EPL: Anderson and Gareth Barry in the Top 10 Plays of Week 2

It's been another surprising weekend of football in the English Premier League, with Arsenal failing to register three points for the second weekend running, Chelsea struggling again against one of the league's weaker sides and newly promoted QPR picking up their first win.

After a fairly drab opening weekend of fixtures, the Premier League burst into life in Week 2 with superb goals and impressive displays of skill and technique from some of the world's best footballers.

So here is my countdown of the best of the best from this week's EPL action! Feel free to comment if I've missed out on anything you think should have made the list and, equally, if you think I've been overly impressed by something fairly ordinary!

Enjoy!

10. Samir Nasri Shows His Class

The Frenchman may be on his way out of Arsenal this week, but against Liverpool he showed a flash of why Gunners fans are so desperate to keep hold of him.

Just before halftime against Liverpool, Thomas Vermaelen headed clear a cross from the left, and when Aaron Ramsay failed to clear, Charlie Adam picked up the loose ball and surged forward.

As he moved towards the Arsenal goal, Emmanuel Frimpong closed him down and from his challenge the ball rebounded to Nasri just outside his own penalty area.

The skillful midfielder set off top speed, ghosting around Lucas before finding space through the centre.

A couple of stepovers forced the defenders to drop off as Nasri wrong-footed Daniel Agger and fired a shot across the goalkeeper.

Pepe Reina was beaten all ends up, but fortunately for the Spaniard it flashed wide of the post.

It may not have been a goal, but Samir Nasri showed just why Manchester City are willing to part with £23 million for his services.

9. West Brom Frustrate Chelsea

As Chelsea piled the pressure on West Brom, it looked certain that they would snatch a late victory, which they did, but not before some superb defending kept them at bay.

With Andre Villas-Boas' side searching for a winner, Jose Bosingwa swung a delightful cross into the penalty area which was superbly controlled by the evergreen Frank Lampard. 

The 86-time capped English midfielder was able to take a touch and slot through to the unmarked Nicolas Anelka who looked certain to score but was denied from point-blank range by Ben Foster. 

As the ball cannoned into the air, Florent Malouda looked set to smash home the rebound and send Stamford Bridge into raptures. However, they would have to wait a while longer as Steven Reid flung himself in to block the shot.

The Republic of Ireland international leapt to his team's defence, sending the ball out for a corner. 

8. Tommy Smith Opens QPR's Account

After last week's 4-0 hammering at home to Bolton on the opening day of the season, many wrote Queens Park Rangers off immediately as relegation fodder.

Neil Warnock's side went some way to changing those minds on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park.

In what was also his side's first goal of the Premier League campaign, Tommy Smith opened his account for the season with a superbly taken goal which left Toffee's keeper Tim Howard with no chance.

During a QPR attack, Phil Jagielka's clearance only went as far as Alejandro Faurlin, who slipped a pass through to Akos Buzsaky, who picked out Smith inside the penalty area.

The Englishman had managed to peal off Jagielka and find space around the penalty area, giving him time to take a deft touch, allowing him to turn and bring the ball onto his favoured right foot. 

Jagielka lunged in vain to stop him but Smith's curling effort was already nestled in the bottom corner.

It was QPR's only shot on target in the game but it was enough for three points.

7. Luis Suarez Puts Nail in Arsenal's Coffin

Late substitute Luis Suarez compounded Arsene Wenger's misery by first forcing the error that led to Liverpool's opener, before cooly slotting home his side's second goal at the death.

Martin Kelly started the move inside his own half, flicking the ball forward to Suarez, who acrobatically flicked a first-time pass into the path of Lucas.

The Brazilian midfielder moved into the centre and as Suarez made a run into the box, fellow substitute Raul Miereles arrived on the right-hand side.

Lucas slipped the ball to him as Suarez peeled off towards the penalty spot. Miereles didn't even need time to think as he laid a pass off first time to the onrushing Urugauyan who cooly slotted home.

It was his second goal in as many games and proved to be the saviour once again for Kenny Dalgliesh's men.

6. Stoke Steal a Point

I'm a bit gutted I couldn't find a video for this one because the build-up was excellent.

With Stoke City a goal down with only seconds left and with a free kick about 30 yards out, you would be forgiven for thinking they would pump the ball into the box to one of their many six-foot-plus players.

That was not the case however and their patient build-up out-foxed the Norwich defence who will feel like it was two points dropped on Sunday.

Glenn Whelan started the move off with a pass to the wing, before receiving it back and laying the ball inside to Dean Whitehead, who then turned and laid the ball off to Matthew Etherington.

Etherington then shaped to cross, which many expected him to do, but he had other ideas, running inside and sliding a pass back to the man that started it all off, Whelan.

The Irishman didn't even need a controlling touch as he clipped a curling ball into the six-yard box where the towering Kenwyne Jones was waiting to guide a header into the far corner.

5. Penalty Killer Michel Vorm Denies Ben Watson

Swansea's summer recruit, goalkeeper Michel Vorm, was given a baptism of fire on his Premier League debut last week as a Sergio Aguero-inspired Manchester City put four past him at the Etihad Stadium.

While an evening like that would have crushed many a shot-stopper, Vorm clearly learnt from his mistakes as a fine performance in Swansea's first home game of the season saw him claim his first clean sheet.

It looked to have been ripped away from him in the second half though, when Wigan were awarded a penalty Ben Watson stepped up to take.

The young midfielder scored from the spot last week in the draw with Norwich and was confident of dispatching another on Saturday; but the Dutch goalkeeper had done his homework.  

It wasn't the best of penalties but Vorm got down well to stop the shot and ensure it did not deflect back to the feet of Watson. It proved vital as the hosts held on for their first point of the campaign.

4. Gabby Agbonlahor Rediscovers His Shooting Boots

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish was under pressure to produce a result in his first home game since taking charge of the club, especially after the 0-0 bore draw with Fulham last week.

Things started well for Big Eck as Gabby Agbonlahor rifled home a superb opener to put the Villa Park faithful into a buoyant mood.

Darren Bent picked up the ball and drew the Blackburn defenders out of position before slipping a pass back for Agbonlahor.

The England international proceeded to turn Michel Salgado inside-out before curling a precision shot into the top corner, leaving an outstretched Paul Robinson well and truly beaten.

3. Ryan Taylor Settles Firey Derby

It's safe to say that the rivalry bewteen Sunderland and Newcastle is a fierce one.

In fact, the game between to two sides on Saturday lunchtime was an extremely bad-tempered affair which saw a number of bookings made and a sending off for Lee Cattermole.

Both teams had their chances to score but it was this sublime freekick which settled the tie.

Jonas Gutierrez had been brought down by Cattermole just outside the box after a surging run which gave Taylor the chance to fire in the chance to shine.

The Liverpool-born fullback and free kick specialist took his time to line up a shot, while everyone expected a cross.

His effort caught everyone by surprise, including, most importantly, Sunderland 'keeper Mignolet.

The away fans erupted in delight as they earned bragging rights in the North East until the next encounter.

2. Beautiful Back Heel

Manchester United looked shaky in their opening match of the season last weekend against West Brom, but on Monday night they were back to their best.

They made Spurs look second-rate in the second half and David de Gea looked like he actually was capable of making a save.

It was the second of their three goals, though that stood out above the rest. 

Brazilian midfielder Anderson picked up the ball from Wayne Rooney about 30 yards from goal before sliding a pass towards Danny Welbeck inside the Spurs penalty area.

It looked at first like the chance had gotten away from the young English striker, as he was forced wide by his marker.

However, with a quick flick of the right foot, Welbeck back-heeled a first-time pass into the path of the onrushing Anderson, who had continued his original run, and the dreadlocked maestro had the simplest of finishes to double United's advantage and send them joint top with Wolves and arch-rivals City.

(sorry for the poor video, the goal comes at about the 1:15 mark)

1. Gareth Barry Screamer

For the second week running it's those noisy neighbours Manchester City who top the list.

Gareth Barry showed Sergio Aguero that he's not the only one at Eastlands who can put the ball in the net from distance, as he thundered home Manchester City's second goal against Bolton on Sunday.

CIty won themselves a corner with the score poised at 1-0, hoping to put some breathing space between themselves and the home side early in the first half.

As James Milner strolled across to take the corner kick from the right hand side, Bolton were frantically marking the oversized Manchester City attack.

Milner brilliantly disguised his cross, causing the wave of players in the penalty area to move goalwards.

However the ball was heading in the opposite direction, perfectly to the feet of Garteh Barry 25 yards from goal.

The former Aston Villa captain took one touch to control the pass before rifling a shot into the top corner.

Sensational!