Week 1 of the Premiership

The premiership season started Saturday with a bit of a surprise in Sunderland beating much fancied Tottenham in the early kick off. Roy Keane’s team were always going to give it their all on opening day but I doubt if Keane himself seriously thought they were going to win against a spurs team that has been charged with trying to break into the top 4 this season.
The highlight of the day must be seeing the goal of the month scored on opening day by Steven Gerrard. Liverpool travelled away to Villa for the opening game in what in past seasons would have been a very tricky opener. Liverpool haven’t lost at Villa park since the 97/98 season, when they went down 2-1 but it was precisely these kinds of games over the last few seasons that has seen Liverpool fall behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the race for elusive championship number 19. Fernando Torres started up front with Dirk Kuyt, Gerrard started in his favourite position, right in the middle of the park, Arbeloa started as left back with Riise playing in front of him, Carragher, Agger, Alonso, Finnan and Pennant made up the starting line 11.
Liverpool were the dominant team on the pitch and looked the most likely to take the lead. After several chances, a few of which fell to Torres, Liverpool went ahead when a pass, dummied by Kuyt, fell to Torres, his shot was parried by Taylor but Kuyt rescued the ball before it went out and his cross was knocked into the Villa net by Laursen. Liverpool kept their lead and looked good for the win until 6 minutes from time when Carragher handled the ball in the area, Mike Riley pointed to the spot and Gareth Barry converted the kick. Liverpool would be justified in feeling a bit hard done by losing their lead so close to the finish but 2 minutes later a Gerrard run was impeded by Stiliyan Petrov and a free kick was awarded when it became clear there was going to be advantage. Riise and Alonso both stepped up but it was the captain who decided to take it and try to rescue Liverpool on the opening day of the season. A sublime and inch perfect free kick left the keeper floundering at full stretch and even though he got fingertips to it, he was never going to get enough on it to keep it out of the net. This was not the first important goal that Gerrard had scored for Liverpool and it most certainly wont be the last but the importance, psychologically at least for Liverpool to win their opening game of the season away from home cannot be underestimated. Last year Liverpool had to wait until December for their first away win of the season and it is the first time in 5 years Liverpool have won their opening game. There are great things to come from Liverpool this season and this is the first step in a very long season but this is now something for us to build on and with Chelsea at Anfield next in the premiership, we have a great opportunity to get a leg up on one of our title rivals very early on in the season. With Arsenal and Chelsea also winning their opening games it was doubly important to not fall behind on the first day. While Chelsea apparently cruised to victory, they conceded 2 goals in the opening 36 minutes of the game at home against a team that you would expect to be fighting for their lives come the end of the season and Arsenal had to be saved with a late winner over Fulham after Lehman made a almost fatal error after less then a minute. Manchester United fared less well as they had a torrid time at the hands of a tactically astute Reading side that restricted United to a single effort that looked like it had a chance of sneaking in, Giggs’ effort in the first half which hit the post. Liverpool's 3 main rivals for the Premiership crown were all at home and all looked less than convincing.

Newcastle top the table after a win over their manager's former club 3-1, new boys Derby drew 2-2 with fancied Portsmouth, Liverpool's Merseyside rivals Everton beat Wigan 2-1, Blackburn beat Middlesbrough 2-1 and Man City beat West Ham 2-0 in London.

So week one is out of the way and I am relieved Liverpool have come through unscathed, we will surely go into next weekend's Anfield opener against Chelsea as favourites. United’s result will have little bearing on the overall season but if Reading can hold them to a 0-0 draw then it's obvious they are beatable, but I knew that anyway. Better news than the result was the injury to Wayne Rooney, he had to be substituted during the half time break with a hairline fracture of the foot, an injury that will keep him out for most of September I hear, thank you Michael Duberry.