Chelsea labored to a 2 0 win over Leicester City with two second half goals from new boy Diego Costa and Eden Hazard. The home side's title hopefuls turned in a dazzling display to beat Burnley 3-1 in their opening fixture, but they found another newly promoted team a far tougher nut to crack today.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: ""We didn't play good in the first half. Leicester came with great defensive intensity, trying to scare us in counter-attack and we were a bit slow - slow in moving the ball and slow thinking and we needed to change and we did that.
"The second half was compete control. I don't forget they had a good chance with the result 0-0 but we had so many chances, so many opportunities to score obviously we deserved the victory."
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson: "We're disappointed. Key moments didn't quite go our way today. I thought we played exceptionally well in the first half but it's about taking your chances when you get them.
"There are more positives today than there are negatives. We're not talking about us coming to places like this and being happy to lose the game, but I think the players showed what they're capable of. What we need to do is sustain it for the entirety of the game."
Aston Villa 0 0 Newcastle
A late save by Brad Guzan denied Newcastle United their first win of the season in the Barclays Premier League as they and Aston Villa scrapped their way to a 0-0 draw at Villa Park.
Newcastle had not mustered a shot on target in their 2-0 defeat by Manchester City last weekend, and Alan Pardew's men again struggled to create many clear chances in the first half.
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert: "I couldn't ask the lads for any more. But bearing in mind we've got [Christian] Benteke to come back, [Libor] Kozak to come back, I'm pretty sure if one of them was there we'd have got at least a couple of goals. Christian should start training after the international break and we'll see how he is."
"Cissokho was outstanding and he was that good, they had to put [Moussa] Sissoko back to stop him. Philippe has been great, he's a great talker in the game. A lot of people criticised him coming here but so far he's been terrific."
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew: "If you look at Manu's [Riviere’s] record, he's got a good record. In pre-season we were all thinking he's going to kick off straightaway but he's had two games and he's hardly had a chance.
"I think he had one left-footed chance, which isn't his stronger foot, today so I do feel that he's going to score goals for us. Young Ayo [Perez] came on and unfortunately had to be sacrificed when we lost [Williamson] but we've got goals in this team. It doesn't really overly concern me, but at the moment that's going to be put against us as we stand."
Southampton 0 0 West Brom
Another stalemate was played out at St Marys stadium as Southampton and West Bromwich Albion shared the spoils after a goalless draw of few chances. Both sides had cause for optimism going into the clash, Ronald Koeman's men impressing in defeat against Liverpool and Alan Irvine's charges only denied a win by a late Sebastian Larsson goal for Sunderland on the opening weekend of the Barclays Premier League season. However, neither side did enough to deserve three points on the south coast in a tight affair as Koeman and Irvine continue to await their first top-flight triumph.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman: “We didn't have the quality to create a lot. I was disappointed by the level we had today in an offensive way. It is our first point and that is good but we need to play better. Last week we played better in a higher tempo. The first 45 minutes we built up too slowly and didn't surprise them in attack. I tried to change it but in the second half it still wasn't good.
“We are always trying to bring good players in. We could use another attacking player because on the wings, maybe we have a shortlist there. We look forward, but the team had a good attitude today. Little bit disappointed about the way we played today, but we got one point and that has to give us confidence for today.”
West Bromwich Albion head coach Alan Irvine: "Both teams had their spells when they controlled things. We came here knowing they were a good side and it was important our organisation was good when we didn't have possession. We perhaps didn't create enough when we did have the ball."
Swansea 1 0 Burnley
Swansea City maintained their winning start to the Barclays Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Burnley at the Liberty Stadium. Garry Monk's men kicked off their campaign with a shock 2-1 success at Manchester United last weekend, but had to turn in a resolute second-half display to hold off a battling Burnley side. The visitors threatened on a couple of occasions early on, but Nathan Dyer's lone goal was enough to secure three points for the Welsh side.
Swansea City manager Garry Monk: "I knew it would be a tough game. In the first half we controlled it, but in the second we expected them to throw everything at us and they did. But you have to applaud our players. You have games like that and it's about the attitude of your players and the way they defended was superb, restricting Burnley to one shot on target. We matched them toe-for-toe and we defended properly. We can improve in many areas, as we didn't pass the ball as well as we can do in the second half, but our attitude and defending was great."
Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "It's disappointing that we didn't come away with anything, but you could see the growth from us. In the second half we were excellent. Sometimes when you are promoted you are wondering if you belong here. In the first half we showed them too much respect and at half-time I said 'go out and express yourselves'. The movement, energy and determination was good, but we have to learn quickly. You have to remember what you are and believe in what you are. We knew this would be a challenge, a difficult one, and we are enjoying the way the team are operating, but we need to get points on the board."
Crystal Palace 1 3 West Ham
Mauro Zarate scored on his debut as West Ham United secured a 3-1 Barclays Premier League win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The impressive Zarate was brought into the starting line-up in the absence of injured captain Kevin Nolan and made the most of his opportunity by firing Sam Allardyce's side in front with a sublime volley in an eye-catching display.
Stewart Downing then produced another fine finish two minutes later to put the visitors in command at half-time in Saturday's London derby and Carlton Cole made sure with a third goal after Marouane Chamakh had given Palace hope by pulling a goal back against one of his former clubs.
Crystal Palace caretaker manager Keith Millen: “Our first half performance was lacklustre. We weren’t at the races and that’s not like us, but maybe there are reasons – it’s been a tough week for everyone.
“Losing Joe Ledley in the warm-up obviously was another blow to us. I don’t like to use excuses as the man in charge, but you could say that the players have got reasons to be a little bit down.
“But again the response was good. We got into them at half time after conceding two goals within three or four minutes, which is tough and knocks the stuffing out of you.
“I said to them that the next goal would be vital and we got that with a great finish from Chamakh. At 2-1, it’s game on and all of a sudden we had a little bit more energy about us, the fans were behind us and unfortunately we shot ourselves in the foot with the third goal we conceded from a set-piece.”
“I felt today that when we did break through the lines and get balls in the box, we actually created chances. But we seemed to be forever chasing the game and we know at this level from last year that at 2-1, certainly 3-1, it’s really game over.
“We’re disappointed with the manner of the first half performance. I was pleased with the way they responded, but then we killed ourselves with the third goal.
“West Ham were clinical with their chances, but I think we helped them along the way.”
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce: "We got everything right today. We could have scored more than we did. We had a plan of attack to break Crystal Palace down with a patient approach.
"I think, in particular Mauro [Zarate] showed he could find the spaces and create some good opportunities. Getting us off to a goal start was important at that stage because we were in control."
Everton 2 2 Arsenal
Olivier Giroud snatched a point for Arsenal in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton in the Barclays Premier League.
First-half goals from Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith had put Roberto Martinez's side firmly in command as Arsenal laboured on the back of their midweek UEFA Champions League exertions in Turkey against Besiktas.
But Aaron Ramsey bounced back from his red card on Tuesday night in Turkey to net his third goal in as many domestic appearances this term before Giroud, a half-time substitute, headed home from Nacho Monreal's 90th-minute cross after Everton had allowed the full-back time on the left byline.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez: "Our first-half display was full of dynamic football and energy. We looked really strong every time we went forward and when we defended we stopped Arsenal from having a shot on target. Scoring the two goals should have been enough to control the game in the normal manner that we do.
"I just felt that certain individuals, and as a team, we dropped our energy levels and we couldn't control it. When you do that, you have to score that third goal or you allow Arsenal to get one all of a sudden and it becomes momentum and you have something to lose."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "Once we were 2-0 down it can go both ways, they can catch us on the counter-attack because we have to come out and give absolutely everything but we gave a great response and a complete desire to come back.
"The spirit was fantastic and in the end we got back to 2-2. We got a strong point but a deserved one if you look at all the chances we had through the game. I think especially in the second half we had plenty of chances and we came back very late but our spirit maybe got us that point."
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