LONDON: Two mistakes by new goalkeeper Petr Cech sent a much-hyped Arsenal side crashing to a 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham United, while Liverpool’s start to the new Premier League season ended with a late 1-0 win at Stoke on Sunday.

Cech arrived from Chelsea with a reputation for keeping clean sheets, but a header from Cheikhou Kouyate in the 43rd minute and a low shot by Mauro Zarate in the 57th minute unexpectedly beat the 33-year-old keeper.

There was little goalmouth action at Stoke until Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho scored with a ferocious shot from 25 metres in the 86th minute.

The points were shared at St James’ Park, where a Newcastle United side under new coach Steve McClaren drew 2-2 with Southampton in the day’s other game.

Cech’s arrival has been acclaimed as a signing that could turn Arsenal into title contenders, but he was found wanting as Arsene Wenger’s side opened their Premier League campaign with a home defeat for the second time in three years.

His rash charge allowed Kouyate to head West Ham in front from debutant Dimitri Payet’s 43rd-minute free-kick and the Czech international’s slowness to get down saw him beaten at his near post from 25 yards by Zarate shortly before the hour.

“We were not convincing offensively or defensively,” said Wenger, whose side beat champions Chelsea 1-0 in the Community Shield last weekend. Today we have been hurt mentally and it is a good opportunity to respond.”

West Ham’s win echoed Aston Villa’s 3-1 success at the Emirates on the first day of the 2013-14 campaign and enabled Slaven Bilic to crown his first league game as manager with a famous victory.

“We are all very pleased and it is a great start for us — not only for the three points, but points against a team that are title contenders,” said the Croatian. “If you add to that a London derby, it makes it an even bigger win.”

As Newcastle boss McClaren stepped foot in a dugout as a Premier League manager for the first time since 2006, his opposite number Ronald Koeman was nowhere to be seen after undergoing an operation for a ruptured Achilles this week.

The Saints seemed unaffected by their manager’s absence and took the lead in the 24th minute when Italian striker Graziano Pelle rose highest to plant a header past Tim Krul but Newcastle equalised just before halftime through Papiss Cisse.

New signing Georginio Wijnaldum headed in Gabriel Obertan’s perfectly weighted cross to swing the advantage in Newcastle’s favour but Shane Long levelled the score in the 79th minute with another headed goal.

SWANSEA THWART CHELSEA

In Saturday’s late fixture, Chelsea were embroiled in familiar high drama as the champions were reduced to 10 men and held 2-2 by Swansea City in an entertaining start to the defence of their title at their home fortress.

The rich entertainment at Stamford Bridge included Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois being sent off and the danger of that rarest of events — manager Jose Mourinho losing a home match to inspired opponents.

With Diego Costa overcoming hamstring trouble to start, Chelsea weathered a bright start by Swansea and went ahead in the 23rd minute when Oscar’s free-kick from wide on the left curled straight in.

Swansea debutant Andre Ayew equalised six minutes later, finishing smartly after an initial attempt had been blocked, only for Chelsea to regain the lead within 92 seconds thanks to a big, looping deflection off luckless defender Federico Fernandez from a Willian cross.

The own goal, which left goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski hopelessly stranded, seemed to have settled Chelsea only for Swansea to roar forward again, with Jefferson Montero in wonderful form, following the break.

After Bafetimbi Gomis beat the offside trap in the 55th, he was hacked down by Courtois on the edge of the penalty area.

Referee Michael Oliver had no hesitation in producing a straight red card and pointing to the spot and Gomis got up to slot the penalty past Courtois’ replacement in goal, new signing Asmir Begovic.

As Swansea sniffed a similar sensation to when they beat Manchester United in last season’s opening game, Gomis even had a goal disallowed for offside amid thrilling combat.

Though Oliver’s sending off decision appeared debatable, Mourinho, unusually, declined to comment but was happy to defend his team’s effort.

“We played very well in the first half, the game was under control and the players were playing with more and more confidence,” he said. “To play 35 minutes with one player less in the first match of the season where the condition and the sharpness is not at the top is even more difficult.”

Swansea coach Garry Monk whose side finished eighth last season, was clearly delighted with his side.

“We were magnificent,” he said. “Everyone contributed for 90 minutes — to come to a very difficult place, to an excellent side, and play the way we played, and have the chances that we had.”

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2015

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