Arsenal's Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech reacts after West Ham United's second goal during their English Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium in London yesterday. (AFP)

AFP/London

Petr Cech suffered a nightmare Premier League debut for Arsenal as the goalkeeper’s costly blunder condemned the Gunners to a shock 2-0 defeat against West Ham yesterday.
Cech’s £10 million ($15.5 million, 14.1 million euros) arrival from champions Chelsea was hailed in some quarters as the move that would tip the balance of power in the title race firmly in Arsenal’s favour.
But the 33-year-old Czech was badly at fault when Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate headed West Ham into the lead late in the first half at the Emirates stadium.
Cech wasn’t helped by an alarmingly careless display from his new teammates, who crumbled again when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s mistake allowed Argentine forward Mauro Zarate to seal the most stunning result of the Premier League’s opening weekend.
All the optimism surrounding Arsenal in the aftermath of last season’s FA Cup final rout of Aston Villa and last weekend’s Community Shield victory over Chelsea was washed away in a catastrophic start to Arsene Wenger’s 20th season in charge.
The Gunners boss must have been horrified with the way his team, tipped to finally end the club’s 12-year wait to win the title, were bullied by West Ham, who ended a run of 10 successive defeats against Arsenal with their first win over their London rivals since April 2007.
It was a dream start for new West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, who replaced Sam Allardyce in the close-season, and the perfect response to criticism of his decision to field a weakened team in their Europa League defeat against Astra Giurgiu on Thursday. While Bilic celebrated with his club’s supporters at full-time, Wenger wore a frown as he trudged down the tunnel, possibly to reconsider his decision to distance himself from a bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
With French forward Olivier Giroud failing to repay Wenger’s faith after being handed a start ahead of Theo Walcott, Arsenal were mostly impotent in front of goal.
Oxlade-Chamberlain popped up in space to lash a dipping volley just wide in the early stages. The Arsenal winger then made an incisive burst down the right flank that took him past three defenders before a lofted cross picked out Santi Cazorla, who guided his volley onto the roof of the net.

Coutinho beauty gives Liverpool Stoke revenge
Elsewhere, Philippe Coutinho scored a stunning late goal as Liverpool avenged their humiliating defeat on last season’s final day against Stoke City with a 1-0 victory, and Steve McClaren’s reign as Newcastle United manager began with a 2-2 home draw against Southampton.
The Reds were thrashed 6-1—their heaviest defeat in 52 years—at the Britannia Stadium 77 days ago, but made partial amends for that loss with a hard-fought win in their opening Premier League fixture on the same ground.
Neither goalkeeper had a meaningful save to make in the match, which appeared to be destined to end in a goalless draw. But with four minutes left Brazil international Coutinho, one of five survivors from that capitulation in May, gave Liverpool the points with a sublime long-range effort.