23rd August, 2014
Diego Costa scored for the second match in succession as Chelsea made it two Premier League wins from two matches this season with a 2-0 victory at home to newly-promoted Leicester City on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, Chelsea twice almost took the lead at the start of the second period.
Oscar hit the far post with a curling shot from the right before Branislav Ivanovic’s header was well saved by Kasper Schmeichel, son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter.
Leicester, who held Everton to a 2-2 draw last week, then had a chance of their own when David Nugent burst clear only for the Foxes striker to be denied by Thibault Courtois, again preferred by Jose Mourinho to Petr Cech, when one-on-one with the keeper.
But £32 million Spain striker Costa, who scored in last week’s 3-1 win at Burnley, marked his home debut by turning in Ivanovic’s cross from eight yards out in the 63rd minute.
Chelsea then doubled their lead at Stamford Bridge when Eden Hazard’s 77th-minute shot beat Schmeichel after deflecting off Leicester defender Wes Morgan.
“I don’t forget they had a good chance with the result 0-0 but we had so many chances, so many opportunities to score obviously we deserved the victory,” Chelsea manager Mourinho told Sky Sports.
Arsenal whose bid for the title in recent seasons has so often been undone by poor away form, came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Everton.
The Gunners scored twice inside the final seven minutes at Goodison Park, with France striker Olivier Giroud’s 90th-minute goal ensuring a share of the points for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Everton went ahead in the 19th minute when unmarked defender Seamus Coleman headed in Gareth Barry’s cross at the far post before Steven Naismith, seemingly offside, made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time after Romelu Lukaku had outmuscled Germany World Cup-winner Per Mertesacker in the build-up.
But then came Arsenal’s late recovery.
Aaron Ramsey turned in Santi Cazorla’s low centre before half-time substitute Giroud headed in Nacho Monreal’s cross.
Swansea, fresh from their shock opening day victory away to Manchester United, made it two wins from two with a 1-0 success at home to Burnley secured by winger Nathan Dyer’s 23rd-minute goal.
“I knew it would be a tough game,” Swansea manager Garry Monk told the BBC. “But you have to applaud our players.”
West Ham bounced back from a 1-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur with a 3-1 win away to managerless Crystal Palace.
The Eagles, without a manager after Tony Pulis quit before the season started in a row over transfer funds, had seen sporting director Iain Moody resign in midweek following the fall-out from the publication of offensive text messages he had shared with Malky Mackay while the pair were at Cardiff.
Any hope of better news on the pitch was shattered when Palace conceded two goals in three first-half minutes.
Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate marked his Hammers debut with an impressive 34th-minute volley before England winger Stewart Downing added an equally stylish second, cutting in from the right flank before curling in a 20-yard left-foot shot.
Palace pulled a goal back in the 48th minute through Marouane Chamakh.
However, the Hammers made it 3-1 in the 62nd minute when striker Carlton Cole scored his first goal since February when he volleyed home from inside the penalty area.
Southampton and West Bromwich Albion shared the points in a goalless draw and Saturday’s early kick-off between Aston Villa and Newcastle ended the same way.
Newcastle, beaten 2-0 by reigning champions Manchester City last weekend, have still to score in the Premier League this season after centre-back Mike Williamson was sent off in stoppage-time for a second bookable offence.
Louis van Gaal will go in search of his first competitive win as Manchester United manager at north-east side Sunderland on Sunday.
Meanwhile former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp will return to White Hart Lane as manager of London rivals Queens Park Rangers.
Sunday’s other Premier League fixture sees Hull at home to Stoke.
But the match of the round is Monday’s clash between Manchester City and Liverpool, last season’s runners-up.
By then former City striker Mario Balotelli could be a Liverpool player if his proposed £16 million ($27 million, 20 million euros) transfer from AC Milan has been completed, although any deal will come too late for him to be eligible to play on Monday.