EPL : Leicester kenduri gol di St Mary

LEICESTER City mencipta sejarah dalam Liga Perdana Inggeris selepas membelasah Southampton 9-0 di St Mary untuk melonjak ke tangga kedua liga, awal pagi tadi.

Kemenangan terbesar di tempat lawan sebelum itu ialah lapan gol, rekod dimiliki tiga kelab. Ia juga menyaksikan kali pertama pasukan lawan menjaringkan sembilan gol dalam Liga Perdana menyamai catatan Manchester United di Old Trafford yang menewaskan Ipswich Town pada 1995.

Juara 2016 itu kini meraih 20 mata daripada 10 perlawanan, permulaan terbaik mereka dalam kempen liga yang menyaksikan The Foxes ketinggalan hanya lima mata di belakang pendahulu, Liverpool dan satu mata mengatasi Manchester City yang berkelebihan satu perlawanan.

Hatrik Ayoze Perez dan Jamie Vardy serta jaringan Youri Tielemans, Ben Chilwell dan James Maddison melengkapkan kekalahan terbesar Southampton di tempat sendiri dalam sejarah 133 tahun kelab itu.

"Saya sangat bangga dengan pasukan,” kata pengurus Leicester, Brendan Rodgers. "Menang sembilan gol satu pencapaian mengagumkan di tempat lawan.

Huddersfield 0-3 Chelsea | Maurizio Sarri perfect start to EPL season

• Chelsea took the lead through an unlikely source with N'Golo Kante arriving at the back post to volley home
• Steve Mounie almost drew level but hit the post before Marcos Alonso went down in the box to win a penalty
• Jorginho showed real composure to stroke in from the spot for his debut Chelsea goal and to double the lead
• Pedro put the game out of sight and sealed the three points after combining with Eden Hazard to score

Hard to argue with a start like this for Maurizio Sarri. Three goals away from home, a definitive performance from his keynote signing, Jorginho, and a joyful cameo from Eden Hazard.

Those highlights only told part of the story, however. Chelsea, by the end, had demonstrated much that was commendable, principally the result. Yet they are very much a work in progress, a prototype and with this a stuttering test drive. At times the engine did splutter into life and you could see how impressive they might be.

'If you looked at the result, you can think it was an easy game,' said Sarri. 'But the first half was hard. We were in trouble for 15 minutes against a physical team. We are not a physical team. And the best of the game [for us] was to suffer for that period.' 

EPL : No signings, no problem -SPURS

Tottenham have just become the first Premier League club not to make a summer signing since the transfer window was introduced in 2003, but they have nine World Cup semifinalists and their squad certainly looked competitive at St James' Park.

Five of those players were fit enough to start with Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Harry Kane giving Spurs a formidable spine to Mauricio Pochettino's side.

It didn't take long for Spurs' star internationals to make an impact as Vertonghen and Alli both scored inside the opening 20 minutes, either side of a header from Joselu.

Lloris also made important interventions as the game wore on, while Mousa Dembele was introduced off the bench.

Tottenham's opponents had a rather busier offseason, bringing in seven players -- including a couple who were on loan at the club last season.

Dele Alli score second goal

However, Rafa Benitez left four of his new faces on his bench and Magpies fans still met outside a Sports Direct store in the city centre before the match to voice their displeasure at the way owner Mike Ashley runs the club, and the lack of investment in the team.

Tottenham have plenty of room for improvement. Some of their defending was particularly rusty and they survived a number of scares, especially when they hit the bar late on -- this was hardly routine. Kane also struggled to make an impact as he continues to wait for his first ever Premier League goal in August.

Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammates Harry Kane and Ben Davies.

However, at full-time Spurs' lack of new recruits seemed less of a problem that it may have seemed to some supporters on Thursday evening -- as a first outing, after difficult preparations, this was a decent start.

Similarly, Newcastle's business has been unable to save them from an opening-weekend defeat.

It may just be that signings aren't everything, but time will tell.

JanVertonghen: "I haven't scored in the @premierleague for a while and I was happy to do it today. We were very professional today, everyone wants to get three points in that first game."

Mauricio: "Under the circumstances it was good to start the season in this way. The players showed great character and commitment, the mentality was amazing."

EPL : Ramalan Pakar BBC Sport memilih MAN CITY & LIVERPOOL utk menjuarai EPL musim 2018/19 ni

Premier League 2018-19: BBC Sport pundits pick champions and top four

No team has managed a successful defence of the Premier League title since Manchester United in 2009 - but will this season be different?

That is the aim of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, a winner of three consecutive league titles in both Spain (Barcelona, 2008-11) and Germany (Bayern Munich, 2013-16), who saw his side finish 19 points clear of the pack last time out.

But who will challenge them in 2018-19? Can big-spending Liverpool mount a serious challenge? Will Manchester United narrow the gap? Can Tottenham improve? And are Chelsea and Arsenal contenders after changing their managers in the summer?

We asked 24 BBC TV and radio pundits to pick their top four with explanations for their selections.

The predictions were made on the basis of how each squad shaped up on Wednesday, 8 August, before the opening weekend of the season, but two days before the deadline for incoming transfers and with the potential for players to leave up until the transfer window shuts in the rest of Europe at the end of August.

Ian Wright -(1)Liverpool (2)Man City (3)Man Utd (4)Arsenal

Ruud Gullit (1)Liverpool (2)Man City (3)Chelsea (4)Man Utd

Martin Keown-Liverpool-Man City-Tottenham-Man Utd

Dion Dublin -Man City-Man Utd-Liverpool-Tottenham

Joleon Lescott-Man City-Liverpool-Man Utd-Arsenal

Matthew Upson-Man City-Liverpool-Man Utd-Arsenal

Alan Shearer-(1)Man City (2)Liverpool (3)Man Utd (4)Tottenham

Charlie Adam-Man City-Liverpool-Man Utd-Tottenham

Paul Ince-Man City-Liverpool-Chelsea-Man Utd

Jermaine Jenas-Man City-Liverpool-Tottenham-Man Utd

Chris Sutton-Man City-Liverpool-Tottenham-Man Utd

Leon Osman-Man City-Liverpool-Tottenham-Arsenal

6 teams feature in the forecasted top 4, and only Manchester City and Liverpool nampak sebagai peberet.

Overall predicted ranking, using all BBC predictions
(using system of 4 pts for a 1st place, 3 pts for 2nd, 2 pts for 3rd and 1 pt for 4th)  Alan Shearer: It has been a long time since anyone won back-to-back titles but I think City will win the Premier League again because of Pep - he won't want their standards slipping. He will play exactly the same way and they are going to be very hard to stop, although I think Liverpool and United will both be a lot closer to them this time. Paul Ince: Guardiola is a serial winner - you can see that from the way he rants and raves on the touchline demanding more even when his team are two or 3-0 up. That is his mentality, and his players buy into it. Ian Wright: I want this season's title race to be more spicy and I think it will be. If Liverpool can get some impetus, then we don't know how Manchester City will react under pressure if a team can stay close to them at the end of the season. You also have to consider that Liverpool are City's Kryptonite. That's why I am backing Jurgen Klopp's side to pip them to the title.
1. Man City	2. Liverpool	3. Man Utd	4. Tottenham	5. Chelsea	6. Arsenal
93 pts	74 pts	34 pts	18 pts	15 pts	6 pts

Jurgen Klopps spending means Liverpool must win something this season

• Liverpool have once again strengthened their squad across the summer window
• Jurgen Klopp has brought in a new goalkeeper and added to his midfield ranks
• That investment brings pressure though and the Reds must win a trophy soon
• Klopp has played in three finals during his Liverpool reign and lost all of them 

Jurgen Klopp simply has to win something this year after spending a huge amount of money

It did not take too long for Jurgen Klopp to admit it when the question was posed last month. Adam Lallana concurred. Liverpool, with all the money spent, now have to win trophies.

‘It is the next step and we need to be ready for that,’ Klopp said. ‘I cannot give guarantees here but I understand if people think that.’

Of course there are no guarantees. They could not have foreseen Mo Salah trudging off in the Champions League final or the catastrophic performance of Loris Karius against Real Madrid.

But Liverpool now have to prepare themselves for expectations to soar through the roof. Klopp simply has to win something this year after losing three finals – the Champions League, Europa League and League Cup – during his three years as manager.

The German has been backed to the hilt in the transfer market by Fenway Sports Group, with a splurge of £250million taking in the most expensive centre half and goalkeeper in world football.

Allison and Virgil van Dijk give the Reds a base they simply have not had for years and, while the spending is offset by the big-money departure of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, it now demands silverware

They are now lavishing the sort of finance that the Manchester clubs possess and with that comes additional, and warranted, pressure. Liverpool’s success should now be held against City and United because of the resources ploughed into the team.

Klopp brought in the most expensive defender in world football in Virgil van Dijk in January

Alisson (pictured) and Van Dijk give the Reds a base they simply have not had for years

Klopp knows that and nobody at Anfield has shied away from the facts. ‘It’s a really exciting time,’ Lallana said. ‘I’m delighted to be at a top club like Liverpool that are going to be challenging for trophies again and I’m looking forward to playing for England again.

‘For my club, I just want to take the next step now. We’ve been in a few finals that we haven’t been victorious in and that needs to change.

Fabinho forms just one part of the huge midfield investment at Anfield alongside Naby Keita

Even if Salah failed to hit the heights of his debut season, ending with 44 goals, he is sure to chip in with a decent number. Those around him, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, need to do their fair share too. Xherdan Shaqiri has the sort of X-Factor from the bench that can change games.

But it is in midfield where the added power and gusto should come. Naby Keita, a £53m signing from Red Bull Leipzig, has taken Steven Gerrard's iconic No 8 shirt and is expected to be the one charged with joining in further up the pitch.

Fabinho is the sort of capture that will offer a soothing influence in the midfield three, the sort of ball player Liverpool have not seen in quite some time. They have all the tools. Anything less than silverware this season must go down as a failure on Merseyside. 

EPL : CRYSTAL PALACE benam Hull City | Hull City,Middlesbrough & Sunderland musim depan tiada dalam Liga Utama

Crystal Palace secure their #PL status as Hull City are relegated

Confirmation that Burnley, Watford & Swansea are safe, while Hull are relegated from the Premier League

Post-match reaction from Michael Dawson: "To get beat 4-0 and be relegated. It's a sad, sad day!"

EPL : Jaringan sendiri Huth buat Arsenal senyum riang | Derby Manchester Fellaini kena kad merah

Monreal (right) saw his 86th minute shot deflect home off Robert Huth's chest

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punca kad merah

ARSENAL tumbang di Anfield [3-1]

Wenger might rue benching Sanchez

It was bold to name Alexis Sanchez as a sub but costly in defeat vs. Liverpool. Seeing how the Chilean changed the game in the second half was proof how vital he is, yet the snub might begin the countdown to his exit. 

WENGER: "It took us time to get into the game. Even if we were not at the races in the first half, we conceded cheap goals."KLOPP: "The league is like a rollercoaster - up and down, up and down. But mainly up. Inconsistency is part of development."

Coutinho lets fly from outside the box but a fully-stretched Petr Cech ensures it remains 1-0 (38 mins)

Joel Matip was calm and composed on the ball during the Premier League clash

English international and Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is the man for a big Anfield night

SADIO MANE - 8

Has now scored and assisted in four league games this season and continues to prove what a strong buy he was.

PETR CECH - 7

Made two excellent stops from Coutinho and could do nothing about the goals. Let down by those in front.

FRANCIS COQUELIN - 4

A football match was being played around him. Could not cope with its speed and hooked at half-time.

Francis Coquelin had another day to forget as he failed to cope with the game's speed

LAURENT KOSCIELNY - 5

Looked all at sea. Beaten by Adam Lallana in the air for the opener and never really recovered. Not an organiser.

SHKODRAN MUSTAFI - 4.5

Really needs to do more. Often failed to communicate properly with Bellerin. Never imposes himself on strikers.

DANNY WELBECK - 7.5

Lovely finish to score a first Premier League goal for 11 months and far more comfortable through the middle. Why did he come off?