Football: That Was The Weekend That Was

The Eleven

Eleven players who scored on their debuts on Saturday

Attilio Lombardo (Crystal Pal)

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Leeds)

Peter Ndlovu (Birmingham)

John Aloisi (Portsmouth)

Kevin Kilbane (West Bromwich)

Gerard Wiekens (Man City)

Jason Lee (Watford)

Barry Hayles (Bristol Rovers)

Gary Bennett (Chester)

Scott Green (Wigan)

Robbie Keane (Wolves)

Rumours...

fact and fiction from the Sunday papers

Despite the success of Faustino Asprilla in the lone striker's sole, Newcastle have their sights on Juventus striker Michele Padovano as a replacement for injured Alan Shearer, according to the Sunday Mirror, who say Kenny Dalglish's interest in the 30-year-old has caused a stir in Italy... Dalglish will certainly cause a stir in East London if he prises pounds 6m-rated Rio Ferdinand from West Ham, as the People suggests he might...the News of the World asserts that David Platt will turn down the chance to join Middlesbrough in favour of another year at Highbury, anxious that dropping down a division will damage his World Cup prospects... the People says Everton are poised to bid for Liverpool's Jason McAteer, who is angry at having been deposed by Rob Jones in the Anfield starting XI, and will listen to offers of pounds 5m for Nick Barmby, who has lost his place at Goodison... Fabrizio Ravanelli and Curtis Fleming had a dust- up at Middlesbrough's training ground, according to Mirror spies. Fleming was critical of the Italian for going home for treatment before last season's FA Cup final... Marc Rieper is set to leave West Ham for Celtic for pounds 2m, says the People, who also predict a pounds 500,000 switch to West Bromwich for Tottenham's Ronny Rosenthal.

Missing person

Tomas Brolin

(Leeds United)

The over-priced Swede is No 36 in the Leeds squad, which is a fair reflection of where George Graham places him in his pecking order of possible selections. Trained pre-season with Leeds, who can't find a buyer even at a knock- down pounds 1m.

Watch out for...

Stuart Campbell

(Leicester City)

Martin O'Neill rates his 19-year-old midfielder an outstanding prospect, so much so that after an impressive pre-season he preferred him to new signing Robbie Savage against Aston Villa.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

The Swedish World Cup striker Martin Dahlin (left) has the job of injecting some badly-needed pace into the Everton attack. Perhaps he could do with some help from Colin Jackson, the hurdler.

Good boys

THE PREMIERSHIP'S

LEADING SCORERS

Dion Dublin 3

(Coventry)

Faustino Asprilla 2

(Newcastle)

Redfearn (Barnsley); Hartson, Lampard (West Ham); Gallacher (Blackburn), Sinclair, Flo (Chelsea); Ferguson (Everton); Lombardo, Dyer (C Palace); Hasselbaink (Leeds); Wright (Arsenal); Marshall (Leicester); Carbone (Sheff Wed); Blake (Bolton); Gayle (Wimbledon); Owen (Liverpool); Butt (Manchester Utd) 1

and bad boys

THE SEASON'S RED AND YELLOW CARDS

1 Crystal Palace 5 0

New boy Paul Warhurst lands a first-day booking

2 Arsenal 4 0

Patrick Vieira adds to last season's 11 yellows

3 Coventry 4 0

Only 45 cautions last season

4 Sheff Wed 4 0

Bad start for a normally disciplined side

NOISES OFF...

`There is a law in football that if you don't take your chances you will be punished and that's what Coventry did to us.'

Ruud Gullit, after watching his increasingly expensive side exposed

`Two down, 39 to go.'

Martin O'Neill, already counting down towards a 42-point safety target

`He is a good lad and not here to take the cream.'

Steve Coppell on Italian ace Attilio Lombardo

`He is as good a player now as he was at Parma when he was one of the best players in Italy's Serie A.'

Croatia Zagreb coach Marijan Vlak, whose defence must contend with Faustino Asprilla in the European Cup on Wednesday.

`I think Arsenal will win the title because of all the players they have got there. The only problem will be trying to get the right team. They have an embarrassment of riches.'

George Graham, tipping his former employers to relieve Manchester United of the Championship.

`I'm glad that first game is out of the way, what with all the hype and everything else. Whatever happened last year we cannot live on those results; we can't live in the past'

Danny Wilson, after watching West Ham burst the Barnsley bubble.

`I'm a little bit worried because, for the first day of the season, I thought we played too well. And if Derby are one of the weaker teams in the Premiership I hope there aren't many who are a lot better!'

Roy Hodgson, reflecting on his first taste of the Premiership.

PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE WEEK

KEVIN PRESSMAN

SHEFF WED

STEVE WATSON

NEWCASTLE

MARC RIEPER

WEST HAM

MATT ELLIOTT

LEICESTER

GERRY TAGGART

BOLTON

STUART RIPLEY

BLACKBURN

ATTILIO LOMBARDO

C PALACE

NEIL REDFEARN

BARNSLEY

STAN LAZARIDIS

WEST HAM

DION DUBLIN

COVENTRY

FAUSTINO ASPRILLA

NEWCASTLE