
Burnley took the lead through Chris Wood, but goals from Harvey Barnes, Erik Pieters, James Justin and Dennis Praet earned Leicester the victory to put them atop the standings on goal difference.
Earlier on Sunday, Son Heung-min scored four times, all thanks to assists from Harry Kane, as Tottenham Hotspur also rallied a goal against to take the winners 5-2 at Southampton.
Kane also scored a goal of his own.
“I wouldn’t have scored four goals without this guy (Kane). He’s incredible. Four assists, he deserved the man of the game today,” South Korean forward Son said.
He rounded out an exciting weekend for Tottenham, who on Saturday confirmed that Welsh forward Gareth Bale had rejoined the club on loan from Real Madrid seven years after his departure.
Sunday’s other action threw cold water on Newcastle United’s opening day optimism.
After defeating West Ham United away, the Magpies hoped to continue against Brighton & Hove Albion at home, but suffered a 3-0 loss: Neal Maupay scored twice.
Liverpool had worked hard to beat Leeds United 4-3 in their opener, but they eliminated Chelsea with relative ease.
However, a boring match turned into the moment Christensen decided to push Mane to the ground after the striker burst into goal just before the break.
Christensen initially received a yellow card, but referee Paul Tierney updated it to red after a VAR check and a look at the court monitor.
“Once yellow is the first decision, you feel like it must be absolutely critical that it be a red to make a difference and I’m not sure it was,” Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said.
When Mane led Liverpool to the front in the 50th minute and then Arrizabalaga’s poor pass allowed Mane to make a tap, Chelsea was in danger of total capitulation.
They had a penalty lifeline when Liverpool’s new signing Thiago Alcantara fouled forward Timo Werner in the second half, but Jorginho’s shot was blocked by Alisson.
“This is a proper team performance, everyone had to work hard, we did it and we deserved the three points. I am very happy with that,” said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
