Premiership Review: Wolves prop up table

Wolves learnt another harsh lesson of life in the Barclaycard Premiership as their first home game in the top flight since 1984 ended in a 4-0 thrashing by Charlton.

After their 5-1 hammering at Blackburn in their first match in the Premiership, Wolves needed a good start but suffered a blow after five minutes when Jason Euell put Charlton one up.

Wolves’ top-flight misery continued 10 minutes later when Claus Jensen doubled Charlton’s lead with Shaun Bartlett adding another in the 25th minute.

The hosts were at a low ebb and the pre-match euphoria was replaced with despair when Bartlett scored his second goal and Charlton’s fourth, driving home from the edge of the penalty area.

Wolves improved in the second half while Charlton’s perfect day was tarnished by Scott Parker’s red card for two bookings.

Chelsea’s first home match under the ownership of Roman Abramovich saw the big-spending Londoners scrape a 2-1 win over battling Leicester.

It looked like being a long afternoon for City when Lilian Nalis put through his own goal in the third minute from a Juan Sebastian Veron corner but a James Scowcroft header levelled the scores with five minutes of the half remaining.

But new Chelsea recruit Adrian Mutu marked his Chelsea debut with his side’s second goal on the stroke of half-time.

Another new signing, Geremi, had a match to forget though and he was sent off for a 67th-minute foul on Riccardo Scimeca.

Numerical parity was restored soon after though when Alan Rogers saw red for a foul on Jesper Gronkjaer.

That did not last long, however, as City were reduced to nine men when Scimeca received his second yellow card of the game.

Everton strolled to a comfortable 3-1 win over Fulham at Goodison Park.

Everton seized the initiative after seven minutes when Gary Naysmith drilled home the opener before David Unsworth’s 20th-minute strike gave them a comfortable cushion.

Steve Watson made it three from close range after 35 minutes and Everton hung on despite Barry Hayles’ second-half consolation.

Manchester City’s first Premiership game in their new City of Manchester Stadium ended in a 1-1 with Portsmouth.

Yakubu Ayegbini scored first after 24 minutes when he prodded past David Seaman from close range but David Sommeil levelled in the last minute.

Frederic Kanoute scored on his Tottenham debut as his new side fought from behind to beat Leeds 2-1.

Tottenham’s poor start to the season continued when Alan Smith’s superb fifth-minute strike put Leeds ahead at White Hart Lane.

But Mauricio Taricco levelled as half-time approached to give Glenn Hoddle some respite while former West Ham striker Kanoute made his debut as a substitute and put Spurs ahead with a stunning volley.

Bolton suffered last-minute heartache against north-west rivals Blackburn as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at the Reebok Stadium.

Youri Djorkaeff opened the scoring in just the third minute with a penalty after Lucas Neill fouled Jay-Jay Okocha before Kevin Davies scored against his former club to give Bolton a two-goal lead.

Matt Jansen pulled a goal back for Rovers as Steve Reid’s Blackburn debut ended with a red card.

That was quickly forgotten when Dwight Yorke equalised in the final seconds.

Southampton’s home game with Birmingham was the only Premiership match not to see a goal today.

In today’s noon kick-off at St James’ Park, Manchester United fought back from a goal down to beat Newcastle 2-1.

United manager Alex Ferguson was sent from the dug-out shortly before an Alan Shearer header put Newcastle ahead.

But Ferguson’s side responded in the second half with Ruud van Nistelrooy equalising after 51 minutes and Paul Scholes netting the winner eight minutes later.