Premier new boys show how it is done

Newly-promoted Swansea, QPR and Norwich all record victories while Newcastle and Aston Villa continue unbeaten runs.

Norwich
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Leroy Lita scored his first goal for Swansea during their first victory of the season over West Brom [GALLO/GETTY] 

While many people are predicting that Man United or Man City will walk away with the English Premier League title this year, far fewer are guessing which teams will be involved in the relegation battle.

The strength of the promoted sides was revealed on Saturday with all three new teams – Swansea, QPR and Norwich – recording victories over their more experienced rivals.

It was the first time this had happened on the same day in the league since 2007.

Swansea and QPR both stamped their mark on the top division with 3-0 victories while Norwich claimed an impressive away win at Bolton.

In the early kick-off, Arsenal once again struggled to lift their season by letting the lead twice slip against Blackburn to record a disappointing 4-3 defeat.

However, there was good news for David Moyles whose cash-strapped Everton side defeated Wigan 3-1 and for Newcastle and Aston Villa who both maintained their unbeaten starts to the season.

Results and fixtures

Saturday September 17

undefined Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle
undefined Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal
undefined Bolton 1-2 Norwich  undefined Everton 3-1 Wigan 
undefined Swansea 3-0 West Brom
undefined Wolves 0-3 QPR

Sunday September 18

undefined Tottenham v Liverpool
undefined Fulham v Man City
undefined Sunderland v Stoke
undefined Man Utd v Chelsea

At the Liberty Stadium, the only Welsh team in the league Swansea recorded their first win of the season with a convincing 3-0 victory over West Brom.

Scott Sinclair ended the hosts’ 374-minute wait for a topflight goal as he coolly slotted home a 14th-minute penalty.

Leroy Lita nodded home his first goal for the club 10 minutes later before Nathan Dyer secured the points shortly after the break, with Brendan Rodgers’ side also keeping a third straight clean sheet at home.

QPR also scored three at Wolves with new signing Joey Barton hitting his first goal for the Hoops. 

QPR made a perfect start with Barton steering the ball home in the eighth minute and Alejandro Faurlin smashing home the second from some 20 yards on the half-volley just two minutes later.

The visitors continued to press, and substitute D.J. Campbell opened his own account for the club by sliding in Armand Traore’s pass in the 87th.

Norwich completed a successful day for the Premier League new boys defeating a 10-man Bolton side 2-1 to record their first victory since returning to the top flight.

Bolton slipped to a fourth straight defeat after Anthony Pilkington’s close-range finish in the 37th and Bradley Johnson’s header in the 42nd gave the Canaries a two-goal lead at halftime.

Ivan Klasnic complicated Bolton’s task when he was sent off just after the break and Norwich almost raced to a three-goal lead on the hour mark when Pilkington just failed to capitalise on a mistake from Dedryck Boyata.

Norwich’s Leon Barnett fouled Boyata in the box to allow Martin Petrov to cut the deficit from the penalty spot in the 64th.

Sweet day for Toffees

Everton grabbed two late goals to beat Wigan 3-1 for their first Premier League victory at home this season.

Substitute Apostolos Vellios scored in the 84th minute at Goodison Park and Royston Drenthe also came off the bench to score in injury time and complete an impressive comeback for Everton.

Wigan went ahead in the 31st after Franco di Santo’s angled shot deflected off Tony Hibbert and into the far corner.

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    On-loan from Real Madrid Royston Drenthe helped secure victory for Everton [GALLO/GETTY] 

Everton equalised within 97 seconds through two headers – Phil Jagielka headed in from close range after Tim Cahill’s attempt rebounded off the crossbar.

At Villa Park, Leon Best scored an equaliser in the second half as Newcastle rescued a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa to leave both teams unbeaten in the Premier League.

Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Villa the lead at the second attempt when his volley from Barry Bannan’s left-footed cross hit Fabricio Coloccini and rebounded back to the England striker to score from close range in the 13th
minute.

Newcastle had started brightly, but Agbonlahor’s goal kick-started Villa and he almost scored again after the break with a low shot on the turn that curled just wide from Charles N’Zogbia’s pass.

Best equalised when Shay Given saved his far-post header from Cheik Tiote’s cross, only for the ball to fall at the Ireland striker’s feet for an easy finish.

Source: News Agencies