Manchester United 2-1 Swansea - Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Barclays Premier League as it happened

That is all from us on the first day of Premier League action in 2016, but stay tuned to IBTimes UK for post-match reaction throughout the weekend.

We will also be back tomorrow to bring you live coverage of the London derby between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in addition to Everton vs Tottenham.

Until then, have a great evening.

And so there ends Manchester United's crippling run of eight consecutive matches without a victory in all competitions. It was a fabulous finish from the much-maligned Rooney to seal a very welcome three points, although there is clearly still much work to be done, especially in the first half, if Van Gaal is to restore faith in his abilities. As for Swansea, securing a permanent successor to Garry Monk will be top of the list of priorities in the first few weeks of 2016 given that they still hover precariously just two points above the relegation zone.

Arsenal looked sluggish and devoid of any real creativity/spark for much of their fortuitous win over struggling Newcastle this afternoon, but McClaren's side only have themselves to blame for spurning a number of good chances and failing to adequately clear the corner that led to Koscielny's winner. That result, coupled with Leicester's failure to beat Bournemouth, means that the Gunners now sit two points clear at the summit of the Premier League.

Meanwhile, only the most blindly optimistic of Aston Villa supporters will believe they stand any real chance of avoiding the drop following yet another loss in an important six-pointer at Sunderland. Garde's rock-bottom team are now 11 points adrift of safety and seven behind the 19th-place Black Cats.

Norwich continue their push away from trouble as that victory at home to 10-man Southampton pushes them up to 14th and six points clear of danger. Tony Pulis was also able to claim bragging rights against former employers Stoke courtesy of Evans' late finish.

Full-time

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle

Leicester 0-0 Bournemouth

Manchester United 2-1 Swansea

Norwich 1-0 Southampton

Sunderland 3-1 Aston Villa

West Brom 2-1 Stoke

Gil's excellent goal has proven to be only a temporary source of relief for Aston Villa as their 14th Premier League defeat of the season is surely confirmed by Defoe's second strike of the afternoon.

10-man Stoke were only back on level terms for a matter of minutes. Former Manchester United defender Evans looks to have scored a stoppage-time winner for the Baggies as he bundles over the line from close range following a desperate scramble.

Goal: Sunderland 3-1 Aston Villa (Jermain Defoe)

Goal: West Brom 2-1 Stoke (Jonny Evans)

In all the excitement we forgot to inform you of a red card for Cameron. The Stoke defender has been somewhat harshly dismissed for lightly brushing the back of Claudio Yacob's head.

Red card: Geoff Cameron (Stoke)

Pulis' hopes of recording a victory against his former club have been dealt a blow after substitute Walters heads from Joselu's cross to cancel out Sessegnon's emphatic opener for West Brom.

Sunderland have restored their lead against Aston Villa as Defoe controls a diagonal ball from Adam Johnson before firing home, while Tettey puts Norwich in front from 18 yards after being teed up by Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. That goal came just two minutes after Southampton saw Victor Wanyama sent off for a second bookable offence.

After a quiet start to the afternoon, goals are flying in thick and fast now and we are struggling to keep up.

At Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney temporarily silences his sizable list of critics by sending Martial's low cross beyond Fabianski with an audacious backheel at the front post.

Goal: West Brom 1-1 Stoke (Jonathan Walters)

Goal: West Brom 1-0 Stoke (Stephane Sessegnon)

Goal: Manchester United 2-1 Swansea (Wayne Rooney)

Goal: Norwich 1-0 Southampton (Alexander Tettey)

Red card: Victor Wanyama (Southampton)

Goal: Sunderland 2-1 Aston Villa (Jermain Defoe)

Newcastle, who have played well today, will be kicking themselves as they go behind at Arsenal after failing to clear a corner. With the ball flying around the penalty area following interventions from Paul Dummett and Olivier Giroud, Koscielny sneaks in beyond Ayoze Perez at the back post to prod home.

Goal: Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle (Laurent Koscielny)

At last the goals are starting to steadily trickle in as Van Gaal's relief at seeing his side break the deadlock against Swansea proves to be shortlived. Sigurdsson is the man who has restored parity for the visitors, converting a good header past David de Gea from substitute Barrow's delivery.

Goal: Manchester United 1-1 Swansea (Gylfi Sigurdsson)

At last signs of life from Aston Villa and what a goal it is. Former Barcelona winger Adama Traore sets off on a lung-busting run down the right, beating three players before providing an enticing cross that Gil watches carefully before volleying home wonderfully with his left foot. That is certainly more like it.

Goal: Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa (Carles Gil)

Swansea push for an equaliser as Andre Ayew heads against the post from a Gylfi Sigurdsson cross. Striker Modou Barrow is on for Britton.

Eddie Howe will surely feel that justice has been done with that penalty save. Although Francis was the last defender and unquestionably denied a clear goalscoring opportunity, replays suggest that he got a hefty touch on the ball. Controversial.

Drama in the east Midlands as Bournemouth defender Francis gives away a penalty in addition to seeing red for a sliding challenge on Vardy as the England striker ran clear through on goal.

Riyad Mahrez, perhaps the best player in the top-flight so far this season, then sees his spot-kick saved by Artur Boruc low to the goalkeeper's left. Still 0-0.

Red card: Simon Francis (Bournemouth)

No such luck for Arsenal, who remain on the backfoot against Newcastle as Cech is forced to deny the lively Georginio Wijnaldum. Aleksandar Mitrovic also fires over the crossbar from close range.

The half-time break is over and Manchester United respond instantly to edge in front against Swansea. Van Gaal reverses his pre-match change by replacing Jones with Darmian, but it's Martial that eases the tension around Old Trafford by heading home Ashley Young's searching cross into the turf and over Fabianski.

Powerful finish from the young Frenchman.

Goal: Manchester United 1-0 Swansea (Anthony Martial)

Vardy has come closest for Leicester by striking the post against Bournemouth, while the misery currently plaguing Aston Villa at every turn is showing no signs of lifting at the Stadium of Light. Van Aanholt netting for Sunderland via a hefty deflection off Richards.

Goalless at the interval between Norwich and Southampton as well as in the 'Tony Pulis bowl' between West Brom and Stoke.

Welcome to 2016! A slate of underwhelming matches to kick off the year as Manchester United once again fail to break the deadlock under Van Gaal. As is currently being lamented by supporters across social media, that is the 16th time in 30 matches this term that they have failed to supply a first-half goal.

Newcastle have surprisingly been the better side against Arsenal, meanwhile, with McClaren's side generally setting the tempo and frequently testing Petr Cech. Not the sort of performance Arsene Wenger will have been hoping for given that they only sit top on goal difference.

Half-time

Arsenal 0-0 Newcastle

Leicester 0-0 Bournemouth

Manchester United 0-0 Swansea

Norwich 0-0 Southampton

Sunderland 1-0 Aston Villa

West Brom 0-0 Stoke

This has certainly been one of the quietest 45 minutes of Premier League football we have witnessed so far during this hugely unpredictable season. Van Aanholt's heavily deflected strike is still the only goal of the mid-afternoon kick-offs.

It's already been a long, painful season for Aston Villa fans. Their side were rock-bottom and 11 points adrift of safety before kick-off and things certainly aren't getting any better. A lot of work to do in the north east if they are to secure only a second Premier League victory of the season.

A goal at last from the Stadium of Light, where Aston Villa have fallen behind in a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash thanks to Van Aanholt. The left-back's first strike of the campaign is a hopeful effort from distance that deflects off Micah Richards and beyond Brad Guzan. More misery for Remi Garde.

Goal: Sunderland 1-0 Aston Villa (Patrick van Aanholt)

Speaking of Leicester, they are agonisingly close to taking the lead against Bournemouth as the usually prolific Jamie Vardy strikes the woodwork from eight yards out.

Their opponents completed one of the earliest deals of the transfer window yesterday, with Roma forward Juan Iturbe joining on loan until the end of the season with the option to sign him permanently during the summer. He is not involved today as he waits for a work permit.

One piece of transfer news that has broken in the last few minutes relates to the future of 19-year-old Demarai Gray. The Birmingham winger, widely regarded as one of the Football League's most exciting prospects, has been left out of the squad to face Brentford in the Championship today amid rumours of an imminent move to Leicester.

Fresh reports suggest that the player is now undergoing a medical ahead of a £3.7m January switch to the King Power Stadium...

A typically slow start at Old Trafford, where Manchester United are yet to test visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

No goals around the grounds thus far, but at Arsenal there has been a touching tribute to ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek. The former Czech Republic international, who represented the Magpies between 1991-98 before returning for a second spell in 2006, died on 29 December after suffering a cardiac arrest while out jogging nine days before. He was 47.

To finish off that barrage of team news, John O'Shea and Duncan Watmore return for Sunderland against Aston Villa at the expense of Sebastian Coates and Jack Rodwell.

Remi Garde makes five changes to his side, with Joleon Lescott, Aly Cissokho, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish and Rudy Gestede all recalled.

Stoke are unchanged for their visit to The Hawthorns, although Pulis has chosen to start Craig Gardner and Rickie Lambert. Jonas Olsson and Victor Anichebe miss out.

We are now underway across the 15.00 GMT kick-offs in the Premier League. Today's early fixture between West Ham and Liverpool at Upton Park ended 2-0 to the hosts after a header in each half from Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll.

The main team news from Carrow Road involves Southampton's Sadio Mane, who has been dropped from the starting XI by Ronald Koeman on disciplinary grounds after he reportedly arrived late for a team meeting...

James Ward-Prowse also comes in for Oriol Romeu as Norwich start Gary O'Neil ahead of Graham Dorrans.

One change apiece at the King Power Stadium, where Leicester opt for Leonardo Ulloa ahead of Gokhan Inler and Junior Stanislas replaces Marc Pugh.

As for Arsenal, Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal are back at the expense of Gabriel and Kieran Gibbs. Mathieu Flamini has also recovered from an ankle injury and starts instead of Calum Chambers.

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren has Rob Elliot back in goal ahead of Karl Darlow, while Cheick Tiote deputises for the injured Vurnon Anita.

Van Gaal has made one alteration to the Manchester United team that drew 0-0 with Chelsea last time out, with Phil Jones replacing Matteo Darmian.

Swansea show seven changes, meanwhile, as Federico Fernandez, Angel Rangel, Leon Britton, Ki Sung-Yueng, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Wayne Routledge and Andre Ayew all start.

West Brom vs Stoke

West Brom: Myhill, Yacob, Evans, Morrison, Gardner, Brunt, Lambert, McAuley, Fletcher, Dawson, Sessegnon

Subs: Lindegaard, Chester, Pocognoli, Gamboa, Berahino, McManaman, Roberts

Stoke: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Cameron, Whelan, Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic, Bojan

Subs: Haugaard, Wilson, Adam, Van Ginkel, Crouch, Joselu, Walters

Sunderland vs Aston Villa

Sunderland: Mannone, Jones, van Aanholt, O'Shea, Brown, Cattermole, M'Vila, Johnson, Borini, Watmore, Defoe

Subs: Pantilimon, Lens, Graham, Toivonen, Coates, Yedlin, Fletcher

Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gana, Veretout, Gil, Gestede, Grealish

Subs: Bunn, Okore, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Adama, Kozak

Norwich vs Southampton

Norwich: Rudd, Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Brady, Redmond, O'Neil, Tettey, Hoolahan, Howson, Mbokani

Subs: Ruddy, Whittaker, Jerome, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Olsson, Odjidja

Southampton: Stekelenburg, Martina, Van Dijk, Fonte, Bertrand, Clasie, Wanyama, S Davis, Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Long

Subs: Gazzaniga, Targett, Yoshida, Reed, Ramirez, Mane, Seager

Leicester vs Bournemouth

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs, Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Ulloa, Vardy

Subs: Schwarzer, De Laet, Wasilewski, King, Dyer, Inler, Okazaki

Bournemouth: Boruc, Daniels, Cook, Francis, Smith, Surman, Arter, Gosling, Ritchie, Stanislas, King

Subs: Federici, Distin, MacDonald, Pugh, Tomlin, Rantie, Murray

Arsenal vs Newcastle

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud

Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide, Campbell

Newcastle: Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Sissoko, Tiote, Colback, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic

Subs: Darlow, Mbabu, Lacelles, Gouffran, Thauvin, De Jong, Toney

Manchester United vs Swansea

Manchester United: De Gea, Young, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Herrera, Martial, Rooney

Subs: Romero, Darmian, McNair, Carrick, Pereira, Fellaini, Memphis

Swansea: Fabianski, Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Ki Sung-Yueng, Cork, Sigurdsson, Routledge, Ayew

Subs: Nordfeldt, Naughton, Amat, Grimes, Montero, Barrow, Gomis

Team news is imminent...

It is currently half-time in the day's early match in east London, where West Ham lead a below-par Liverpool 1-0 thanks to an early header from Michail Antonio.

There was more than a touch of controversy about the goal and you can follow the action live with IBTimes UK here.

The first 15.00 GMT Premier League fixture programme of 2016 is upon us, with Manchester United desperate to halt a run of eight consecutive matches without a victory in all competitions – their worst such sequence for 25 years - as they welcome Swansea City to Old Trafford.

The visitors are still under the temporary control of Alan Curtis as the search for a permanent successor to Garry Monk continues, but they will be encouraged by their excellent recent run against today's opponents that has yielded three consecutive 2-1 wins.

Elsewhere, Arsenal seek to maintain their grip on top spot against struggling Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium. The in-form Gunners lead second-place Leicester by virtue of a slightly superior goal difference and the Foxes are also in action this afternoon as they play Bournemouth.

At the other end of the table, Sunderland host Aston Villa in the proverbial relegation six-pointer and Norwich will hope to put more distance between themselves and the bottom three at home to Southampton. West Brom boss Tony Pulis faces former employers Stoke at The Hawthorns, while Manchester City visit confident Watford in the day's late kick-off.

Stay tuned to IBTimes UK for all the breaking team news, confirmed line-ups and live updates from around the grounds. Happy New Year!