Wayne Rooney scored against his former Everton teammates as Manchester United launched their latest Premier League challenge with an impressive 2-0 victory at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Ruud van Nistelrooy also hit the target as United, whose poor start last season effectively killed off their title chances, began with three useful away points against an Everton side that finished fourth last term.
In other highlight results on the opening day, promoted West Ham came from behind to beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 and Tottenham won 2-0 at Portsmouth.
In other results, Aston Villa and Bolton tied 2-2 with all four goals in the first nine minutes, 10-man Charlton won 3-1 at promoted Sunderland, Manchester City were held 0-0 at home by West Bromwich Albion, and Fulham and Birmingham drew 0-0.
In Saturday’s late game, Champions League winners Liverpool visited Middlesbrough.
Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea do not start their defence of the league title until Sunday, when they visit promoted Wigan. Last season’s runners-up, Arsenal, are also in action on Sunday at home to Newcastle.
Rooney refused to believe Chelsea, backed by the vast wealth of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, would run away with the title again.
”There have been one or two comments about one team being in it, but it’s rubbish really,” the teenager said. ”This is a good start to the season but we have to keep it going.
”We’ve had a long preseason with six or seven games under our belts. We came here today and we wanted to show everyone what we are capable of and we got a good start to the season.”
Manchester United’s Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out with an ankle injury shortly before kick-off, giving South Korean star Park Ji-sung — signed from PSV Eindhoven two months ago — his Premier League debut.
Marcus Bent’s volley deflected off Mikael Silvestre on to the United crossbar before the visitor went ahead two minutes before half-time in a move started by Rooney.
The 19-year-old striker pulled three defenders towards him and slipped the ball out to overlapping O’Shea. The left back crossed and Van Nistelrooy arrived at the near post to turn the ball home for the first goal of the new Premier League campaign.
Rooney’s goal came only 30 seconds into the second half.
There was no danger when Joseph Yobo had the ball inside his own area. But the Nigerian defender turned a casual pass behind his teammates and Rooney was first to react, running in unchallenged to side-foot the ball past goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.
”It was nice to score early in the second half, and it killed the game off,” Rooney said.
Blackburn captain Andy Todd put his side ahead at Upton Park before the Hammers, who were promoted through the playoffs after finishing sixth in the Football League Championship, hit back through 39-year-old striker Teddy Sheringham, Nigel Reo-Coker and Matthew Etherington.
An own goal by Portsmouth defender Andy Griffin and a strike by England forward Jermaine Defoe captured three away points for Tottenham at Portsmouth, who looks as if they will struggle under French manager Alain Perrin.
Kevin Phillips fired Villa ahead against Bolton only for Kevin Davies and Ivan Campo to put the visitor in front. Steven Davis made it 2-2 with just nine minutes gone, but there were no more goals at Villa Park.
Charlton had Darren Ambrose sent off at the Stadium of Light but then scored twice through Danny Murphy and Darren Bent for a 3-1 victory at Sunderland.
Rival goalkeepers David James and Chris Kirkland made standout saves at the City of Manchester Stadium as West Brom ground out a tie at Manchester City.
United States international striker Brian McBride had a goal disallowed for a dubious offside ruling and Fulham missed several more chances as Chris Coleman’s team were held 0-0 at home by Birmingham.
In the League Championship, Luton went top despite being held 0-0 at home by Leeds. The Hatters were joined on seven points by Queens Park Rangers, who toppled Sheffield United 2-1, and Glenn Hoddle’s Wolves, whose 1-0 beating of promoted Hull City made it a club record 21 games in a row without defeat. — Sapa-AP