Football
PA Sport 9y

Petr Cech has nightmare debut for Arsenal, Liverpool win late

Goalkeeper Petr Cech had an Arsenal league debut to forget as West Ham United pulled off an unexpected 2-0 win at Emirates Stadium.

The veteran Czech international moved from Chelsea in a £10 million summer deal, which was seen as move to provide the Gunners with an edge in the Premier League title challenge.

However, Cech was caught out when West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate headed in a first-half free kick and then Mauro Zarate slotted home a second on the break after 57 minutes to leave Gunners boss Arsene Wenger facing more questions about the direction of his side.

West Ham started with 16-year-old Reece Oxford in midfield, and he put in a mature display at the back.

Wenger was forced to use Alexis Sanchez a surprise substitute but he could not inspire the Gunners back into the game.

Stoke City were unable to repeat their heroics of May as Liverpool stole a 1-0 win at the Britannia Stadium.

A drab game looked set to be headed for a goalless draw until Philippe Coutinho produced what is fast becoming a trademark long-range goal for the winner in the 86th minute.

New Stoke No. 1 Jack Butland stood no chance as the ball flew into the top-right corner.

On the final day of last season, Stoke ran out 6-1 winners in this fixture but there was no sign of that happening again. It was a game of few chances, and a point apiece looked like being a fair result until Coutinho struck.

Southampton substitute Shane Long headed a late equaliser to deny Steve McClaren a winning start in charge of Newcastle United.

Goals from Papiss Cisse and new boy Gini Wijnaldum had put the Magpies in command after Graziano Pelle's 24th-minute opener for the visitors at St James' Park.

But Long -- a 65th-minute replacement for Jay Rodriguez, who was making his first top-flight appearance since April 2014 -- rose to power home a cross from the Dusan Tadic with 11 minutes to go to ensure a 2-2 draw.

And it could have been worse for McClaren who watched Saints striker Sadio Mane miss two glorious chances to win it in the dying seconds.

First Mane saw a shot blocked by Jack Colback and deep into injury time another clear effort drifted inches wide of the beaten Tim Krul's right-hand post.

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