Perfect starts for Liverpool, Chelsea

Liverpool and Chelsea saw off stiff resistance from Leicester and Bournemouth yesterday to continue setting a fast pace at the top of the Premier League with four wins from four games.

A huge error from £65 million ($84 million) goalkeeper Alisson Becker threatened to halt Liverpool’s early season charge, but Jurgen Klopp’s men held out for a 2-1 win at the King Power in another demonstration of their new-found defensive solidity to go with the firepower of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. Chelsea had to wait until 19 minutes from time to break down Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge before the in-form Pedro Rodriguez opened the scoring and Eden Hazard sealed the points in a 2-0 win.

At the other end of the table it was another afternoon to forget for West Ham, who remain the only Premier League side without a point, as Adama Traore snatched a 1-0 win for Wolves in stoppage time at the London stadium. Alisson learns lesson For once Salah had an off day as the Egyptian fired a glorious early chance wide and was substituted by Klopp 20 minutes from time.

Mane stepped into the breach to open the scoring with his fourth goal in as many games this season after good work by Andy Robertson before Firmino’s first of the campaign just before the break doubled the visitors’ advantage. A two-goal lead was more than Liverpool deserved, though, as for the third straight game the Reds failed to produce their free-flowing best.

Alisson more than played his part in registering clean sheets against West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brighton, but the Brazilian number one was caught trying to dribble past Kelechi Iheanacho and the Nigerian squared for Rachid Ghezzal to set up a grandstand finish. “It’s only positive that he is that good a footballer. But we all have to learn to use it in the right way still,” said Klopp of Alisson’s propensity to take risks. “That was a mistake – no goalkeeper in the world should dribble in that situation.”