Arsenal, Liverpool Off To Winning Start In Premier League

LONDON, Aug 18 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Arsenal got their Premier League campaign off to a smooth start with a 2-0 win at home to Wolves on Saturday, with a goal in each half.

Kai Havertz nodded them in front after 25 minutes following a cross from Bukayo Saka, and the impressive England international scored the second in the 74th minute following a pass from Havertz.

Ipswich impressed for an hour on their return to the Premier League, but two goals in five minutes from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah meant Liverpool went home with all three points to give new coach Arne Slot a winning start at the club.

Southampton also impressed on their return to the elite, but returned empty-handed from their visit to Newcastle United, despite playing against 10 men for well over an hour after Fabian Schar was sent off for aggression against Southampton forward Ben Brereton Diaz, who made a meal of a head movement towards him.

Joelinton took advantage of a horrible error from Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to score the only goal of the game on the stroke of halftime and his side defended stoutly in the second half as the recently promoted team pinned them back.

Jhon Duran showed why West Ham United tried to sign him over the summer when he scored the goal that gave Aston Villa a 2-1 win at the London Stadium.

The forward ran onto a through ball to score the winning goal 11 minutes from time of an entertaining game that had seen new signing Amadou Onana head the visitors in front after just four minutes.

Lucas Paqueta equalised from the penalty spot before halftime and the game was in the balance until Duran's winner.

31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler got off to a flying start as the youngest coach in Premier League history as Brighton totally outplayed Everton at Goodison Park to win 3-0 with a first-half goal from Kaoru Mitoma, with Danny Welbeck and Simon Adingra sealing the win after the break.

Everton's misery was completed when defender Ashley Young was sent off late in the game.

Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth drew 1-1, with Chris Wood putting Forest ahead midway through the first half before Antoine Semenyo saved a point for Bournemouth in the closing minutes.

Forest suffered an important injury setback in the game when Danilo was carried off with a suspected broken ankle.

New Manchester United signing Joshua Zirkzee scored an 87th-minute winner as his team began the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Fulham. The match had been in danger of ending goalless, with missed chances threatening to cost Erik ten Hag's side.

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA