Scott Murray's Blog, page 101

June 26, 2020

Liverpool are crowned Premier League champions – live reaction!

Reds end 30-year wait | Klopp hails ‘incredible moment’Barney Ronay: Red machine at peak of its powerGet in touch! Email Scott or send us your thoughts

9.50am BST

In the interests of full transparency, other newspapers are freely available to read and enjoy. One of them, the Daily Telegraph, carries the words of one of the heroes of Istanbul, Jamie Carragher. “It is the season of all seasons, the campaign of all campaigns,” he writes. “Klopp arrived at Anfield saying he wanted to turn doubters into believers. I was one of those who had given up hope. It gives me the greatest pleasure to admit these words now look misjudged. In my defence ... no one took me to task for the remarks at the time.”

9.43am BST

Like it or not, Chelsea repeatedly crop up on the long and winding road to Liverpool’s success, one way or another. There’s their victory last night over Manchester City. That match at Anfield in 2014. And arguably most vitally, one of their supporters, Martin Broughton, was instrumental in getting shot of these comedians. Another reminder for the kids that one should never give up on the old hope.

9.30am BST

This isn’t just about Liverpool. What about their vanquished rivals Manchester City, whose attempt to join the ranks of Huddersfield Town, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United as three-peat title-winners unravelled in the grand style? Jacob Steinberg has been looking into that, and here’s his verdict.

9.20am BST

Speaking of goals, here’s how Liverpool have spread them out this season:

17: Mohamed Salah
15: Sadio Mane
8: Roberto Firmino
4: Virgil van Dijk
3: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Divock Origi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Georginio Wijnaldum
2: Fabinho, James Milner, own goals
1: Naby Keita, Adam Lallana, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, Xherdan Shaqiri

9.16am BST

A message from Liverpool’s leading goalscorer this season ...

Yes. It feels THAT good. I want to thank all our supporters watching us from all corners of the world. You made this possible for us and I hope we can keep bringing you the joy you deserve. now they’re gonna believe us pic.twitter.com/bqkXM1Fjpj

9.10am BST

♫ ♯ Thank you for the days, those endless days, those sacred days you gave me / I’m thinking of the days, I won’t forget a single day, believe me ♯ ♫ Less than ten years ago, this was happening. Never give up hope, kids. There’s always hope.

9.00am BST

Jordan Henderson has become the first Liverpool captain since Alan Hansen to lead his team to the championship. He’s been struggling to take it all in. Here’s what he told Liverpool’s official website:

It’s hard to describe, to be honest. But after the final whistle it was just an amazing feeling, especially to spend it with all the lads and the staff.
To finally get over the line is a relief but also an amazing feeling. It’s a unique feeling and one that I’m very proud of.
I’ve been so honoured to be part of this football club right from the first moment that I came and to go on the journey to be with this manager, this group of players, these fans - it’s been so special.
But we’ll enjoy this, we’ll celebrate, but then I know in the next few days they’ll be straight onto the next game, which is City, and finishing the season off as well as we can.
We want to win every game and we want to finish off with the highest points record we can and give everything we’ve got and then we’ll go into next season and we’ll want even more.
There were numerous games where I felt there were big results and big performances in certain stages of the season. But at the same time I never got carried away after a win or a performance - it was literally ‘job done, let’s pick it up next game and go again and keep doing that until we get to this point’.
You never know what is going to happen in football.

8.50am BST

Liverpool have passed up some chances to win the Premier League before, of course. Think back to 1996-97, 2002-03 and last season. But none were as bitter as 2013-14. Let’s not rake over old coals, suffice to say that an old friend is very happy this morning.

Congratulations to all @liverpoolfc on winning the premier league . Incredible achievement from a fantastic squad of top players . Lead by a world class manager and coaching team also a special mention for the backing from FSG . And lastly and most importantly the fans who have waited 30 years . ❤️ let the party begin

8.35am BST

It was 30 years ago today ... give or take a couple of months. Here’s how the Observer reported on Liverpool’s slightly fortuitous deal-sealing victory over QPR at the business end of the 1989-90 season. Thanks to Jason Rodrigues for doing the digging. Aston Villa fans may enjoy the final paragraph, a harbinger of things to come.

8.27am BST

Player ratings. Our man on Merseyside, Andy Hunter, has run the rule over Liverpool’s first title-winning squad since the days of

Mike Marsh, Nick Tanner and David Burrows
Ian Rush, John Barnes and Alan Hansen. Here’s his verdict ... and he hasn’t gone in two-footed on Dejan Lovren, we’re all about spreading the love today.

8.18am BST

Now’s as good a moment as any for some cheap triumphalism. As Mohamed Salah said the other day, it’s Liverpool’s time. So here’s a not-particularly-comprehensive list of most major trophies won by English clubs.

48: Liverpool
45: Manchester United
30: Arsenal

8.11am BST

Good morning Liverpool fans.

8.04am BST

And I will bid you farewell and hand over to my colleague in London, Scott Murray, with a few of the newspaper headlines Liverpool fans will be waking up to this morning (quite possibly with sore heads).

CORONAVIRUS CHAOS ON THE BEACHES dominates most of the front pages, but “Kop Idols” is the headline in the Express, while the Daily Star goes for “On Klopp of the World”. “Kop Kings” is in the Metro, while “The wait is over” appears in the Mirror. The back page of this esteemed publication goes with the headline from Barney Ronay’s excellent piece: A sporting machine at the peak of it power. Which you can read here.

7.33am BST

We’ve heard how police have warned of the Covid-19 risks associated with large gatherings such as the one seen around Anfield last night. Here are some more details of where other celebrations were going on, courtesy of Reuters:

The celebrations took over the city centre, with the Cunard Building, by the Pier Head, lit up in red for the night. Elsewhere, St Luke’s Church, known locally as the bombed-out church, became a focal point for fans to congregate, let off fireworks and go through their repertoire of songs. Cars were kept out of the area by police but supporters around the city blared their horns in jubilation.

6.57am BST

I don’t think we’ve covered off the thoughts of these former players yet, so here they are.

Luis Garcia: “... What a fantastic achievement. Congrats to all the players, staff and board member. I’m not forgetting the supporters. Enjoy the moment, it’s been a long time but finally is here!!”

6.32am BST

This just in from my colleague, Martin Farrer, on the large numbers of fans who gathered at Anfield last night which prompted warnings from police concerned about people flouting social-distancing rules.

Merseyside police Asst Chief Cons Rob Carden said the region had been “disproportionately affected” by the coronavirus pandemic and its residents had a responsibility to prevent further cases.

5.55am BST

More reaction, if you can handle it, and perhaps some insight into why this team is so far ahead of others (Papa Klopp).

Andy Robertson: “As a squad we’re so close. We love coming in to training every single day. If somebody is having a bad game, we dig them out of a hole and we stick together on the pitch, we stick together off the pitch – that’s why this squad is so special. I love being a part of it.

5.28am BST

A “completely overwhelmed” Klopp has spoken of the countdown to the final whistle at Stamford Bridge, while watching on from afar. “In that moment it was a pure explosion... then pure... I cannot describe it. It was a really nice moment.”

5.15am BST

If this moment in history doesn’t call for peace and love from one of the Fab Four, I don’t know what does.

Congratulations Liverpool number one I send you peace and love. ✌️☮️ pic.twitter.com/RESqHTbWl1

5.04am BST

Praise is flowing as freely as a bloated Mersey on a rainy day, and as you’d expect it’s a bit of a love-in. Several Liverpool greats have been queuing up to heap praise on Klopp’s side with Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Mark Lawrenson all acknowledging the job Klopp has done.

Dalglish oversaw the club’s last triumph 30 years ago said he would never have expected to have waiting so long for another. “If you would have said that, you would have been arrested and sectioned,” Dalglish told BT Sport. “Sometimes things happen, but certainly the last two years and since Juergen has come in it’s been very positive. He’s been fantastic and epitomises everything Liverpool stand for, he appreciates and respects everyone that works at the club.

4.45am BST

You know what they say, “red sky in the morning, Liverpool won the title the night before”.

Eerie sky outside the BBC this morning. pic.twitter.com/Sa0oYK5Ou1

4.39am BST

More from Klopp now, courtesy of the club’s official website: the German has dedicated the victory to fans, and picked out several former players and managers. This is why he is loved by Liverpool fans, he gets the club.

“My message is: it’s for you out there ... I hope you feel it. It’s for so many people. Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness spoke to me ... they were very positive. That’s nice but it’s thanks to them because this club is built on what they did. It’s built ... on [Bill] Shankly, [Bob] Paisley and [Joe] Fagan and all the others, but on these players... Steven Gerrard – this club’s built on, in the last 20 years, on Stevie’s legs. He had to carry all the pressure. He did that exceptionally.

4.12am BST

Thanks Bryan in New York. The baton is now passed across to Sydney for continued coverage of this story, which has thoroughly global significance.

For now though, let’s just enjoy some of the reaction on the streets of Liverpool, while trying to forget there’s still a pandemic raging for just a moment.

3.58am BST

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was at a loss for words on Thursday when prompted to express the feeling of ending the club’s three-decade hoodoo.

“I could never in words describe the feeling of winning the Premier League, just like I couldn’t describe winning the Champions League,” the 30-year-old midfielder told the club’s website. “It’s a unique feeling and one that, again, I’m very proud of. I’ve been so honoured to be part of this football club right from the first moment that I came and to go on the journey to be with this manager, this group of players, these fans – it’s been so special. But we’ll enjoy this, we’ll celebrate, but then I know in the next few days they’ll be straight onto the next game, which is City, and finishing the season off as well as we can.

3.31am BST

Thousands of Liverpool supporters descended on Anfield Road on Thursday night to revel in the club’s first top-flight title in three decades. While the celebrations were roundly peaceful, the social distancing guidelines in response to the coronavirus pandemic were in many cases all but ignored.

That prompted the following statement from assistant chief constable Rob Carden of Merseyside Police early Friday morning:

I would like to congratulate Liverpool FC on deservedly winning the Premier League title, and thank the thousands of Liverpool fans across Merseyside who celebrated at home, as they have for the previous games played behind closed doors.

The overwhelming majority of fans have recognised the fact that now is not the time to gather together to celebrate, and chose to mark the event safely. They are a credit to this city.

3.09am BST

My colleague Andy Hunter has followed up his match report with a sidebar on Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who became overcome with emotion in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s long-awaited 19th top-flight title.

“It’s much more than I ever thought would be possible,” the 53-year-old said. “Becoming champion with this club is absolutely incredible.”

Klopp and his players gathered at Formby Hall golf club, not far from the German’s home on Merseyside, to watch Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge and erupted in celebration on the final whistle. The scenes were recreated across Merseyside where, despite appeals from police, thousands of fans congregated outside Anfield and road blocks were set up around the stadium. Fireworks and car horns could be heard.

“What can I say? It’s an incredible moment,” Klopp said in an interview with Sky. “I couldn’t be more proud of my coaching staff and all the people in Liverpool since we came in. It’s been a really exciting ride since the first day and it is not over yet. We watched it all together with the boys and it looks like there are still a good few more years left in their legs. It’s more than I ever dreamed of.

2.46am BST

Champions of England, champions of Europe and champions of the world. The latter of which includes such far-flung locales as New Zealand, from where reader Catherine Downes writes in to say: “My husband Maciek playing the Liverpool anthem as we celebrate!”

Congratulations to the best team in the world (according to my wife who knows) on winning the league! I’m playing my Suhr Classic through a Kemperprofiler with Michael Britt Dumbleamp amp. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was originally penned by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The full version is on my IGTV channel. Champions! My latest album AWA available on: Spotify https://spoti.fi/35yd85h . Apple Music https://apple.co/37Dm4b0 . I-tunes music https://apple.co/39MKT68 #liverpool #liverpoolfc #jazz #guitar #champions #football #jazzguitar #surhguitars #surhcustom #anfield #PL #premierleague #teamklopp #klopp #covers #rodgersandhammerstein @liverpoolfc @liverpool @jurgenklopp10 @merseyradio @rnzmusic @radionewzealand @bbcmerseysport @suhrcustom @bbc_introducing_merseyside @5livesport #dumbleamp

2.14am BST

NBA superstar LeBron James, the 35-year-old centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers who obtained a 2% stake in Fenway Sports Group back in 2011, was among the first to congratulate Liverpool on today’s long-awaited Premier League title.

PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET’S GO @LFC #YNWA♥️

1.40am BST

The sun is just going down in New York but Reds throughout the city are raging on into the night. Typically the center of the party would be the 11th Street Pub in the East Village, which is the headquarters of the Liverpool FC Supporter’s Club of NYC, in addition to the six other bars across the city LFCNY works with to accommodate overflow crowd. But the coronavirus pandemic mostly left the group’s 750-strong membership, which Wells estimates are half Americans and half expats, watching today’s match separately while keeping in touch via Zoom and WhatsApp.

“Due to Covid most people watched at home, but a few of our bars with outdoor space were able to host small crowds,” LFCNY president Justin Wells tells the Guardian. “We’re planning some sort of party at 11th Street when it’s safe.”

Champions. That’s it. That’s the tweet.

1.05am BST

Liverpool’s dominant season in chart form:

1.00am BST

It’s 1am in the UK, and I suspect/hope the Liverpool players are very, very drunk. I’m going to hand over to Bryan Armen Graham in the US. Thanks for your company and emails on an iconic date in English football history. In 1990, you’d have got seriously long odds on Liverpool winning their next title on 25 June 2020.

12.51am BST

You’ll all have your favourite memory of the season. There were many more spectacular moments, but I still think this second goal exemplifies the exhilarating brilliance and leadpipe cruelty of this Liverpool side.

12.47am BST

A bit more from the wires

Steven Gerrard hailed Liverpool’s “incredible achievement” in being crowned champions for the first time in the Premier League era.

12.43am BST

From the news wires

Liverpool and Manchester City have set the benchmark for the rest of the Premier League to follow, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said after masterminding the 2-1 win over City that handed the Reds their first league title in 30 years on Thursday.

12.38am BST

I’ve been thinking a lot about two people tonight, my colleagues Gregg Bakowski and Scott Murray. Two of the finer blokes and journalists you’ll ever meet, who had to put up with me luxuriating in Manchester United’s title wins of the 2000s, so it’s lovely to see Gregg’s name pop up in my inbox:

This is Klopp’s title Rob. He’s made good players into incredible ones and I don’t think they would be so effective under another manager in a different system. His impact at the club has been immense. With apologies to talented people at Guardian Towers, I’d love him to be my boss.

12.32am BST

12.31am BST

A reminder that, though comments aren’t open on this blog, you can have your say below the line on Barney Ronay’s brilliant tribute to the champions.

12.29am BST

12.27am BST

Huge congrats to everyone at @LFC on winning the @premierleague. Unbelievable squad, magnificent manager, great staff but above all my sincere congrats to every single LFC supporter. You've been waiting so long and finally that desired trophy is yours. Very well deserved#YNWA pic.twitter.com/hf6DzX6fOP

12.26am BST

“Hey Rob,” says Tony Barr. “Moved to England from Glasgow in 1977 when my dad needed a job. Who else was I going to support but the new team of my boyhood hero? Things were easy and fun for many years, but Heysel and Hillsborough proved an uncomfortable background to my coming of age.
“I don’t need to tell you about the intervening 30 years, but I will say that it’s not just the fact we’ve won the league, but the manner in which it’s been done that moves me to write. The character of the manager and the team and their perfect relationship with their home city is something you can’t manufacture. Not least of all the stories that make up the success. That Andy Robertson retweet never fails to get me filling up. “I’ve got plenty to do tomorrow but I’m not done reading and watching the highlights yet.” Yeah, that’s a very good point. The background of the players is interesting, and the clubs from which they were signed: Southampton, Roma, Schalke, Newcastle, Monaco, Charlton, Hull, Hoffenheim, Lille, Stoke, Leipzig. They became superstars together. I’m no Liverpool fan but you’d have to be a bit odd not to find them thoroughly admirable.

12.17am BST

“I used to live Liverpool’s victories from the late seventies through the eighties with my brother and it defined our childhood,” says Ian Copestake. “But life brings amazing changes and I am glad this comes in a different time because it is just as sweet and I have so many other people to share it with including the best Guardian MBMers and MBMees!”

We should all meet up sometime. I’ll be on the Kerguelen Islands for the next few years if you’re passing that way.

12.08am BST

In the 13 years up to May 2019, Liverpool won only one trophy, the Carling Cup or whatever it was called in 2011-12.

In the last 13 months, they’ve won the Champions League, the Super Club, the World Club Cup and now the Premier League.

12.04am BST

“Hi Rob,” says Chris Kempshall. “So I was only six years old in 1990. I understood the nature/existence of football and having watched a Liverpool game previously and been amazed by John Barnes (my hero before I understood heroes) I was a fan, but I didn’t really understand. I watched the VHS of the 89/90 season to death but going through the school years as Liverpool withered away was not a great deal of fun.

“Looking back on it tonight, it’s amazing just how long it all feels. We’ve had more complete collapses and rebuilds than title challenges. After the 2013/14 season I did genuinely wonder if it was ever going to happen. Tonight is, therefore, something I’ve basically waited my whole life for. Those 30 years did not fly by...”

12.02am BST

Interlude

12.00am BST

life at this age is rubbish with no money #needajob

11.56pm BST

Tell the world…

We are Liverpool, champions of England. pic.twitter.com/altgWn1Wda

11.55pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “I don’t know anything about Rockstar by Dababy ft. Roddy Ricch but this is the tune that I’ll remember this day by.”

11.54pm BST

Liverpool FC have climbed onto the walls around Anfield and there are three on the roof of The Park pub as celebrations continue on the streets around the stadium pic.twitter.com/De615qT6TC

11.53pm BST

Andy Hunter has a round-up of the reaction to Liverpool’s triumph, including Jurgen Klopp’s emotional interview

11.49pm BST

“I was nineteen back in 1990: fresh-faced and carefree,” says Madge Stapleton. “Never did l think l’d have to wait thirty years to see success again. I have fifteen red shirts (and one yellow David James one) to remind me of the heartache and the near misses and the absolute despair at times. None of it matters now. Klopp is crying, Virg is dancing and I’m nineteen (19!) again.”

And Jack Charlton’s Ireland are in the World Cup quarter-finals!

11.48pm BST

Liverpool clinched the title because of Manchester City’s eighth league defeat of the season. That’s a scandal for a team of their quality, and Pep Guardiola surely won’t let it happen next season.

11.45pm BST

“It’s mad how few near misses we’ve had over 30 years,” says Niall Mullen. “1990-91, when we started like a train, is often forgotten, I guess because it happened before modern football. But between losing at home to Coventry in 1997 and Andrei Arshavin scoring four in 2009 we never really got close. 2014 was a bit of an aberration, like the time the beautiful girl goes out with you for a few months before coming to her senses. It’s almost an achievement to have been out of contention for so long.”

11.43pm BST

There’s a bit of a police presence at Anfield, though it doesn’t sound like they are doing much. That particular horse has long since done one.

11.38pm BST

The evening’s burning question has finally been answered

“Got the crisps,” says Ian Copestake.

11.30pm BST

Here’s Barney Ronay on Liverpool’s title triumph

Make no mistake, this was an annihilation. Liverpool didn’t just outrun the rest of the field. From late summer into spring they seemed to be operating to a different set of physical laws, marching the Premier League around in a headlock, ruffling its hair, flicking its ears.

11.26pm BST

“I wonder,” says Simon McMahon, “if anyone will remember that Rockstar by Dababy ft. Roddy Ricch was No.1 this week when Liverpool win the league again in 2050...”

11.26pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Jan Krcmar. “I’m ‘celebrating’ at home in Prague, while my wife and kids are asleep. I had plans to travel to Liverpool for the original title parade and I waited so ridiculously long to actually book the plane tickets, because I thought I would jinx it. I originally said, I’d buy the tickets after the City game, then after the Leicester game and I waited until the end of January to buy them and then... oh, well. Sorry, I now have to go and wake up our six-year-old son and tell him the news.”

11.24pm BST

This is Liverpool’s Premier League record since the start of last season (spoiler: it’s astonishing)

P69 W58 D9 L2 F159 A43 Pts 183

11.21pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Paul Spencer. “I’ve been a Liverpool fan since the ‘74 season. I’ve seen a lot, good and bad, but this one hits me in the soul. I was doing a pretty good ‘stoic old man’ impression until Jurgen started crying, but that left me sobbing like a baby. It’s mid-afternoon on the west coast of America (home now, at least for a while). I’m going to step out and lose my mind now. I may be gone for some time.”

11.20pm BST

I’m just catching up with Jurgen Klopp’s interview on Sky Sports. Bless him, he couldn’t control the tears and ended up walking away.

It’s such a big moment, I’m completely overwhelmed. I never would have thought I would feel like this. I had no idea. It’s just... sorry, gentlemen, I am sealed, all the best.

11.12pm BST

The near misses of the last 30 years don’t matter any more. David James’ PlayStation odyssey; Rafa Benitez’s presentation; Steven Gerrard’s slip. They’re all part of the backstory now.

11.10pm BST

“Hello Rob,” says Samuel Hewetson. “I’m not an ardent football fan, but am cheering along with the loudest of them tonight. My grandfather Richard lived and breathed Liverpool FC. He watched every match, every season, religiously. Since 1990 he had been hoping for today’s win. Sadly he passed away last year, and never got to witness the club being crowned champions again. This is a huge cathartic moment for our family; we can now celebrate for him.”

11.09pm BST

There’s a helluva party going on at Anfield, with thousands of fans congregating outside the ground. It’s like Bournemouth beach over there.

11.07pm BST

The Liverpool squad celebrating!!! pic.twitter.com/5zNKiqt0j2

11.03pm BST

“Evening, Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “I haven’t dared do anything except dip in fleetingly to the MBM tonight, the last week, this season actually, for fear of jinxing. The likes of Matt Dony are more resilient than me. Being old enough to name Steve Heighway as my first hero as a nipper, it’s been so long this truly started to seem like the impossible dream.

“There will be a lot written tonight, and in the coming days, about Klopp, and rightly so. But FSG deserve praise as well. They haven’t got everything right, even quite recently, but they’ve been able to admit when they’ve made mistakes and put them right, and crucially they had a plan that was always centred around recruiting Klopp, they’ve put the infrastructure and the funds in place to back him, and remembering the night I found myself chatting to fellow Reds BTL on some obscure regional paper site in the States as Hicks and Gillett made a last desperate attempt to keep hold of the club, tonight seemed like an impossible dream back then.

11.01pm BST

“It’s been more than a 30-year wait for me,” says Robert Tyler. “Liverpool have been my team since 1971, when four-year-old me felt sorry for them when Charlie George scored in the FA CUp Final. I got to enjoy a few years of triumphs, but we moved to the States in the summer of 77 and I’ve been here ever since. Without the internet and no coverage of football in the USA, I completely missed out on the glory of the 80s, including the last title in the 90s. So this is my first league title in 43 years. Not sure how to even process this.”

I wouldn’t bother trying, at least not for the first week.

10.56pm BST

“Hey Rob,” says Oskar Kostecki. “Tearing up at work in NYC right now. So proud of the whole team for the quality, focus and dedication shown these past few seasons. The never-say-die attitude and the refusal to give up is truly inspirational. Special shout-out to Andy Robertson, who for me is such an embodiment of this team, and so happy for all his achievements these past few years!”

10.54pm BST

10.53pm BST

And here’s Jordan Henderson...

“Who’s having that, by the way... Am I on live? [Where are you all, then?] We’re not in the house. I don’t think I can give the location in case loads of people turn up. [I could swear that’s Barnard Castle in the background.] It’s an amazing feeling, you know. I haven’t wanted to speak about it for a long time. You keep trying to get us to talk about but I didn’t want to. Now we’ve finally done it and it’s an amazing feeling.

10.47pm BST

Here’s Virgil van Dijk, the man whose signing made it all possible

“Unbelievable. What a season so far. Incredible, incredible, to be part of this group of players. I’m very proud to call myself a Premier League winner. I don’t watch too many games but tonight’s felt like it was taking ages. I haven’t been that nervous in a while. We’re all proud of each other; I can’t really describe the feeling.”

10.43pm BST

From the news wires

“Liverpool’s principal owner John W Henry paid tribute to the team’s ‘magnificent achievement’.

10.42pm BST

“I’m enjoying tonight with a bottle of whisky,” says Matt Dony, “and I will continue to do so until one of us is drunk. By the other one. (Joke c/o John Finnemore.) All jokes aside, this is magnificent. Realistically, other titles could potentially come, but this season seems unrepeatable. The team have been better than any of us could have imagined. Everything has come together. Pick any adjective, and it’s still an understatement.

“Klopp could not have fit in better. It’s a cliche that some people just ‘get’ clubs, but something about the Klopp/Liverpool connection just seems magical. Every player has contributed. It’s an amazing time to be a Liverpool fan. We’ve had some troughs to get to this peak, but my word, what a peak. Seven games to spare. Seven games out of 38. It barely makes sense. Nothing makes sense anymore. Staggered.”

10.40pm BST

Still no Jurgen Klopp, but here’s Pep Guardiola

“Big congratulations to Liverpool for this great season and the title they won. We have a lot to play for this season but of course we will try to be close to Liverpool next season. We were not consistent like the previous season. They had incredible focus and played every game like it was the last game. In the beginning we didn’t play that way. We cannot forget that we are second in the league so we are still better than a lot of teams.”

10.37pm BST

Jurgen Klopp is on BT Sport... and his sound isn’t working! Ach.

10.36pm BST

Here’s a special video on how Jurgen Klopp turned Liverpool into the best team in the world - and England.

10.35pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Gerry Scott. “When was the last time the Championship was won by such a fun team? Even Pep’s City in their pomp attract something closer than awe than affection. Whatever this Liverpool team goes on to I think they will be remembered fondly by a lot of people.”

Plenty will prefer City, but I know exactly what you mean. They remind me the most, especially in their tempo and defiant spirit, of a team that probably shouldn’t be mentioned on a Liverpool celebration blog.

10.35pm BST

10.30pm BST

“Hi Rob!” says Annabelle Garnett. “We did it. I am just so proud and happy with their emphatic win. I am sitting here in my lounge in New Zealand wondering how inappropriate it would be to have a drink at 9.30 in the morning. Go Liverpool. Here’s to you, from over here.”

Given the experiences of the average New Zealand sports fan in the last 12 months, I reckon you’ve earned a special brunch.

10.29pm BST

Thanks for all your emails. There’s a lot going on,

and my flight to the Kerguelen Islands leaves in 20 minutes,
but I’ll try to publish a few of them. You can also have your say below the line on Andy Hunter’s news story.

10.28pm BST

WE’RE PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!! pic.twitter.com/qX7Duxoslm

10.28pm BST

More from Sir Kenny Dalglish and his phone

“The dressing-room is the same PING! as it was [in 1990]. There’s no arrogance, there’s no Jack-the-lads. They’re all very humane lads. You hear stories about them going in for petrol and paying PING! PING! for everybody’s petrol in the station. They buy people food. They seem to be very PING! human beings, and by the way, as well as being successful, it makes them good lads.

10.27pm BST

And here’s Jonathan Liew’s report from Stamford Bridge.

10.23pm BST

1901, 1906, 1922, 1923, 1947, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2020

Here’s the great Scott Murray on Liverpool’s second last title victory.

10.19pm BST

Sir Kenny Dalglish is speaking on BT Sport, and his phone is pinging every two seconds.

“If you’d said it would be 30 years, you’d have been arrested and sectioned. Since Jurgen’s come in, it’s been very positive all the way through. He epitomises everything that Liverpool Football Club stands for. It’s not just a one-off because last year they came within a point of it. By the way, onwards and upwards. I think we’ve got a lot more happy days to look forward to as long as Jurgen’s there.

2.35pm BST

First Europe, then the world and now the final frontier: England. Liverpool’s path to global domination may look a bit haphazard, but this is exactly the way it should be. The Premier League was always the one they wanted the most. It’s been an inevitability since 4.43pm on 10 November 2019, when Mo Salah’s exhilarating goal put them 2-0 up at home to Manchester City, and now it’s official: Liverpool are champions of England!

The circumstances are a bit weird, there’s no point denying it. But while Covid-19 may dilute the euphoria of the moment, it doesn’t diminish the achievement one little bit. Two years ago Liverpool finished fourth, 25 points behind Manchester City, and were just another team reduced to domestic irrelevance by Pep Guardiola. But unlike the others, and even though they had three decades of history on their back, Liverpool accepted the challenge of a City side that looked unconquerable.

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Published on June 26, 2020 01:50

June 25, 2020

Signing Rosenthal and reeling in Villa: the last time Liverpool won the title | Scott Murray

With Jürgen Klopp’s team on the brink of becoming Premier League champions we look back at the 1989-90 season

You would have got good odds in 1990, as Alan Hansen hoisted the Football League’s championship trophy into the Anfield air, on Liverpool waiting 30 years to become champions of England again.

But here we are, very much at the business end of a three-decade quest for title No 19. Jordan Henderson – let’s go out on a limb here – will follow in Hansen’s footsteps soon enough, and when he does, the historical baggage of No 18 will be cut loose for ever, the 1989-90 campaign quietly slipping away into the mists of time.

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Published on June 25, 2020 04:00

June 24, 2020

Liverpool 4-0 Crystal Palace: Premier League – as it happened

Liverpool demolished Palace, four fine goals edging them ever closer to the Premier League title

12.40am BST

10.43pm BST

And with that, this report comes to a close. Andy Hunter is our man on Merseyside, and he was there to witness Liverpool demolish Palace. Here’s his report. Enjoy ... and thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

10.39pm BST

Klopp, in full Cheshire Cat mode, speaks. “Imagine if this stadium were full today, and all the people could have experienced that live. It would have been amazing! I don’t think the game could have been better, because my boys played like everybody was in the stadium, they were pushing themselves, the atmosphere on the pitch was incredible. So I have said before, I would like to see some of the best games behind closed doors ever, because we don’t want to have them that often. It was for sure the best counter-pressing game I ever saw behind closed doors, because it was exceptional. I liked it! You have to be calm. The free kick from Trent helped us. Palace didn’t change their approach but we felt more free. The expectations on us are really big, so we had to clarify that. This was a reaction and I liked the game so much. Four up, in the 87th minute, and four players were chasing this poor Crystal Palace player as though it was the only ball in the world. I liked that so much.”

10.26pm BST

An eye-opening stat courtesy of Sky and Opta: this is the first time since records began in 2008 that a team hasn’t had a single touch in the opposition box. An unwanted record for Palace, but they’ll probably be relieved to have kept the score down to four, so it’s swings and roundabouts with the old numbers.

10.22pm BST

An extremely content Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks. “It was massive. The lads have done really well. It was a difficult game for us, we were quite disappointed to only get the draw on Sunday, but the first game back at Anfield couldn’t have gone any better for us. We’re happy with the win. Obviously I’ve been practising a lot.” He’s told Jamie Carragher has described his free kick as Beckhamesque, which went down well. A huge smile. “He’s probably the best Premier League free-kick taker in history, the comparison is obviously really nice but there’s still a lot of work to do to get to his level.” Sky then move on to the subject of winning the league. He tries very hard not to betray his emotions but an excitable grin eventually wins that battle hands down. “Well, it’s two points, so I’d say yeah, it’s quite close. But obviously we know a lot can happen. We’re close, we’ve worked hard and waited a long time, this is what we’ve always dreamed of. We’re in a good position and hopefully we’ll be able to get across the line very soon.”

10.09pm BST

That fine win takes Liverpool to within two points of their 19th league title. The Premier League trophy could be in their hands this time tomorrow night, if Manchester City fail to win at Chelsea. Palace meanwhile stay in ninth spot, a couple behind Sheffield United who also lost this evening.

10.06pm BST

Four flatters Palace. Liverpool were superb.

10.05pm BST

90 min +3: Williams has enjoyed an excellent cameo, and here he sashays in from the right before sending a riser towards the top left. Hennessey is behind it all the way. “Naby Keïta doesn’t have an Umlaut,” writes our other old linguistic pal Steve Coombs. “He does, however, have a diaeresis.”

10.05pm BST

90 min +1: In the first of three added minutes, Williams splits the Palace defence with a sliderule ball down the right channel. Salah is one on one with Hennessey, and with Minamino free in the middle. Salah tries to find his team-mate with an outside-of-boot flick, but Hennessey interjects with a strong hand.

10.02pm BST

90 min: A Liverpool corner out on the left. Elliott takes. Minamino returns the ball and Elliott wins another corner. Keita has a shot deflected behind from that one. Corner number three doesn’t beat the first man.

10.01pm BST

88 min: Keita sends Salah away down the right. Salah’s got Williams careering outside on the overlap, but he can’t find the young full-back with the defence-bothering ball.

9.58pm BST

86 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain sends Minamino scampering down the right channel, but the resulting pull back is to nobody in particular. Meanwhile one last shout from Peter Oh: “Keïta on! More umlauts!”

9.57pm BST

84 min: Before the restart, some changes. Ayew’s race is run, and he’s replaced by Pierrick. Liverpool replace Robertson and Mane with Keita and Elliott.

9.55pm BST

83 min: Mane elegantly flicks Robertson clear down the left. But the ball had hit referee Martin Atkinson a split second earlier, and he blows up for a drop ball. Smiles all round.

9.54pm BST

82 min: Williams makes good down the right and pulls back for Salah, who nearly executes a defence-splitting one-two with Minamino. Not quite. Liverpool have not declared.

9.52pm BST

80 min: Ayew also shows some frustration, albeit for different reasons as he’s easily brushed off the ball by Gomez.

9.51pm BST

78 min: Mane tries to blast his way into space down the left. He nearly manages it but takes a heavy touch past the last man and runs the ball out for a goal kick. He’s visibly frustrated, even with his side four up. One of the many reasons Liverpool will be two points away from their first title in 30 years this evening.

9.48pm BST

76 min: Liverpool with more of the pretty triangles.

9.47pm BST

74 min: A couple of changes by Liverpool, as Alexander-Arnold makes way for talented understudy Williams, while Minamino takes the place of Firmino.

9.46pm BST

73 min: Liverpool continue to stroke it around. They’ve been staggeringly dominant.

9.44pm BST

71 min: That’s drinks. What a first-time pass that was from Salah, quarterbacking in the centre circle. Had he delayed at all, Mane would have had to check his run or be caught offside. But it was perfectly judged and Mane was away.

9.43pm BST

This is a lovely move. Mane spins in from the left touchline and lays off to Firmino, who shuttles the ball further in- and upfield to Salah. Salah creams a perfectly weighted first-time pass down the inside left, where Mane had kept running. Mane reaches the box, opens his body, and slots confidently into the bottom right. Game very much over.

9.41pm BST

68 min: Townsend has a look down the right but there’s nothing doing. No options, you see.

9.39pm BST

66 min: Now it’s Palace’s turn for some armband-swapping action. Stand-in captain Kouyate makes way for regular chief Milivojevic, while McArthur is replaced by Riedewald.

9.38pm BST

65 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain is immediately in the thick of things, creaming a shot from the left-hand edge of the D over the bar.

9.36pm BST

64 min: Liverpool captain Henderson makes way for Oxlade-Chamberlain and hands his armband to Van Dijk.

9.35pm BST

63 min: Sky’s virtual crowd celebrates a fourth Liverpool goal, but Salah’s curler towards the top left floats just wide.

9.34pm BST

61 min: Palace are being given the runaround. They get a breather after Van Aanholt is clipped by Henderson and requires a quick wipe down with the magic sponge.

9.32pm BST

59 min: Liverpool keep coming at Palace. First Firmino nearly opens them up down the inside-right channel, but can’t execute a backflick that would tee up one of several team-mates. Then Alexander-Arnold barrels into acres down the right but sends an uncharacteristically aimless cross out of play on the other side.

9.31pm BST

57 min: Liverpool fans of a glass-half-empty persuasion are now permitted to worry about a Crystanbul-style capitulation. Others will assume this is over now. It certainly should be, because Wijnaldum has just shot straight into Hennessey’s arms from six yards. How did he miss? Fine work by Mane out on the left to tee him up. That’s three egregious misses by the Dutch midfielder now.

9.28pm BST

Fabinho is given way too much time and space, the best part of 30 yards out, by McArthur. He takes a touch, and pearls an unstoppable heatseeker into the top right. Hennessey had no chance whatsoever. That’s a stunner!

9.26pm BST

53 min: Fabinho nicks the ball off Meyer. Palace want a free kick, but it’s not a foul. Liverpool sweep up the other end, Robertson trying to get a slice of the full-back-as-goal-hero action from 25 yards. It’s well struck but always rising over the bar.

9.25pm BST

52 min: A dreadful Sakho backpass nearly lets Firmino in. A proper toe-stub. There’s just enough spin on the ball to take it towards Hennessey, who blooters clear just in time.

9.23pm BST

50 min: A great high-speed slide tackle in midfield by Fabinho to deny Van Aanholt, who was looking to bomb upfield at full pelt. Had the Liverpool midfielder not won that, his team were a bit light at the back.

9.22pm BST

48 min: But a third goal would do it, you’d have to think, though everyone thought that at Selhurst Park six years ago. Mane, Firmino and Salah swarm across the front of the Palace box, and slip the ball wide to Henderson. There are options in the middle but Henderson’s chip is aimless and Firmino’s started shoving everyone anyway. Relief for Palace, who looked a little open for a second there.

9.20pm BST

47 min: Van Aanholt dribbles purposefully down the left, but is eventually forced to turn tail. Palace had a few men forward there, suggesting damage limitation is very much not on their mind.

9.19pm BST

45 min 25 sec: Liverpool should be three up. Robertson swings in low from the left. Sakho decides to let the ball go past, unaware Salah is hovering behind. But Salah had assumed the defender would clear, and so makes his move towards the ball too late. It sails past harmlessly, the chance to prod home from six yards gone.

9.17pm BST

Palace get the second half underway. No changes during the break. Liverpool will kick towards the Kop in this second half. “A Big Mac used to be called a Big Mäc in Germany, before the local form was driven out by globalisation, standardisation or tyranny.” The latest in höt umlaut chat there, courtesy of

Jules Winnfield
Andrew Goudie.

9.07pm BST

Half-time entertainment. In the latest episode of our new Forgotten Stories podcast, hear how Northern Ireland forward John Crossan was banned from the sport for life in 1959.

9.02pm BST

Nothing much happens in added time, and there goes the whistle. This scoreline doesn’t flatter Liverpool; in fact they’ll wonder how they haven’t scored one or two more. They’ve hit the woodwork and certainly had the chances. Plenty of thinking for Roy Hodgson to do.

9.00pm BST

45 min: There will be two added minutes.

9.00pm BST

Fabinho shrugs off Ayew and dinks a perfect pass down the inside-right channel. Salah drifts behind Van Aanholt, chests down the dropping ball, steps inside and clips the ball past Hennessey. Simple but beautifully executed. So much for Palace’s blessed relief.

8.58pm BST

43 min: Palace push up as a block and enjoy some possession in the middle third. They don’t really go anywhere but it’s blessed relief.

8.57pm BST

42 min: Palace take their first shot in anger, Meyer latching onto a loose Gomez header and dribbling with purpose towards the Liverpool box. His low fizzer is always heading wide right, and it looked like Alisson had it covered anyway.

8.56pm BST

40 min: Hennessey comes carelessly racing out of his box to head clear from Mane. He sends the ball straight to Salah, who attempts to lob home from 40 yards into an empty net. Fortunately for the Palace keeper, Salah’s weak effort is always floating wide. Even if it had been on target, there was a fair chance either Hennessey or Cahill was getting back to hook clear.

8.54pm BST

39 min: Liverpool continue to press and probe, but they can’t keep passing up these chances. Palace will be happy enough to have kept the score down, hoping to see what develops later.

8.53pm BST

37 min: Wijnaldum drags another gilt-edged chance wide, having been teed up after Salah and Mane shuttled the ball through the box from right to left. He should have two goals already. Two very poor misses. Ah well, he’ll always have Barcelona.

8.51pm BST

35 min: Firmino flicks one over his own shoulder in the hope of creating space for a shot just inside the box. It slaps Cahill on the forearm. There’s a case to be made for deliberate movement towards the ball ... but the referee’s not interested, proximity Cahill’s friend here. VAR double-checks, and isn’t in the mood to overturn. Henderson is furious.

8.48pm BST

33 min: But it’s Fabinho who takes, and skies one intended for the top left. Not quite as easy as Alexander-Arnold made it look. The Brazilian allows himself a wry smile.

8.47pm BST

32 min: Ayew concedes another free kick in a central position, 25 yards out, this time clipping Fabinho. This is Alexander-Arnold Country. He’s earned the right to another crack, surely.

8.46pm BST

31 min: Palace are playing a very compact, very deep 4-5-1. As a result, they’re really struggling to get out. Liverpool are completely dominating possession. Firmino nearly dribbles clear down the left but miscontrols when he enters the box, a stride or two away from shooting.

8.44pm BST

29 min: Van Dijk wins a header from the resulting corner, but he’s pressurised by Cahill and slaps it high and wide. He appears to want some sort of decision from the referee, but he’s not getting anything other than: goal kick.

8.44pm BST

28 min: Kouyate bundles Wijnaldum over, just to the left of the box. From the resulting free kick, the ball’s teed up for Henderson, who whistles a shot onto the left-hand post. Ward, guarding the line, clears out for a corner under pressure.

8.42pm BST

26 min: On the touchline, Hodgson prowls his old stomping ground with furrowed brow, nibbling his bottom lip. No doubt he’s contemplating the task now in hand: since losing here to Palace in 2017, Liverpool have taken the lead in 69 Premier League matches at Anfield ... and drawn the other nine played.

8.39pm BST

24 min: That’s Alexander-Arnold’s third Premier League goal of the season ... and drinks.

8.38pm BST

After plenty of deliberation between Alexander-Arnold and Salah, the former takes. And how! He whips a curler over the Palace wall and into the top right, giving Hennessey, who was guarding the other side, no chance whatsoever. A delightful free kick.

8.37pm BST

21 min: ... nothing much happens. Palace clear, but there’s nobody upfield to retain possession. The ball comes back towards them. Ayew nudges Van Dijk in an aerial challenge and this is a free kick, 25 yards out, in a central position.

8.35pm BST

20 min: Palace are sitting very deep, with all of their men in their own final third. Liverpool try to prise them open. Wijnaldum launches two sorties down the left, winning a corner with the second. And from that corner ...

8.34pm BST

18 min: According to Geoff Shreeves on Sky, Palace rolled the dice with Zaha, having identified a problem during the warm-up. No word on what that problem is, though.

8.32pm BST

16 min: A long Liverpool pass down the middle. Mane chests down and sends Firmino striding into space along the channel. Firmino enters the box and curls towards the bottom right, but there’s not enough pace on the shot and it’s an easy snaffle for Hennessey.

8.31pm BST

15 min: A deflated Zaha is replaced by Max Meyer and disappears straight down the tunnel with the physio. Here’s Steve Coombs, all the way from balmy one-umlaut Baden-Württemberg: “It might be stretching the point, but the locals refer to their team as Määnz (Mainz), a team for which Jürgen Klopp played and managed. Two Umlauts and two activities; not bad, eh?”

8.29pm BST

13 min: Zaha stays on, but he’s limping. Looks like he’s just making a nuisance of himself while Palace prepare their sub. Liverpool knock it around against the ten-and-a-half men, trying to work some space.

8.27pm BST

12 min: Zaha is down, and the ref stops the game. It doesn’t look as though he’ll be able to continue.

8.26pm BST

10 min: Mane holds Ward off out on the left and magics some space out of nothing. He curls long from a tight spot on the touchline. Henderson, haring in from the other side, volleys wildly into the stand. That’s a decent chance spurned, too.

8.23pm BST

8 min: A dreadful miss by Wijnaldum here. Henderson swings one in from the right. It’s too long for Townsend, but the Palace midfielder slices a clearance back into the mixer. It nearly drops for Salah; it does drop for Wijnaldum, six yards out, but with the goal at his mercy, he blazes wide left.

8.21pm BST

6 min: Liverpool ping it around some more. Palace stay solid, two Hodgsonian banks of four. Eventually Van Dijk gets bored and sends a long one down the middle for Salah. It’s easy pickings for Hennessey.

8.19pm BST

4 min: It’s Palace’s turn to string a few passes together, Zaha gliding down the left, Townsend going at Van Dijk on the right. No way past there either. A nice, open, free-flowing start.

8.18pm BST

2 min: Liverpool stroke it around, probing this way and that. Mane tries to release Salah down the right with a crossfield ball, but Van Aanholt sticks to Salah like glue. No way past.

8.16pm BST

Liverpool get the ball rolling. Palace will kick towards the Kop in this first half. “How’s this for a surprising pre-match stat? Hodgson has managed two clubs with umlauts in their name (Örebro and Malmö ), compared to exactly zero for his German opponent.” Peter Oh (no umlaut) connecting the dots there, ladies and gentlemen.

8.15pm BST

The teams are out! Liverpool are in their famous red, while Palace sport their modern take on that sensational Team of the Eighties kit. You’ll Never Walk Alone rings poignantly around the empty Anfield. We’ll be off in a minute, after everyone takes a knee. Black lives matter.

8.08pm BST

... and here’s VHS legend Roy Hodgson. “The trouble with our good record at Anfield is that most of it was before I came to the club! We did play well here last year, lost fairly unluckily 4-3 with a couple of late goals that they scored, but I think records from the past belong in the past. We know we are playing the champions of England elect, it’s just a matter of time before they’re crowned champions, and we know what a fantastic season they’ve had. They score a lot of goals and don’t let many in. So if you want to come here and win you’ve got a task on your hands. It was nice and very complimentary [of Klopp to tell Hodgson about the videos]. I didn’t realise that. He certainly doesn’t need any help now!” Nothing like a managerial love-in before kick-off, eh kids.

8.06pm BST

Jurgen Klopp speaks. “People make a big mistake in underestimating the influence of Mo Salah. It’s not just the goals he scores, he makes the pitch bigger for us. It makes it easier for other players. Palace are brilliantly organised. When I was a young coach, I had videos from my former coach who was my mentor, to learn more about football. Most of them were about Arrigo Sacchi, but the others were of Roy, when he was working for Switzerland. I just told him and he liked it!”

7.33pm BST

The new normal, at least for a while. This is what the Kop will look like. There’ll be no 40,000-strong renditions of You’ll Never Walk Alone or Hodgson for England this evening.

7.26pm BST

Four changes for Liverpool from the Merseyside derby. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson return from injury. Joe Gomez takes over from Joel Matip in the centre of defence. Georginio Wijnaldum replaces Naby Keita in the middle of the park. Takumi Minamino drops to the bench, along with Keita. James Milner is hamstrung.

Palace make four changes as well from their easy 2-0 win at Bournemouth. Wayne Hennessey replaces Vincente Guaita in goal. Scott Dann makes way for former Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho. James McCarthy and Andros Townsend come in for Luka Milivojevic and Christian Benteke.

7.17pm BST

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Lovren, Keita, Adrian, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Origi, Jones, Elliott, Williams.

Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Cahill, Sakho, van Aanholt, McCarthy, Townsend, McArthur, Kouyate, Zaha, Ayew.
Subs: Milivojevic, Dann, Meyer, Henderson, Tavares, Mitchell, Pierrick, Riedewald.

4.54pm BST

Win tonight, and Liverpool move to within two points of the title. Three steps closer to their holy grail, and the end of a 30-year wait. That’s pretty much the long and short of it.

Whether they’ll be totally confident about doing so is another issue. Yes, they’ve won their last five games against Crystal Palace. Yes, they’ve only dropped seven points all season. Yes, they’re 20 points clear at the top while Palace are mid-table. All that’ll be why Liverpool are odds-on favourites to win tonight, while you can get tens on the visitors.

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Published on June 24, 2020 14:43

The Fiver | A constant thorn in Liverpool's side who peaked with Crystanbul

Liverpool have had their fair share of confused managers during their 30-years-and-counting wait for their 19th league title. There was Graeme Souness, who passed on the chance of signing Eric Cantona and went instead for Istvan Kozma. Roy Evans, who threw nine men up front and wondered why David James and Phil Babb could never keep the door shut at the back. Brendan Rodgers, who didn’t think the logic of that envelope thing through but went ahead and said it anyway because the cameras were rolling and he was short of new material. Legends all.

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Published on June 24, 2020 08:00

June 22, 2020

Manchester City 5-0 Burnley: Premier League – as it happened

Burnley were dismantled by a Phil Foden masterclass as brilliant City ensured Liverpool can’t win the title on Wednesday

10.30pm BST

So that’s the end of tonight’s story. Jamie Jackson was at the Etihad, and here’s his report. Enjoy, enjoy ... and thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

10.24pm BST

Burnley captain Ben Mee is asked by Sky how tough the match was. Here’s his emotional yet eloquent answer: “It was a tough night, and we can talk about football, but there’s something I want to speak about first. The aeroplane. I’m ashamed and embarrassed that a small number of our fans have decided to put that around the stadium. They’ve completely missed the point. Our lads are embarrassed to see that, it’s not what we’re about at all. They’ve missed the point of what we’re trying to achieve, trying to do. These people need to come into the 21st century and educate themselves. It doesn’t represent what we’re about, what the club’s about, what the players are about, and what the majority of our fans are about. I’m really upset that it happened. We’d heard some whispers that it might happen, and the club tried to stop it. I hope it doesn’t happen again. I’m upset that it’s associated with our club, my club. It’s not right, we totally condemn it. Hopefully these people will learn what the whole Black Lives Matter movement is trying to achieve. The players have pulled together, this is what we want, and what the majority of fans want. We want equality in society, whether it be race, religion, gender, LGBTQ community, and we want to make a stand.”

10.05pm BST

A charming interview with a very happy man-of-the-match Phil Foden. “It’s always good to play a part and score goals, and just enjoying my football. The main thing is I’m just happy to get the result today. We’re looking sharp and I just hope we can continue the form into the next games. No matter who the manager puts out, everyone does a job, it’s just great to be part of the team. I think that was my best game in a City shirt. I’m still learning every day, I’ve still got a long way to go, I’m still young, but I’m just happy when I put performances like that in.”

9.59pm BST

That reduces Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to 20 points. City are probably more interested in the fact they’ve got a 17-point lead over fifth-placed neighbours United, which will stand them in good stead if they successfully appeal their European ban. Then again, nothing’s over until it’s over. However, on that subject, should Liverpool beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday, City will have to beat Chelsea on Thursday to keep the title race alive. Burnley remain in 11th spot.

9.54pm BST

That’s City’s third 5-0 home win over Burnley in a row. It could easily have been more. A dispirited Burnley trudge off. City are understandably ecstatic. They’ve been wonderful tonight.

9.52pm BST

90 min +1: A huge cat-plus-cream smile plays across the face of young Phil Foden, sitting in the dugout, as he’s told of Jamie Carragher’s decision to name him as Sky’s man of the match. That’s a lovely moment. He deserves it.

9.51pm BST

90 min: There will be two added minutes.

9.50pm BST

89 min: It’s been an evening to forget for Burnley, though their young striker Max Thompson will remember it: he comes on for Vydra to make his debut.

9.49pm BST

88 min: De Bruyne dances down the left and loops long. Bernardo Silva, drifting in from the other flank, hits the dropping ball first time. He connects well, but the shot is blocked.

9.48pm BST

87 min: David Silva tries a curler from the right. For once, the quality’s not there. Hey, nobody’s perfect.

9.45pm BST

85 min: Jesus skedaddles down the inside right and is unceremoniously upended by Mee, who has had a shocker this evening. A free kick in a very dangerous position ... but it’s slapped straight into the wall by the not-yet-up-to-speed Sane.

9.44pm BST

83 min: Lowton nearly releases Vydra through the middle with a clever pass from the right, but Brownhill accidentally gets in the way and diverts his team-mates ball towards Ederson.

9.42pm BST

81 min: Sane’s quickly in the thick of it, sent scampering into space down the left by a glorious De Bruyne prompt. His low cross, meant for Jesus, is cut out.

9.42pm BST

80 min: Leroy Sane, reportedly desirous of a move to Bayern Munich, returns for the start of his long City swansong. The truly magnificent Foden makes way.

9.39pm BST

79 min: Rodri creams one towards Pope, who gathers without too much fuss.

9.39pm BST

78 min: De Bruyne sashays into a huge pocket of space, 25 yards out. He thinks about shooting but tries to release Jesus instead. Unselfish, but perhaps not the correct decision, as Jesus was surrounded.

9.37pm BST

76 min: City continue to stroke it around in an insouciant way.

9.35pm BST

74 min: Vydra romps after a long ball down the left and nearly gets the better of Otamendi. But not quite. He’s forced to turn tail, then McNeil - who is a fine prospect but hasn’t been on it today - shanks a simple pass out of play. The look of quiet disgust on Sean Dyche’s face is a picture. A long breath through the nose before he turns and storms off back to the dugout.

9.33pm BST

72 min: Rodri shovels a pass down the left channel but it’s a bit too heavy for David Silva and flies out for a goal kick. Shame for City, because had the ball been weighted correctly, Silva would have been through on goal. As it is, City remain on track for their third 5-0 home win over Burnley on the bounce.

9.31pm BST

71 min: City stroke it hither and yon, just because they can.

9.30pm BST

69 min: And that’s drinks! During which Pep Guardiola, his team five goals to the good and coasting, gives Gabriel Jesus some beneficial advice in a very animated style. He’s not one for letting up, our Pep, but then we’ve known that for quite a few years now.

9.29pm BST

68 min: City are inside Mee’s head. Again he backs off, this time when De Bruyne runs at him. De Bruyne drags a shot wide left, a poor effort for a man of his brilliance, given the time he was afforded.

9.27pm BST

66 min: ... some head tennis, but nothing more. City go straight up the other end, through the increasingly influential Foden, who shimmies down the middle of the park before laying off for Jesus. The striker shanks his shot wide right, but not before teasing Mee.

9.26pm BST

65 min: Pieters charges down the left, more in hope than anything else, but manages to win a corner off Foden. From which ...

9.25pm BST

This is way too easy. De Bruyne rolls a pass down the inside right. David Silva pings a low ball into the centre. Jesus shuttles it on for Foden, coming in from the left. He batters a shot past Pope at his near post. Pope tries to hack clear off the line, but he can’t stop it. No hat-trick for Mahrez, but now Foden’s on one!

9.23pm BST

62 min: Cancelo’s careless pass allows Vydra to make good down the left. Cancelo cynically brings the striker down and that’s a booking. McNeil flashes a dismal free kick miles over the bar.

9.22pm BST

61 min: Changes for both sides. City swap Fernandinho and Mahrez with Laporte and De Bruyne. So no hat-trick for Mahrez tonight. Meanwhile Burnley bolster their midfield with Pieters, taking off the striker Rodriguez.

9.21pm BST

59 min: It turns out Brownhill was booked in the first half for what looked like a dreadful challenge on Rodri, during the build-up to Mahrez’s first goal. Brownhill raked his studs down Rodri’s shin and stood on the top of his foot. Rodri’s lucky Brownhill didn’t land harder with his initial movement, because that could have been a proper leg-bender. Brownhill’s very lucky not to see red.

9.19pm BST

58 min: The virtual City fans are giving Blue Moon plenty at the minute. A poor version of the real thing, but you take what you can get, and it’s better than nothing.

9.16pm BST

56 min: On the touchline, Sean Dyche strokes the top of his head with the flat of his palm. A classic coping mechanism. It’s going to be a long second half for Burnley.

9.15pm BST

54 min: A long ball down the middle, and Vydra’s free! But it quickly becomes apparent that the City defence had stopped, the linesman’s flag springing up for offside. Vydra drags his shot wide anyway.

9.13pm BST

This is too easy. From a corner on the right, Foden busies himself around the Burnley box. He feeds Bernardo Silva with a no-look pass down the inside right. He fires low and hard into the centre, and his namesake David slams home.

9.12pm BST

50 min: Burnley have put out a statement “strongly condemning those responsible for the aircraft and offensive banner”.

“We wish to make it clear that those responsible are not welcome at Turf Moor. This, in no way, represents what Burnley Football Club stands for and we will work fully with the authorities to identify those responsible and issue lifetime bans.

9.09pm BST

48 min: Jesus turns out of a tight spot in midfield to race into space. He feeds Zinchenko to his left. Zinchenko drops a shoulder, cuts inside, and peals a shot towards the top right. There’s meat behind that, but it smashes into his own man David Silva and it’s deflected out for a goal kick.

9.07pm BST

46 min: It’s not long before David Silva is skating down the left and hooping a cross towards Jesus at the far post. It’s a wee bit high for the Brazilian, who can only guide his header wide right. An early sign that the hosts are in no mood to declare.

9.05pm BST

And we’re off again! City get the ball rolling for their second-half stroll. No changes at half-time.

8.53pm BST

Half-time analysis.

8.52pm BST

I think it’s already safe to say that Liverpool won’t have the opportunity of winning the title against Crystal Palace on Wednesday. The reigning champions have been magnificent; Burnley have offered nothing.

8.50pm BST

45 min +5: Mahrez brings down a long pass on the right and swans past McNeil in one smooth movement, then nearly finds Jesus at the far post with a dipping cross. Not quite. Burnley are suddenly all over the shop.

8.49pm BST

45 min +4: Mee has injured Aguero’s foot in treading on it, and the striker is replaced by Jesus.

8.49pm BST

Mahrez tucks an unstoppable shot into the bottom left. Pope guesses the correct way, but he’s got no chance of saving it.

8.47pm BST

45 min +2: With a bemused Sean Dyche looking on, the referee points to the spot. It’s the correct decision.

8.47pm BST

45 min +1: There will be two added minutes. And in the first, as Foden plays a pass into the area from the left, Mee lunges in on Aguero, clipping his foot after the striker gets to the ball. It’s a VAR check for a penalty kick.

8.45pm BST

45 min: The scoreline flatters Burnley. It’s only a wonder the second goal took so long.

8.45pm BST

Fernandinho sprays a diagonal ball towards Mahrez on the right wing by the halfway line. Mahrez tears off towards the Burnley box. He stops a second to twist Taylor’s blood then makes himself enough space to zip a shot across Pope and into the bottom left. So simple, yet such a lovely goal.

8.43pm BST

42 min: Burnley haven’t bothered the City defence at all. Ederson has been a complete bystander. They win a couple of throws down the left, but that’s all there is to report.

8.41pm BST

40 min: Rodri tees up Zinchenko for a whack from 25 yards. It’s dipping towards the bottom right, but smothered by Pope.

8.39pm BST

38 min: City continue to dominate, albeit currently in a sterile fashion. “They need to find the people who paid to have that plane up there and put them in prison,” writes JR in Illinois. “And while they’re at it find the people at the company that accepted the money to fly that banner and put them in prison as well. I swear. Every frickin day it’s something else.”

8.36pm BST

36 min: Aguero rat-a-tats a couple of quickfire shots from the edge of the Burnley box. The first is blocked, then he deflects the second with his arm. Burnley are hanging on a bit here.

8.35pm BST

34 min: City are thoroughly dominating. A second goal appears nothing more than a matter of time.

8.34pm BST

32 min: I mean, imagine getting so angry by notions of equality, compassion, fairness, solidarity and love that you’d spend £££s of your own money to recreate the titles of World of Sport as if they were filmed by Leni Riefenstahl. The absolute state of these clowns.

8.32pm BST

30 min: A corner for City leads to some head tennis in the Burnley box. Aguero can’t deliver a decisive smash near the left-hand post.

8.29pm BST

28 min: Black lives matter.

8.27pm BST

26 min: The game restarts. Meanwhile up in the sky ... what on earth is wrong with these people?

8.24pm BST

24 min: And that’s drinks.

8.24pm BST

The corner’s played short and worked back to Foden, just to the right of the D. He takes a look before whistling a forensic shot into the bottom right. Pope had no chance. What a finish!

8.22pm BST

22 min: City press forward, Mahrez nearly releasing Aguero down the right. Aguero’s attempted first-time cross clanks off Tarkowski for a corner on the right. From which ...

8.20pm BST

20 min: Burnley buzz around in the City half for a bit. First Rodriguez presses Otamendi hard, forcing a misplaced pass into touch. Then Westwood is crudely checked by Rodri as he makes his way down the right. A free kick. It’s swung into the box, but Tarkowski can only clank a harmless header out of play for a goal kick.

8.18pm BST

18 min: Zinchenko rolls a diagonal pass inside from the left to release David Silva into a large pocket of space in the middle. He advances towards the box before laying off to his namesake Bernardo, steaming in from the right. Bernardo takes a touch and lashes wildly right of goal. A really poor effort, with only Pope to beat. He should have worked the keeper at the very least; he probably should have scored.

8.16pm BST

16 min: Cancelo has a blast from 30 yards. Full marks for ambition if not execution.

8.14pm BST

14 min: Cancelo curls one in from the right, hoping to find Aguero on the penalty spot, but Mee deals with the danger and clears.

8.13pm BST

13 min: City are dominating possession, much as you’d expect. Burnley are holding their shape well enough though. Meanwhile here’s Digvijay Yadav on Burnley’s contract woes: “The toughest thing for sides like Burnley, Bournemouth etc is regeneration. Once the older generation gives way, clubs lose their way. Shows what a good job Leicester have done. Established themselves as a top-half club.”

8.11pm BST

11 min: David Silva gets up and takes it himself. He sends something that’s neither shot nor cross floating harmlessly wide right of the Burnley goal. A waste, and a most uncharacteristic one at that.

8.10pm BST

10 min: Tarkowski comes clattering into the back of David Silva, and this is a free kick for City just to the left of the Burnley box. Danger here!

8.09pm BST

9 min: Well, not quite, because Burnley enjoy a small period of possession of their own. They don’t really go anywhere, but perhaps that’ll build some confidence for the long haul ahead.

8.08pm BST

7 min: A Burnley free kick on the halfway line. It’s hoicked into the mixer and easily dealt with by Otamendi. A pattern may be developing here.

8.06pm BST

6 min: City continue to ping it around at fast speed. Burnley are going to have to run around quite a lot this evening. “Clever of Dyche to lure City into thinking Burnley are utterly incompetent,” writes Ian Copestake, who may or may not have got 20s on the away side and lumped on. “Draw the sting of motivation from them then hit them with the thing that Burnley do when they win at football.”

8.04pm BST

4 min: Vydra attempts a cute over-the-shoulder hook down the left, and nearly threads the ball through for Rodriguez. But Cancelo and Fernandinho close ranks quickly and efficiently. A nice open start to this.

8.03pm BST

2 min: City respond by spending most of the following two minutes stroking it around metronomically. Foden eventually tries to spring David Silva clear down the inside left, but his pass is too strong. Goal kick.

8.01pm BST

And we’re off! Burnley are immediately on the front foot, pumping the ball long down the left, Ederson forced to race from his box to head clear under pressure from Vydra. An early sign that Burnley are treating this as a free hit, with nothing to lose, and will come out swinging?

8.00pm BST

Before kick-off, a minute of solemn silence to remember those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. Then as Burnley kick off, all 22 players take a knee. Black lives matter.

7.58pm BST

The teams are out! Manchester City wear their sky blue shirts, while Burnley are in third-choice evergreen. The fans: they’re not really here. We’ll be off in a minute.

7.53pm BST

Sean Dyche on Burnley’s lack of manpower. “It’s a definite challenge. You’ve probably seen our squad for this evening, we’ve got some things going on which are hard to put together at the moment with contracts and stuff, so we’re a bit skinny on numbers. And City are a tough side obviously. It’s a strange situation. The chairman ... I’ve advised what we should do and there’s been a long delay in getting things done, so the players who haven’t been offered things have made a decision to not finish their contracts for the next ten days. It’s been tough on the group. I am trying to get the situation sorted out, but it’s not easy. I would have kept all of them, at least in the short term, but I don’t sort the contracts out, so. It’s not ideal, but it’s part of management, and we’ve still got a great group here.”

Dyche was in a relatively jovial mood, so it’s hard to tell if all that was a shot across the Burnley chairman Mike Garlick’s bow or a simple honest report of the club’s struggle to sort things out during strange, unprecedented times. Provocatively naming two goalkeepers on the bench, with only seven of the permitted nine spots filled, suggests it’s probably the former, but time will tell.

7.39pm BST

Pep explains his much-changed XI. “We miss the fans, it is better to play with people, but it is what it is. We will adapt but we cannot change it, we have to play. So hopefully people will stay safe, and be careful because the virus is still here. We had two and a half months for everyone to come back fit, but we have been training just once a day, and not much, because we want to keep the players safe. We have three days another game, three days another game, four days another game, so everybody will be part of these games.”

7.28pm BST

Manchester City are almost completely changed from the XI named for the 3-0 win over Arsenal. Only Ederson, David Silva and Riyad Mahrez keep their places. Phil Foden starts, while Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte sit on the bench.

At least City can name a full complement of nine subs; just the seven on Burnley’s bench. The Clarets are without Aaron Lennon, Joe Hart, Phil Bardsley and Jeff Hendrick, as they’re all out of contract in a few days and nothing’s been agreed by way of extension. Strikers Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes are injured, too, so Matej Vydra and Jay Rodriguez start up front. Josh Brownhill, the £9m January signing from Bristol City, makes his first start for the club.

7.15pm BST

Manchester City: Ederson, Joao Cancelo, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Foden, Rodri, Silva, Mahrez, Aguero, Bernardo Silva.~
Subs: Walker, Sterling, Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus, Laporte, De Bruyne, Sane, Mendy, Carson.

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brownhill, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Rodriguez, Vydra.
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Pieters, Long, Thompson, Dunne, Thomas, Jensen.

3.38pm BST

This is a fixture that’s decided the title before. On a tense Monday night back in 1960, Burnley visited Maine Road to face Manchester City in the final game of the First Division season. Harry Potts’ team needed a victory to pip reigning champions Wolverhampton Wanderers to the prize, and deny Stan Cullis’s famous side a title hat-trick. Here’s how it panned out.

Brian Pilkington put Burnley in the lead after four minutes. Joe Hayes equalised for City in short order, but 20-year-old reserve winger Trevor Meredith restored Burnley’s advantage on the half hour, polishing off a ball that had pinged loose of some penalty-box nonsense. City pushed for a second equaliser, but Denis Law missed a second-half sitter and Alan Oakes shot straight at Clarets keeper Adam Blacklaw when one on one in the last minute. Burnley became champions of England for the second time! City finished 16th.

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Published on June 22, 2020 14:30

The Fiver | The Goodison horn hero and Dejan Lovren's 17-minute cameo

As the 236th Merseyside derby quietly unfolded before our increasingly glazed eyes, a lone saxophonist could be heard weaving their mellow melodies somewhere near a silent Goodison Park. Their rendition of Baker Street might not have been note perfect, their Love Will Tear Us Apart slightly off key. Nevertheless, the sweet sounds coming from their horn provided a far better soundtrack to the game than the option offered by Sky of disturbingly random International Superstar Soccer-style virtual crowd FX, which at one point celebrated an Everton throw, a full five seconds after the ball bobbled apologetically out of play, as it would a long-range belter by Ronarid.

On this day in 1986 … pic.twitter.com/BtgS8xpUdv

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Published on June 22, 2020 08:06

June 20, 2020

West Ham United 0-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers: Premier League – as it happened

Adama Traore came on to change the game, Neto scored a screamer, and West Ham are in a proper relegation scrap

7.53pm BST

Anyway, it’s time to wrap this up. Barney Ronay was in situ at the London Stadium, and here’s his hot-off-the-press report. Enjoy ... and thanks for reading this MBM.

7.52pm BST

Here’s David Moyes! “Up until they brought on Traore, I thought we defended quite well. We’d limited them to not too many opportunities, but we were playing against a good team and I felt that. We were plugging away and trying to hang in there, but the difference was when Traore came on. We were a bit short up front today and would have to chase the game. A very strong and powerful winger came on and made a big difference. We need to play better, though for long periods we did OK. Ultimately I’m disappointed that we didn’t defend the crosses well, but Traore’s power and pace is hard to stop sometimes. We’ve got tough games but also other games that may suit us. I missed the fans, not having the home fans to drive you on.”

7.46pm BST

7.45pm BST

Nuno Espirito Santo talks. “We performed well, we were good. First half we were very organised, in control. We didn’t create, or finish the actions, but we produced a lot of situations. In the second half we had speed and improved delivery and did well. Players coming in can change the game, we try to use them in the right moments. We needed this to feel we are really back again. But it is too bad, the fans should be here, we want to dedicate this to them. But it is going to be different for everybody, and it’s good to have football back. But the players will never get used to it. Let’s hope and pray for a vaccine and we can be together again, and the players can play for the fans, because this is the meaning of football.”

7.36pm BST

An extremely happy Pedro Neto talks. “It was an unbelievable feeling to come back and have this result after three difficult months. We came back and we win. I am happy that I scored a goal but we’re already focused on the next game. Scoring is the best feeling in football, no? I feel I’ve done my job. The manager is happy. The most important thing in football is the fans, they give us the joy to play, and so it is difficult. But we are with the mindset that we will play without them.”

7.26pm BST

West Ham remain in 17th spot. They’re just one goal better off than 18th placed Bournemouth, but Eddie Howe’s side will leapfrog them if they can just avoid defeat against Crystal Palace later this evening. Wolves meanwhile pass Sheffield United into sixth spot, and they’re only behind fifth-placed Manchester United on goal difference. The run-in promises to be extremely exciting at both ends of the table.

7.24pm BST

Adama Traore: supersub. His magical cross set up an unmissable opener. Then he started the move that resulted in Neto’s screamer. Wolves are serious contenders for a Champions League spot. West Ham are in real trouble near the bottom.

7.21pm BST

90 min +2: Jimenez is replaced by Gibbs-White.

7.21pm BST

90 min +1: Yarmolenko flays a simple pass out of play. Six months off, let’s cut him some slack.

7.19pm BST

90 min: Jonny makes way for Vinagre. There will be three added minutes.

7.18pm BST

88 min: West Ham look thoroughly deflated. It took a while for the difference to become manifest, but they’ve been thoroughly outclassed. They’re in proper relegation bother. “Neto is Portuguese for ‘grandson’,” writes Peter Oh. “He’ll be telling his grandkids about that goal.”

7.16pm BST

86 min: Wolves look like making it four wins against West Ham from four since their return to the top flight. Current aggregate score: 8-0.

7.15pm BST

This is an absolute belter! Traore slips Doherty away down the right. Doherty stands one up to the other flank. Neto, striding in from the left, meets the dropping ball with a vicious volley that flies over Fabianksi’s head and almost tears the netting away from its moorings. What a strike that is.

7.13pm BST

83 min: Antonio glides in from the left touchline, away from a pack of Wolves, and whips a fierce curler towards the top right. It’s a fine effort, but just a little bit too high.

7.11pm BST

81 min: Soucek heads Moutinho’s clipped free kick away from danger. West Ham then make a double change, replacing Ngakia with Fredericks and Fornals with Yarmolenko, the Ukrainian making his first appearance since December.

7.09pm BST

80 min: Moutinho plays it short, one-twoing with Jonny. He then nutmegs Ngakia, who crudely bodychecks him. A free kick just to the left of the West Ham box.

7.08pm BST

79 min: Rice sticks to Traore, causing bother out on the right again. But it’s a corner to Wolves. Moutinho hits it long. Doherty heads it onto Antonio’s arm. Too close for a penalty, but it’ll be another corner, this time from the left.

7.07pm BST

77 min: Bowen drives down the right and crosses. He nearly reaches Antonio, but Coady is on point to clear. David Moyes coupon status: haunted.

7.05pm BST

75 min: A corner for West Ham out on the right. It’s hit long, and Rice tries to head home from a tight angle on the left. Rui Patricio is forced to turn it round the post. From the second corner, Lanzini curls a delicate cross in from the left that misses Soucek’s head by a couple of inches. Had that been lower, Soucek surely couldn’t miss. A decent response by West Ham to falling behind.

7.03pm BST

74 min: David Moyes coupon status: concerned.

7.03pm BST

Traore has another go down the right. One burst, and he’s away from Fornals. Another quick one, and he’s past Cresswell. He reaches the byline and whips a looping cross over Fabianski, taking the keeper out of the game, and down towards Jimenez, who can’t miss with his header from a couple of yards. What an impact Traore’s had! That is magnificent wingplay.

7.01pm BST

72 min: Traore turns on the jets for the first time and whistles down the right wing. It’s a fine run, leaving three claret shirts in his wake, but the cross isn’t anywhere near Jimenez. But never mind, because ...

7.00pm BST

70 min: Bowen chases a long ball down the inside right. He enters the box, and goes over Saiss’s leg. He wants a penalty, but he’s only getting a corner. There’s a VAR check, and Saiss got a touch on the ball. Rui Patricio plucks the corner from the sky with ease. He sends a drop kick upfield, and is accidentally caught by Antonio as he does so. The referee briefly considers showing the West Ham man a second yellow, but common sense soon prevails, and everyone’s smiling.

6.58pm BST

69 min: All gone! Everyone refreshed, we go again.

6.56pm BST

67 min: West Ham respond to the Wolves swap with a change of their own. Felipe Anderson is replaced by Lanzini. And that’s drinks!

6.55pm BST

66 min: Antonio slips and twists at the same time, and for a horrible second it looks as though he’s damaged either his left knee or ankle. But thankfully after a few seconds of grimacing, he’s back up and running.

6.54pm BST

64 min: Wolves make the first change of the evening, and it’s a double sub. Jota and the quiet Dendoncker are replaced by Neto and Traore.

6.53pm BST

63 min: The ball hits the ref as Wolves ping it around. The play has to stop. Jonny is livid, and is pretty fortunate to escape a booking as he slams the ball onto the turf with great fury. The game restarts without further drama.

6.51pm BST

62 min: Antonio is booked for a reckless slide on Saiss.

6.50pm BST

61 min: Moutinho rakes a long pass down the left for Otto, who hooks into the middle. Jimenez traps, but can’t quite control to get a shot away from the penalty spot. Cresswell steps in to clear.

6.49pm BST

59 min: Wolves triangulate down the right, Doherty nearly breaking through, but West Ham hold their shape.

6.46pm BST

57 min: Then Moutinho suddenly gifts West Ham possession with a loose pass. Felipe Anderson makes to break, and has his heel clipped by the Wolves man. Moutinho goes into the referee’s book.

6.45pm BST

56 min: Wolves ping it around again in a very patient style.

6.44pm BST

54 min: Jota beats Ngakia to the ball down the Wolves left, perhaps with a cheeky use of his arm. Or was that Ngakia’s arm? The ball was pinging around some. Anyway, he’s allowed to continue, and tries to pull of a long-distance one-two with Jimenez. Jota’s clear down the middle, but his partner can’t find him with the return. A real chance to open West Ham up is spurned.

6.41pm BST

52 min: Ngakia fouls Jimenez out on the left. Moutinho looks like he’s going to put this one into the box. In it goes, though it’s cleared easily enough.

6.40pm BST

50 min: Felipe Anderson’s handball gifts Wolves a free kick out on the right. Wolves load the box ... and Moutinho plays it backwards to Coady. That just about sums this game up. Where’s Adama Traore?

6.38pm BST

48 min: Ngakia, who looks a player, drops a shoulder to make some ground down the inside-right channel, drifts inside, and fizzes a low long-distance shot straight at Rui Patricio. The Wolves keeper forced into work for the first time this evening.

6.36pm BST

47 min: Wolves stroke it around the back awhile. They’re in no rush.

6.34pm BST

We go again. West Ham get the ball rolling for the second half, with Mary Waltz’s words ringing in their ears. “That was dreadfully dull. I understand the boys have not played for over 100 days but could we please have a little quality in the scoring zone.” I suspect Mary speaks for a fair few of us. Here’s to a belter of a second half, eh? No changes yet.

6.24pm BST

Half-time entertainment. A reminder that the BBC will be showing live top-flight action for the first time since 1988 tonight, when Bournemouth take on Crystal Palace. Here’s Paul MacInnes on a big evening for Auntie ...

6.19pm BST

The scoreline pretty much covers it. Whoever’s operating the FX box has the brass neck to pipe in some applause.

6.17pm BST

45 min: There will be one added minute.

6.16pm BST

44 min: Ngakia swings one in from the right. Boly clears. Cresswell tries again from the left. Boly clears again. Rui Patricio still hasn’t been seriously worked ... but West Ham will at least be happy that they’ve stemmed the flow of Wolves attacks.

6.14pm BST

42 min: They’re giving me nothing to work with. West Ham still haven’t had a shot on target.

6.13pm BST

40 min: Do the dreams of the virtual West Ham crowd fade and die as well? It would seem a bit gratuitous to program in that particular backstory and lumber the little computer people with all that.

6.11pm BST

38 min: A chorus of Bubbles from the virtual West Ham faithful. Decent effects to be fair. There’s not much else to report.

6.10pm BST

37 min: Cresswell earns a corner out on the left. Rui Patricio plucks it from the sky.

6.08pm BST

36 min: Dendoncker makes good down the right, and pulls back a cross for Jimenez, who has held his run. Jimenez shapes like Zidane in the 2002 Champions League final but doesn’t make quite so sweet a connection. His shot is blocked easily enough.

6.07pm BST

35 min: This hasn’t been great. Look on the bright side: nobody’s had to pay to watch it.

6.06pm BST

34 min: Jota has half a chance to shoot from a tight angle on the left. He hesitates and lays off to Jimenez, who batters a shot straight into Ngakia. From the resulting corner, Jota tries a curler from the left. Easy for the keeper.

6.04pm BST

32 min: Neither team seems particularly inspired right now.

6.03pm BST

30 min: Jota probes again down the left. He twists and turns, shimmies and shakes, and slaps a weak cross-cum-shot into the arms of Fabianksi at the near post.

6.02pm BST

29 min: Saiss brazenly swipes at Soucek out on the West Ham right. He could easily have been booked for that, but it’s just a free kick. West Ham load the box, but Bowen can’t beat the first man with his delivery and the threat is over.

6.00pm BST

28 min: Antonio bursts down the right and gets the better of Saiss. His cross nearly finds Bowen, but Coady is on hand to deal with it. West Ham have improved immeasurably since their dreadful opening quarter-hour, though the bar was low.

5.58pm BST

26 min: The game restarts, everyone nicely refreshed. Action, please!

5.58pm BST

25 min: And that’s drinks! While the players imbibe, the Sky camera pans across the West Ham directors’ box. The Davids Gold and Sullivan sheepishly reposition the masks they’re not wearing properly when they notice they’re on television.

5.55pm BST

23 min: Fornals is impeded 40 yards from goal. Noble floats the free kick into the Wolves box. A game of head tennis breaks out. West Ham double-fault or something, and the whistle goes.

5.54pm BST

21 min: Bowen takes it, and dumps it on the top of the goal netting. The whistle had gone for some over-zealous attacking activity anyway.

5.52pm BST

20 min: Wolves have had four corners already. West Ham get their first, the result of Soucek’s ambitious long drive pinging off Coady. It’ll be taken once the referee sorts out all the pushing and shoving in the box.

5.51pm BST

18 min: ... and he proves it by romping down the right, before floating a cross towards nobody in particular at the far post and out for a goal kick. But again, that’s a little better from the hosts. “West Ham seem to be taking this social distancing to extremes. They’re standing off their Wolves counterparts so much they’re in danger of anti-social distancing.” Justin Kavanagh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the pie and liquor.

5.50pm BST

17 min: Bowen is clattered by Neves. He picks himself up after rubbing his hip awhile. He’s good to continue.

5.48pm BST

15 min: Another corner for Wolves on the left. Fabianski punches Moutinho’s delivery clear. Felipe Anderson tries to scamper upfield on the break, but Neves slides in to put a stop to his gallop, then sprays a delightful diagonal ball towards Jota, just inside the West Ham box on the left. Jota tries to hoick towards Jimenez at the far post. Had he judged it correctly, it would have been a simple header from six yards for Jimenez. But he overcooks it, and the danger is over. Wolves are in total control here.

5.46pm BST

14 min: This is better, albeit another long ball down the channel. Noble creams one down the right and releases Fornals, who steps into the Wolves box before lashing wildly over the bar, and wide too. If nothing else, a sign that Wolves can be got at.

5.45pm BST

13 min: Otto is afforded plenty of space down the left. He nearly finds Boly at the far post. Cresswell is forced to concede a corner. Nothing comes of it. But you can be sure that, were this stadium full, a full and frank musical back-and-forth would be underway already. West Ham have been abysmal so far.

5.44pm BST

11 min: West Ham’s shtick today appears to be all about releasing Antonio down the channels. Here Noble tries to get him going down the inside left, but the pass is no good and Boly strides in to intercept.

5.41pm BST

9 min: Nothing much happens at the second corner. But this is an impressive start by Wolves, and a worryingly passive one by the hosts. Another attack’s quickly launched by the visitors, and Jota is allowed to dribble for what seems like an age down the left. He’s eventually crowded out, but West Ham need to wake up toot sweet.

5.40pm BST

8 min: Boly attacks Moutinho’s corner, but West Ham half clear. The ball ends up at Moutinho’s feet again, soon enough, and he wins another corner.

5.39pm BST

7 min: Jonny plays a cute reverse pass down the left wing to release Jota into space. Jota earns a corner. Moutinho will take it.

5.38pm BST

6 min: ... but otherwise Wolves have been hogging possession during these early exchanges. West Ham seem happy enough to sit back and work them out, to be fair.

5.36pm BST

4 min: Ngakia strides down the right and attempts to release Antonio with a curled pass down the channel. Too strong, and it’s an easy gather for Rui Patricio.

5.35pm BST

3 min: Jimenez probes down the left and reaches the byline, but upon attempting to burst into the box the ball breaks away from him and Fabianski is able to smother.

5.34pm BST

2 min: West Ham have hardly touched the ball yet.

5.34pm BST

The game gets underway. Jota embarks on an early run down the inside-right channel. He’s allowed to run and run and run, and is presented with a half-chance of shooting from the edge of the box. But he decides against it, can’t find a team-mate, and loses control.

5.32pm BST

Wolves kick off ... and immediately all 22 players take a knee. Black lives matter.

5.30pm BST

The teams are out! West Ham wear their late 70s retro claret shirts, while Wolves - who take their sweet time to arrive - sport old gold. We’ll be underway soon, but before kick-off, there’s a minute of silence in honour of those who have lost their lives to the virus.

5.16pm BST

Nuno Espirito Santo speaks! “It was tough moments for everybody. There were moments of tension, doubts, anxiety, and that stays there. But this is the end of the season ... or the beginning of a new one? In football we have never experienced three months without activity, so it’s a new experience for us, and a challenge. We cannot know how the players will react. The fans are irreplaceable.”

5.10pm BST

David Moyes talks! “It’ll be difficult because the supporters have always given us a great backing here,” he begins with an admirably straight face. “But there will be some players who it works for them, and others it doesn’t. Maybe young players who most of their career have played in front of no crowd, it’ll work better for them, maybe the more experienced will find it difficult. The truth is, none of us really know. But overall I think everyone will be fine with it. Wolves are having a great season, they’re doing an incredible job, it’s a tough opponent. But we felt we were playing relatively well before we finished up, so we want to try and show it. But we always need to improve. I want to build something and take the club forward, and not be around the bottom of the league.”

4.42pm BST

Two changes for West Ham from the side that narrowly lost at Arsenal before the break. Angelo Ogbonna and Sebastian Haller are out; Felipe Anderson and Tomas Soucek come in. Ogbonna and record signing Haller are both denizens of West Ham’s crowded treatment room, along with Pablo Zabaleta, Arthur Masuaku and Robert Snodgrass, none of whom are available.

Wolves make two changes to the team that drew 1-1 at Olympiacos in the Europa League just before lockdown. Jonny Otto and Leander Dendoncker come in for Ruben Vinagre and Adama Traore, both of whom drop to the bench.

4.32pm BST

West Ham United: Fabianski, Ngakia, Rice, Diop, Cresswell, Noble, Soucek, Antonio, Fornals, Felipe Anderson, Bowen.
Subs: Balbuena, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Wilshere, Fredericks, Ajeti, Randolph, Johnson, Xande Silva.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rui Patricio, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Dendoncker, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Jonny, Jimenez, Jota.
Subs: Jordao, Neto, Podence, Gibbs-White, Ruddy, Vinagre, Traore, Kilman, Rasmussen.

4.50pm BST

West Ham United are in relegation bother. After a pre-lockdown run of six defeats in nine matches, picking up just five points from a possible 27, they’re in 17th spot and desperately need a win.

Wolverhampton Wanderers might not be the team to oblige. Nuno Espirito Santo’s excellent side are chasing a Champions League place. They’ve only lost one of their last eight, and that a narrow defeat to Liverpool. They’ve stifled Manchester United at Old Trafford, and come from behind to win at Spurs. They’ve also beaten West Ham in all three meetings since their return to the top flight, to an aggregate score of 6-0.

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Published on June 20, 2020 11:53

Watford 1-1 Leicester City: Premier League – as it happened

Ben Chilwell and Craig Dawson exchanged stunning goals in a dramatic conclusion to an always entertaining game

2.47pm BST

Anyway, that’s your lot. Jacob Steinberg was at Vicarage Road to witness a textbook late bloomer. Here’s his report. Enjoy ... and thanks for reading this MBM.

2.35pm BST

Leicester remain third in the Premier League table on 54 points. A chance to put a little pressure on second-placed Manchester City was spurned; they’re six back on Pep’s reigning champions. Watford meanwhile have a precious point that keeps them out of the relegation zone. Had the match ended 0-1, they would have slipped to 18th, but as things stand they move above West Ham into 17th, a point ahead on 28.

2.32pm BST

Craig Dawson, grinning like the proverbial cream-covered cat speaks. “Yeah it was obviously a great goal and an important point for us. It’s something you practice in training, and obviously it doesn’t go in very often, but I’m delighted with my first goal. The lads worked ever so hard and it was good to get the point in the end. It was disappointing to concede, but great spirit from the lads to go up the other end and get the equaliser. We stuck at it. Great point!”

2.29pm BST

They’re not perfect matches ... but they’ll give you some idea. This classic isn’t a million miles away from Chilwell’s goal ...

2.27pm BST

Leicester will be sick, but in truth that’s the fair result. Both teams attacked, created plenty of chances, and were rewarded with a pair of absolute crackers. Nigel Pearson and Brendan Rodgers seem to agree, smiling warmly as they embrace at the final whistle.

2.25pm BST

90 min +5: Worth waiting for, huh?

2.25pm BST

The corner clanks off Kabasele, ten yards out. It flies forward to Dawson, who has his back to goal. Dawson swivels and sends an overhead kick powerfully towards the bottom left. Schmeichel sticks out an arm, but can only deflect it into the top left. The acrobatic effort was so sweetly struck, the keeper had no chance!

2.23pm BST

90 min +3: Some head tennis in the Leicester box, and Ndidi is forced to concede a corner. It’s sent in, and ...

2.22pm BST

90 min +2: Deeney is at the centre of a penalty box scramble, but he can’t shift his feet to poke a shot goalwards.

2.22pm BST

90 min +1: Watford have five added minutes to salvage a point.

2.21pm BST

Gray, out on the right, sprays a diagonal pass towards Chilwell out on the left. He takes one touch, and arrows a rising shot across Foster, off the top of the right-hand post, and into the net! The moment that left his boot, it was always going in. What a strike!

2.19pm BST

89 min: Sarr robs Justin out on the left, but then races ahead of the ball to give possession back to Leicester. And then ...

2.18pm BST

88 min: Watford make their final change. Holebas comes on for Masina.

2.17pm BST

87 min: Much better from Chilwell this time, as he hooks into a crowded box. Dawson extends a leg to stab clear with Vardy lurking.

2.16pm BST

86 min: Evans finds Chilwell down the left with a glorious crossfield pass. Chilwell shanks his cross pitifully into the stand behind the goal. He cocks his head back, a Pez dispenser of frustration.

2.15pm BST

85 min: Kabasele guards the ball out on the right, and buys a cheap free kick off a clumsy Maddison. A free kick, and a chance to load the box. Hughes curls it towards Deeney, but Soyuncu wins the battle and Leicester clear.

2.13pm BST

83 min: That’s Albrighton’s last contribution of the afternoon. He’s replaced by Iheanacho.

2.12pm BST

81 min: Leicester are dominating now. Watford are sitting back, a little too deep. It’s possible they’ve decided one point is so precious they’re best not to roll the dice for three. But it’s a dangerous game. Albrighton wins a corner down the right. Foster plucks it from the sky, but Hornet hearts would have been in mouths for a second there.

2.09pm BST

79 min: Perhaps unsurprisingly, the play’s a little bit disjointed all of a sudden.

2.09pm BST

77 min: Three changes for Watford. Femenia, Capoue and Doucoure are replaced by Cleverley, Chalobah and Mariappa. This is like the rugby, or the aftermath of a half-time Mourinho tantrum.

2.06pm BST

76 min: Nothing comes of the Leicester corner, and Tielemans is replaced by Chowdhury.

2.06pm BST

75 min: Gray shimmies in from the left and rolls the ball towards Albrighton on the right. Albrighton creams a rising effort towards the top right; it’s beaten Foster all ends up, but crashes off the inside of the post, across the front of goal, and away. Leicester come again, Maddison pearling a low shot towards the bottom right. Foster fingertips around the post spectacularly. Two astonishing efforts! How did that Albrighton one, in particular, not go in?!

2.04pm BST

73 min: Both teams are trying to get on the front foot in search of the opening goal. Maddison nearly forces a pass down the left to spring Gray clear; Welbeck drives down the middle on an attempted break. Nothing coming off yet, but this game doesn’t deserve to end goalless.

2.01pm BST

71 min: The game restarts, everyone refreshed. It’s the taste!

2.00pm BST

69 min: Watford make their first change: Welbeck for Pereyra. And that’s drinks!

1.58pm BST

68 min: Vardy chases a speculative pass down the right. He gets there, but there’s nobody in support, and he’s visibly frustrated at the lack of options. But he holds the ball up, and it’s eventually shifted wide left for Gray, who cuts inside and attempts a curler towards the top right. It’s high and wide, but not egregiously so.

1.57pm BST

67 min: Gray’s immediately in the thick of it, demanding the ball and firing a pass wide right for Justin, whose low cross is well dealt with by Dawson.

1.55pm BST

65 min: A straight swap for Leicester City, as Barnes is replaced out on the left wing by Gray.

1.53pm BST

63 min: Leicester are beginning to work their way back into this, after a quiet start to the second half. Maddison probes down the right and wins a corner. His surprise low pullback is missed by Deeney and Vardy, who both take fresh-air swipes, but eventually Watford clear.

1.52pm BST

61 min: Maddison’s delivery is delicious, dipping towards the far post. Soyuncu should head home from six yards, but knocks it down and left of the target. Soyuncu’s header might have brushed Dawson’s flailing arm, but the Leicester man looked offside, so it’s all moot.

1.50pm BST

60 min: Justin waltzes down the right and is lightly brushed by Deeney. He goes down and wins a very generous free kick. Maddison will take this, with the box loaded.

1.48pm BST

58 min: Hughes and Pereyra nearly open Leicester up out on the left. Not quite, but the hosts are asking most of the questions here. Leicester may make a change soon, with Gray sent out to warm up.

1.47pm BST

56 min: Sarr backs himself in a footrace with Chilwell. It’s no contest. Sarr whips in from the right. Pereyra claims to have been impeded at the far post by a light Justin shove, but the referee isn’t interested at all. No penalty.

1.45pm BST

54 min: Hughes slides a ball down the left for Pereyra, who drops a shoulder and creams a shot-cum-cross goalwards. A combination of Schmeichel and several of his defenders manage to deflect the ball away from danger. Leicester stream up the other end, Vardy haring after a long pass, and nearly getting there too. But Foster comes out of his area to acrobatically clear. No goals, but it’s good fun, this.

1.43pm BST

52 min: Barnes, Chilwell and Maddison combine smoothly down the left. Maddison prepares to burst into space, but he’s cheekily clipped by Capoue. Nothing that earns a booking; it’s smart but cynical. The wind is removed from the Leicester sail.

1.41pm BST

50 min: Watford go so close again! Sarr clips a cute ball down the right to send Kiko scampering towards the byline. Kiko loops towards the far post, where Deeney rises above Justin to win a header he had no right to win. His powerful downwards header bounces inches wide of the left-hand post. Had that been on target, Schmeichel was beaten. Watford have had their chances today!

1.39pm BST

48 min: Leicester are pressing forward. But they lose possession. Capoue rakes a fine direct long pass to release Sarr, who flies clear of Chilwell and Soyuncu. It looks like the opening goal’s a-coming, but Sarr’s attempt to slip the ball past Schmeichel is denied by a strong left arm. What a save! Even so, Watford should be leading.

1.37pm BST

47 min: Tielemans dribbles gently down the middle, having been sent scampering forward by a fine midfield-splitting Maddison pass. He’s upended, so this is a chance for Maddison to send a dead ball whistling goalwards ... but he blooters it straight into the wall.

1.35pm BST

We go again! Watford get the second half underway. No changes. “Having watched the impending calamity that is Victor Lindelof yesterday, it’s striking how solid and reliable Jonny Evans looks week in, week out at Leicester,” begins rhetorical questioning’s Justin Kavanagh. “A pro’s career is a lot about timing, I suppose, but when you think about the money they’ve spent on defenders since 2015, wouldn’t Manchester United have been a lot better served if they’d just hung onto Evans?” In a television studio somewhere, a former United captain nods his head sadly.

1.23pm BST

More half-time entertainment. We’re really spoiling you today. Here’s our new Forgotten Stories podcast series. Get on it, you won’t regret it.

1.22pm BST

Half-time entertainment. The Championship has restarted today. Catch up with what’s been going on ... but don’t forget to come back, y’all.

1.21pm BST

Just enough time for Sarr, set clear by a stunning diagonal pass from Hughes, to sling yet another ball in from the right. Pereyra and Kabasele get in each other’s way at the far post, and a magnificent chance is spurned. And that’s the end of the opening period. Leicester started strongly, but Watford were the team carving out chances towards the end of the half. A fourth consecutive 2-1 win for Watford in this particular fixture is still on.

1.18pm BST

45 min +2: Maddison can’t beat the first man and it’s an easy clearing header for Kiko Femenia.

1.17pm BST

45 min +1: Soyuncu sprays a pass wide right for Albrighton, who earns a corner off Masina. Maddison will take.

1.16pm BST

45 min: There will be three added minutes, the majority of it for the drinks break.

1.15pm BST

44 min: The half begins to peter out.

1.14pm BST

42 min: Sarr rips past Chilwell as though the £60m Chelsea transfer target wasn’t there. He reaches the byline and pulls back, but to nobody in particular, allowing Chilwell to redeem himself by calmly wandering off with the ball.

1.13pm BST

41 min: The free kick’s looped into the mixer. Dawson wins a big header to the left of the Leicester D. The ball bounces towards Schmeichel, who eventually snaffles, although Pereyra nearly got there first with a cheeky toe.

1.12pm BST

40 min: Maddison’s deep delivery is easily cleared by Watford. Doucoure attempts to break down the right, and is caught by the cynical leg of Tielemans, who becomes the first player to go into the referee’s notebook.

1.11pm BST

39 min: Maddison and Barnes take turns to probe purposefully down the left. Both players think about shooting, but take too long about it. But Leicester keep working the ball, and Masina is panicked into flipping Justin into the air out on the right. Free kick.

1.09pm BST

37 min: Maddison whips dangerously towards the far post. Deeney contorts acrobatically to back-head clear from close range. That’s a brilliant clearing header. Evans tries to keep things going for Leicester by crossing from the left, but it’s easy meat for Foster.

1.07pm BST

36 min: Albrighton dribbles with purpose down the right, earning a corner. From which ...

1.07pm BST

34 min: A snap shot by Doucoure from the edge of the box. It flies over the bar. Then Watford come again, Deeney breathing down Ndidi’s neck, forcing the Leicester midfielder to miscontrol. The ball breaks to Doucoure, who is suddenly one on one with Schmeichel. Doucoure slams it straight at the keeper, who should nevertheless still get credit for saving with his legs. The best chance of the match so far.

1.05pm BST

33 min: Pereyra’s free kick instigates a comic-book cloud with arms and legs sticking out of it. At some point unclear to the human eye, the ball sails off into the stand.

1.03pm BST

32 min: Kiko is upended by Maddison out on the right. That was wholly unnecessary, the Watford man was going nowhere. A free kick and a chance for Watford to sling something into the mixer.

1.03pm BST

1.02pm BST

31 min: It’s been bright enough, and far from dull, but neither keeper has had any serious work to do.

1.01pm BST

29 min: Maddison keeps the ball in play brilliantly out near the left-hand corner flag. Watford stop to a man, nearly fatally. The ball’s worked to Ndidi in space on the edge of the box, but his shot, which should really work the keeper at the very least, curls miles wide right.

12.59pm BST

27 min: Sarr zips down the right wing again. His low cross is rushed, and Deeney has no chance of reaching it. Evans intercepts easily. Sarr is causing problems, though. He’s the focus of most of Watford’s attacks.

12.58pm BST

26 min: The game restarts, everyone refreshed and rehydrated.

12.57pm BST

24 min: And that’s drinks. It’s margarita time!

12.54pm BST

22 min: Sarr tears past Soyuncu, sent racing down the right by Deeney. Soyuncu grazes Sarr’s shoulder with his arm; Sarr goes down just inside the box. He wants a penalty kick, but he’s not getting one. It would have been dreadfully soft ... but you’ve seen them given by generous referees. Sarr is livid; Soyuncu swans off whistling innocently, hands in metaphorical pockets.

12.52pm BST

21 min: Ndidi clips Hughes’ ankle as the Watford midfielder was looking to break upfield. Smart but cynical. Ndidi is fortunate not to go in the book. Hughes isn’t happy at all.

12.51pm BST

19 min: Leicester have enjoyed 61 percent of possession so far, according to the number crunchers at BT Sport. Pretty much how you’d have expected this game to pan out.

12.49pm BST

18 min: Justin whistles a first-time cross in from the right. The ball twangs off Masina and out for a corner. A quick VAR check to ensure it wasn’t a handball. Nope. As for the resulting corner: nope to that as well.

12.48pm BST

16 min: Kabasele is having a bit of a shocker so far. Now he miscontrols to allow Vardy to race off down the inside left. He’s fortunate Vardy takes a heavy touch out to the left. Vardy is forced to take an ambitious whack from long distance, and it sails miles wide.

12.47pm BST

15 min: But now Vardy shows frustration with Albrighton. He wants a pass down the inside-right channel; he’d be free. But Albrighton hesitates and once the ball is played, the offside flag goes up.

12.46pm BST

14 min: Some space for Albrighton on the right. Albrighton sends a long one towards Vardy at the far post. It’s a little bit too deep, and Vardy can’t keep the ball in play, but he gives his team-mate the thumbs-up anyway.

12.45pm BST

12 min: Sarr is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League. He tears down the right and whips a low cross along the corridor of uncertainty. Nobody in yellow has made a run, and it’s an easy gather for Schmeichel, but Leicester can’t afford to give the young Senegalese winger an inch. As Liverpool found out to their cost, he could make them pay.

12.43pm BST

11 min: Doucoure whacks the corner clear, but Leicester are soon coming back at Watford. Vardy has a shot blocked, then Tielemans drags and effort wide left. Leicester look a little sharper here.

12.42pm BST

10 min: Leicester stroke it around the back for a bit, then suddenly spring forward through Chilwell on the left. Chilwell tries to find Vardy at the near post with a low cross, but just as the striker’s cocking his leg back to shoot, Dawson steps in to slam behind for a corner.

12.41pm BST

8 min: So having said that, Watford get out of their own half. Hughes chips daintily down the inside-right channel. Pereyra cushions a header but can’t find Doucoure, and Soyuncu heads clear. That was a nice little combination, and it nearly set Doucoure up for a whack on goal.

12.39pm BST

7 min: All a bit scrappy now, though Leicester will be slightly happier. They’re pressing hard, and Watford are struggling to get out of their own half.

12.37pm BST

5 min: A dismal Kabasele clank upfield is easily intercepted by Barnes, who tries to release Vardy into the box. Not quite, but the ball breaks to Maddison, who attempts a curler towards the top right. It’s blocked. On the Watford bench, Nigel Pearson fumes quietly, the most worrying kind of seethe. Kabasele will need to think on if he’s not to get the hairdryer treatment at half-time.

12.35pm BST

4 min: Maddison’s delivery is woeful and easily cleared by Watford. Both teams appear to have attack very much in mind. Promising beginnings.

12.35pm BST

3 min: Kiko’s loose pass allows Leicester to throw a few people forward. Tielemans is hauled down by Capoue, and this is a free kick out on the right, a chance for Leicester to load the box.

12.34pm BST

2 min: Kabasele tries to win a header in the six-yard box, but Justin challenges him successfully. A lively start from the hosts, though.

12.33pm BST

The game begins. Leicester soon give up possession, and Pereyra has a wander down the Watford right. He wins a throw; Hughes then forces the first corner of the match.

12.31pm BST

Before we start, there’s a minute of solemn, silent reflection, remembering those who have lost their lives to Covid-19. And then Leicester get the ball rolling ... whereupon all 22 players take a knee. Black lives matter.

12.27pm BST

The teams are out! Leicester arrive, the away team emerging from the tunnel first as per medical protocols, wearing their first-choice blue shirts and white shorts. Watford follow in their yellow and black halves. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

12.15pm BST

Brendan Rodgers - who contracted the virus during the enforced break - talks. “I think football has dealt with this so well, from the Premier League to the clubs. Having seen all the measures in place, the clubs and Premier League have been fantastic. I think it’s as safe as it possibly could be. The game has changed in the stand, but on the field the players will still be competitive, once the whistle starts they’ll focus and have that edge. My players have been outstanding in approach and attitude, and hopefully we can demonstrate that in the game.”

12.14pm BST

Nigel Pearson speaks. “Our stance as a club was always to give players the opportunity to make choices based on how they felt about restarting. It’s paid dividends because they’re all here, they’re all available, and I’ve been very pleased with how they’ve approached a very different set of circumstances. It’s going to be very different, but the players’ focus is on our own plight, and being in control of our own destiny.”

12.09pm BST

What would Graham do? Watford’s greatest manager, beloved and much missed, would know exactly what to do. Keep your distance and stay healthy, kids.

11.42am BST

Watford captain Troy Deeney will lead his team out, his concerns about coronavirus having been assuaged. No Gerard Deulofeu, Daryl Janmaat or Isaac Success; we won’t see them again until next season. But there’s some good news with the return of Tom Cleverley, who has only played ten minutes’ worth of football since October. He’s on the bench again, alongside Danny Welbeck. It’s good to see both of them on the mend.

Leicester are pretty much at full strength, give or take Ricardo Pereira. The injured right-back is replaced by James Justin.

11.32am BST

Watford: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Dawson, Masina, Capoue, Hughes, Sarr, Doucoure, Pereyra, Deeney.
Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Cleverley, Welbeck, Chalobah, Cathcart, Gray, Holebas, Pussetto.

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Justin, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Ndidi, Albrighton, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Morgan, Gray, Ward, Iheanacho, Perez, Choudhury, Mendy, Fuchs, Bennett.

4.33pm BST

Watford versus Leicester City. A fixture that is always going to bring back memories of this:

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Published on June 20, 2020 06:47

June 19, 2020

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

A late Bruno Fernandes penalty secured a point for United in a match of ebb and flow

12.20am BST

10.32pm BST

So that’s your lot. Thanks for reading this MBM. David Hytner was our man at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening. Here’s his report. Enjoy!

10.29pm BST

Roy relents. Keano, much calmer than he was during that half-time salvo, says he’d now consider letting David de Gea on the bus home to Manchester. However he’d have to sit at the back.

10.28pm BST

A slightly downcast Steven Bergwijn talks. “We had a good first half but the second we let them come too much. We didn’t pressure them, and it was difficult to come out. It was different with no public, but we knew there was a million people watching the game, that’s what the manager told us to keep in mind.”

10.24pm BST

Bruno Fernandes speaks. “We did very well. It was a difficult game. We started good but they scored on the counter. We scored and had chances to score more. We want to win every game and we are not happy but it’s a good result. After a long stop, I think we did very well. We need to look for the Champions League. We are one point closer.”

10.15pm BST

A fair enough result on balance, though not one that’s particularly useful for either club. Tottenham remain in eight position on 42 points, still four behind Manchester United, who stay in fifth on 46. Fourth-placed Chelsea can open up a five-point gap on United if they win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

10.12pm BST

There’s just enough time for Bruno Fernandes to flash a wild shot miles to the left of goal, and that’s that. Mourinho and Solskjaer both seem happy enough, though that’s a great result for Chelsea.

10.11pm BST

90 min +5: United win a throw out on the left. Spurs think it’s their ball, but no. Shaw romps down the wing. The ball ends up at the feet of Greenwood on the other flank. He drops a shoulder to advance down the channel, and fizzes a shot across the face of goal and inches wide of the left-hand post.

10.08pm BST

90 min +3: Both teams are well aware of the value of a precious win. As a result, added time has been a hectic nonsense.

10.06pm BST

90 min +1: There will be five extra minutes. Plenty of time for somebody to find a winner.

10.06pm BST

90 min: Rashford makes his way past Aurier down the left. The ball squirts towards Bruno Fernandes, who goes over with Dier nearby. The referee points to the spot. Mourinho races onto the pitch, effing and jeffing. But the decision goes to VAR, and Fernandes went over way too easily. Dier had stopped short, like Frank Costanza. The decision’s overturned.

10.04pm BST

89 min: Bailly comes on for McTominay.

10.03pm BST

88 min: Kane blooters a witless effort straight into the wall. He looks knackered, understandably so given he’s not played since January.

10.02pm BST

87 min: McTominay is forced to hack a Lo Celso cross behind for a corner. The set piece is cleared, but Greenwood clips Lo Celso’s ankle, and this is another free kick, 25 yards out, in a position just to the left of centre.

10.01pm BST

85 min: Nothing comes from Son’s free kick, a deflected shot. United break, Pogba pearling an exquisite volleyed pass down the left to release Rashford. But Sanchez has a head of steam tracking back, and nicks the ball away from Rashford just as he’s shaping to shoot.

10.00pm BST

84 min: Lo Celso takes up possession, just to the left of the United box. Pogba barges into him from behind. Free kick in a very dangerous position. “If Scargill was in charge at least Spurs would never be short of strikers.” Andrew Champney, ladies and gentlemen.

9.58pm BST

83 min: Spurs try to hit back immediately. Davies, quarterbacking from deep, sails a long ball down the inside left. Son times his run to beat the offside trap ... but there’s too much juice on the pass, and out it flies. Goal kick.

9.57pm BST

Fernandes sends Lloris the wrong way, smacking a fine penalty into the bottom left! United deserve to be level.

9.55pm BST

80 min: Pogba diddles a flat-footed Dier down the right, and dribbles along the byline. Dier, panicking and chasing, clips Pogba and it’s a no-brainer of a decision for the referee.

9.54pm BST

79 min: Wan-Bissaka whips a decent high cross in from the right. Neither Greenwood nor Ighalo time their runs properly, and Spurs clear.

9.53pm BST

78 min: United make another double change, replacing Martial and a limping Lindelof with Ighalo and Matic. McTominay will drop back to deputise in the injured Lindelof’s stead.

9.52pm BST

77 min: Lo Celso clips a cute pass down the inside-right for Aurier, who is convinced he’s won a corner off Lindelof. The assistant ref agrees, and flags accordingly; the ref isn’t having it, though, and awards a goal kick. Aurier is livid.

9.50pm BST

75 min: Spurs have steadied themselves since that double change. United not looking quite so dangerous at the minute.

9.50pm BST

73 min: Maguire half-clears the corner. Davies swings in from the other flank. Sanchez prepares to head home, but De Gea punches away just in time.

9.48pm BST

72 min: “We’re playing so deep the Spurs shop is going to start selling branded miners’ lamps,” writes Adam Levine. “Arthur Scargill’s going to be our next manager.” So with that, Adam’s team stream up the other end, Aurier winning a corner off Shaw out on the right.

9.45pm BST

71 min: A double change for Spurs, as Bergwijn and Lamela make way for Lo Celso and Gedson Fernandes.

9.44pm BST

69 min: Spurs have been under the cosh for the last few minutes, pretty much since Pogba’s come on. So they’re happy to break for drinks.

9.43pm BST

67 min: Nothing comes from the resulting set piece. What a save that was, though!

9.42pm BST

66 min: Aurier loses possession again, stripped this time on the Spurs right by Shaw. Shaw hooks infield. Martial takes a touch and flashes a glorious rising shot towards the top right. It’s heading in, but Lloris fingertips a world-class save over the bar. I wonder if Roy Keane expected him to throw his cap on that while casually pulling on a cheroot?

9.40pm BST

64 min: Pogba drives in from the left. He slips a ball to Fernandes, who spins gracefully then threads a sensational low pass down the inside-right channel to find Martial in the box. There was no margin for error there. Forensic, to borrow a word from every political commentator. But Martial hesitates before shooting, allowing Dier to slide across and take the sting out of the shot.

9.39pm BST

63 min: Pogba’s immediately in the thick of it, taking a shot, then stripping Aurier of possession and forcing a corner. Kane heads the set piece clear, but United come straight back at Spurs, who are finding it hard to get out of their final third.

9.37pm BST

62 min: The corner is a non-event. Meanwhile Ole has seen enough: James and an unhappy, head-shaking Fred are replaced by Greenwood and Pogba.

9.36pm BST

61 min: Son meanders down the left and cuts inside. He curls towards Bergwijn, racing in from the right. Shaw nips in to head out for a corner.

9.34pm BST

59 min: Maguire goes sliding in on Bergwijn. It probably should be a free kick, out on the left, but the ball breaks to Kane, who fires low into the centre. Shaw does well to get in front of Lamela to clear.

9.32pm BST

57 min: This match is beginning to open up, as players get tired during the first game back. This may well benefit United more than Spurs, but we’ll see.

9.30pm BST

55 min: Martial runs at the Spurs defence, then lays off to Fernandes on the right. Fernandes has a whack first time. His low diagonal fizzer whistles past the left-hand post, an inch or so away. So close. Lloris makes out like he had it covered, but I’m not so sure. Had that been on target, tucked tight in the corner, it’d have been in.

9.28pm BST

53 min: McTominay takes a speculative shot from distance. It slaps Fernandes in the back. United can’t get going up front at all. “Entertaining as Keane’s tirade was, I can’t help thinking he was performing for the cameras,” argues Thomas Atkins. “It was just some sub-optimal defending followed by a goalkeeping error, but Keane went off like they were losing 8-0. It’s the Michael Bolton problem. If you turn everything up to 11 in the first verse, where do you go from there?”

9.26pm BST

51 min: A free kick for United out on the right. Fernandes curls it in. It’s easily headed clear by Dier. Spurs stream up the other end, Lamela attempting to slip Son clear down the inside-left channel. But once again his final ball is appalling. He’s been better breaking things down than building them up today.

9.24pm BST

49 min: Martial has only had nine touches so far tonight, Kane ten. Fair enough, it happens to strikers sometimes. But Sissoko’s only touched the ball ten times, too. He’s playing in the centre of midfield! God help him when Jose discovers that stat.

9.22pm BST

47 min: James has a wee probe down the left and nearly works his way into the box, but he’s got no options inside and is eventually forced to turn tail.

9.21pm BST

The actual football can’t live up to that majestic Roy Keane broadside, in that sense we’re done here for the evening. But here we go again. Spurs get the ball rolling for the second half.

9.20pm BST

On Sky Sports, Roy Keane is fuming at footage of the Spurs goal. The teeth are bared, the brow is furrowed, and there’s quite a lot of steam coming out of his lugs. “I’m shocked at that goal ... I’m fuming here, watching that game of football ... I can’t believe [spits] Shaw, heading the ball up in the air and then running forward ... I am staggered at Maguire, [with great emphasis] staggered at an international player getting done like this ... and I am sick to death of this goalkeeper. I would be fighting him at half time, there is no getting away from that. I would be swinging punches at that guy. This is a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted. Maguire! And De Gea ... I wouldn’t even let him on the bus after the match. Get a taxi back to Manchester. Shocking, I am disgusted. De Gea?! Maguire? Letting people run past you while playing for Manchester United? That De Gea is the most overrated goalkeeper I’ve seen in a long time.” He then suggests he would have saved the Son header De Gea tipped over too. In fact De Gea should have caught it. Patrice Evra and Kelly Cates allow themselves a smile and a guffaw, but as Cates cuts to commercials, Keane sits quietly fuming. Magnificent television. Swinging punches, a taxi home ... what a glorious tirade!

9.09pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Give our new Forgotten Stories podcast a whirl, you won’t regret it. The latest edition tells the wonderful story of Fred Spiksley, the outside-left who dabbled in film and became embroiled in a wartime escape mission.

9.06pm BST

And that’s the end of the first half. United were beginning to get on top when Spurs broke and scored, a combination of Bergwijn’s brilliance and De Gea’s weak wrists. Since then, the hosts have been the better side. Some thinking to do for Ole at half-time. Will we see Pogba?

9.04pm BST

45 min +3: Fernandes jinks his way past Winks and lashes a swerver towards goal. Lloris is right behind it.

9.03pm BST

45 min +2: Wan-Bissaka and James combine down the right and earn a corner off Son. Fernandes takes. Maguire attacks it with a view of winning a header, but Dier gets in the way.

9.02pm BST

45 min +1: Aurier has a crack from the right-hand edge of the United D. The ball curls harmlessly wide left, never troubling the goal.

9.01pm BST

45 min: United could do with the half-time whistle. They’ll hear it in three minutes’ time.

8.59pm BST

43 min: ... Winks blazes over the bar from distance. The shot deflected off Fernandes’ toe, but Spurs aren’t getting the second corner they’re owed.

8.58pm BST

42 min: Lamela and Aurier work the ball wide right for Son, who has a belt from the edge of the box. The shot is deflected out for a corner, from which ...

8.57pm BST

41 min: Lamela taps Rashford on the ankle. He’s surely tested the referee’s patience once too often ... but no, still no booking. Then Dier barges into James. No foul, though it should be. James, a ball of frustration, hacks back at Dier, and into the book he goes.

8.56pm BST

40 min: A game of head tennis breaks out.

8.54pm BST

38 min: Something of a lull as the game gets scrappy, in the early/pre-season style.

8.54pm BST

36 min: Spurs are getting plenty of joy down the right. Sissoko, Aurier and Bergwijn ping a couple of triangles and nearly open United up. Not quite. Shaw has clearly been identified as a weak link by Mourinho. Like that’s breaking news.

8.51pm BST

34 min: Lindelof tries to shepherd a long Spurs punt out for a goal kick. Kane gives him a cheeky little shove in the back, and the ball deflects off him and out for a corner. Lindelof looks aggrieved, but that was careless. Nothing comes of the resulting corner, which is just as well for the Swede.

8.48pm BST

32 min: De Gea makes up for his mistake with a wonderful save! Bergwijn springs a rickety offside trap and romps down the right. He crosses deep for Son, who guides a header back across goal towards the top right. It’s heading in, but De Gea tips over the bar for a corner, from which nothing comes.

8.46pm BST

30 min: ... nothing much happens. United were very close to getting back on terms in short order, there.

8.46pm BST

29 min: A free kick for United out on the right. Fred curls it in. Rashford gets in ahead of Sanchez, but can’t get a clean header on target from six yards. The ball’s bundled out for a corner, from which ...

8.44pm BST

United were in the process of gaining the upper hand, but they’ve gone behind! Bergwijn picks up a Sissoko header, just inside the United half. He drives down the right, steps inside, leaving Maguire for dust, and batters a shot through De Gea and into the right-hand side of the net! It’s a hell of a run, and some finish, though the keeper might have done better.

8.42pm BST

26 min: Fernandes is beginning to call the shots. He slithers in from the left and rasps a fierce low shot straight at Lloris, who handles a fizzing ball extremely well. Seconds earlier, James skittered down the right but couldn’t find Rashford or Martial with a poor cross. United are on top here.

8.41pm BST

24 min: Drinks break! As the players imbibe, the virtual fans yammer on. “Football’s new normal, as everything is now tediously called, reminds me of the early years of soccerball in America where the visiting Alex Ferguson was amused by ‘the crowd cheering at all the wrong times’,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “I’m watching on NBC who give viewers the option of added crowd noise or not. How Lord Ferg would have liked that in the era of the noisy neighbours.”

8.39pm BST

22 min: Fernandes whips a ball in from the right. Sanchez’s clearing header is hopeless, and falls at the feet of Rashford, ten yards out just to the left of goal. His low drive, angled towards the bottom right, is kicked away adroitly by Lloris. United quickly come again, Fred having a batter from distance. Lloris deals with that one easily.

8.37pm BST

21 min: Fred drives down the middle of the park and is clumsily brought to ground by Davies. Yet another challenge that could easily have ended in a yellow card, but the ref’s in a good mood tonight.

8.35pm BST

19 min: Rashford swings one in from the left. Davies is forced to head out for a corner. Fernandes has two goes, and neither of them are particularly good. Spurs clear their lines.

8.34pm BST

17 min: Lamela wildly shoves McTominay from behind. He should go in the book but the referee opts to give Spurs a free one as well.

8.32pm BST

16 min: Then suddenly Spurs spring, latching onto a loose ball and pouring forward. Again Lamela has the opportunity to send a team-mate clear; again he hesitates and the chance to release Kane down the inside-left channel is gone.

8.31pm BST

15 min: United stroke it around the back awhile. They go nowhere, and Spurs are quite happy to sit back.

8.29pm BST

13 min: Son sashays in from the left, drops a shoulder, and makes space to shoot. He dribbles a miserable long-range effort towards the bottom left. It’s no problem for De Gea.

8.28pm BST

11 min: United stroke it around the back awhile. Then Wan-Bissaka suddenly rakes one down the right, nearly releasing Bruno Fernandes. Davies steps in to put a stop to Fernandes’ gallop, and Lamela bustles up the other end. He’s hauled back by McTominay, who is told by the referee in no uncertain terms to get his house in order. But there’s no yellow card. Next time he’ll probably not be so fortunate.

8.26pm BST

9 min: Lamela picks up the ball in the centre circle and should send Son clear down the middle. United’s defence is all over the shop! But Lamela dillies and dallies, making what looks like a simple pass extremely hard. When he eventually tries an elaborate chip, Son has wandered offside and the pass is wayward anyway. Son should have been bearing down on goal, one on one.

8.23pm BST

7 min: Shaw flicks a pass down the left for Rashford, who looks as though he’s got the beating of

Johnson
Sanchez. The pair come together, and it looks like a free kick to United, but the ref’s not interested and it’s just a goal kick.

8.22pm BST

6 min: A cute flick from Son on the left, inside to Lamela, who shuttles the ball on to Bergwijn. He lays off to Kane, who sprays a pass down the right for Aurier, in acres. Where’s Shaw?! Aurier tries a low diagonal shot that’s not great, although it deflects out for a corner. Nothing comes off the set piece. Both sides look in the mood to go for this.

8.20pm BST

4 min: McTominay is upended out on the left wing, punishment from winning the ball well off Bergwijn. The free kick’s hoicked into the mixer, and Rashford wins a header, the ball deflecting off Dier and out for a goal kick. But the flag goes up for offside, correctly so.

8.18pm BST

2 min: United, having got the ball rolling, are on the front foot quickly. A long ball pumped down the middle forces Dier to hack out under pressure from Martial. United commit plenty of men forwards, but lose possession from the throw and Bergwijn threatens to break clear. He can’t launch an attack but at least Spurs have cleared the danger.

8.17pm BST

The referee blows the whistle to get the game underway ... and all players take a knee. Black lives matter.

8.15pm BST

Before kick-off, there’s a minute of solemn reflection and polite applause, in memory of those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. We’ll be off in a minute.

8.11pm BST

It’s a miserable evening in north London. Rain falling steadily at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Such a beautiful arena; so odd to see the stands completely empty. But here we are ... and here come the teams. Spurs are in their famous lilywhite, while Manchester United wear their equally storied red.

8.06pm BST

Ole speaks. “When you are happy outside football, you can be happy on the pitch as well. And Marcus Rashford is a fine human being, a fine young man, and he’s been looking really good in training. I think we’ll see the best of him. We’re excited to get back in the swing of things. Then again, the empty stadium and lack of emotion is going to be a new experience for the boys.”

8.05pm BST

Jose speaks. “We have options [at centre-half]. We try to analyse the moment, and that depends on the players’ bodies, how they react to this long period. United is a powerful team in counter-attack and we choose the two that can cope better with it. We want to play. We want the game to start, focus on the game, and forget the stadium is empty. When we start the game it cannot be strange, we have to focus.”

8.01pm BST

Black lives matter. Both teams warm up. Both teams send a loud and clear message to racists: do one.

7.35pm BST

Retro reports. Here’s what happened when Tottenham hosted Manchester United last season ...

7.27pm BST

Harry Kane is back, fit for the first time since New Year’s Day. Meanwhile Eric Dier gets the nod ahead of Toby Alderweireld in the Spurs defence; Erik Lamela is preferred to Giovani Lo Celso up the other end; Tanguy Ndombele still hasn’t completely won Jose over and is on the bench; and Dele Alli is suspended for a social-media transgression. It gets everyone in the end, you’d all be well advised to turn it in.

Paul Pogba is fit again, but he only makes the Manchester United bench. Scott McTominay gets the midfield anchor role ahead of Nemanja Matic. And like Kane, Marcus Rashford plays for the first time since January.

7.19pm BST

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Son, Lamela, Bergwijn, Kane.
Subs: Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Gazzaniga, Ndombele, Skipp, Fernandes, White.

Manchester United: de Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial.
Subs: Bailly, Pogba, Mata, Lingard, Romero, Ighalo, Greenwood, Matic, Williams.

4.00pm BST

The lockdown came at exactly the wrong time for Manchester United. Here’s what they did in their last 11 matches before the Premier League was suspended in March: Win! Win! Draw! Win! Draw! Win! Win! Draw! Win! Win! Win! The last six matches in that sequence saw them rattle up an aggregate score of 19-1. Their chops were up all right after that tricky start to the season.

Tottenham Hotspur were far happier to press pause. Here’s what they did in their last six matches before the lockdown: Lose! Lose! Ship a half-time lead to lose! Lose a penalty shoot-out before exchanging views with members of the crowd! Draw! Get thumped by Leipzig! The following three barren months have provided a welcome opportunity to take stock.

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Published on June 19, 2020 14:32

The Fiver | Tomorrow will surely be a better day for Newcastle fans

Peak Newcastle was achieved on Saturday 5 December 1908. That’s when the Toon, en route to their third league title in five years, having conceded a mere 13 goals in their previous 15 matches, shipped eight at home. In the second half. Against Sunderland. Final score: 1-9. Meanwhile, as that fiasco was unfolding at St James’, the reserves were taking on each other at Roker, where the latest score of the league fixture was being constantly updated on a touchline scoreboard. The fans assumed the poor bloke changing the numbers was trying to be funny, and kicked his heed in, giving him notes on his professional performance and suggesting ways he could improve going forward as they did so. Sunderland’s win remained the biggest away victory in the English top flight until Leicester ran riot at Southampton earlier this season. Peak Newcastle, ladies and gentlemen, right there, right then.

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Published on June 19, 2020 07:56

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