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Established order fights back early in EPL season

Published:Saturday | August 20, 2016 | 2:10 PM
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Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny (left) and Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez battle for the ball during their English Premier League match at the King Power Stadium, Leicester, England yesterday. The game ended 0-0.
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AP Chelsea's Diego Costa (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the English Premier League match between Watford and Chelsea at Vicarage Road stadium in London yesterday. Chelsea won 2-1.
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MANCHESTER, England (AP):

The established order is fighting back in these early days of the English Premier League (EPL) season and there are some familiar names atop the scoring charts, too.

Manchester City and Chelsea both won yesterday to join Manchester United in achieving back-to-back victories at the start of the new campaign.

Sergio Aguero scored two first-half goals one from the penalty spot to lead City to a 4-1 win at Stoke, continuing the team's impressive start to life under new coach Pep Guardiola.

Like Guardiola, Chelsea coach Antonio Conte also is in his first season in English football and has begun with consecutive 2-1 wins, the latest coming at Watford. Diego Costa scored an 87th-minute winner at Vicarage Road, five days after an 89th-minute clincher against West Ham.

City, United and Chelsea all failed to finish in the top three last season, capping an unpredictable campaign that saw 5,000-1 shot Leicester win the league in an upset for the ages. The chastened trio has spent a combined $500 million in the off season to avoid a repeat, and early results suggest it is unlikely to happen.

maximum points

As for Leicester, the champions are still searching for the first win of their title defence after a 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal in a game between the top two teams from last season. Both sides are on one point.

The only other team on maximum points from the opening two games is Hull, which comes as something of a surprise.

The north east club has started the season with only 13 fit senior players, no permanent manager, no new signings and with owners looking to sell up. But Hull followed up the win over Leicester by beating Swansea 2-0 away yesterday through late goals by Shaun Maloney and Abel Hernandez.

Hull play Man United next weekend.

Also yesterday, Liverpool lost 2-0 at promoted Burnley, puncturing the optimism generated from their win at Arsenal on the opening weekend. Everton came from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 and Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 1-0 thanks to a first goal for the club by new signing Victor Wanyama.

Aguero has three league goals already this season, along with Man United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Costa has also scored in his first two games.

Today, Sunderland play Middlesbrough and West Ham host Bournemouth.