Lukas Podolski scored two goals as Arsenal picked their first league win of the season, while Liverpool have won their first two games for the first time in five years.
Arsene Wenger’s side were heavily criticized after last weekends home by Aston Villa, but a 3-0 win in midweek against Fenerbahce gave them some momentum heading into the London derby at Craven Cottage.
Olivier Giroud with his third goal in three games gave Arsenal the lead in the 14th minute before Podolski made it 2-0 four minutes before half-time. The German then sealed victory with a goal in the 68th minute
There was a debut goal by Darren Bent to move it 3-1, but Arsenal were comfortable winners today.
In the late kickoff Daniel Sturridge scored his eighth goal in his last seven league games to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Jose Enrique’s drilled pass from the left was dummied by Philippe Coutinho and Sturridge slipped between a pair of Villa defenders before rounding goalkeeper Brad Guzan and poking the ball into the roof of the net.
Like last week’s win against Stoke, Liverpool needed another tip save from Simon Mignolet to get the win, this week Mignolet denied Christian Benteke late on
Elsewhere, Stoke City came from behind to deny promoted Crystal Palace their first points of the season with a 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium.
Marouane Chamakh side-stepped Robert Huth to put Palace ahead in the 31st minute with his first league goal since September 2011, but two goals in four second-half minutes from Charlie Adam and Ryan Shawcross gave Stoke the points in manager Mark Hughes’s first home game.
Hull City fared rather better than their fellow promoted side, with Robbie Brady’s 22nd-minute penalty enough to secure a 1-0 win at home to Norwich City despite new signing Yannick Sagbo’s first-half red card for an off-the-ball incident.
An 88th-minute goal from centre-back Jose Fonte earned Southampton a 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, who had taken a third-minute lead with a header from former Juventus midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini.
The pressure has to be mounting on Everton manager Roberto Martinez as he watched Everton draw 0-0 at home against toothless West Brom. That is two points from two games in which Everton were expected to take all six.
There was another goalless stalemate at St. James’ Park, where Newcastle United drew against West Ham United.
