Manchester United leads the way at the start of a new Premiership season after two spanking victories over
A demolition of Fulham on the opening Sunday of the campaign, thanks primarily to a four goal salvo inside the first 19 minutes through Louis Saha, an Ian Pearce own goal and strikes by ‘friends again' Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo sent the Red Devils on their way, before they followed that with an equally comfortable three goal rout of Charlton Athletic at a rain sodden Valley last night, courtesy to efforts by Darren Fletcher, Saha and a happily fit Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 
Fulham bounced back from the Old Trafford mauling by netting a late equaliser to secure a point against Bolton Wanderers last night, new signing from Wigan Athletic, Jimmy Bullard keeping his nerve to convert a last minute penalty to negate El-Hadji Diouf's similar effort for Sam Allardyce's side, who as a result remain winless away from home since last December.
Chelsea, many people's tips for a third consecutive Premiership crown began in fine form, thrashing Manchester City at Stamford Bridge thanks in the main to first half goals by England men, John Terry and Frank Lampard, but surprisingly came a cropper to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.
Leading courtesy of Andriy Shevchenko's first goal for the club, the Blues lost their way during the last ten minutes of an extraordinarily wet evening on Teeside, and conceded twice, Emanuel Pogatetz and a last minute Mark Viduka strike securing an unlikely victory for Gareth Southgate's men.
Portsmouth under the astute management of Harry Redknapp are the only side in the top flight that has not conceded a goal, and they improved upon an excellent home triumph over Blackburn Rovers on the opening day, courtesy of strikes by Svetoslav Todorov and a Kanu double, with a meritorious goalless stalemate at the City of Manchester Stadium, home to the Blue half of Manchester. 
West Ham United currently sits in third place in the embryonic table after picking up four points from their first two matches.
A brace by hot shot Bobby Zamora and a late Carlton Cole goal enabled the entertaining Hammers to earn a come from behind victory over Charlton Athletic on Saturday, while Zamora made it three it two games as he snatched an undeserved equaliser at newly promoted Watford in midweek, who themselves had taken the lead through Marlon King.
The Hertfordshire club had begun life back in
Trailing to Andrew Johnson's first goal for his new club following a £8.6m summer transfer from
Everton followed up this rather fortuitous victory with a draw at
The other promoted sides have also had mixed starts.
Sheffield United began well enough, holding
A Rob Hulse header a minute into the second half gave the Blades real hope of a major upset, but another contentious penalty, this time given after Chris Morgan was adjudged to have tripped an onrushing Steven Gerrard rescued the Reds, the evergreen Robbie Fowler firing home from twelve yards.
Neil Warnock's men then travelled down to the Capital for a Tuesday night meeting with Martin Jol's much fancied Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves had lost badly at Bolton at the weekend, but two first half goals, by new £10m signing, Dimitar Berbatov and Jermaine Jenas got the Cockerels off the mark whilst giving the Yorkshire men a taste of reality in the top flight.
Reading, last season's Football League Champions, staged a miraculous recovery in their first ever game in the big time. 
Goals by
The Berkshire club then travelled to Aston Villa in midweek, and although the talented Kevin Doyle gave them the lead, Villa, now under the stewardship of Martin O'Neill, are expected to be far more competitive than in recent years and goals by Colombian, Juan Pablo Angel and Gareth Barry, the former converting a penalty after Ibrahima Sonka had been red carded for fouling Luke Moore, gave the mercurial Irishman a winning home start to add to the battling point his team had gained at Arsenal on Saturday.
The visit to Arsene Wegner's side marked the opening of the new Emirates Stadium, and 60, 023 witnessed the team's share two goals. Olof Melberg had edged the
Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic have played just the one game, a consequence of Arsenal and
The well supported Magpies took the lead through new captain, Scott Parker, and although Lee McCulloch levelled for the Latics the
More next week…