Salah hat-trick saves Liverpool, Arsenal cruise as Premier League returns

LIVERPOOL, Sept 13 (Reuters): Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, as Liverpool began their Premier League title defence with a hugely entertaining 4-3 win over promoted Leeds United at Anfield on Saturday.
Leeds, making their return to the top flight after a 16-year absence, fought back from behind three times and played the brand of intense, attacking football that their Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa established during their promotion campaign last season.
The champions will be concerned with some slack defending but once again did what they have done so well in the past two seasons -- finding a way to win at the end.
A season beginning with fans still barred from the grounds due to COVID-19 restrictions needed a start to spark some excitement among frustrated fans and this high-energy, incident-packed encounter certainly delivered.
Meanwhile, Arsenal began their English Premier League campaign with a 3-0 win at promoted Fulham thanks to goals from Alexa­ndreLacazette, new signing Gabriel and captain Pierre-EmerickAubameyang in the opening game of the season on Saturday.
Gabriel and Willian enjoyed fine debuts for the Gunners, who made light work of their short trip across London to Craven Cottage and dominated against Fulham.
Lacazette scored the season's opening goal in the eighth minute after poor defending by the home side before 22-year old Brazilian defender Gabriel, who joined Arsenal from Ligue 1 side Lille, made it 2-0 in the 49th with a close-range header.
Captain Pierre-EmerickAubameyang put the icing on the cake with a superb shot into the top corner in the 57th minute and missed a pair of gilt-edged chances in the closing stages to inflict even more damage on the home side.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace forward WilfriedZaha scored his 50th league goal for the club as they beat Southampton 1-0 to secure a home victory at Selhurst Park.
The hosts went ahead against the run of play as Zaha, who had managed only one goal in his last 21 games, met Andros Town­send's pin-point cross from the right with a side-footed volley past goalkeeper Alex McCarthy in the 13th minute.
In another match, Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick marked their debuts for Newcastle by scoring in a 2-0 win at West Ham in their opening game of the English Premier League on Saturday.
The two offseason signings made an instant impact, with Hendrick setting up Wilson for the first goal in the 56th minute before scoring himself in the 87th.