AP
Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner (left) celebrates with Samir Nasri after he scores the opening goal against West Bromwich at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. Arsenal won 1-0.

LONDON (AP):

ARSENAL GOT their challenge for the Premier League off to a comfortable but unconvincing start yesterday 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 their title rivals, with defending champions Manchester United and last season's runners-up Chelsea not in action until today.

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

Absentees

Arsenal's slight lack of edge at Emirates Stadium was perhaps due to manager Arsene Wenger's decision to rest Robin Van Persie, even though he was without the injured Cesc Fabregas as well as long-term absentees 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 central midfield, with Nasri and Theo Walcott providing width.

The decision paid off early as Denilson broke down the left and cut the ball back from the byline into the path of Nasri, who hit the ball first time to guide a shot low into the far corner.

But Arsenal's momentum stalled slightly and, although Emmanuel Adebayor went close seven minutes into the second half and had a goal ruled out in the 60th, Wenger opted to bring on Van Persie in place of Nicklas Bendtner to provide an extra attacking threat for the last 20 minutes.

The home fans started to jeer Adebayor as he seemed to hog the ball to the detriment of his team, and Van Persie almost made it 2-0 in the 87th with a turn and shot inside the area.

Positives

"We gave a decent account of ourselves, although they had about 20 opportunities and we probably only created one or two ourselves," West Brom manager Tony Mowbray said. "There are a lot of positives to take from the game. We don't go away hammered, and (we) go away believing we can compete in this league."

Still, Arsenal got the win as they aim to start as strongly as they did last season, when they stayed undefeated in the Premier League until December.

SCORES

Arsenal 1 West Brom 0

Bolton 3 Stoke 1

Everton 2 Blackburn 3

Hull 2 Fulham 1,

Middlesbrough 2 Tottenham 1

Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1

West Ham 2 Wigan 1