Jack Grealish on the scoresheet as Manchester City thrash Norwich
Jack Grealish scored on his home debut for Manchester City as they got their season up and running with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Norwich at the Etihad Stadium.
The champions lost the Community Shield against Leicester and their Premier League opener at Tottenham without scoring, but they put the Canaries to the sword in the Manchester rain.
They got the perfect start as goalkeeper Tim Krul scored an unfortunate own goal inside the opening 10 minutes before Grealish started paying some of his £100million fee back with his first goal for the club in the 22nd minute.
Further strikes from Aymeric Laporte, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez in the second half made it a rout as City proved they might be able to survive without trying to buy Harry Kane, albeit against a team fresh out of the Championship.
Liverpool made it two wins from two at the start of their Premier League campaign as goals from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane earned them a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Anfield.
Jota, scorer of the first goal in the 3-0 win at Norwich last weekend, gave Jurgen Klopp’s men the lead with an 18th-minute header.
Mane then opened his account for 2021-22 in the 69th minute, sending a firm finish past Nick Pope.
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Norwich: ⚽️Burnley: ⚽️— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 21, 2021
Burnley, who had won 1-0 on their last visit to the ground in January to end Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten home run in the league, caused the hosts some problems but could not prevent another defeat, a week on from losing their opener 2-1 at home to Brighton.
Danny Ings scored a brilliant overhead kick to set up a deserved 2-0 victory for Aston Villa against Newcastle.
The £25million signing from Southampton, who scored on his Villa debut in the 3-2 defeat at Watford last Saturday, struck deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half after Tyrone Mings flicked on Matt Cash’s long throw.
Anwar El Ghazi doubled Villa’s lead in the 62nd minute with a perfect penalty that was awarded after referee David Coote was advised by VAR to check for handball.
Raphinha’s superb second-half finish clinched Leeds a 2-2 draw in their first home game of the season against Everton.
The Brazilian winger crashed home a second-half equaliser – his third goal in as many games against the Toffees – as Leeds twice hit back to earn their first point of the new campaign.
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first-half penalty was cancelled out by Mateusz Klich before the break and after Demarai Gray restored the visitors’ lead, Raphinha had the last word in a typically thrilling Leeds encounter.
First-half goals from Shane Duffy and Neal Maupay saw Brighton make it two wins from two matches as they saw off Watford 2-0 at the Amex Stadium.
Crystal Palace and Brentford played out an entertaining goalless draw at Selhurst Park to give new Eagles boss Patrick Vieira his first managerial point in the Premier League.