Premier League Results: Benitez era begins with a draw as City are held

Rafa roars 'em on from the touchline

The champions give Chelsea a good workout but find Rafa's rearguard a tougher proposition than in recent weeks. Joe Dyer rounds up the notable stories from the exchange on a busy day of Premier League action...

Rafa Benitez kicked off his reign as Chelsea manager with a 0-0 stalemate against the Premier League champions, Manchester City, at Stamford Bridge. 

In an attritional affair it was City who had most of the ball but neither team created genuine pressure or clear chances and neither Sergio Aguero or Fernando Torres could break the deadlock. The 0-0 final score was backed at 19.018/1. 

The result leaves City trailing leaders United by one point and Chelsea five behind - the champions can be backed at 2.77/4 to win the league again and Benitez's Blues at 6.86/1. 

The Premier League day began with another 0-0, as Brendan Rodgers took his Liverpool side back to Swansea. Few striker have been in better recent form than Luis Suarez but even he was unable to break the deadlock. 

The goals came mainly at White Hart Lane where Spurs extended their good record against West Ham with a comprehensive 3-1 win. Former Hammer Jermain Defoe has tormented his old club in recent fixtures and he did the damage again with a brace, interspersed by another Gareth Bale goal. Andy Carroll replied for West Ham. Tottenham touched 2.111/10 in-play while the final score was backed at 28.027/1 

In the 3pm kick-off, Southampton were roundly fancied to get the better of a Newcastle side mired in a dire domestic slump and they did just that. A goal was scored in each half - Adam Lallana notching the first at odds of 15.014/1 - with Gaston Ramirez finishing the Toon off.

Newcastle have lost three straight games and sit just four points off the relegation zone - they can be backed at 13.012/1 to go down. Southampton trade at 2.01/1 in the same market.