Premier League: opening weekend fixtures - in pictures

Arsenal began the season losing established first team players Robin Van Persie to Manchester United and with Alex Song on his way to Barcelona. New signing Santi Cazorla will have to hit the ground running, but the Gunners could only draw at home to Sunderland Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Abou Diaby and Jack Colback compete for the ball in a quiet first half at the Emirates. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Olivier Giroud reacts after missing a good chance for the home side Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Over in West London, Swansea City get off to a great start in their second season in the Premier League as new signing Michu opens the scoring against QPR Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Junior Hoilett gets the ball clear as Swansea's Nathan Dyer looks on Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Junior Hoilett and Djibril Cisse of QPR look dejected after conceding the fourth goal. Things go from bad to worse - they ship another to lose 5-0 at home Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Fulham get their season off to a flying start at Craven Cottage, leading Norwich 2-0 at half time. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images

Alex Kacaniklic of Fulham celebrates his goal Photograph: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Mladen Petric celebrates his second goal with team-mates Moussa Dembele and Alex Kacaniklic as Fulham crush Norwich 5-0 Photograph: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Fabian Delph and Mark Noble battle for the ball during the game between Aston Villa and West Ham. The Hammers returned to the Premier League at the first attempt under Sam Allardyce while Villa start the season with former Norwich manager Paul Lambert at the helm. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

On a glorious day in East London, The West Ham fans shield themselves from the glare of the Sun Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

Kevin Nolan celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game as West Ham get their campaign off to a good start Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

New Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers would have been hopeful of beating West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns Photograph: Andrew Powell/Getty Images

It doesn't go according to plan for Liverpool. Luis Suarez misses several great chances, before they go a goal down, thanks to a splendid first half strike from Zoltan Gera Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

It get's worse for Liverpool in the second half; Peter Odemwingie converts a penalty and Romelu Lukaku rounds things off with a powerful header to complete a convincing win for the Baggies Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Alex Pearce gets in a tangle with Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross as Reading return to life in the Premier League Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Michael Kightly celebrates scoring the opening goal after a mistake from Adam Federici in the Reading goal Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Dean Whitehead walks off the pitch after being sent off by referee Kevin Friend. Reading converted the resulting penalty to level the game up at one all Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images

Newcastle and Tottenham go head to head at St James' Park. After a scoreless first half, Demba Ba nets his first goal since February to give Newcastle the lead. Photograph: Ed Sykes/Action Images

Tempers fray in the second half as Alan Pardew lays his hand on the linesman and is sent to the stands Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

Tottenham equalise through Jermain Defoe but five minutes later, Hatem Ben Arfa is fouled in the area by Aaron Lennon and he converts the penalty to give the Magpies all three points Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters

European champions Chelsea start their campaign at the DW stadium and new signing Eden Hazard has an instant impact, setting up Branislav Ivanovic for the opener after just two minutes. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Eden Hazard is again involved as the Belgian is fouled by Ivan Ramis for a penalty, which Frank Lampard converts to make it two-nil to Chelsea after only seven minutes. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Chelsea didn't have it all their own way, Wigan had a number of chances in the second half to make life difficult for the Blues but the Roberto Di Matteo's men held on for the three points Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

A thriller at the Etihad as Premier League champions Manchester City host newly-promoted Southampton. Sergio Aguero suffers a knee injury and has to be replaced by Edin Dzeko after 13 minutes. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

After David Silva had a penalty saved, Carlos Tevez beats the offside trap to open the scoring on 40 minutes. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Rickie Lambert stuns the home crowd with a good finish to put Southampton level on the hour mark. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

It's gets even better for the South Coast team as Steven Davis (he's in there somewhere) finds the corner of Joe Hart's net from the edge of the box as Southampton take the lead. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Just four minutes later, City equalise through Edin Dzeko. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

With ten minutes left to play, Samir Nasri scores the winner against a spirited Southampton side. All eyes will be on Roberto Mancini to see if he goes back into the transfer market following the injury to last season's top scorer Aguero. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images