Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1031063
29 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 SEPTEMBER 2018 SPORTS FOOTBALL Liverpool record their best start to a season LIVERPOOL won a seventh straight match from the start of a season for the first time by easing past a luckless South- ampton at Anfield. The hosts took the lead after just 10 minutes when Xherdan Shaqiri's cross deflected off Shane Long and then Wesley Hoedt for a peculiar own goal. Joel Matip rose above oppos- ing centre-back Jannik Vester- gaard to head in Trent Alexan- der-Arnold's corner and double the advantage. Liverpool effectively made sure of victory just before the break as Shaqiri's superb free- kick came down off the crossbar and Mohamed Salah turned the ball in from close range. Saints were not quite as poor as the scoreline suggests but largely sat back in the second half, perhaps content not to be embarrassed - though Salah did have a goal disallowed for off- side late on. Jurgen Klopp's side go back to the top of the Premier League with their sixth straight win in the competition, and they also beat Paris St-Germain in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. Manchester City thrash Cardiff City MANCHESTER City strolled to an emphatic win at Cardiff City as they moved up to second in the Premier League table . The stylish visitors were out of sight by half-time, leading 3-0 thanks to Sergio Aguero's sweeping finish, a clever loop- ing header from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan's delightful curling effort. City underlined their vast su- periority after the break with a brilliant fourth as a patient, in- cisive team move teed up Riyad Mahrez to tap in his first goal for the club, before the Algerian whipped in his second late on. Cardiff simply could not live with an irresistible City side and, as they are still searching for their first win this season, the Bluebirds now find them- selves second from bottom of the table. For Pep Guardiola's men, however, this was an instant and convincing riposte to Wednesday's shock defeat at home to Lyon in the Champi- ons League. Sergio Aguero celebrating after scoring Shaqiri of Liverpool celebrating together with Sadio Mane