Scott Murray's Blog, page 104

March 28, 2020

Scotland 3-2 Netherlands: World Cup 1978, first group stage — as it happened

Scotland crash out of Argentina ‘78 in bittersweet styleWorld Cup Moments: Scotland’s 1978 rollercoasterShare your thoughts below or enjoy our other retro MBMs

4.56pm GMT

A defiant final roar from our “born winner”! A couple of drops remain of his signature optimism. There’ll be a couple of drops of malt downed tonight, that’s for sure, both in Mendoza and back home. Goodbye, Argentina ‘78, we hardly knew ye. This campaign will surely go down in legend as one of the most reckless, hopeless, needlessly farcical failures in the entire history of the World Cup. Sent homeward, tae think again. Again. But hey, at least you can’t say it was boring. And maybe we’ll look back at all this carry-on with fondness given time. After all, who knows what other horrors may supersede it years to come?

4.50pm GMT

A word with Ally MacLeod, who makes sure we get the top line of his message. “It’s just one of those things.” He says this six times in a five-minute press conference. “As manager you must take the blame. I told my kids to save up to see us defend the World Cup in Spain but it’s not to be. When we were 3-1 up, I looked at the clock and saw there was 20 minutes and realised it might be in our hands. But you get a bit elated when it’s like that and you get caught. It’s just one of those things. If we’d played like that from the beginning, we would have won the competition.”

4.49pm GMT

“Scotland can at least go home and look people in the face,” suggests David Coleman on the BBC. Hmm, let’s see how that pans out. But yes, the point stands: some dignity has been reclaimed. In fact, Scotland were for the most part brilliant tonight, but had no luck whatsoever in the crucial moments. It’s almost as if there’s some huge karmic payback going on for the SFA’s sniffy attitude back in 1950.

4.46pm GMT

Scotland, this year’s hipsters’ choice, are out of the 1978 World Cup. Oh Ally. Hugh Forgan enquires: “What colour of medal did we get?”

4.45pm GMT

90 min: Donachie finds Hartford down the left. Hartford whips the ball to the far post, where Forsyth, unchallenged and six yards out, heads over when it was far, far easier to score. He picks himself up from the turf, his body heavy with depression. That should have been Scotland’s fourth. Not that it matters a jot, because the Scots would still have required another after that, and before Jongbloed can take the goal kick ...

4.43pm GMT

88 min: “It really is sad, when you look at the ability these Scottish players have got, that they find themselves in this position at all,” sighs David Coleman on the BBC. Yep, expect quite the debrief. The fallout could last years. Will Scotland lose their confidence, their trademark swagger? Things might never be the same again.

4.41pm GMT

86 min: Jansen boofs a long ball up the left. Rene van der Kerkhof steals a march on Buchan and enters the area. From a tight angle, he fires straight through the six-yard box, the ball missing the right-hand post by a couple of feet. Rough had shown him far too much of the near post there, so much so that he was diving back towards goal in his attempt to stop the shot. What comically dreadful positioning.

4.40pm GMT

85 min: Gemmill slides Forsyth away down the right. Forsyth is upended. Gemmill swings his free kick onto the penalty spot, where Krol heads confidently clear. Suurbier hits long down the left. The chasing Rep jinks past Kennedy and makes good for the box, but his low pullback for Rene van der Kerkhof is cut out brilliantly by Donachie. To be scrupulously fair to Scotland, while they’re now performing under a large black cloud, they haven’t once thrown in the towel.

4.38pm GMT

83 min: Hartford, Souness, Kennedy and Dalglish ping it around in pretty triangles down the right. Holland played at their own game. But once again they crash onto the rocks of the Dutch offside trap. Scotland come again, Kennedy in space down his wing, but though Jordan is on hand to meet the deep cross at the left-hand post, Jongbloed diverts the ball out of the road.

4.37pm GMT

82 min: Scotland are bereft. Emotionally drained. There’s nothing left in the tank. A nice simple 0-3 defeat would have been much easier to process.

4.35pm GMT

80 min: Kennedy is robbed down the left by Willy van der Kerkhof, but with brother Rene begging for a pass down the middle, he wangs a ludicrously heavy pass straight towards Rough.

4.34pm GMT

79 min: The Dutch have been well below par tonight, but Rep’s movement is something to behold. From the corner, he’s found to the right of the Scottish D, his back to goal. He plays the ball downfield to Willy van der Kerkhof, who chips forward down the middle, Rep having swung round in a gentle arc to beat the offside trap and break into the box. Such a smooth move, and a shame that he ends it by rather absent-mindedly sending a soft header straight down Rough’s gullet.

4.33pm GMT

78 min: Plenty of possession for Holland now. Rensenbrink is sent into acres down the left, but even though the Scottish defence is pretty threadbare, he settles for a corner, not blessed with much in the way of support.

4.32pm GMT

77 min: This is turning out to be heartbreaking. Bittersweet at best. Only Scotland. Still, would we have them any other way? Probably, yes.

4.31pm GMT

75 min: The Scottish fans are still giving it plenty, but there’s a sense that the jig is up. Souness walked away from that last burst of action with his head hung low. Or as low as the Sounessian pride will allow.

4.30pm GMT

74 min: Hartford, to the right of the centre circle, rakes a super diagonal pass towards Dalglish, sending him clear down the inside left. But not for the first time Dalglish’s lack of pace lets him down, and he hasn’t got the power to break into the box. He hesitates, allowing Krol to cover. Dalglish clips the ball inside for Souness, who has time to shoot on the edge of the area but opts to knock a pass back to Rioch. Hartford tries to Gemmill his way through the Dutch back line with a little chip, but the ball’s blocked and Dalglish is stranded offside.

4.29pm GMT

73 min: Gemmill takes his frustration out on the ball, blootering it down the left to set Donachie into space. His cross to the far post is contested by Jordan, but overly so. Peep!

4.29pm GMT

Yep, this is Scotland all right. Having battled to within one goal of making it through, here comes instant deflation. Hartford slides a pass forward to Dalglish on the edge of the D. The striker looks to turn to his right but is crowded out. So close to breaking through for that killer blow. But then comes the killer blow Scotland didn’t want. Krol jogs towards the halfway line and finds Rep on the right, just inside his own half. Rep flicks back to Krol, who has advanced down the channel. Krol then returns the favour, with Rep underlapping him on the inside, picking up speed. Scotland don’t close him down, and from 30 yards he unleashes a rising shot towards the top-left corner. Rough does his best to get a hand to it – the ball might even have brushed the tips of his gloved fingers – but that just can’t be stopped! Rep turns, a toothy grin spreading over his face more in relief than celebration. In the background, Gemmill looks totally distraught, his once-in-a-lifetime achievement, his career pinnacle, his work of art, rendered worthless junk after 202 seconds.

4.28pm GMT

70 min: That was arguably the greatest goal ever scored at a World Cup! What a slalom! What genius! But this is Scotland, and so inevitably it’s nearly followed up by the most laughable own goal of all time. Jansen goes on a lumber down the right and wins a free kick, shoulder-charged with unnecessary force by Buchan. Boskamp takes the set piece, whipping the ball through the six-yard area. Rough flaps. Kennedy connects at the far post, knocking a downward header behind for a corner – but only missing the left-hand post by an inch or so! It’s a small wonder that didn’t find the net. He was under no pressure whatsoever! Nothing comes from the resulting corner, but dearie me.

4.26pm GMT

Kennedy scoops the ball down the right to Dalglish, who picks up possession ahead of Poortvliet on the right-hand edge of the area. He steps out towards the wing and makes space to turn, then looks to burst into a gap between Poortvliet on his right and Jansen to his left. He manages that, but Krol slides in to tackle. The ball breaks back up the wing to Gemmill, who takes six of the best touches you’ll ever see in a World Cup finals! One: to nip the loose ball inside and away from Jansen. Two: he turns and faces goal. Three: he nudges the ball past Krol, desperately sliding out but destined to skitter hysterically upfield and out of the picture. Four: he prods the ball into the area past another hapless slide from Poortvliet. Five: he takes a touch to allow himself to open his body up to goal. Six: he caresses an exquisite chip into the middle of the goal, over the hopeless spread of Jongbloed. Wow! Gemmill is entitled to race 16 times around the stadium after that, but satisfies himself with a few fist clenches and a jog back to the halfway line. That’s a thing of artistic beauty, made better by poor Jongbloed’s position during the money shot: splayed chest down on the turf, but looking up and backwards in impotent distress as the ball sailed into the net.

4.24pm GMT

69 min: Please assume the brace position. You’re not going to believe this, but ... this ... this is on!!! Because ...

4.23pm GMT

68 min: Holland aren’t looking all that sharp up front right now, either. Rensenbrink chips a pass forward in the hope of releasing Willy van der Kerkhof, but the covering Souness cushions a superb defensive header back to Rough. The keeper bowls the ball out to Hartford on the right, by the halfway line. He cuts inside and is bundled over by Rene van der Kerkhof. Rioch takes the free kick, tapping to Kennedy on the right wing. And then ...

4.21pm GMT

66 min: Scotland have the Dutch firmly on the back clog. Can they strike while the iron is hot?

4.20pm GMT

65 min: But Jordan’s nothing if not a presence, a constant menace, and here he isn’t too far away from latching onto Hartford’s speculative pass down the middle. Holland aren’t looking particularly comfortable or secure at the back. Not at all.

4.19pm GMT

64 min: Souness strokes a left-to-right crossfield pass into the path of Kennedy, who is bombing down the right channel. The full back takes a heavy touch, a pity because space for a shot was opening up in front of him. But Rene van der Kerkhof, belying Holland’s nerves, steps across and concedes a sloppy corner. He gets away with this one, Jordan penalised for pushing and shoving, in the fashion of a galoot, when the corner’s sent in.

4.18pm GMT

63 min: Rene van der Kerkhof curls a high cross in from the right. Rensenbrink is clear on the penalty spot, but slices a volley into the air. Rough comes out to collect under pressure from Rep, but can’t get a proper hold of the ball. Luckily for Scotland - a tattered mess at the back, having presumably decided it’s Buenos Aires or bust - Forsyth is on hand to mop up and clear the lines.

4.17pm GMT

62 min: Jansen sends Rene van der Kerkhof away down the right. Closing towards the byline, he breaks left, poking the ball past Rioch and into the area. Rough races towards him and decides to stay upright and tackle with his feet. Van der Kerkhof doesn’t fancy a dust-up, and shirks the challenge, ceding possession to the keeper. Scotland were living dangerously there.

4.16pm GMT

60 min: The Dutch look a bit rattled here. Three rash fouls transport Scotland from box to box. First Rensenbrink pulls Gemmill back by the neck, then Boskamp slides through Jordan like spatula under fried egg, and finally Poortvliet clatters Dalglish just outside the Dutch box on the left. Souness floats the free kick to Jordan, level with the right-hand post. He’s the boss of the Dutch defence, and wins yet another knock-down, but Forsyth, six yards out in the middle, isn’t paying attention properly and is on the back foot when the ball flashes across goal. No matter, he was flagged offside anyway – another slightly questionable decision by the linesman – but he should have skelped that into the net just to put the wind up Holland, if nothing else.

4.14pm GMT

58 min: Dalglish snaps around Boskamp’s ankles and wins possession marvellously. Souness finds Forsyth, who rakes a long pass down the inside-right channel for Dalglish. For a second, Kenny looks like breaking clear. But he doesn’t quite have the pace to reach the pass, Poortvliet coming across to cover and welt the ball out of play on the right. From the throw, Souness whips in a cross, and Dalglish flashes a header wide right. If that was on the postage stamp, it’s not clear Jongbloed would have had it covered. “He’s grown up today,” sniffs the BBC’s David Coleman down the distant phone-line, referring to a player who has won four Scottish titles, scored 19 international goals, and notched a winner in a European Cup final.

4.12pm GMT

57 min: Boskamp lumps a free kick into the Scottish area from a central position, 35 yards out. Forsyth clears. Rene van der Kerkhof, 25 yards out, just to the left, sends the ball high, right and very much towards 1962 World Cup hosts Chile.

4.11pm GMT

56 min: “You’ll never walk alone,” trill the Scottish fans, which is either staunch support, or biting comment on the state of the team bus, and the fact Chrysler have taken back the keys to all the squad’s sponsored Avengers. True story.

4.10pm GMT

55 min: Holland seriously click into gear for the first time this afternoon. Rep takes a quick free kick down the right, tapping to Jansen who slips the ball wide to Boskamp. The blond substitute curls a cross into the centre, where Rep connects with a spectacular bicycle kick from just inside the box. The ball flies well over the bar, a sad end to a crisp move. Let’s not tempt fate too much, but it doesn’t look as though Rep has his shooting boots with him today.

4.09pm GMT

53 min: Krol obstructs Dalglish as the pair battle down the Scottish right, near the corner flag. The fans keep singing. “Bonnie Scotland, we’ll support you ever more!” Even after Hartford wafts a dim free kick to the far post where Jordan isn’t.

4.08pm GMT

52 min: This game is - and indeed has always been - a couple of decent final balls away from becoming a scoring spectacular. First Kennedy is released in acres down the right, zipping past a mistimed Suurbier lunge, but his cross is awful. Then Rene van der Kerkhof takes up the ball to the left of the Scottish half, plays a loose pass into the middle behind Rep, chases after it himself, skins Buchan on the outside down the right, then upon reaching the byline hoicks the cross out of play. Try predicting how this is going to end! OK, yes, it’s Scotland at a World Cup, maybe that’s not such a hard task. But how are they going to go out? Because it’s far from clear how this will finish.

4.07pm GMT

51 min: Rep and Rensenbrink twinkle along the right-hand edge of the Scotland area, looking for a way through, but when the ball’s eventually dinked into the box, Buchan is across to sweep up calmly. Scotland move upfield through Jordan, who is upended by Wildschut just inside the Dutch half down the left. He springs up immediately, and is sent clear down the wing by a quickly taken free kick. He crosses low, but it’s a bit rushed, and nowhere near either Hartford or Rioch.

4.06pm GMT

50 min: Rep has a slash from 25 yards, an awkward low ball bouncing along the scarred turf towards the bottom left. Rough is down to parry to the right, then springs up to claim.

4.06pm GMT

49 min: Well, well, well. What a start to the second half. But it’s all fairly subdued in the immediate aftermah of that goal, almost as though both sides are carefully recalculating their positions. Kennedy swings in a hopeful cross from the right, but Jordan is outjumped for once, this time by Krol. “Pretty sure Scotland are going to blow this,” sighs Hugh Forgan, who as an East Fife fan too young to remember their great cup side of the late forties and early fifties, is used to watching his team serve up performances of fruitless disappointment. Gotta love football!

4.03pm GMT

Gemmill threads the spot kick into the bottom-right corner with a flip of his left foot. All of a sudden, thanks to a couple of goals bookending the break, the world looks very different place! This couldn’t be on, could it? Surely not. No. But it could be. It could be on. It’s on!

4.02pm GMT

47 min: PENALTY TO SCOTLAND!!! Dalglish crosses to Jordan, ten yards out and level with the left-hand post. He nods down for Souness, who can’t quite get the ball under control but nevertheless takes it towards goal. He’s bundled over, six yards out, by Willy van der Kerkhof! Souness springs to his feet and slowly raises his right arm into the air, a look of quiet, calm determination on his face, a deliberate show of gentle power. This could be a perfect start to the half for MacLeod’s side!

4.00pm GMT

We’re off again! Hats off to the BBC, who miss the start of the second half. Jimmy Hill is forced to cut off Jock Stein in mid-flow as the pictures from Argentina finally demand attention. Souness is immediately sent clear down the left, and his cross is only half dealt with by Holland. Kennedy takes up the attack down the right, winning a corner off Rensenbrink. From which ...

3.55pm GMT

Meanwhile over on the BBC ...

3.50pm GMT

Half-time advertisement break. Featuring a different Chrysler ad, plus a wonderfully Soviet campaign for Tea.

3.50pm GMT

The whistle goes, and the players troop off. A draw’s the very least Scotland deserve at this stage. You can make a solid case that they should be comfortably leading, though Holland came back strongly and could have had a couple more themselves. A fine performance so far, but let’s not get too carried away with the plaudits: they still need three goals if they’re to make the second round, and now they’ve only got 45 minutes in which to get them.

3.48pm GMT

45 min +3: Boskamp attempts to beat Rough from 40 yards. Come off it and come on. Even allowing for the keeper’s somewhat idiosyncratic style, that’s taking things a wee bit too far. “We’ll support you ever more!” holler the Scotland fans, quite the volte-face from their intemperate demands for a refund post-Iran.

3.46pm GMT

45 min +1: Rijsbergen can’t continue, and is replaced by Piet Wildschut. Then some end-to-end high-jinks. Kennedy reaches the byline out on the right and whistles a cross towards Rioch, level with the far post on the edge of the area. He heads across for Souness, who swishes his boot through thin air. Oop. Holland sweep up the left through Rene van der Kerkhof. His cross finds Rensenbrink free in acres on the edge of the box, but the striker can’t control.

3.45pm GMT

Here we go! Here we go! Suddenly the picture changes a little! Souness, loitering on the left, just outside the area, caresses a diagonal cross towards Jordan, ten yards out, level with the right-hand post. The big striker rises elegantly above Rensenbrink - miles above - and heads back across goal, and down towards Dalglish, a perfect tee-up. Dalglish sets himself, lets the ball bounce, balletically swivels, and creams a rising shot into the top right past Jongbloed’s despairing wave! What a stunning finish that is, from a player who has rarely replicated his Celtic and Liverpool form on the international stage.

3.43pm GMT

43 min: Rene van der Kerkhof turns on the burners to embarrass Kennedy down the left. The full back does enough to ensure he doesn’t make the area, but Holland win a corner. The ball’s worked out to the right, allowing Rene’s twin Willy to send a weak shot down Rough’s throat. Scotland are beginning to be pulled this way and that. They’ve lost a lot of momentum after the goal. Their fast start seems an age ago.

3.42pm GMT

42 min: Scotland look a little lost right now. Deflated, understandably so. They really need something to happen before half-time, if only to stop them slipping into a funk of deepest blue during the break.

3.41pm GMT

40 min: Holland push Scotland back for a while, but a sustained period in the Scottish final third produces little of worth. Having soaked it up, Souness dinks a pass down the right to release Dalglish, whose cross is deflected towards Jordan at the near post. The big man goes up, forcing Jongbloed to flap out for a corner. The set piece ends up with the ball at Souness’s feet in a deep position. He tries to clip forward for Dalglish again, but Rep has led his defenders on a charge upfield and, for the 948th time already this afternoon, Scotland have several men caught offside. They’ve been unlucky, for sure, but on occasion unacceptably slow of thought, too.

3.39pm GMT

38 min: Poor old Scotland, though. They’ve been the better side, created more of the chances, and a couple of big decisions haven’t gone their way. In a parallel universe somewhere, Scotland would be at least a couple of goals up right now. They’ll have won the 1966 World Cup in one of those parallel universes, too. Probably best to stop thinking like this, it’ll drive us round the bend.

3.37pm GMT

36 min: An immediate response by the Scots, who have clearly decided they may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and are piling forward in the gung-ho fashion. Donachie is sent scampering into space down the left. His cross shaves the top of Jordan’s head, six yards out. The ball flies to Rioch, racing in from the right. His low drive towards the bottom right is met well by Jongbloed, and Boskamp mops up the rebound.

3.36pm GMT

This is clinical: Rensenbrink heat-seeks a low penalty into the bottom-left corner. Simple as that. Rough went the right way, and wasn’t far off getting to the ball either, but it was such a well-placed kick the poor keeper had no chance. That’s the 1,000th goal in all World Cup finals. The way the last week’s gone for Scotland, they’ll feel like they’ve conceded the whole bloody lot. They now need four to progress. Four. Against the 1974 finalists. God speed, boys!

3.34pm GMT

34 min: PENALTY TO HOLLAND! What was that I said about fun? Rough throws the ball out to Kennedy on the right. The full back rolls a pass forward to Souness, who gives it back. Rensenbrink rushes in to press Kennedy, who experiences a rush of blood and, such is the paradoxical beauty of language, freezes. He turns, contemplating a backpass, but his dithering allows Rensenbrink to prod the ball away from him, down the Dutch left. Rep swarms in to pick up the loose ball and race into the area. He looks to go outside the advancing Rough, but he’s bundled over by Kennedy, desperate to catch up and atone. A no-brainer for the referee. So typical of this Scotland vintage, after playing so well. Gemmill is booked for giving the referee lip.

3.32pm GMT

32 min: Holland are turning the screw a bit now. Boskamp pings a crossfield pass to Rene van der Kerkhof down the right. The resulting cross is headed down lamely by Forsyth to the edge of his own area, where Souness is forced into a desperate last-ditch tackle as Boskamp rushes in to shoot. Scotland rush upfield through Dalglish. He races sportingly past Rijsbergen, who has been down for a minute or so after landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge with Jordan. Fair enough, the Dutch were more than happy to attack while their player was rolling about in agony. Dalglish hoicks up the wing to Rioch, who is shoved out of the way by Rep, then hacks at the Dutch star’s ankles in frustration. It’s great fun, this.

3.31pm GMT

30 min: Donachie, inside the Dutch half on the left, rolls a ball inside for Gemmill, but the wee man is away with the fairies, perhaps trying to recalculate his wage packet minus the Chrysler money. Krol steps in to intercept, and takes a few strides towards the centre circle before rolling a pass down the left channel for Rensenbrink. The striker’s clear, but he’s not getting to the ball ahead of Rough, who races from his area and slides along the ground to smother with his hands! Either he’s still suffering from that bang to the noggin, and maybe too much sun to the neep, or more likely that was as cynical as it comes. He trots back to his goalline with the ball tucked under his arm, not a trace of guilt or regret on his face. All Holland get is a free kick just to the left of the D. Boskamp hits an idiotic shot straight into the wall, and Jensen skies the rebound miles over the bar. One of the greatest professional fouls in history, not bad going for a player who is only part-time with Partick Thistle.

3.30pm GMT

29 min: Rijsbergen races down the left and curls a cross onto the head of Rensenbrink, whose aimless header floats wide left. Holland are getting back into this game now, after a fairly undistinguished start by their lofty standards.

3.29pm GMT

28 min: Jensen skins Gemmill down the right and loops a cross to the far post. It’s a bit overcooked, but Rensenbrink manages to extend a giraffe’s neck to send it arcing towards the right side of goal. Rough has to stretch high to collect, and as he does so he’s unceremoniously dumped to the floor by Rep. Rough’s got shot of the Confederacy Cap since the last attack, and could have done with the extra protection, as he rattles into the post and sits dazed awhile, propped up in the style of the alfresco drinker.

3.28pm GMT

27 min: Rene van der Kerkhof has been Holland’s best player so far. His twin Willy decides to take up some of the slack, cutting in from the left and powerfully curling a shot just to the left of goal. Rough probably had it covered, although he’s struggling with the sun and shadows - that’ll be why the Dutch switched ends upon winning the toss. He squints from beneath the peak of a cap, looking a little like an extra from current box-office smash Smokey and the Bandit.

3.25pm GMT

25 min: Rene van der Kerkhof sashays down the middle with style, a move that leads to a corner on the left. From the set piece, the ball’s worked to Jansen out on the other flank. He curls in a cross that’s met by Rensenbrink, but his header’s straight at Rough. He’s offside, anyway.

3.24pm GMT

24 min: Rioch bombs down the right wing. He’s hauled back. A free kick, just outside the area, near the byline. Souness clips what is effectively a corner to the near post, but can’t find his lurking Liverpool team-mate Dalglish.

3.23pm GMT

23 min: Donachie needlessly concedes a corner when faffing around down the left. Rene van der Kerkhof sends it long; Hartford, who had time to take it down and clear, panics and heads behind. The second corner is worked from left to right, where the aforementioned van der Kerkhof balloons what was either a hopeless shot or a dreadful cross over the bar.

3.22pm GMT

22 min: Poortvliet sprays a pinpoint crossfield pass from the left to Rensenbrink, who lays off inside for Boskamp. The midfielder has space down the right channel and time to shoot, but his effort is so weak it doesn’t even reach Rough. At least he’s paying attention now, so there’s that.

3.20pm GMT

19 min: SCOTLAND PENALTY SHOUT! Rioch drops a shoulder to dance past Krol down the left. He fires a low cross into the centre. Jordan, from the right, makes a run inside to meet it, with a view to side-footing home from 12 yards. But he’s clumsily hacked from behind by Poortvliet, who having got Jordan out of the way guides the ball back to his keeper. That surely should have been a spot kick. A very clumsy challenge by a player winning only his third cap.

3.19pm GMT

18 min: Jordan is given a stern talking to by the referee after clattering Jansen, seconds after he himself was battered by Suurbier, who had gone unpunished. A case of mistaken identity when the red mist came down, one would suggest. Will that literal boot give Holland a metaphorical kick up the jacksie? They’ve been strangely quiet so far. At one point, Boskamp was standing around in the centre circle with his back to play, having a wee chat to a pal. They need to up their game if they don’t want to suffer the improbable three-goal defeat that’d send them back home.

3.18pm GMT

16 min: Though let’s be balanced: Holland could have had a couple themselves by now. Here’s Rensenbrink, taking a pass from the left wing, stepping inside, and thrashing a shot across goal and wide of Rough’s right-hand post. Scotland stepped off a wee bit there, perhaps intoxicated by their relative successes up the other end. Dalglish still looks put out. “It’s really impressive how Dalglish is barking orders to his teammates,” observes Michael Minihan. “I’m certain he has a career in management.”

3.16pm GMT

15 min: Scotland are winning most of the ball in the middle of the park. Holland can’t get going. Gemmill slides a pass down the inside-right channel. Rioch, his back to goal, lays off inside to Dalglish, a gorgeous first touch. Dalglish, 20 yards out, meets the dropping ball with his right foot, and sends a low shot wheeching past the left-hand post. Scotland should be leading this game by now. It’s quite possible, on another day, they’d be four (!) goals to the good already. But such are the slim margins at the World Cup.

3.15pm GMT

14 min: THE SCOTS POP THE BALL IN THE NET FOR A SECOND TIME! YET, ALAS, ONCE AGAIN ... Rough, his white peaked cap defying physics by staying put despite being stretched over that springy perm, squints and launches long into the evening sun. Krol, more by accident than design, heads the dropping ball back towards his own area. Dalglish chases after it, a step behind Rijsbergen. As the pair reach the edge of the box, Dalglish sticks his right peg out and pokes the ball past the advancing Jongbloed, sending it bouncing into the corner of the net. But he’s adjudged to have clipped the heels of the defender as he made his move, a decision that looks harsh as the defender appears to have gone over by his own design. Dalglish stares at the referee with the intensity of a thousand

Glaswegians
suns.

3.13pm GMT

13 min: Scotland stroke it around the middle, they’re in control of this. Souness suddenly whips a pass down the inside-left channel, but Holland’s wily back line pushes up once again, leaving three Scots stranded. Flag up!

3.11pm GMT

11 min: Jordan flicks on a long ball. Dalglish battles for it with Rijsbergen, but the Dutch defender holds off Scotland’s star man with ease.

3.10pm GMT

10 min: During that passage of play, Neeskens went in hard on Gemmill and has knacked himself. He went into this game with a knee injury anyway. He’s stretchered off; on comes Jan Boskamp.

3.09pm GMT

9 min: Rijsbergen clambers all over Dalglish, just to the left of the D. Free kick. Rioch blooters an idiotic effort straight at the wall. Souness picks up the loose ball and tiptoes gracefully past a couple of Dutch lunges, but as he pokes the ball through to his front men, the flag goes up for offside again. This time there’s no question about it, Jordan and Hartford were several miles ahead of Holland’s defensive line. If these opening exchanges are anything to go by, this isn’t going to end goalless.

3.08pm GMT

7 min: SCOTLAND PUT THE BALL IN THE NET! BUT IT WON’T COUNT! Souness finds Donachie in a ridiculous amount of space down the left. The cross is abysmal. Gemmill then has a go down the same wing and is fouled. He hits the free kick into the first man and wins a corner. Dalglish takes, setting up Donachie to send an outswinger into the area. The Dutch step up for offside as Forsyth traps on the penalty spot and plants the ball onto the bottom of the left-hand post and into the net! But the flag’s up. That’s a really close call. Forsyth looked onside, there’s maybe a suspicion that Kennedy, lurking away to the right and well out of the road of the action, might have been half a yard off. But even then you’d raise an eyebrow. That probably should have been the opener. If only there was another referee on the sideline, watching one of these new-fangled slow-motion action replays.

3.07pm GMT

6 min: Holland sweep upfield through Neeskens, Jansen and Rene van der Kerkhof, but the latter’s low cross from the right can’t squeak through to Rep. No matter, they come again down the wing, Van der Kerkhof waltzing past Donachie with ease, reaching the byline, then cutting back into the centre. But his pass clanks into Rensenbrink, who had been making a run to the near post, and the deflection allows Donachie to make amends by welting clear.

3.06pm GMT

5 min: SCOTLAND RATTLE THE WOODWORK! Yes, they’re on the front foot all right! Souness glides into space down the right wing, stops for a wee moment of contemplation, then wedges a cross into the six-yard area. Rioch rises and plants a header onto the crossbar. You could say the Scottish captain was unlucky, especially as his effort twangs away from danger, nobody there to follow in, but he was unmarked in the middle and really should have scored.

3.05pm GMT

4 min: Neeskens tries a backheel down the Scottish right, but succeeds only in finding Jordan, who lays off to Hartford. The Manchester City midfielder advances down the channel and whistles a low shot wide right. Not fantastic, but not the worst either, emblematic of Scotland’s early efforts; they’ve had more of the ball and are on the front foot. It’s a start.

3.03pm GMT

2 min: There are roughly 35,000 spectators here; this sparkling new stadium holds 40,000. A few empty yellow seats dotted around. But it’s a decent crowd nonetheless, the best here yet in the stadium’s short history. And a wispy yet defiant chant of Scotland! Scotland! from a gang of refreshed gentlemen who are holding onto hope by their fingernails.

3.01pm GMT

1 min: The ball’s immediately launched up the right and picked off by Krol. Holland, who have decided to go with second-choice white instead of their famous oranje in order to avoid a clash for those watching the telecast on a black-and-white set, move upfield. But Rene van der Kerkhof gifts the ball to Hartford, who sends Kennedy away down the right. Krol deals with the cross, and despite Souness battling to get on the end of the clearance, the ball’s eventually shuttled back to Jongbloed. A positive start by Scotland, but then they’ve no choice: they’ve got to go for it.

3.00pm GMT

Referee Erich Linemayr, styling out a very brash red kit, gets proceedings underway. Scotland kick off, and Souness gets his first touch of this World Cup after two seconds. We’ve missed you, Graeme.

2.55pm GMT

The teams break off to warm up, as a brass band gives it laldie. I’m not 100 percent sure, but they seem to be having a brave stab at Ennio Morricone’s El Mundial, the official theme of Argentina 78. Very on-brand if so. The captains Rioch and Krol exchange trinkets. The Dutch pennant is large, orange and super furry; Scotland’s appears to be a small block of wood. A shield, with a hinge on the back, you can prop it up by the fireplace. We’ll be off in a minute or two, once the teams have changed ends!

2.50pm GMT

The teams are out! Scotland wear their famous dark blue shirts, white shorts and red socks. That lovely big roundel of a badge, Umbro diamonds as epaulettes. Holland are in their change kit of white shirts and orange kex’n’sox, those three Adidas stripes running across their shoulders and down the arms. Both teams operating at the cutting edge of fashion. The sap of anticipation is rising as kick-off approaches. It’s time for the national anthems of Scotland and Holland.

2.40pm GMT

Churchillian Oratory dept. MacLeod has, by all accounts, delivered a defiant team-talk on the way to the game, ordering his players to shove all the bad press and trash talk back down the media’s throat. “Stuff the lot of them! Let’s get out there and play as we know we can!” They could have done with whipping themselves up into this sort of righteous frenzy eight days ago, before swanning out to face Peru, but it’s easy to criticise and carp in hindsight, isn’t it. The situation is what the situation is, and just like the Souness selection, it’s better late than never.

2.35pm GMT

For those of you not particularly interested in football ... tough. The game is being shown live both on BBC1 and STV / Grampian / Border. Viewers in search of something different have one option: the 1966 Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine comic caper Gambit, in which the pair team up in Hong Kong to swindle Herbert Lom out of his millions. The choice is limited, but nevertheless it’s yours. Either way, the match will be finished in plenty of time for everyone to switch over to 2 for a rerun of Cracked Actor, the 1975 Omnibus documentary about cocaine’s David Bowie. Altogether now: “We can beat them, just for one day! We can be heroes...” You know what, that would work really well in a montage.

2.30pm GMT

Some literally breaking news from back home: A brick has been hoyed through the window of the Scottish FA offices in Glasgow. All that pre-tournament hubris is coming back to bite MacLeod and his squad on the padded side of their trousers in a big way. Take that going-away party at Hampden, for example. “They should have had the send-off after they came back,” was one Glasgow punter’s wonderfully tinder-dry take during an STV vox pop. The amount of promotional activity undertaken by both manager and squad hasn’t aged well either. In retrospect, the ad campaign for Chrysler Avenger, which showed the team standing around the popular family car alongside the slogan “They both run rings around the competition”, was simply asking for trouble. It’s been pulled, two days ahead of schedule. “It’s not my fault, I didn’t write the copy,” shrugged Alistair Young of International Image Consultants, the firm behind all of Scotland’s sponsorship deals, washing his hands ostentatiously. Chrysler’s response? “It was time to call a halt as the team just did not live up to the copywriters’ claims.” At least Chrysler didn’t manufacture the team bus, eh, ladies and gentlemen. I’m here all week, try the steak with chimichurri.

2.20pm GMT

The pointlessly stubborn Ally MacLeod has finally seen sense, selecting Graeme Souness for the first time in the campaign. Souness and his Liverpool team-mate Kenny Dalglish combined for the goal that recently won Liverpool the European Cup at Wembley, so it’s been something of a surprise that he’s not featured before. MacLeod admits he should have selected him against Iran. Too late? Probably. Anyway, he’s one of four changes to the team held by the Iranians, coming in along with Aberdeen’s Stuart Kennedy, Tom Forsyth of Rangers, and Derby County’s Bruce Rioch, who reclaims the captain’s armband from Archie Gemmill. Out go Sandy Jardine of Rangers, Manchester United striker Lou Macari, and Nottingham Forest duo Kenny Burns and John Robertson.

Ernst Happel, the Austrian coach who won the European Cup with Feyenoord in 1970 and is now in charge of Holland, makes one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Peru. Arie Haan makes way for Johnny Rep.

2.15pm GMT

Scotland: Alan Rough, Stuart Kennedy, Willie Donachie, Bruce Rioch, Tom Forsyth, Martin Buchan, Archie Gemmill, Asa Hartford, Joe Jordan, Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish.
Subs: Jim Blyth, Derek Johnstone, Lou Macari, John Robertson, Kenny Burns.

Holland: Jan Jongbloed, Wim Suurbier, Wim Rijsbergen, Ruud Krol, Jan Poortvliet, Johan Neeskens, Wim Jansen, Johnny Rep, Rene van der Kerkhof, Willy van der Kerkhof, Rob Rensenbrink.
Subs: Piet Schrijvers, Piet Wildschut, Johan Boskamp, Dick Nanninga, Ernie Brandts.

2.10pm GMT

Style guide for pedants: No doubt some time in the far-off future we’ll all get used to using the correct terminology: Netherlands instead of Holland, the latter merely being a region of the former. But this is where we are right now. Fifa are using Holanda for their on-screen graphics, and commentators are saying Holland with their mouths. It’s how we roll in 1978, get with the times, grandchild. While we’re on the subject, there’s still a hard J in both Ajax and Juventus. We’ll catch on one day, I’m sure.

12.21pm GMT

A fortnight ago, as Scotland arrived in Cordoba and approached their training bolthole atop the hills of Alta Gracia, the clutch on the team bus burnt out. Amid farcical scenes, the misfiring jalopy had to be nudged the last few hundred yards up the street by a truck travelling behind. As harbingers go, this one’s been a doozy.

In retrospect, perhaps they’d have been better off putting the thing into neutral and letting it run all the way back down the mountain before getting the first available return flight. Because ever since then, nothing at all has gone the way of Ally MacLeod and his beleaguered squad. The selección escocesa is brimming with world-class talent - reigning European club champions Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness of Liverpool; Archie Gemmill, who has just won the First Division with Nottingham Forest; the well-regarded Manchester United pair of Joe Jordan and Martin Buchan - so hopes of returning home with “a medal of some sort” weren’t too fanciful. It seemed a fair-enough shout at the time: at the outset, they were the fifth favourites with the bookies, behind Brazil, Argentina, West Germany and Holland. But you can bet your bottom peso that Ally now wishes he had kept his mouth shut and his feet on the ground, and hadn’t tempted the gods and goddesses of fate in such a brazen, reckless manner.

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10.34pm GMT

I’ll leave you to chew over that fine soliloquy. I’m sure plenty of those words will be examined from all angles over the next few hours, days and weeks. Anyway, in lieu of all that, a reminder that Jacob Steinberg was in Germany to witness a sorry end to Tottenham’s Champions League campaign. Here’s his report ... and thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

10.32pm GMT

But of course that’s not it. Does this exit cause Spurs problems going forward, asks BT Sport’s Reshmin Chowdhury. “I think probably it is good. Sometimes difficult moments are ones that can prepare the future in a better way. There is nobody to blame when it looks in every match like we have a traumatic injury, that ends with months and months. We lost Son, we lost Bergwijn, and I don’t want to speak about the ones we lost so long ago. And that’s the history of this season. This season started with problems, look at the position we were in the table when I arrived. It is non-stop. Look to our bench. It’s very hard. I can’t blame the players.” So are transfers afoot? “This summer, unless something happens during the Euros, we have Sissoko, Kane, Son, Bergwijn, so that is massive.”

10.27pm GMT

Mourinho’s take. “Of course I was very positive yesterday, and that’s the way I have to be all the time ... but we know that in this moment, it is very difficult, Leipzig are a very strong side ... we start the game, we had an opportunity that I thought it was almost an own goal, if you look to us lately, it was Rudiger that scored for us, it was a penalty, it’s hard ... then they come, our first couple of mistakes, they score, and after that it is very difficult ... their physicality is very impressive ... we cannot hurt people, but they can hurt us all the time ... but if I can be critical, some of my players with some mistakes, I keep for us ... they tried to give what they can give, and that’s it ... we made mistakes that we have analysed in previous matches but when you don’t have more to give, you give what you can ... it is more difficult for me to work with players who cannot express their potential than ones who play within their limits and I cannot ask more from them ... so I am with the boys, and that’s it.”

10.12pm GMT

Jose’s verdict to come. But in the meantime, Jacob Steinberg’s report from Germany has landed. Here it is!

10.10pm GMT

A grim-faced Dele Alli bravely faces the music on BT Sport. “It’s devastating. We had belief before the game, but this is the Champions League, and if you don’t step up, you’re going to be punished. After last year, it was a great run, so it is disappointing to go out like that. After the first goal went in, it didn’t change much because we knew we had to score two to go through. But we conceded too many chances as a team and were punished. It’s hard to come back when you’re on top and then concede two goals. We had to show maturity and fight, and we didn’t do that. We can’t use [the absence of Kane and Son] as an excuse, we still have quality on the pitch, some good players. But that’s football. We have to apologise to the fans who came out here all this way. We have to fight. We can’t be in the position we’re in in the league. We can’t give up. Confidence is obviously gone, but it’s a big game at the weekend and we have to pick ourselves up and turn this around. We have to stay together, it’s not down to one player to score goals and another to stop them. It was the whole team. We know it’s not good enough.”

10.03pm GMT

Baby Mourinho 4-0 Mou Classic. To Mourinho’s credit, he goes straight over to Julian Nagelsmann and offers his opposite number warm congratulations. He then defiantly strides down the tunnel, his arm thrown around Lucas Moura. On BT Sport, Gary Lineker suggests that might be some sort of this-is-all-I’ve-got-left signal to Daniel Levy, but let’s not try to read too much into it. Though it is clear that last year’s runners-up need a serious rebuild. If they can’t turn their abysmal form around in short order - and Manchester United visit N17 on Sunday - this could be their last Champions League match for a wee while. Leipzig, by contrast, will take some stopping. For all Tottenham’s faults, they’ve been magnificent in both legs, and fully deserve to make the quarters for the first time in their short history.

9.56pm GMT

Leipzig - to the sound of the Beastie Boys - celebrate their advance to the quarter-finals. They’ve fought for their right to party. Fully deserved. They’ve been magnificent. Last year’s losing finalists, by contrast, are knocked out with barely a whimper.

9.54pm GMT

90 min +5: And to think it’s been something of an off night for Timo Werner. Small mercies for Spurs.

9.53pm GMT

90 min +4: Fernandes has a dig from distance. His effort rolls into the arms of Gulacsi. The Leipzig faithful cheer sarcastically, somewhat cruelly given the gap in quality on display tonight.

9.51pm GMT

90 min +3: “Grim as all this is, it will be as nothing as to Mourinho’s performance-art piece of a post match interview where he basically turns the entire history of Tottenham Hotspur into a dirty protest,” predicts Dom, who is currently perched “on a window ledge in Tunbridge Wells”. It’s been one of those nights for Spurs fans.

9.49pm GMT

90 min +1: Aurier is replaced by Malachi Fagan-Walcott, who will be 18 tomorrow. A bittersweet early birthday present for the academy centre-half.

9.48pm GMT

90 min: Spurs and an ashen-faced Mourinho just want this over. But there will be six added minutes.

9.47pm GMT

89 min: Spurs have been better in this second half. But it was a low bar. Overall, they’ve been thoroughly outplayed by Leipzig over both legs.

9.46pm GMT

Angelino crosses from the left. Aurier slides in to clear, but can only tee up Forsberg, who slams home from eight yards with his first touch, 32 seconds after making it onto the pitch!

9.45pm GMT

86 min: Leipzig want a penalty, arguing Tanganga went in with unnecessary force. But the ref’s not interested, and we play on. But not before Leipzig’s two-goal hero is replaced by Emil Forsberg.

9.43pm GMT

84 min: Upamecano romps down the middle, one-twos with Haidara, and nearly gets a shot away. Lloris comes out to claim. Tanganga comes across and gives the big defender the mother of all shoulder barges. Tanganga goes down having been clattered with some force.

9.40pm GMT

82 min: Angelino makes ground down the left and feeds Werner, who wins a corner off Dier. Angelino takes. Spurs half clear. Upamecano chests down and blooters a volley straight into Tanganga’s ribcage. That’s winded the young Spurs defender, and play is stopped so he can catch his breath.

9.38pm GMT

80 min: Spurs replace Lo Celso with Gedson Fernandes, the visit of Manchester United on Sunday now uppermost in Jose Mourinho’s mind.

9.36pm GMT

78 min: Leipzig stroke it around the back for a while, a textbook example of game management.

9.34pm GMT

76 min: Adams zips down the right. His cross is deflected off Sessegnon and out for a corner. Werner’s set piece is nothing to write home about. “Is that Mourinho managing Alli and co., or is it Mourinho’s brother?” Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for Mr Phil Grey.

9.32pm GMT

74 min: Moura drives down the left, beats Upamecano and pulls back for Alli, who whistles a first-time shot straight down the throat of Gulacsi. Alli goes over Sabitzer’s leg after shooting, and VAR has a look, but it’s never a penalty.

9.31pm GMT

73 min: Schick dribbles down the middle. He’s got options to the right ... but weirdly passes to nobody on the left.

9.29pm GMT

71 min: Mind you, Leipzig are putting it around as well. Sabitzer is booked for bowling Alli to the ground. Everyone’s getting a little tetchy.

9.28pm GMT

70 min: Alli is booked for a mist-down swipe at Angelino’s ankles. Frustration seems to have taken hold of Tottenham.

9.26pm GMT

69 min: Tanganga is booked for giving Werner a rugby-style cuddle.

9.26pm GMT

68 min: Some good news on the stricken Mukiele: he was briefly unconscious, having swallowed his tongue. But thankfully he’s reportedly recovered and all is now well.

9.24pm GMT

66 min: Upamecano and Haidara combine down the right with Spurs light at the back. Werner’s in the middle, and really should be found, but his team-mates over-elborate on the flank and the chance is gone.

9.23pm GMT

64 min: Lamela goes in clumsily on Sabitzer. He stands on one of his ankles. Lightly? Certainly. Deliberately? It’s not clear, so the referee takes no action other than to award a free kick.

9.22pm GMT

63 min: Lo Celso fires a fine pass down the left, releasing Sessegnon into space. But there’s nobody in the centre. The resulting cross, however, is put in a dangerous enough position to force Halstenberg into the panicked concession of a corner. Sadly, Lo Celso’s delivery is not all that. But there have been some recent signs of Tottenham belatedly sparking into life.

9.20pm GMT

62 min: Laimer works his way down the left but can’t quite find Werner in the middle with his low cross. Spurs are able to clear.

9.20pm GMT

61 min: Moura is illegally blocked by Halstenberg out on the Spurs left. Lo Celso swings a free kick into the mixer, but it’s not all that, and easily cleared by Leipzig. One first-half Lo Celso shot apart, Spurs have failed utterly in their attempts to work Gulacsi in the Leipzig goal.

9.18pm GMT

60 min: A second change for Leipzig, as Amadou Haidara replaces Nkunku. The game restarts, and Werner glides in from the left before rasping a rising shot inches over the crossbar.

9.17pm GMT

58 min: Moura tries to give Spurs some momentum, shooting ambitiously from distance. The shot just about stays in the arena. “Now that your good self and others have cited the Ajax comeback, if Spurs don’t do that now it means Liverpool won’t repeat their Barcelona trick tomorrow,” argues Perspective’s Ian Copestake, who may or may not be losing his mind with worry. “Come on Spurs!”

9.15pm GMT

57 min: Werner slips a pass down the inside left for Schick, who balloons a wild effort yards over the bar from the left of the D. A decent chance, that, and Spurs are still clinging onto hope by their fingernails. But they need something to happen soon.

9.14pm GMT

56 min: Mukiele can’t continue, he’s in some pain and distress. He lies back on the stretcher and is carted off, holding his head. God speed young man. Meanwhile on comes 21-year-old US midfielder Tyler Adams in the big Frenchman’s stead.

9.13pm GMT

54 min: Worrying scenes here as the stretcher comes on for Mukiele. It’s not clear what’s happened to the big man. Thankfully he’s soon sitting up, but he looks pretty groggy. He might have taken a whack in the face from the ball.

9.11pm GMT

52 min: Lamela plays a long pass down the middle for Moura, who can’t quite get the better of Klostermann in a footrace. For a split second there, Leipzig were in trouble, but that’s staunch defending.

9.09pm GMT

50 min: Laimer is booked for a check on Lamela. Replays suggest it was the nearby Upamecano who put in most of the physical work, but it’s his team-mate who cops the flak.

9.08pm GMT

49 min: Moura turns neatly in the midfield. There’s acres in front of him ... and options ... but he overruns it, allowing Leipzig to counter. Werner sashays in from the left and takes far too long to get a shot away. Spurs regain possession, thankful Werner was so uncharacteristically ponderous.

9.05pm GMT

47 min: Spurs start the second half on the front foot, probing down both flanks. They annoy the hosts enough for Werner to clip Tanganga to the floor. Leipzig’s star striker escapes with a ticking-off.

9.03pm GMT

Leipzig get the second half underway. Spurs had been sent out early, presumably in disgrace, by man-management guru Mourinho. They were waiting alone for a good couple of minutes. Let’s see how they respond to this motivational technique.

8.58pm GMT

Half-time catharsis. It’s fair to say the Tottenham faithful aren’t in the best of moods. The floor’s yours, folks. Better out than in ... and who knows, you might even tempt fate into serving up another Ajax-style miracle. “Surely this is the end for Mourinho at Spurs?” asks Niall Sheerin. “There is nothing there. No structure or shape; no discernible tactics or style; no spirit or spunk. In ditching Poch for Mou, Levy implicitly acknowledged that he failed in his mission to ship out the deadwood and refresh the squad in the summer. Surely it’s now time for him to acknowledge the error and #bringbackPoch.”

“Mourinho is already working on his post match interview where he contrives to blame tonight’s performance on Ndombele, Luke Shaw and Eva Carneiro,” zings Stephen Carr.

8.49pm GMT

And that’s the end of a miserable first 45 for Spurs. On the touchline, as his troops trudge back to the dressing room, Mourinho engages the fourth official in some heated debate. Not sure what he’s unhappy about. Not sure what he’s unhappy about in particular, that is. Spurs need something approaching an Ajax-style miracle. They’ve done it before.

8.47pm GMT

45 min +1: Winks is booked for cynically clipping Laimer, who was looking to break from a nondescript Spurs attack. He doesn’t bother complaining. He had to take one for the team.

8.46pm GMT

45 min: Spurs nearly concede a farcical third. Some slapstick shenanigans in their area. Dier tries to punt clear. The ball twangs off Schick’s standing leg and slowly rolls towards the bottom right. It should never go in, though Lloris nearly lets it. The keeper scoops away just in time.

8.45pm GMT

44 min: Aurier bustles down the right. He thinks he’s run the ball out for a goal kick, but the ball clipped Angelino and the officials give Aurier a pleasant surprise. Lo Celso takes the corner. A chance to change the picture just before the break? Nope. Gulacsi claims with ease.

8.43pm GMT

43 min: There won’t be much hope if Spurs concede another. Werner and Schick advance on the Spurs box. The visitors are fortunate that the pair get in each other’s way, allowing Tanganga to clip the ball away from danger.

8.42pm GMT

41 min: This is better from Spurs! Sessegnon dinks into the box from the left. Leipzig half clear. Lo Celso cuts in from the right and curls a splendid low shot towards the bottom left. It’s heading in, but Gulacsi sticks out a strong hand to parry and Upamecano mops up without panic. So close to a precious away goal, so close to some precious hope.

8.40pm GMT

40 min: Upamecano tries to release Mukiele down the inside-right channel with a glorious Beckenbaueresque rake. Just a bit too much on the long-distance pass, and it’s a goal kick. Mukiele applauds his team-mate’s ambition nonetheless.

8.39pm GMT

38 min: Upamecano carelessly gives the ball away to Lamela, but then, with Moura hoping to advance towards the box, charges it down and regains possession for Leipzig. Wonderful defending. At the moment, Leipzig are in that sweet spot where they end up impressing even when they make the odd mistake.

8.37pm GMT

36 min: The free kick leads to a corner. The corner leads to a throw. The throw leads to an extended passing sequence. Spurs can’t get hold of the ball at all. This is painful viewing from a Tottenham perspective.

8.35pm GMT

34 min: Sessegnon is correctly booked after overrunning the ball and raking his shoe down the back of Mukiele’s leg.

8.34pm GMT

33 min: Angelino is getting a ruinous amount of space down the left. He sets in motion a move which ends in Lloris punching clear under pressure from Schick and Mukiele. “Red Bull look like they’ve had their Red Bull tonight, while Mourinho’s men have had an early Horlicks,” quips Justin Kavanagh, because somebody had to.

8.32pm GMT

31 min: Leipzig look uber-relaxed at the moment, much as you’d expect them to, the state of the tie. Werner glides in from the left and tries to curl one into the top right. Too high and wide, but a decent effort nonetheless. “It seems some substitutions could do Spurs good here. I suggest Wanyama in the middle, Llorente in attack.” Sports satirist Eivind Krohg, ladies and gentlemen.

8.29pm GMT

29 min: Alli bursts down the left and is clipped from behind by Upamecano, who really should be booked. But it’s just a free kick. Spurs waste their set piece in short order, and suddenly Leipzig are breaking at speed, yet again. Werner is found just inside the box to the right. He takes a touch and lashes a shot straight at Lloris, presumably having decided that anything might happen. This time Lloris parries with strong hands.

8.27pm GMT

27 min: Werner crosses from the right, but his ball is too high for Schick in the middle. Spurs are hanging on.

8.26pm GMT

26 min: The hosts do very little with their corner. This is such an open game, though. The chances of it ending 2-0 tonight look extremely slim.

8.26pm GMT

25 min: But it’s Leipzig who look most likely to score the next goal. Angelino is afforded yet more space down the left, and he wins a corner off Aurier. Tottenham were ludicrously light at the back there, with Werner in the middle lurking. Spurs clear the corner and try to break through Alli and Lamela, but Mukiele wins the ball back, Leipzig spring back upfield, and win another corner.

8.24pm GMT

23 min: Spurs are really up against it now. But again, let us remember: this is exactly where they were in Amsterdam last season, and look what happened there. It’s a straw-clutching exercise, of course it is, but this is all Tottenham have got right now. An away goal before half-time could change everything.

8.23pm GMT

What a stunning goal this is! From the centre circle, Laimer sprays a ball down the right for Angelino, who crosses towards Sabitzer at the near post. Sabitzer powers a header down towards the bottom-left corner and in! There were a couple of Spurs mistakes - Aurier missed a header from Laimer’s pass, while Lloris was again weak of wrist - but take nothing away from the wonderful sweep of the move.

8.20pm GMT

19 min: Leipzig have the ball in the net again. Some space for Angelino down the left. His low cross flies across the face of goal, and is tapped in with great ease by Werner. But Werner had needlessly gone early, and it’s clearly offside. Werner, overly eager, let Spurs off the hook there.

8.18pm GMT

18 min: Moura works some space down the right and forces Upamecano into conceding a corner with a low cross. Nothing comes from the set piece.

8.17pm GMT

17 min: Dier and Tanganga hesitate, nearly allowing Werner to nip between them and race goalwards with the ball. Dier makes a last-ditch tackle to save the situation, before rollocking his young team-mate in the trenchant style. Spurs need to gather themselves, and quick.

8.16pm GMT

16 min: A shot of Mourinho responding to the goal pictures him gesticulating with one outstretched arm before turning away in disgust. It’s a textbook performance of the internationally recognised mime for See What I Have To Work With?! He’s not a happy man.

8.15pm GMT

14 min: But that goal has understandably deflated Spurs, while putting a fresh blast of wind in Leipzig’s sail. Momentum’s shifted. Mukiele ripples the side netting from a tight angle, though the flag belatedly goes up for offside.

8.13pm GMT

12 min: Spurs fans shouldn’t get too disheartened yet. Their team started well. And the narrative arc of this tie is following last year’s semi-final against Ajax. If history is to repeat, another goal for Leipzig before half-time and it really is on!

8.11pm GMT

Laimer scampers down the right and cuts back for Werner, whose shot from just inside the box is blocked. Werner recycles possession and tees up his captain Sabitzer, who arrows a low shot towards the bottom left. It’s a decent effort, though Lloris should tip it round the post. A weak hand and it’s in. A tale of two captains, and now Spurs are really up against it.

8.09pm GMT

8 min: During that last attack, Alderweireld had his arms wrapped around Schick, who made a half-arsed plea for a penalty kick. There wasn’t enough in it, though the Spurs defender will need to stop that if he doesn’t want to risk needless bother.

8.07pm GMT

6 min: Leipzig respond with their first serious attack of the evening. Werner presses down the right. Spurs are on the back foot. The ball’s worked towards Angelino, just inside the box, on the left. Leaning back, Angelino tries to whip a diagonal shot towards the bottom right, but gets it all wrong. It’s open.

8.06pm GMT

5 min: Some space for Alli out on the right. He swings a low cross into the box, hoping to find Lamela. Klostermann is on point and able to clear. Beforehand, Moura nearly got on the end of a long ball, only to be denied by Upamecano. This is a lively start by the visitors.

8.05pm GMT

4 min: Sessegnon makes himself known down the left, and looks to have won a corner, but the flag goes up for offside. For a split second there, the home team looked exposed. An encouraging moment for Spurs.

8.04pm GMT

3 min: Not that Leipzig have started much better themselves. Angelino takes a throw that sails infield and curls straight back out of play. Werner, hoping he’d be found on the half-way line, out on the left, gives the it-doesn’t-matter thumbs-up.

8.02pm GMT

2 min: And on that very subject, Dier overhits a simple backpass and concedes a ridiculous corner. Angelino to take from the right. Moura clears at the near post. In the dugout, Jose doesn’t look particularly impressed at what he’s just witnessed, but he soon gathers himself and reaches the touchline for an encouraging clap.

8.01pm GMT

And we’re off! The visitors get this second leg underway. It’s the very first Champions League knockout game at the RB Arena, and the home crowd aren’t disappointing. A fine noise .. and a hectic, pinball start. A few nerves on display, but not much control.

7.57pm GMT

The teams are out! Leipzig line up in their white shirts with red trim, while Spurs are resplendent in second-choice navy blue. A cracking atmosphere at a packed, Coronavirus-defying RB Arena, the 2,300 travelling Spurs fans making themselves heard as best they can. It’s time for the official Uefa remix of Zadok the Priest, the coin toss, and some pre-match pleasantries. It won’t be long before the game is underway!

7.47pm GMT

Jose Mourinho speaks. “We have nothing to lose. We are already losing. I believe we are going to do it. We go with everything. It is not much that we have. But we go with everything.” That’s from a pre-record from yesterday with BT Sport. No word from him this evening, though he has been spotted exchanging elbow-taps (damn this virus) with his opposite number Julian Nagelsmann.

7.27pm GMT

Pre-match presents. At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking little or no effort had gone into the bland pennant Marcel Sabitzer will hand over before kick-off. But squint a little harder: it’s been designed to look like a polo shirt. Full marks for busting tapered-flag convention wide open, if nothing else.

7.03pm GMT

Leipzig make one change to the side sent out at the all-new Spurs stadium three weeks ago. The 21-year-old French defender Dayot Upamecano replaces Ethan Ampadu, the 19-year-old Welsh loanee from Chelsea, at the back.

Tottenham make four changes to the side defeated in the first leg. Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies, Gedson Fernandes and Steven Bergwijn make way for Japhet Tanganga, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier and Erik Lamela. Of those dropped, only Fernandes is named as a sub. Sanchez meanwhile failed a fitness test; youth-team defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott, 18 tomorrow, gets a surprise call-up to the bench as a result.

6.53pm GMT

RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg, Mukiele, Sabitzer, Laimer, Angelino, Nkunku, Schick, Werner.
Subs: Haidara, Poulsen, Forsberg, Adams, Lookman, Olmo, Mvogo.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Alderweireld, Dier, Tanganga, Aurier, Winks, Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Lamela, Lucas Moura, Alli.
Subs: Vertonghen, Gazzaniga, Ndombele, Skipp, Fernandes, Parrott, Fagan-Walcott.

1.49pm GMT

This looks like an uphill battle for Spurs, who at the halfway point of this Champions League round-of-16 tie, are trailing to knockout new boys RB Leipzig after a 0-1 loss at home. Jose Mourinho’s men have lost four of their last five fixtures in all competitions, drawing the other slightly fortuitously at Burnley on Saturday. They need to snap that run with victory tonight, though their record this season of four wins in 21 away matches in all competitions won’t fill them with too much confidence. Nor will the fact they’ve lost all three of their matches against Bundesliga opposition in this campaign: the first leg of this tie, plus 3-1 and 7-2 defeats to Bayern Munich in the groups.

But all is not lost. In-form Leipzig may have won three and drawn two of their last five games, but they’ve already lost at home in the Champions League this season, to Lyon. The 0-2 scoreline that evening is exactly the one Spurs require to get through. Additionally, while Tottenham’s 2019-20 record against German teams is abysmal, they brushed aside Borussia Dortmund at this stage last season. And it’s impossible to forget their last knockout tie in which they lost the first leg 0-1 at home. Spurs may not have won the competition last season, but they’ll always have Amsterdam.

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Published on March 10, 2020 15:34

The Fiver | It’s doom and gloom squared, on the end of a shiny stick

Coronavirus. Coronavirus! It’s not the easiest subject from which The Fiver has tried to extract some of its alleged, once-popular trademark whimsy. Then again, we’ve been set up with plenty of open goals over the years, too, and we’ve missed nearly all of those as well. So it’s not as though you’re going to notice much difference. What we will say is, hats off to the socially responsible Pepe Reina, Frédéric Guilbert, Björn Engels, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett, who diligently self-isolated on Monday, operating independently in exclusion zones miles apart from each other, thus ensuring nobody in the Aston Villa defence had any chance of catching anything. Sadly, this had the unfortunate knock-on effect of ensuring none of them were able to catch Harvey Barnes or Jamie Vardy either, but in times of national emergency you have to make sacrifices. What did you do in the war, daddy? Keep calm and etc.

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Published on March 10, 2020 08:56

March 7, 2020

Burnley 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League – as it happened

Both teams earned a deserved point in a see-saw match at Turf Moor.

8.00pm GMT

Paul Wilson was at Turf Moor to witness this particular game of two halves. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM ... and enjoy the rest of your sporting weekend. Nighty night!

7.59pm GMT

And now here’s Sean Dyche’s take on the refusal of the officials to give Burnley a penalty for the Sanchez-Wood incident. “People are falling all over the place. Today we saw it with Joe Gomez: he gets a push in the back and I guarantee if he flails his arms about and goes rolling on the floor, it’s given. Because he tries to do the right thing, it’s not given and Bournemouth get a goal from it. A similar thing with Chris Wood, who has tried to bring the ball down on his chest and turn in the box. The bloke came through the back of him, it’s a definite penalty, nothing given. If he falls on the floor holding his face, he probably gets it. I think the game has got to be careful. You can’t not get a decision because you’re trying to play the game correctly. I can bore myself stupid about this!”

7.52pm GMT

Jose Mourinho’s verdict is in, mainly on Ndombele by the sounds of it. “The quality and dynamic of Lucas and Lo Celso made a difference. I want to say, but I cannot say: we had something in the second half that we didn’t in the first. Lucas had fatigue, Lo Celso had, Bergwijn had, Alli had, and they gave what you saw. Don’t ask me much more than this. I was expecting players not tired to give more to the team. Somebody has to realise this is the Premier League ... I hope that next season he can be fantastic, because until now it is not enough. Skipp is a kid, he had a fantastic 120 minutes, I needed to protect Winks. He is in evolution and I would never want to criticise a kid like him.”

7.37pm GMT

Dele Alli speaks to Sky. “There was a lot of aggression [in the Spurs dressing room at half-time]. We knew we weren’t good enough, though it’s a difficult place to come. If you lose focus, they can punish you. It was a sticky changing room to be in! We probably should have won the game, we created enough to win. I knew it was going to be a physical battle, but I tried to help the team as much as I could. It’s a great achievement [to reach 50 Premier League goals] but I’d swap all 50 for the three points and the win.” He also reveals - with a huge cheeky grin on his face - that he knew he’d send Nick Pope the wrong way with the penalty ... because they practice together with England, and Alli usually puts the ball in the opposite corner. “He asked me why I switched sides! I said I knew he thought I would go that way!”

7.27pm GMT

Burnley end the day in tenth spot on 39 points. Tottenham are in eighth, two points ahead on 41. The race for Europe has a crowded field, with Burnley only six points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea, albeit having now played one more game.

7.23pm GMT

The corner’s hit long. Wood chests down at the far post, but can’t get a shot on target. And that’s that! A draw that will please neither side in the push for Europe. But on balance the right result. Burnley were the better team in the first half, Spurs in the second. Though the hosts will point to Sanchez’s shove on Wood, and the referee’s refusal to award a penalty kick.

7.22pm GMT

90 min +4: McNeil crosses from the left, forcing Alderweireld to chest behind for a corner. One last chance for the hosts!

7.20pm GMT

90 min +3: Westwood is booked for kicking the ball away in frustration at the award of a garden-variety free kick in midfield.

7.19pm GMT

90 min +2: McNeil makes to tear away down the left. Lo Celso pulls him back by the shorts, and goes into the book for his brazen cheek.

7.19pm GMT

90 min +1: A free kick for Spurs out on the right. Lo Celso takes it, but not particularly well.

7.18pm GMT

90 min: There will be four extra minutes for the two sides to find a precious winner.

7.16pm GMT

89 min: Aaron Lennon, formerly of Spurs, comes on for Hendrick.

7.14pm GMT

87 min: And it’s no good.

7.14pm GMT

86 min: Both teams are pushing hard for the winner, and this is great entertainment. Aurier makes good down the right and cuts back for Alli, whose first-time slapshot is deflected into the side netting. The first corner, from the right, is punched over the bar by Pope. The second will come from the left.

7.13pm GMT

84 min: What a save by Lloris! Bardsley sends a long diagonal into the Spurs box from the right. A poor clearing header by Sanchez, who has been dismal today. McNeil tries the spectacular volley. The ball breaks to Vydra, who whips a shot towards the bottom right. Lloris parries, and Alderweireld clears. Time stood still when the ball was at Vydra’s feet, though much good it did him.

7.09pm GMT

82 min: Lo Celso has been excellent, as usual, since coming on. He nearly scores a spectacular goal, taking a touch to the right of the D and curling powerfully towards the top left. He’s got Pope beaten, but the ball sails inches wide. Such a fine effort.

7.08pm GMT

81 min: Moura drives at Burnley. He rolls a pass left towards Alli and Vertonghen; the former leaves it to the latter, whose first-time shot is blocked. Burnley go up the other end, Wood slapping a 20-yarder straight at Lloris, who looks fine after that earlier injury scare.

7.07pm GMT

80 min: Moura shoots from distance. His effort is deflected wide left for a corner. The set piece is hacked clear, then the ball is returned by Tanganga, who sends a wild effort high into the stand behind the goal.

7.06pm GMT

78 min: Yet another yellow card, as Bergwijn tugs back Hendrick. Spurs make their last change, replacing Lamela with Aurier.

7.04pm GMT

77 min: Wood takes a crack from distance. It’s straight at Lloris, who handles well, with Vydra closing in, hoping for another fumble.

7.04pm GMT

76 min: Lo Celso swings in the free kick. Pope climbs highest to claim. It’s good fun, this second half, with both teams going hard for the winner.

7.03pm GMT

75 min: Hendrick is booked for a cynical check on Bergwijn, who was motoring down the left. A free kick in a dangerous position. Spurs load the box.

7.01pm GMT

74 min: There was a defensive nick on that Alli shot. It should have been a Spurs corner, but they’re not getting it. Alli’s far from happy.

7.01pm GMT

73 min: ... Lloris comes through a crowded box to punch clear. Spurs break at great speed through Bergwijn, Alli eventually flashing a diagonal shot wide left from a position on the right.

6.59pm GMT

72 min: More space for Taylor out on the left. His cross is slapped out for a corner. From which ...

6.58pm GMT

71 min: McNeil slips Vydra away down the inside right. He drops a shoulder to get inside Vertonghen, but as he cocks his leg back to shoot, is dispossessed by Dier’s sliding tackle. A goal-saving challenge by Dier.

6.57pm GMT

70 min: Alli drives at the Burnley back line. He slips a pass wide right for Moura, who fizzes in a low cross. Tarkowski flicks the ball clear just in time, with white shirts lurking.

6.57pm GMT

69 min: Taylor, in a tight spot near the left-hand corner flag, digs out an excellent cross. Lloris claims, but hurts himself as he makes the save. A theatrical grimace. He might be worth keeping an eye on.

6.55pm GMT

68 min: Rodriguez is replaced by Vydra, recently in the goals against Southampton and Bournemouth.

6.54pm GMT

67 min: This is a completely different game now. Spurs are dominating possession, pushing Burnley back into their final third. Skipp and Ndombele will be feeling a little down right now.

6.53pm GMT

65 min: Moura and Lamela attempt a one-two down the inside-right channel. Had Moura not fallen over, he’d have gathered the return pass and would have been clear on goal. Lamela claims Moura was illegally bodychecked by Mee, but the referee isn’t interested.

6.51pm GMT

63 min: Bergwijn embarks on a power skitter down the left. He loses possession upon entering the box, but that’s another example of Spurs moving up a gear since the equaliser. They’ve been much more positive, on the front foot at last.

6.49pm GMT

61 min: Spurs are making sorties into enemy territory now. Lo Celso is at the heart of much of it. Alli and Lamela appear rejuvenated too, exchanging crisp passes down the middle and nearly opening Burnley up. Much better from the visitors.

6.47pm GMT

59 min: Taylor zips down the left. His excellent low cross is dummied by Wood, but there’s nobody behind him to take a shot. Moura breaks upfield, and is tactically bowled over by Cork, who is the latest figure to go in the book.

6.45pm GMT

58 min: A corner for Spurs out on the left. It’s worked back out to Alderweireld, who welts a long-range effort over the bar. Pope had it covered.

6.45pm GMT

57 min: As if to illustrate the point, Sanchez barges into the back of Wood again, as the striker makes his way down the left wing. This time it’s a foul and a booking! The resulting free kick comes to nought. Then Tarkowski clips Alli at high speed and he’s in the book as well. The home side, and their fans, are greatly irritated at the minute.

6.43pm GMT

55 min: A Burnley throw from the right. It’s flung into the box towards Wood, who is barged clumsily from behind by Sanchez. Anywhere else on the pitch, and that’s a foul. Not in the area, it would seem. The referee waves play on, preposterously so. Burnley are rightly livid.

6.41pm GMT

53 min: Burnley will be wondering how they’re no longer ahead. The penalty came out of nowhere, and it was the only coherent move Spurs have put together since the opening minute. But the visitors now have the collective tail up. A palpable change of mood around Turf Moor.

6.39pm GMT

51 min: Mee had no complaints with the penalty decision, by the way. A defeated shake of the head. But Taylor isn’t so quiet with the referee now; he’s booked for a late clip on Moura, who was skedaddling down the right wing.

6.38pm GMT

No Harry Kane, so it’s Dele Alli who steps up to take. He cracks a fine penalty into the bottom left, and that’s his 50th goal in the Premier League. Well, that didn’t take Spurs long!

6.36pm GMT

48 min: PENALTY TO SPURS! Here’s a game-changer! Lo Celso slips a ball down the inside-right channel. Mee slides in to poke clear, but Lamela gets there just ahead. Mee’s toe clips Lamela, who goes over, giving the referee one of the easier decisions.

6.35pm GMT

47 min: Wood, chasing a long ball down the left, brushes Sanchez off with great ease. Wood crosses, Spurs clear after a fashion.

6.33pm GMT

Burnley get the second half started. Jose Mourinho has made two changes, hooking Skipp and Ndombele and sending on Moura and Lo Celso. Moura is the only substitute who has scored for Spurs this season.

6.20pm GMT

Half-time entertainment.

6.18pm GMT

This scoreline flatters Spurs. Jose Mourinho strides off purposefully, pen and notebook in hand. He’ll have made a few observations, no doubt, and is likely to be raising them in the trenchant style. Burnley, especially Dwight McNeil, have been magnificent.

6.17pm GMT

45 min +1: There will be two added minutes. During the first, McNeil crosses deep from the left. Rodriguez heads down for Bardsley, who attempts to send a spectacular bicycle kick into the top left. It’s high and wide, though not by much.

6.15pm GMT

44 min: Rodriguez whips a ball into the Spurs box from the left. It nearly finds its way to Wood, but Lloris claims just in time. Spurs really could do with hearing the half-time whistle. Mourinho has some thinking to do.

6.13pm GMT

43 min: Alderweireld bundles Hendrick to the floor out on the right touchline. Westwood sends a long diagonal free kick towards Tarkowski at the far post. Tarkowski heads across; Wood can only bundle the ball wide left. The flag would surely have gone up for offside anyway.

6.12pm GMT

41 min: Burnley by contrast are playing some lovely football. Taylor, McNeil and Rodriguez combine well down the left yet again. The move comes to nothing, but the ease with which they’re knocking it around must worry Jose Mourinho. His team are being thoroughly outplayed.

6.09pm GMT

39 min: Another lull. Spurs are so lethargic.

6.08pm GMT

37 min: Bardsley goes down with a muscular problem, but is soon up and about again. Whether we’ll see him in the second half is another issue. Meanwhile Burnley come again. McNeil loops long. Rodriguez heads down for Wood, who tees up Westwood. His shot from the edge of the box flies wide left. Burnley are getting plenty of shooting practice today.

6.06pm GMT

36 min: Alli makes his way down the inside right and looks for Bergwijn or Alderweireld in the box. But the pass goes astray, Burnley clear, and then Alderweireld lets a simple pass clank between his ankles and out for a throw. More sarcasm in hooray form. Spurs have been extremely poor so far.

6.04pm GMT

34 min: Some space for Vertonghen out on the left. As he runs with the ball, he holds his hands out in exasperation, as there are no options for him in the middle. He does extremely well to win a corner, but trudges off furious, nevertheless, gesticulating wildly. The set piece comes to nothing, which won’t help his mood.

6.02pm GMT

32 min: Burnley stroke it around in midfield. Spurs aren’t busting a gut to close them down. The game falls a little flat as a result.

6.00pm GMT

30 min: Spurs finally warm Pope’s hands. Lamela drives down the middle of the park and from 20 yards unleashes a rising shot towards the top right. Pope is behind it all the way. Whether or not it was the right decision to shoot is moot; Vertonghen was tearing alongside him down the inside-left channel, and could have been slipped clear into the box.

5.58pm GMT

28 min: Taylor is allowed to romp all the way down the left. His whipped cross takes a little deflection and nearly tricks Lloris at his near post, but the keeper reads the situation well to react and gather.

5.57pm GMT

26 min: Alli dithers on the ball, allowing Bardsley to make off down the right flank. He slips the ball infield for Hendrick, who has a crack that’s deflected into the path of Rodriguez, free in the box down the inside-right channel. The offside flag rescues Spurs.

5.55pm GMT

25 min: Spurs look extremely nervous and uncertain. Skipp has time on the ball in the centre circle, but there’s nobody ahead making a run, and eventually he’s closed down. The ball breaks to Alderweireld, who shanks straight out of play to sarcastic cheers.

5.54pm GMT

24 min: The first 30 seconds apart, Spurs have done absolutely nothing in attack. They’ve barely spent any time in Burnley’s half.

5.53pm GMT

22 min: Tottenham are all over the shop here. A simple long punt nearly releases Wood, Dier hesitant under the high ball. Wood is eventually forced to turn tail but nearly tees up Rodriguez in the area. Spurs eventually hack clear, but if they keep on like this, Burnley will be adding to their lead sooner rather than later.

5.52pm GMT

21 min: Alderweireld clumsily bundles Rodriguez to the ground, the best part of 30 yards from goal. McNeil goes direct for the top right, but Lloris is behind the free kick all the way and makes a save for the cameras.

5.51pm GMT

19 min: Lamela is booked for an out-of-control slide on the highly effective McNeil. He complains, though you can tell his heart isn’t really in the argument. A fair decision.

5.50pm GMT

17 min: Cork drills a pass down the left for Wood, who is bowled over near the corner flag by Sanchez, but there’s no free kick. In other rules-related news, there was a hint of handball in the build-up to the goal, the ball ricocheting off McNeil’s left arm as he made two attempts to whip a cross past Sanchez. It wasn’t flagged by VAR because it wasn’t the assist, and it might not have been deemed handball in any case, with the player’s arm by his side, and the players in close proximity to each other.

5.45pm GMT

15 min: Burnley have won ten of the 12 Premier League games this season in which they’ve scored first. History continues to deal Spurs blow after blow.

5.44pm GMT

It’s fair to say this had been coming, and once again it’s McNeil who instigates all the trouble. He beats Sanchez out on the left and crosses. Dier heads weakly clear. Rodriguez, 20 yards out down the inside-left channel, wallops a low shot straight at Lloris, who finds it too hot to handle. Wood, standing nearby, pokes the rebound into the bottom left. No more than Burnley deserve for an excellent start.

5.42pm GMT

11 min: McNeil is causing all sorts of bother out on the left. This time his cross is half-cleared by Alderweireld, and ends up at the feet of Cork, who bobbles a shot straight at Lloris.

5.41pm GMT

9 min: ... an almighty scramble in the Spurs box! It’s a good old-fashioned stramash. A comic-book cloud with boots and fists poking out of it. No idea how Burnley don’t force the ball over the line. But Spurs somehow hold out amid a melee that started with Westwood’s deep corner, causing mayhem at the far post. Westwood’s already scored directly from a corner at Liverpool and Southampton, and he nearly did so again.

5.38pm GMT

8 min: Taylor and McNeil are having the run of this left flank. They combine again, the latter fizzing a cross along the byline, forcing Dier to poke out of play. And from the corner ...

5.36pm GMT

6 min: McNeil rolls a pass down the touchline on the left to release Taylor, who has time to size up the scene. He crosses for Wood, but Alderweireld manages to half clear. Burnley recycle possession, McNeil whipping another cross in from the same flank. Dier chests down without much control. The ball breaks to Wood, who whistles a fierce drive inches over the bar from the edge of the box. That would have been some goal.

5.34pm GMT

4 min: An early goal would have given Spurs some much-needed succour. In the ten games where both Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have been missing, they’ve lost eight and drawn one. It doesn’t augur well.

5.33pm GMT

2 min: In fact the ball rolled an inch behind Lamela. Or Lamela over-ran it, whichever you prefer. Either way, Spurs really should be a goal up. Burnley were uncharacteristically opened up with great ease.

5.32pm GMT

And we’re off! Spurs get the ball rolling. They’ll be hoping to put an end to their four-game losing streak, and they should be ahead within 30 seconds! Lamela, Bergwijn and Alli make their presence felt down the right. The ball rolls across towards Lamela on the penalty spot, but somehow continues rolling under his foot when it was surely easier to score!

5.28pm GMT

The teams are out! Turf Moor erupts as the hosts, draped in their famous claret and blue, take to the field. Spurs sport their equally storied lilywhite. With both teams in their first-choice duds, this is an aesthetic delight. Here’s hoping there’s football to match. We’ll be off in a minute!

5.24pm GMT

Jose Mourinho, channelling the great Art Blakey, bangs the same drum very loudly. “The feelings of the players are very important. We have an important game today, but we have another important game on Tuesday and we had two hours of football two days ago that pushed many of my players to run more thank 50 kilometres. We have to make decisions that are good for the team and the players. That is why Lucas and Lo Celso and Winks are not playing, because they are not in the best condition, and we hope they can be in the best condition on Tuesday. The players are ready to work and give everything; the point is to give them a good chance to play at a high level. I look to Leipzig today, they had Timo Werner on the bench, and are not in the situation like we are, they have six or seven attacking players. So for us it is more difficult than for others. I am not going to speak again because people are tired of listening to me.”

5.08pm GMT

Sky have a pre-match word with Sean Dyche. “We’ve had a few blips but come out of that strong. It certainly would be a marker to go above a club like Spurs, but you’ve got to earn the right. The whistle hasn’t gone yet, so we’ll see. We weren’t a million miles off when we didn’t win, but we had some big moments against Leicester, and a really good performance at Manchester United, and that inner belief grew. Our performances have been strong and consistent. We’re going to have to raise our game today.”

5.01pm GMT

The 3pm kick-offs have finished. Wins for Arsenal and Crystal Palace have pushed Burnley into the bottom half; they can move up to eighth with a win this evening. Spurs have been nudged down to eighth as a result of Sheffield United’s victory; they’ll leapfrog Wolves into fifth if they get the three points on offer tonight. Mind you, if they lose by four clear goals, no prizes for guessing who’d leapfrog them on goal difference. Their old north London pals Arsenal. So plenty at stake at Turf Moor.

4.41pm GMT

Burnley make just one change to the XI selected last weekend at Newcastle. Chris Wood replaces Matej Vydra up front.

Spurs make five changes to the team that crashed out of the FA Cup at home to Norwich. Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Japhet Tanganga, Tanguy Ndombele and Erik Lamela replace Michel Vorm, Serge Aurier, Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso and Lucas Moura.

4.31pm GMT

Burnley: Pope, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil, Wood, Rodriguez.
Subs: Brownhill, Brady, Hart, Pieters, Lennon, Vydra, Long.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Tanganga, Vertonghen, Skipp, Dier, Ndombele, Bergwijn, Alli, Lamela.
Subs: Winks, Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Gazzaniga, Aurier, Lucas Moura, Fernandes.

4.45pm GMT

To think Burnley (last title 1960) were in a spot of relegation bother not so long ago. But we never should have doubted Sean Dyche’s side. Four wins and two draws in their last six matches have seen the Clarets catapult up the table, and now they’re bothering the European spots instead. It’s been a fantastic run of form.

By contrast, Tottenham Hotspur (last title 1961) are in a bit of a state. A three-game winning burst at the start of February, against Manchester City, Southampton and Aston Villa, slightly flattered Jose Mourinho’s injury-hit side. Now they’ve lost four games on the bounce, if we count the midweek penalty shoot-out loss to Norwich City in the cup, which we surely must. The team haven’t looked at all confident going forward lately, unless you factor in Eric Dier’s determined stand sortie the other night. European football next season is far from a pipe dream, but they’ll need to arrest the slide, and quick.

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Published on March 07, 2020 12:00

Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth: Premier League – as it happened

Liverpool battled back from a goal down to move to within three wins of their first title since 1990

2.52pm GMT

Andy Hunter was at Anfield to witness Liverpool fight their way back into form. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM!

2.51pm GMT

Eddie Howe’s verdict. “We gave it a go. We started really well, and threatened on the counter attack. We defended really well, the two goals came from us having possession and that transition Liverpool are so good at. They punished us twice today, but I can’t fault the lads. We’ve made a mistake, but they still had to punish us. That’s the quality they possess. They were ruthless. I don’t think we did a lot wrong in the match. I felt we could score at any time in the game. Losing Steve Cook was a big moment. I don’t want to be positive after games we don’t win, but the last six games for us have been a big improvement. We’ve won two, but our performances have been better, and that encourages us for the last nine games.”

2.45pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp speaks! “It was a very good performance after a very difficult start. From my point of view, the first goal was a 100 percent foul. Nothing else. But it shows the problem with VAR as well, because the referee didn’t see it. Mike Dean was next to me, saying have a look, have a look, and VAR said it was not clear and obvious, I don’t know how that is possible. We wanted to fight back before the game, but then we really had to fight back, and put them under pressure. We did a lot of good stuff, played a lot of good football. We had to concentrate 100 percent, and we deserved the three points in the end. [The home record] is nice, it is special, but not normal, and the game today is a good example. We had to fight hard, we are not geniuses, but we can really fight!”

2.35pm GMT

Liverpool have broken their own long-standing record today. By winning their 22nd league match at Anfield in a row, they beat the mark set by the legendary Bill Shankly’s team in 1972. Third on the list: Manchester City (2011-12) and Newcastle United (1906-07). “It’s an amazing place to play football,” adds Milner. “There have been unbelievable teams here over the years, so to be up there with those is special. But we want to keep producing performances, hopefully winning trophies and create history for this club.”

2.31pm GMT

James Milner, who made sure of Liverpool’s victory with an outstanding goal-line clearance, speaks to BT Sport. “Any Premier League game is hard to win. It’s a boring thing to say, but it’s true. Especially when you’ve had a couple of performances when we weren’t at our level. Again today, we weren’t at our best, but many teams would have crumbled after a couple of poor results. But we kept going and stayed calm, and with the boys up front, we always have a chance. You can’t question the boys’ heart and desire.”

Mohamed Salah adds: “Today we showed our personality, we had to react, we did well. We need to keep going for the next three games, and the rest of the season.”

2.28pm GMT

Liverpool are now 25 points clear at the top, though second-placed Manchester City have two games in hand. They just need nine points from their last nine games for their first title in 30 years. Jurgen Klopp punches the air in front of the Kop, a study more of relief than celebration. Liverpool were far from their best today ... though they still scored twice, hit the post, and will feel aggrieved at the nature of Bournemouth’s opener. Not a bad way to under-perform.

2.25pm GMT

One down, three to go. Bournemouth remain in the relegation zone.

2.24pm GMT

90 min +4: Mane and Milner take an age over a free kick out on the left. Clock management in full effect. The Kop finally feels brave enough to break into song: “We’re going to win the league.”

2.23pm GMT

90 min +3: Origi tears off down the left. He’s got Salah in the middle, but can’t force the ball past Stacey, who was tracking back well. Liverpool look like getting over the line, but they’ve made a meal of this.

2.22pm GMT

90 min +2: Wilson is booked for a late clatter on Milner. Then a second change for Liverpool, as Origi replaces Firmino, who is still yet to score at Anfield this season. He’ll not get a better chance than the one he spurned a minute ago.

2.21pm GMT

90 min +1: And up the other end, Bournemouth breathe again! Lallana and Salah combine down the right, teeing up Firmino in the centre. He has to make Ramsdale work at the very least, but leans back and hoicks deep into the Kop. What a finish to this game!

2.20pm GMT

90 min: Milner upends Stacey out on the right, and this is a free kick in a very dangerous position. Milner heads clear, but Cook dinks a pass down the inside left, and Ake is clear! He rolls infield for Wilson, who should poke home, but stands on the ball. Then the flag goes up for offside. What an escape for Liverpool!

2.19pm GMT

89 min: Lewis Cook sprays a pass down the right. Solanke hopes to latch onto it, but Adrian is out quickly to blast into the stand.

2.17pm GMT

88 min: Billing’s back! But he doesn’t look comfortable at all as he trots around the middle of the park in a very ginger fashion.

2.17pm GMT

87 min: Van Dijk lashes a long pass down the left. Mane nearly gets past Stacey, but legs tangle and he goes over. No free kick, and no penalty either, Mane making sure he falls inside the box. Ramsdale gathers, and we play on.

2.16pm GMT

86 min: Billing loiters on the touchline in the hope his injury repairs itself in short order.

2.15pm GMT

85 min: Billing gets up and limps off. It doesn’t look as though he’s able to continue, so Bournemouth will play the rest of the game with ten men.

2.13pm GMT

84 min: Solanke whacks his own man Billing, pressing his knee into the defender’s lower back. Billing looks in some pain. He writhes around, punching the turf in agony. As he receives treatment, Oxlade-Chamberlain makes way for Lallana.

2.11pm GMT

82 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has a whack from 25 yards. It’s always heading well wide left.

2.10pm GMT

80 min: Lerma is replaced by walking Tic-Tac advertisement Dan Gosling. The former Everton midfielder gets the sort of reception you’d imagine.

2.08pm GMT

78 min: Correction: Ake forces out for another wasted corner.

2.07pm GMT

77 min: Suddenly Gomez slips a pass down the right. Salah cuts into the area and tries to thread another into the bottom right. Ramsdale tips round the post for a corner. Liverpool make a mess of the set piece, but Salah strips a dallying Fraser on the right and feeds Milner, who fires across the face of goal. With Mane and Firmino lurking, Ake forces out for another corner.

2.05pm GMT

76 min: Liverpool stroke it around the middle, but don’t go anywhere in particular.

2.04pm GMT

74 min: Mane latches onto a loose ball, 25 yards out on the left. He hits it first time, curling the ball towards the top right. It’s beaten Ramsdale all ends up ... but the ball crashes off the post and away. That would have been an absolute pearler. What an effort!

2.02pm GMT

72 min: Firmino has been quiet, but suddenly he sparks into life, dinking the ball down the inside right for Salah. The ball breaks back to him, and he flashes a fierce cross-cum-shot through the six-yard box. Mane, at the far post, can’t react in time to prod home. To be fair, the ball was travelling some, and it would have been a hell of a finish if he’d managed to connect.

2.01pm GMT

70 min: Bournemouth are causing Liverpool some problems, though. Fraser tries to get on the end of a left-wing cross, but can’t keep the ball in play. A taller player might have asked a question there. The crowd groan in anxious fashion.

1.59pm GMT

69 min: Salah tries to bring down a high ball with his shoulder, and uses his arm instead. A free kick out on the right. It’s floated in. There are five Bournemouth players offside, but the flag doesn’t go up. Ake and Solanke bustle around and force a corner. Liverpool are furious ... but finally the flag goes up. What a nonsense.

1.57pm GMT

68 min: Stanislas is replaced by former Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke, who receives a warm round of applause as he reacquaints himself with his old stomping ground.

1.56pm GMT

66 min: This one’s better. Alexander-Arnold takes from the right. He fires long, and at the far post Van Dijk rises to bomb a header towards the bottom left. Ramsdale claims it well, though.

1.55pm GMT

65 min: There used to be a Liverpool fanzine called Another Wasted Corner. Well, that.

1.54pm GMT

63 min: A free kick for Liverpool out on the left. Milner floats it in. Van Dijk goes up, but Ramsdale is able to punch clear. “I’m sure I speak for my fellow LFC supporters when I say I’m not enjoying our early 2010s tribute act this afternoon. Squeaky bum time indeed,” writes Sir Alex Ferguson tribute act Tony Barr.

1.52pm GMT

62 min: Liverpool are not playing well. Stanislas crosses from the left. Ake is preparing to crash a header goalwards, but Adrian does just enough to punch clear. Diego Simeone will be watching this game with his feet up and a cigar on.

1.51pm GMT

61 min: A long pass down the middle. Fraser beats the Liverpool back line, and reaches the ball ahead of the out-rushing Adrian. He loops over the keeper. The ball’s heading into the net ... but Milner brilliantly races back and acrobatically hooks off the line and away! What a clearance! Bournemouth so close to hauling themselves level.

1.49pm GMT

59 min: Salah sashays in from the right and dinks the ball into the Bournemouth box to ... nobody. Ramsdale claims with a yawn. The crowd burst into song, in an attempt to light a fire under their team.

1.48pm GMT

58 min: Van Dijk, usually so poised in distribution, wallops a long ball straight out for a goal kick, miles from any red shirt. The tension at Anfield is palpable. Next goal wins?

1.46pm GMT

56 min: Some nervy head tennis in the midfield. Both teams aware this is still very much up for grabs.

1.44pm GMT

54 min: Liverpool are beginning to stutter. Anfield is very still as a result. You can understand the tension. So close, after 30 years. Wins, so easy to come by for so long, suddenly don’t look quite so simple.

1.42pm GMT

52 min: Stanislas sends a weak shot wide left of goal. A poor end to a promising move that saw Fraser momentarily get clear down the inside right, only to hesitate and see an effort easily blocked. Further proof, though, that Bournemouth don’t intend to lie down and accept the inevitable.

1.41pm GMT

50 min: Stanislas knocks long down the right. Wilson nearly nudges Van Dijk, of all people, off the ball. Van Dijk’s not having it, and barges back to win and clear, but the Bournemouth striker is clearly in the mood to take the game to Liverpool’s centre backs.

1.38pm GMT

49 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has a dig from 25 yards. The ball cannons off Ake and away from danger. The hosts are on the front foot in the early stages of the second half.

1.38pm GMT

47 min: The corner drops to Wijnaldum, who executes a perfect fresh-air swipe. The ball’s knocked back into the box. Mane tries to flick the ball around Simpson, but it clips the defender’s hand. Liverpool claim for a penalty, but they’re not getting it. The correct decision: Simpson’s arm was down by his side, and the two players were standing right next to each other.

1.35pm GMT

46 min: Gomez slips a pass down the right for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who wins a corner off Ake. Alexander-Arnold to take.

1.34pm GMT

Liverpool get the second half underway. They’re kicking towards the Kop.

1.20pm GMT

Half-time entertainment: Meanwhile, across the city ...

1.19pm GMT

Another good 45 minutes for Jordan Henderson.

1.18pm GMT

45 min +3: Gomez tries to release Salah down the right. Blooter! Overhit! Out of play. Goal kick.

1.17pm GMT

45 min +2: Fraser works hard down the left to win a corner off Alexander-Arnold. Stanislas takes. Milner slaps it clear. Both teams are pushing for a goal that would significantly change the picture at half-time.

1.16pm GMT

45 min +1: The first of four added minutes. Stacey nearly gifts Mane possession in the Bournemouth box, but just about gets away with it.

1.15pm GMT

45 min: Smith barges Salah off the ball down the left, and slips a pass upfield for Wilson. Adrian races out of his area to punt clear, just in time. On the touchline, Klopp is ranting and raving. You’d pay cash money to be a fly on the wall in the Liverpool dressing room during the break.

1.14pm GMT

43 min: Fraser dinks a ball down the left to release Stanislas. Milner does well to track his run, ensuring he can’t slip Wilson in down the middle. Stanislas lays off to Fraser, who dinks into the box for Billing, but Gomez is on hand to clear. Bournemouth are still carrying a threat. Liverpool don’t look secure at the back at all. Lots of space.

1.11pm GMT

41 min: Mane is penalised for being kicked by Lerma. The referee is currently doing a splendid job of riling up both sets of players.

1.10pm GMT

39 min: Stanislas makes good down the inside left and pearls a shot towards the bottom left. Adrian parries, although not in a particularly confident style. The ball spins out for a corner, which Adrian clears with a much more definitive punch. Liverpool attempt to break upfield, but make a Horlicks of the three-on-two.

1.09pm GMT

38 min: More ill feeling, as Gomez nudges Smith off the field and into the advertising hoardings. Smith whacks his noggin. He’s up soon enough, rubbing his head and moaning at the referee. Speaking of Gomez ... “If Gomez goes down from the initial push the ref would probably blow for a foul before it got any further,” argues Dan C. “Maybe not a ‘clear and obvious error’ for VAR to overturn, but it doesn’t encourage honesty either. Which would we rather see?”

1.07pm GMT

37 min: Salah, dropping deep on the right, rakes a diagonal looper towards Milner, coming in from the left. Milner connects, but volleys softly into the arms of Ramsdale. Bournemouth are holding on a bit.

1.06pm GMT

35 min: Mane loses the flight of a long ball and sticks up an arm as it sails towards the stand. He’s still in play, though. Lerma and Fraser want him booked, and tell the referee so. The referee isn’t minded to flourish a yellow. The crowd aren’t too happy with Bournemouth’s demands. There’s a bit of an edge to this now, for one reason and another.

1.05pm GMT

34 min: Klopp celebrated that goal with a wild scream, and a pointed holler in the ear of the linesman, who happened to be passing. He’s clearly still livid about that opening goal.

1.03pm GMT

Van Dijk intercepts as Bournemouth consider a quick break. He rolls a straight ball down the middle for Mane, who is in acres. Mane advances towards the box, draws Ramsdale, and slips the ball past the keeper and into the bottom right. Easy as that.

1.01pm GMT

31 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has a dig from 25 yards. It pinballs around the Bournemouth box before the visitors clear. Liverpool are beginning to dominate.

1.00pm GMT

29 min: Another corner for Liverpool ... but this one is whizzed straight out of play by Alexander-Arnold. Bournemouth are getting pushed back again, their early verve suddenly lost.

12.58pm GMT

28 min: This is much better from Simpson! Van Dijk floats a left-to-right diagonal for Alexander-Arnold, who fires across the face of goal. Mane is waiting to tap in, but Simpson somehow hooks behind for a corner, from which nothing occurs. That makes up for his earlier error ... a bit.

12.57pm GMT

27 min: Salah dug Mane out of a hole there. That move looked like falling apart, a superb chance about to be squandered, but Salah ensured it would count with a magnificent finish from the edge of the box. Mane will get an assist for that, but really.

12.55pm GMT

Anfield is making some noise now! Mane robs Simpson, who was ambling out from the back, yet to get up to speed. Liverpool are two on one! Mane thinks about shooting, but rolls the ball to Salah on his right. It’s a dreadful pass, behind the man, but Salah checks, shifts inside, and threads a shot into the bottom right.

12.53pm GMT

23 min: You could hear a pin drop at the minute. In the dugout, Klopp tries to whip up his charges. It’s all extremely flat. Penny for Pep Guardiola’s thoughts at the moment.

12.52pm GMT

21 min: Liverpool win their first corner. Alexander-Arnold takes it from the right. Play is stopped as Wijnaldum takes an accidental whack from Ake’s flailing arm. Anfield wants a penalty, but there was no intent. Mind you, elsewhere, Lerma shoved Fabinho to the floor, so perhaps everyone was claiming for that. Either way, Liverpool are getting nowt, and the hosts look extremely agitated.

12.50pm GMT

19 min: Simpson comes on for the Bournemouth captain Steve Cook. “I assume we can stop talking about VAR favouring Liverpool now, right?” asks Oliver Loksa. BT Sport refereeing guru Peter Walton certainly thinks it should have been a foul, as the “clear and obvious” bar is lowered significantly for an “upper body foul”. And he usually just parrots the official line, so make of that what you will.

12.47pm GMT

17 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain plays a cute ball down the inside-right channel. Steve Cook stretches but can’t intercept. Firmino has space to shoot, but his effort is parried by Ramsdale. Bournemouth clear ... but it looks like Cook has done his hamstring.

12.46pm GMT

16 min: Lewis Cook plays a ball down the inside-left channel for Wilson, who beats the offside trap and zips upfield. Liverpool are again short at the back, and lucky that Wilson’s pass forward for Stanislas is too strong. Adrian claims.

12.44pm GMT

14 min: Milner is forced to concede a corner out on the right. Fraser takes. Ake pearls a glorious header goalwards. Liverpool are fortunate that it’s straight at Adrian, who can tip over the bar. The second corner comes to nothing, but you can be sure most of the punters inside Anfield are currently thinking about Devon Loch.

12.43pm GMT

13 min: Let’s see if James Milner’s pre-match team-talk had any effect. There’s no immediate sign, as Fraser crosses from the right. The ball only just flies over the head of Stanislas in the middle.

12.42pm GMT

11 min: Liverpool have only themselves to blame for that one. Wilson did shove Gomez in the back, and off the ball, but everyone in red then stopped. Bournemouth played to the whistle, and VAR official Michael Oliver saw nothing wrong with Wilson’s challenge. Anfield falls silent, bar a few boos, and a cheer in the away end. On the touchline, Klopp throws his hands around, urging the crowd to get going.

12.40pm GMT

Billing takes up possession, feeding Lerma down the right. He rolls the ball across the face of goal for Wilson, who taps home. VAR checks, decides there’s no shove on Gomez, and Liverpool are trailing again!

12.38pm GMT

8 min: Wilson barges Gomez out of the way as the pair chase a long ball. It looks like a foul, but ...

12.36pm GMT

6 min: Bournemouth are sitting deep. Liverpool hogging possession. It already looks like being one of those games. Can the title hopefuls break through? Can the relegation strugglers hold out? Alexander-Arnold crosses for Salah. Steve Cook heads behind for a corner, but the flag goes up, correctly, for offside.

12.34pm GMT

4 min: It’s a lovely late-winter, early-spring day at Anfield. Not much in the way of breeze. Liverpool stroke it around the back in a similarly mild style. Then suddenly there’s a little space for Alexander-Arnold down the right, but his cross is easily hoicked clear by Ake.

12.32pm GMT

2 min: Otherwise, it’s a slow start, and Anfield has quickly fallen silent. Expect this to be a tense affair, unless Liverpool score early.

12.31pm GMT

40 secs: A mazy dribble by Oxlade-Chamberlain down the right. The ball’s slipped inside for Van Dijk, who lumps forward and nearly releases Salah down the right. Ramsdale is out quickly to claim. An early statement of intent from the hosts.

12.30pm GMT

Bournemouth get the ball rolling. They’ll be kicking towards the Kop in this first half.

12.30pm GMT

The teams are out! Liverpool are four wins from the title, and the atmosphere at Anfield is accordingly hot. A huge roar as the players take to the field of play. Much amusement as the players meet, the hosts trooping along the line offering no handshakes, as per the coronavirus edict. Smiles all round at the oddity. Let’s balance out the fun with some pre-match misery, courtesy of Ian Copestake: “Despite defending Lovren far better than Lovren actually can himself, Juergen has not included him on the bench. Kudos to the Croatian for self-isolating. I am going to say this out loud, but I think this will not be a win for Liverpool. I’m no psychologist but until they get the game with Madrid-lite done and won then and only then will the burden they seem to be playing under will be lifted.”

12.24pm GMT

BT Sport have been lugging into Liverpool stand-in captain James Milner’s pre-match pep talk. Here’s what he told the rest of the team as they were warming up. “Those reactions, straight away, as soon as we lose it, bodies round it, then we play all that area, eh? Doesn’t matter who scores, we score, they score, we lift it again. Every kick-off is a trigger for us.” Well that’s fate tempted. Goalless draw ahoy!

12.19pm GMT

Jurgen’s version. “The results in the last four games were not exactly how we wanted them to be. So we have the chance to change the situation. Bournemouth have to fight for the league, so we have to fight, make it as difficult as possible, and get a result. In football you always have to find a solution.” Is Robertson rested or injured, BT Sport’s Des Kelly asks. A long pause, before a considered response. “Something in between?! He would have started today but he felt slightly bad, so he will be good, fine for Wednesday, but not today.”

12.09pm GMT

Cherries boss Eddie Howe throws down the gauntlet. “It’s the ultimate test and that’s how we have to look at this game and approach it. It’s a great opportunity to show how good we are. You learn from every opponent’s gameplan and see if there’s anything that can help your team, but we are us. We are our unique team with the strengths that we possess, and I think we can cause them problems. We have to believe we can get a positive result today. Being in the bottom three should focus our energies in a positive way. We know we have to do something. The onus is on us.”

11.59am GMT

BREAKING NEWS: Liverpool will be playing in red ...

11.40am GMT

Liverpool make three changes to the team that went down so spectacularly at Watford last week. Adrian in for Alisson; Joe Gomez for Dejan Lovren; James Milner for Andy Robertson.

Bournemouth make one change from last weekend’s draw with Chelsea. Junior Stanislas replaces the injured Josh King.

11.32am GMT

Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Mane, Firmino, Salah.
Subs: Keita, Minamino, Lallana, Lonergan, Origi, Matip, Williams.

Bournemouth: Ramsdale, Stacey, Steve Cook, Ake, Smith, Billing, Lerma, Lewis Cook, Stanislas, Callum Wilson, Fraser.
Subs: Boruc, Gosling, Surman, Solanke, Rico, Simpson, Surridge.

4.41pm GMT

Winning the league isn’t meant to be easy. Liverpool supporters are all too aware of this, into the 30th year of the search for their holy grail. Mind you, this time last week, it felt like the Reds were leading a procession, four wins from their first English championship since 1990. But one no-show against Watford later, plus a KO in the cup, and the mood-o-meter has switched from Party to Pensive. If they fail to beat Bournemouth this lunchtime, it won’t exactly be crisis time ... not yet ... but a few nerve-ends will start to jangle, twitch and yip, you can be darn sure of that.

As Liverpool have just found out, a lot can change in a couple of matches. But then spin it another way: if they see off relegation-haunted Bournemouth today, as they surely should, then pull off a recovery in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, the entire picture will suddenly look a hell of a lot brighter. It doesn’t take much for the dial to shift either way. And what better opponent to shake off the post-break blues against than Bournemouth? Liverpool have won their last five games against Eddie Howe’s side to the aggregate tune of 17-0. They quite literally couldn’t Cherry-pick a better fixture in which to bounce back.

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Published on March 07, 2020 06:52

March 4, 2020

FA Cup fifth round: Norwich win at Spurs, Man City beat Sheff Wed – as it happened

The holders eased past Sheffield Wednesday, while Tottenham’s wait to reach a first final since 1991 goes on.

12.35am GMT

10.32pm GMT

We had to wait a while, but we were rewarded with some drama at the end. Here’s the revised quarter-final draw ...

10.29pm GMT

Krul races the length of the pitch to celebrate with the Norwich faithful. They’ll host Derby County or Manchester United in the quarter finals! And it’s Champions League or bust for Jose Mourinho as he closes out his first season at Spurs.

10.27pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 2-3 Norwich City. Gedson Fernandes stutters and bumbles a dreadful penalty towards the bottom right. Krul has time to put out a cigarette and fold his newspaper before throwing his cap on it. Norwich are in the quarters!

10.25pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 2-3 Norwich City. Cantwell absolutely lashes a penalty into the top left. Spurs on the brink ... and in style.

10.25pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Norwich City. Troy Parrott hits lamely towards the bottom right. Krul parries. Advantage Norwich!

10.24pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Norwich City. Stiepermann thrashes his spot kick into the bottom right. Vorm guessed well, but couldn’t get anywhere near.

10.24pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Norwich City. Lo Celso calmly passes one into the top left. Then not so calmly slips over. But it’s in!

10.23pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Norwich City. Young Adam Idah lashes a stunning penalty into the top right. Unstoppable!

10.22pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Norwich City. Erik Lamela misses, going for the top left but hitting the bar.

10.22pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Norwich City. Kenny McLean whips his to the right. Vorm guesses correctly and parries. First blood Spurs!

10.21pm GMT

Penalties: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Norwich City. Dier fires into the bottom left. Krul guesses correctly but has no chance.

10.20pm GMT

Spurs will be taking their penalties first. Eric Dier with the honour, and a huge roar of anticipation as he makes his way down the pitch. Here we go, then ...

10.17pm GMT

While the teams prep their penalties, why not catch up on events at the King Power? Peter Lansley was there to witness Leicester edge past Birmingham and set up a quarter-final tie with Chelsea.

10.15pm GMT

Some hectic end-to-end nonsense, as Oliver Skipp, then Josip Drmic attempt to break. Both lose control, and that’s the end of extra time. We’re going to penalties to find out who’ll host Derby County or Manchester United in the quarter finals!

10.13pm GMT

ET 29: Cantwell is upended by Aurier, 35 yards from goal. Cantwell floats the free kick into the Spurs box. It’s easily cleared.

10.13pm GMT

ET 28: Fernandes blazes over the bar from 20 yards. He’s not missed by much. As close as Spurs have come in extra time.

10.12pm GMT

ET 27: Lamela nearly opens Norwich up down the right. Not quite. And so much for Mourinho’s studied cool: now he’s up, effin’ and jeffin’ at his players. One last push to avoid penalty kicks!

10.11pm GMT

ET 26: The tension at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is palpable. On the touchline, Jose Mourinho strikes a carefree pose. He’s kidding nobody.

10.10pm GMT

ET 25: Lamela dribbles dangerously across the face of the Norwich box. He’s stripped of possession, but Idah’s clearance crashes into Lewis and nearly drops at the feet of the lesser-spotted Parrott. Krul snaffles on the penalty spot, just in time.

10.07pm GMT

ET 24: Lamela wafts a poor effort into the arms of Krul. Easy pickings for the keeper.

10.07pm GMT

ET 23: Erik Lamela bustles down the right and wins a free kick off a desperate Lewis. This will be a free kick in a very dangerous position, just to the side of the Norwich box.

10.06pm GMT

ET 21: Gedson Fernandes scurries down the inside-left channel and attempts to find Lo Celso in the middle. Alex Tettey does extremely well to intercept and clear.

10.04pm GMT

ET 19: Giovani Lo Celso smacks a shot towards the bottom left from a tight angle. Tim Krul parries. Serge Aurier lashes the rebound over from the right-hand corner of the box.

10.02pm GMT

ET 17: Some good work by Jamal Lewis down the Norwich left. He stands one up for Adam Idah at the far post. Idah should do better with his off-target header.

9.59pm GMT

It’s half time in extra time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It’s still 1-1. We might as well join that, no? A little bonus MBM action. Before that, here’s Jamie Jackson’s verdict on Manchester City’s win over Sheffield Wednesday.

9.58pm GMT

Pep’s version of events. “We didn’t concede one shot on target. We were incredibly solid. It was tough, they had ten players there. It was a tough week for us, but the players were ready to fight. We knew if we conceded a lot of chances we would be in trouble. That means a lot. We are playing with more and more quality.”

9.54pm GMT

… made by Martin Keown and Chris Waddle.

9.46pm GMT

Elsewhere, Leicester have beaten Birmingham 1-0. The Foxes continue to hunt for their first-ever FA Cup. The Spurs-Norwich tie has ended 1-1 and is now in extra time. More on that when we have it. But in the meantime, stay with us for the quarter-final draw, which will be coming up soon.

9.42pm GMT

Pep Guardiola theatrically lectures a couple of his players as the teams head off down the tunnel. City weren’t at their best, but they were still far too good for Wednesday. Their margin of victory should have been much larger than one goal; they were uncharacteristically wasteful front. But in the FA Cup, a win’s a win’s a win, as Riyad Mahrez explains: “It was tough, we knew it was going to be tough. Sometimes you have to take the win like this, and we are happy to go through. We had to pass the ball between the lines and move a bit. But we knew we would create chances. We scored and we are happy. There is still a long way to go in the FA Cup, but we will try to win every game.”

9.36pm GMT

The holders are through, despite missing several chances, Sergio Aguero their hero yet again. Wednesday’s 85-year wait for their fourth FA Cup will go on.

9.34pm GMT

90 min +2: Mahrez, Sterling and Jesus stream towards the Wednesday goal. Someone should score, it’s three on one, but they try to walk the ball into the net. Eventually Sterling slams his shot straight at Wildsmith. This should be over. It nearly is, but not quite.

9.33pm GMT

90 min: There will be three minutes of stoppage time.

9.31pm GMT

88 min: Mahrez is booked for a saucy tug on Murphy, who was threatening to break down the right. One for the team.

9.30pm GMT

87 min: Nothing comes of City’s corner. Elsewhere, Leicester have taken the lead late on against Birmingham, Ricardo Pereira scoring on 82 minutes, while Norwich have equalised at Spurs, Josip Drmic for the Canaries on 78 minutes.

9.29pm GMT

86 min: Before the corner can be taken, Aguero is replaced by Raheem Sterling. As the striker leaves the pitch, he becomes the recipient of some industrial advice from his manager. Pep’s not happy with his team’s performance.

9.27pm GMT

85 min: Mahrez drifts down the left and chips into the mixer. The cross is too high for Jesus, allowing Lees to head out for a corner. Aguero was behind the Wednesday defender, waiting to slot home.

9.26pm GMT

84 min: On the touchline, Pep is apoplectic. His charges, perhaps wary of what awaits them should they ship an equaliser, respond accordingly, re-establishing a semblance of control.

9.25pm GMT

82 min: City are suddenly rocking a little! Bravo overplays with the ball at his feet, and is nearly stripped of possession by Da Cruz. The goalie shanks out for a corner. Bannan’s delivery is no good, but City are under a bit of pressure for the first time tonight. The cost of not putting away your chances.

9.23pm GMT

81 min: A Wednesday free kick, out on the right, is hooked to the far post. Stones misses his header ... but so does Lees behind him. Goal kick, but that was half a chance.

9.23pm GMT

80 min: Bannan sends Fox off down the left. His cross is too long. Jesus should clear, but dallies on the ball, allowing Hunt to claim and curl a fantastic low cross along the corridor of uncertainty. Fletcher, at the far stick, is inches away from poking home, but can’t stretch enough. So close to an equaliser that would, on the balance of play, be utterly absurd.

9.20pm GMT

78 min: ... David Silva shins hysterically into the stand behind. It’s City’s 19th attempt on goal tonight, and the highest flyer of them all.

9.19pm GMT

77 min: Mendy makes good down the left and looks for Jesus in the centre with a low curled cross. The excellent Iorfa slides in to hook out for a corner. From which ...

9.18pm GMT

76 min: But it’s still only 0-1, and in the FA Cup, you never know. Wednesday need to get hold of the ball first, mind you.

9.17pm GMT

75 min: Otamendi feeds Mahrez down the inside right. Mahrez glides towards the box and creams one towards the top left. Wildsmith parries well. City come again, and Mahrez has another pop, dropping a shoulder to come in from the left. Again Wildsmith saves well.

9.16pm GMT

73 min: How on earth has that second goal not arrived? Mahrez nearly turns the ball home, latching onto a lovely David Silva slide down the inside right, but his effort is turned out for a corner. From the set piece, Wildsmith claims amid a wild scramble, Stones having set it off with a slapshot from the spot. This is desperate stuff from Wednesday now.

9.13pm GMT

71 min: Is sitting back a good idea? It’s moot. Mahrez finds space down the left but can’t find anyone with his pullback. City win a corner out on the right, but Palmer clears. A second goal seems just a matter of time.

9.12pm GMT

69 min: Wednesday seem quite happy to sit back. They appear to be in Damage Limitation mode.

9.10pm GMT

67 min: Fletcher, surrounded by neon City shirts, tries to escape with a cute backheel. Full marks for ambition, at least. The home crowd respond to his ineffective cheek with a brief but very heartfelt howl of despair.

9.08pm GMT

65 min: Hillsborough has fallen pretty quiet. The home side haven’t achieved anything of note since falling behind. Sequence of more than two passes have come at a premium.

9.06pm GMT

63 min: Lee has tweaked his groin. He hobbles off, to be replaced by 19-year-old Alex Hunt. Wednesday have now used up all of their substitutes.

9.05pm GMT

61 min: Mahrez drives with purpose down the right, cutting into the box before dragging a low shot wide right. That was at the end of a lovely sweeping move also involving Aguero and David Silva. City haven’t been at their very best tonight, but they’re still so easy on the eye.

9.02pm GMT

60 min: More of the passing. City have established full control of this tie, even if the scoreline doesn’t quite reflect their dominance. Yet.

9.00pm GMT

58 min: City stroke the ball around in the grand fashion. They’ve enjoyed 78% of the possession this evening.

9.00pm GMT

56 min: Wednesday respond to falling behind by replacing Forestieri with Steven Fletcher.

8.59pm GMT

54 min: There’s no VAR for this game, and I wonder whether Aguero would have been judged a millimetre or two offside had the nit-pickers at Stockley Park been rocking and rolling tonight. But even if that’s the case - and I wouldn’t be too sure - that would have been one of those absurdly pedantic decisions that are ruining football, and City deserve to be in front anyway, so here we are. No controversy here!

8.56pm GMT

Mendy slips a pass down the inside-left channel. Aguero traps, turns quickly, and lashes a low shot straight at Wildsmith. The ball’s hit so hard, all Wildsmith can do is parry the ball into the air; it lands behind him and spins into the net. Relentless City get their reward.

8.54pm GMT

52 min: Now Bernardo Silva has a go, whistling a low shot towards the bottom right. Wildsmith parries well.

8.54pm GMT

51 min: Suitably chastened, City come very close to making their manager a little happier. David Silva rolls a pass across the face of the Wednesday box, right to left. Mendy, coming in from the wing, crashes a super shot towards the top left. Wildsmith gets a fingernail to it, tipping it onto the bar. The ball twangs away. Great football all round.

8.52pm GMT

50 min: Aguero is caught offside as he receives the ball down the right. On the touchline, Pep Guardiola dances around, throwing semaphore shapes and screaming at his players in a very agitated manner. They’d better do as he says, or there’ll be trouble later.

8.51pm GMT

48 min: City have come out on the front foot. Iorfa takes a clunkish touch and is robbed by Mahrez, who sends Aguero scampering towards the Wednesday box. City are two on one, but Aguero hesitates when he should set Mahrez free on the overlap, then sends a dribbler towards the bottom right from distance. Wildsmith claimes easily.

8.49pm GMT

47 min: David Silva whips a vicious low cross in from the right. Wildsmith dives to gather, the ball sticking to his gloves. He’s not had a whole load to do this evening, despite the many chances created by City in the first half. Not a great deal on target as of yet.

8.47pm GMT

Wednesday get the second half underway. They’ve made a half-time change, replacing Borner with Lees.

8.42pm GMT

In tonight’s other fifth-round matches ... Tottenham Hotspur lead Norwich City by an early Jan Vertonghen header, while Leicester City are being held goalless at home by Birmingham City. It’s not been a banner evening in the FA Cup so far. But there’s plenty of time for things to get memorable. Also, remember to stick around after the full-time whistle for the quarter-final draw.

8.35pm GMT

Half-time entertainment. Other cup competitions are available for your leisure and pleasure.

8.33pm GMT

There goes the half-time whistle. Wednesday have kept the scoreline goalless, but City have created enough chances to be ahead. Remember: if the score stays the same after 90 minutes, we’re heading into extra time and possibly towards a penalty shoot-out.

8.31pm GMT

45 min: Lee clips David Silva to the floor out on the left. Mahrez curls long for Stones, who finds space at the far post. Stones heads down, six yards out. The ball bounces up and over the bar. Goal kick, and yet another great City chance spurned from close range.

8.29pm GMT

44 min: City press hard, coming at Wednesday from all angles. But then suddenly Bannan breaks down the left and curls a long pass up the flank towards Da Cruz. Stones does exceptionally well to slide in and hook the ball away from the striker, just when he was threatening to break into the box.

8.27pm GMT

42 min: David Silva slips Mahrez into space on the right. The ball’s tugged back for Bernardo Silva, loitering on the penalty spot, but Murphy has read the danger well, and is on point to intercept and clear. That’s fine play all round.

8.26pm GMT

40 min: Stones is now getting booed for nearly breaking his back a couple of minutes ago. Soccer banter!

8.24pm GMT

38 min: Now Stones is down in distress, having winded himself, landing heavily after an aerial duel with Da Cruz. He should be fine to continue once he gets his breath.

8.23pm GMT

36 min: Mahrez tries to beat Palmer down the left. Palmer slips, accidentally handling the ball, smothering it as he falls. It’s a free kick, but never a booking. However, the yellow card is flashed in his distraught face. A poor decision. From the resulting set piece, Stones flashes a header off target.

8.21pm GMT

35 min: Something for the home fans to scream about as the excellent Iorfa nearly releases Da Cruz with a long slide down the right. Stones, the last man, does extremely well to hold his ground and deny Da Cruz a run on goal.

8.20pm GMT

34 min: Bernardo Silva whips down the right and pulls one back from the byline. Iorfa does well to block Jesus, who was preparing an effort to the left of the D.

8.19pm GMT

32 min: And to illustrate that point, Forestieri crashes into Bernardo Silva out on the right. Mahrez takes the resulting free kick, looping a pinpoint cross onto the head of Otamendi, who crashes a header off the bar from eight yards. He probably should have buried it, though it was a decent effort. City will wonder how on earth they’re not leading.

8.16pm GMT

31 min: City have been dominant from the get-go, give or take a couple of Wednesday attacks. This match has got that matter-of-time vibe.

8.15pm GMT

29 min: Otamendi hits long, and nearly finds the head of David Silva, totally free on the penalty spot, no Wednesday defender anywhere near. Fortunately for the hosts, Otamendi’s pass is overhit; put another way, Silva is about a foot too short. Either way, goal kick.

8.13pm GMT

27 min: Aguero, quarterbacking from a deep position on the left, hits a long diagonal ball towards Jesus, who springs the offside trap down the inside-right channel. The ball drops onto his foot on the edge of the six-yard box ... but it’s another fresh-air swipe. Goal kick. City have created three superb chances, all of them six yards out, but Jesus and Aguero have been weirdly blunt. So far. Plenty of time to address that.

8.11pm GMT

25 min: A poor defensive header by Borner gifts City a corner out on the right. That one leads to another on the left. Mahrez sets up a quick game of head tennis, before Wednesday slap clear. Forestieri tries to break down the right, but Mendy’s not having that at all.

8.09pm GMT

23 min: Mendy isn’t to be discouraged, and comes again down the left. This time he gets a cross away. Palmer half clears, the ball dropping to Mahrez, who whistles a shot well over the bar from the edge of the box.

8.08pm GMT

22 min: Mendy toils down the left wing. He retains possession for what seems like an age, but can’t dribble his way into space to make a cross, and is eventually forced to turn tail. Full marks for effort, though.

8.06pm GMT

20 min: Aguero prepares to receive the ball with his back to goal, 30 yards out. He’s barged over by Borner. A clear free kick. David Silva floats it down the inside-right channel. Stones dinks a cute ball towards the far post, where Jesus rises highest, only to send a poor header well wide from six yards. City have now passed up two great chances from six yards, failing to work the keeper on both occasions.

8.04pm GMT

19 min: Wednesday will be happy enough with their efforts so far, though. City haven’t warmed Wildsmith’s hands yet, and the hosts have spent a more-than-acceptable amount of time in their opponent’s final third.

8.03pm GMT

17 min: Bannan, who never quite realised my dream of his becoming Scotland’s Paul Scholes, floats a harmless free kick in the vague direction of the top left, harmlessly high, wide and out of play. Goal kick.

8.01pm GMT

16 min: Fox busies himself down the left and wins Wednesday’s first corner of the game. It’s slung towards Iorfa at the near post, but the defender can’t swivel to get a shot away. City clear. But the hosts quickly launch another attack, Murphy sashaying down the right and purchasing a cheap free kick off an immobile Otamendi. This is in a dangerous position, just to the right of the City box.

8.00pm GMT

14 min: Gundogan slips a pass down the inside left for Jesus. Iorfa once again positions himself perfectly, making sure the City striker can’t latch onto the ball and break clear into the box. Goal kick.

7.58pm GMT

12 min: Murphy hoicks a wild cross into the City box from the right. There’s nobody in attendance, though it’s one of those for Bravo to deal with. He catches on the line with safe hands, thankful the wind didn’t start to swirl.

7.57pm GMT

11 min: Otamendi is down, rubbing his ankle after taking a clack on his ankle in a 50-50 with Forestieri. There was no malicious intent, and the big defender is back up soon enough, fit and raring to go again. Play restarts, and the reliably hapless Stones immediately passes the ball out of play with nobody anywhere near him. A look of impotent exasperation washes across Pep Guardiola’s face.

7.54pm GMT

9 min: That was a promising passage of play by the hosts, but City are quickly back on the ball. Mendy scampers into space down the left and rolls an inviting low cross towards Aguero, who should really score from six yards. But Aguero uncharacteristically flicks thin air, allowing Borner to clear Wednesday’s lines. What a fine chance that was.

7.52pm GMT

7 min: Bannan curls the free kick to the far post, where the busy Iorfa wins a header, sending the ball across the face of goal. City half clear, but Murphy is soon coming back at them down the right. He drops a shoulder to slip past Mendy, and curls a shot towards goal. It takes a big deflection off Otamendi, and should be a corner, but the referee awards a goal kick instead.

7.51pm GMT

5 min: Mahrez hoicks the corner in from the left. Wednesday clear long. Forestieri battles with Mendy, 30 yards from the City goal, right of centre. He’s clumsily brought down, and here’s a chance for the hosts to load the box.

7.50pm GMT

4 min: City continue to knock it about with velvet grace. Mahrez glides down the right and has a dig from a tight angle. The ball balloons off Iorfa and out for the first corner of the game.

7.48pm GMT

2 min: Mahrez plays a ball down the inside right for Aguero, who spins Iorfa and looks to be clear in the box. But Iorfa battles back hard, and battles back well. He manages to get his body between Aguero and the ball, shepherding both out of play. So close to an early gilt-edged chance for City, though.

7.47pm GMT

And we’re off! City get the ball rolling at a not-particularly-full Hillsborough. They stroke it around in a relaxed style befitting a side that has won the last six domestic trophies available. Wednesday will get a kick soon.

7.46pm GMT

The Big Music. The teams take to the field as Waterfront blasts out of the PA system. Wednesday wear their famous blue and white stripes, while City wear pick-your-own-70s-confectionery-brand yellow and pink. And now let’s go back to the Sixties: Hi Ho Silver Lining. That’s three decades’ worth of memories covered. We’ll be off in a minute.

7.41pm GMT

Pep Guardiola also speaks to the nation. “We have won the last six domestic trophies, and eight of the last nine. So that is the proof: every game we play, we try. It doesn’t mean you have to win, but you try. Today is another example. That is the way big teams are. The opponents have their skills, they are strong on set pieces and long balls, there is good talent in the middle with Bannan, so we have tried to learn about them.”

7.40pm GMT

Garry Monk has a word with the BBC. “There are many things we will try to get from this game. You have to believe you can get the result you want. We’ve been in a difficult patch of form. We were very good up until Christmas, that’s why we were third, but we’ve had a poor run. But if we can perform to a high level, we can take it from there. So we want to get the result, number one. But also if we give the performance we are capable of, that will give us the confidence and belief moving forward for the rest of the season.”

7.38pm GMT

7.01pm GMT

Wednesday make four changes to the team swatted aside by Derby at Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon. Joe Wildsmith, Joel Pelupessy, Dominic Iorfa and Alessio Da Cruz replace Cameron Dawson, Tom Lees, Kadeem Harris and Steven Fletcher, all of whom drop to the bench.

City make six changes to their victorious League Cup final starting XI. Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling make way for Cancelo, Benjamin Mendy, Nicolas Otamendi, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus. Kevin De Bruyne enjoys a good rest.

6.51pm GMT

Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith, Palmer, Iorfa, Borner, Fox, Pelupessy, Murphy, Lee, Bannan, Da Cruz, Forestieri.
Subs: Harris, Fletcher, Lees, Nuhiu, Dawson, Hunt, Urhoghide.

Manchester City: Bravo, Joao Cancelo, Stones, Otamendi, Mendy, Bernardo, Rodri, Silva, Mahrez, Aguero, Jesus.
Subs: Sterling, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Ederson, Foden, Garcia.

2.51pm GMT

Sheffield Wednesday haven’t won the FA Cup since 1935, when two late goals by winger Ellis Rimmer secured a sensational 4-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion. They’ve reached the final twice since then, losing in dramatic circumstances on both occasions. They shipped a two-goal lead against Everton in 1966, Gerry Young miskicking in midfield, John Lennon and Paul McCartney watching on. Then they lost to Andy Linighan’s 119th-minute header in 1993, the ball squirming through the hands of Chris Woods in agonising fashion. Close on both occasions; no cigar.

If they want to hold onto their dream of scratching an 85-year-old itch, they’ll need to knock out the holders tonight. BREAKING NEWS: it’s a tall order. Manchester City have won their last four games in glorious fashion: a breeze past West Ham, a grind against Leicester, a humiliation of Real Madrid, and a League Cup final win over Aston Villa. Their tails are up. The Premier League is probably beyond them ... but technically the quadruple is still on, so we can’t rule anything out. If anyone can do it, Pep Guardiola’s great team can.

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Published on March 04, 2020 14:49

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