Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink struck a blow for the Stamford Bridge old boys when he pounced for a late winner, which got Chelsea’s Russian revolution under new billionaire owner Roman Abramovich off to a flying start against Liverpool on Sunday.
Juan Sebastian Veron had given Chelsea the lead at Anfield before Michael Owen equalised with a controversial penalty, only for substitute Hasselbaink to settle the match in the 87th minute.
The Londoners’ three points came a day after it had been business as usual on the opening day of the new Premiership season as champions Manchester United and last season’s runners-up Arsenal both began their campaigns with wins.
Chelsea defender John Terry said the intense competition for places had brought the best out of Hasselbaink.
”Everybody wants to play week in week out and Jimmy proved himself, so the manager’s got a difficult decision now,” said Terry.
And the England defender insisted that the new Chelsea — assembled at a cost of almost £75-million — could win the title.
”If we perform like that week in, week out we have a chance.”
On Saturday, United had laid down the benchmark with a resounding 4-0 win over Bolton at Old Trafford. Arsenal ground out a 2-1 victory over Everton in a match where England defender Sol Campbell was sent-off.
Ryan Giggs was the star for United, showing fans that he can fill in for the departed David Beckham in the free-kick department with a 30-yard screamer on 35 minutes to open the scoring.
Giggs added a second goal in the 74th minute, and Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy completed the rout.
To emphasise the point that Beckham is history following his move to Real Madrid, his replacement in the number seven shirt, Portuguese teenager Cristiano Ronaldo, thrilled the crowd when he came on as a substitute.
Ronaldo even won a 71st-minute penalty, but the usually reliable Ruud van Nistelrooy saw his effort saved by Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
”He’s the kind of player that gets people off their seats — that’s what the club’s about,” a visibly impressed Giggs said of Ronaldo.
Arsenal’s win over Everton at Highbury was marred by the 25th-minute sending-off of Campbell for fouling Thomas Gravesen.
But even with 10 men the Gunners were too good for Everton, with Thierry Henry putting away an easy 35th-minute penalty after Alan Stubbs’s handball.
Everton then fell further behind to French midfielder Robert Pires’s goal after 53 minutes.
Despite manager David Moyes throwing on Wayne Rooney as a second-half substitute they were unable to come back beyond Tomasz Radzinski’s late consolation.
Henry hailed his teammates’ performance.
”A lot of credit to the team, to play the way we played even with 10 men, that’s something positive,” he said.
Elsewhere, the Premiership debutants had a mixed time.
Portsmouth defeated Aston Villa 2-1, Wolves looked like candidates for an instant return to Division One after a humiliating 5-1 loss to Blackburn while Leicester drew 2-2 with Southampton.
Newcastle United, tipped to make a challenge for the title, needed a late goal from skipper Alan Shearer, his second of the match in his 600th club game, to grab a 2-2 draw at Leeds.
Alan Smith struck what looked to be the winner with 33 minutes to go, after Mark Viduka’s 24th-minute goal cancelled out Shearer’s penalty four minutes earlier.
Nicolas Anelka played an inspirational role as Manchester City got off to an enviable start with a 3-0 thrashing of Charlton on Sunday.
The French striker scored one goal and set up the other two.
Charlton’s cause was not helped with the 69th-minute dismissal of defender Mark Fish for hauling back Robbie Fowler. — Sapa-AFP