Premier League round-up: Liverpool are left red-faced

Brendan Rodgers's first league game as Liverpool manager ended with ten men and a heavy defeat as the team he left in the summer, Swansea City, won 5-0 at Queens Park Rangers in their opening fixture.

The Northern Irishman felt harshly treated by referee Phil Dowd, who awarded two second-half penalties, the first of which also saw Daniel Agger red-carded for a professional foul on West Bromwich Albion striker Shane Long.

Although Long's resulting penalty was saved by Pepe Reina, Peter Odemwingie tucked away the second spot-kick, awarded for Martin Skrtel's foul on Long, while Albion also found the target through Zoltan Gera and Romelu Lukaku as Steve Clarke enjoyed a dream start as West Brom manager.

Rodgers, however, felt the margin of victory did not reflect his side's efforts.

"I thought the score line was harsh," he said. "Congratulations to West Brom and Steve Clarke getting his first win as a manager. I've no complaints about the first goal, a fantastic strike from Gera, showing wonderful technique.

"But in the second half, although I'm not going to go on about the referee, I thought the two penalty decisions were very harsh.

"I don't think either was a penalty and Martin Skrtel doesn't even connect for the second one.

"With the first one, Long's pace has got him there. There is slight contact but I know Long well, how big and strong he is, and it was very harsh.

"With 10 men and then chasing the game, it becomes difficult."

Rodgers said Liverpool may consider appealing Agger's red card, saying: "It is something we will look at. It was very harsh."

The former Swansea manager said his Liverpool side remain a "work in progress" but still saw some encouraging signs in the opening 45 minutes.

He said: "We showed some signs of our quality but the penalties and the sending off kills you, especially a new team coming together.

"But I've got to give big credit to the players. They ran to a standstill today and I can't complain.

"It is still a work in progress. It is very much a marathon we are in. This is the first game.

"We've got to win games. I've heard lots about patience and every manager wants that. But nowadays you don't get that. We've got to win games. It was a bad day in the office."

Striker Luis Suarez missed several chances to open his account for the season and was booked on the stroke of half time, capping what was a frustrating afternoon for the Uruguayan.

"When you are a winner with so much passion, a game like today hurts," said Rodgers.

"He is a wonderful player, a good man, world class and a winner and when it goes against you, it can be difficult."

To add to Rodgers's woes, substitute Joe Cole limped off with a recurrence of a hamstring problem.

Meanwhile, Clarke insisted he gained no extra satisfaction from defeating Liverpool.

The Scot, who was number two to Kenny Dalglish at Anfield last season, said: "The manner of departure from Liverpool is not an issue. That's what happens in football these days.

"It doesn't give me any extra satisfaction winning this game. If I was sitting here and we had played someone else and won, I would be just as happy.

"I've got no axe to grind with Liverpool."

Clarke was unsurprised by the quality of his side's performance.

He said: "I think I've been in the game long enough to know you enjoy these moments but you know there are different Saturdays to come.

"But the performance today showed these players are comfortable in the Premier League."

Other results from the weekend

Newcastle United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1

In a clash between last season’s fourth and fifth-placed teams, Demba Ba’s clinical finish and Hatem Ben Arfa’s penalty either side of Jermain Defoe’s equaliser saw the home side come away with the three points.

“Tottenham are a really good team and it was important to start with three points,” Newcastle captain Jonas Gutierrez told ESPN after the match.

“We are happy with the team and we had to win. We had a few chances, they did, and we took the opportunity to take three points.”

The Magpies snatched the lead against the run of play in the 55th minute when Danny Simpson’s high ball into the box was only half headed clear by Kyle Walker, and Ba responded with a delicious curling shot high into the net from the corner of the box – his first goal since February.

Spurs grabbed their equaliser in the 76th minute when Aaron Lennon crossed into a crowded box and Defoe wriggled free to fire past Tim Krul at the second attempt after his initial header had been parried by the keeper.

But the point only lasted four minutes before substitute Rafael Van der Vaart was rightly penalised for tripping Ben Arfa in the box, and the Frenchman picked himself up to send Friedel the wrong way from the spot.

New Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas felt his players deserved more from the game.“We deserved something extra for the effort we did and the game we played. We showed why we did so well last season and deserved more.”

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew ended the game watching in the stands after being banished for pushing the linesman over a contentious decision.

Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0

Arsene Wenger admitted his Arsenal side lacked cutting edge up front in the first game since Robin van Persie’s exit after they drew a blank at home to Sunderland, despite dominating possession.

Some jeers rang out around Emirates Stadium after the final whistle, a day after Van Persie completed his move to rivals Manchester United.

“The few chances we had we couldn’t convert them ... they defended the whole game very well,” Wenger said. “We lacked something I would call sharpness and quality, and more accuracy in the final pass. The formation didn’t work with three strikers up front. We were not balanced and we did not create enough.”

Strikers Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, who were signed to fill the void left by Van Persie, squandered their few chances.

QPR 0 Swansea City 5

Michael Laudrup could not have dreamt of a better start to life as Swansea City manager after watching his side thrash Queens Park Rangers in West London.

The Welsh team dominated from the outset, showing no signs of weakness after the summer departures of former manager Brendan Rodgers and midfielder Joe Allen to Liverpool.

“That was impressive,” said Laudrup, who replaced Rodgers at the helm. “Winning the first game in my debut – and also the team’s first in their second season in the Premier – away and 5-0. I don’t think anyone could’ve dreamed about that.

“Of course, the most important thing is the team and I am very happy for the players."

Fulham 5 Norwich City 0

Fulham debutant Mladen Petric scored twice and set up one more as Martin Jol’s side hammered Norwich to prove they can cope without midfielder Clint Dempsey, last season’s 23-goal topscorer, seeking an exit from Craven Cottage. Petric, signed on a free from Hamburg this summer, also assisted Alex Kacaniklic, chosen ahead of Dempsey, for the fourth goal.

Reading 1 Stoke City 1

Adam Le Fondre scored a last-minute penalty to rescue promoted Reading from an opening-day defeat. Reading looked set to be taught a harsh lesson in the realities of top-flight football after Adam Federici’s howler gifted Michael Kightly a debut goal. But new signing Garath McCleary came off the bench to turn the game, winning the penalty that saw Dean Whitehead sent off and allowed Le Fondre to equalise.

West Ham United 1 Aston Villa 0

Kevin Nolan’s controversial close-range strike ensured West Ham United enjoyed a successful return to life in the Premier League with victory over Aston Villa. Nolan turned in a low cross from the Portuguese forward Ricardo Vaz Te, who was initially flagged offside only for the assistant referee Simon Long to change his mind. Aston Villa players complained but referee Mike Dean confirmed the goal would stand and it was enough to give the Hammers a winning start on their return to the Premier League.