English Premier League: Spurred on Liverpool thrash Tottenham

Reds gift Rodgers a 3-0 win on his 100th game in charge.

LONDON: Liverpool rolled out the red carpet for Mario Balotelli as they marked the Italian striker’s debut with an impressive 3-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday while also giving the Reds boss, Brendan Rodgers, a win on his 100th game in charge.

Balotelli started as the centre of attention at White Hart Lane but the controversial former Manchester City player was eventually overshadowed by a majestic display from his new team-mates.

Man of the match Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with an eighth-minute strike while Steven Gerrard and Alberto Moreno converted in the second half as the glittering Liverpool bounced back from defeat to champions Manchester City last week.

“Overall our quality was exceptional,” said Rodgers after the match. “We got three goals and could have had more.”



Tottenham were left shattered when defender Alberto Moreno scored from a solo effort after dispossessing substitute Andros Townsend in midfield to mark his first goal for Liverpool.

“We need to learn and improve,” said Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino. “Today [Sunday] was a very tough game for us.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa won 2-1 at home to Hull City to preserve their unbeaten start to the campaign as Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann put the hosts two up at half-time at Villa Park, with Nikica Jelavic replying for previously unbeaten Hull in the 74th minute.

Costa is a complete striker: Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed Diego Costa as the complete striker after his side’s 6-3 Premier League win over Everton.

Brazil-born Costa scored twice in a thrilling match at Goodison Park to take his tally to four goals in three games, and maintained Chelsea’s winning start to the season.

“It was the complete performance of a striker,” said Mourinho. “Costa had three chances and he scored two goals. He is a good finisher and he gives us a lot. In the end we are killers in attack.”

Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to comment on Hart’s failure to save the ball from Mame Biram Diouf’s strike as his team lost 1-0 to Stoke City.

“I analyse as a team and as a team they all could have done more,” said Pellegrini. “We were very patient and tried to create space, but Stoke defended very well. We couldn’t create space and had a bad day in our creative play.”

It was only the second time City had failed to score at home in 71 league matches and only their second home defeat since May 2013.

“It’s a surprising defeat because we don’t expect to lose against Stoke, but these games sometimes happen,” added Pellegrini.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2014.

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