The Hindu : Sport / Football : Chelsea, Arsenal start with wins

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Monday, Aug 13, 2007
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Chelsea, Arsenal start with wins

Reading holds Manchester United

— Photo: AFP

HOMING IN: Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie slots in a penalty against Fulham in their EPL match on Sunday.

LONDON: Chelsea opened its Premier League title bid with a record-breaking 3-2 win over Birmingham City while London rival Arsenal snatched a late 2-1 victory over Fulham on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney suffered a suspected foot injury as Manchester United launched the defence of its Premiership title with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Reading at Old Trafford.

Chelsea, looking to wrest the title back from Manchester United, took the points with a second-half strike from Ghana midfielder Michael Essien.

In a whirlwind first half at Stamford Bridge, Birmingham took a shock lead with a 15th minute header from Finnish former Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell.

The host hit back with goals from league debutants Claudio Pizarro of Peru and Frenchman Florent Malouda, who was on target again after scoring in last Sunday’s Community Shield defeat by United. City levelled with a left-footed bullet strike from their new French signing Olivier Kapo, but Essien gave Chelsea a deserved victory with a curling first-time shot to Shaun Wright-Phillips’s cut-back.

Dutch striker Robin van Persie converted an 83rd minute penalty and Belarus midfielder Alexander Hleb struck a 90th minute winner to give Arsenal its victory in a London derby at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea and Arsenal followed the winning lead of fellow title hopeful Liverpool, which beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Saturday.

The results: On Sunday: Chelsea 3 (Claudio Pizarro 18, Florent Malouda 31, Mickael Essien 50) bt Birmingham City 2 (Mikael Forssell 15, Olivier Kapo 36); Arsenal 2 (Robin van Persie 83-pen, Alexander Hleb 90) bt Fulh am 1 (David Healy 1); Manchester United 0 drew with Reading 0.