BY Victor Akhidenor
Philippe Coutinho’s goal less than five minutes to the end of the match gave Liverpool a 1-0 win against Stoke City at the Britannia.
The game looked to be heading for a draw until the Brazilian turned Steve Sidwell 25 yards from goal and firing a dipping shot into the net.
Two mistakes from Arsenal’s new goalkeeper Petr Cech gave West Ham a surprise 2-0 win at the Emirates.
Cech, signed from Chelsea during the close season, came flying out to punch Dimitri Payet’s free kick just before halftime but was beaten to the ball by the head of Hammers’ Cheikhou Kouyate.
Mauro Zarate doubled the visitor’s lead in the 57th minute when his low strike beat Cech at his near post as former West Ham player Slaven Bilic enjoyed victory in his first Barclays Premier League match as a manager.
Southampton substitute Shane Long headed a late equaliser to deny Steve McClaren a winning BPL start in charge of Newcastle United.
Goals from Papiss Cisse and new boy Gini Wijnaldum had put the Magpies in command after Graziano Pelle’s 24th-minute opener for the visitors at St James’ Park.
But Long – a 65th-minute replacement for Jay Rodriguez, who was making his first top-flight appearance since April 2014 – rose to power home a cross from the Dusan Tadic with 11 minutes to go to ensure a 2-2 draw.
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