Hull, without a manager after Steve Bruce left last month, won 2-1 thanks to goals from Adama Diomande and Robert Snodgrass as Leicester became the first reigning title-holder to be beaten on the opening day of an EPL title defence. The goal was credited to Diomade but the hosts were pegged back two minutes after the break as Riyad Mahrez hammered home a penalty.
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Ross Barkley gave Everton a fifth-minute lead in Ronald Koeman’s first game in charge, but Erik Lamela headed a second-half equalizer for Spurs.
The bulk of the first-half action arrived in the final five minutes, though, as first Hull somehow survived a trio of Leicester chances in quick succession, with Christian Fuchs being denied by Eldin Jakupovic before Jake Livermore launched himself in the way of Vardy’s rebound to deny a certain goal. Tom Huddlestone seemed to bring down Demarai Gray just outside the area, but referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot and Mahrez made no mistake. In the second half, we played as we usually play.
But despite having almost all the possession, City labored to make their superiority count and was pegged back in the 71st minute when Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe rifled home an equalizer.
“The delivery of the ball from their defence forward wasn’t the quality it was last season but we determined what was happening because we were on the front foot and we anticipated certain instances”.
MANCHESTER, England Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City career got off to a winning start as they beat Sunderland 2-1 on Saturday but the Spaniard knows there is much work to do to build a title-winning team. The Tigers were left in a state, with no summer signings and only 13 senior players fit, they had to welcome the champions.
City showed plenty of control in possession but they were punished for lacking thrust when Jack Rodwell – formerly of the Etihad Stadium club – fed Jermain Defoe who fired past Willy Caballero, the deputy for the dropped Joe Hart.
England midfielder Ross Barkley provided Koeman with a ideal start to the season at Goodison Park after floating in a fifth-minute free kick which evaded everyone in the penalty area and beat Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the far post.
As is so often the case in the Premier League, the side on the backfoot soon made the dominant team pay for wasting their opportunities.
Xherdan Shaqiri’s free kick helped Stoke City to a 1-1 draw at promoted Middlesbrough after Alvaro Negredo’s debut opener.
Etienne Capoue put Watford ahead after nine minutes, firing home from 12 metres following a neat knockdown by Troy Deeney.
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Salomon Rondon’s 74th-minute header earned West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis a 1-0 victory at his former club Crystal Palace.
