Scott Murray's Blog, page 139

Netherlands 0-1 England: international friendly – as it happened

Jesse Lingard scored England’s first winner on Dutch soil for 49 years, securing a deserved result for Gareth Southgate’s men

10.07pm GMT

Match report: Netherlands 0-1 England

Related: Jesse Lingard strikes as experimental England defeat Netherlands

9.41pm GMT

England win in Holland for the first time since 1969, thanks to Jesse Lingard’s second-half strike! It’s no more than Gareth Southgate’s side deserved: they were much the better side, in control of proceedings pretty much from the get-go. That’s halted a seven-game winless sequence against the Dutch, one stretching all the way back to that win at Euro 96. It’s a result that will give England much confidence going into the friendly against down-on-their-luck four-time World Cup winners Italy on Tuesday ... and one which will raise hopes of a good showing in Russia come the summer. The countdown to the World Cup finals: it’s on!

9.40pm GMT

90 min +3: A lot of midfield faffing, which will do England nicely.

9.38pm GMT

90 min +2: Babel loops a cross in from the right. Weghorst is under it, hoping to get a header away, but Pickford rises high to claim well.

9.37pm GMT

90 min +1: Holland throw everyone forward. De Ligt is caught miles offside.

9.37pm GMT

90 min: There will be four added minutes.

9.36pm GMT

89 min: Some late changes. Maguire, who has been excellent since coming on early, is replaced by Eric Dier. Meanwhile Strootman and De Vrij are replaced by Wout Weghorst and Donny van de Beek.

9.35pm GMT

88 min: Depay dribbles in from the left and nearly breaks into the England box. The door’s slammed shut, so he tees up Van Aanholt ... whose shot at goal goes out for a throw on the right. It’s been that sort of night for Holland.

9.34pm GMT

87 min: England are hogging the ball, running the clock down in a very measured and professional style.

9.32pm GMT

85 min: Depay has been Holland’s best player by some distance. His energy causes England some trouble down the right. The ball breaks to Hateboer, inside the area. Hateboer tries to turn and shoot from a tight-ish angle on the right, but it doesn’t work out for him.

9.30pm GMT

83 min: Depay whips the free kick over the wall, looking to curl one unexpectedly into the top left. But it’s straight at Pickford. England go up the other end, Alli crossing deep from the left. Welbeck threatens to meet the dropping ball at the far post, but van Dijk puts an end to that plan. However he can’t stop the ball breaking back to Trippier, who lets rip from the edge of the box. It’s a very decent effort, but straight at Zoet.

9.29pm GMT

82 min: Depay, from the right, slips a ball inside for Babel, who is crudely dragged to the ground by Stones. This will be a free kick in a very dangerous position, 25 yards out, just to the right of the D.

9.28pm GMT

81 min: Southgate stands on the touchline doing quite a lot of clapping. He knows a big victory - England’s first over the Dutch since that match at Euro 96 - is very close now.

9.26pm GMT

79 min: Holland knock it about, but it’s all very passive. Eventually the ball’s shuttled to Van Aanholt on the left: he’s in plenty of space, but he’s also offside.

9.25pm GMT

78 min: If England manage to hold onto the lead, this will be their first win in the Netherlands since 1969, when Colin Bell was the difference in a 1-0 victory for the then-reigning world champions.

9.22pm GMT

76 min: England enjoy an extended period of possession in the middle of the park. They look confident and in control right now.

9.21pm GMT

74 min: There’s not a whole lot going on. Holland’s response to falling behind has failed to cause England too much heartache.

9.19pm GMT

72 min: Depay, who hasn’t stopped running or harrying all evening, has a blast from the edge of the England area. He doesn’t quite get it right.

9.17pm GMT

71 min: Now Rose is replaced by Ashley Young.

9.16pm GMT

70 min: Nobody can string two passes together at the moment.

9.15pm GMT

68 min: ... while Rashford, Sterling and the goalscorer Lingard are exchanged for Jamie Vardy, Dele Alli and Danny Welbeck.

9.13pm GMT

66 min: The managers ring the changes. Dost and Promes make way for Davy Propper and Ryan Babel ...

9.12pm GMT

65 min: Holland launch it long. Dost rises on the edge of the box and heads down. Promes peals one goalwards. It’s blocked, but that’s a little better from the hosts.

9.11pm GMT

63 min: The set piece is cleared, but Holland come back at England. Wijnaldum has a rake from the right of the D. It’s not a good effort, but the ball dribbles through to Dost, who attempts to help it goalwards with a backflick. He doesn’t catch it properly and Pickford is able to field it.

9.09pm GMT

62 min: Holland finally spring into action. Depay dribbles in from the left and shoots, but his shot is blocked. Then Promes has a look from the edge of the area. His effort is deflected over the bar for a corner.

9.08pm GMT

61 min: The England fans have caught Euro 96 fever: they belt out a rendition of Three Lions. Football’s coming home. The Dutch support aren’t able to respond with much. Their team haven’t given them much to sing about, to be fair.

9.07pm GMT

This is no more than England deserve. Lingard spreads the play out left to Rose, who crosses fiercely. De Vrij can only half clear. The ball drops to Lingard, just outside the area. He strokes a confident effort into the bottom left! Zoet might have done a little better, perhaps, but take nothing away from the quality of England’s build-up play, or Lingard’s strike.

9.05pm GMT

57 min: Now it’s Lingard’s turn to play a poor ball, rolling one infield from the left, blind, towards Stones. Dost nearly nips in to intercept. Stones just about hacks clear, which is just as well, because the Dutch striker would have been through on goal.

9.03pm GMT

56 min: Holland stroke it around the back for a bit. Then De Ligt sprays a dreadful pass out of play under no pressure whatsoever. The young man’s had a shaky few minutes.

9.01pm GMT

54 min: Rashford takes a speculative shot from 20 yards out on the left. It’s deflected out for a corner on the right. From the set piece, Maguire heads down. Surely Henderson or Sterling will smash the ball home from six yards! But they get in each other’s way, the ball doesn’t quite drop for either of them, and eventually there’s a hand ball which releases the pressure on Holland.

9.00pm GMT

52 min: England should have a penalty kick. Rashford tears after a pass down the inside-right channel. As he strides into the area, hoping to round Zoet on the outside, de Ligt comes sliding in from the back. He nicks Rashford, enough to send the striker tumbling. The referee’s not interested. That’s a poor decision.

8.58pm GMT

50 min: Holland do seem to have a renewed sense of purpose, though. They earn a corner down the right. From it, Depay whips a low cross into the six-yard box from the byline. De Vrij sticks out a telescopic leg and nicks the ball away from Pickford, then flicks it into the net. There’s cheering, and all that, but the goal won’t count because Depay didn’t get his cross in before the ball went out of play.

8.56pm GMT

49 min: Depay finally gets some joy down the left but having reached the byline in space, his cross isn’t that hot. The ball still drops for Strootman on the edge of the box, but the Dutch midfielder takes a fresh-air swipe. England flood up the other end: Rose makes the same mistake as Depay after a run into acres down the left.

8.54pm GMT

47 min: England pick up where they left off: on the front foot. Oxlade-Chamberlain has a dig from distance, but it’s blocked. Rashford tries to cut in from the left wing, but can’t link up with anyone. A lively start to the half though.

8.53pm GMT

And we’re off again! Holland are out first, having presumably been given a rocket by Ronald Koeman. No changes; do better. They get the ball rolling again when England, equally unchanged, finally rock up for work. “In case you can’t hear what the England fans are singing, it’s actually football-related, and contains no swearing, which is pretty unusual,” reports our man Philip Cornwall. “‘There’ll be no Tartan Army in Mos-cow’, to the tune of 10 Green Bottles. A relief from the usual mindless ‘10 German Bombers’ to the same tune.” Scotland are losing at home to Costa Rica, by they way. Nick Ames has all the news from tonight’s other big games.

8.37pm GMT

Half-time reading:

Related: On second thoughts: England 4-1 Netherlands, Euro 96

8.36pm GMT

Rose finds a bit of space down the left but his cross into the centre is headed clear by de Vrij. Depay has a speculative shot from the right of the D; Pickford smothers. And that’s that for the first half. England have been the better side, though they’ve had no cutting edge. Holland have been very poor. International friendlies, huh. More soon!

8.33pm GMT

45 min: The first half peters out.

8.31pm GMT

43 min: Some good work from Promes down the right briefly stretches England, but Depay and Strootman faff around and the visitors have the chance to regroup. Holes are filled and gaps are plugged, and that’s that for the Dutch attack.

8.30pm GMT

42 min: Van Aanholt strips Henderson of possession down the left. He looks to tee up Depay on the inside, but the chance to shoot is spurned. Holland are very ponderous.

8.28pm GMT

40 min: So having said that, they come reasonably close to scoring. Hateboer earns a corner with some hard work down the right. The set piece hangs above the penalty spot. Pickford comes off his line and doesn’t get there; Dost clanks a header over the bar. Totally basic football. But it nearly gave Holland the lead.

8.27pm GMT

39 min: Van Aanholt sends Depay scampering down the left. Depay’s cross is high and wasteful. Holland look very uncertain up front.

8.26pm GMT

37 min: Sterling races after a long Lingard pass down the inside-right channel. He’s free, but Zoet races miles out of his box to slide-tackle the ball away from the England man. It’s fine goalkeeping, Sterling clattered but clattered in a fair challenge. The home fans are pretty quiet at the moment; their side are second best right now.

8.23pm GMT

36 min: Trippier bursts down the right; he’s been a bundle of energy tonight. He floats a long ball forward in the hope of releasing Rashford into the area. De Ligt steps in to chest back to Zoet. Fine football all round.

8.22pm GMT

34 min: England are pinning Holland back in their final third. They’ve impressively taken control of this match. The only thing they need to do is seriously trouble Zoet. That elusive final ball. Trippier tries to unnerve the keeper with a low fizzer while tight to the byline on the right, but the cross is snaffled.

8.20pm GMT

32 min: Sterling zips down the right and is denied further progress by van Dijk. Then Rose probes down the left. He’s bundled over by Hateboer. A free kick, which is curled into the box by Walker. Henderson eyebrows it towards the bottom right. It flashes wide. Rashford tried to arrive on the scene to poke home, but couldn’t make it.

8.18pm GMT

30 min: Sterling has a whack from the left of the D. It’s deflected out for a corner. Maguire meets the set piece with a downward header into a thicket of players in the six-yard box, but nothing constructive comes of the situation. England are much the better side right now.

8.17pm GMT

28 min: England ping it around nicely, and for quite a while, like Holland used to do at Wembley back in the day. Trippier ruins all the good work when set free down the right, clanking an uncharacteristically poor cross over everyone in the box. But that’s decent play from the visitors.

8.14pm GMT

26 min: Promes looks to latch onto a ball sent looping into the England area. Rose gets in front of him and guides it back to Pickford. Holland aren’t doing a great deal in attack.

8.13pm GMT

25 min: Van Aanholt barges into Walker, who falls to the ground. The ball nevertheless breaks upfield to Sterling, and suddenly England are three on two! But the referee blows up ... for a foul to Holland. Very strange.

8.12pm GMT

23 min: Lingard, Rose and Rashford combine in brisk style down the left, earning a corner out of nothing. That was a nice little burst of crisp, technical play. The set piece comes to nothing, mind.

8.09pm GMT

21 min: Henderson’s loose pass upfield to Rashford is intercepted by young De Ligt, who strides forward in the 1970s style before lashing a low shot towards the bottom left from distance. Pickford gathers it easily enough.

8.07pm GMT

19 min: England have been the better team so far, though that’s not saying a whole load. Rose catches Hateboer with a late clip, a little payback perhaps for their early coming together.

8.05pm GMT

17 min: Good work from Sterling sets up Lingard for a shot from the edge of the Dutch area. Lingard’s low shot whistles wide right of the goal. He wants a corner for a flick off De Vrij’s leg, but he’s not getting it.

8.04pm GMT

16 min: Walker bursts down the right, a run of great power and ambition. After making it 60 yards upfield, he wants a one-two with Oxlade-Chamberlain, which would release him into the area. Oxlade-Chamberlain opts to switch play towards Rose on the left, and balloons his pass into the stand. What a waste.

8.02pm GMT

14 min: Walker, quarterbacking from deep on the right, spreads a gorgeous crossfield pass to Rose. Rose is clear down the left, but there’s nobody in the middle supporting him. He hoicks a wild cross high over the box and out of play on the right.

8.00pm GMT

12 min: It’s been a stop-start opening period. Holland stroking it around the back awhile isn’t going to help this match gather momentum.

7.58pm GMT

10 min: Harry Maguire comes on in Gomez’s stead. That’s rotten luck for Gomez, who has come a cropper in an innocuous midfield challenge.

7.57pm GMT

9 min: Gomez has gone down the tunnel, he won’t be coming back. England aren’t ready to make a change yet, though, so for a minute they’ll be down to ten men.

7.56pm GMT

8 min: Sterling buzzes around the front of the Dutch box, before teeing up Oxlade-Chamberlain to the right of the D. Oxlade-Chamberlain sends a rising shot towards the top left, but Zoet is behind it all the way and claims with ease.

7.55pm GMT

7 min: Now it’s Gomez down and injured. He went up for a high ball in the midfield with Dost, and landed on his ankle awkwardly. He hops off with a grimace, for some more treatment.

7.54pm GMT

6 min: Holland press England back for the first time in the match. Depay threatens to break clear down the left but is ushered into the corner and forced to check back. Strootman whips a high cross into the box, but England deal with it.

7.51pm GMT

4 min: Rose takes the corner himself. It’s not all that. Holland clear easily enough. But this is a bright start by the visitors.

7.51pm GMT

3 min: Ah, Rose seems OK. He goes racing off down the left to meet a long pass, and hooks a cross into the mixer from the byline. De Vrij is forced to knock the ball out for the first corner of the evening.

7.50pm GMT

2 min: Rose looks a bit groggy; Hateboer’s shoulder caught him flush in the face. He gets up and will continue. But that’s not an ideal start for the England wing-back.

7.49pm GMT

And we’re off! England get the ball rolling. Stones launches it long. Rashford slides in from the left and nearly works space to shoot, but he’s closed down quickly enough. Then play is stopped so Rose can get some attention; he was clattered by Dutch debutant Hateboer in a midfield 50-50. “Southgate’s missed a trick there,” suggests Jeremy Solomon. “He could have played five full-backs if he’d picked Ashley Young too. I reckon that would have made for a record.”

7.44pm GMT

The teams are out! Holland in their world-famous oranje, England in their equally storied white. A rare old atmosphere in the ArenA, lights flashing and music blaring. Time for the anthems! But we have no obligations, so instead let’s have a blast of this marvellous racket. Close your eyes, drift away, and picture the Cruyff Horns stumbling out of a canalside drinker and onto an Amsterdam pavement at carouse o’clock.

7.39pm GMT

Gareth Southgate speaks! “It’s a great competition for places now. We believe in all the goalkeepers we have got; Jordan Pickford has excellent distribution. It’s a shame for Jack Wilshere, but across the two games we want to look at different players. You want the players to gain belief. Holland didn’t qualify but they’re still a top football nation. So if we come here and play well, the results will follow.”

7.15pm GMT

A new era for Dutch football begins this evening. It’s the Oranje’s first match under former Southampton and Everton boss Ronald Koeman. They’ve also named a new captain in Virgil van Dijk. The Liverpool man will marshal a three-man defence alongside Stefan de Vrij of Lazio and latest Ajax prodigy Matthijs de Ligt.

6.56pm GMT

An interesting selection by Gareth Southgate. Two right-backs in the shape of Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker, three if you count Joe Gomez, though he’s a central defender at heart and that’s where he’ll play today. Walker will also take a spot in the centre of the defence. An engine room of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson. Marcus Rashford takes the place of the injured Harry Kane. And it’s Jordan Pickford who gets a run-out in goal, much as expected.

6.42pm GMT

The Netherlands: Zoet, de Ligt, de Vrij, van Dijk, Hateboer, Wijnaldum, Strootman, Van Aanholt, Promes, Depay, Dost.
Subs: Cillessen, Til, Ake, van de Beek, de Roon, Berghuis, Propper, Weghorst, Babel, Vilhena, Fosu-Mensah, Kluivert.

England: Pickford, Trippier, Walker, Stones, Gomez, Rose, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Sterling, Rashford, Lingard.
Subs: Hart, Butland, Dier, Mawson, Maguire, Tarkowski, Livermore, Young, Cook, Alli, Vardy, Lallana, Welbeck, Pope.

6.40pm GMT

Style guide:

9.55am GMT

The ballad of the Netherlands and England lopes along to a strange rhythm. All of the early matches were friendlies. The only game before the war was settled by Fred Worrall of Portsmouth in 1935. After it, Chelsea’s Tommy Lawton went goal crazy at Leeds Road in 1946, scoring four times in an 8-2 rout at Huddersfield Town’s old ground. Another notable game featured Johan Cruyff teasing the English in 1977, the 2-0 final score no reflection on the gulf in quality between the sides.

Cue a sudden burst of (mainly) memorable competitive action. Marco van Basten knocked England out of Euro 88; there was a goalless borefest at Italia 90; Ronald Koeman ensured England didn’t reach USA 94; England got some revenge with that 4-1 thrashing at Euro 96.

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The Fiver | Somebody make that man foreign secretary, and quick

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As the few of you who didn’t send Thursday’s edition straight to trash will remember, The Fiver has pinned its colours to the mast regarding the 2018 World Cup. We’d like to see Russia win, purely so we can witness the blood draining from Boris Johnson’s grid. Petty? Childish? Pathetic? Well, yeah, but you’ll have to sue us if you don’t like it. Having said all that, we’re slowly coming round to the idea of England doing quite well too. An honourable quarter-final exit, maybe, enough to earn the team a bittersweet parade at Luton airport when they get back home, thousands of cheering fans, brass band, ticker tape, warm lager, plastic bre@sts and belly, a fag on, the lot. Summertime, and the livin’ will be easy.

Related: Gareth Southgate reveals ‘disgusting’ racial abuse of young players

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The Fiver | Finally, after all these years, a chance to fulfil our dream

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Obvious timing issues mean The Fiver doesn’t get the opportunity to report on actual football all that often – basically we’ve been a clanking empty vessel since 1998 – but on Thursday Wales played China in a match that kicked off at 11.35am our time. Finally, after all these years, a chance to fulfil our dream of becoming an old-school match reporter! In preparation, The Fiver excitedly compiled a dossier of Ryan Giggs’s first squad, studied the tactical set-up of Marcello Lippi’s side, pulled on an unwashed corduroy jacket, smeared grease in our hair and egg down the front of our string vest, stayed up half the night getting into spats with other journalists and trying to get the attention of minor celebrities on assorted social media disgraces, lost consciousness face down in a half-eaten kebab, and woke up with a start at 1.35pm having slept through the entire thing. Bah!

Related: Gareth Bale breaks Wales scoring record in 6-0 thrashing of China

#TBT to yesterday.... when I wasn't on Twitter! pic.twitter.com/TJy4RxHZJx

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Football transfer rumours: Jorginho to replace Emre Can at Liverpool?

Today’s tittle-tattle is in the zone

Everton have plundered many a player from Manchester United over the years: Morgan Schneiderlin, Darron Gibson, Jesper Blomqvist, John O’Kane. Well, you’ve got to keep trying, haven’t you. And to be fair Phil Neville worked out quite well, so they’re now in for Luke Shaw and Phil Jones. Perhaps they should also make a cheeky bid for Alexis Sánchez, who is reportedly having second thoughts about moving to Old Trafford right now, not that you could take a wild guess.

United are thinking Gareth Bale might be a better bet, and his signing from Real Madrid would stop David de Gea walking off in a what’s-the-point-of-it-all huff. They’ll also offer £50m for Raphaël Varane. Those deals may see Anthony Martial on his way to Valencia, along with Marouane Fellani and Matteo Darmian, while Real would compensate for their losses by making off with Harry Kane.

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Liverpool 5-0 Watford: Premier League – as it happened

Mo Salah scored four goals as Liverpool swatted aside Watford.

7.38pm GMT

Related: Mohamed Salah hits awesome four as Liverpool romp past Watford

7.21pm GMT

The thing is, Watford didn’t play that badly. Liverpool were simply too good. Mo Salah was simply too good. He scored his 33rd, 34th, 35th and 36th goals of the season, helping his team into third place in the Premier League. They’re two points ahead of Tottenham and seven clear of fifth-placed Chelsea, though both of those teams have a game in hand. Anfield celebrates accordingly. Watford stay in 11th, eight points clear of the drop zone. Mo Salah, though.

7.17pm GMT

90 min: Robertson nearly gets in down the left, but can’t get a shot away. There will be two added minutes.

7.16pm GMT

89 min: Some crisp, quick passing between Salah and Milner down the right, and suddenly Ings is free. But the flag goes up for offside, correctly. What Ings would give for just one of Salah’s goals tonight.

7.15pm GMT

88 min: Henderson rakes one towards Salah from deep. Salah is this close to reaching the ball and rounding Karnezis on the edge of the box, but the keeper bravely smothers at his feet.

7.14pm GMT

87 min: Milner hoops a pass down the middle. Mane breaks into the box. A soft cushion and he’s shooting for goal, but he can’t take the ball down. A broad smile from Mane; it doesn’t really matter.

7.13pm GMT

Milner strides down the middle and lays off to Salah on his right. Salah plays a first-time diagonal chip to Ings, who is in the area and has a smash at goal. Karnezis parries, but the ball falls to Salah, who blasts hard into the net. Four goals today, plus one assist.

7.11pm GMT

84 min: Mane scoops a lovely pass down the inside-right channel to Ings, who is free. He takes a touch and looks to send a power swerve into the top left. A very decent effort, but he’s denied by the strong arm of Karnezis. That’s a fine save.

7.10pm GMT

83 min: Salah picks a poor Doucoure pass and races into space. He’s got Oxlade-Chamberlain to his right, and Ings screaming for it on the left. He opts for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who runs down a blind alley. You could sense the crowd willing the pass to Ings.

7.08pm GMT

81 min: Janmaat replaces Britos, who won’t be sorry to be saying goodbye to Salah.

7.07pm GMT

80 min: Okaka glides into the Liverpool box from the left. He’s got an opportunity to shoot, and takes it, but Matip arrives from nowhere to block.

7.06pm GMT

79 min: Firmino is replaced by Ings, who hasn’t scored a goal since 2015. The roof will come off if he breaks that injury-hit run this evening.

7.05pm GMT

Mane dribbles into the Watford box from the right and lays off to Salah. He thinks about shooting, but drops a shoulder to see off Prodl and Doucoure, before poking a cute effort into the bottom left. Salah has now scored 27 Premier League goals this season, though this is his first hat-trick for the club!

7.03pm GMT

76 min: Mane romps into a lot of space down the centre. He’s got the chance to release Firmino down the inside-left channel, but can’t get the pass right. Liverpool come again, Salah threatening to break down the right. The ball ends up with Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has a lash from the position he scored from against Manchester City. It’s straight at Karnezis.

7.01pm GMT

74 min: Watford enjoy another spell of pinging it around nicely ... but once again they don’t really threaten Liverpool at the back. They’ll be ruing their slow start, because they’ve looked neat and ambitious since the restart.

6.59pm GMT

72 min: Pereyra threatens to make good ground down the left, but he’s robbed by the non-stop Firmino, who is some player in both attack and defence.

6.57pm GMT

70 min: Both teams make their second change of the evening. Okaka comes on for Deeney, then Oxlade-Chamberlain replaces Wijnaldum.

6.56pm GMT

69 min: The snow is beginning to pelt down again. Salah tries to release Firmino into space down the left, but overhits the pass. There’s not much going on.

6.54pm GMT

67 min: Watford are bossing possession at the moment. Crosses are flung into the Liverpool box from either wing; Gomez and Wijnaldum have to win some big headers with Deeney knocking around. Anfield has fallen a bit flat again as a result.

6.52pm GMT

65 min: Richarlison is replaced by Will Hughes, who was once heavily linked with Liverpool while at Derby County. A chance for Hughes to show Liverpool what they’re missing.

6.50pm GMT

64 min: Pereyra makes space down the left and curls into the centre. Deeney is lurking, but Robertson calmly intercepts and takes the sting out of the Watford attack.

6.50pm GMT

63 min: Watford knock it around the middle of the park for a while, but don’t really go anywhere. They’ve looked much more confident since the restart, mind.

6.48pm GMT

61 min: Gomez curls a cross into the Watford box from the right. Firmino, rushing in at pace, tries to guide a header into the left-hand portion of the net. But he doesn’t get enough on the effort, and it flashes left of the target.

6.47pm GMT

59 min: Firmino jigs his way down the left and reaches the byline. He slips over on the slushy turf, but still manages to whip a leg at the ball, which clanks onto Mariappa’s thigh, and then the defender’s hand. Firmino wants a penalty, and claims loudly, but he’s not getting it. Mariappa surely had no chance of getting his hand out of the way, and it didn’t look deliberate.

6.46pm GMT

58 min: Prodl strokes a gorgeous crossfield ball down the left for Holebas, who has a lot of time and space to size up his cross. It floats into the arms of Karius. Liverpool are offering up opportunities for Watford to get a little foothold back in this game, though.

6.43pm GMT

56 min: Deeney lays off to Pereyra down the left, the latter very nearly busting clear into the Liverpool box. It’s not likely to end 3-0, this game, with both sides are looking like they fancy themselves in attack now.

6.41pm GMT

54 min: Gomez gets the better of Holebas under a high ball down the right. He strides into the box and looks for Firmino in the middle. Prodl steps in and clears.

6.40pm GMT

52 min: Pereyra curls fiercely towards the top right. He’s got Karius beaten all ends up, but his effort clips the top of the bar and out for a goal kick. So close to getting Watford on the scoreboard. That was a wonderful free kick. He’s been highly impressive, Pereyra, the standout for Watford today.

6.39pm GMT

51 min: Holebas is given too much time and space as he wanders in from the left. He decides to lash a low shot towards the bottom left. It’s inches wide, though Karius had it covered. Liverpool then play themselves into trouble at the restart, Gomez getting stripped by Richarlison on the Watford left. Richarlison is about to break into the box, so Gomez hauls him back. The defender is booked, and this is a free kick in a dangerous position to the left of the Liverpool box.

6.37pm GMT

What a goal this is! Salah once again has Britos on toast down the right. He reaches the byline, takes a touch inside, and whips low to the near post, where Firmino, his back to goal, backflicks into the bottom left. Karnezis was taken out of the game in an instant.

6.35pm GMT

48 min: Robertson, deep on the left, nearly releases Salah down the right with a Gerrardesque crossfield rake. Mariappa does very well to intercept.

6.33pm GMT

46 min: Henderson crosses deep from the right. Firmino tries to guide a header into the top left, but it’s straight at Karnezis. And he’s offside anyway.

6.32pm GMT

And we’re off again! Liverpool get the party restarted, kicking towards the Kop in this second half. Which is usually how they like it. Salah’s two first-half goals, incidentally, mean he’s now broken the record for most goals in a debut season for Liverpool: 34 in all competitions, beating the mark of 33 set by Fernando Torres.

6.20pm GMT

Half-time reading: It’s 20 years since one Arsenal fan erupted in innocent glee and became an instant Premier League icon. Rob Smyth tells his story like only Rob Smyth can.

Related: Golden Goal: Marc Overmars for Arsenal v Manchester United (1998)

6.17pm GMT

Mo Salah, eh?

6.16pm GMT

45 min: That goal is an untimely blow to Watford, who were beginning to ask some questions of Liverpool. There will be one minute of added time.

6.15pm GMT

44 min: The Kop serenade their goalscoring hero, but then make sure to give their left-back his due as well. Robertson has made some impression at Liverpool this season.

6.14pm GMT

They’re not grumbling now! Mane threads a lovely pass down the inside-left channel for Robertson, who hares down the wing and curls a superb cross through the six-yard box towards Salah, who comes in from the right to sidefoot powerfully home.

6.12pm GMT

42 min: Mane zips down the left. He’s got Firmino free in the centre, but blasts an awful cross harmlessly over his teammate. A few more moans from the Anfield faithful.

6.11pm GMT

40 min: The corner leads to another corner; the second corner comes to nothing. Watford will be happy enough with the way this is going right now, given the start they made to the match.

6.10pm GMT

39 min: Watford press Liverpool back, but the hosts break at speed. Milner rakes a lovely pass down the left for Salah, who races down the wing, glides inside, and tees up Firmino on the edge of the box. Firmino takes a touch to make some room, and lashes a shot towards the top left. Karnezis palms brilliantly over the bar!

6.08pm GMT

37 min: Watford sting the hands of Karius for the first time! Pereyra crosses deep from the right. Richarlison rises and whistles a header towards the top left. Karius plucks it from the sky easily enough. Both teams have now had one effort on target; so much for all that early Liverpool domination, though of course they did score with theirs. But it’s beginning to look like a tough test for the hosts.

6.06pm GMT

36 min: Salah skates past Britos down the right with ease. His cross is cleared. Henderson tries again, crossing high from the right. Mane brings the ball down and cuts inside looking to shoot, but he was miles offside.

6.05pm GMT

35 min: Milner and Firmino combine crisply down the left to earn Liverpool’s fourth corner of the match. Salah whips it high to the far post, but Firmino can’t rise high enough to meet it. Goal kick.

6.04pm GMT

33 min: Matip goes route one, and sends Firmino free down the middle. Mariappa gets back and hooks the ball over the bar, as the flag goes up incorrectly for offside. Anfield is beginning to bubble with a little concern and a lot of frustration.

6.03pm GMT

32 min: Pereyra nutmegs Mane outrageously near the right-hand corner flag, and tears into the Liverpool box. His low cross is spanked clear by Matip. But Watford are very much in this match now.

6.02pm GMT

31 min: Henderson clanks into Richarlison, and that’s a chance for Watford to load the box. The free kick’s sent to Prodl, on the right-hand corner of the Liverpool area. Prodl heads across. Deeney is lurking ... and offside, though Matip clears anyway.

6.00pm GMT

29 min: A poor pass upfield by Matip is intercepted, and Pereyra makes his way into the Liverpool half. He’s got an opportunity to release Richarlison down the left, but overhits the pass, which sails into the stand. Liverpool have got a bit sloppy, and got away with one there.

5.58pm GMT

27 min: Can is down, feeling his left leg. Or is it the small of his back? Either way, he looks as though he won’t be able to continue. He limps off, to warm applause. Klopp gives an unhappy player a warm hug and a kind word, before he disappears down the tunnel. Milner comes on in his place.

5.56pm GMT

25 min: A loose pass from Wijnaldum allows Femenia an opportunity to scoot down the right. For a second Liverpool look in a bit of bother, but Robertson is across quickly to intercept and blooter clear.

5.54pm GMT

24 min: Gomez throws long into the Watford area from the right; the visitors deal with it easily. Anfield has fallen a little quiet. The local heroes made a fast start, and they’re hogging the ball, but Karnezis hasn’t had a whole lot more to do since conceding.

5.53pm GMT

23 min: Henderson clips a pass down the inside-left channel for Mane. A better touch from Mane and he’d have been away, but Mariappa knocks it out for a corner anyway. The set piece ends up at the feet of Wijnaldum, 20 yards out. He has a whack, but it’s blocked the second it leaves his boot.

5.51pm GMT

21 min: The set piece isn’t all that. Wijnaldum tries to keep the pressure on Watford with a determined dribble into the box from the left, but there’s no space opening up for him, and eventually the ball clanks away from him.

5.50pm GMT

20 min: Mariappa takes Mane down with a fairly basic challenge, 25 yards from goal on the left. Salah floats the free kick to the far post, where Firmino is lurking. Holebas is forced to head behind for a corner.

5.49pm GMT

18 min: Salah spins away from Holebas on the right with a slick turn, but runs into trouble in the final third. It’s been all Liverpool, but Watford haven’t given up any more chances since the early goal. Now they just need to get a little something going in attack.

5.47pm GMT

16 min: Henderson sends Salah scampering down the right again. He’s got the run of Britos. He slips a pass inside for Firmino, who is free in the box but offside, and correctly flagged.

5.46pm GMT

15 min: Liverpool continue to dominate possession. Can tries to release Firmino down the inside right, but there’s nothing doing. They quickly get the ball back. Gomez whips a cross into the mixer from the right, but it’s too far ahead of Mane and Firmino and Karnezis is out quickly to snaffle.

5.43pm GMT

13 min: Can spreads the play down the left. Salah is working this flank now, and earns a corner off Holebas. From the set piece, Salah and Firmino try to one-two their way free down the left, but Doucoure reads the play well and the move breaks down.

5.42pm GMT

11 min: Henderson chips diagonally towards Salah on the right. Salah has no right to keep the pass, overhit, in play, but he does. He then very nearly tricks his way past Britos, who does very well to intercept given his early troubles in this particular duel.

5.39pm GMT

9 min: A bit of space for Kiko Femenia down the right. He loops into the Liverpool area. Pereyra tries to get a header on target, but his effort sails harmlessly wide left and high. Liverpool have had 58% possession in these early exchanges.

5.38pm GMT

7 min: The snow’s stopped falling. I doubt we’ve seen the last of it. There’s still some on the ground. Liverpool make some more pretty trails at the back. Watford haven’t really had a sniff yet. Henderson rolls a pass down the inside right but it’s a tad overhit, allowing Karnezis to smother just before Salah can get on the end of it.

5.36pm GMT

5 min: Salah had been on a two-game goal drought. Two games!

5.35pm GMT

Mane chips the ball down the inside-right channel for Salah, who briefly threatens to break into the area for a shot. But Britos heads him off. No worries, though, because Salah is soon coming back at the same player again. Set free down the right by Mane, he enters the box, sits Britos on his behind with a left-to-right drag, then slots the ball under Karnezis for the opener.

5.32pm GMT

2 min: Liverpool stroke the ball around the back for a bit. As it rolls around, it makes light trails on the whitening turf. A fairly sedate start.

5.31pm GMT

And we’re off! The snow comes down heavy at a blustery Anfield, as Watford get the ball rolling. The visitors will be kicking towards the Kop in the first half. Ian Copestake writes: “Not a lot seemed to be made of how miffed Oxlade-Chamberlain was at being removed from the Old Trafford game. Imagine his face must be a picture now he is benched.” I hope he’s wrapped up warm.

5.30pm GMT

Before the kick-off, a minute’s applause for John Molyneux, Liverpool’s loyal right-back during the club’s Second Division wilderness years in the late 50s and early 60s. A warm moment in the bitter cold. RIP.

5.25pm GMT

The teams are out! Liverpool are in red, Watford hornet yellow. Everyone’s happy, draped as they are in their first-choice livery. It’s a very cold day on Merseyside, perhaps most charitably described as changeable: when BT Sport started broadcasting, icy snow was whipping across Anfield. Then it fell relatively calm. But now there are more snow showers, so it’ll be an interesting evening all right. Anyway, we’ll be off in a minute, but before we start, some promising news for those Liverpool fans desirous of finishing in this season’s top four, as Burn Lamche would very much like to take issue with the preamble of this MBM: “Chelsea fan here. We aren’t resurgent.”

5.10pm GMT

Javi Gracia speaks! “We try to improve our away form. The last game against Arsenal, we created many chances. We didn’t score but we created chances. If we continue in the same way, we will be able to score goals and get points.”

5.08pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp speaks! “The changes are nothing to with last week. Dejan is not available, so that’s the first reason. And that’s about it: the rest, we looked at what we might need against Watford, and that’s the outcome. Maybe they will play with five at the back. It will be another challenge. They are good on the counter, they have quality and we respect that. but we are difficult to play on a good day.”

4.40pm GMT

Liverpool mix it up a bit in the wake of last weekend’s defeat at Manchester United, making four changes to their starting XI. Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Joel Matip replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who all drop to the bench, and Dejan Lovren, who misses out altogether.

Watford make just the one change to the team named for their 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. Miguel Britos comes in for Darryl Janmaat, who is on the bench.

4.33pm GMT

Liverpool: Karius, Gomez, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Can, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Milner, Klavan, Moreno, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mignolet, Ings, Alexander-Arnold.

Watford: Karnezis, Britos, Prodl, Mariappa, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Femenia, Richarlison, Pereyra, Deeney.
Subs: Gomes, Janmaat, Cathcart, Gray, Hughes, Carrillo, Okaka.

5.49pm GMT

It’s Liverpool versus Manchester City! But before the big showdown in the Champions League, Jurgen Klopp’s side have to concentrate hard on getting into the competition again next season. A top-four place in the Premier League is by no means a shoo-in, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur relentless, and Chelsea resurgent. So they desperately need three points tonight, in order to open up a seven-point gap over Chelsea in fifth.

On the face of it, Watford shouldn’t provide too much of a problem, given they lost at Anfield 6-1 last season, and tasted defeat in their three visits previous to that. They haven’t won at Anfield since Tommy Mooney shocked Gerard Houllier’s side back in 1999 on Sami Hyppia’s debut.

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Swansea City 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur: FA Cup quarter-final – as it happened

Christian Eriksen scored twice as Spurs eased their way into the semis

2.25pm GMT

Related: Christian Eriksen fires Tottenham past Swansea and into FA Cup semi-finals

2.11pm GMT

Swansea’s dream of a third FA Cup semi-final appearance is over. Tottenham were much the better team here today, Christian Eriksen once again their star man. Spurs make it to the final four for the 21st time: their hopes of a first FA Cup since 1991, and a first trophy since 2008, remain very much alive.

2.08pm GMT

90 min: A possible sour end to an already bitter afternoon for Swansea. Olsson curls a cross in from the left. Vorm claims. Abraham goes down with nowhere near him. Has he twisted his knee? He’s able to get up after a short period of attention from the physio. Hopefully he’ll be fine, with Swansea now free to concentrate on their relegation battle.

2.06pm GMT

89 min: Narsingh bursts down the right. For a second, a hook into the centre would release Clucas and Abraham down the middle. But he hesitates, and the chance for a Swansea consolation is gone.

2.04pm GMT

87 min: This corner is a complete non-event. Spurs care not a jot.

2.03pm GMT

86 min: Eriksen goes for goal, whipping low towards the bottom left. Nordfeldt does just about enough, the ball bouncing off his chest. Llorente should poke the loose ball home, but his confidence is shot and the effort is blocked out for another corner. Before that can be taken, Routledge comes on for Dyer.

2.02pm GMT

85 min: From a short corner, Davies attempts to dribble into the Swansea box. Ki isn’t having it, and shoves him to the ground. It’s a free kick, but not a booking. Spurs load the box.

2.01pm GMT

84 min: Son turns on the jets and makes good down the left. His low cross is turned out for a corner by Bartley.

2.00pm GMT

83 min: Spurs do more of the clock-management thing at the back. Pass, pass, passity pass. Swansea let them do it. Everyone just going through the motions.

1.58pm GMT

81 min: Roberts comes on for van der Hoorn, while Lamela is replaced by Alli, who takes the stage to pantomime boos.

1.56pm GMT

79 min: Spurs open Swansea up with some crisp triangulation in front of the box. Son is released into space down the left; he drags a shot across the face of goal. Llorente didn’t make a move at the far post. That’s Tottenham’s 21st effort on goal; Swansea have managed three.

1.55pm GMT

78 min: Dier, deep on the left, very nearly releases Trippier into the Swansea area down the right. Not quite. Goal kick. There’s not much going on right now.

1.54pm GMT

76 min: Carroll plays a simple pass out of play for a goal kick down the right. That pretty much sums up Swansea today; they’ve been dreadful.

1.52pm GMT

75 min: Sissoko one-twos with Llorente down the inside left. He nearly breaks clear into the area, but Bartley reads the play well and intercepts.

1.50pm GMT

73 min: Spurs make their first switch of the afternoon. That’s the end of Moura’s match; he’s been quietly impressive today. Former Swan Fernando Llorente comes on, and is greeted with a smattering of polite applause.

1.49pm GMT

72 min: Spurs indulge in some possession football at the back. Both teams would take the final whistle right now.

1.47pm GMT

70 min: Carroll curls the free kick into the mixer, forcing Dier to head out for a corner. It’s Swansea’s first of the game ... and it’s punched clear by Vorm without too much drama.

1.46pm GMT

69 min: Olsson romps down the Swansea left and is unceremoniously hacked down by Sanchez, who is quite rightly booked for the ludicrous lunge. A free kick out on the touchline, and a chance for Swansea to load the box.

1.45pm GMT

67 min: Moura slips Lamela free down the left. From the byline, Lamela blasts an outrageously ambitious shot towards Nordfeldt, perhaps hoping for a handling error. Nordfeldt stands strong; he’s not getting beaten from there.

1.43pm GMT

65 min: Space opens up for Sissoko down the inside right. He should stride into the box and have a blast, but tries to dink the ball back towards Lamela on the penalty spot. The pass is blocked.

1.41pm GMT

64 min: This is in danger of turning into a rout. Lamela flicks a delicious first-time reverse pass down the inside-left channel to tee up Moura just inside the area. Moura should slam home, but hesitates and instead opts to tee up Eriksen again. This time the resulting low fizzer is sucked up by Nordfeldt.

1.40pm GMT

This is over. Dier and Moura nearly open Swansea up with some crisp one-twoing down the left. Dier pulls the ball back for Moura, who can’t quite get a shot away from the penalty spot. Moura plays it softly back, teeing up Eriksen, who hammers through a thicket of players and into the bottom left.

1.38pm GMT

61 min: Son has a blast from a tight angle on the left. Bartley blocks. Spurs are beginning to reassert themselves.

1.37pm GMT

60 min: The next corner sees Eriksen sashay in from the right and hammer a low ball into the six-yard box. Van der Hoorn clanks that one out for another corner. Finally Swansea clear. But Spurs had them under the cosh there. The Swans have been bright since the restart, but another goal for the visitors will kill this tie stone dead.

1.35pm GMT

58 min: Space for Eriksen down the right. Narsingh heads his cross out for a corner. The set piece is pulled back down the wing. Eriksen fires in a low, diagonal ball which has Swansea in sixes and sevens. Mawson hacks out.

1.34pm GMT

57 min: Moura is sent scampering down the left wing, released by a gorgeous crossfield pass from Eriksen. He enters the area, then takes a heavy touch that allows Nordfeldt to close him down and snaffle. This can’t end 0-2. It just can’t.

1.33pm GMT

55 min: Moura twists and turns and nearly gets the better of van der Hoorn down the inside left. The big defender cuts out a cross, albeit with his arm, though he was falling flat on his face at the time. There’s no way that’s deliberate, and the referee agrees. The resulting set piece comes to nothing.

1.32pm GMT

54 min: Eriksen pitching wedges a pass into the Swansea box, straight down the middle, for Son, who nearly gets a toe to the dropping ball. Nordfeldt gathers. There are surely more goals in this game. It’s so open.

1.31pm GMT

53 min: Narsingh turns Davies inside out, like an old sock, down the right. He chips one into the centre. Abraham tenses his neck muscles, preparing to smack a header home from six yards, but Sanchez gets his eyebrows in the way to clear the danger. Where was this Swansea in the first half?

1.29pm GMT

51 min: Eriksen bustles down the centre of the park. The ball breaks right for Sissoko, who shanks woefully wide from distance. Not ideal. “As nice as Eriksen’s golazo was, Lamela’s goal will have Spurs fans buzzing even more,” writes Dan Hamilton. “For a notoriously one-footed player, it was a pleasant shock to see him score with his right.”

1.27pm GMT

50 min: Dier, from the best part of 30 yards out, down the inside-left channel, sends a curler towards the top left. It’s heading in, a sweet out-and-in strike. But Nordfeldt tips it out for a corner at full stretch. The corner comes to nothing, but this is a game now!

1.26pm GMT

48 min: Spurs respond through Moura, who dribbles at pace down the left and nearly breaks into the box. Not quite, but for the first time this afternoon there’s a bit of cup-tie frisson in the air.

1.24pm GMT

46 min: Swansea are immediately on the front foot! Olsson, opening his legs down the inside-left channel, sends a pearler goalwards from 25 yards. It’s met by a stunning full-length save by Vorm. The rebound drops to Abraham, but quickly. His follow-up header is straight at Vorm and parried too, and the danger is over. What a shot by Olsson, and what a double save! That could have changed everything.

1.22pm GMT

And we’re off again! Swansea get the ball rolling for the second half, having swapped Naughton for Narsingh.

1.08pm GMT

Half-time reading:

Related: Sam Clucas: ‘One fan wrote: if he plays above League Two I’ll eat my hat’

1.07pm GMT

A smattering of boos as Swansea trudge off, heads bowed. Spurs are in total control: they’ve scored two, had one disallowed by VAR, and Eriksen has hit the bar. Their dream of a first FA Cup since 1991 looks good right now; Swansea’s hopes of a first semi-final appearance since 1964 are a bit more faint.

1.05pm GMT

Lamela dribbles hard down the inside-left channel. He drifts infield a bit, uninhibited by any sort of meaningful challenge from a white shirt. Swansea backing off again, like they did with Eriksen. And the result is the same. Lamela lines up his shot, and curls low and hard into the bottom right. It’s no more than Tottenham deserve for their first-half dominance.

1.03pm GMT

45 min: Yet another corner for Spurs, this time down the right. Some head tennis in the box. Son nearly gets the ball under control. It’s hacked clear. “In defense of my many folk-singing friends, there’s a good reason you see them with a finger in one ear (24 min),” writes Nigel in Toronto. “Most folk clubs have a mic and amp for the singer but do not have monitors on stage. Therefore the poor singer cannot hear him/herself over the amplified sound. A finger in the ear lets you hear yourself while singing.” Fair enough. Nobody emailing in with a similarly passionate defence of VAR, you’ll notice. Fol-de-rol.

1.01pm GMT

43 min: Dyer whips a cross into the Spurs box from the right, but Sanchez is able to clear it without too much bother and suddenly the away side are on the quick-break. Lamela and Son aren’t on the same wavelength, though, which is a shame for Spurs as Swansea were light at the back.

12.59pm GMT

41 min: It’s all gone a bit flat at the Liberty, the result of Tottenham’s total dominance.

12.56pm GMT

39 min: Another corner for Spurs, this time on the left. Eriksen takes. He whips it to the near post, where Dier flashes a header over the bar. He should have done much better. That’s a real chance.

12.55pm GMT

37 min: The resulting corner comes to nought.

12.54pm GMT

36 min: Trippier bustles and earns a corner for Spurs down the right. Lamela works the set piece up and down the wing. Then he shifts the ball inside for Eriksen, who pearls a rising shot towards the top left from the edge of the box. It’s another stunner, but this time Nordfeldt gets a fingernail to it, at full stretch, and turns it onto the crossbar. What a wonderful save!

12.52pm GMT

35 min: Swansea enjoy a little period of possession in the Spurs box. They go nowhere in particular, but that’s a bit better. Small acorns, and all that.

12.52pm GMT

33 min: Mawson and Dyer attempt to replicate the spectacular Mahrez-Vardy combination for Leicester against West Brom the other week. Full marks for ambition, if nothing else.

12.50pm GMT

32 min: Lamela leans back and has an absurd blast from 25 yards. Nope!

12.49pm GMT

31 min: Space for Lamela down the left. He whips a glorious low ball across the face of the Swansea goal. Moura lunges in, but can’t quite get a toe to it. So close to a second for Spurs. They’ve already sort of scored that second, of course, but this is where we are.

12.47pm GMT

29 min: See 27 min. Swansea’s fans are getting a little irritated with their team’s passivity.

12.45pm GMT

27 min: It’s still all Spurs. Absurdly lop-sided. Apart from Dyer’s sortie into the box in the first minute, Swansea haven’t done a thing in Tottenham’s final third.

12.43pm GMT

25 min: No goal. It would seem the pictures were inconclusive, according to the officials, so they’ve gone with the on-field decision. Thing is, Son looked onside, dead in line with the last man. Penny for Pochettino’s thoughts.

12.42pm GMT

24 min: The ref stands with his finger in his ear, like a tone-deaf folk singer.

12.41pm GMT

23 min: Eriksen, quarterbacking from deep, sends Son away down the middle. Son brings it down with a telescopic leg. He then smashes the ball into the top left from the edge of the box! What a finish! But he’s flagged for offside. There really wasn’t much in that. And so we’re going to VAR.

12.39pm GMT

21 min: The corner isn’t all that.

12.39pm GMT

20 min: A loose ball from Clucas allows Moura to zip towards the Swansea box down the right with great determination. For a second, Moura looks as though he’s going to cream a shot goalwards from a tight angle. But Mawson slides in to put a stop to that, at the expense of a corner. Wonderful saving tackle.

12.36pm GMT

18 min: Lamela goes on an elaborate dribble down the left, and nearly works a path clear towards the Swansea goal. Fortunately for the Swans, Naughton is on hand to blast clear, just in time. The home side are clinging on a bit, though.

12.34pm GMT

16 min: Swansea can hardly get a sniff. Spurs are in total control.

12.33pm GMT

14 min: Swansea were way too passive for the goal, and now they allow Moura to diddle his way into the box from the right. Some lovely ball-glued-to-toecap skills. He can’t quite sort his feet out to lash a shot goalwards, and sends a dribbler towards the bottom left that’s easy for Nordfeldt to gather. But the home side could be out of this in short order unless they snap out of their collective daze at the back.

12.31pm GMT

13 min: “Que sera sera, we’re going to Wembley!” trill the Spurs fans, eyebrows pinging up and down in the knowing fashion.

12.30pm GMT

You could see this going in from way back, because Swansea allowed it to happen. Lamela, out on the right, flicks a pass inside for Eriksen. The Danish international is allowed to run, and run, and run, and run. He bides his time, and lines up a glorious power curler into the top left from 20 yards. That’s so sweet! But Nordfeldt had no chance, because none of his defenders bothered closing Eriksen down.

12.27pm GMT

10 min: Spurs are beginning to find their range. Sissoko and Lamela swap places, the latter trying to feed the former this time, with a flick down the inside right. But Nordfeldt is quickly off his line to gather.

12.26pm GMT

9 min: Sissoko floats a pass down the inside-left channel, and Lamela momentarily looks like getting to it first and breaking into the box. But Bartley is across to shepherd it back to Nordfeldt.

12.25pm GMT

7 min: The incredibly assured Mawson rakes a pass down the left for Abraham, who takes the ball down under pressure and lays off inside for Clucas. The move is interrupted by a garden-variety foul, but that was some neat play out from the back. Both teams look confident in their own way.

12.23pm GMT

6 min: Vertonghen beckenbauers his way down the middle of the park and slips a ball through the Swansea back line for Son. The striker’s clear, and he tucks the ball away, but he was well offside and the flag goes up.

12.22pm GMT

4 min: Spurs pass and probe down the right, Eriksen and Moura seeing rather a lot of the ball. Davies flicks a pass towards Son, breaking into the box down the channel. Mawson is over to intercept and mop up.

12.20pm GMT

2 min: Abraham drives down the inside-left channel and flicks a ball into the centre for Dyer to chase after. Dyer tries to round Vorm on the right, but the keeper spreads himself to tap the ball away. Dyer goes over, and wants a penalty, but the ref isn’t interested at all. Well that’s quite a brisk start on a brisk day.

12.18pm GMT

53 secs: Spurs stroke it around the back with the confidence of a team who have never lost at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea finally get a touch and ...

12.17pm GMT

Swansea’s fourth FA Cup quarter-final kicks off! Spurs get the party started. A reminder that this tie will be decided today, after extra-time and penalties if needs be. And the VAR is in operation, which explains Pochettino’s low seethe in the pre-match interview.

12.14pm GMT

The teams are out! Swansea are in their white shirts, so Tottenham are forced into second-choice blue. It’s a cold, windy day in south Wales, but there’s a cup-tie atmosphere to warm the cockles. We’ll be off in a minute! Meanwhile the first, and possibly last, email of the day comes from Woolie Madden: “I was going to make a joke about Swansea bringing on Mulder as a fox-in-the-box, but a quick Wikipedia check tells me that the Swans’ no.25 is in fact a, er, goalkeeper. He’d still be in the box though, right?”

12.06pm GMT

Carlos Carvalhal speaks! “We have made some changes like we have done in the past in this competition. But we still have a good squad, I think it is strong. We understand it is David against Goliath, but the cup games are different. When a good team doesn’t perform at the best level, and a team that is not so good performs at a very good level, surprises can appear. We will try to do our part. So let’s try to play at our best level, with our identity and principles. We know they will have more of the ball, but we know our strong points. Even the best teams in the world have some weak points. We will try to exploit those small weak points!”

11.55am GMT

Mauricio Pochettino speaks! BT Sport’s Reshmin Chowdhury asks whether his selection reflects his confidence in his squad. “Yes of course. Just as after Juventus we made changes to face Bournemouth. I think it is about balance. It is important to provide a team with good energy, after playing in three competitions in one week. The starting XI is exciting. I hope we can go further in the competition. This is the last chance to win a trophy, it is an important game for us, for our fans, and our club. I hope the VAR is working better! It is difficult to change my mind about what I think about that system, but I hope it is working well, and that the referee will be the boss of the pitch. That is important.”

11.32am GMT

Swansea City: Nordfeldt, Naughton, van der Hoorn, Bartley, Mawson, Olsson, Dyer, Ki, Carroll, Clucas, Abraham.
Subs: Britton, Narsingh, Routledge, Mulder, Fernandez, Roberts, Byers.

Tottenham Hotspur: Vorm, Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Sissoko, Dier, Eriksen, Lucas Moura, Son, Lamela.
Subs: Lloris, Alderweireld, Llorente, Dembele, Alli, Foyth, Aurier.

11.30am GMT

Swansea City make five changes to the side that ground out a goalless draw at Huddersfield Town last weekend. Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Kyle Bartley, Tom Carroll, Nathan Dyer and Tammy Abraham are recalled; Federico Fernandez drops to the bench, Andy King and Andre Ayew are cup-tied, Jordan Ayew is suspended, and Lukasz Fabianski misses out altogether.

Tottenham Hotspur also ring the changes, with only four of the XI named at Bournemouth last weekend keeping their place. Hugo Lloris, Serge Aurier, Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli drop to the bench; Danny Rose and Victor Wanyama miss out; and of course Harry Kane is injured. Stepping up: Michel Vorm, Kieran Trippier, Ben Davies, Eric Dier, Moussa Sissoko, Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura.

5.43pm GMT

This is Swansea City’s first FA Cup quarter final for 54 years. The last one was a doozy. In 1964, as struggling Second Division side Swansea Town, they went to Anfield to play champions elect Liverpool. Jimmy McLaughlin and Eddie Thomas put the Swans 2-0 up in the first half. Peter Thompson pulled one back for Bill Shankly’s men just after the hour, and the home side laid siege on the Swansea goal. But keeper Noel Dwyer was inspired, making a series of blocks. Ronnie Moran hoicked a late penalty deep into the Kop, and Trevor Morris’s side were in the semis. They succumbed to Preston North End in the last four; West Ham went on to win the cup.

Before that, we’re looking back to the 1920s. In 1926, Town were a mere 14 years old when they knocked The Arsenal, chasing the title under their new manager Herbert Chapman, out in the quarters at Vetch Field. Again they went 2-0 up in the first half, through Leonard Thompson and Jack Fowler; again the First Division behemoths pulled one back in the second, through Alec Mackie; again Swansea held on. Arsenal ended that season as runners-up in the League to the famous Huddersfield; Swansea went down 3-0 in the semi of the cup to eventual winners Bolton.

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World Cup stunning moments: Uruguay's 1950 triumph in Brazil

Britain’s newspapers buried the story but Uruguay’s victory in Rio was one of the most far-reaching and dramatic World Cup games ever played

Monday 17 July 1950, and the front page of the Manchester Guardian was still given over to classified advertising. Buy your new Bendix home laundry appliances at Fred Dawes, 90 London Road, Manchester; Miss Newgrosh of Princess Street, Blackburn is offering a German/Polish translation service at competitive rates; the Lancashire County Fire Brigade is selling off a 1930 Leyland fire engine, 55 hp, no guarantee attached, sold as seen, the County Council accepts no responsibility for any unexplained mechanical combustion.

Even taking the idiosyncrasies of old-school newspaper layout into account, one of the day’s biggest stories had been inexplicably squirreled away. The edition’s lead story on page five (just go with it) was fair enough: a report on the Battle of Taejon, the first big stramash of the Korean war which had begun a month beforehand. But here’s a few of the day’s other top tales: three yachts were caught in a squall near Bridlington; lightning struck a house in Wigan; the Yorkshire Winding Enginemen’s Association called a strike ballot in a pay dispute with the National Coal Board; 1.39 inches of rain fell in Hull.

All attendance records were broken at Rio de Janeiro to-day for the world championship Brazil-Uruguay football game: more than 160,000 people attended, paying the equivalent of about £120,000.

More than five thousand policemen, supported by special units of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, stood by and every precaution was taken to prevent scenes like those that took place last Thursday, when two people died and more than 260 were injured in a rush for seats. The police made a final appeal to the crowd not to use fireworks to welcome the teams or to celebrate the scoring of a goal. They banned the sale of oranges and bottles of soft drinks, as these are handy weapons for anyone who disagrees with the referee.

Related: World Cup stunning moments: Cameroon shock Argentina in 1990

Related: World Cup stunning moments: Pickles the dog is a very good boy in 1966 | Scott Murray

Related: Maracanazo ticket earns 85-year-old fan a seat at 2014 World Cup final

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The Fiver | A run on Neutradol all across the historic county of Lancashire

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As you will clearly remember, and there’s no need to go back and check, the Fiver yesterday unequivocally predicted serious trouble ahead for Manchester United. Yes sir. And so it came to pass, as José Mourinho’s absurdly ponderous side delivered a Big Cup performance which stank out the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester so badly there’s been a run on Neutradol all across the historic county of Lancashire. It’s being said that cans of the original aerosol spray are swapping hands for upwards of £100, while the black market economy for other products in the world’s No 1 odour-neutralising range has spiralled out of control to the extent that if you want any meadow-fresh carpet deodorizer you might have to turn a few tricks. Meanwhile Mourinho has been drenched in so much spittle-flecked opprobrium that his critics make Jamie Carragher look like a man suffering from a serious case of xerostomia. Oh José! How could you!

Related: 'So much money, so poor' – Spanish press lays into Manchester United

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Manchester United 1-2 Sevilla (agg: 1-2): Champions League last 16 – as it happened

A subdued United were knocked out of Europe by two-goal Sevilla hero Wissam Ben Yedder

Read Jamie Jackson’s match report
José Mourinho plays down Manchester United’s exitBarney Ronay: Banega outshines Fellaini
Edin Dzeko sends Roma into last eight

12.15am GMT

Related: José Mourinho plays down Manchester United’s Champions League exit

11.53pm GMT

Sergio Rico Good save to prevent Fellaini scoring on one of few occasions when United broke through. 7

11.52pm GMT

David de Gea Quiet until Ben Yedder came on, will not enjoy replays of the scramble that led to the second goal. 6

11.52pm GMT

Related: Banega shows up Fellaini as Sevilla dump out Manchester United | Barney Ronay

9.56pm GMT

Related: Sevilla’s Ben Yedder sends Manchester United crashing out of Europe

9.37pm GMT

Mercado cuts inside from the right and earns a corner with a deflected shot. But there’s no time to take it! The referee blows up for full time: Vincenzo Montella and Wissam Ben Yedder have done a number on Jose Mourinho and a very ponderous United. Expect questions to be asked about United’s approach to this tie over both legs. They weren’t at the races at all tonight. Mourinho walks off, a study in frustration and disappointment. But take nothing away from Sevilla, who performed one of the great smash-and-grabs, and make the quarter finals of the European Cup for the first time since 1958, and for the first time ever in the Champions League era. They were by far the better side tonight, and celebrate on the Old Trafford pitch accordingly. United now have to concentrate on cementing second spot in the Premier League, and taking a tilt at the FA Cup.

9.35pm GMT

90 min +3: Mercado drives down the right wing. Rashford chases him, and clips him over in frustration. A booking, and a free kick that’ll further run down the clock.

9.34pm GMT

90 min +2: Martial crosses from the right. Smalling launches into a diving header. The ball sails harmlessly wide right of goal.

9.33pm GMT

90 min +1: Pogba plays a simple pass out of play on the right. The crowd give him what for. Sevilla go upfield and set Ben Yedder clear! He should complete his hat-trick, but scuffs a dreadful effort straight at de Gea, who kicks away.

9.32pm GMT

90 min: Sarabia is booked for some timewasting jazz. There will be four minutes of added time.

9.31pm GMT

89 min: Correa is replaced by Geis. Sevilla are running down the clock in the professional style.

9.30pm GMT

88 min: Correa chases the ball down the left. Bailly beats him to it. Correa clips him to the floor. That’s a yellow card.

9.29pm GMT

87 min: Rashford flashes a header wide left of the goal from six yards. Rico had it covered. Vazquez is replaced by Pizarro.

9.28pm GMT

86 min: Lukaku makes a nuisance of himself down the inside right. He reaches the byline and fizzes low into the centre. Rashford is there, but Kjaer sticks out a foot and stabs the ball to his keeper. Rico gathers. United want a free kick for the backpass, but they’re not getting it.

9.27pm GMT

85 min: Sarabia crosses deep from the right. Ben Yedder meets the dropping ball just inside the United area. He looks to volley into the bottom right, but sends it miles wide.

9.26pm GMT

Mata works hard down the right. His cross is put out for a corner on the left. The set piece is flicked on at the near post by Matic, and Lukaku twists his body to slam a volley home from close range! They couldn’t, could they?!

9.25pm GMT

83 min: Correa is given the run of the left flank again. He strides into the United box and shoots straight at de Gea.

9.24pm GMT

82 min: Chances at either end. From the corner. Lenglet heads inches wide right from the penalty spot. On target, and that was three. United go up the pitch, Mata dribbling hard down the right. He crosses for Lukaku, who hoicks over the crossbar under pressure from Lenglet.

9.23pm GMT

81 min: United’s defence is all over the place as they push forward in desperation. Correa dribbles hard down the left. His low centre finds Ben Yedder at the far post. That would be his hat-trick, were it not for a stunning slide from Smalling. Corner, though.

9.22pm GMT

80 min: United now need three goals to reach the quarters. You could hear the air being sucked out of the stadium as the shock of that second goal hit home. United try to respond, Young swinging a free kick into the Sevilla box from the left. It ends up evading the outstretched leg of Smalling at the far post. Goal kick.

9.21pm GMT

Corner for Sevilla down the left. Correa, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, flicks it on. Ben Yedder, on the right-hand corner, heads it towards the top right. De Gea tips the ball onto the underside of the crossbar, but comes down and spins over the line.

9.19pm GMT

77 min: Mourinho takes one last roll of the dice. He takes off Lingard and Valencia, and throws on Martial and Mata.

9.18pm GMT

76 min: That’s stunned Old Trafford all right, though the travelling fans are giving it plenty now.

9.16pm GMT

75 min: United now need two goals, or they’re out. We can’t have extra time now.

9.16pm GMT

What a substitution! Ben Yedder runs at the Untied defence again, taking possession of a Serabia slider down the middle. He takes a touch to the right, then slams a low shot into the bottom right from 12 yards! De Gea had no chance!

9.15pm GMT

73 min: Ben Yedder comes on for the dismal Muriel. He’s immediately in the action, chasing after a long Sarabia pass down the middle. The ball’s just too far ahead of the sub, and flies through to de Gea.

9.14pm GMT

72 min: The United fans voice a little displeasure with their team’s stuttering performance. Pogba responds by trying a low curler from 25 yards on the right. It’s inches wide of the bottom left, though Rico probably had it covered.

9.13pm GMT

70 min: Correa is sent into space down the left. He can’t get a shot away, but the ball’s worked to Vazquez, who fizzes one low, across the face of the six-yard box. De Gea drops on it like a comfort blanket, with Muriel not really lurking.

9.11pm GMT

68 min: It’s catching. Smalling bundles Sarabia over. A free kick for Sevilla out on the right. Sarabia floats it to the far post. Nobody in black bothers to run for it. De Gea ushers it out with a yawn. Goal kick.

9.10pm GMT

67 min: United load the box. They needn’t have bothered, because Rashford suffers a massive rush of blood to the head and attempts an ambitious whip into the top right. It flies miles over the bar. What a waste.

9.09pm GMT

66 min: Rashford sashays inside from the left and draws a foul from Mercado, just outside the Sevilla area on the left. A free kick in a very dangerous position.

9.08pm GMT

65 min: Pogba’s first act of the evening is a dreadful crossfield pass in the midfield, straight to Correa. Fortunately for United, the visitors haven’t committed anyone else upfield and a quick break upfield is beyond them.

9.06pm GMT

64 min: Old Trafford is quiet, the tension palpable. United stroke it around the middle, but don’t really go anywhere. Lukaku tries to spark something with some determined bustle down the middle, but his team-mates don’t respond.

9.04pm GMT

62 min: Sanchez curls one into the box from a deep position on the left. Lukaku holds off Lenglet and hammers a shot from a tight angle. Again Lenglet takes one for the team to block. The resulting corner doesn’t clear N’Zonzi.

9.02pm GMT

60 min: Fellaini has been decent tonight, but his race is run. Pogba comes on in his stead.

9.01pm GMT

58 min: It’s end to end now. Sarabia bustles down the right and whips a low cross into the United six-yard box. Muriel extends a toe to it, but can’t poke goalwards. Goal kick. Up the other end, Fellaini wins the ball amid a melee outside the Sevilla area. He looks for the top left but the shot is all over the place.

8.59pm GMT

57 min: Sanchez rolls another pass wide right for Rashford, who enters the box and tees Sanchez up. Sanchez cracks one goalwards, but Lenglet spreads himself and bravely takes one in the fruit bowl. What a block!

8.58pm GMT

56 min: Lukaku looks in the mood again. He enters the Sevilla box down the left and diddles Lenglet with a quick pullback and forward burst. He fizzes a low one towards the near post. There’s a slight deflection off Lenglet, but Rico snaffles well at the near post.

8.57pm GMT

54 min: Sanchez sends Rashford skittering down the right with a delicious crossfield pass. Sevilla are light at the back. But then there’s a rare mistake by the brilliant young striker, who shanks a shot-cum-cross out of play for a goal kick.

8.55pm GMT

53 min: Correa dances in from the left, evading three challenges with his twinkling toes. He enters the United box and curls low towards the bottom right. It’s always dribbling wide, and de Gea ushers it out of play without drama. There’s already been more action in the first eight minutes of this second half than the whole of the first.

8.54pm GMT

51 min: Lukaku carelessly loses the ball in the midfield, but makes up for it spectacularly by winning it back and bursting down the right. He slips a ball inside for Lingard, who takes a touch to the right before smacking a low shot across Rico and towards the bottom left. It’s a fine effort, but the keeper gets a hand to it and the ball’s cleared to the left. Rashford delivers it back into the six-yard box, but there’s nobody following up. Much better from United, and fine work by Lukaku.

8.52pm GMT

50 min: N’Zonzi slides in to win the ball over a meandering Sanchez, 40 yards from the Sevilla goal. It looks a fair tackle, but the ref thinks about it awhile, and blows for a slightly generous free kick. Young loops it towards the right-hand post. It’s dealt with easily enough by the visitors.

8.50pm GMT

48 min: N’Zonzi sends Sarabia away down the right. Sarabia curls into the box, and for a second it looks as though Correa is going to take up possession on the penalty spot, on his own! He miscontrols, which allows Bailly to slide in and hook clear as Correa desperately tries to work space for a shot. Vazquez slashes the rebound high and wide. United so close to conceding a vital away goal!

8.49pm GMT

46 min: Correa has a little probe down the left; Lingard has a direct dribble at the Sevilla defence. Neither move goes anywhere special. But it does perhaps show that both teams have been given a little half-time rocket by the boss.

8.48pm GMT

And we’re off again! United have only drawn 0-0 after two legs in Europe once in their long, storied history on the continent. That happened in the first round of the 1992-93 Uefa Cup against Torpedo Moscow. They went on to lose 4-3 on penalty kicks. No changes for this second half. The visitors get the party restarted.

8.36pm GMT

Half-time entertainment: In which sports marketing executives around the world are given an elegant shoeing.

Related: Sound of silence: when will common sense prevail over music at events? | Andy Bull

8.33pm GMT

And that’s that, the end of a pretty poor first half. United have been ponderous in attack; Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellani have been the exceptions to that. Unless one of these teams gets their gamefaces on, we’re 45 minutes away from extra time.

8.31pm GMT

45 min: N’Zonzi has a shy from 30 yards. It flies 30 yards over the bar.

8.31pm GMT

44 min: The set piece is cleared easily enough. Sevilla tear up the other end, United very much on the back foot. Muriel has the opportunity to release Correa into the box down the left, but clanks a dreadful pass straight at Smalling. Muriel has been awful in both legs.

8.29pm GMT

43 min: Rashford slips a lovely ball down the inside-right channel to release Lingard into the Sevilla area. His low cross is deflected out for a corner.

8.28pm GMT

41 min: Fellaini’s at it again, winning a ball down the left and setting Young off into space. Young’s cross breaks back to Fellaini, who nearly bursts the ball while shooting from the edge of the box. Banega bravely gets in the way, and the pressure’s released on Sevilla as Lingard clumsily kicks the leg of Escudero instead of the ball.

8.26pm GMT

39 min: The corner isn’t all that. Sevilla clear the danger. Say what you will about Fellaini, his street hustle nearly led to the opening goal in this tie, and really got the crowd going. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of old-school determination sometimes.

8.24pm GMT

38 min: United finally work the Sevilla keeper! Fellaini barges Escudero off the ball, 30 yards from goal. He turns, one-twos with Sanchez, and breaks into the area. He’s got space on the left, and smashes a rising shot towards the top-left corner. Rico gets a strong hand to the ball, turning it round the post for a corner.

8.22pm GMT

36 min: Sanchez once again tries to get something going down the left. He sails a high ball into the area, but that’s easy pickings for Rico.

8.21pm GMT

35 min: Banega shoots from distance. He’s looking for the top-right corner of the goal; he finds the top-right corner of the stand. The home fans weren’t particularly happy that the United midfield seemed happy to let Banega chance his arm. Not much in the way of closing down going on.

8.20pm GMT

33 min: Lingard loops the ball from the left to Fellaini, just inside the Sevilla box on the right. The big man wins his header, and flashes the ball into the mixer, but there’s nobody in red there. Sevilla go up the other end, Muriel romping in from the left, shoogling his hips, and sending a weak dribbler into the arms of de Gea. That’s an awful shot from a good position; it’s also the first shot on target tonight.

8.17pm GMT

31 min: Rashford skates past Escudero and Banega with some lovely ball-glued-to-toe skill down the right. He eventually runs into trouble, but what a fine high-speed dribble, one that got the Old Trafford crowd on its feet. What a talent Rashford is.

8.16pm GMT

29 min: Muriel’s near miss has shocked United into action. Rashford very nearly releases Lukaku into the area with a long precision pass down the inside right; not quite. Then Sanchez dribbles in from the left but can’t set a team-mate up on the edge of the area.

8.14pm GMT

27 min: Banega nearly opens United up with a clever sliderule pass down the inside-left channel. He’s trying to release Vazquez into the area, but Correa gets in the way and flicks it out of his team-mate’s path. Sevilla come at United again, Sarabia bursting down the same channel and slipping Muriel into the area. Muriel tries to curl a low one into the bottom right, but only manages to fire it across goal and out for a goal kick.

8.11pm GMT

25 min: Young cuts in from the left and lays off to Sanchez, who floats a cross to the far post in the hope of finding Rashford. Escudero eyebrows the danger out for a corner. The set piece isn’t anything to write home about.

8.10pm GMT

23 min: Mourinho stands on the touchline shaking his head sadly. It’s a response to a common-or-garden free kick conceded in midfield, but could stand as criticism of this match so far. It could do with a goal all right.

8.08pm GMT

21 min: And here it comes, as Lukaku creams a pass down the right for Rashford to hare after. Rashford reaches the ball and whips it into the centre. The cross is cleared, but that’s much better from the home side, who have been pretty quiet for the last ten minutes or so.

8.07pm GMT

20 min: United haven’t been rocking, exactly, but their passes haven’t been sticking or flying with any fizz. They take a couple of minutes to stroke it around the back and take a little of the wind from Sevilla’s sail. It’s good game management. It just needs something in attack now to give the crowd some voice.

8.05pm GMT

18 min: Sevilla are in the ascendancy right now. They’ve enjoyed 55% of possession so far, which only tells a story if you factor in their slow start, but still.

8.03pm GMT

16 min: Sevilla are getting used to taking potshots at the United goal now. Vazquez has another whack; another ball flies high into the Stretford End. “I see Jose has gone for that classic tactic on a big European night and quietened the crowd,” quips Gary Naylor.

8.02pm GMT

15 min: Mourinho is concerned enough with United’s sudden passivity to make his way to the touchline and issue a few bollockings. Sanchez tries to pick up the pace with a dribble down the left but runs into trouble.

8.01pm GMT

13 min: Correa has a shot from distance that is not much more than OK. Then Bailly gifts possession to Sevilla with a dreadful pass straight to Vazquez; Muriel tries to curl one into the top right from the edge of the area but leans back and gets it all wrong. Sevilla have grown in confidence, assisted by some shaky United play at the back.

7.59pm GMT

12 min: Sevilla have worked their way into this tie. Correa busies himself down the left and pulls one back for Vazquez, who shoots for goal, just inside the box. Bailly spreads himself and blocks brilliantly.

7.58pm GMT

11 min: N’Zonzi slides a pass down the inside-left channel for Escudero, who briefly threatens to break into the United box but is eventually unceremoniously barged to the ground by the shoulder of Rashford. Nowt wrong with that, even though Sevilla want the free kick. They’re not getting it.

7.56pm GMT

9 min: The first corner of the match is earned by Vazquez down the left. Banega floats it to the near post, where Correa flicks a header over the bar. Close. That was a decent effort that could have flashed past de Gea were it on target.

7.54pm GMT

8 min: Sevilla haven’t done much so far, but Valencia shanks a simple clearance straight to Escudero, and suddenly United are on the back foot. Escudero should release Muriel into the United box down the left, but clanks a simple enough pass into the nearest red shirt. Valencia breathes out again.

7.53pm GMT

6 min: Banega is booked for a late and fairly crude tackle on Sanchez, who was bursting through the middle. Studs on knee, more clumsy than spiteful, but still. You’ve seen referees get really irritated with that sort of nonsense. But yellow it is, and Banega will miss the first leg of the quarter final should Sevilla make it. Rashford takes the free kick, 30 yards out, and, full of confidence, belts it towards the bottom left. Rico is behind it all the way.

7.51pm GMT

5 min: Sevilla’s fans are giving it plenty, though their team haven’t got going yet. A few passes are strung together in the United half, but Muriel needlessly wanders out of play. United sashay up the other end, Lingard crossing from the left and nearly finding Lukaku at the near post. Kjaer clears.

7.50pm GMT

4 min: United are looking very slick in these early exchanges. Fellaini, Lukaku and Sanchez combine as the ball’s shuttled in from the left, eventually ending up at Rashford’s feet just inside the Sevilla box on the right. He drops a shoulder with a view to cutting back in and curling one goalwards, but is blocked out of it. A brisk start from the hosts.

7.48pm GMT

2 min: Brilliant by Lukaku, who chases after a long ball down the left and bullies Kjaer out of the road. He cuts inside and plays a ball down the inside-left channel for Lingard, who immediately pulls it back and tees it up for the big striker. Lukaku has space to hit the target from the edge of the box, but blazes high and wide right. That was more than half a chance spurned, though to be fair it was all his own work.

7.46pm GMT

And we’re off! United get the ball rolling. Sevilla will be kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.

7.43pm GMT

The teams are out! Manchester United wear their world-famous red shirts and white shorts, while Sevilla sport their third-choice black kit. There’s a cracking atmosphere at Old Trafford as you’d expect on such a big European night. The teams swap pennants, shake hands, and engage in pleasant small talk with the officials. Zadok the Priest is butchered by the Uefa bureaucrats. And that’s about that for the Champions League pre-match rituals. We’ll be off before you know it!

7.09pm GMT

Jose Mourinho speaks to BT Sport’s Des Kelly, and is asked whether this is the biggest game of Manchester United’s season so far. “I don’t know. I heard so much before we played Liverpool, that in spite of this being a Champions League knockout, that’s the biggest match for the United family. For us as a team, I think so, and again next Saturday [against Brighton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup] because it is knockout. We win, we go through; we don’t win, we watch the quarter finals on TV, simple. We have a good squad; when people are available we have different options. We believe Marouane’s qualities are important for the way we want to start the game. We have to win, it’s a very dangerous result, the one we had away. I am sure Sevilla will be alive in the tie until the end. I do not see a big result happening. It is a game of huge pressure for both teams. Home advantage played for them very well in Sevilla, and hopefully our people will give us a little push.”

6.57pm GMT

Manchester United: de Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Bailly, Young, Fellaini, Matic, Lingard, Sanchez, Rashford, Lukaku.
Subs: Romero, Lindelof, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Darmian, McTominay.

Sevilla: Sergio Rico, Mercado, Kjaer, Lenglet, Escudero, Nzonzi, Banega, Sarabia, Vazquez, Correa, Muriel.
Subs: Soria, Ben Yedder, Geis, Pizarro, Pareja, Nolito, Guilherme Arana.

6.51pm GMT

United make two changes to the XI selected for the Liverpool game last Saturday. Juan Mata and Scott McTominay drop to the bench, with Jesse Lingard and Marouane Fellaini taking their places. Lingard is the only United player walking a disciplinary tightrope tonight; one yellow card and he’ll miss the first leg of the quarter final, should United get there. Also on the bench, returning from injury: Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial. Some bench United have tonight.

Sevilla also make two changes from their weekend line-up. Of the XI named against Valencia on Saturday, Nolito drops to the bench, while Miguel Layun is cup-tied. Simon Kjaer comes into the centre of the defence, while Joaquin Correa will patrol the left flank in the progressive manner.

9.30am GMT

Manchester United may not have been at their sparkling best at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán three weeks ago. But a draw away in Europe is a draw away in Europe, and here’s how the prevailing mood music can alter perceptions of a result. Three weeks ago, that first-leg 0-0 came during a stodgy run that included defeats at Tottenham and Newcastle, and few had any kind words to say about it. But now, United are coming off the back of three wins over Chelsea, Crystal Palace and arch-rivals Liverpool, and suddenly seeing off Sevilla at home doesn’t look such a big issue at all. That first-leg 0-0 looks fairly handy now.

It should have looked that way from the start, if we’re being honest, because United have won 17 out of 20 games at Old Trafford this season. The only teams to come away with the sort of result Sevilla need tonight are Manchester City, who won 2-1 in early December, and Burnley, who drew 2-2 on Boxing Day. Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool have all been dispatched without too much fuss. Any sort of score draw will see Sevilla through, United having failed to get an away goal in Spain, but that’s easier said and done if the Old Trafford form book is any sort of guide.

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The Fiver | The entire odour-eliminating-spritz sector of the Spanish economy

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Three weeks ago, Manchester United travelled to Seville for the first leg of their Round of North London tie in Big Cup, and their performance stank out the autonomous community of Andalusia so badly there was a run on Febreze all across southern Spain the very next day. It’s said bottles were swapping hands for upwards of €100, sometimes even more for the classic Original as opposed to ersatz scents such as Meadows & Rain or Hawaiian Aloha. The entire odour-eliminating-spritz sector of the Spanish economy came dangerously close to overheating, a bit like Weimar Germany only with top notes of fresh-cut pine. Meanwhile, United came back to Blighty and were drenched in so much spittle-flecked opprobrium that their critics made Jamie Carragher look like a man suffering from a serious case of Sjögren syndrome. Oh United! How could you!

Related: José Mourinho attacks ‘worst manager’ Frank de Boer for Rashford comments

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