It would mean more in May than August, but Liverpool are top of the league. They may have extended their 100 per cent start to the current campaign with the least spectacular of their three displays but a team who have dropped too many points at home against their inferiors in the past can savour both the result and the sight of the table. For the first time since November 2016, they can stare down from the divisional summit.
Manchester United’s conquerors Brighton & Hove Albion were beaten by Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian’s record-breaking 32nd Premier League goal of last season came against Albion. So did his second of the new campaign and it sufficed for a Liverpool side who were not at their most explosive or dynamic.
Their performance peaked in the game's opening quarter, culminating in Salah's well-taken goal, as Liverpool began in the manner of a team who were given a fillip by the full-time score from Molineux, where Manchester City had dropped points against Wolves, and Bournemouth's comeback against Everton.
That bright start proved a fine way of combating Brighton’s defensive approach. Albion had the division’s worst away record last season, recognised the need to be tougher to beat on their travels and duly dropped the creator Pascal Gross, who was instrumental in last week’s win over Jose Mourinho’s side, to reinforce the midfield with the summer signing Yves Bissouma.
Yet stopping Liverpool is not as simple as that. By the time Salah broke the deadlock, they had already come close three times, offering different illustrations of how to combat the congestion in the middle. Andrew Robertson outflanked Brighton when he crossed and Roberto Firmino drew a superb save from Mathew Ryan with a header. Trent Alexander-Arnold showed the merit of long-range shooting, clipping the bar with a free kick after Naby Keita had been fouled. Liverpool’s feared front three had also demonstrated their ability to combine when Salah found Sadio Mane, who had sidefooted wide.
Salah had been profligate in Monday’s win over Crystal Palace, although he still contributed to two goals. His radar functioned rather better here as he scored one, his 29th goal in as many games at Anfield. It was steered in with expert precision. Firmino was the provider, sliding the ball into the Egyptian’s path after a move that also involved Mane, but the instigator was James Milner, who regained possession by dispossessing Bissouma. It highlighted both the merits of Klopp’s gegenpressing, with Liverpool swift to score after winning the ball, and Milner’s early-season excellence.
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Read more:
No complaints from Guardiola as late Laporte header rescues point for Man City
Richard Jolly: Liverpool's costly upgrades prove their worth in 'big step' win over Crystal Palace
In pictures: Mohamed Salah at the centre of dive storm as Liverpool defeat Crystal Palace
Liverpool report Mohamed Salah to police for using mobile while driving
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At one stage, Brighton seemed to be taking in in turns to foul Milner in a bid to nullify him. Meanwhile, Gini Wijnaldum had a fine first half in the holding role, even if his defensive credentials were scarcely tested, as Jurgen Klopp named an unchanged team. Once again, Fabinho, the first of his summer signings, was not even on the bench.
Chris Hughton was more proactive in selection in a damage-limitation exercise. His teams had conceded at least four goals in each of his five previous managerial meetings with Liverpool. This amounted to his best result at Anfield, with neither Brighton’s goal difference nor their morale taking a hammering.
That owed something to Ryan, who made further saves from Wijnaldum, Mane and Joe Gomez. Yet Liverpool were uncharacteristically lacklustre in a second half when they created too little. Mane, after an electric start to the season, misjudged some passes while Firmino’s wait for a first goal of the campaign goes on.
But Brighton are yet to score on the road. While Anthony Knockaert drew a save from Alisson with an early shot, the goalkeeper was tested more by Alexander-Arnold, with a slice the goalkeeper had to tip wide. His third consecutive clean sheet was notable for an impudent piece of skill to deceive Knockaert.
The French winger had spurned the chance to be the first player to score against the Brazilian since his move to Liverpool, skewing an effort wide. The substitute Gross came closer, with Alisson’s acrobatics to keep out his header showing why Liverpool valued him so highly.
They, too, could have scored late on, through Alexander-Arnold’s shot and a Wijnaldum flick that required a goal-line clearance from Shane Duffy, but one goal was enough. They are top.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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THE BIO
Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai
First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne
Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20profile
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
Barbie
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Company%20Profile
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)