ARSENAL BEAT SUNDERLAND 3-1 in the Premier League this afternoon, as Mesut Ozil helped inspire the Gunners to victory on his debut.
At the Stadium of Light, Ozil, Arsenal’s club record signing, made an instant impact during his 79-minute appearance, while team-mate Aaron Ramsey continued his fine start to the campaign.
Ozil, signed from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day for £42 million, didn’t take long to show his class as the Germany midfielder produced a brilliant touch to control a long ball and then squared for Olivier Giroud, who made no mistake with a cool finish in the 11th minute.
Sunderland drew level when Laurent Koscielny needlessly fouled Adam Johnson in the penalty area and Craig Gardner drove home the resulting spot-kick in the 48th minute.
But Ramsey restored Arsenal’s advantage in the 67th minute with a superb volley and the Wales midfielder wrapped up his side’s third league win of the season as he finished off a slick move nine minutes later.
Tottenham started the post-Gareth Bale era by moving to the top of the table with a 2-0 win against Norwich at White Hart Lane.Bale joined Real Madrid just before the transfer deadline earlier this month, but the Welsh winger’s move doesn’t seem to have unsettled Andre Villas-Boas’s team, who have won three of their four matches this term.
They were ahead when Danish winger Christian Eriksen, signed from Ajax to fill the gap left by Bale, slid the ball perfectly into the path of Gylfi Sigurdsson, who hammered home in the 28th minute.
Iceland midfielder Sigurdsson killed off Norwich with his second goal, from Paulinho’s cross, four minutes after half-time.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes frustrated his former club as Manchester City were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Hughes was furious to be sacked by City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners in 2009, but he enjoyed a measure of revenge in a dour clash as Stoke held on against Manuel Pellegrini’s expensively-assembled outfit.
Yoan Gouffran was Newcastle‘s star as the Magpies won 2-1 at Aston Villa.
Alan Pardew’s team moved in front when Hatem Ben Arfa lashed home from Loic Remy’s pass in the 18th minute.
Christian Benteke brought Villa level in the 67th minute, the powerful striker rising highest to head his fifth goal in five appearances this season.
But Newcastle took the points thanks to French midfielder Gouffran six minutes later.
Hull and Cardiff shared a 1-1 draw in a clash between the two clubs who won automatic promotion from the Championship last season.
Steve Bruce’s team took the lead through Curtis Davies’s 40th minute header, but Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham volleyed the equaliser in the 59th minute.
Steve Sidwell’s 22nd minute strike gave Fulham the lead at Craven Cottage, but West Bromwich Albion rescued a 1-1 draw when Gareth McAuley netted in the 90th minute.
Chelsea travel to Everton for Saturday’s late kick-off.
Aston Villa 1 (Benteke 67) Newcastle 2 (Ben Arfa 18, Gouffran 73)Fulham 1 (Sidwell 22) West Brom 1 (Mcauley 90)
Hull 1 (Davies 40) Cardiff 1 (Whittingham 59)
Manchester United 2 (Van Persie 45-pen, Rooney 81) Crystal Palace 0
Stoke 0 Manchester City 0
Sunderland 1 (Gardner 48-pen) Arsenal 3 (Giroud 11, Ramsey, 67, 76)
Tottenham 2 (Sigurdsson 28, 49) Norwich 0
Playing later
Everton v Chelsea
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
