Premier League review: Tottenham scored three times in the final 15 minutes as they battled back from a goal down to claim their first home win of the season against Wolves in the Barclays Premier League, while Newcastle left Everton forlorn at Goodison Park thanks to loan signing Hatem Ben Arfa.
Ben Arfa sweetly-hit 25-yard strike just before half-time left the Toffees winless, having garnered jsut two points from a possible 15 so far this season.
Wolves striker Steven Fletcher shocked his hosts just before half-time when he turned in the game’s opening goal and Spurs looked set for another disappointing afternoon at White Hart Lane as the match entered the final 15 minutes.
But the turnaround began when Alan Hutton’s run into the area was halted by Stephen Ward’s mistimed diving challenge, with deadline-day signing Rafael van der Vaart coolly converting the penalty.
Substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko fired Spurs ahead in the 86th minute when Tim Huddlestone shot was deflected into his path before Hutton fortuitously netted in injury time to seal a 3-1 home victory.
West Brom also came from a goal down to beat derby rivals Birmingham 3-1.
Birmingham had taken the lead after 15 minute when Cameron Jerome was left with a simple close-range finish after a well-worked free-kick was headed across goal by Scott Dann.
However, Dann put the ball into his own net — under pressure from Peter Odemwingie — shortly after the break before the Nigerian forward forged the Baggies ahead on 59 minutes.
Jonas Olsson then sealed the win in the 69th minute when he headed in Chris Brunt’s corner.
New Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier watched on from the stands as his side were held to a 1-1 home draw with Bolton.
Ashley Young fired Villa ahead after 13 minutes with an expertly-taken free-kick from 25 yards, but Kevin Davies was given far too much time to level from close range after 35 minutes.
Blackburn were thankful to Christopher Samba’s controversial 30th-minute opener as they drew 1-1 with Fulham at Ewood Park.
Samba headed into an open net after El-Hadji Diouf appeared to block Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, but the visitors got an equaliser after Clint Dempsey headed in from debutant Carlos Salcido’s cross.
In the lunchtime kick-off, West Ham claimed their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Stoke.
The Hammers, whose manager Avram Grant was observing Yom Kippur and not present at the game, went ahead through Scott Parker before Kenwyne Jones headed his second goal in as many games three minutes after half-time.
Parker said the Hammers can take “huge positives” out of the result. “I think we controlled the game in the first half and probably deserved to be 1-0 up,” Parker told Sky Sports 2. “I think we can take huge positives out of today. They put us under immense pressure and we defended really well.
“We came here today low in confidence and we can leave high in confidence.”
Asked about the absence of Grant, Parker said: “It was going to be difficult when your manager’s not here but we understand the circumstances.
“We just got on with it and came here and got a result.”
West Ham senior coach Paul Groves added: “It’s a good point. The players showed a good togetherness today. They could have quite easily have gone under.”