Arsenal opens season with 1-0 win over West Brom

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LONDON, Aug 17 (AP): Arsenal got its challenge for the Premier League off to a comfortable but unconvincing start Saturday with a 1-0 home win over newly promoted West Brom.

Samir Nasri scored in the fourth minute of his Premier League debut to give Arsenal an early edge over its title rivals, with defending champion Manchester United and last season's runner-up Chelsea not playing until Sunday.

Also Saturday, Liverpool won 1-0 at Sunderland, Tottenham's new-look team lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough, Blackburn won 3-2 at Everton, West Ham beat visiting Wigan 2-1, Hull defeated Fulham 2-1, and Bolton beat Stoke 3-1.

Arsenal's slight lack of edge at Emirates Stadium was perhaps because of manager Arsene Wenger's decision to rest Robin Van Persie even though he was without the injured Cesc Fabregas. Also absent were Tomas Rosicky and Eduardo Da Silva.

"It was important to win the game," Arsenal captain William Gallas said. "We were a bit nervous."

With Fabregas out and Mathieu Flamini having left for AC Milan, Wenger started Denilson and Emmanuel Eboue in midfield along with Nasri and Theo Walcott.

The decision paid off early as Denilson broke down the left and cut the ball back from the endline into the path of Nasri, who one-touched it with a shot low into the far corner.