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LONDON. – Liverpool’s sizzling start to the English Premier League football season has left their title rivals breathless and the red-hot leaders are expected to maintain their perfect record against Newcastle today.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have seized the early initiative in the English Premier League with four successive wins to open up a two-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.

The European champions’ relentless tempo has overwhelmed Norwich, Southampton, Arsenal and Burnley, sending a message that they are determined to make amends for narrowly failing to pip City to the trophy last season.

Arsenal’s Dani Ceballos is new to English football after joining on loan from Real Madrid and the Spain midfielder admitted to being gob-smacked at the intensity Liverpool displayed in their 3-1 victory against the Gunners in August.

“I had never seen anything like it. I’ve not seen up until now a team that plays better, that presses better. That game had quite an impact on me,” Ceballos told the Daily Mail.

“They suck the air out of you. You spend so much time defending and when you want to catch your breath and get on the ball for a bit, they’ve taken it from you again.

“I think Jurgen Klopp now has the team he first had in mind when he started four years ago.”

English Premiership Fixtures (all 4pm time unless stated)

Today: Brighton v Burnley, Liverpool v Newcastle (1:30pm), Manchester Utd v Leicester, Norwich v Manchester City (6:30pm), Sheffield Utd v Southampton, Tottenham v Crystal Palace, Wolves v Chelsea

Tomorrow: Bournemouth v Everton (3pm), Watford v Arsenal (5:30pm)

Monday: Aston Villa v West Ham (9pm). -AFP