Scott Murray's Blog, page 127

Manchester City 3-1 Everton: Premier League – as it happened

Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling scored the goals that put City back on top of the Premier League.

2.48pm GMT

All that’s left to do is direct you towards our match report. Jamie Jackson was at the Etihad to see the champions reclaim top spot in the Premier League. Thanks for reading!

Related: Raheem Sterling finishes off Everton to put Manchester City on top

2.45pm GMT

Dominic Calvert-Lewin talks. “It’s a frustrating result. We know they’re a top team, but we came here to try and win the game. It’s disappointing. We had chances to level it, but didn’t take them, and they’re clinical. Tactically they’re very clever, they played quite a high press, man to man, and you’ve got to be quite precise with your passes. I’m going to claim the goal, but obviously it’s the result that matters. The game’s bound to get physical at times, but me and Fabian shook hands at the end, as you do.”

2.37pm GMT

Bernardo Silva speaks! “It was good to give a response after the Chelsea defeat. We are happy especially as we knew we were playing a very tough team. To get the three points is very good.”

A smiling Gabriel Jesus adds: “My English is not good like Bernardo, but I try! I’m so happy with the game and with the win. This season is more difficult for me because other clubs are stronger. This game was difficult so I am happy. The game was amazing.”

2.27pm GMT

After that rare defeat last weekend, Manchester City spring back to the top of the Premier League. They’re two points clear of Liverpool, 44 points to 42, though of course Jurgen Klopp’s side can reclaim top spot with victory over Manchester United at Anfield tomorrow. Everton meanwhile remain in seventh, on 24 points, though Bournemouth, Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers all have chances to leapfrog them this afternoon.

2.23pm GMT

City go back to the top of the table, Gabriel Jesus their two-goal hero. Everton will rue a few missed chances, so defeat will hurt, though any pain will be offset by the fact Liverpool have been deposed as league leaders.

2.21pm GMT

90 min +3: On the touchline, Foden waits to be sent on. But there’s no break in play, so he puts his coat back on again.

2.19pm GMT

90 min +2: Everton fling a couple of crosses into the City box, but they’re easily dealt with.

2.19pm GMT

90 min +1: There will be four sodden minutes. Walker concedes a corner in the first of them, but Digne wastes it. City are soon off on the counter, Sterling teeing up Jesus from the right wing, but Pickford rushes out to blooter clear.

2.18pm GMT

90 min: De Bruyne whips a cross into the Everton box from the right. Jesus nearly gets to it first, but there’s no hat-trick because Pickford has read the danger well.

2.17pm GMT

88 min: The corner’s looped long. Mina goes down under a non-challenge by Walker. The referee’s not falling for the grift. Ederson helps Mina back to his feet and there’s a bit of a shoving match, City collectively pointing out the error of the Everton man’s ways. The referee arrives on the scene and tells them all to stop being so bloody daft, what with them being grown men and all.

2.15pm GMT

87 min: Lookman steals the ball off Gundogan and sends Richarlison running goalwards. Richarlison opens his body and looks to curl one into the top right. His effort is deflected out for a corner.

2.14pm GMT

86 min: Walcott has been busy since he came on. Again he makes ground down the right and hooks a cross towards Calvert-Lewin, but Otamendi and Laporte crowd the striker out.

2.13pm GMT

85 min: City seem happy to let Everton stroke it around the middle of the park. The visitors go nowhere.

2.11pm GMT

83 min: Walcott zips down the right, getting the better of Delph. He crosses low. Calvert-Lewin, on the right edge of the six-yard box, executes a dainty backflick towards the bottom left. It’s on target, and would be a delightful finish, but there’s no pace on the ball and Ederson claims without drama. Again, though: Everton have had their chances.

2.08pm GMT

81 min: Everton make their final change, Davies coming on for Sigurdsson.

2.08pm GMT

80 min: Jesus is after his hat-trick, though. And he races after Gundogan’s chip down the middle. The wet, greasy turf isn’t his friend, though, and the ball flies through to Pickford. Everton go up the other end, Lookman dribbling neatly from the left and spooning over from distance.

2.06pm GMT

79 min: City knock it around in the game-management fashion.

2.06pm GMT

77 min: Delph flies in on Calvert-Lewin. He’s not quite out of control, but he’s followed through hard and the Everton player isn’t impressed. A tangle, then a frank exchange of views that Claude Juncker and Theresa May would have been proud of. The referee eventually calms it all down, and shows Delph and Calvert-Lewin the yellow card. Calvert-Lewin can be considered a touch unlucky, as he didn’t do a great deal.

2.03pm GMT

75 min: To the strains of Seven Nation Army, Kevin De Bruyne returns from injury. Mahrez makes way.

2.02pm GMT

74 min: Suddenly, Lookman bursts down the left, reaches the byline, and rolls one onto a plate for Walcott, who somehow stabs over the bar from six yards! It’s not as though Everton haven’t had chances.

2.01pm GMT

73 min: Everton stroke the ball around for a bit, but go nowhere in particular.

1.59pm GMT

71 min: And yet ... and yet ... Everton should have hit back immediately. Lookman skittered down the inside-left channel, then rolled a pass across the face of the box for Richarlison. He should at least work Ederson, but opens his body and sidefoots wildly over the bar. That’s his second glorious chance of the match, and he’s ballooned both miles off target.

1.58pm GMT

Jesus flicks a little pass down the inside-left channel. Fernandinho reaches the byline and dinks one into the middle, where Sterling plants a header into the net from close range! That should be the game now, surely.

1.56pm GMT

67 min: Replays of the goal show Calvert-Lewin’s header flicking off Delph’s head. It should still be the striker’s goal, as his effort was on target.

1.54pm GMT

66 min: City were going to make this change before the goal: Sterling comes on for Sane.

1.54pm GMT

Walker makes good down the right, and his dangerous low cross is hacked clear by Mina. Sigurdsson races up the other end. The ball breaks to Digne out on the left. Digne loops in a cross and Calvert-Lewin plants a glorious header into the top right! Ederson had no hope! And from nowhere, this is suddenly game on!

1.52pm GMT

64 min: Everton are struggling to get out of their own half. City ping it around in a most casual manner.

1.50pm GMT

62 min: Zouma passes back to Pickford. Jesus very nearly closes the keeper down, but the ball’s hacked clear just in time. City come straight back at Everton, Gundogan one-twoing with Jesus down the inside-right channel and sliding a shot inches wide of the right-hand post.

1.49pm GMT

61 min: Sane jinks in from the left and nearly opens up Everton with a pass down the channel intended for Mahrez. Not quite. But City smell blood, as they serenely work towards yet another home win.

1.47pm GMT

59 min: It is hosing down in the trademark Mancunian style. Peering between the stair-rods, nothing much is happening right now.

1.45pm GMT

57 min: A double change by Everton, as Marco Silva looks to salvage this situation. Bernard and Coleman are replaced by Walcott and Lookman.

1.43pm GMT

55 min: Walker wins a corner down the right off Digne, but nothing comes of it.

1.42pm GMT

54 min: The physios are on. And Laporte’s up and back into the action. He was still holding his jaw, a look of concern and discomfort on his face. But hopefully that’s nothing too serious.

1.41pm GMT

52 min: Laporte goes down in the centre circle. In winning a header, he’s just accidentally clattered into the back of Sigurdsson’s head. And he’s holding his jaw. On the touchline, Pep looks concerned.

1.39pm GMT

Walker dinks one in from the right. Everton half clear. Delph slips a pass down the inside-left for Sane, who clips in a cross. Jesus rises and blasts a header past a helpless Pickford. So simple! So very clinical. City are heading back to the top of the table.

1.36pm GMT

48 min: Keane’s in the action again as he blocks Fernandinho’s long-range blooter. This game has had a nice, open feel from the get-go, and the second half looks like continuing in the same vein.

1.35pm GMT

47 min: Keane shoves Jesus off the pitch and into the hoardings. The crowd aren’t happy about it, but Jesus forgives, and makes no complaint. The referee waves play on.

1.34pm GMT

46 min: Everton have clearly been told to step it up, and are immediately on the front foot. Some space for Digne down the left, but he can’t find a team-mate with City holding their shape well.

1.32pm GMT

Everton get the second half underway. No changes. And it’s still raining. Just before the action heats up again, here’s Paul Griffin’s take on the sky-blue Santa Claus spotted earlier at the Etihad: “I’ve always considered Santa’s enterprise to be slick and impressive, but with a whiff of implausibility and opacity, and ultimately underpinned by a vast array of workers in a distant land bereft of employment or democratic rights. I can’t think why City would chose to associate their brand with an enterprise like this.” He’s here all week, ladies and gentleman, try the mince pies.

1.21pm GMT

Half-time reading:

Related: BBC Sports Personality of the Year: who should win five top awards? | Observer writers

1.18pm GMT

And that’s that for the first half. It’s been a slightly strange one: City have been in charge, and could have scored a couple more. But Everton are hanging on, and should take heart from having carved out a couple of decent chances themselves. Some big half-time team-talks coming up!

1.17pm GMT

45 min: Gomes dribbles down the middle and has his pocket picked by Mahrez. As the City winger races goalwards, Gomes stands around waving his arms in theatrical frustration. He gets away with not tracking back as Bernardo is eventually caught offside. But that could have been another costly mistake. Gomes moans at the ref awhile, and nearly talks himself into the book.

1.15pm GMT

44 min: Mina scuffs a simple pass straight to Mahrez. The Everton defender is very fortunate that Mahrez does very little with the gift. Everton don’t look comfortable playing out from the back at all.

1.12pm GMT

42 min: Mahrez dances in from the right. No challenges. He eventually draws four royal-blue shirts and dinks one down the channel to release Jesus, who lashes into the net. But the flag goes up, correctly, for offside. Everton breathe again.

1.10pm GMT

40 min: Another great save by Pickford, as he parries a point-black whack by Mahrez. The City winger should have scored, teed up on the penalty spot by Gundogan from the left, but hit it too close to the keeper, who did what he had to do.

1.09pm GMT

39 min: City press Everton back some more. Mahrez very nearly gets the better of Digne down the right, but the full-back just about deals with the danger.

1.08pm GMT

37 min: Sane bursts down the left. Corner. Then another corner, out on the right. Richarlison is bowled over by Fernandinho, and the pressure is lifted.

1.06pm GMT

35 min: Everton, having shot themselves in the foot by playing it out from the back, are now launching it longer out of defence. Calvert-Lewin is working hard to win as many balls as he can. Here he nearly manages to set Coleman away on the right, having brought down a long clearance. Not quite.

1.04pm GMT

33 min: Digne’s free kick leads to a throw out on the right. From the throw, Richarlison and Coleman combine delightfully, sending the full back scampering clear. He fires into the centre for Calvert-Lewin, but Ederson reads the danger and punches clear in the spectacular style. Much better from the visitors.

1.02pm GMT

32 min: Brief respite for Everton, as Bernard skedaddles down the left and purchases a cheap free kick. Everton line up on the edge of City’s box, Digne preparing to launch it long.

1.00pm GMT

30 min: Everton keep giving the ball away in their own half. It’s not a great look. Delph scoops a pass into the box from the left; Sane’s presence forces a corner. From the set piece, Gundogan hoicks one in from the left flank, Laporte rising highest and sending a header over the bar. That was a good chance and he looked accordingly pained.

12.58pm GMT

28 min: City continue to toy with Everton. Pass, pass, pass. Gundogan slides one down the left in the hope of suddenly springing Sane clear, but the ball slides off the wet grass and out of play for a goal kick.

12.56pm GMT

26 min: City stroke it about the middle awhile. Everton are chasing shadows all of a sudden.

12.56pm GMT

24 min: Everton will be livid at how they conceded there. One misplaced pass, and City were coming at them in the rabid fashion. It was a lethal execution. On the touchline, Marco Silva delivers a massive bollocking to his players, who had otherwise started the game pretty well.

12.53pm GMT

Everton crack under the pressure. Pickford knocks the goal kick to Mina, whose poor clearance is intercepted by Gundogan. He lays off to Sane, who slides a pass down the inside-left for Jesus. The striker takes a stride into the box, and lashes the ball past Pickford, who had no chance!

12.52pm GMT

21 min: Suddenly Everton are rocking. Gundogan chips a clever cross from the left, and Keane, facing the wrong way and confused, nearly turns it into the bottom-right corner of his own net. Pickford does extremely well to turn the shot round the post. A great save. The resulting corner comes to nothing.

12.51pm GMT

20 min: Jesus whacks the free kick goalwards from a tight angle, but his effort is blocked. It breaks to Delph, who pearls a screamer inches over the bar from distance.

12.50pm GMT

19 min: And now it’s City’s turn to suddenly spring into life, Fernandinho dinking a pass down the right for Mahrez to chase. Mahrez zips past a dozing Digne, who responds by cynically clattering him to the floor just before he enters the box. That’s a free kick in a very dangerous area, just to the right of the area.

12.48pm GMT

18 min: Now it’s City’s turn to take the sting out of the game with a bit of sterile domination. They needed that.

12.47pm GMT

16 min: And now Bernard makes good down the left, but his attempt to find Calvert-Lewin at the far post is overhit. Everton will be encouraged by the way this has gone so far. They look capable of making chances.

12.46pm GMT

15 min: But then suddenly they spring into life, Digne dribbling down the left in paisley patterns, then looping a cross towards Richarlison, who is in acres in the City box, bombing in from the right! He meets the dropping ball by lashing a wild volley over the bar. He might have headed that. He probably should have scored. He certainly should have tested Ederson at the very least. What a chance!

12.44pm GMT

14 min: Breaking news: City have had the lion’s share of the possession so far. But now Everton enjoy a couple of minutes in the City half. They don’t really go anywhere in particular, but that’s not really the point. It’s a nice breather.

12.43pm GMT

12 min: Fernandinho, deep on the left, rakes a diagonal pass towards Bernardo, who nearly takes it down while running into the Everton box at pace. He can’t quite manage the spectacular, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

12.41pm GMT

10 min: Delph rolls a wonderful pass down the inside-left channel, allowing Jesus to spin Keane with ease on the edge of the Everton box. For a second, it looks as though he’s in on goal, but Zouma comes across to block and clear. That was such a sharp turn by Jesus, who looks very lively today already.

12.39pm GMT

9 min: Everton are committing to their attacks. Digne whips in a cross from the left; Coleman has a go from the right. City wheech up the other end, but with the visitors a little light, Fernandinho passes the ball out of play. The crowd moan and groan, but then it is raining quite hard now, so that’s to be expected.

12.38pm GMT

7 min: Calvert-Lewin nearly works some space with a cute dribble tight on the right touchline, but not quite. Sane romps off up the other end, cuts into the Everton box from the left, and is well marshalled back out of it by Mina. It’s good end-to-end stuff, this.

12.36pm GMT

6 min: Mahrez glides down the right, moves inside, and looks to find Jesus in the area with a floated cross. Pickford is out quickly to gather.

12.35pm GMT

5 min: Jesus is sent scampering free down the right by Bernardo, but he’s gone too early. The flag goes up again, the correct decision this time. It’s been a promising start by both teams.

12.34pm GMT

3 min: City had started well, but it’s Everton who force the first save. Sigurdsson powers past Fernandinho and slips a ball down the inside-left channel for Calvert-Lewin, who spins and threads a shot towards the bottom right. It’s going in, but Ederson fingertips round the post brilliantly. The flag goes up for offside, incorrectly, so Everton are robbed of the corner.

12.32pm GMT

2 min: Gomes plays a risky pass across the front of his own box. Jesus nearly latches onto it, but Keane rescues the situation. A close shave.

12.31pm GMT

And we’re off! City get the party started, with a little help from Hey Jude, na-na-naing from the PA right up until kick-off. They launch it long in the 1980s style, but are soon passing it around the back for kicks. Bernard nearly intercepts but gives the ball straight back. Walker tries to dink Jesus free down the middle, but his pass is cut out. A pattern may have been set here.

12.29pm GMT

The players are out and about! City wear Santa’s sky blue, while Everton are in their royal blue. It’s a cold, drizzly day. We’ll be off in a minute!

12.14pm GMT

Fickle Santa was once a red. But he’s a Citizen now. Hey, if the likes of Coca-Cola and White Rock ginger ale can appropriate him for the purposes of soft-beverage brand recognition, then the English football champions should be allowed to defile him as well. To be fair, the big man looks good in sky blue.

12.01pm GMT

Silva speaks! “We have a plan, our shape in some moments could be different. When we have the ball we have to show ambition to play our game. We know where City are a strong team and we must try to be solid. If you want to do something here, you have to try to score. Dominic Calvert-Lewin gives us speed, he is very strong, he can create on the sides and in the box, and is very strong with his head. We deserved more in our games against the strong sides, but it’s part of the game, it’s important we learn.”

11.56am GMT

Pep talks! “Kevin De Bruyne has made two or three training sessions with the team. It’s better for him to take it step by step, a process. Raheem Sterling has played a lot of games, and everybody deserves to play, wants to play. Raheem is so important but everybody has to play. I try to move the squad and keep everyone involved, if we achieve something this season it will be because of everybody. Everton will be tough, they may play five at the back. I have no doubts that we will respond to last week’s defeat.”

11.42am GMT

Manchester City make four changes to the team that saw off Hoffenheim on Wednesday night in the Champions League. Riyad Mahrez, Fernandinho, Fabian Delph and Kyle Walker replace Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Alexander Zinchenko and John Stones, who all drop to the bench. Sitting in the dugout alongside them: Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne, back from injury and box fresh.

Everton make two changes from the draw with Watford last weekend. Kurt Zouma and Dominic Calvert-Lewin replace Idrissa Gueye and Theo Walcott.

11.32am GMT

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sane.
Subs: Stones, Sterling, Aguero, De Bruyne, Zinchenko, Foden, Muric.

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Zouma, Digne, Calvert-Lewin, Andre Gomes, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Richarlison.
Subs: Baines, Walcott, Tosun, Schneiderlin, Stekelenburg, Davies, Lookman.

6.26pm GMT

Manchester takes on Merseyside this weekend. Tomorrow’s clash between United and Liverpool may be the self-styled Big One, but never mind that right now, because this encounter between City and Everton promises to be just as fascinating.

The champions are coming off the back of a rare Premier League defeat, having been swept aside by David Luiz last weekend. That 2-0 reverse at Chelsea allowed Liverpool to knock them off the top of the table; City are unlikely to take this turn of events lying down. They’ve won all eight of their Premier League home matches so far this season, scoring 30 times and letting in just five. Everton have quite the task against a magical team doubly determined on the rebound.

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Rapid Vienna 1-0 Rangers: Europa League – as it happened

Dejan Ljubicic scored late on as Rangers meekly left the European stage

8.31pm GMT

Related: Rangers crash out after Dejan Ljubicic fires late winner for Rapid Vienna

7.59pm GMT

A sad night for Rangers, then. Connor Goldsen will see that header coming back of the crossbar again and again as he goes to sleep tonight, while Steven Gerrard may reflect that he could have brought Kyle Lafferty on earlier to help the often-isolated Alfredo Morelos. But Rapid were simply better tonight, beating Rangers for the first time in their history and deservedly progressing to the knockout stage. Still, once the pain subsides, Gerrard and his men will take succour from an improved showing on the continent, even if they’re not quite the finished product yet. They’ve come a long way since Progrès Niedercorn. Nighty night.

7.49pm GMT

Group G ends with Rangers in third place. The table’s topped by Villarreal, who beat Spartak Moscow 2-0 tonight. Rapid Vienna make it through in second. Both teams finished on 10 points, four ahead of Rangers. Spartak trail in last with five points to their name.

7.48pm GMT

There’s no crazy drama in added time, and Rangers are knocked out of Europe. They’ll look back and think they should have qualified from Group G, but they were always behind the eight-ball after losing at Spartak Moscow. It’s been a good effort tonight, and they’ve not had the luck, Connor Goldson’s fine first-half header coming off the crossbar. But Rapid have been much the better team in this match, energised from the break by the live-wire Christoph Knasmullner, who set up Dejan Ljubicic’s sublime winner.

7.43pm GMT

90 min: Rangers look utterly deflated. There will be three more minutes of their European campaign.

7.41pm GMT

88 min: Mulder has a whack from distance. McGregor gathers easily enough, but then batters a long clearance straight out of play, allowing the hosts to eat up more of the clock.

7.40pm GMT

86 min: On the touchline, Steven Gerrard looks on impassively. But you can be sure his heart has just fallen into his boots. Rapid are now camped in Rangers’ final third, the clock their friend, the stadium bouncing. Unless Rangers can come up with a dramatic late one-two, their European adventure is over before Christmas.

7.39pm GMT

A poor clearance by McGregor goes straight to Berisha out on the right. He charges into space down the channel. The ball’s flicked inside for the substitute Ljubicic, who one-twos with the superb Knasmullner. Ljubicic enters the box and gently slips the ball past the out-rushing McGregor and into the bottom left. That’s a lovely move, a glorious finish too. But all started by a bad mistake from McGregor.

7.36pm GMT

82 min: Strebinger’s earning his money now, dealing with Middleton’s left wing cross under intense physical pressure from Lafferty, who is putting himself about in his trademark style.

7.35pm GMT

81 min: Grezda bombs down the right and reaches the byline. His cross comes off the top of Barac’s head, and threatens to flash into the Rapid goal! But Strebinger is on point, and snatches the ball from the sky. But Rangers are soon coming back at Rapid, Tavernier having a crack from 25 yards, just to the right of centre. His shot’s flying into the bottom left. Strebinger parries well, enough to get the ball out of the road of Morelos, sniffing around.

7.33pm GMT

79 min: Schwab looks to whip the free kick into the top right. It’s over the bar, McGregor watching it all the way. And then Kyle Lafferty comes on for Ryan Jack, who was lucky to escape a second booking back there. To be fair, Jack was booked for absolutely nothing in the first half, so all’s fair.

7.31pm GMT

78 min: Jack shoves over Shobesberger as the Rapid attacker looks to break into the Rangers box down the right. A free kick in a very dangerous position. Before it can be taken, Dejan Lubicic comes on for Manuel Martic.

7.30pm GMT

76 min: Rangers clear the corner with ease, and for a second it looks as though Morelos might escape on a right-wing break. But he runs down a cul-de-sac and loses possession.

7.29pm GMT

75 min: Tavernier barges his way past Auer down the right, and skitters along the touchline. But his cross is easily cleared by Barac. Rapid go up the other end, Berisha racing into acres on the right. He looks to cut back for Knasmullner, but McAuley is able to bundle out for a corner.

7.27pm GMT

73 min: A scare for Rangers at the back, as Berisha takes up possession inside the box and looks to turn and shoot from close range. Thankfully for the visitors, Goldson sticks to his back like glue, offering no space. Eventually Grezda is able to hack clear. Which is not what he’s been brought on for, but it’s a crucial contribution nonetheless.

7.25pm GMT

72 min: Rangers need to roll the dice now. Accordingly, Lassana Coulibaly is replaced by Eros Grezda.

7.24pm GMT

71 min: Tavernier sends Arfield scampering down the right with a lovely scooped pass. Arfield checks, and it’s Tavernier who eventually crosses. It’s blocked, out for a corner. From the set piece, the ball falls to Middleton, who skies a shot from 20 yards.

7.22pm GMT

69 min: It’s all a bit shapeless right now. Two-pass moves at a premium.

7.21pm GMT

67 min: Barisic, who has been excellent tonight, digs his way out of a tight spot in his left-back position and sets Rangers on the counter with a fine chipped pass up the wing. Morelos and Coulibaly combine to set Middleton scampering into the final third, but the young winger’s cross is soft, high and easy pickings for Strebinger. Morelos and Coulibaly, who had both continued their runs, will have been hoping for much better.

7.19pm GMT

66 min: Morelos turns on the jets to power past a dozy Auer on the right. He reaches the byline and fizzes a low cross to the near post, hoping to find Coulibaly. The ball’s bundled out for a corner, which proves to be a complete waste of everyone’s time.

7.17pm GMT

64 min: Coulibaly, 30 yards out on the left, attempts to Le Tissier a bouncing ball over Strebinger and into the top right. It’s high and wide, but not by that much. A decent attempt at the spectacular.

7.16pm GMT

62 min: Philipp Schobesberger replaces Andrei Ivan. Knasmullner has a whack from distance; McGregor gathers the rolling ball. Rapid are slowly getting on top now; they look a lot more dangerous since the introduction of Knasmullner.

7.15pm GMT

61 min: Goldsen is booked for lightly brushing Martic. Scrub that: he’s booked because McAuley had lightly brushed Martic! Very strange. This is a very cheap free kick for Rapid, out on the left, and Knasmullner loops it long. Too long, and it’s out of play for a goal kick.

7.13pm GMT

59 min: A high diagonal ball from the right forces Barisic to concede a corner under pressure. Knasmullner takes; it’s half cleared. Knasmullner has another go, but can’t get a cross away. Then Schwab’s clever little backflick releases Ivan down the right. Another cross, but Goldson clears. A couple of minutes that represent the first serious, sustained bout of pressure Rangers have had to absorb.

7.10pm GMT

57 min: Morelos dribbles into the Rapid area again from the right. He goes over, barged by Auer, but that’s a fair charge. He’s not getting the penalty, and to be fair he doesn’t make much of a claim.

7.10pm GMT

56 min: This is a very open game now. Rapid just need the draw, but a goal would nevertheless be so precious. The introduction of Knasmullner has given them a sharper look up front. Good luck guessing who’ll score first, as the ball pings up and down the field in the basketball style.

7.08pm GMT

54 min: McAuley gifts Rapid a free kick with a pointless challenge on Bolingoli, who was going nowhere out on the left. Goldson clears the resulting set piece. Then suddenly Morelos is skittering into space on the break down the right. He cuts inside, reaches the area, and lays off to Arfield, whose first-time shot is deflected high into the air. As the ball drops to the left of the area, Coulibaly is flagged offside.

7.06pm GMT

53 min: Rapid go up the other end, Knasmullner twisting and turning down the middle of the park and threading a shot towards the bottom left from the edge of the box. There’s no oomph behind the effort, and McGregor flops softly onto the ball.

7.05pm GMT

52 min: Jack loops in a fine cross from the right. Morelos and Coulibaly rise with a view to planting a header home from eight yards, but Strebinger does extremely well to leap higher and punch the ball clear of danger from the middle of a melee.

7.04pm GMT

51 min: Martic is booked for a cynical tug on the back of Coulibaly’s shirt.

7.03pm GMT

49 min: Rangers have clearly been given the Big Talk by their manager at half time. There’s been a clear shifting up of tempo since the restart.

7.01pm GMT

47 min: Morelos chases after a long pass down the right. For a second, it looks as though he’s clear, ahead of Barac, but Strebinger comes out of his area and batters into touch. Fine anticipation from the Rapid keeper to snuff out some very real danger.

6.59pm GMT

46 min: Both sets of fans are giving it plenty. It’s a wonderful atmosphere at the Weststadion. A free kick for Rangers on the halfway line. Tavernier sticks it into the mixer, and it’s an easy one for Strebinger to gather.

6.58pm GMT

And we’re off again! The hosts get the second half underway. They’ve made one change, replacing Thomas Murg with Cristoph Knasmullner, Rapid’s top scorer this season with seven goals.

6.46pm GMT

Half-time entertainment. The aforementioned Brabinger (18 min) is pictured at 33 seconds.

6.43pm GMT

The Light Blues have given as good as they’ve got. In fact, they’ve come closest to scoring, Goldson’s header unluckily coming back off the bar. But it’s all square at the break, and they still need that goal for the win that would take them through to the Round of 16. A dramatic 45 minutes will follow ... and there’s an enjoyable edge to this match, too, so anything could happen. No flipping!

6.40pm GMT

45 min: Morelos threatens to break free down the middle, chasing a long pass. He’s miles offside, and the linesman raises his flag accordingly.

6.40pm GMT

44 min: Barisic’s free kick, just outside the area on the left, is long and dreadful. Jack tries to recycle possession out on the right, but comes together with Martic, who goes down in the poleaxed style. The referee is fooled into booking Jack, who is rightly miffed at being punished for a garden-variety 50-50 clank.

6.38pm GMT

42 min: Muldur is booked for bringing down Middleton, who was threatening to power past him on the left with a determined dribble. Yet another free kick in a promising position.

6.37pm GMT

40 min: Rangers pass it around in the progressive style, some nice flicks and fancy triangles. Tavernier, Morelos, Jack, McCrorie and Middleton are all involved. Very pretty, though it’s art for art’s sake. But this is a process Rangers have to go through, if they’re to close the gap on Celtic.

6.34pm GMT

38 min: Space for Bolingoli down the left. He’s free in the box, but hesitates, allowing Tavernier to close him down and block. Berisha has another go at crossing, but his effort is deflected high into the air, allowing Coulibaly to clear. For a second, Rangers were exposed there.

6.32pm GMT

36 min: Tavernier, deep on the right, fires the sort of stunning cross-field pass that made his manager famous. Middleton brings it down brilliantly, spins round Hofmann and bursts into the Rapid box. But then the young man takes a heavy touch and runs the ball out for a goal kick, just as he was about to see the white of Strebinger’s eyes. That would have been a lovely goal. Gerrard will have enjoyed that raking diagonal ball.

6.29pm GMT

34 min: Barac, who is surely one challenge away from a booking, clips Morelos down the right. Tavernier’s free kick is awful, but sliced out for a corner. Barisic takes, but that’s not very good either. Saying all this, set pieces look to be Rangers’ best bet this evening. They’ve had a few already.

6.28pm GMT

32 min: The ball pings around the middle of the park in the pinball style. It’s a lively match, entertaining enough without any great drama. But plenty of time for that yet.

6.27pm GMT

30 min: Muldur bombs down the right, an extremely purposeful run. But Middleton’s not having it, and wins the ball with a marvellously old-fashioned, but legal, barge. The crowd don’t like it as their man slides across the turf on his teeth, the referee waving play on. Rangers have the chance to launch a quick break, but Middleton’s attempt to find Coulibaly out on the left touchline is heavy handed, forcing his team-mate out of play.

6.24pm GMT

28 min: Berisha is a study in perpetual motion. He nicks the ball off McCrorie and very nearly sets Ivan clear down the inside-right channel. Not quite.

6.22pm GMT

26 min: Morelos is down in the centre circle, looking extremely unimpressed. This time he’s within his rights to have a face on, because Ivan has come over the top and crumped his studs into his shin. Thankfully he’s not seriously hurt and will be OK to continue, but that was a poor challenge. Ivan is booked, but other referees might have flashed red for that. He’s a lucky chap.

6.21pm GMT

24 min: Now it’s Rapid’s turn for a free kick in a dangerous position. Morelos needlessly brings down Auer, 25 yards out in a central position. Murg looks for the top left, but gets nowhere near. McGregor looks on, unimpressed.

6.19pm GMT

22 min: ... Rangers hit the crossbar! Tavernier’s free kick is wonderful, an outswinger towards the far post. Goldson rises highest, and steers a glorious header towards the top right. Strebinger is rooted to the spot ... but the ball smacks flush into the bar, and Rapid clear. So unlucky, that was a glorious header by Goldson.

6.17pm GMT

21 min: Rangers win another free kick in a dangerous position. Tavernier works his way down the right and crosses. The ball hits Bolingoli’s arm, and the ref blows his whistle. That’s a generous decision, as the Rapid man was close to Tavernier and turning his back. But Rangers get the decision. And from that free kick ...

6.15pm GMT

19 min: Rapid win the first corner of the match, thanks to some good work by Berisha out on the left. That leads to a second corner, which is looped long. Muldur shoves McCrorie in the back, and the pressure on Rangers is released.

6.14pm GMT

18 min: Audrey fforbes-Hamilton’s butler was, of course, called Brabinger.

6.13pm GMT

16 min: Morelos is clattered by Barac, 25 yards out on the right. Barisic takes the resulting free kick, whipping it towards the bottom right. Strebinger - a name reminiscent of Audrey fforbes-Hamilton’s butler in To The Manor Born (theme: R Hazlehurst) - gathers easily.

6.10pm GMT

14 min: A really poor forward pass by McAuley is intercepted by Auer, who strokes it back upfield for Berisha. Rangers are suddenly in a spot of danger, so they feel great relief as Berisha’s attempt to flick the ball to his left for Bolingoli, in acres, is a poor one. McAuley, to his credit, had recovered his poise and intercepts.

6.08pm GMT

12 min: Auer threatens to make ground down the left, but he’s pestered by Arfield and forced to turn tail. It’s not been the most eventful start.

6.06pm GMT

10 min: Middleton powers down the left and sends a lovely cross into the Rapid box. But Morelos doesn’t anticipate it, and gets nowhere near. Still, that’s a little better from Rangers, who otherwise haven’t done a great deal in attack yet.

6.05pm GMT

8 min: Barac makes a nine-course tasting menu of clearing a simple ball down the Rangers right. Attempting an elaborate overhead, he shanks it out for a corner. But Morelos is penalised for lightly nudging the defender in his back. Morelos doesn’t agree with the decision, to say the least, and wanders off looking right narked.

6.03pm GMT

7 min: Berisha makes good down the left and whips a dangerous-looking low cross into the Rangers area. Goldson clears well. Then McCrorie gifts the ball to Rapid, allowing Berisha to probe down the other flank. Jack does very well to deal with this one. The hosts are enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.

6.01pm GMT

5 min: Well, they load it, but Tavernier’s delivery is awful, the ball harmlessly sailing past everyone in light blue, allowing Hofmann to quietly usher it out for a goal kick.

6.00pm GMT

4 min: Coulibaly is bowled over by Martic, 30 yards from goal. That’s a cynical one by the Rapid midfielder, as the Rangers man had plenty of space in front of him. Just a ticking off. But a chance for Rangers to load the box.

5.58pm GMT

2 min: Goldson miskicks as the ball bobbles around. Muldur nearly takes advantage of the fresh-air swipe to advance down the inside-right channel, but Goldson recovers his poise and puts a stop to his gallop.

5.57pm GMT

Rangers get the ball rolling! And they launch it long. Rapid quickly win possession and return it in similar style, towards Bolingoli. He’s hoping to latch onto the ball down the inside left, but McGregor is out quickly to claim. Both teams showing front-foot intent early doors.

5.54pm GMT

The teams are out! Rapid in green and white, Rangers in blue. There’s a rare old atmosphere in the Weststadion. Around 10,000 Rangers fans have follow, followed their team to Vienna, and are keeping warm in the freezing cold by giving it laldie. They’ll be hoping to see the Teddy Bears win away in Europe for the first time since they beat Lyon 3-0 in the Champions League in 2007. By the looks of that retro MBM, that was the same day the legendary theme-tune genius Ronnie Hazlehurst passed away. It’s appropriate, then, that Rangers have since drawn a Blankety Blank.

5.46pm GMT

Steven Gerrard talks to BT Sport! “The players have done extremely well to give themselves this opportunity. Of course we’d like it to be that we’d only need a draw, but it is what it is, and we know what we need to do. The players are certainly capable, we’ve shown some excellent form in Europe and I hope there’s one last performance in us. We haven’t been good enough domestically, the players know that and we take responsibility for it. But tonight is a different test, we’ll play against a team that will come out and attack, and hopefully that’ll leave spaces for us to go and execute going the other way. We’ve become too frustrated and made things more complicated than we should, but tonight’s a new night and we’ve got an opportunity to make our fans smile again.” He also says he’s picked Ross McCrorie for his calmness on the ball; that the much-maligned pitch looks alright to him; and that Ovie Ejaria has been left at home because he’s a little “unsettled”. He’ll be talking to the young Liverpool loanee when he gets back to Ibrox.

5.21pm GMT

It’s a bit nippy in Austria. Minus one in your degrees centigrade. Here’s Stevie G wrapped up nice and warm as he sends his lads out into the snow for a spot of training.

5.13pm GMT

Steven Gerrard makes seven changes to the team that couldn’t break down ten-man Dundee at the weekend. Out go Joe Worrall, Ryan Kent, Andy Halliday, Jordan Rossiter, Daniel Candeias, Kyle Lafferty and Eros Grezda; in come Ross McCrorie, Lassana Couibaly, Borna Barisic, Gareth McAuley, Scott Arfield, Glenn Middleton and ever-entertaining hothead Alfredo Morelos.

The hosts make three changes to the XI sent out for a goalless draw with Sturm Graz on Sunday. Defender Mario Sonnleitner, and midfielders Philipp Schobesberger and Christoph Knasmullner, make way for defender Mateo Barac, and forwards Veton Berisha and Andrei Ivan.

4.59pm GMT

Rapid Vienna: Strebinger, Muldur, Hofmann, Barac, Auer, Schwab, Martic, Ivan, Murg, Bolingoli Mbombo, Berisha.
Subs: Knoflach, Schobesberger, Dibon, Thurnwald, Knasmullner, Alar, Ljubicic.

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, McAuley, Goldson, Barisic, Jack, Ross McCrorie, Arfield, Coulibaly, Middleton, Morelos.
Subs: Robby McCrorie, Flanagan, Halliday, Katic, Worrall, Grezda, Lafferty.

3.01pm GMT

There’s no question that Rangers have improved under Steven Gerrard this season. Last year, they crashed out of Europe in the first qualifying round of the Europa League, humiliated by Progrès Niedercorn of Luxembourg. This time they swanned past Shkupi, Osijek, Maribor and Ufa in the qualifiers, reaching the groups without losing a match. And having held up well against Spartak Moscow and Villarreal, they’ll be playing European football in the new year if they win tonight at Rapid Vienna. That’s progress.

Only problem being, Rapid are unbeaten in seven European home matches. They’re also on a run of 12 unbeaten at home in the Europa League groups, a sequence that stretches back to 2012. Meanwhile Rangers haven’t been all that on the road this season: just five wins in 16 matches, with only one real standout performance, a battling victory the other week at Hearts. In that respect, it’s a tall order getting the victory they need to make it to the Round of 32.

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The Fiver | The Modern Pantheon of Memorable Anfield Saves (est. Dec 2018)

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Liverpool fans can be forgiven for floating on air right now, feeling a little woozy, spaced out, positively trippy. Partly because they’re currently top of the league, unbeaten, with half a chance of … well, OK, a quarter of a chance of the title. Partly because they’re somehow through to the knockout stage of Big Cup having played the sum total of one decent 45 against notoriously flaky travellers PSG. But mainly because they appear to have a proper, fully functioning, dependable, diligent, decent, grown-up goalkeeper. By our reckoning they haven’t signed one of those since landing Ray Clemence from Firewall FC in 1967, so this abrupt reality shift is bound to scramble a few heads. But relax. Open up your mind.

Related: Alisson the rock in Liverpool’s solid defence, says Virgil van Dijk

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Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid's Marco Asensio to join Spurs?

Today’s fluff has got plenty of problems

Marcus Rashford is a target for Milan. Paul Pogba is unhappy. And José Mourinho has gone to the absurd lengths of distancing himself from a claim that he’s committed to Manchester United made by his own agent. “It’s not my statement, I didn’t know at all and I didn’t care about it.” Poor Ed Woodward. And there’s Theresa May thinking she’s got problems.

But here’s some slightly more upbeat news for the beleaguered giants: Manchester United are hopeful of finally landing that elusive, game-changing central defender in the upcoming window! Step forward Pablo, Bordeaux’s 27-year-old Brazilian international. Not only that, hot Ajax pair Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong are on their radar, as is the young Middlesbrough winger Marcus Tavernier. And Juan Mata is eager to sign a new contract. So it’s swings and roundabouts.

Related: Tottenham fans bask in afterglow of a defiantly un-’Spursy’ denouement | Sid Lowe

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Newcastle United 1-2 Wolves: Premier League – as it happened

Wolves won at Newcastle for the first time since the Stan Cullis era, as Matt Doherty popped up with a late, late winner against ten-man opposition.

6.30pm GMT

With that, this MBM comes to its natural end. All that’s left is for me to direct you towards Michael Walker’s match report, and to thank you for reading. Congratulations to Wolves, commiserations to Newcastle. Nighty night!

Related: Matt Doherty snatches late winner for Wolves against 10-man Newcastle

6.28pm GMT

And now it’s Nuno’s turn. “It is too difficult for me to judge the red card, it was on the other side of the pitch. For me the Boly-Perez incident was a dispute for the ball. Please don’t ask me about the referee, sometimes he gives, sometimes he takes, he is always deciding on what he sees. So let’s talk about the game. It was a tough game. Everyone must perform better. But we were never distracted, stayed humble and worked hard. I am happy and proud of the boys.”

6.25pm GMT

A livid Rafa Benitez speaks. “We need VAR, right now. So if you see the incidents today, we need VAR right now. It was so obvious, if you see the red card and an elbow in the face, we need VAR right now. Lascelles was close enough for it not to be a red card. I think the team was doing enough to win the game. It is so clear. This can kill your confidence.” There’s steam pouring out of his ears. He’s fuming! Did he bring any of this up with the officials after the game? “Do you think it would make any difference? No.”

6.15pm GMT

Poor Newcastle. Their supporters will be feeling like this poor chap. Not least because they’ve been showing replays of the Perez-Boly clash on 82 minutes, and Boly might have got away with crumping an elbow in Perez’s face. “They don’t deserve that win,” says Perez. “The argument I got from the referee was that the ball hit my face. I was bleeding. I can’t believe it. I don’t know why it was no penalty.”

6.04pm GMT

The match-winner Matt Doherty speaks: “It feels sweet coming away from home and scoring with the last kick of the game. It’s a bit special. I busted a gut to get forward and it went in. It was on a plate, I couldn’t really miss.”

5.57pm GMT

So that’s now 12 games since April in which Newcastle have fallen behind, and found themselves unable to avoid defeat. They remain 15th in the Premier League table, three points (13) above Huddersfield Town in 18th. Wolves meanwhile catapult themselves into the top half: they’re 10th, level on points (22) with Leicester and just one behind Bournemouth and Everton.

5.54pm GMT

There’s just enough time left for Clark to get booked for kicking the ball away in frustration ... and that’s that! Wolves win a top-flight game at Newcastle for the first time since 1959. Stan Cullis led them to the title that season. Wolves cavort, as a red-faced Benitez storms off under a black cloud of misery.

5.53pm GMT

Wolves win it at the death! Jota dribbles from the halfway line, down the inside left. He’s got six Newcastle players around him, but they all back off. None make a move. Jota enters the box, and sends a rising shot goalwards. Dubravka gets a brave hand to it, but can only send the ball dropping towards Doherty, who running in from the right, heads into an unguarded net from a couple of yards!

5.51pm GMT

90 min +3: The game is now in basketball mode. Ritchie crosses for Joselu. Gibbs-White nearly splits the Newcastle defence. Kenedy embarks on a rococo dribble. End-to-end at great speed.

5.49pm GMT

90 min +1: Newcastle keep launching the ball clear, but Joselu is unable to retain possession. Dubravka races out of his area to head clear. Jimenez tries to return it over his head. The keeper manages to run back and clutch the ball. Almost a Pickfordian rush of blood.

5.47pm GMT

90 min: There will be five added minutes.

5.46pm GMT

89 min: Atsu - who has had a decent game for Newcastle as well, and is applauded accordingly - is replaced by Kenedy.

5.45pm GMT

88 min: Vinagre dances down the left and reaches the byline, but his cross is too high even for Doherty at the far post. Great field position wasted. Wolves are bossing the play now, though, the extra man finally telling. But they’ve not got much time left. Can they break Newcastle?

5.43pm GMT

86 min: Joselu replaces the excellent but tiring Rondon.

5.43pm GMT

85 min: Gibbs-White and Jota one-two their way down the middle of the park. Jota enters the box and looks to cut one back for his partner, but Lascelles intercepts and clears as the Newcastle support collectively breathe again.

5.41pm GMT

83 min: Jimenez rises at the near post and heads the corner towards the bottom left. Dubravka is quickly down to claim.

5.40pm GMT

82 min: A break in play as Perez refuses to get up. He wanted a penalty, but he’s not getting one; he tangled with Boly as the pair challenged for a high ball. Eventually Perez rises and is forced to stand on the touchline; Newcastle will be down to nine as they defend the upcoming corner.

5.39pm GMT

80 min: Bennett is booked for his 317th minor foul of the afternoon. Ritchie crosses into the Wolves box from the left; Boly and Perez challenge and fall to the floor. No foul, so Wolves break upfield at great speed. Jimenez skates down the left, then rolls the ball across the face of the Newcastle area. Gibbs-White cleverly leaves it, letting Doherty smash one towards the top left. It’s a superb effort; Dubravka tips it around the post spectacularly.

5.36pm GMT

79 min: Doherty flips Jimenez into space down the right. A fizzing cross ends up at the feet of Vinagre, coming in from the other flank. He has a shot that is hacked clear easily enough by the home side.

5.34pm GMT

77 min: Joao Moutinho comes on for Costa.

5.33pm GMT

76 min: ... Wolves break upfield! The ball’s shuttled to Jimenez, who strides down the inside-left channel and unleashes a screamer towards goal. It rises past Dubravka, and slams onto the same crossbar that Rondon rattled in the first half! So unlucky! Newcastle clear the rebound.

5.32pm GMT

75 min: Ki strokes a lovely pass down the left to release Atsu into a lot of space. Atsu wins a corner off Coady, though he should have done better with Wolves light at the back and team-mates rushing in. Ki takes the corner. From which ...

5.31pm GMT

73 min: Jota is booked for hanging out a leg and bringing down Perez. There’s been an edge to this match alright.

5.29pm GMT

72 min: Gibbs-White, dropping deep, slips a delightful pass down the inside-right channel. What vision! Vision that’s been sorely lacking from Wolves today. He nearly releases Doherty, but Clark reads the danger. Then Coady is booked for clattering into Rondon as Newcastle try to break quickly up the other end.

5.27pm GMT

70 min: Some head tennis on the edge of the Wolves box. Nobody can get the ball under control. Finally Ritchie comes in at speed, boot high, and concedes a free kick to release the pressure on Wolves. You wouldn’t guess Newcastle were down to ten men right now; they’re giving as good as they’re getting.

5.26pm GMT

68 min: Atsu tries to round Bennett down the left, and clatters into the Wolves defender. The crowd demand punishment, but it’s nothing more than a free kick in the midfield. A lot of simmering going on in Newcastle right now.

5.24pm GMT

67 min: Diame crosses from the right. The ball balloons off Doherty and falls to Coady, who heads clear in very poor fashion. Perez chests down on the edge of the box, but flashes his shot well over the bar.

5.23pm GMT

66 min: Costa is booked for a tug on Atsu.

5.22pm GMT

65 min: Newcastle are certainly up against it now. They’ve only scored three second-half goals all season, when playing with 11 men. But then Wolves haven’t scored more than one goal in a game away from home. It’s going to be an interesting last quarter.

5.21pm GMT

63 min: A free kick for Newcastle out on the right. Ki launches it long, and it surprises Lascelles at the far post. Half a chance, that.

5.20pm GMT

62 min: Gibbs-White is immediately in the action, taking a corner from the left. Doherty rises highest, above his marker Manquillo, but heads weakly over the bar. Meanwhile in the dugouts, Benitez continues to seethe. He’s just performed the VAR mime out of impotent frustration. Not yet, Rafa, not yet.

5.18pm GMT

60 min: Wolves make a double change: Saiss and Traore are replaced by Jimenez and excitement’s Gibbs-White.

5.17pm GMT

58 min: Jota’s free kick, just to the left of the D, is no good. On the touchline, Benitez is dancing around in the wild fashion. He’s clearly of the opinion that Lascelles was definitely going to get across, in which case Yedlin wasn’t the last man. But Jota was always going to get a shot away. It looked the correct decision.

5.15pm GMT

57 min: Yedlin gets the ball snagged under his feet as he looks to turn backwards down the right flank. Jota whisks away with it and races towards the box. Yedlin brings him down, and though Lascelles is coming across to help, out comes the red card! Rafa Benitez is not happy with that decision. Not happy at all.

5.12pm GMT

55 min: A powerful run by Diame down the right. He finds Rondon, just outside the box in the centre. But Rondon can’t sort out his feet to get a shot away.

5.10pm GMT

53 min: Costa bustles down the right. He’s running out of space, but Clark obliges him by needlessly shoving him over. A free kick as good as a corner. It’s sent long, Boly attempting to guide the ball home at the far stick. Goal kick. This second half’s been a bit scrappy so far.

5.09pm GMT

51 min: The free kick is a nonsense.

5.08pm GMT

50 min: Clark and Ritchie probe down the left. Clark is eventually brought down by Traore. It’s a clear free kick, though Traore isn’t too pleased, as he was cynically shoved by Lascelles a few seconds earlier as he romped up the other end, only for the ref to wave play on.

5.06pm GMT

48 min: Injury update: Fernandez has a calf injury. So it wasn’t a tactical change. Yedlin has dropped into Newcastle’s back three, with Manquillo taking his place out on the right.

5.03pm GMT

46 min: Atsu dribbles down the left. His run is brought to an abrupt end by Doherty. Free kick. Ki takes, and it’s not very good. But a fast start to the half from the home side.

5.02pm GMT

And we’re off again! Wolves - who were sent back out onto the field early by Nuno - get the ball rolling once more. Newcastle have made a change, hooking Fernandez and replacing him with Manquillo.

4.48pm GMT

Half-time reading:

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4.47pm GMT

Nothing happens at the corner. Ritchie has another go at worrying Wolves, flinging in a cross from the left. But Coady heads clear, and the teams are going in level. Well, that was fun. Don’t go anywhere, now!

4.45pm GMT

45 min: So having said that, Diame latches onto a loose Wolves pass and cracks a rising shot goalwards. It deflects out of play to the left of the target, and so Newcastle will have a corner in the one minute that’ll be added onto the end of the half.

4.45pm GMT

44 min: A free kick for Wolves out on the left. Neves takes, and curls a harmless one into Dubravka’s arms. This has been a highly entertaining half of football, but it’s petering out a little bit.

4.43pm GMT

43 min: Jota runs with purpose down the middle of the park. He thinks about a shot, but slips the ball wide left to Vinagre instead. Bad choice, because Vinagre’s cross is easily hacked clear. Jota had the chance to work Dubravka.

4.42pm GMT

41 min: Wolves ping it around for the first time in a while. They don’t go anywhere in particular, but they’ve been second best since taking the lead, so a period of relative control will be most welcome.

4.40pm GMT

39 min: Rondon is having a superb game. A study in perpetual motion. Here he closes down Rui Patricio, forcing the keeper to shank a pass out of play. It leads to nothing, but the home crowd appreciate his efforts anyway.

4.37pm GMT

37 min: Doherty turns on the jets and bursts through a gap in the Newcastle defence down the inside-right channel. Before he can get a shot away, Ritchie is across to slide the ball out for a corner. A perfectly timed tackle; it had to be. From the resulting corner, Bennett heads harmlessly over the bar.

4.35pm GMT

35 min: A bit of space for Ritchie down the left. But he runs down a cul-de-sac.

4.33pm GMT

33 min: There’s not a lot of this game being played in the middle of the park. Delightful. Doherty cynically clips Atsu’s heel as the Newcastle man makes good down the left. A free kick in a very dangerous position. But it’s wasted, Ki hoicking it miles over everyone’s head and out for a goal kick, with all the big lads up, their time and energy wasted.

4.32pm GMT

31 min: Ritchie sends Atsu scampering down the left. Atsu hooks immediately into the centre, slamming the ball into Rondon’s chest. But Rondon can’t control and the ball flies out for a goal kick.

4.30pm GMT

30 min: Boly clatters into the back of Diame, and concedes a cheap free kick, 30 yards out on the right. Everyone’s lined up on the edge of the box. Ki sends one deep and long to Fernandez, who aims a header towards the bottom left. Not enough oomph. Rui Patricio claims.

4.28pm GMT

28 min: Perez very nearly releases Yedlin down the right. Coady does extremely well to intercept the pass. Then the ball breaks to Ki, who drops a shoulder and shapes to shoot from 25 yards. He’s closed down. This is high-octane entertainment.

4.26pm GMT

26 min: Rondon is up for this. He wins a ball 30 yards from the Wolves goal and threads a shot towards the bottom left. Not quite enough juice on it, allowing Rui Patricio to gather. This is a great match.

4.26pm GMT

25 min: From the corner, Rondon wins a header in the box, but it’s an easy one for Rui Patricio to gather.

4.25pm GMT

24 min: Newcastle suddenly look a different team, piling forward in the excitable style. Football, huh? A corner’s won out on the right.

4.24pm GMT

Rondon pearls a sensational free kick towards the top left. It’s beaten Rui Patricio all ends up, but bangs the underside of the bar and bounces down, an inch in front of the line, and away. So unlucky! But Rondon isn’t stopping to feel sorry for himself. Wolves only half clear, and Rondon whips in a cross from the right, which Perez eyebrows adroitly into the top left! Rui Patricio had no chance with either effort, and Newcastle are deservedly level!

4.22pm GMT

22 min: Newcastle have lost the last 11 matches in which they’ve fallen behind. Can they put an end to that dismal run? Well, here’s a chance to get back into this match. Perez spins Bennett to the left of the Wolves D and shapes to shoot. He’s brought down. Rondon fancies it. He stands over it, and ...

4.20pm GMT

20 min: Newcastle are suddenly rocking in a very worrying fashion. Traore bursts down the left, his low cross only just evading Jota. Dubravka just about deals with the situation.

4.19pm GMT

18 min: Ki is booked for bringing down Traore.

4.18pm GMT

Well this was simple. Costa sashays in from the right. His looped cross sails over Lascelles, on his own in the middle of the box and out of position. Jota brings down the cross and pokes past Dubravka, simple as that. Dreadful defending.

4.17pm GMT

16 min: Mike Ashley isn’t in the house today, incidentally. He’s abroad on business. On that subject, here’s Mac Millings: “While I understand the decision to call off today’s scheduled anti-Ashley action, I nevertheless long for the good old days, when Newcastle United fans really knew how to put together an ‘Ashley Out’ banner.”

4.14pm GMT

14 min: Atsu whips a cross in from the left. Rondon winds his neck back with a view to blasting a header goalwards. Boly is forced to flick out for a corner. The set piece finds Atsu on the edge of the area; his first-time shot is wild, wide and high.

4.13pm GMT

13 min: Neves opts to go straight for goal instead of looking for a team-mate’s head. His curler towards the bottom left is easily snaffled by Dubravka.

4.12pm GMT

12 min: Traore skitters down the inside-left channel, and is clumsily barged to the ground by Fernandez. This is a free kick just to the left of the Newcastle box, so very dangerous. Neves stands over it, with the box loaded.

4.11pm GMT

10 min: Fernandez passes long down the middle. Rondon brings the ball down, teeing up Perez on the edge of the box. Perez can’t quite get his shot away either, but Newcastle are beginning to give Wolves a problem under direct bombardment.

4.09pm GMT

9 min: A really poor clearance by Vinagre allows Diame to take a whack from 25 yards. His shot is blocked. He should have done better.

4.08pm GMT

8 min: ... no, nothing much happens at that one either. Here’s Kári Tulinius. “A friend of mine has the theory that Wolves are crap against teams notionally at their level or below, while being good against top-six opposition. The theory being that Wolves need space and teams not being set up to counter their strengths. Given that Rafa is a master of reactive tactics, this game should be a good test of that theory.”

4.07pm GMT

7 min: ... nothing much occurs. But then Doherty bombs down the right and earns another corner, this time from the right. And from that one ...

4.06pm GMT

6 min: Traore spins his way past Fernandez and dribbles down the inside-left channel. For a second it looks as though he’ll get a shot away, but makes do with a corner. From which ...

4.04pm GMT

4 min: Wolves hog the ball for a while, probing down both wings. Bennett flings one in from the right this time; once again Newcastle hold firm and clear without fuss.

4.02pm GMT

2 min: Bennett throws long into the Newcastle area from the left, but Lascelles powers a header away. Already a sense that both teams fancy this one.

4.02pm GMT

And we’re off! Newcastle get the ball rolling under the lights at St James’. And the home side are quickly moving forward, Yedlin bursting down the right, Diame hooking into the centre, and Rondon chesting down, sending a volley straight at Rui Patricio. Let’s keep going like this, please, everyone!

3.59pm GMT

Here come the teams! It’s one for the purists, Newcastle in their famous black and white stripes, Wolves in that storied old gold. Two gorgeous strips. A quick blast of the theme from Local Hero, and we’ll be off in a minute!

3.49pm GMT

Rafa speaks! “The fans realise the main thing is to support the team. The way they support the team from the first minute until the last has been crucial for us in the last couple of years, and hopefully will be crucial for us this year. We know Wolves are quite strong and solid in defence, and are good in counter attack. So we have to try to stay on the front foot, but not make the mistakes we made against West Ham. We will try to match them, and see if we can be a little bit better than them!”

3.39pm GMT

Nuno Espirito Santo talks! “The way we work as a team, compact and organised, we have to maintain standards. This is one of the things we must improve, to become consistent. We must play and reveal our talent, maintaining our high standards. It was an intense game on Wednesday, and this will be a difficult game too.”

3.33pm GMT

Look at this little scamp! A dog wearing Newcastle colours, pictured pacing the streets outside St James’ Park before the match. Isn’t he a sweetheart? I hope they let him in. After all, he’s almost certainly better house-trained than Newcastle’s notorious fireplace-bothering owner.

3.20pm GMT

Pre-match reading. Our main man Daniel Taylor on the fallout of the cancellation of the anti-Ashley protest.

Related: Crunch time for Newcastle fans desperate to see return of human touch | Daniel Taylor

3.13pm GMT

Newcastle make three changes to the side that drew with Everton midweek. Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie and Ayoze Perez replace Jacob Murphy, Javier Manquillo and the suspended Fabian Schar.

Wolves make three changes to the team that saw off Chelsea on Wednesday night. Ruben Neves, Adama Traore and Helder Costa replace Joao Moutinho, 18-year-old prodigy Morgan Gibbs-White and Raul Jimenez, all of whom drop to the bench.

3.02pm GMT

Newcastle United: Dubravka, Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Atsu, Diame, Ki, Perez, Rondon.
Subs: Dummett, Muto, Kenedy, Manquillo, Joselu, Longstaff, Woodman.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rui Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Ruben Vinagre, Helder Costa, Traore, Jota.
Subs: Ivan Cavaleiro, Jimenez, Gibbs-White, John Ruddy, Joao Moutinho, Dendoncker, Leo Bonatini.

1.59pm GMT

This particular fixture has, in days gone by, ended 5-1, 2-4, 3-4, 4-4 and 8-0. How relevant is that? Well, those games were played in 1975, 1903, 1959, 1960 and 1905, so we’ll leave that up to you. But what we will say is this: today’s match is unlikely to be quite so spectacular. Newcastle have only scored 12 goals in 15 matches this season; Wolves have managed just three more. You’ll thank me for tempting fate so brazenly when this ends 5-5.

To be fair, though, we can spin this another way. Newcastle are in a pretty decent run of form, having won three of their last five. They’re coming off the back of a very decent draw at fast-improving Everton. A three-goal thumping at home by West Ham distorts the picture, but on the whole they’ve been doing well of late. Wolves meanwhile broke a six-game winless streak in midweek with a stunning victory over Chelsea. So both teams will feel confident enough. And confidence means goals, right? You’ll curse me for mentioning all this when it ends 0-0.

Related: Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers: match preview

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Stanway strike against Birmingham draws Manchester City level with Arsenal – as it happened

Georgia Stanway’s goal was enough to lift Manchester City joint top of the WSL

2.57pm GMT

Manchester City pulled level on points with Arsenal at the top of the WSL, albeit having played a game more, as a calamitous error from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton gifted the home side a win over Birmingham.

The Birmingham manager, Marc Skinner, blamed a poor start for his side’s loss but maintained that the Blues can challenge: “The first 10 minutes were woeful, not good enough. If you’re going to play the way we player you’ve got to be sharper and quicker to the ball and in the first 10 minutes we weren’t that and that’s what has killed us in the game.

2.27pm GMT

So that’s your lot from the Academy Stadium. Georgia Stanway was the star, scoring the tenth goal of her season to settle this second-versus-third clash. Manchester City have moved joint top of the WSL as a result, level with Arsenal on 27 points, having played one game more. We’ve got a title race!

2.24pm GMT

England manager Phil Neville has been chatting away too. Louise Taylor reports from Paris.

Related: Phil Neville says England staff are locked in room plotting World Cup glory

2.22pm GMT

Nick Cushing speaks! “I think we gave Birmingham too much space. But I thought we defended well. If we’d got the second goal, we would have settled the game down. We have to look at our performance and look at why we put Ellie Roebuck under so much pressure that she had to make several saves. Georgia Stanway’s work ethic and mentality are her greatest attributes. She’s a great footballer too, but she’s prepared to work hard. She’s playing really well, and we want to make sure she continues to improve because she’s got so much potential. Going top, we’ve given ourselves a chance.”

2.14pm GMT

Steph Houghton talks! “We knew Birmingham would be a tough test. But as soon as Georgia got the goal, we knew we would be difficult to break down.”

Georgia Stanway adds: “We had to be aggressive, that’s where the goal came from. The World Cup is in my mind, but I want to focus on playing well for Manchester City and win trophies.”

2.12pm GMT

And that’s it! Nick Cushing’s team go level on points with Arsenal at the top of the WSL! They’ve both got 27 points, though Manchester City have played a game more. Georgia Stanway was today’s hero, capitalising on Anna Hampton’s fresh-air kick to score her tenth goal of the season.

2.10pm GMT

90 min +4: A game of head tennis on the edge of the Manchester City box. The ball eventually drops to Wellings, who sends a weak shot straight down the throat of Roebuck. City go up the other end, Beckie nearly breaking clear down the left, but she’s denied by a fine sliding tackle from Harriet Scott.

2.08pm GMT

90 min +3: Bonner comes on for Parris.

2.07pm GMT

90 min +1: Mannion and Parris get involved in a shoving match, the latter having tried to stop the former from taking a quick free kick in the middle of the park. Stanway is then booked for the tackle on Mannion that led to the free kick.

2.05pm GMT

90 min: Birmingham can’t get hold of the ball. This is fine game management from the hosts. There will be four added minutes.

2.04pm GMT

89 min: Manchester City ping the ball around the back for a bit, the clock very much their friend.

2.02pm GMT

87 min: Ladd is replaced by Scofield.

2.02pm GMT

86 min: A free kick from the right, sent high into the Birmingham box. Hampton fumbles the ball, and Manchester City force a corner. The keeper sighs with relief as the set piece is overhit, utterly wasted.

2.00pm GMT

85 min: Ladd twists and turns down the inside-left channel, then has a look from 25 yards. It flies a similar distance wide right. Birmingham haven’t been afraid to shoot from distance.

1.59pm GMT

83 min: Quinn drifts from right to left and pearls a wonderful shot towards the top left. Roebuck is forced to tip round the bar at full stretch. That’s great football all round. The resulting corner leads to nought.

1.57pm GMT

81 min: Staniforth looks for the top-left corner. It’s a stunning effort, just an inch too high, and the ball hits the crossbar flush! Nobody can ram home the loose ball, and Manchester City eventually clear. That would have been a sensational goal.

1.56pm GMT

80 min: The corner is half cleared, then Jill Scott brings down Staniforth, just to the left of the D. A free kick in a very dangerous position.

1.55pm GMT

79 min: Beckie, who scored four times in the League Cup in midweek, comes on for Wullaert. Then Staniforth clatters a shot goalwards from distance; the ball’s deflected for a corner on the right.

1.54pm GMT

78 min: In fact Sargeant has come off worst. She’s taken a smack in the mouth, and has a cut lip. Houghton simply rubs her knee a bit then gets up. Both are fine to continue after a fashion.

1.52pm GMT

76 min: Parris clumsily barges into the back of Mannion, and that’s another free kick for Birmingham in a dangerous position. Staniforth loops it into the area. Houghton rises highest to head powerfully clear, and takes a whack from Sargeant for her trouble.

1.51pm GMT

75 min: Follis, who has been one of Birmingham’s best players today, goes down grimacing. She’s able to get up and jog off, but injury has forced her exit. She’s replaced by Mayling.

1.49pm GMT

73 min: Some neat triangles down the Manchester City right, and suddenly Stanway is bombing into the area. But just before she can get a shot away, she’s robbed by a brilliant sliding tackle from Sargeant. That had to be timed perfectly.

1.47pm GMT

71 min: A free kick for Birmingham out on the right. Staniforth sails it to the far post, where Sargeant rises to head goalwards. But there’s no meat in the effort, and it flops gently into the embrace of Roebuck. Not entirely sure how this is still only 1-0; there have been some rare old chances for both sides in this second half.

1.46pm GMT

70 min: The ball spins and bounces around in the Birmingham six-yard box. Wullaert and Parris try to poke it home, but Hampton eventually gathers.

1.44pm GMT

68 min: This is great end-to-end fun now, the complete opposite of the first half. Staniforth nearly plants an right-to-left curler into the top-right corner from 25 yards; it’s inches clear. Then Wullaert crosses low yet again from the right; Hampton does extremely well to claim.

1.43pm GMT

66 min: Stanway creams a shot from Marco van Basten Country, tight on the right. It flashes over the bar. In the middle, Parris spins in annoyance; she was after a cross to head home from close range. It would have been the better option.

1.42pm GMT

65 min: More space for Wullaert down the right. Again the cross is easily cleared. Meanwhile Sargeant engages the referee in a full and frank discussion about Stanway, who has annoyed her with persistent minor fouls. The ref eventually waves her away. But she’s far from happy.

1.40pm GMT

64 min: Quinn, Staniforth and Wellings buzz around the Manchester City box, out to the right. There’s a couple of chances to cross, but there’s nobody in the centre, and when a ball’s eventually played in, it rolls slowly into the arms of Roebuck. Quinn’s been pretty lively since the restart.

1.38pm GMT

62 min: Wullaert fizzes a cross into the Birmingham box from the right. Hampton gathers well, under pressure from Parris and Emslie.

1.36pm GMT

60 min: Manchester City replace Weir with Emslie.

1.36pm GMT

59 min: Parris slips Weir into space down the right. She whips low and hard into the area; Harriet Scott slides in to hook over the bar with Stanway lurking. From the resulting corner, McManus sidefoots a volley goalwards from ten yards. Hampton parries magnificently, especially as she’s partially unsighted by Parris, standing right in front of her. That’s a fine save. The rebound is blootered over the bar by Jill Scott.

1.33pm GMT

57 min: The first half wasn’t all that, tell the truth, but this has turned into a fine end-to-end match now. Walsh wins a corner off Arthur, and from the set piece there’s an awful scramble in the six-yard box. Parris should probably force the ball home from close range, but somehow Birmingham swarm her en masse, and eventually Hampton is able to flop onto the ball, danger over.

1.31pm GMT

56 min: Harriet Scott dribbles with purpose towards the Manchester City box. She lays off to Staniforth to her left. Staniforth sends a looping shot towards the bottom left. It’s easily gathered by Roebuck, who was across her line quickly.

1.30pm GMT

54 min: Arthur creams a right-to-left diagonal pass for Harrop, who wins another corner for Birmingham. The ball flashes across the face of goal, and once again Quinn spurs a good chance, failing to react quickly enough, unable to connect and poke the ball home. But this is a lot better from Birmingham, who are carving out chances now.

1.28pm GMT

52 min: Follis works her way down the left and earns a corner. The ball’s sent long. Quinn, at the far post, chests down and backwards, turns, and sends a rising screamer across Roebuck towards the top left. And over the bar. A very decent opportunity to equalise spurned.

1.26pm GMT

49 min: Follis makes good down the left, and is hauled back by Jill Scott, who has a handful of her shirt. It’s a free kick, and really should be a booking, but Scott gets away with her misdemeanour without punishment. If only there was a pithy phrase for that.

1.24pm GMT

47 min: Stanway wins a corner off Scott down the left. The set piece is launched into the mixer, and is dealt with easily enough by the yellow masses.

1.22pm GMT

And we’re off again! No changes. Birmingham get the party restarted, and quickly whistle the ball back to Hampton, who hesitates, and is nearly stripped of possession by Stanway. But the 18-year-old keeper snaps back into focus just in time, sorts her feet out and clears. Some understandable nerves on display from Hampton, given what happened in the first half. And the sun’s in her eyes now, too.

1.06pm GMT

Half-time reading.

Related: From Tiger Woods to World Cup memories: our favourite sports books of 2018

1.05pm GMT

A fairly even half, the difference being a goalkeeping howler from Anna Hampton, and a tidy, opportunistic finish from the striking sensation Georgia Stanway. As things stand, Manchester City will be joining Arsenal at the top of the WSL table.

1.02pm GMT

45 min: A free kick for Birmingham out on the left. A chance to load the box. With six yellow shirts queuing up at the far post, Staniforth opts for the spectacular instead, and blooters a poor effort miles over the bar.

1.01pm GMT

43 min: Sargeant reprises her earlier sleepy stylings, faffing around on the ball inside her own area, and nearly having her pocket picked by an insistent Parris. She gets away with it, but only just. The ball breaks to Hampton, who tidies up.

12.59pm GMT

42 min: It’s suddenly gone a little scrappy, with moves of over two passes at a premium.

12.58pm GMT

40 min: Staniforth bursts down the middle, with options either side. She decides to look for Wellings, just inside the Manchester City box on the right, but the striker has wandered offside. Staniforth puts her head in her hands in theatrical style, performing the internationally recognised mime for exasperation.

12.56pm GMT

38 min: McManus cuts in from the right, having been sent forward by a good ball from Scott. She should slip the busy Stanway clear down the inside-right channel, but doesn’t spot her young team-mate’s clever run, instead looking for Parris in the middle. The move breaks down.

12.54pm GMT

36 min: Beattie scoops a long pass down the left. She’d have released Parris, one on one with the keeper, but the striker needlessly made her run too soon. Real vision from Beattie, though.

12.52pm GMT

34 min: Birmingham continue to see more of the ball ... but they’re doing very little with it at the business end of the pitch. For all Birmingham’s possession, Manchester City remain comfortable.

12.50pm GMT

32 min: Now it’s Wellings’ turn to zip down the left. For a second there’s a sense that she might make it into the area and get Birmingham’s first serious shot away, but Houghton is quickly on the scene to win the ball and slip it to Roebuck, who clears Manchester City’s lines.

12.48pm GMT

30 min: Birmingham are the better team now. Harrop is sent scampering into acres of space down the left, but her cross isn’t all that. Birmingham will be pleased with the way they’ve fought their way back into this game, though they’ve yet to test Roebuck in the Manchester City goal.

12.47pm GMT

28 min: A throw for Birmingham deep in the Manchester City half on the left. Harrop flings it in. Staniforth turns McManus and looks to Le Tissier the ball across Roebuck and into the top right. It would have been a sensational strike, but her fierce whipping shot flashes across the face of goal and harmlessly wide. Not so far away from a jaw-dropper, mind.

12.44pm GMT

26 min: Follis drives down the left and cuts inside, but her ball forward isn’t gathered by Wellings. This is much more of an even contest now.

12.43pm GMT

24 min: Quinn looks to break down the left and is bundled unceremoniously into touch by a no-nonsense challenge from Houghton. The referee doesn’t see much wrong with it, a decision that somewhat irks the Birmingham player. Nothing much happening for Birmingham in the final third.

12.41pm GMT

22 min: Birmingham enjoy a period of sterile domination. After being overrun during the opening exchanges, and conceding a sloppy goal, they’ve gained a foothold in this game. It’s a fine response.

12.37pm GMT

20 min: Birmingham have settled a little, and are winning a few of the midfield duels now. Emboldened, Staniforth tries to whistle a shot over Roebuck from nigh on 40 yards. Full marks for ambition. Roebuck gathers the ball in her arms without fuss.

12.36pm GMT

18 min: Staniforth bursts down the inside-right channel, the first Birmingham attack with any real purpose. It’s a fine run, and she’s cynically clipped by Walsh, who rightly goes in the book. The resulting free kick is an opportunity to load the box and put some pressure on the hosts, but Staniforth’s delivery provides easy pickings for Roebuck, who plucks it from the sky under no pressure.

12.33pm GMT

16 min: City reassert their dominance with a period of possession at the back.

12.32pm GMT

14 min: Birmingham try to respond immediately, Ladd spinning on the edge of the Manchester City box and nearly breaking into space. But Beattie is wise to the grift, coming across to close the gap.

12.31pm GMT

The irrepressible Stanway scores again! It’s her tenth goal of the season, but something of a disaster for Hampton in the Birmingham goal, who in dealing with a backpass whiffs a fresh-air kick on the left-hand corner of her six-yard box. Stanway nips in, rounds the panicked keeper with fast feet, and slots home from a tight angle on the left. What a finish, but what a mistake too.

12.28pm GMT

11 min: Harrop slides a long pass down the left touchline, in the hope of releasing Follis into space. McManus intercepts easily enough, but that’s a little better from Birmingham, who have offered very little in attack so far.

12.27pm GMT

9 min: Weir slips a ball down the left to Stokes on the overlap. It’s a marauding run by Stokes, but she can’t quite find Stanway in the centre with her cross. Sargeant reads the play well, and does just enough to put a stop to Manchester City’s scheme.

12.24pm GMT

7 min: Birmingham steady the ship a little by passing it around the back awhile, in the game-management style.

12.23pm GMT

5 min: Walsh slips past Sargeant down the left and embarks on a dribble along the byline. But the flag goes up for offside. Birmingham are struggling to get out of their final third right now.

12.21pm GMT

4 min: Houghton plays a glorious diagonal Hollywood pass to Walsh on the left wing. Walsh slips the ball inside for Parris, whose shot is well parried by Hampton. Birmingham are all over the shop here.

12.20pm GMT

2 min: Sargeant is caught dawdling on the ball in her own area, allowing Parris to steal off with the prize. Parris nearly tees up Stanway but yellow shirts swarm around her to snuff out the danger. Birmingham need to wake up, and quickly.

12.19pm GMT

35 seconds: A simple long ball over the top, and Stanway is away down the inside-right channel! But Hampton is quickly off her line to smother and save Birmingham. What a start that could have been for Manchester City!

12.17pm GMT

And we’re off! Manchester City get the rematch of the 2017 FA Cup final underway!

12.15pm GMT

The teams are out! Second-placed City are in their famous sky blue, third-placed Birmingham in their yellow change strip. We’ll be off in a minute!

12.11pm GMT

Birmingham manager Marc Skinner is a new dad, his partner, the England defender Laura Bassett, having given birth to Saede last week. “It’s the most amazing experience of my life. To see the look on our baby daughter’s face, and her mum’s doing well ... she’s given me the best present, she’s gone from my hero to my superhero, I’m really pleased to say that. I’m in love, a different type of love I never thought I’d feel. I hope I’m still buzzing after the game!”

His opposite number Nick Cushing adds: “This will be a difficult game. The job Marc is doing is excellent. They are challenging and will continue to challenge. Georgia Stanway is motivated and enthused, I hope she can keep scoring goals.”

11.50am GMT

There was also the small matter of the World Cup draw yesterday. England and Scotland will meet in next June’s finals! That should be some showdown. Louise Taylor reports from Paris. Meanwhile Ella Reilly breathes a sigh of relief, sort of, as the Matildas avoid a group of death.

Related: England and Scotland to meet in their Women’s World Cup opener

11.42am GMT

Pre-match reading. Just in case you missed it, the Guardian has named the current 100 best female footballers in the world. For the full countdown, click here now. Meanwhile our very own Suzanne Wrack, shortlisted for the FSF Writer of the Year, has interviewed Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg and our number one Pernille Harder. Click click! Be about your business!

Related: The 100 best female footballers in the world 2018

11.35am GMT

Manchester City make one change to the team sent out for their 2-0 win over Arsenal last week. Abbie McManus rakes Gemma Bonner’s place at the back.

Birmingham make two changes from the XI selected for the 2-1 victory over Yeovil last Sunday. Paige Williams and Connie Scofield drop to the bench; they’re replaced by Kerys Harrop and last week’s substitute match-winner Charlie Wellings.

11.21am GMT

Manchester City: Roebuck, Beattie, Houghton, Stokes, McManus, Walsh, Scott, Weir, Wullaert, Stanway, Parris.
Subs: Bardsley, Bonner, Bremer, Beckie, Morgan, Park, Emslie.

Birmingham City: Hampton, Sargeant, Ladd, Harrop, Arthur, Quinn, Follis, Wellings, Scott, Mannion, Staniforth.
Subs: Berger, Williams, Scofield, Mayling, Hayles.

1.32pm GMT

Last weekend, Manchester City’s 19-year-old striking sensation Georgia Stanway sashayed in from the right wing, dropped a shoulder, and finished off a wonder run by curling into the bottom left. Some goal by any standard, but this one was extra special because it condemned runaway leaders Arsenal to their first defeat of the season. And all of a sudden we’ve got a title race on our hands!

With Arsenal sitting out this round of fixtures, City can join them at the top of the WSL table with a win this afternoon. They’ll fancy their chances, because they’re in fine form: unbeaten in their first ten league matches, and coming off the back of a 6-0 win over Sheffield United in the League Cup, Janine Beckie scoring four. They also beat today’s opponents, Birmingham City, 3-2 back in September, a sensational turnaround from two goals down.

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Watford 1-2 Manchester City and more: Premier League clockwatch –as it happened

Manchester City went five clear at the top, while ten-man Brighton outplayed Crystal Palace on the south coast.

10.06pm GMT

Finally, Jacob Steinberg was at the London Stadium. His report on another good result for the upwardly mobile Hammers is below. And that’s your lot. Thanks for reading on a very entertaining and incident-packed evening in the Premier League. Six more games tomorrow night! Hope you’ll come back and enjoy those with us. Nighty night!

Related: West Ham’s Lucas Pérez takes advantage after Cardiff fluff penalty

10.02pm GMT

Stuart James saw Huddersfield throw the kitchen sink at Bournemouth ... only to come away with nothing.

Related: Callum Wilson keeps Bournemouth on high despite Huddersfield onslaught

10.01pm GMT

Dominic Fifield was at the Amex. He witnessed a tumultuous battle between the Seagulls and the Eagles.

Related: Shane Duffy sees red but 10-man Brighton too strong for Crystal Palace

10.01pm GMT

Our award-winning match reports, then! Amy Lawrence was at Vicarage Road to see Pep’s men fall over the line.

Related: Manchester City given late scare at Watford by Abdoulaye Doucouré

9.57pm GMT

A classified check.

Bournemouth 2-1 Huddersfield Town
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 Crystal Palace
Watford 1-2 Manchester City
West Ham United 3-1 Cardiff City

9.51pm GMT

And that’s that! Pep breathes a sigh of relief on the touchline. City were utterly dominant until Watford’s late goal, whereupon the nerves began to jangle a little. But they’ve closed out the win, and go five clear of Liverpool, who visit Burnley tomorrow evening.

9.50pm GMT

Pep Guardiola is pacing around the technical area in the nervous fashion, as Gerard Deulofeu wins a corner for Watford down the right. Manchester City half clear, but Abdoulaye Doucouré is gifted the chance to take a shot from ten yards. It’s blocked out for another corner, which doesn’t come to much. The flag goes up for an offside against Watford, and that looks like enough for City to fall over the line!

9.48pm GMT

Manchester City are suddenly hanging on! Ederson is booked for time-wasting over a goal kick. Absurd that it’s come to this, on the overall balance of play. But Watford have three minutes of added time to save themselves!

9.46pm GMT

Watford go this close to equalising against Manchester City! Troy Deeney rises to meet a corner coming in from the left. He sends a header towards the top left, but there’s no force behind it, and Ederson is able to claim easily enough.

9.45pm GMT

Albion hold on for a famous victory against the old enemy! Chris Hughton celebrates; Roy Hodgson has a face like thunder. And no wonder, because his struggling team were thoroughly outplayed by ten men.

9.43pm GMT

Now then. City should really be three or four up. But now there’s just a goal in it. Good work from Gerard Deulofeu down the right. He curls low to Abdoulaye Doucouré, six yards out. He has to score, and does, albeit only bundling home at the third attempt.

9.41pm GMT

The Terriers refused to give up in the second half, but there was to be no reward for their incessant pressure.

9.40pm GMT

And that’s your lot in east London, pretty bubbles filling the cold night air.

9.39pm GMT

A consolation for Cardiff from a corner. A game of pinball in the box, and Josh Murphy heads home from a yard out.

9.36pm GMT

It’s finished 6-1 to Inverness Caley Thistle in the Scottish Cup against Edinburgh City. An injury-time goal for Aaron Doran there for the highlanders.

9.33pm GMT

And the thing is, a goal any time soon for Watford would give Manchester City a little something to think about. The hosts nearly get it too, a lovely sweeping move that ends with Troy Deeney teeing up Abdoulaye Doucouré, rushing in from the left. He’s got to test Ederson, but his attempt to curl the ball across the keeper and into the bottom right is weak as milky tea. Ederson slowly bends down to scoop what’s effectively a backpass into his arms.

9.29pm GMT

Manchester City are swanning around Vicarage Road in the superior style. Riyad Mahrez scoops a cross in from the right. It’s flicked on by David Silva, and sails serenely towards Gabriel Jesus, who simply must plant home a header from six yards. But he somehow pings a poor effort over the bar. It’s not clear how this is only 2-0 to the champions.

9.27pm GMT

Wilfried Zaha, on his 300th appearance for Palace, dribbles his way into the Brighton box and is brought down by Leon Balogun. Luka Milivojević slots the penalty home, and there’s plenty of time left for another goal that would make the home fans very nervous indeed!

9.22pm GMT

And it’s nearly 4-0 for West Ham against Cardiff. Declan Rice and Angelo Ogbonna take turns to test Neil Etheridge, who is saving the Bluebirds’ blushes right now. Andy Carroll’s back, by the way, and his mere presence has been been causing panic and bedlam in the Cardiff defence.

9.18pm GMT

Riyad Mahrez nearly makes it 3-0 for Manchester City at Watford. He sashays in from his right-wing beat and hits a shot that deflects up off a defender, loops over a panicked Ben Foster, and nearly drops into the bottom left. The ball drifts past the post ... just. Apologies to fans of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, but it doesn’t look as though Watford are getting back into this game.

9.13pm GMT

It was Sol Campbell’s first match in charge of Macclesfield Town tonight. Sadly for the big man, it’s ended in a defeat to Newcastle United under-21s in the Football League Trophy. They lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw ... the first time Macclesfield have suffered shootout defeat in their entire history. Ah well, the only way is up. Meanwhile it’s a hat-trick for Jordan White, as Inverness Caledonian Thistle take a 5-1 lead against Edinburgh City.

9.09pm GMT

The champions and leaders will be five points clear of Liverpool this evening, barring something very weird happening in the next 40 minutes. Gabriel Jesus skedaddles down the inside-left channel, reaches the byline, and cuts back to Riyad Mahrez, bombing in from the right. Mahrez meets the pass first time, and slams an unstoppable shot past Ben Foster. That’s a beautiful, crisp finish. City: what a team.

9.06pm GMT

Michail Antonio eyebrows home a corner, and the sky is falling in on Cardiff. That Joe Ralls penalty seems an awfully long time ago now.

9.03pm GMT

Another chance for Huddersfield! Aaron Mooy drifts in from the right and has a whack that’s well saved by Artur Boruc. And it’s 4-1 now to Inverness Caley Thistle in the Scottish Cup, Jordan White scoring his second of the evening against Edinburgh City.

9.01pm GMT

It’s two in five minutes for the West Ham sub! Lucas Perez is teed up after some good work from Mark Noble and Arthur Masuaku.

8.59pm GMT

Huddersfield are pressing for an equaliser at Bournemouth. Aaron Mooy sends a cross towards Alex Pritchard, who can’t quite get his feet sorted to get a worthwhile shot away. It’s still 2-1 to the hosts. Meanwhile a third goal for Caley Thistle in their third-round Scottish Cup replay against Edinburgh City. Tom Walsh with his second of the night on 53 minutes. It’s 3-1 to ICT.

8.55pm GMT

Cardiff had the chance to go one up in the first half, but Joe Rolls missed the penalty. They had a couple of chances to clear their lines here, too. But they didn’t, and Lucas Perez ended up slamming home the opener at the London Stadium. Perez had come on for the injured Marko Arnautović, incidentally.

8.52pm GMT

It’s half-time at Vicarage Road. Manchester City lead Watford 1-0 thanks to that Leroy Sane goal; it had been coming on the balance of play. Even so, Troy Deeney will be kicking himself for not putting away that gilt-edged chance. On that subject, here’s The second Golden Age of Hollywood with Justin Kavanagh. “Here’s Troy Deeney’s reaction to that miss against City as he lies prostrate on the turf and looks into the dark Hertfordshire sky.” The only highlights reel to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

8.43pm GMT

And it should be two for City, because Riyad Mahrez is sent scampering free down the right, having busted the Watford offside trap. He enters the area but takes something of a heavy touch. Stretching for the ball, he pokes it harmlessly wide right from six yards. Watford get away with one.

8.41pm GMT

Riyad Mahrez crosses deep from the right. David Silva should score, but uncharacteristically lets the ball clank off his shins at close range. No matter! The ball’s immediately worked back out right to Mahrez, who tries again. His deep cross is met by the in-rushing Leroy Sane, who cleverly chests the ball past Ben Foster and into the net!

8.38pm GMT

And that’s half-time at the Amex. Here’s how it looks in the Premier League ...

Bournemouth 2-1 Huddersfield Town (HT)
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Crystal Palace (HT)
Watford 0-0 Manchester City (L)
West Ham United 0-0 Cardiff City (HT)

8.36pm GMT

Ten-man Brighton extend their lead even further! Palace are piling forward in the hope of getting back into the game before half-time. But the hosts break upfield, and Florin Andone - the man who came on for the injured Glenn Murray - curls one past Wayne Hennessey! What an absurd half of football!

8.34pm GMT

A great chance for Watford against the champions! Abdoulaye Doucouré, his back to goal on the edge of the box, loops a ball over his head and into the path of Troy Deeney, who surely must score from close range! But his sidefooted effort, aimed towards the bottom right, is kicked clear by Ederson. What a chance!

8.32pm GMT

The Golden Age of Hollywood. The 28th minute at the Amex, brought to you in glorious Technicolor by Paramount Pictures. Thanks to Niall Mullen for the clip.

8.28pm GMT

Watford have started to probe Manchester City a little. But the champions aren’t panicking, a fact illustrated by Ederson’s no-look pass out to Vincent Kompany. Troy Deeney was sniffing around, as well; that took balls. And no little talent, of course. This team are something else. Still goalless at Vicarage Road.

8.25pm GMT

Huddersfield have been slowly working their way back into the match at Dean Court, and they’ve got some reward. Terence Kongolo scores his first goal for the Terriers, heading home an Aaron Mooy cross.

8.23pm GMT

Marko Arnautović bowls over Cardiff’s Junior Hoillet in the West Ham area. A needless challenge, and it’s a penalty kick! Joe Ralls takes ... and Łukasz Fabiański saves! Meanwhile at the Amex cauldron, Luka Milivojević has an effort cleared off the line by Bernardo.

8.18pm GMT

And if that isn’t wild enough, Glenn Murray looks like he can’t continue. He’s off the pitch nursing a sore shoulder; Brighton are down to nine for a minute or so. Leon Balogun then comes on for Pascal Gross ... and within 25 seconds he’s slamming the ball home from the corner! Remember that corner? What a business at the Amex!

8.16pm GMT

So it seems the Brighton penalty was a very generous decision indeed. By way of recompense, the referee doesn’t give one when Glenn Murray goes over Luka Milivojević’s leg. Just a corner. Before it can be taken, Shane Duffy pushes his head into Patrick van Aanholt, and is sent packing!

8.10pm GMT

A melee in the Palace box. James McArthur brings down José Izquierdo, and Glenn Murray slams home the resulting penalty, just, the ball bothering the underside of the bar.

8.08pm GMT

Ryan Fraser already has an assist to his name tonight; now he’s got a goal to add to his personal tally. He finishes off a speedy break by passing the ball into the net. Huddersfield lost 4-0 here last week; they’ll already be fearing another thrashing.

8.06pm GMT

Angelo Ogbonna has just sent a couple of Robert Snodgrass corners straight at Neil Etheridge. The Cardiff keeper takes a whack to his hand while making the second save. Meanwhile Caley Thistle are back in front against Edinburgh City, Jordan White making it 2-1 on 15 minutes.

8.04pm GMT

West Ham are on the front foot against Cardiff. Dominant in possession. No goals yet, though Felipe Anderson has just sent a ball into the centre for Marko Arnautović, who couldn’t get anything meaningful away from a promising position. Meanwhile the match at Vicarage Road has kicked off, and David Silva has already been worrying the Watford back line with his trademark buzzing around. “There’s much to admire about Troy Deeney,” begins Gary Naylor, “but I’m not sure this is his kind of match. I’m guessing his number will be up after an hour - whether that proves to be Sr Gracia’s or Mr Tierney’s decision is, I suspect, about a fifty-fifty call.”

7.55pm GMT

Huddersfield are rocking. Joshua King has just had two opportunities to double Bournemouth’s lead in a minute. It’s still 1-0. Meanwhile there’s a Scottish Cup third-round replay going on this evening. In it, the 2015 winners Inverness Caledonian Thistle went a goal up through Tom Walsh on five minutes ... but Edinburgh City of League Two have almost immediately equalised through Blair Henderson. Wild scenes on the Moray Firth.

7.51pm GMT

A fast start for the Cherries at Dean Court! Callum Wilson heads home a Ryan Fraser cross. The Terriers - lovely retro badge on those shirts - appeal for an offside. But nothing doing. Wilson’s ninth goal of the season stands!

7.48pm GMT

OK, they’re kicking off at Dean Court, the Amex and the London Stadium. Action imminent! In the meantime, here’s Peter Oh: “Sure, so Pep Guardiola knows how to tweak his finely tuned football machine. The question is, does he know how to twerk?” Ha. On the subject of that abject clown at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, and while we wait for the first news of the evening, here’s Marina Hyde with yet another satirical masterclass.

Related: Martin Solveig says he is ‘especially’ respectful with women. What a twerk | Marina Hyde

7.29pm GMT

Rainbow Laces. The world of football continues to stand alongside LGBT fans in Stonewall’s good fight against bigotry, be it by wearing the titular boot-securing items ...

7.13pm GMT

Not that anyone needs reminding about the sheer depth of Manchester City’s squad ... but Pep Guardiola makes six changes from the weekend as his side rock up at Watford. David Silva, Riyad Mahrez, Kyle Walker, Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Fabian Delph step up, at the expense of Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, Aymeric Laporte, Nicolas Otamendi, Danilo and Alexander Zinchenko. That’s a whole new defence, just because they can. Javi Gracia won’t know whether to laugh or cry. (See also: Jurgen Klopp, Maurizio Sarri, Unai Emery, Mauricio Pochettino, etc.)

The hosts Watford make just the three swaps from their weekend loss at Leicester. Nathaniel Chalobah, Troy Deeney and Christian Kabasele replace Gerard Deulofeu, Adrian Mariappa and the suspended Etienne Capoue.

7.04pm GMT

... here’s the teamsheet from tonight’s sole 8pm kick-off.

Watford: Foster, Femenia, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas, Doucoure, Chalobah, Hughes, Pereyra, Deeney, Success.
Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Deulofeu, Masina, Gray, Quina, Wilmot.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Stones, Delph, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Silva, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sane.
Subs: Danilo, Sterling, Gundogan, Laporte, Otamendi, Foden, Muric.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire).

7.02pm GMT

Bournemouth call up Jefferson Lerma and David Brooks. They replace Tyrone Mings and Andrew Surman from the side that lost at Manchester City last weekend; those two are benched. Huddersfield make one change to their team, Laurent Depoitre coming in for the suspended Steve Mounie.

Brighton make two changes for the big one at the Amex. Martin Montoya and Glenn Murray take the places of Florin Andone and the injured Bruno. Crystal Palace are unchanged after their weekend win over Burnley. Wilfried Zaha makes his 300th appearance for the club.

6.50pm GMT

Bournemouth: Begovic, Francis, Steve Cook, Ake, Daniels, Brooks, Lerma, Lewis Cook, Fraser, King, Wilson.
Subs: Boruc, Surman, Mousset, Defoe, Stanislas, Rico, Mings.
Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo, Hadergjonaj, Mooy, Hogg, Billing, Durm, Pritchard, Depoitre.
Subs: Smith, Kachunga, Hamer, Sobhi, Mbenza, Williams, Sabiri.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).

Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bernardo, March, Propper, Bissouma, Izquierdo, Gross, Murray.
Subs: Bong, Kayal, Locadia, Andone, Knockaert, Balogun, Steele.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Kouyate, Milivojevic, Meyer, Townsend, Zaha.
Subs: Ward, Sorloth, Ayew, Schlupp, Guaita, Kelly, Puncheon.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

2.23pm GMT

There’s nothing like a full midweek Premier League fixture list, is there? The bulk of it comes along tomorrow night, but there’s plenty enough fun to be had this evening. Take a look at this!

Bournemouth v Huddersfield Town (7.45pm)
Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace (7.45pm)
Watford v Manchester City (8pm)
West Ham United v Cardiff City (7.45pm)

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The Fiver | Sticking six past Watford while strolling about and yawning

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There’s a fresh look about some of the big leagues around Europe right now. In Spain, Alavés and Sevilla sit above European champions Real Madrid, the pair right on a worried Barcelona’s shoulder. Bayern Munich’s traditional regal procession in the Bundesliga has been cancelled this year; they’re miles off the pace set by Dortmund, have fewer points than a multinational soft beverage concern, and are even trailing Mönchengladbach for goodness sake, like it’s 1977 all over again. It looks like things may even get vaguely interesting in Scotland, for a while anyway, with Pope’s O’Rangers topping the table at this stage of the season for the first time since the taxman had a quick rifle through their desk drawers and performed an exaggerated double take accompanied by effects from the Hanna-Barbera sound library.

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Southampton 2-2 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Saints started fast, but United came back at them, as these two clubs served up another thriller on the south coast.

7.55pm GMT

Related: Ander Herrera denies Southampton as Manchester United fight back for draw

7.52pm GMT

Mad Dogs. There’s the agenda for the next few days set, then. Gotta love Jose, he’s always worth the price of the ticket. All that’s left is to point you in the direction of Paul Doyle’s match report, and to wish you luck getting rid of the following earworm. Thanks for reading. Nighty night!

7.48pm GMT

And now Jose! “We lost so many balls in midfield, in our transitions to the last third, it was difficult to have that continuity. The reason we did so well in the last 20 minutes of the first half was we connected with our attacking players by transporting the ball well, leaving it at the right moment, the right choice of pass, play it simple. In the second half we went back to the dynamic where we lose too many balls in the midfield, and when the players don’t understand that simplicity is genius, and they keep and keep and keep playing complicated football, it is difficult. But we had good spirit to come back to 2-2, good fight, a great example of players fighting to their limit. Positive examples are Marcus Rashford and Phil Jones, many others showing respect for the shirt. That respect for the club. The first goal was because we don’t press enough. It is something we do wrong, doesn’t matter the system we play, it is down to the characteristics of the players. We don’t have many mad dogs, the ones that bite the ball all the time, the ones who press all the time. We don’t have many with that spirit.”

7.40pm GMT

Mark Hughes speaks! “We have to view it as a positive. We’ve been playing well for a number of weeks. But when you don’t get the results people expect or demand, then sometimes you don’t get the credit for the level of performance. But I thought we did really well. Clearly there was a couple of moments defensively when we had chances to clear our lines, and we didn’t do that as well as I would have liked. And as a consequence, we let them get back into the game. But in the second half, we were better in that regard and restricted United to very few efforts in goal. I can’t recall a time when we were really under the cosh. Not a lot of momentum generated by United. That’s credit to us. In terms of efforts on goal, we edged that, so overall I’m really pleased. It’s a positive point. We will build on that. This gives us confidence. Ideally we would have preferred three points, but we can’t complain.”

7.33pm GMT

Southampton’s man of the match, Nathan Redmond, speaks to BT Sport, and begins with a sigh. “Yeah, two up! We had a foothold in the game. We’ve been working hard on a few different formations in the last few weeks, and we stuck with this one from the midweek. It paid off in the first half, but we’re kicking ourselves a little bit for not managing the game better. We’ll have to learn to pick up more points. We started on the front foot, we have to build on some of the good things, and learn from the bad. We wanted to impose ourselves and fight. We did that.”

7.29pm GMT

That point serves Saints a little better than United. They’re still in the bottom three, but leapfrog Burnley, who appear to be in all sorts of trouble. They’re a point behind Huddersfield in 17th. United meanwhile stay in seventh, now level on 22 points with Everton. They’ll go sixith tomorrow should Liverpool win the Merseyside derby by six goals, but presumably they’ll not want that to happen.

7.24pm GMT

Nope. Young’s free kick is easily cleared, and the referee blows his whistle. That game was a lot of fun. A draw seems a fair result. Hughes seems the happier, blowing out his cheeks with relief, while Jose stomps off down the tunnel.

7.23pm GMT

90 min +5: United go up the other end, Young buying a cheap foul from a panicked Armstrong. The Saints midfielder is booked. Can United score yet another late winner?

7.23pm GMT

90 min +4: Gabbiadini dribbles down the inside-right channel. He cuts across Young, in hot pursuit. Young clatters him to the turf, and that’s his fifth booking of the season. Suspension ahoy! And a free kick, 25 yards out. Saints line up on the edge of the United box ... and so Gabbiadini decides to go for goal and blooters a preposterous effort miles over the bar. What a waste! On the touchline, Mark Hughes is incandescent.

7.21pm GMT

90 min +3: Fellaini takes receipt of the throw, and clanks it straight back out of play. In the United dugout, Mourinho throws his hands around in the expressive style, while talking quite a lot and frowning.

7.20pm GMT

90 min +2: It’s United pressing for the winner. They pen Saints back into their final third, and earn a throw down the left. Before it can be taken, Lemina is replaced by Davis.

7.19pm GMT

90 min +1: In the first of four added minutes, Young lifts a very poor free kick high into the box, allowing McCarthy to claim with ease.

7.18pm GMT

90 min: Martial dribbles down the left. Down a dead end. But Hojbjerg foolishly barges into his back, turning a lost cause into a very dangerous free kick. United load the box!

7.17pm GMT

89 min: Ah there we go. United have pushed Fellaini forward!

7.16pm GMT

88 min: United stroke it around the middle of the park, showing very little desire to go forward. But then they prefer to score their winners in the 90th minute these days, having done so against Bournemouth, Juventus and Young Boys in recent weeks. Maybe they’re just biding their time. Is another Jose Time stunner on the cards?

7.14pm GMT

86 min: Lingard replaces Lukaku.

7.13pm GMT

84 min: Lukaku stands on the ball and falls over. For some reason, the referee decides to stop the game, with Saints in possession. On the touchline, several litres of hot steam pour from Mark Hughes’ lugs.

7.12pm GMT

83 min: Redmond skitters down the right. He overruns the ball, but it breaks to Hojbjerg, who rolls it to the left for Gabbiadini. The Italian’s snapshot is blocked the second it leaves his boot.

7.09pm GMT

81 min: From the resulting corner, Hojbjerg flashes a header wide right.

7.08pm GMT

80 min: Pogba makes a balls of a drag-back in the centre of the field, allowing Redmond to advance on the United area. He shoots from distance, and there’s enough swerve on the rising shot to force a backtracking de Gea into tipping over the bar.

7.07pm GMT

79 min: A couple of folk in the United end didn’t seem particularly happy with the withdrawal of Rashford, making their feelings known by shouting while frowning. But word is the striker has a problem with his ankle.

7.06pm GMT

77 min: Rashford is replaced by Martial.

7.04pm GMT

76 min: Hojbjerg tries to fire a shot past de Gea from the best part of 40 yards. Full marks for ambition.

7.03pm GMT

75 min: And now another decent dribble by Redmond, who George Bests his way across the face of the area, right to left, but can only shank his eventual shot well wide right.

7.02pm GMT

73 min: Redmond makes two fine runs down the right within 60 seconds or so. He’s in a lot of space both times. He crosses for Armstrong, then Gabbiadini, but neither cross finds his man.

7.01pm GMT

72 min: Mourinho prepares to replace Shaw with Dalot. Then it appears Shaw wishes to continue. After a moment of uncertainty, Jose presses the button and makes the substitution. Shaw’s on the wrong side of the pitch, and as he begins to make his way round to the dugout, the home fans give their former player a warm ovation. He returns the favour.

6.59pm GMT

70 min: Lukaku, out on the right, tries to find Rashford in the Saints box. His cross is wildly overhit. Meanwhile Shaw is down, holding a leg. It looks like he might not be able to continue.

6.56pm GMT

68 min: Gabbiadini twists and turns down the inside left, and works enough space to send a no-backlift toe-punt straight at de Gea. Up the other end, Pogba tries an overhead kick from the edge of the box. That one’s straight at the keeper as well.

6.55pm GMT

67 min: McTominay, from a deep position on the right, batters a very strange ball upfield and out of play for a goal kick on the left. Goodness knows what he was trying there.

6.54pm GMT

65 min: Pogba bursts away from Lemina in the midfield and very nearly slips Lukaku free down the middle. Not quite, and Saints are able to batter the ball clear.

6.53pm GMT

63 min: But Obafemi looks to have tweaked his hamstring making that run. There’s still enough time for him to claim a penalty, as McTominay (legally) pokes the ball away from him as the pair fall in the United box. And then he’s replaced by Gabbiadini. He’s afforded a warm round of applause as he limps off.

6.51pm GMT

62 min: Stephens slips over, and very nearly allows Rashford to scamper clear. The defender does very well to drape himself over the ball, then get up and clear. He then sends Obafemi away on a magical dribble towards the United area. He slips the ball wide to Redmond, who can’t find anyone in the centre. A fine run by the young man.

6.49pm GMT

60 min: Yoshida heads Young’s free kick behind for a corner on the right. Rashford takes. It’s half cleared. The ball flies to the former Saint, Shaw, who channels his inner Le Tissier and flicks the ball up with his left, then sends a screamer goalwards with his right. It’s a bit overambitious, though, and sails harmlessly wide.

6.48pm GMT

59 min: McTominay knocks the ball past Vestergaard on the outside, and rounds him on the other. The defender hangs out a cynical leg, and that’s a booking too. A free kick out on the right. Young’s over it again.

6.46pm GMT

58 min: Obafemi is going away from goal. Pogba pulls him back. He’s playing with fire having been booked. The referee issues a harsh word or two. Redmond takes the resulting free kick, right of centre, 25 yards out. It’s straight at de Gea.

6.45pm GMT

56 min: Redmond is the only Saints player showing anything in attack right now. He’s made a couple of dribbles down the left since the restart; this one sees him one-two with Hojbjerg, only to fire his cross behind Obafemi and Armstrong in the middle.

6.43pm GMT

54 min: Lemina repays Pogba by kicking the back of his leg, and pulls his shirt for good measure. That’s a booking, his fifth of the season. He’ll be serving a suspension soon as a result.

6.41pm GMT

53 min: Lemina is in the process of swanning past Pogba when the World Cup winner clips him to the floor. That’s a booking.

6.40pm GMT

52 min: Fellaini gets a jump on the entire Southampton rearguard. But he clanks his header wide right from close range. That was a real chance for the big man. An accordingly pained look spreads across his grid.

6.39pm GMT

51 min: Vestergaard clatters into Rashford out on the United right. A free kick, and an opportunity for United to pile everyone forward. Young is over it.

6.38pm GMT

50 min: United hog the ball. They go nowhere in particular with it, but they’re establishing a level of control that was completely lacking for most of that first half.

6.37pm GMT

48 min: ... McCarthy comes off his line and flaps. But he’s been put under excessive pressure by McTominay, and the referee blows up for a foul. McTominay’s header clears the bar anyway.

6.36pm GMT

47 min: Fellaini wins the ball cheaply in the midfield, Saints not yet out of the dressing room. He lays off to Pogba, who considers a shot but shuttles the ball wide left to Shaw. The full back wins a corner. From which, another corner. From which ...

6.33pm GMT

Here we go again, then. United get the ball rolling once more. No half-time changes. Good luck predicting the final score on the evidence of that first half.

6.22pm GMT

Half-time reading. If you’re in the market for some more Premier League match reports, you’ve come to the right place. (Those desirous of the Palace-Burnley and City-Bournemouth reports need only scroll back to the start.)

Related: Javier Hernández double helps West Ham end Newcastle’s winning run

Related: Leicester’s James Maddison cuts down Watford with sublime volley

Related: Florin Andone strike takes Brighton past 10-man Huddersfield

6.18pm GMT

Well, those 47 minutes fair whistled by! Southampton were magnificent for half an hour; United dreadful. Then the last 15 minutes were all United. A half of three thirds. Please don’t go away; anything could happen in the second half.

6.16pm GMT

45 min +1: Herrera launches one goalwards from 20 yards. It’s straight down McCarthy’s throat. United’s tails are up.

6.15pm GMT

45 min: Cedric is sent into a little space down the left after some good work from Armstrong and Obafemi. But his cross is wildly overhit. There will be two minutes of additional time.

6.14pm GMT

44 min: Lemina strides down the inside-right channel and has a rake from distance. It’s blocked easily enough.

6.12pm GMT

42 min: United stroke it around a lot. Effortlessly so. Suddenly football seems a lot easier. A funny thing, confidence, huh?

6.11pm GMT

40 min: How a game can change in an instant! Suddenly Mark Hughes has a face like thunder. United win a corner down the left. Stephens clears Rashford’s delivery easily enough, but all of a sudden it’s Saints who look in tatters, with United now first to everything! It’s been a very strange match, this. But what entertainment!

6.10pm GMT

Well this has turned around quickly! Rashford turns past Vestergaard and zips down the inside-right channel. He reaches the byline and tugs the ball back for Herrera, who Lee Sharpes a backflick into the bottom right corner!

6.08pm GMT

38 min: Hojbjerg balloons the free kick over the bar. Maybe he should have left it for Cedric.

6.08pm GMT

37 min: Hojbjerg tries to burst out of a thicket of players out on the right and into the United box. Herrera cynically tugs him back, and this is another dangerous free kick, this time to the right of the D.

6.06pm GMT

35 min: That was some finish by Lukaku. It nearly took the net off. And then a yellow card for Fellaini, who wafted an arm into the face of Lemina. Followed by a yellow for Hojbjerg, who hung out a leg to obstruct Pogba. In the words of Danny Boon: it’s all happening!

6.04pm GMT

This is more like it from United! Pogba slips a ball down the middle for Rashford, who bounces off Yoshida; it’s a poor challenge by the Saints defender. Rashford runs at the Saints box, then rolls a pass into the path of Lukaku, who meets it first time, and at full pace. He lashes an unstoppable shot into the top right, and suddenly this looks very different for Mourinho’s men!

6.02pm GMT

32 min: Rashford turns on the jets to latch onto a long ball down the left from Shaw. He’s got the beating of Yoshida, but when he reaches the byline, his pullback doesn’t find Lukaku. Both players hold their heads in their hands.

6.01pm GMT

30 min: Cedric earns a corner down the left. Armstrong’s delivery is decent, but flicked clear by Pogba. But the ball’s soon worked all the way back round to Armstrong, who very nearly one-twos his way clear down the inside-left channel. He can’t quite take the return ball with him. United’s defence is a study in uncertainty.

5.59pm GMT

28 min: Rashford launches a shot from 25 yards into the night air. On the touchline, there’s a sad, worried look in Mourinho’s eyes. I preferred the smiley, twinkly version earlier.

5.58pm GMT

27 min: Redmond is snapping around United’s ankles. He reaches the byline down the right, but his cutback is blocked by Matic. Then he nearly strips the ball from McTominay, who takes his sweet time to clear his lines. Saints look full of confidence. United do not.

5.55pm GMT

25 min: ... the ball’s worked from left to right. Young whips a cross to the far post, where McTominay heads tamely over. But this is at least a response from United, who have been very passive otherwise.

5.54pm GMT

24 min: ... Rashford whips in, earning a corner off Stephens. From which ...

5.53pm GMT

23 min: Nope. Armstrong heads it clear calmly. United try to come back at Saints, through Shaw out on the left. Valery crunches into a fine tackle. But then the young man blocks Pogba, so it’ll be another free kick for United, this time out on the left. The box is once again loaded. And ...

5.52pm GMT

22 min: Now a free kick for United, out on the right. United load the Saints box. Can Young deliver?

5.51pm GMT

Cedric takes a step, then flicks a shot up, over the wall, and into the top left corner! That free kick was hit so sweetly, snugly in the corner, whipped crisply over the United wall! Again poor de Gea had no chance! In the stand, Sir Alex Ferguson allows himself a wry smile. Now there’s a man who knows quality when he sees it.

5.49pm GMT

19 min: Lemina has a whack from 25 yards. It’s blocked. Lemina picks up the rebound, and drives down the inside-left channel. He’s brought down by Rashford, who is rather harshly booked for the foul. This is a free kick in a very dangerous position, just to the left of the D.

5.47pm GMT

17 min: Some space for Shaw out on the left. But his cross balloons off the boot of young Valery and is plucked from the sky by McCarthy.

5.46pm GMT

15 min: That’s three goals in two Premier League games for Armstrong. And now the former Celtic man swans past Fellaini in the midfield, forcing the big Manchester United midfielder to drag him to the ground. The ref wags his finger a bit. United look a little shell-shocked right now.

5.44pm GMT

Redmond dribbles inside from the right. He’s allowed to skip past several United players, none of them making anything remotely looking like a challenge. He lays off to Obafemi, who shows great vision for such a young player, sliding a pass back to the right for Armstrong in space; the in-form Scotland midfielder smashes a shot across de Gea and into the bottom left! The keeper had no chance.

5.41pm GMT

11 min: United stroke the ball around the back quite a lot. Saints can’t get a sniff. The visitors have enjoyed 58% of the possession so far. Pogba then tries to spring Shaw free down the left with a raking long ball, but the flag goes up for offside again, this time correctly.

5.39pm GMT

9 min: McTominay launches long from the right-back position, and nearly releases Lukaku down the inside-left channel. The flag goes up for offside, not a great decision. Meanwhile United’s travelling support break into this year’s first rendition of their festive Cantona song.

5.37pm GMT

7 min: So the last thing Young should be doing is handing the hosts cheap possession. For a second, it looks like Obafemi will burst into the United area down the inside-right channel, but he can’t get a clean strike off, and though the ball breaks to Redmond to his left, the ball’s soon rolling gently into the arms of de Gea.

5.36pm GMT

5 min: Saints look nervous, as befits a team struggling at the bottom of the division. They ping a couple of passes around, but it’s nosebleed stuff the minute they cross the halfway line, and possession is quickly surrendered. “Did Mourinho also say that he wishes he had an Eric Cantona instead of a knacked Eric Bailly?” wonders Peter Oh.

5.34pm GMT

3 min: Nearly a total fiasco at the back for Saints, as McCarthy fresh-air kicks a clearance. Rashford picks up the loose ball, backheeling to Lukaku, who hesitates in front of an open goal and ends up seeing his eventual shot blocked. Were Southampton watching the farce at Sheffield United this lunchtime? If they were, they didn’t take any notes.

5.31pm GMT

And we’re off! Saints get the ball rolling, and soon earn a free kick just inside the United half. The ball’s launched long, but Fellaini deals with it easily enough. A fine atmosphere at St Mary’s.

5.31pm GMT

The teams are out! Southampton are in their lovely red-and-white stripes, while Manchester United wear their dark-blue change strip. It’s not quite as pretty as their old, slightly lighter blue away kit, the one Liam O’Brien got himself sent off at the Dell in 1987 after a mere 85 seconds. But still lovely. Everyone will be sporting their rainbow laces, though, in support of LGBT fans.

5.26pm GMT

Some pre-match reading. United fans may want to look away, because there’s now 17 points between their heroes and those folk across town ...

Related: Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling strikes again to sink Bournemouth

Related: Andros Townsend stunner helps lift Crystal Palace away from danger

5.24pm GMT

Both managers seemed on good form in those pre-match interviews. Hughes appeared extremely relaxed, no mean feat given the rumours surrounding his employment status. Jose meanwhile was particularly pleased with his Nemanja joke; it really tickled him. It’s nice to see him smile again.

5.18pm GMT

And now Jose does his thing. “I have only one centre half. I would like a Nemanja Vidic but I only have a Nemanja Matic, and he’s a midfield player! Smalling has a pain in his foot, so he is not available. Eric has a pain in his back. Rojo trained for the first time with the group and is not ready to start. Lindelof has an injury. The only centre half we have to play is Phil. Southampton is a club of great stability in terms of quality, they are a good Premier League team with lots of good players. So I don’t look to the table, I look to them. A difficult match for us.”

5.10pm GMT

Mark Hughes speaks! “We’ve had our struggles here, we’ve done OK in a lot of games but have been unable to take that final step. So it’s a big test today but if we’re going to break that cycle, why not do it against Manchester United? Charlie Austin has had a decent run, and plenty of games. I’ve just went with Nathan Redmond and Michael Obafemi, I liked what I saw in midweek, he gives us a threat in behind. We need an out ball and we’ll have it with those two. Stuart Armstrong has been playing well of late, he’s had good performances for his international team, he’s coming into a bit of form. United have great resources and great players, I’m sure Jose will have a great plan.”

5.00pm GMT

Setting the scene. The dressing rooms at St Mary’s have a lovely 1970s department store look about them. Glass cabinet containing handkerchiefs, ties and cravats just out of shot. All together now: ♫ Ground floor, perfumery, stationery and leather goods / Wigs and haberdashery, kitchenware and food / Going up! ♪

4.43pm GMT

Southampton hand a Premier League debut to 19-year-old French full-back Yan Valery. There’s also a first Premier League start for striker Michael Obafemi.

Manchester United make five changes to the side that stuttered against Young Boys on Tuesday. Chris Smalling, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, Luis Valencia and Fred make way for Scott McTominay, Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young.

4.32pm GMT

Southampton: McCarthy, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Stephens, Valery, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Armstrong, Cedric, Redmond, Obafemi.
Subs: Hoedt, Davis, Austin, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Gabbiadini, Gunn.

Manchester United: de Gea, Young, McTominay, Jones, Shaw, Matic, Herrera, Fellaini, Pogba, Lukaku, Rashford.
Subs: Mata, Martial, Lingard, Rojo, Fred, Dalot, Romero.

3.01pm GMT

Southampton versus Manchester United: a replay of the 2017 League Cup final. And the 1976 FA Cup final. And the 1963 FA Cup semi-final. And a couple of the most famous games in Premier League history, an Egil Ostenstad-inspired 6-3 rout and that grey Viewcam shirt fiasco. Dig in! Enjoy!

Related: The Joy of Six: memorable Manchester United v Southampton matches | Scott Murray

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Sheffield United 0-1 Leeds United: Championship – as it happened

Leeds went top, at least for a little while, as Pablo Hernandez pounced on goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s mistake.

2.56pm GMT

So Leeds make off from Bramall Lane with the three points, and go top of the Championship for a couple of hours at least. All that’s left is to guide you in the direction of our man Ben Fisher’s match report ...

Related: Leeds steal win after Pablo Hernández sinks Sheffield United with gift goal

Related: Man City v Bournemouth, Newcastle v West Ham and more – clockwatch!

2.50pm GMT

Marcelo Bielsa talks. “It was a very tactical game. A draw would have been a fair result. I changed the game during the first half, we switched position with Roofe and Hernandez and this improved our game a lot. At the end of the day, the mistake made by the opponent, and their shot off the bar, decided the game.”

2.43pm GMT

A downcast Chris Wilder speaks. “I thought we played extremely well, and dominated an excellent side. We knew we had to do a lot of things well to win the game; we missed a couple of big chances and obviously the game was decided by an individual error. We said at half-time the game might be decided on a bit of brilliance or an error, and obviously for us that’s been the case. Dean is a big boy and he’ll get on with it. I thought there were some really strange decisions from referee and linesmen combined, but that’s not why we lost. We wanted to make contact with the opposition and they’ve got to be able to handle it. We shouldn’t be anywhere near the big prize, there are 15 clubs who should be above us. But we’ll try to cause an upset and a surprise. Credit to Leeds United and we wish them all the best.”

2.32pm GMT

So that’s a fifth win in seven for Leeds United, who go top of the Championship. They’ll stay there for a couple of hours at least; maybe more if Norwich City fail to beat Rotherham United at home later this afternoon. Sheffield United stay in fifth for now, but Nottingham Forest and Derby County are snapping at their heels. If Forest see off bottom club Ipswich Town at the City Ground today, they’ll go above the Blades. Derby could leapfrog them too, but they’ll need to defeat Swansea City heavily to do so.

2.29pm GMT

Kalvin Phillips reacts! “After losing Coops, one of our best defenders, it just shows we can cope with top teams like Sheffield United at their place. We are just buzzing. We knew Sheffield United would come out fighting, but we got the three points.”

The match-winner Pablo Hernandez adds: “All the team worked in defence. We knew we always have chances. It’s an important win for us, our third in a row. It’s important to stay at the top of the table. If we want to stay there, we must win games. We always play for the win. If we continue in the way we play, we will win a lot of games.”

2.25pm GMT

Leeds go top! Henderson’s mistake proved the difference. That was a very entertaining match. Not totally sure how the hosts finished with 11 men.

2.24pm GMT

90 min +4: A corner for Sheffield United on the left. Henderson comes up. Leeds stay firm and clear. It looks as though they’ll fall over the line, Sheffield United having put them under some pressure since the goal.

2.23pm GMT

90 min +3: Klich is booked for timewasting.

2.23pm GMT

90 min +2: The ball’s returned into the mixer from the left, forcing Jansson to flick the ball behind for a corner. There follows a melee. In the middle of it, roughly on the penalty spot, Washington, his back to goal, sends an overhead kick looping over Peacock-Farrell and onto the crossbar! What an effort, and so unlucky! Leeds clear.

2.21pm GMT

90 min +1: Baldock floats a cross into the Leeds area from the right. Peacock-Farrell has been poor coming off his line today, but here he punches clear with confidence.

2.20pm GMT

90 min: Shackleton replaces the Leeds goalscorer Hernandez. There will be four added minutes.

2.20pm GMT

89 min: Washington runs the ball out of play for a goal kick down the left, but Sheffield United get a corner anyway. The officials have been worse than useless this afternoon. Fortunately for them, the resulting set piece comes to nothing.

2.19pm GMT

88 min: Hernandez sends a fizzer towards the bottom left from distance. Henderson does extremely well to get a strong hand on it. Clarke tries to work space to send the rebound goalwards, but doesn’t manage it.

2.18pm GMT

87 min: Marching On Together rings around Bramall Lane. The home fans are still stunned by the way their defence needlessly folded. The hosts try to get them going again, O’Connell crossing deep from the left, Basham volleying wildly from a tight spot on the right. Goal kick. Forshaw was pulling on Basham’s shirt there, but this ref tends not to see those.

2.16pm GMT

86 min: Halme is booked for barging into the back of Sharp. That’s a free kick, 25 yards out, a little to the left. A chance to load the box, but Norwood’s delivery is appalling and easily cleared by Leeds.

2.15pm GMT

84 min: There seemed to be absolutely no danger there, but Sheffield United’s defence imploded in spectacular, farcical style. Leeds have won all nine games in which they’ve gone ahead this season; can Sheffield United redeem themselves and put an end to that run?

2.12pm GMT

What a fiasco! Egan passes back to Henderson. The ball threatens to go out for a corner, to the right of goal, so the keeper cuts it back towards O’Connell. But Clarke is sniffing around, and intercepts! He dinks the ball into the middle for Hernandez, who can’t miss, facing an unguarded net!

2.10pm GMT

80 min: Forshaw tries to slip his way between Fleck and Norwood. The door slams shut. Norwood is booked as a result, sliding into the Leeds man. There didn’t seem much in that. The referee with another experimental interpretation of the laws, there.

2.08pm GMT

78 min: Sheffield United take the sting out of the game by passing it around the back awhile.

2.06pm GMT

76 min: Klich wanders down the inside-right channel. Egan doesn’t bother to close him down, presuming that the Leeds midfielder is too far out to shoot. Big mistake, because Klich pearls a rising effort towards the top right. Henderson is rooted to the spot, beaten all ends up. Sheffield United breathe a sigh of relief as the ball sails an inch or two wide of the top corner. That was a magnificent effort.

2.05pm GMT

75 min: Roofe floats a cross into the mixer from the left. Dallas is waiting to head home at the far post, but Stevens gets in the road just in time, eyebrowing out for a corner. The set piece leads to nowt.

2.04pm GMT

74 min: It’s taken well over an hour, but here’s the first lull of the match.

2.03pm GMT

72 min: And now it’s Leeds who are inches away from opening the scoring. Dallas, out on the right, chips a gorgeous ball onto the head of Roofe, who looks to guide a header into the top right from 12 yards. It’s inches wide of the post, with Henderson beaten. “The fact that this game is still, somehow, goalless seems to sum up the chaotic equality of the Championship,” suggests Phil Withall. “No team seems capable of dominating this season, which makes it so much more enjoyable than the Premier League.”

2.00pm GMT

70 min: Baldock, cutting in from the right, tees up Stevens, 30 yards out. Stevens takes a touch, opens his body, and curls a fine shot inches over the bar. He nearly planted that right in the corner, Peacock-Farrell had no chance. A sharp intake of breath rebounds around Bramall Lane.

1.59pm GMT

69 min: Passes aren’t sticking right now. Both teams playing with high speed and low accuracy.

1.57pm GMT

67 min: Washington turns, a large circle, out on the left and nearly threads a pass down the channel to release McGoldrick. The sub looks lively, and has already combined well a couple of times with McGoldrick.

1.56pm GMT

65 min: That’s revived Sheffield United, though; they had been rocking a little. Now a corner’s won down the left. Peacock-Farrell comes out to claim Norwood’s set piece. He’s never getting it, and is very lucky that no Sheffield United player reacts. The ball flies straight out for a goal kick. Peacock-Farrell can stop a shot all right, but he’s a liability coming off his line.

1.54pm GMT

63 min: The hosts make their first change, replacing Duffy with Washington. And the sub’s immediately in the thick of it. Halme shanks a simple clearance, the ball falling to the sub, who slips it to McGoldrick, just inside the Leeds area. He sees the white of Peacock-Farrell’s eyes, and should win the one-on-one duel, but his low shot is too close to the keeper, who kicks away.

1.52pm GMT

61 min: But Leeds are cranking up the pressure, and they win a corner on the right. Jansson rises to meet it, but can only head down, up and over the bar. He’s livid, because Basham had a proper handful of his shirt, which was sagging down by his knees at one point. Sheffield United have got away with quite a bit this afternoon.

1.50pm GMT

60 min: Roofe and Hernandez combine well across the front of the Sheffield United box. Hernandez then dinks a pass down the inside left for Klich, who dances left to right, evading four sliding challenges, eventually shooting low and hard towards the bottom left. Henderson parries well.

1.48pm GMT

58 min: A replay of action just before the Clarke one-two on 55 mins. Baldock had a handful of Clarke’s shirt in the Sheffield United box as the pair contested a right-wing cross. It would have been a soft penalty.

1.46pm GMT

56 min: Sharp wheechs a ball in from the right. Nobody meets it. Stevens tries to keep the move going out on the left, but after dropping a shoulder this way, then that, he’s closed down.

1.45pm GMT

55 min: Clarke shimmies in from the left wing, exchanges passes with Hernandez, and whistles a low shot towards the bottom left from 20 yards. Henderson smothers well.

1.43pm GMT

53 min: Baldock, who nearly got himself booked in the last knockings of the first half, finally sees yellow with a clumsy late slide on Clarke. This referee is all over the place.

1.41pm GMT

51 min: A lengthy period of possession for Sheffield United, who stroke it around in the Manchester City style. Eventually the ball’s slipped wide left to Sharp, who wins a corner. The set piece comes to nothing, but that was a fine passage of controlled football. Pep would have approved.

1.39pm GMT

48 min: Duffy slides a lovely pass down the inside-left channel to release McGoldrick, who takes a touch inside with a view to shooting from the edge of the box. But he’s gone a fraction too early, and the flag goes up for offside. It’s the correct decision, but there’s really not much in it, so much so that you would have understood if the flag had stayed down. Leeds were very light at the back then, snoozing away.

1.37pm GMT

47 min: Leeds start the half on the front foot. Dallas juggles the ball in the Sheffield United area. It’s some lovely close control ... and then he fresh-air swipes at his shot. Sheffield United half clear. Then Douglas, striding down the inside left, sends a rising heatseeker towards the top right from distance. It’s not far away at all. That would have been beyond spectacular.

1.34pm GMT

And we’re off again! Leeds make their second change, removing the ineffectual Alioski and replacing him with Clarke. The home side get the party restarted.

1.23pm GMT

Half-time reading: This is just the first big game of a stellar weekend. Tomorrow’s fixtures include the north London derby, the Merseyside derby and the Scottish League Cup final. Here’s our man Ewan Murray on the upcoming stramash at Hampden.

Related: Aberdeen a club on the move but silverware shortfall still rankles | Ewan Murray

1.20pm GMT

There’s enough time left for Baldock to needlessly whack Hernandez on the ankle - the Sheffield United man escapes a yellow, with this referee the model of inconsistency - and then the half-time whistle blows. It’s been an eventful first 45: both teams have been denied by fine saves, while the hosts are fortunate to still be at full strength. Don’t go anywhere, because the second half promises much!

1.18pm GMT

45 min +2: A couple of corners for Sheffield United, out on the left. Neither of them are up to much.

1.17pm GMT

45 min: There will be three added minutes.

1.16pm GMT

44 min: McGoldrick spins down the right and curls a gorgeous cross onto the head of Sharp, who has found a little space, eight yards from goal. Sharp should score, but mistimes his header, heading down, the ball bouncing up and over the bar. In karmic terms, it’s probably for the best that he missed it, because he was offside but the flag didn’t go up.

1.15pm GMT

42 min: Stevens hangs out a leg to trip up the skedaddling Dallas. Given that he’s already been booked, he’s really testing the referee’s patience here. Fortunately for Sheffield United, the ref’s feeling Zen, and just gives Stevens a talking to. Still, on another day, the hosts could easily be down to nine already!

1.13pm GMT

40 min: Egan launches himself towards Roofe to win a challenge he’s always going to win. Roofe turns his back to avoid a face-to-face clash. The pair come together, and Roofe is booked. Roofe looks affronted, and you can see his point; there was no chance of his avoiding Egan there.

1.11pm GMT

39 min: Fleck shimmies into space on the left and hoicks a shot over the bar. A sense that Sheffield United are looking to test the shaky Peacock-Farrell as much as possible.

1.10pm GMT

38 min: McGoldrick has been Sheffield United’s brightest light this lunchtime, if we forget that dismal tackle. He cuts in from the left and looks to curl one into the top right. A little too much on that. Not sure Peacock-Farrell had it covered were it on target.

1.08pm GMT

36 min: Baldock loops in a cross from the right. Under pressure from Sharp, Peacock-Farrell comes out and flaps once again. The ball drops to McGoldrick, on the penalty spot. McGoldrick should score, but flashes a wild effort miles over the bar. The flag’s up anyway, perhaps for an offside on Sharp, perhaps for a generous foul on the keeper. Either way, it remains scoreless. But there’s been plenty of incident.

1.06pm GMT

35 min: Basham goes sliding on on Forshaw, who flips high into the air. Basham offers him a hand up, but the Leeds midfielder isn’t interested. No quarter asked, etc.

1.05pm GMT

34 min: Hernandez slams a poor low free kick into Egan, who redeems himself by clearing. Then the Sheffield United defender completes a manic couple of minutes by trying to rake in a Beckenbauer-style effort from the best part of 35 yards. No sir.

1.04pm GMT

33 min: Roofe is in the process of spinning Egan down the inside-left channel. Egan attempts to strip off his top. Another booking, and a free kick just to the left of the D.

1.04pm GMT

32 min: Another cross from the right by Dallas. Basham hacks clear. Leeds are pinning Sheffield United back. This game is all ebb and flow.

1.02pm GMT

30 min: Dallas whistles a low cross along the corridor of uncertainty from the right. It’s a glorious ball, just waiting to be slammed home from close range, but Roofe is back on his heels. What a chance that was for a striker with his antenna on.

1.01pm GMT

29 min: Leeds are working their way back into the game again. Hernandez embarks on a baroque dribble down the middle, but is crowded out. Then Roofe crosses from the right, causing mild concern in the hosts’ defence.

12.58pm GMT

27 min: The corner is overhit. Roofe and Baldock tangle at the far post, as the ball goes straight out for a goal kick. Roofe wants a penalty, after crashing theatrically to the floor, but come off it.

12.57pm GMT

26 min: The resulting free kick is looped into a packed Sheffield United area. There’s a messy melee. In the middle of it: the sub Halme, who whips a low shot towards the bottom left. Henderson gets down extremely well to turn the ball away from danger. Corner.

12.56pm GMT

25 min: The referee’s card comes out now, as Stephens nearly rips the busy Klich’s shirt off his back, as the Leeds man threatens to power down the middle of the park.

12.55pm GMT

24 min: Sheffield United are utterly dominant right now. Leeds can’t get a sniff. Norwood curls in low and hard from the right, and Sharp nearly stuns the ball dead on the penalty spot. He can’t quite control; a shame for the Blades, because otherwise he’d be doing what he usually does, and slotting the ball into Leeds’ net.

12.54pm GMT

22 min: Halme immediately finds himself in a duel with Sharp, and wins the first battle. Then McGoldrick goes in on Klich, over the top. His studs crump onto Klich’s shin; he should really be heading for an early bath. But the referee doesn’t send him off; he doesn’t book him; he doesn’t even give a free kick. That was a very poor challenge.

12.52pm GMT

21 min: Cooper limps off very gingerly indeed. I’m surprised they haven’t called for a stretcher, the poor guy looks in serious pain, and he can’t put any weight on that leg at all. Anyway, he bravely makes his way off the field of play, and is replaced by Halme.

12.51pm GMT

19 min: Cooper is down clutching his right leg. And now he’s clutching his head in a little distress. It looks like he’s twisted his knee. He bangs the floor in frustration.

12.49pm GMT

17 min: A throw into the Leeds area from the left. O’Connell chests the ball down with his back to goal, swivels on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, and tries to skelp a volley goalwards. It’s a centre-half’s finish. Goal kick, but full marks for ambition.

12.47pm GMT

16 min: Leeds try to reestablish themselves in the game with a little period of possession in the Sheffield United half. Dallas and Hernandez ping it around a bit, then McGoldrick gets fed up and hauls the former down. A free kick out on the right wing. Douglas takes, and lumps a witless ball miles over a packed box. Goal kick, and pressure’s off.

12.45pm GMT

14 min: So having said that, there’s a couple of minutes of scrappy play. Pulitzer, please!

12.43pm GMT

12 min: It’s tipping down. It’s also a lovely open game. Both of these teams would grace the Premier League; this match is very easy on the eye.

12.42pm GMT

10 min: After a sluggish start, the hosts are beginning to dominate possession and push Leeds back. McGoldrick, picking the ball up from deep, surges down the inside-right channel, Leeds offering no resistance. He pearls a low shot towards the bottom left. It’s going in, but Peacock-Farrell makes up for his earlier flap with a wonderful fingertip stop, turning the ball round the post. The resulting corner is a non-event.

12.40pm GMT

8 min: Sharp bustles down the right and earns a corner off Jansson. Sheffield United load the box. The ball’s hoicked into the mixer. Peacock-Farrell, the Leeds penalty-saving hero of midweek, comes off his line and flaps wildly. Basham tries to loop a header into the unguarded net, but can’t convert.

12.38pm GMT

6 min: Norwood scored a screamer at Brentford in the week. He tries to replicate it from a similar position down the inside-right channel, but instead of planting the ball into the top left, he drags it tamely wide of the left-hand post. Henderson had it covered all the way.

12.37pm GMT

5 min: Stevens makes ground down the left, and cuts one back for McGoldrick, who can’t quite get on the end of thhe low cross. But that’s the first positive sign for the hosts. Meanwhile that first-minute cross from Klich ... a suggestion that Basham had nudged Alioski in the back in the area, though the Leeds forward didn’t make any claim for a penalty kick.

12.35pm GMT

3 min: Dallas and Douglas exchange passes. The move doesn’t quite work out. Dallas tries his luck from long range, and nearly clears the stand behind the goal.

12.33pm GMT

2 min: It’s all very hectic. Sheffield United haven’t really had a touch yet.

12.33pm GMT

And we’re off! As the Greasy Chip Butty Song pings around the stadium, Leeds get the ball rolling. They pass it around a bit. Klich romps down the right and whips a cross towards Roofe at the far post. Too heavy, but that’s a bright start by the visitors.

12.30pm GMT

The teams are out! As you’d expect, there’s a cracking atmosphere for this local skirmish. On a drizzly day, Sheffield United wear their famous red-and-white striped shirts, while Leeds sport second-choice yellow shirts. And everyone’s laced up their boots in the colourful style, in support of Stonewall’s Rainbow campaign. We’ll be off in a minute!

12.21pm GMT

Marcelo Bielsa talks tactics! “It could be a three or a four at the back. Both lines are possible. If it is a four, it will be Dallas, Jansson, Cooper, Douglas. If it’s a three, it will be Phillips, Jansson and Cooper.”

12.19pm GMT

Chris Wilder speaks! “Mark Duffy was always going to play in this game. And we’ve changed it around with Kieron Freeman and George Baldock, we’ve got two really good players in that position, so we’ve just freshened that position up. We are both working-class football clubs, with a proud history and a cracking fan base. It’s all set up for a fantastic afternoon!”

11.57am GMT

Setting the scene. The brutal beauty of Bramall Lane. Le Corbusier would have been proud.

11.40am GMT

Sheffield United make three changes to the victorious starting XI named at Brentford in midweek. George Baldock, Mark Duffy and Leeds-bothering captain Billy Sharp start, in place of John Lundstram, Kieron Freeman and Conor Washington.

Leeds United make just the one change to the team that saw off Reading on Tuesday. Pontus Jansson returns from injury, replacing Lewis Baker.

11.37am GMT

Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, O’Connell, Basham, Egan, Fleck, Norwood, Duffy, Sharp, McGoldrick.
Subs: Lundstram, Coutts, Stearman, Johnson, Moore, Cranie, Washington.

Leeds United: Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Douglas, Jansson, Cooper, Phillips, Klich, Alioski, Hernandez, Forshaw, Roofe.
Subs: Huffer, Halme, Clarke, Shackleton, Baker, Harrison, Saiz.

10.51am GMT

Sheffield United versus Leeds United. To members of a certain generation, this is a fixture that means only one thing: Brian Gayle, under pressure from a lurking Eric Cantona, slicing the ball into the air with his knee then heading into his own net, effectively securing the 1991/92 title for Leeds. A farcical end to the pre-Premier League era, but what a midfield Leeds had back then: McAllister-Speed-Strachan-Batty! The most underrated English champions of all time?

Anyway, we digress, and since then Sheffield United have had the upper hand over their Yorkshire neighbours. The teams have played 14 matches since that epochal day at Bramall Lane, and the Blades have won eight of them, Leeds a mere three. Chris Wilder’s men won home and away last season, a pair of 2-1s, Billy Sharp doing most of the damage. Marcelo Bielsa’s lads will want to arrest that little trend.

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