• Premier League Plays of the Day

Agger shows his true colours

ESPN staff
August 18, 2012
Michu bagged two goals on debut for Swansea © PA Photos
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Up and running
We had to wait less than 10 minutes for the first goal of the Premier League season, with Swansea's debutant Michu making an instant name for himself. The attacking midfielder, who scored 17 goals for Rayo Vallecano last season - 15 of which came in La Liga, picked up the loose ball after Wayne Routledge had been dispossessed and watched as his effort crept past home keeper Robert Green. Not one for Green's scrapbook, not that Swansea's new £2 million man will care.

Tale of the tape
Crikey, talk about being pedantic: referee Chris Foy ordered Sunderland's James McClean off the pitch at the Emirates in order to sort his appearance out. Apparently the tape keeping his socks in place wasn't the same colour as the socks themselves. Foy, please!

Say one thing, do another
Daniel Agger said in the week he'd "prefer to stay" at Liverpool, but actions speak louder than words. Possibly day-dreaming about Manchester City or Barcelona, the defender got caught napping as Shane Long drove into the box. A shove in the back later and Agger was receiving his marching orders - his first red card for Liverpool - and West Brom were being awarded a penalty. A soft dismissal, but if Agger wants to stay he has a funny way of showing it.

Goal rush
While Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Sunderland, two teams not expected to challenge for honours this term showed the Gunners how it should be done in front of goal. Fulham smashed five past Norwich at Craven Cottage and Swansea thumped QPR 5-0 at Loftus Road. It's the first time that at least two top-flight teams have scored five or more goals in the opening fixtures since August 1958. Wenger, watch and learn.

Hide and seek
When Shola Ameobi pulled a hammy in the warm-up ahead of Newcastle's clash with Tottenham, Sylvain Marveaux was supposed to take his place on the bench. There was a slight problem, though, as Marveaux did a no-show at the most inappropriate of times. With the Frenchman missing, Romain Amalfitano got the nod for the spare spot on the subs bench. Perhaps someone had better explain the rules of hide and seek more thoroughly next time. Just a thought.

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