LONDON, August 12, 2018 (News Wires) - Last season's Premier League top scorer Mohamed Salah was on target again as Liverpool kicked off their season in style with an easy win at home to West Ham United. The Egyptian gave Juergen Klopp's side the lead after 19 minutes from Andy Robertson's precise low cross. West Ham's new manager Manuel Pellegrini gave debuts to five of their 10 close-season signings, but his revamped team rarely threatened Liverpool's expensive new Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson. Poor defending cost them a second goal just before the interval, to Sadio Mane, who added a third after 53 minutes from an offside position. Substitute Daniel Sturridge made it four just seconds after coming on. Liverpool haven't been crowned champions of England since 1989/90 and finished 25 points behind City last season. But after reaching the Champions League final last season and spending more than anyone else in the Premier League in the off-season, there is palpable belief that near three-decade wait can come to an end in May. Midfielder Naby Keita and Alisson were the only debutants to start from a reported £170 million summer splurge in the transfer market as Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri had to make do with a place on the bench. However, there was little tinkering for Klopp to do up front after Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino combined for 91 goals last season, and they again provided the firepower to outclass a sorry West Ham despite their own near £100 million outlay on nine new players. Salah and Mane's pain at international level was Liverpool's gain as early exits at the World Cup with Egypt and Senegal meant they could join the club's pre-season tour of the United States, unlike a host of Premier League stars who returned to training just last week after their exertions in Russia. A revelation in his first season at Anfield with 44 goals in all competitions, Salah is now a marked man. Yet, he was given the simplest of tasks to tap home the opener into an empty net on 19 minutes from Andy Robertson's pinpoint cross after he was freed down the left by the impressive Keita. Salah should have had more as he was well picked out by a bursting run by Firmino only to place his shot too close to Lukasz Fabianski, who also made a brilliant save to turn Trent Alexander-Arnold's free-kick behind. Fabianski was by far the busier 'keeper with Alisson making just one comfortable save and impressing far more with his feet to launch a series of Liverpool attacks.
