Premiership Review (24/08/06)

Last updated : 24 August 2006 By Gary Holmes

Manchester United leads the way at the start of a new Premiership season after two spanking victories over London opposition.

Louis Saha: Has started the season well
A demolition of Fulham on the opening Sunday of the campaign, thanks primarily to a four goal salvo inside the first 19 minutes through Louis Saha, an Ian Pearce own goal and strikes by ‘friends again' Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo sent the Red Devils on their way, before they followed that with an equally comfortable three goal rout of Charlton Athletic at a rain sodden Valley last night, courtesy to efforts by Darren Fletcher, Saha and a happily fit Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Fulham bounced back from the Old Trafford mauling by netting a late equaliser to secure a point against Bolton Wanderers last night, new signing from Wigan Athletic, Jimmy Bullard keeping his nerve to convert a last minute penalty to negate El-Hadji Diouf's similar effort for Sam Allardyce's side, who as a result remain winless away from home since last December.

Chelsea, many people's tips for a third consecutive Premiership crown began in fine form, thrashing Manchester City at Stamford Bridge thanks in the main to first half goals by England men, John Terry and Frank Lampard, but surprisingly came a cropper to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.

Leading courtesy of Andriy Shevchenko's first goal for the club, the Blues lost their way during the last ten minutes of an extraordinarily wet evening on Teeside, and conceded twice, Emanuel Pogatetz and a last minute Mark Viduka strike securing an unlikely victory for Gareth Southgate's men.

Harry Redknapp: Pompey boss
Portsmouth under the astute management of Harry Redknapp are the only side in the top flight that has not conceded a goal, and they improved upon an excellent home triumph over Blackburn Rovers on the opening day, courtesy of strikes by Svetoslav Todorov and a Kanu double, with a meritorious goalless stalemate at the City of Manchester Stadium, home to the Blue half of Manchester.

West Ham United currently sits in third place in the embryonic table after picking up four points from their first two matches.

A brace by hot shot Bobby Zamora and a late Carlton Cole goal enabled the entertaining Hammers to earn a come from behind victory over Charlton Athletic on Saturday, while Zamora made it three it two games as he snatched an undeserved equaliser at newly promoted Watford in midweek, who themselves had taken the lead through Marlon King.

The Hertfordshire club had begun life back in England's top division after an absence of six years at Everton, losing narrowly and contentiously by the odd goal in three.

Trailing to Andrew Johnson's first goal for his new club following a £8.6m summer transfer from Crystal Palace, Chris Powell was erroneously adjudged to have handled inside the penalty box with eight minutes left. Mikel Arteta slotted home the resultant spot-kick, rendering Damien Francis' first goal for the Golden Boys a mere consolation.

Everton followed up this rather fortuitous victory with a draw at Blackburn on Wednesday evening, a late Tim Cahill effort cancelling out Benni McCarthy's first Premiership goal for Rovers.

The other promoted sides have also had mixed starts.

Sheffield United began well enough, holding Liverpool in a televised encounter at Bramall Lane.

A Rob Hulse header a minute into the second half gave the Blades real hope of a major upset, but another contentious penalty, this time given after Chris Morgan was adjudged to have tripped an onrushing Steven Gerrard rescued the Reds, the evergreen Robbie Fowler firing home from twelve yards.

Neil Warnock's men then travelled down to the Capital for a Tuesday night meeting with Martin Jol's much fancied Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves had lost badly at Bolton at the weekend, but two first half goals, by new £10m signing, Dimitar Berbatov and Jermaine Jenas got the Cockerels off the mark whilst giving the Yorkshire men a taste of reality in the top flight.

Leroy Lita: His strike gave Reading their first ever Premiership win.
Reading, last season's Football League Champions, staged a miraculous recovery in their first ever game in the big time.

Goals by Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing and Yakubu had seemingly put the visitor's on their way to an opening day success, but the Royals came storming back, strikes by Dave Kitson, Steve Sidwell and Leroy Lita giving Steve Coppell's men victory.

The Berkshire club then travelled to Aston Villa in midweek, and although the talented Kevin Doyle gave them the lead, Villa, now under the stewardship of Martin O'Neill, are expected to be far more competitive than in recent years and goals by Colombian, Juan Pablo Angel and Gareth Barry, the former converting a penalty after Ibrahima Sonka had been red carded for fouling Luke Moore, gave the mercurial Irishman a winning home start to add to the battling point his team had gained at Arsenal on Saturday.

The visit to Arsene Wegner's side marked the opening of the new Emirates Stadium, and 60, 023 witnessed the team's share two goals. Olof Melberg had edged the Midlands club ahead early in the second half but a late Gilberto Silva strike saved the Gunners from a first day defeat.

Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic have played just the one game, a consequence of Arsenal and Liverpool's involvement in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, which incidentally was against each other.

The well supported Magpies took the lead through new captain, Scott Parker, and although Lee McCulloch levelled for the Latics the North East side were not to be denied and Shola Ameobi sent the majority of the 51, 569 crowd home happy with the winner.

More next week…