Premier League Day One: New Season Brings Eye-Catching Scores

Swansea, Fulham and West Brom were among the big winners on a day of startling scorelines across the Barclays Premier League.

West Brom beat Liverpool 3-0 at the Hawthorns on a disappointing day for new Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, whose team missed a string of chances.

Liverpool's profligacy was punished by goals from Zoltan Gera, Peter Odemwingie and Romelu Lukaku - to the delight of West Brom boss Steve Clarke, who was sacked as assistant manager by Liverpool earlier in the summer.

Elsewhere QPR's season got off to a nightmare start with a 5-0 home defeat by Swansea City, who showed that Rodgers' departure for Liverpool will not alter their neat, penetrative style of play.

The Welsh club were at their fluent best, and new Spanish star Michu, signed for just £2m by Rodgers' replacement Michael Laudrup, scored two splendid goals to leave Rangers humiliated.

Just a few miles down the road in west London there was another 5-0 scoreline - but this time it was the home team who handed out the thrashing, as Fulham hammered Norwich with goals from two goals from new Croatian signing Mladen Petric.

Arsenal, fresh from losing Robin Van Persie, were held 0-0 at home by Sunderland, while West Ham secured a gritty 1-0 win over Aston Villa, and Reading and Stoke fought out a 1-1 draw.

In the evening game Newcastle United continued where they left off last season, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 with a late penalty from Hatem Ben Arfa - a tough baptism for new Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas.