Liverpool fired an early warning to their English Premiership title rivals as they made a gutsy winning start to the new season.
With manager Rafael Benitez under pressure to deliver the Reds’ first Premiership trophy after spending a small fortune in the pre-season, Liverpool sent a statement of intent to Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa.
Elsewhere, the season began in exciting fashion as three other managers with a point to prove came away with opening-day victories.
Sven-Goran Eriksson, branded a flop as England manager, saw his Manchester City side win 2-0 at West Ham in his first Premiership test.
Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce took his new side to his old club, Bolton Wanderers, and returned with a 3-1 win.
And Roy Keane, in his first game as a Premiership boss, saw his newly promoted Sunderland side beat big-spending visitors Tottenham 1-0 with a last-gasp goal.
Elsewhere, hosts Derby drew 2-2 with Portsmouth, Everton beat visitors Wigan 2-1 and Blackburn earned a 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.
Liverpool’s talismanic captain Steven Gerrard scored a late winner at Villa Park to serve notice on the Reds’ rivals, who get their campaigns going Sunday.
Champions Manchester United host Reading, Chelsea welcome promoted Birmingham, while Arsenal kick off with a London derby at home to Fulham.
The Reds took the lead against Villa through a 31st-minute Martin Laursen own goal, the Denmark defender turning in Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt’s cross.
The Villains thought they had salvaged a point five minutes from time when Reds defender Jamie Carragher unintentionally handled the ball in the penalty box and Villa captain Gareth Barry scored the resulting spot-kick.
However, two minutes later, Gerrard lashed in a splendid free kick to win it for Liverpool.
At Upton Park, Eriksson got off to a flying start — despite having admitted never having seen many of his new signings play before.
Both City and West Ham have spent heavily on new players in the pre-season, but it was Eriksson’s investments that delivered an early return.
Italian forward Roland Bianchi scored in the 18th minute and Brazilian international striker Geovanni sealed victory three minutes from full time.
Allardyce knows all about Bolton from his seven-and-a-half years in charge at the Reebok and he put it to good use on his return.
Skilful French winger Charles N’Zogbia scored Newcastle’s first 11 minutes in before Nigeria hitman Obefami Martins bagged a brace in the 21st and 27th minutes — sending a message to England forward Michael Owen that he faces a fight to be the first-choice striker.
France forward Nicolas Anelka scored for the Trotters in the 50th minute, but the game was long-since lost.
At the Stadium of Light, Michael Chopra scored the first goal of the new season in Saturday’s early match as visitors Tottenham were beaten 1-0 thanks to his goal with 13 seconds to go.
”I was desperate to do it, especially being a Geordie from Newcastle coming to Sunderland, I was desperate to get that goal and show Sunderland fans that I want to be here,” Chopra said.
Uefa Cup side Everton, out to improve on last season’s sixth-placed finish, beat relegation battle survivors Wigan 2-1 at Goodison Park.
Everton midfielder Leon Osman scored with a header in the 26th minute.
It was a roller-coaster match at Pride Park as newly promoted Derby County held visitors Portsmouth to a 2-2 draw.
Midfielder Matt Oakley scored for the Championship play-off winners five minutes in.
Pompey’s Benjani Mwaruwari equalised and new signing John Utaka thought he had scored a winning goal in the 83rd minute, but Rams defender Andy Todd equalised.
Blackburn Rovers started their campaign well with a hard-fought win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
England winger Stuart Downing put Boro ahead before South Africa striker Benni McCarthy was stretchered off having collapsed following a clash of heads. His replacement, Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz, equalised in the 63rd minute and Matt Derbyshire won the match with 11 minutes to go. — Sapa-AFP