Barclays English Premier League
New boys shine bright
The shade of the shirt may have changed but Robin van Persie remains a red-hot Dutch master after marking his first Manchester United start with a superb goal in a 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham on Saturday.
In-form Eden Hazard also opened his account for Chelsea with a penalty in a 2-0 home victory over Newcastle United which put the European champions top of the pile with three wins from three having played a game more than their rivals.
The tricky Belgian winger, who took the 22nd-minute spot kick after a foul on Fernando Torres and with usual penalty taker Frank Lampard on the bench, then set up the Spain forward for a classy second.
Everton built on Monday's win with a 3-1 romp at Aston Villa thanks in part to another headed goal from Marouane Fellaini, although Villa goalkeeper Shay Given should have done better.
South Africa's Steven Pienaar gave the flying Liverpool side an early lead with a rocket from distance and Nikica Jelavic added to Fellaini's second, putting pressure on new Villa boss Paul Lambert after an opening loss to West Ham United.
Rampant Swansea City also made it two wins out of two after promoted West Ham gifted them two goals in a 3-0 victory to follow up their 5-0 opener against Queens Park Rangers.
Michael Laudrup's side went ahead on 20 minutes when Angel Rangel's cross deflected in off the body of new West Ham goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and it was 2-0 soon after when Michu slotted in after an awful James Collins back pass.
Forward Danny Graham knocked in the third after the break while West Ham debutant Matt Jarvis, signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, had their best chance with a volley.
Asked if he was surprised by his new team's success, Dane Laudrup said: "Yes of course, I mean two games, six points, clean sheet, that's fantastic."
QPR recovered slightly from Swansea's mauling to draw 1-1 at Norwich, also thumped 5-0 by Fulham first up, while Sunderland's game with promoted Reading was postponed before kickoff because of a waterlogged pitch.
Promoted Southampton lost again after a 2-0 home defeat by Wigan, whose winner came from Arouna Kone, the Ivorian who is the replacement for new Chelsea winger Victor Moses.
RESULTS
Aston Villa 1 (El Ahmadi 74) Everton 3 (Pienaar 3, Fellaini 31, Jelavic 43)
Chelsea 2 (Hazard 22-pen, Torres 45) Newcastle 0
Manchester United 3 (Van Persie 10, Kagawa 35, R Da Silva 41) Fulham 2 (Duff 3, Vidic 64-og)
Norwich 1 (Jackson 11)
QPR 1 (Zamora 19)
Southampton 0 Wigan 2
(Di Santo 51, Kone 89)
Swansea 3 (Rangel 20, Michu 29, Graham 64) West Ham 0
Tottenham 1 (Assou-Ekotto 74)
West Brom 1 (Morrison 90)
Aston Villa 1 (El Ahmadi 74) Everton 3 (Pienaar 3, Fellaini 31, Jelavic 43)
Chelsea 2 (Hazard 22-pen, Torres 45) Newcastle 0
Manchester United 3 (Van Persie 10, Kagawa 35, R Da Silva 41) Fulham 2 (Duff 3, Vidic 64-og)
Norwich 1 (Jackson 11)
QPR 1 (Zamora 19)
Southampton 0 Wigan 2
(Di Santo 51, Kone 89)
Swansea 3 (Rangel 20, Michu 29, Graham 64) West Ham 0
Tottenham 1 (Assou-Ekotto 74)
West Brom 1 (Morrison 90)
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