JOIN USArsenal put it past Liverpool
Arsenal kick-started their Premier League campaign at the expense of Liverpool with new signings Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla both opening their accounts in a comfortable 2-0 win at Anfield on Sunday.
Two 0-0 draws following the sale of Robin van Persie to Manchester United had raised questions over Arsenal's firepower but Podolski answered them with an emphatic finish before halftime to put the visitors in charge.
Spaniard Cazorla sealed the points after 67 minutes to leave Liverpool's new manager Brendan Rodgers reflecting on the club's worst start to a league season for 50 years.
Arsenal, who are yet to concede a goal this season, moved up to seventh in the fledgling Premier League table with five points while Liverpool languish fourth from bottom after two defeats and a draw.
Arsene Wenger's latest incarnation showed encouraging signs at Anfield as the Gunners swept to their first victory of the season with plenty to spare.
"The sharpness gets better from game to game but overall we looked solid and scored two goals," Wenger said. "We missed opportunities on the counter-attack at the start of the game but we had a convincing team performance,’’ he added.
Both sides struggled to find any rhythm early on. Liverpool enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked any goal threat with Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini running around to little effect.
Arsenal were content to bide their time and wait for a mistake and it arrived after 31 minutes when Steven Gerrard's stray pass allowed the visitors to launch a devastating counter-attack that ended with Cazorla picking out Germany striker Podolski to finish with an angled drive across Pepe Reina. Liverpool responded with Raheem Sterling firing a shot against the outside of the post from a narrow angle although Arsenal should have doubled their lead when Podolski's strike partner Olivier Giroud, another new signing, skewed a shot wide.
The pattern continued after the break with Arsenal looking comfortable at the back and incisive up front. Rodgers replaced the ineffective Fabio Borini with Stewart Downing, meaning Liverpool were chasing an equaliser with only one recognised striker on the pitch - hardly a ringing endorsement of the club's transfer window dealings.
The home side's fate was sealed with just over 20 minutes remaining when the impressive Cazorla embarrassed Reina with a shot from an acute angle.