Arsenal 0-2 West Ham, Newcastle 2-2 Southampton: Premier League as it happened
- West Ham win at Arsenal just three days after a weakened side lost 4-3 on aggregate to Astra Giurgiu in Romania
- Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate efforts secure perfect Premier League start for Slaven Bilic
- Petr Cech partially culpable for both goals at the Emirates Stadium
- Steve McClaren draws his first competitive game in charge at Newcastle
- Shane Long earns a point for Southampton after Papiss Cisse and Georginio Wijnaldum cancelled out Graziano Pelle's early goal
A disastrous start to the new Premier League season from Arsenal. They would have been supremely confident of getting off to a flyer here following their Community Shield triumph at Wembley last weekend, but two instances of terribly sub-standard defending has cost them dearly along with a lack of superior cutting edge.
A difficult afternoon for Cech, who many have tipped to make the difference between the Gunners just finishing in the top four and consistently challenging for the title.
Bilic was strongly criticised for making sweeping changes to his side for their Europa League qualifying defeat in Romania on Thursday, but this result has gone some way to justifying that controversial selection.
West Ham were combative and boasted the two best players on the pitch in the form of impressive 16-year-old defender Oxford and new signing Payet. What a win to kick off their domestic campaign.
As for Newcastle, McClaren will inevitably be pleased with a point from a difficult fixture but may feel understandably aggrieved that his side could not hold on for all three after they worked hard to reverse that early 1-0 deficit. Signs of an early Europa League hangover for Southampton, you wonder.
That is it for this particular blog, but please click here to follow live coverage of Liverpool's trip to Stoke.
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Both Giroud and Tomkins were ok to continue after that clash. Arsenal's closest chances in the last few minutes came when Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the side netting after Walcott's shot was blocked by Reid. Adrian has also saved from Cazorla.
Cech also had to be alert to keep out Sakho. A little under five minutes remaining for the hosts to salvage something from this.
Cazorla floats in a free-kick for Giroud but his header is tame and comfortably claimed by Adrian.
With his team starting down the barrel of a wretched defeat, Wenger throws on Sanchez for Debuchy. He would not have wanted to use the Chilean today given his lack of a proper break this summer.
Monreal picks up Arsenal's first caution for a foul on Noble.
This is rapidly turning into an afternoon to forget for Cech and Arsenal as Zarate surprisingly doubles West Ham's advantage.
There appeared to be very little danger as Oxlade-Chamberlain looked to dribble the ball forward, but he loses possession just outside the penalty area and that allows Zarate, in acres of space, to shoot first time from 25 yards. The attempt catches Cech cold at his near post.
Wenger responds by introducing Walcott in place of Coquelin.
West Ham lead against the run of play and it's a horrible moment for Cech on his first league start. After young Oxford is fouled by Ramsey, Payet steps up to drift in an excellent free-kick that is headed home emphatically by Kouyate.
Cech made the decision to come and punch but he got nowhere near the ball. Very unconvincing from the former Chelsea stalwart.
A rare foray forward for West Ham sees Payet beat two defenders before having a shot deflected over. His clever corner picks out Zarate, but the Argentine's effort trickles harmlessly past Oxford and wide.
Having been fortunate to avoid a yellow card for his earlier foul on Giroud, the uncompromising Tomkins is now in the book for a cynical foul on Nacho Monreal.
Energetic stuff from Coquelin as he nips in to take possession down the left flank, beats Tomkins for pace before finding Giroud with an accurate cross.
The Frenchman takes a touch on his chest but Ogbonna makes a crucial block just as he looked to pull the trigger on a powerful volley.
Arsenal then surge forward again as a wonderful, mazy run from Oxlade-Chamberlain ends with a ball to the back post. Cazorla tries to score with a lobbed volley that lands on the roof of the net.
West Ham enjoying a good spell of possession just now and they almost fashion a chance on goal as Payet, their £10.7m signing from Marseille, somehow prevents Cresswell's long pass from going out of play on the left touchline.
His cross finds Sakho, whose volley is easily saved by the towering Cech.
A heavy tackle by Cheikhou Kouyate on Aaron Ramsey goes unpunished before Zarate gives away a free-kick in a dangerous area.
The ball is whipped into the box, where Koscielny heads wide before being flagged for offside.
West Ham's chances of topping the Fair Play table look minimal this season, you have to say.
A lack of discipline has been a concern during the early stages of cult hero Bilic's managerial reign. Diafra Sakho, James Tomkins and James Collins were all sent off during West Ham's doomed Europa League qualifying campaign and their approach has been similarly heavy-handed during the initial stages here.
Oxlade-Chamberlain goes close with a fierce volley after Giroud's cross was deflected into his path by Winston Reid.
An early caution for Mark Noble as he slips over before launching into an ill-advised lunging challenge on Francis Coquelin. The West Ham captain will have to be very careful now with 85 minutes still to play.
Santi Cazorla bursts forward for Arsenal but he eventually runs out of steam as his shot is blocked by Aaron Cresswell.
We are underway at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger made his objection to the season starting a week earlier this year very clear indeed during his pre-match press conference, so it will be interesting to see how his players fare today against a West Ham side whose campaign began against FC Lusitans on 2 July.
Newcastle v Southampton has also begun.
Just under 10 minutes until both matches kick-off. We will be focusing chiefly on Arsenal v West Ham for the most part, but also intend to keep you fully up to date with events in the North East.
If you fancy a perusal at IBTimes UK writers' predictions for the new campaign, meanwhile, please click here.
Season previews for all four teams can be found by visiting the following links:
As for Newcastle, McClaren marks his first competitive game in charge by handing a debut to Georginio Wijnaldum in central midfield and starting with new centre-back Chancel Mbemba alongside Fabricio Coloccini.
Aleksandar Mitrovic has to make do with a place on the bench, as does influential midfielder Cheick Tiote and the fit again Siem de Jong. Remy Cabella is yet to return from injury and Gabriel Obertan is preferred to Ayoze Perez behind Papiss Cisse.
Headline team news from St James' Park is that Jay Rodriguez looks set to make his first start in 16 months for Southampton.
The one-cap England striker has been sidelined since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligaments against Manchester City in April 2014.
Cedric Soares will make his Premier League debut following a move from Sporting Lisbon, meanwhile, with 19-year-old Matt Targett starting at left-back.
Three new signings on the bench for Ronald Koeman's Saints in Cuco Martina, Steven Caulker and Juanmi.
Newcastle v Southampton
Newcastle: Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Obertan, Cisse
Subs: Darlow, Taylor, Tiote, De Jong, Aarons, Perez, Mitrovic
Southampton: Stekelenburg, Cedric, Fonte, Yoshida, Targett, Wanyama, S. Davis, Tadic, Mane, Rodriguez, Pelle
Subs: Gazzaniga, Long, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Reed, Juanmi, Caulker
BREAKING: West Ham hand a Premier League debut to centre-back Reece Oxford. The 16-year-old becomes the seventh-youngest player ever to feature in an English top-flight match.
Bilic also hands first domestic starts to new signings Dimitri Payet and Angelo Ogbonna. With Enner Valencia out injured, Mauro Zarate starts in attack alongside Diafra Sakho.
BREAKING: As expected, Petr Cech makes his league debut in goal for Arsenal. Mathieu Debuchy starts at right-back with no place for Hector Bellerin in the matchday squad, while Olivier Giroud returns to the side and Theo Walcott is named among the substitutes after starting last week's Community Shield victory over Chelsea.
Alexis Sanchez is also on the bench despite having only recently returned to training after his Copa America exploits in Chile.
After an entertaining start to proceedings yesterday, the 2015/16 Premier League season continues this afternoon as Arsenal welcome West Ham to North London, Newcastle host Southampton and Liverpool look to avenge their 6-1 defeat to Stoke on the final day of last season during their latest trip to the Britannia Stadium.
If you are looking for breaking team news, confirmed line-ups and live updates, then this is certainly the right place. Stay tuned....
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