Dream start for Suarez; Hammers on song at Pool; Man City throw away lead twice
On a night when Liverpool supporters saluted a new goalscoring hero in the shape of Luis Suarez at Anfield, Manchester City were left to rue twice throwing away a lead at Birmingham to leave St Andrews with just a point.
Robbie Keane marked a debut of his own with a goal in West Ham's vital 3-1 win over Blackpool, Damien Duff haunted former employers Newcastle and Tottenham did a smash and grab job on Blackburn.
A frenetic and always entertaining evening's football concluded at the Reebok as Bolton snatched a victory over Wolves thanks to substitute Daniel Sturridge's last gasp intervention.
Robbie Keane marked a debut of his own with a goal in West Ham's vital 3-1 win over Blackpool, Damien Duff haunted former employers Newcastle and Tottenham did a smash and grab job on Blackburn.
A frenetic and always entertaining evening's football concluded at the Reebok as Bolton snatched a victory over Wolves thanks to substitute Daniel Sturridge's last gasp intervention.
Liverpool kicked-off life post Fernando Torres in the best possible fashion as Stoke were dispatched 2-0 at Anfield.
Andy Carroll was afforded a rapturous reception upon being presented to the home crowd pre kick-off, while Suarez had to content himself with a place on the bench.
It looked as though Liverpool needed the Uruguayan following a goalless first period but it took just two minutes of the restart for them to forge ahead. Steven Gerrard's effort from a free-kick pin-balled around the box before Sotirios Kyrgiakos was able to steal possession to allow the in-form Raul Meireles to lash home from close range.
The scene was set for Suarez's introduction with half an hour to go and he kept to the script perfectly in netting a debut goal, albeit one that owed a sizeable thank you to Stoke's Andy Wilkinson.
Kuyt's pass played him through and while he rounded Asmir Begovic stylishly enough, his goalbound finish lacked purchase as it ended up in the back of the net via Wilkinson's sliced attempt to clear that pushed the ball over the line.
Andy Carroll was afforded a rapturous reception upon being presented to the home crowd pre kick-off, while Suarez had to content himself with a place on the bench.
It looked as though Liverpool needed the Uruguayan following a goalless first period but it took just two minutes of the restart for them to forge ahead. Steven Gerrard's effort from a free-kick pin-balled around the box before Sotirios Kyrgiakos was able to steal possession to allow the in-form Raul Meireles to lash home from close range.
The scene was set for Suarez's introduction with half an hour to go and he kept to the script perfectly in netting a debut goal, albeit one that owed a sizeable thank you to Stoke's Andy Wilkinson.
Kuyt's pass played him through and while he rounded Asmir Begovic stylishly enough, his goalbound finish lacked purchase as it ended up in the back of the net via Wilkinson's sliced attempt to clear that pushed the ball over the line.
Manchester City got off to the best possible start at Birmingham as they took the lead inside the first five minutes. Some neat David Silva footwork inside Birmingham's box made space for Carlos Tevez, who dropped his shoulder to work the angle before seeing his strike nestle into the far post courtesy of a deflection off Blues debutant Martin Jiranek.
It was a lead they held for less than 20 minutes as strugglers Birmingham restored parity when Nikola Zigic provided a scruffy but effective finish to beat Joe Hart from David Bentley's devilishly whipped-in free-kick from the left.
Both sides looked dangerous from set-pieces and thus it was no surprise when City retook the lead from a free-kick as Alexsander Kolorav enhanced a growing reputation for possessing a hammer of a left foot, as his sweetly struck effort gave Birmingham's wall and Ben Foster not a prayer.
A workmanlike display looked to have earned City the spoils but with 13 minutes left Patrick Vieira and Kevin Phillips collided in the box, leaving it to Craig Gardner to confidently smash the resulting penalty past Hart.
Basement dwellers West Ham enjoyed a night to remember at Bloomfield Road in a game that was entertaining but riddled with goalkeeping errors.
Blackpool's Richard Kingson endured the proverbial mare midway through the first half as he let an insipid angled drive from in-form West Ham forward Victor Obinna go through his body at the near post to hand the Hammers a lead.
Kingson thought he had partially atoned for his gaffe with a double save from Obinna in the 37th minute, but debut boy Keane had other ideas as he succeeded where his team-mate had failed in slicing home at the third attempt.
Robert Green paid his dues to the goalkeepers' union in giving Kingson a shoulder to cry on before half-time, when he inexplicably allowed Charlie Adam's corner to bounce in front of him at his near post and into the goal.
Credit though to West Ham's response as they ensured they went into the break with a two-goal advantage they never let slip, as Obinna rattled home a stunner from range that was out of keeping with much of the entertaining but error-ridden fare served up before it.
There was nothing complicated about Tottenham's third minute winner at Blackburn as Rafael van der Vaart slung over a deep cross from the right that saw Peter Crouch somehow tower above man mountain Christopher Samba, to plant his header past Paul Robinson.
It was hardly a stroll in the North West for Spurs though as Heurelho Gomes was outstanding in goal as he thwarted Rovers time and time again in the second period.
In the final minute Rovers skipper Samba was guilty of real profligacy as he somehow failed to register from just a few yards out.
Damien Duff enjoyed a perfect night against former club Newcastle as his goal edged an improving Fulham further into the comfort zone that is midtable.
His decisive strike came in the 67th minute as Danny Murphy pinged a pass from deep that any quarterback would have been proud.
Jose Enrique was caught under the ball as Duff peeled off his shoulder to calmly finish past an onrushing Steve Harper.
In what was a game of few chances at the Reebok a mistake or moment of genius was always likely to settle matters between Bolton and Wolves.
Unfortunately for Ronald Zubar it was the former as he left it until the final minute to play a hideous blind backpass across his own goal that presented Bolton new boy Sturridge with the simplest of chances in the final minute, which he duly converted for a debut goal.
It was a lead they held for less than 20 minutes as strugglers Birmingham restored parity when Nikola Zigic provided a scruffy but effective finish to beat Joe Hart from David Bentley's devilishly whipped-in free-kick from the left.
Both sides looked dangerous from set-pieces and thus it was no surprise when City retook the lead from a free-kick as Alexsander Kolorav enhanced a growing reputation for possessing a hammer of a left foot, as his sweetly struck effort gave Birmingham's wall and Ben Foster not a prayer.
A workmanlike display looked to have earned City the spoils but with 13 minutes left Patrick Vieira and Kevin Phillips collided in the box, leaving it to Craig Gardner to confidently smash the resulting penalty past Hart.
Basement dwellers West Ham enjoyed a night to remember at Bloomfield Road in a game that was entertaining but riddled with goalkeeping errors.
Blackpool's Richard Kingson endured the proverbial mare midway through the first half as he let an insipid angled drive from in-form West Ham forward Victor Obinna go through his body at the near post to hand the Hammers a lead.
Kingson thought he had partially atoned for his gaffe with a double save from Obinna in the 37th minute, but debut boy Keane had other ideas as he succeeded where his team-mate had failed in slicing home at the third attempt.
Robert Green paid his dues to the goalkeepers' union in giving Kingson a shoulder to cry on before half-time, when he inexplicably allowed Charlie Adam's corner to bounce in front of him at his near post and into the goal.
Credit though to West Ham's response as they ensured they went into the break with a two-goal advantage they never let slip, as Obinna rattled home a stunner from range that was out of keeping with much of the entertaining but error-ridden fare served up before it.
There was nothing complicated about Tottenham's third minute winner at Blackburn as Rafael van der Vaart slung over a deep cross from the right that saw Peter Crouch somehow tower above man mountain Christopher Samba, to plant his header past Paul Robinson.
It was hardly a stroll in the North West for Spurs though as Heurelho Gomes was outstanding in goal as he thwarted Rovers time and time again in the second period.
In the final minute Rovers skipper Samba was guilty of real profligacy as he somehow failed to register from just a few yards out.
Damien Duff enjoyed a perfect night against former club Newcastle as his goal edged an improving Fulham further into the comfort zone that is midtable.
His decisive strike came in the 67th minute as Danny Murphy pinged a pass from deep that any quarterback would have been proud.
Jose Enrique was caught under the ball as Duff peeled off his shoulder to calmly finish past an onrushing Steve Harper.
In what was a game of few chances at the Reebok a mistake or moment of genius was always likely to settle matters between Bolton and Wolves.
Unfortunately for Ronald Zubar it was the former as he left it until the final minute to play a hideous blind backpass across his own goal that presented Bolton new boy Sturridge with the simplest of chances in the final minute, which he duly converted for a debut goal.
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