Week 2 of the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League season and again we have been given some interesting results to pore over.
The weekend kicked off with surprise packets Swansea City franking their opening day form (5-0 win over Norwich City) by beating West Ham United 3-0 at home.
Angel Rangel and Michu (three goals in two games) were recipients of defensive errors by the Hammers before Danny Graham wrapped things up as they kicked off life under Michael Laudrup with two wins from two.
Manchester United got their first victory of the campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 home result against an unlucky Fulham side.
The Cottagers scored first through Damien Duff before Robin van Persie opened his United account with a fabulous finish in the 10th minute. Fellow new boy Shinji Kagawa added a second in the 35th minute before Rafael gave the home side the ascendency before half-time.
Fulham hit back when Nemanja Vidic saw the ball into the back of his own net and the visitors pressed for a leveller only to be denied on a number of occasions by goalkeeper David de Gea.
Everton continued their solid form, following their 1-0 win over United on Monday, by beating Aston Villa 3-1 for the first time in seven years at Villa Park.
Steven Pienaar curled home a fine effort inside three minutes before Marouane Fellaini doubled the advantage with a customary header just after the half-hour mark. Nikica Jelavic made it 3-0 with a superb left-footed effort just before half-time prior to Villa new boy Karim El Ahmadi getting a consolation goal for Villa after Ciaran Clark was sent off for a professional foul.
Norwich City and QPR played out a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road with Simeon Jackson and Bobby Zamora trading first half blows whilst Wigan Athletic denied Southampton a positive home return to top flight football by winning 2-0 at St Mary's courtesy of goals from Franco di Santo and Arouna Kone.
Tottenham were thwarted at the death by West Bromwich Albion with Benoit Assou-Ekotto's 74th-minute opener cancelled out by James Morrison's injury-time finish whilst fellow Londoners Chelsea made it three from three with a 2-0 victory at home against Newcastle United.
Star midfielder Eden Hazard converted from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute before teeing up Fernando Torres for a second in stoppage time of the first half to give him a hand in six of the Blues' eight goals so far this season.
Tomorrow sees Arsenal head to Stoke City for what is likely to be a tough encounter whilst champions Manchester City are away at Anfield to Liverpool. Sunderland's home meeting with Reading today was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
2012/13 Barclays Premier League scores
Chelsea: 2 (Eden Hazard (p) 22', Fernando Torres 45+3') Newcastle United: 0 Stamford Bridge, London - 41,718 Yellow cards:CHE - Fernando Torres 39' NEW - nil
Manchester United: 3 (Robin van Persie 10', Shinji Kagawa 35', Rafael 41') Fulham: 2 (Damien Duff 3', Nemanja Vidic (og) 64') Old Trafford, Manchester - 75,352 Yellow cards:MU - nil FUL - Brede Hangeland 35'
Aston Villa: 1 (Karim El Ahmadi 75') Everton: 3 (Steven Pienaar 3', Marouane Fellaini 31', Nikica Jelavic 43') Villa Park, Birmingham - 36,565 Yellow cards:AV - Karim El Ahmadi 81' EVE - nil Red card:AV - Ciaran Clark 58'
Tottenham: 1 (Benoit Assou-Ekotto 74') West Bromwich Albion: 1 (James Morrison 90+1') White Hart Lane, London - 36,166 Yellow cards:TOT - Jan Vertonghen 48' WBA - Youssuf Mulumbu 30', Steven Reid 81'
Norwich City: 1 (Simeon Jackson 11') Queens Park Rangers: 1 (Bobby Zamora 19') Carrow Road, Norwich - 26,317 Yellow cards:NOR - nil QPR - Clint Hill 24', Anton Ferdinand 28'
Southampton: 0 Wigan Athletic: 2 (Franco di Santo 51', Aroune Kone 89') St Mary's Stadium, Southampton - 29,604 Yellow cards:SOU - nil WIG - nil
Swansea City: 3 (Angel Rangel 20', Michu 29', Danny Graham 64') West Ham United: 0 Liberty Stadium, Swansea - 20,424 Yellow cards:SWA - Angel Rangel 30', Chico Flores 68' WHU - Carlton Cole 38', Kevin Nolan 53', James Collins 58', Winston Reid 83'
