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Premier League, Craven Cottage – Fulham 1 (Petric 10, pen) Manchester City 2 (Aguero 43, Dzeko 87).

Edin Dzeko scored with his first touch off the bench as Manchester City came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.

Dzeko, seconds after coming on, fired into the top right after an error from John Arne Riise, giving City the win when it looked like Fulham had done enough to earn a point.

Mladen Petric had given Martin Jol’s side an early lead from the spot after Pablo Zabaleta pulled back Riise in the box, with Sergio Aguero levelling just before half-time.

The win keeps City four points off leaders Chelsea, while Fulham – without injured star Dimitar Berbatov – are on nine points from their opening six games.

Fulham started brightly as a somewhat sluggish-looking City became accustomed to their surroundings, and the Whites exploited the moment by taking an early lead.

The champions’ defending has been suspect this season, and Pablo Zabaleta was hapless in his efforts to halt the run of John Arne Riise, who skipped past the Argentine far too easily before being taken down by a desperate tug.

The incident occurred on the fringes of the penalty area, with contact just inside, as Mark Halsey pointed to the spot: Petric made no mistake with a fierce penalty, sending Joe Hart one way and the finish the other.

Incredibly they could have doubled that lead soon afterwards when, on the quarter-hour, Petric thrashed his shot wide after fine build-up play from Hugo Rodallega and Steve Sidwell.

City seemed to wake from their slumber and, predictably, dominated the rest of the half as David Silva and Yaya Toure dominated the midfield in contrasting fashion.

Brede Hangeland cleared off the line when Zabaleta’s low cross looked set for a Toure tap-in, while Aguero should have done better with a free far-post header that he put wide.

Carlos Tevez tried in vain to claim a penalty when tumbling past Riise, although replays showed he made the most of it, while Whites goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer clawed the ball off the line after a goalmouth scramble saw Tevez and Aaron Hughes slide in together.

The big Australian made a smart double save from Silva and Aguero as City continued to bombard the home area, but he was powerless to prevent the equaliser on 43 minutes.

Schwarzer had already made one great save to palm away Silva’s first-time finish, which was a diversion of a Zabaleta cross-shot into the box: the keeper prostrate from his heroics, he could only watch as Aguero drove home the loose ball from a tight angle for a deserved leveller.

Half-time could not come quick enough for Fulham, who had their backs against the walls for the latter stages of the half.

They were better in the second period which, while largely controlled by City, was a more even affair, if relatively light on chances.

Indeed, both sides had just one noteworthy opportunity apiece in the third ‘quarter’, Brede Hangeland and Aguero both heading wide after good balls from Bryan Ruiz and Zabaleta respectively.

Aware that the match was in danger of drifting into a bore-fest, Roberto Mancini acted by introducing the volatile but inquisitive Mario Balotelli, who immediately launched a long-range effort past the post.

Most of City’s good work went through Silva, whose running and movement with the ball was exceptional, although he was unable to pick out a final ball of note.

Fulham, meanwhile, were not exactly passengers, the introduction of Swedish winger Alexander Kacaniklic injecting some flair to proceedings and carving out a chance for Ruiz, whose fine drive was batted away by Hart.

The last quarter-hour saw Samir Nasri enter the fray as the well-organised home defence and midfield constantly shut the door on City’s forays into the final third.

It was testament to work-rate and determination by the hosts, with veteran Greece midfielder Giorgos Karagounis brought on to shore things up further as City grew frustrated.

His first act was to give away a free-kick, which Balotelli spanked into the wall, signalling a last throw the dice for Roberto Mancini, with the introduction of Dzeko.

It threw up a six as, with his first touch, the Bosnian latched on to a dreadful defensive header from Riise to smash a vicious finish into the top right.

Schwarzer was right to be furious, his team’s good work undone by the sloppiest of errors. City could have added a third as Fulham left gaping holes while chasing an equaliser, the best chance falling to Silva, who fired just over from the edge of the box.

MAN OF THE MATCH

David Silva (Manchester City) – a livewire behind the strikers, his dribbling and poise was the standout in an otherwise tired-looking City performance.

Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa both opened their accounts as Manchester United responded to an early setback to defeat Fulham 3-2 at Old Trafford in the Premier League, but Wayne Rooney suffered a nasty injury.

Damien Duff scored after just three minutes as United struggled again in defence following their opening defeat at Everton, but Van Persie drew his new employers level with a brilliant finish after 10 minutes, the former Arsenal captain caressing a volley into the far corner.

With Rooney unexpectedly dropped to the bench, Kagawa, a summer recruit from Borussia Dortmund, added a second from close range before the adventurous Rafael made it three with a header to give United a comfortable lead at half time.

Fulham battled on bravely, however, and their ongoing endeavour was rewarded when David De Gea failed to deal with a cross from the left and Nemanja Vidic turned the ball into his own net.

But while United clung on to record their first win of the season, they lost Rooney to a nasty gash on the leg in a nervy period of injury time. His thigh was opened up by the boot of Hugo Rodallega and Rooney was taken off on a stretcher, with initial estimates suggesting the striker could be absent for as much as four weeks.

Rooney was initially punished for a rather listless performance in the defeat to Everton when being dropped by Ferguson for the first time since Boxing Day 2011. Indeed, the striker started only two games on the bench for United last season, the arrival of Van Persie apparently immediately threatening his untouchable status at Old Trafford.

Rooney found himself in good company though: the United bench had 1,776 Premier League appearances between them, 110 of which belonged to Jonny Evans. The defender was returning from injury to help ease United's injury problems, but not quite soon enough as Michael Carrick, who was bullied by Marouane Fellaini in Everton's shock 1-0 win on Monday night, found himself exposed once again.

After only two minutes the makeshift centre-back was caught out by Mladen Petric - scorer of two goals on debut last weekend - as he conceded a clumsy free kick right on the edge of the box. United's lack of defensive nous showed again when Bryan Ruiz picked out Duff with a disguised, low pass to the penalty spot and the winger, who this week retired from international football, swept the ball home first time.

United had to respond with a newly calibrated attack that was geared around Kagawa playing off Van Persie. With Rooney benched, they needed the new arrivals to settle in quickly and Van Persie played his part, opening his United account with his first shot for the club after 10 minutes. It was a sumptuous finish from the Dutchman as he met a bouncing cross from Patrice Evra near the penalty spot with a gorgeous volley to turn the ball inside the far corner.

Despite the accomplished nature of the finish, United were lacking a bit of fluency initially, though Antonio Valencia was a constant threat having been restored to his favoured position at right midfield and linked up well with right-back Rafael, who was keen to push forward at every given opportunity and attack the Fulham left.

Kagawa, stationed centrally, began to grow in influence and after having one shot and playing in Ashley Young for another, the Japan international joined Van Persie in scoring his first United goal after 35 minutes. The Dutchman had a corner cleared as far as Tom Cleverley and when the midfielder's low effort was spilled by Schwarzer, Kagawa was on hand and onside to tap the ball home.

Fulham were restricted to a sniff of a half chance when De Gea indulged in some inadvisable skills in his own box, dragging the ball through his legs and away from the charging Petric following a Rafael back-pass.

For the first time in this embryonic season there seemed a real swagger about United and few players embodied this as graphically as Rafael, who decided to abandon any pretence at defence and perform as an auxiliary attacker. Indeed, just minutes after having a goal ruled out for offside when he tapped in following a shot by Kagawa against the post and a follow-up effort from Young, he extended United's lead with a firm header at the back post from a chipped Young cross.

Fulham should have pulled one back just minutes before the break when Alexander Kacaniklic had a low shot saved by De Gea, and Petric then saw his follow-up effort deflected onto the bar by the desperate Spanish keeper. But United retained a two-goal lead conjured up by their two big summer signings.

Half-time presaged a dip in United's performance though. They continued to dominate possession but Fulham became harder to break down, Sascha Riether and Hangeland in particular proving a formidable barrier to United's aspirations. When the visiting defence was opened up by a fine cross from Van Persie, Rafael's misdirected header took the ball away from the more advantageously placed Young at the back post.

After 64 minutes, United's veneer of superiority was punctured as Fulham narrowed their lead to a solitary goal. It was a regulation cross from the left from Fulham but De Gea flapped at the high ball and the muscular presence of Petric was enough to put Vidic off balance and divert the ball into his own net with his heel.

De Gea looked accusingly at his captain following the incident but he should have dealt with the situation far better. Though undoubtedly a very talented goalkeeper who makes plenty of fine saves, there remains a lingering uncertainty about the Spaniard that has proved hard to shake.

He showed the more admirable side of his nature soon after when tipping a firm effort from Moussa Dembele over the bar and then made an even more impressive save when denying the same player from close range after United comprehensively failed to deal with the subsequent corner.

The home side were keen to kill the game off as a contest and Rafael almost did so when seeing a superb effort turned over the bar by Schwarzer. However, Fulham always stayed in touch and almost drew level deep into injury time.

United found themselves down to 10 men when, with having made all three changes, Rooney sustained the lengthy gash on his thigh after Rodallega accidentally landed on him after a challenge.

Fulham had one last chance and the impressive Dembele swung a cross into the box to pick out the head of Ruiz. However, De Gea was equal to the forward's header as he kept the ball out to ensure United picked up their first three points of the season.

Fulham passed up a glorious opportunity to beat Chelsea in the Premier League as a missed penalty in stoppage time resulted in a goalless draw at Craven Cottage.

When the otherwise impeccable debutant David Luiz brought down Clint Dempsey in the third minute of time added on, it appeared Fulham would snatch an unlikely victory against their rivals from down the road.

But the American's spot kick was saved by Petr Cech and both sides had to settle for a point in a match that Chelsea bossed in terms of possession but, with Fernando Torres again toiling up front, they struggled to find a way through a resolute Fulham back line.

The result sees Chelsea stay in fifth, now two points behind Tottenham, who occupy the fourth Champions League spot. Fulham remain 12th.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti opted to drop Didier Drogba to the bench to accommodate £50 million man Torres, who was supported from wide areas by Nicolas Anelka and the recalled Florent Malouda.

The long-term ramifications of that decision are not as yet known, but the Ivorian is not one to settle for a bit part role and a summer transfer saga could now be on the horizon.

On the day, Ancelotti's choice backfired and Torres, clearly bereft of confidence, looked a long distance away from justifying that hefty price tag.

Playing up front on his own until he was withdrawn with just under 20 minutes remaining, he was well marshalled by the Fulham duo of Aaron Hughes and Brede Hangeland and often cut an isolated figure.

Just twice in the first half did he have a sniff of goal, both late on; at the first attempt indecision let him down and for the second his touch deserted him at the crucial moment.

Otherwise, Chelsea had little to write home about during an opening period that failed to produce much noteworthy action at either end.

Just a Damien Duff shot that Petr Cech found too hot to handle on 24 minutes and a mis-hit Branislav Ivanovic cross that tested Mark Schwarzer at the other end were worthy of pricking the neutral's interest.

Chelsea started the second half in much more attacking mood - although Torres was unable to benefit from the improved service. The Spain international fired off target before heading over the bar soon after the restart.

With Fulham happy to sit in their own half after the break, Chelsea enjoyed far more possession but they were unable to convert that into anything more meaningful.

Malouda fired wide while Michael Essien should perhaps have done better with a header that glanced off his forehead and wide of the far post as chances came, but were not taken.

The introduction of Drogba in place of Torres on 71 minutes should have given Chelsea more of a cutting edge, but even the Ivorian could not find a way through. A run to the by-line and a dangerous cross that failed to find a team-mate was the best he could muster.

As time ran out, Fulham became ever more dangerous on the break, with Dempsey in particular finally beginning to cause a few problems. The American had already forced Cech to beat away a fierce drive with seven minutes left before he was handed a golden opportunity to extend Fulham's impressive winning streak at home.

But his penalty was poor, Cech made a crucial save and Fulham's fourth straight home win in the Premier League failed to materialise.