LONDON: Two days into the English Premier League season and there is a familiar sight at the top of the standings.

Manchester City began the defence of their title with a 2-0 victory at Newcastle on Sunday, with star forwards David Silva and Sergio Aguero scoring at St. James’ Park.

Ivorian powerhouse Yaya Toure and Edin Dzeko combined to set up Spaniard Silva before half-time while Argentine
Aguero added a second in injury time after his first effort was saved.

While the performance was far from vintage, City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be pleased with the three points after last week’s 3-0 Community Shield loss to Arsenal indicated his side may have some early season rust.

Liverpool — runners-up by two points last season — were less convincing against Southampton at Anfield but still took three points, with Daniel Sturridge’s 79th-minute goal clinching a 2-1 win in the team’s first match of the post-Luis Suarez era.

Raheem Sterling put Liverpool ahead in the 23rd, with Nathaniel Clyne equalising for Southampton with a thunderbolt in the 56th.

With Burnley-Chelsea wrapping up the first round of fixtures on Monday, City are the only team to have won by more than a one-goal margin.

Pellegrini gave a debut to new Brazilian midfielder Fernando and saw his side take the lead in the 38th minute.

Toure found Edin Dzeko with a lofted pass over the top and as Newcastle’s centre-backs rushed across, the Bosnian teed up Silva with a clever back-heel and the midfielder coolly beat Tim Krul.

Newcastle, who handed debuts to Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Remy Cabella and Emmanuel Riviere, improved after the interval, with Cabella and Paul Dummett spurning opportunities to hit the target.

Newcastle substitute Ayoze Perez then saw a curling effort deflected agonisingly wide by Fernando, before Aguero ran through and beat Krul at the second attempt in stoppage time to finally put the game to bed.

At a sun-soaked Anfield, Sterling put Liverpool ahead when he beat Fraser Forster with a first-time finish.

It was a turbulent close season for Southampton, who lost five key players and appointed a new manager in Ronald Koeman, but they were not cowed by Liverpool’s opener and equalised shortly before the hour.

Clyne rolled a pass forward to Dusan Tadic and the Serbian held off his marker before backheeling the ball into the path of his onrushing team-mate, who thrashed a shot into the top-right corner.

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool looked destined to drop points in their first competitive game since the sale of Suarez to Barcelona, but with 11 minutes to play, Sterling headed on a loose ball for England team-mate Sturridge to nudge home the winner from a matter of yards.

“We scored two very good goals and we’re delighted about the win, “Liverpool manager Rodgers told Sky Sports. “In terms of the character and desire and the will to win, we were exceptional.”

On Saturday Manchester United began life under Louis van Gaal with a disappointing 2-1 defeat by Swansea City, while Arsenal needed a stoppage time Aaron Ramsey goal to beat Crystal Palace 2-1.

Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City and Aston Villa were other opening-weekend winners.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2014