Cisse scores on Liverpool debut

Liverpool found a new goal scorer on the day Michael Owen was unveiled as a Real Madrid player when France striker Djibril Cisse scored in a season-opening 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

It proved to be one of five 1-1 draws on the day, while the northeast derby between Middlesbrough and Newcastle United ended 2-2, Bolton Wanderers hammered Charlton Athletic 4-1 and Aston Villa were 2-0 winners over Southampton.

Chelsea's showcase game with FA Cup holders Manchester United, along with Everton's home match against unbeaten champions Arsenal will be played on Sunday.

Cisse, who smashed Liverpool's transfer record with last month's 14 million pound ($25.63 million) move from AJ Auxerre, showed the poaching instinct that made him a top scorer in French Ligue 1 with a 38th minute strike from close range.

Spurs striker Jermain Defoe levelled in the 71st minute of a game in which both managers, Liverpool's Spanish boss Rafael Benitez and former France coach Jacques Santini, made their English Premier League debuts.

Benitez, who surprised many by replacing Cisse after 63 minutes and Czech strike partner Milan Baros just after Defoe's equaliser, blamed fatigue for the dropped points.

"The first half was good," he told reporters. "We had lots of opportunities and I was very happy.

"The second half was more difficult for us because they played more forward balls and we got tired. When teams play long balls it means you have to go backwards to recover possession and we got a bit tired doing that.

"That's why I took our two strikers off."

Santini pointed to his side's absentees, including striker Robbie Keane and playmaker Simon Davies.

"We have had a very difficult preparation for the new season with injuries to important players, but we played well today, especially in the second half," he said.

"We have a new head coach and coaches, a new team with seven new players today and it is going to be many weeks and months before we are a real team, but from what I saw today I am confident that eventually we will do well."

MIDDLESBROUGH CONTROVERSY

Newcastle were held at the Riverside after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink grabbed a controversial stoppage-time equaliser on his Boro debut.

Craig Bellamy put Newcastle ahead, Boro substitute Stewart Downing made it 1-1 and Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer, playing his 500th league game a day after his 34th birthday, looked to have won it with an 83rd minute penalty.

But Hasselbaink levelled, despite appeals by Newcastle defenders that the Dutchman had used his hand.

"Hasselbaink on the back post...missed it with his head and knocked it in with his hand, I think," Newcastle manager Bobby Robson told Sky Sports News.

"So we've not had the best of decisions and when you're winning 2-1 away from home you need every decision like that to go for you. They got out of jail a little bit."

Asked what Hasselbaink had said afterwards, Boro boss Steve McClaren said: "He said it's a goal and the referee gave it, so it is a goal."

The other draws came in Blackburn Rovers' home game with West Bromwich Albion, Manchester City's with Fulham, Portsmouth at home to Birmingham City and Norwich City's against Crystal Palace.

Bolton got the result of the day in their emphatic win over Charlton, with Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha scoring two and making another on his 31st birthday.

Praising Okocha, Bolton boss Sam Allardyce said: "Having gone all of last season without a goal in the Premiership, all of a sudden he's popped up with two well-deserved, well-taken goals.

"He led by example. Not just great skill and great passing ability, he showed a great work rate today."