There were goals galore as the Premier League returned on Saturday after the international break.
Arsenal continued their decent start to the season with a 6-1 victory over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal took the lead early on through an own goal from Saints defender Jos Hooiveld. Germany international Lukas Podolski doubled the Gunners lead from 25 yards with a superb free-kick.
Gervinho made it three, before Nathaniel Clyne became the second Saints player to put past his own keeper.
The visitors got a goal back just before half-time, as full-back Daniel Fox smashed home an effort. Gervinho doubled his tally with a close range finish in the 71st minute. Former-Saints attacker Theo Walcott completed the rout in the 88th minute.
QPR and Chelsea drew 0-0 at Loftus Road in an encounter that was overshadowed by the Anton Ferdinand-John Terry race row. Ferdinand didn’t shake hands with Terry or teammate Ashley Cole before kick-off.
Both teams had chances to win the game, but neither could find a breakthrough. Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard had a shot saved by debutant keeper Julio Cesar, before QPR striker Bobby Zamora missed a great opportunity for the home side.
Manchester United comfortably defeated Wigan 4-0 at Old Trafford. Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi produced a penalty save from United striker Javier Hernandez, after Danny Welbeck had went down very easily in the penalty box under a challenge from the Wigan keeper.
The United attack struggled to break the Wigan defence down, but they made the breakthrough on 51 minutes. Veteran midfielder Paul Scholes fired United in front on his 700th Appearance for the Red Devils.
Hernandez made up for his spot-kick miss; doubling United’s lead in 63rd minute flicking home from Alexander Buttner’s cross. Three minutes later Buttner was on the score sheet on his debut, the Dutch full-backs effort somehow squirming under Al Habsi’s body.
Another debutant enjoyed a dream start at United, as young midfielder Nick Powell came off the bench and drilled home in the 82nd minute. The victory took the home side to second in the Premier League table.
Champions Manchester City drew 1-1 with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. The home side took the lead in controversial style on 15 minutes. Peter Crouch rode three challenges, appeared to handle the ball before firing past Joe Hart in the City goal.
Manchester City were back on level terms in the 35th minute, debutant Javi Garcia heading home unmarked from a Carlos Tevez free-kick. The game was a close affair but City had a chance to take maximum points in the dying minutes.
City striker Edin Dzeko lobbed the ball over Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic, only for Potters defender Ryan Shawcross to get back and clear off the line.
Fulham’s new signing Dimitar Berbatov enjoyed a dream full debut as the Bulgarian scored a brace in the Cottagers 3-0 victory over West Brom. The former-United striker curled home the opener in the 31st minute from inside the box from a cross by Alex Kacaniklic.
The Baggies were reduced to ten men in the 38th minute, striker Peter Odemwingie being dismissed for kicking Fulham defender Sascha Riether.
It got even worse for the visitors just before the break. Kacaniklic was brought down in the penalty area by Billy Jones and Berbatov made no mistake from the spot. Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell made it three in the dying moments to confirm victory for the home side.
Aston Villa picked up their first league victory of the season with a 2-0 home defeat of Swansea. Villa full-back Matthew Lowton opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a superb effort. The home side secured maximum points in the closing stages of the game.
Villa’s new signing Christian Benteke latched onto a terrible back pass from Ashley Williams and lobbed the ball over Swansea keeper Michel Vorm into an empty net.
Norwich and West Ham drew 0-0 at Carrow Road. The best chance of the game fell to West Ham midfielder Kevin Nolan, whose shot was saved by Canaries keeper John Ruddy. The Canaries are still looking for their first league victory of the season.
Sunderland and Liverpool are also both still looking for their first league victories of the season, after the pair drew 1-1 at the Stadium of Light. Black Cats record signing Steven Fletcher opened the scoring in the first half, with his third goal in just his second appearance for the North East side.
Liverpool pushed forward in the second half and found an equaliser in the 71st minute. Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez scoring from close range. The result leaves Liverpool in 17th place in the fledgling Premier League table.
Who enjoyed the best result on Saturday?
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