$190m recruit ignites City's title defence

3 years ago 381

Manchester City's Jack Grealish closed his eyes, looked toward the sky, and stuck his scale fingers into his ears.

A extremity solemnisation astir famously performed by Netherlands prima Memphis Depay astir apt didn't halt the England planetary proceeding the chant of "Super Jack Grealish" that was ringing astir Etihad Stadium past night.

Manchester City mightiness conscionable person a caller fans' favourite.

Scoring scruffy tap-ins against a squad similar Norwich wasn't the crushed wherefore the Premier League champions spent a British-record interest of $190 cardinal connected the England planetary during the offseason.

There is plentifulness much to travel from Grealish — astir notably connected the Champions League signifier wherever helium has been hopeless to execute for truthful agelong — but it's not a atrocious start.

Jack Grealish of Manchester City celebrates scoring their team's 2nd extremity during the Premier League lucifer betwixt Manchester City and Norwich City astatine Etihad Stadium connected August 21, 2021 successful Manchester, England. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty Images) (Getty)

Grealish marked his location debut for City by scoring the 2nd extremity successful a 5-0 thrashing of Norwich, the heaviest triumph truthful acold successful a league run that is conscionable halfway done its 2nd round.

He mightiness not person scored an uglier extremity — a transverse from Gabriel Jesus went done a assemblage of players, struck a amazed Grealish connected the wrong of his near leg, and dribbled implicit the enactment — but they each count.

Grealish surely looked similar helium enjoyed it.

Much tougher tests await for City, but the mode the champions overran Norwich showed they mightiness beryllium starting to find their signifier aft a disappointing commencement to the play astatine Tottenham, where they mislaid 1-0 past weekend.

Players of Manchester City observe their side's archetypal goal, an ain extremity by Tim Krul of Norwich City (not pictured) during the Premier League lucifer betwixt Manchester City and Norwich City astatine Etihad Stadium connected August 21, 2021 successful Manchester, England. (Photo by Manchester City FC/Manchester City FC via Getty Image (Getty)

Second-half goals by Aymeric Laporte and substitutes Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez completed a triumph that was acceptable connected its mode by an own-goal from Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul.

"Still we are not successful our apical (form)," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "Still we person galore things to do."

Two teams person started with 2 consecutive victories and 1 of them is among City's large rivals for the title.

Liverpool bushed Burnley 2-0 done goals by Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane. That came a week aft its 3-0 triumph astatine Norwich, whose instrumentality to the apical formation couldn't person gotten disconnected to a tougher start.

Liverpool present goes to the apical spot connected the table.

Brighton is the different squad with six points aft beating Watford 2-0.

Diogo Jota of Liverpool celebrates scoring with squad mate Sadio Mane during the Premier League lucifer betwixt Liverpool and Burnley astatine Anfield connected August 21, 2021 successful Liverpool, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Image (Getty)

FULL HOUSE

Since the past clip determination was a afloat location astatine Anfield — successful March 2020 — Liverpool has won the league rubric for the archetypal clip successful 30 years and relinquished it to Man City.

Liverpool's fans were backmost successful unit and determination was thing of a celebratory ambiance against Burnley, which had claimed a daze triumph successful the aforesaid fixture past play to extremity Liverpool's 68-game unbeaten tally astatine Anfield successful the league.

Jota scored for the 2nd consecutive crippled to enactment Liverpool up and Mane converted a walk from Trent Alexander-Arnold to seal the 3 points.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp expressed his interest aft the crippled astir the directive that looks to beryllium pushing referees to fto games travel much this play and truthful impact less interruptions by VAR. He was unhappy astir assertive challenges by Burnley's players.

"Watch wrestling if you similar these benignant of things," Klopp said.

BRIGHTON IMPRESSING

Shane Duffy marked his instrumentality to Brighton's squad by mounting up the triumph implicit Watford with a thumping header.

It was the archetypal Premier League extremity since November 2019 for the Ireland halfway back, who spent past play connected indebtedness astatine Celtic aft making conscionable 12 starts successful 2 years nether Graham Potter astatine Brighton.

Brighton and Hove Albion's Neal Maupay (centre) celebrates scoring their side's 2nd extremity of the crippled with team-mates during the Premier League lucifer astatine the AMEX Stadium, Brighton. Picture date: Saturday August 21, 2021. (Photo by Kieran Cleeves/PA Images via Getty Images) (Getty)

Neal Maupay latched onto Yves Bissouma's interception for his 2nd extremity successful arsenic galore games, with Brighton having started with a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph astatine Burnley. Maupay was forced retired of enactment astatine halftime with a suspected enarthrosis injury.

SPECTACULAR INGS

Aston Villa utilized the funds raised by the merchantability of Grealish to bargain Danny Ings from Southampton successful the offseason, and the striker has made an awesome commencement with his caller club.

He scored with a stunning bicycle footwear successful first-half stoppage clip to assistance Villa bushed Newcastle 2-0. Ings besides netted, via a precocious penalty, successful Villa's nonaccomplishment astatine Watford past weekend.

Anwar El Ghazi converted a punishment for Villa's 2nd extremity against Newcastle, which has slumped to consecutive losses.

Leeds doubly came from down to gully 2-2 with Everton, portion Brentford remained unbeaten successful its archetypal top-flight run since 1947 aft drafting 0-0 astatine Crystal Palace.

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