Scott Murray's Blog, page 143

The Fiver | Cashing in a second successive duvet day

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The transfer window closed a couple of days ago, but we may as well keep banging on about it for another week or two or month or three. After all, there’s nothing much else happening right now that isn’t a Newcastle- or Stratford-based legal minefield. Having said that, even under these trying circumstances it would be hard to fully justify a freestyle jazz riff about Crystal Palace’s hopes for Alexander Sørloth or a 500-word think piece on how Harry Wilson might do while loaned out to Hull City. Riyad Mahrez it is, then.

Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

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Football transfer rumours: Jan Oblak and Max Meyer to Arsenal?

Today’s fluff is struggling to make the grade

Good morning. It is only 34 hours and counting since the transfer window shut, so, y’know. The biggest story of the day seems to be about the poor woman’s Margaret Mountford, Karren Brady. The West Ham vice-chair has seemingly got herself into some sort of scrape down the Co-op while buying a can of Irn-Bru, a Dr Oetker pizza and 20 B& ... ah hold on ... no, it’s a showy anecdote about Leicester’s chairman spending £500,000 at “London’s most expensive wine shop”. Different world, innit. To be honest, Jacob Steinberg tells it better. But it all means the Hammers missed out on Islam Slimani, who ended up at Newcastle United instead. Like we say, 34 hours and counting.

Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

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Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Christian Eriksen scored the third-fastest goal in Premier League history, after 10.48 seconds, and Spurs never looked back.

9.53pm GMT

And that’s it! On the touchline, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho sportingly embrace. Spurs have won three home games in a row against Manchester United for the first time since the mid-Sixties. It was a thoroughly deserved victory: they were brilliant from front to back. United were woeful, though, their heads scrambled from the moment Christian Eriksen scored the third-quickest goal in Premier League history on 10.48 seconds. Ledley King versus Bradford in 2000 and Alan Shearer against Manchester City in 2003, since you ask.

9.49pm GMT

90 min +2: Dembele is replaced by Wanyama.

9.49pm GMT

90 min +1: Martial tries to get something working down the left. He dribbles along the wing, then checks back and shapes to shoot on the edge of the box. A wayward effort sails out to the right of goal.

9.48pm GMT

90 min: Spurs ping it around the middle of the park. United can’t get hold of the ball. The home crowd indulge in a few matador fantasies. There will be three added minutes.

9.46pm GMT

88 min: Kane tries to chip a cheeky one over the United wall and into the top left, but gets far too much on it. The ball flies harmlessly over the crossbar.

9.45pm GMT

87 min: Lamela strokes a pass down the left for Kane, who is upended to the left of the D by Valencia. Free kick coming, but before it can be taken, Alli is withdrawn before he gets himself into any more bother. Sissoko comes on in his stead.

9.43pm GMT

85 min: It’s Alli versus Sanchez part two. This time Alli clips Sanchez’s heel needlessly. For a second, it looks like the throwing of hands will commence, but tempers quickly settle. Alli is booked, and can’t really complain.

9.41pm GMT

83 min: Alli bundles Sanchez to the ground. The former Arsenal man doesn’t get the free kick he’s expecting, and gestures theatrically. The crowd greet all that with the third loudest cheer of the evening.

9.40pm GMT

82 min: Lamela’s first act is to shuttle an Eriksen pass down the inside-right channel for Kane. The striker would be clean through had he sorted out his feet, but it’s not quite happening for him in front of goal tonight. Yet.

9.37pm GMT

80 min: Spurs make their first change, Son making way for Lamela.

9.36pm GMT

78 min: From the set piece, United practically tee it up for Alli on the edge of the area. Alli faffs. Dier has a go. His shot is deflected out for a corner, which doesn’t really lead to much. United look extremely ragged right now.

9.34pm GMT

76 min: Eriksen releases Kane down the inside right. Kane’s running slightly away from goal. He swivels and smashes a low shot across the keeper anyway, but it flies inches wide of the left-hand post. It’s taken a slight nick, though, and that’s a corner.

9.32pm GMT

75 min: Son chases a long throw down the right and earns a corner off Smalling. Again the set piece comes to nothing. But at the moment, United don’t look like getting back into this game at all. It’s all Spurs again. Kane emphasises the point with a tight dribble down the middle. He rakes a shot miles over the bar from distance.

9.31pm GMT

73 min: United are losing the collective noggin again. Young sweeps through the back of Son, and goes in the book.

9.30pm GMT

70 min: Also furious: Jose Mourinho. He was thinking about sending on Rashford, but instead decides to send Herrera on. And it’s at the expense of Fellaini, who hasn’t been on the pitch eight minutes! Fellaini is fuming - either through anger with being hooked or frustration at picking up a possible injury - and makes off down the tunnel with his shirt off, the top scrunched into a little ball.

9.28pm GMT

69 min: Spurs should be three up and out of sight. Eriksen dinks a delicious pass down the inside right to release Son into the area. Son should square for Kane to tap home but opts to shoot instead. It’s a corner, which comes to nothing. Kane was furious.

9.25pm GMT

67 min: Son rolls a pass inside from the right. Eriksen dummies for Kane, who looks to sweep into the bottom right from the edge of the United box. He half-scuffs it, the ball rolling apologetically towards de Gea. His 100th Premier League goal still eludes him.

9.24pm GMT

66 min: Now Davies has a go. Straight at de Gea. United were applying some light pressure in the early stages of this half, but they’ve gone strangely passive again.

9.24pm GMT

65 min: Eriksen, the best part of 30 yards out down the inside-right channel, looks to whistle one into the bottom left. It’s inches wide. I think de Gea would have been able to fingertip it away, were it on target. But only just. What an effort that was.

9.22pm GMT

63 min: United make a double change: Mata and Fellaini come on for Lingard and Pogba.

9.21pm GMT

62 min: Martial has a dribble down the left, and nearly busts into the Spurs box. Then Kane robs Pogba in the middle, and strokes a ball down the left. Alli chests down but his shot from the edge of the box is blocked.

9.19pm GMT

61 min: Space for Trippier down the right, with Martial not doing a whole lot of tracking back. A couple of crosses which don’t come off.

9.18pm GMT

59 min: Spurs ping a few pretty triangles down the right, Son and Alli the prime movers. The final pass flies out of play for a goal kick, but for a second there United were beginning to worry as their back line was pulled this way and that.

9.15pm GMT

57 min: But United are beginning to show in Tottenham’s final third for the first time since the opening exchanges. Pogba, out on the left, rakes diagonally towards Lingard, who rolls a pass across the face of the Spurs goal. It’s just behind Lukaku. But only just.

9.14pm GMT

56 min: Lukaku battles his way down the inside-left channel, chasing Pogba’s long, curling pass. The striker wins a physical tussle with Davies, then fires a rising shot goalwards from a tight angle. It’s a fine effort, and draws an equally good save from Lloris, who turns it away for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece.

9.13pm GMT

55 min: Alli, out on the left, curls a lovely cross towards Kane, on the edge of the box, just to the right of centre. Kane tries to pearl one into the bottom left, but his compass is way off for once. Goal kick.

9.12pm GMT

53 min: United win a corner down the left. They hit it deep. Sanchez wins a header on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. The ball hits Son’s right arm, and Sanchez demands a penalty, with some feeling. But the referee says no, presumably because Son was standing right next to Sanchez and had no time to react.

9.10pm GMT

51 min: Now Smalling and Matic take turns to carelessly lose possession near their own box. Alli and Son try to feed Kane in the area, but the final pass is lacking.

9.08pm GMT

49 min: Young gifts possession to Alli in the midfield. Alli to Kane, and then to Son on the edge of the box. A quick shot would trouble de Gea, but Son faffs around, eventually sending a dribbler wide of the left-hand post. The keeper had it covered all the way.

9.07pm GMT

48 min: ... while another Spurs one would surely seal the deal for the home side. With this in mind, Alli dribbles into the United box from the right. He can’t find Kane in the centre. Valencia intercepts and dribbles the ball back upfield.

9.06pm GMT

47 min: Pogba picks up possession on the edge of the Spurs area, and looks to curl one into the top left. His shot is blocked the minute it leaves his boot. Worth remembering that a quick United goal would completely change the dynamic of this match.

9.04pm GMT

45 min 38 sec: Kane is clear in the United area! But he shoots straight at de Gea, and was offside anyway. But once again, Spurs have started on the front foot.

9.03pm GMT

45 min 10.49 sec: No.

9.03pm GMT

And we’re off again! Manchester United get the ball rolling for the second half. Can they match, or even better, Christian Eriksen’s super-quick first-half opener?

9.00pm GMT

Half-time scenes: Lucas Moura has been paraded at half-time at Wembley. It’s been a great night for Spurs fans so far. Meanwhile for more hot transfer action, please join Nick Ames as the transfer window slowly closes for the winter.

Related: Moura joins Spurs; Giroud, Batshuayi, Aubameyang deals go through: transfer deadline day – live!

8.48pm GMT

Just enough time for the crowd to give Sanchez some more pantomime abuse. And that’s that for the first half. United walk off in something of a daze, having never recovered from an opening goal scored in 10.48 seconds. They’ve got 15 minutes to clear their heads and plot a recovery.

8.46pm GMT

45 min +1: Eriksen strokes a fine pass down the middle, and all of a sudden Kane has the edge on Jones. Kane shapes to guide one into the bottom left, but doesn’t catch it properly, and de Gea is able to gather without too much drama.

8.45pm GMT

45 min: Son appears to have gone over his ankle, and he’s down for treatment. A squeeze from the magic sponge. It looks as though he’ll be able to continue.

8.44pm GMT

43 min: Trippier wedges a pass down the right in the hope of releasing Dier into the United area. There’s just a bit too much juice on the ball. Meanwhile Jose Mourinho trudges off down the tunnel, maybe with a view to sourcing a tray of teacups for his half-time chat.

8.42pm GMT

42 min: United need the half-time whistle. They’re giving away a lot of fouls, as Spurs pull them this way and that. Matic sidefoots a simple pass straight out of play. Then on the other wing, Pogba lets a slow roller run over his foot and out for a throw. They’re uncharacteristically sloppy.

8.40pm GMT

40 min: United’s collective fuse is short right now. Young hangs out a leg and knocks Eriksen to the ground, conceding a free kick just to the right of the United box. Eriksen curls a dangerous one into the mixer. Dier meets it, eight yards out, but his effort sails over the bar.

8.38pm GMT

38 min: The misery of Jones continues, as he’s booked for a common-or-garden clatter into the back of Kane.

8.38pm GMT

37 min: Ah, normal service has been resumed, as a couple of one-twos down the left between Sanchez and Lingard don’t come off. The panto begins again. As for meaningful action, there’s been a brief lull.

8.36pm GMT

35 min: The Tottenham fans are so happy right now, they’ve just forgotten to boo Sanchez.

8.35pm GMT

33 min: Son has a dig from distance. It’s not all that. But the home side are feeling very happy about life at the moment, knocking passes around with great style and confidence.

8.34pm GMT

31 min: From the corner, Smalling wins a header. The ball drops towards the right-hand post. Pogba tries to hook the ball home, but he’s under pressure from Alli and sends it sailing over the bar. Spurs go up the other end, and Alli tries to latch onto a ball bouncing around the right-hand side of the United box. Valencia slides in on him with great purpose, taking out his man. The referee says no penalty ... but plenty would have said yes. It should have been a spot kick.

8.31pm GMT

30 min: Martial powers his way down the right and lashes a shot towards the top right. Lloris turns it round the post and into the side netting. Great football all round. Corner.

8.30pm GMT

Some neat triangulation in the midfield by Spurs. Alli rolls the ball wide right for Trippier, who fires low and hard into the box for Kane. But the ball doesn’t reach Kane. Instead, Jones tries to slam the ball behind for a corner, and instead shanks into the top right with his right peg. He’d got himself in an awful knot there. Kane remains stuck on 99 Premier League goals, but he won’t mind too much right now.

8.28pm GMT

27 min: Lukaku goes chasing a long pass down the inside-left channel. He nearly reaches it, but Lloris gets there first, on the edge of the area, palming the ball away from trouble. Great improvisation by the keeper.

8.27pm GMT

25 min: Sanchez opens Spurs up with a lovely dink down the left. Lingard, helps the ball into the centre, where Martial is waiting to smack home. But Davies slides in to toe the ball away just in time. Spurs break upfield, Alli making good down the right. He’s got Son free in the middle, but doesn’t spot the pass in time, and by the time he tries to make it, the chance to set his team-mate free is gone! This is wonderful end-to-end entertainment.

8.24pm GMT

23 min: Alli plays a cute pass down the right wing to find Eriksen, who plays a first-time diagonal ball inside for Kane. The Spurs striker, looking for his 100th Premier League goal, takes a touch as he enters the United area. He makes enough space to shoot, but only just, and his rushed effort is scuffed towards the bottom right and into the arms of de Gea.

8.22pm GMT

21 min: Martial dribbles down the right, then checks, rounds Trippier and enters the box. It’s a fine run, and he’s got Sanchez free on the penalty spot, screaming for the ball. Instead he opts to look for the top left, but his attempt at the powerful curler is high and wild.

8.20pm GMT

20 min: Sanchez is getting pantomime pelters every time he touches the ball. He’s not made much impression otherwise, but the night is young.

8.19pm GMT

18 min: Trippier goes down on the edge of the United area, claiming to have been clipped by Pogba. Both were challenging for a dropping ball, and it looked a fair coming together. The referee waves play on, much to Wembley’s displeasure. The right decision, though.

8.18pm GMT

16 min: Lingard battles brilliantly in the midfield to break out of a thicket. Then he slips the ball down the inside-right channel for Lukaku, who doesn’t control properly but still somehow breaks into the box. Lloris comes off his line to close down, but doesn’t commit to a challenge. Lukaku tries to backheel for Sanchez, but doesn’t connect, allowing Lloris to snaffle the ball. Neither defence looks particularly secure at all. So much for Mourinho’s pre-match 0-0 prediction, although to be fair that was pretty flippant.

8.15pm GMT

14 min: United look nervous at the back, understandably so given that shocking start. A loose pass allows Son to tear with purpose down the inside-right channel. Fortunately for United, Jones is again on hand to block out for a corner. He calls an impromptu meeting with his fellow defenders, using words such as eff and cee. He is beyond livid. The corner leads to nothing much.

8.13pm GMT

13 min: The impressive Lingard bursts down the inside-left channel. Spurs are light at the back, with Sanchez, Martial and Lukaku in close attendance. Dembele drags Lingard back. The danger’s over, but at the cost of a booking.

8.12pm GMT

12 min: Kane gloriously traps a ball in the centre circle and sends it down the right for Son, who earns a throw. From that, there’s more space in the right-hand side of the United box, and Alli is given time to shoot. He looks for the Eriksen Corner, but Jones comes in, sliding and blocking. The resulting corner comes to nothing.

8.10pm GMT

9 min: United have responded well to the shock of that early goal, though. Martial and Young have been causing plenty of bother down the left, while Lukaku has threatened to bust clear of the Spurs back line on a couple of occasions. It certainly doesn’t feel like this game will end 1-0.

8.09pm GMT

7 min: By the looks of it, at the start of the match, Kane had set off towards the United box before the actual kick-off. No VAR here, so nothing doing. But technically the goal shouldn’t have stood, according to Graham Poll on BT Sport. What it also strongly suggests: it was a deliberate play by Spurs. Either way, it was some move.

8.06pm GMT

5 min: So, a goal in 11 seconds, followed by three very decent Manchester United chances in a couple of minutes. But nothing since. A lull. Come on, everyone, people have paid good money to watch this.

8.04pm GMT

3 min: Now Young tears down the left and nearly finds Lukaku at the far post. Not quite, and the striker’s offside. Then there’s another phase of attack, Pogba dinking a ball down the middle and finding Lingard free in the box! But the ball clips him on the back of his heel, and he can’t get it under control to shoot before Lloris closes him down and smothers.

8.03pm GMT

2 min: That is an absurd beginning to this game. To any game. A goal scored in 11 seconds against a Jose Mourinho team! United respond well, though, Lukaku threatening to break clear down the inside-left channel. But he’s crowded out.

8.02pm GMT

... Alli can’t quite control down the inside-right channel, but he manages to half-flick backwards to Eriksen. The United defence is snoozing, Eriksen picks up the ball 12 yards out, and curls it into the left-hand side of the net. What a sensational start!

8.00pm GMT

And we’re off! The hosts get the match underway. Vertonghen launches long. Kane heads on from the edge of the area, to the right of the D. And...

7.56pm GMT

The teams are out! There’s a cracking atmosphere at Wembley as two of England’s most famous and storied clubs prepare to do battle. The arch glowing in the crisp north London sky. Tottenham sport their lilywhite shirts, while United wear their red. Excited? “As a Spurs fan, I’m so confident about this game that I won’t even bother watching nor following your MBM,” begins Pessimistic of Massachusetts. “In fact I’m going to make myself very busy with work for a couple of days and try to avoid it completely.”

7.38pm GMT

Some hot MBM action from Wembley coming your way soon! But in the meantime, why not while away the minutes until kick-off with the team news from the six other Premier League matches being played tonight. Barry Glendenning is your man ...

Related: Manchester City v WBA, Chelsea v Bournemouth and more: Premier League – live!

Related: Moura joins Spurs; Giroud, Batshuayi, Aubameyang deals go through: transfer deadline day – live!

7.27pm GMT

Jose Mourinho speaks! “Tonight you look at two very offensive teams. And it might end 0-0, you don’t know! But our intentions are clear.”

7.26pm GMT

Mauricio Pochettino speaks! “This is a different game, a different circumstance to the match at Old Trafford [when Harry Kane was missing]. They are going to try to win like us, but this time I hope the game turns on our side. Lucas Moura is going to come, we might see if we can introduce him at half-time to our fans. He is a big player, he is a good signing, an experienced player, with his quality he is going to help us.”

7.12pm GMT

The selections for last weekend’s matches at Newport and Yeovil were a bit leftfield; the FA Cup, lower-league opposition, all that. So perhaps it’s more instructive to make teamsheet comparisons to the last round of Premier League games.

Spurs make three changes to the side sent out at Southampton for a 1-1 draw. Hugo Lloris, Kieran Trippier and Christian Eriksen are in; Michel Vorm, Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko are out.

7.01pm GMT

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane.
Subs: Rose, Lamela, Wanyama, Vorm, Sissoko, Llorente, Walker-Peters.

Manchester United: de Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Young, Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku, Martial.
Subs: Rojo, Mata, Rashford, Romero, Ander Herrera, Shaw, Fellaini.

12.43pm GMT

“Lads, it’s Tottenham.” And to be fair to those who still dine out on the old Roy Keane story, Manchester United retain the sign over Spurs at Old Trafford, which was where Sir Alex Ferguson delivered his famously succinct team talk. United have won 12 of the last 14 stagings of that particular fixture.

But the days when United bossed Tottenham on their own turf too are in the past. Between September 2001 and December 2014, United won eight and drew six of their 14 matches at White Hart Lane, an unbeaten run which included a 4-0 thumping and a 5-3 win from three goals down. Since then, though, Spurs have tightened it up and turned the tide, registering an epochal 3-0 victory in April 2016 and following it up with a 2-1 win in the final match at their famous old stadium last May.

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Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (agg 2-1): Carabao Cup semi-final second leg – as it happened

Arsenal came from behind to claim a hard-fought victory against their city rivals and book a place in the final.

10.19pm GMT

Related: Granit Xhaka seals Arsenal place at Wembley at Chelsea’s expense

9.54pm GMT

Nope! Arsenal deal with the corner without fuss, and the referee blows for full time! They’ll meet Manchester City at Wembley next month in the 2018 League Cup final! And what a performance they put in to book their place, checking Chelsea’s early momentum, taking advantage of the breaks that went their way, and by the end fully deserving victory in this tight tie. Could this finally be Arsene Wenger’s year in the League Cup? Meanwhile Antonio Conte’s wait for cup success in his managerial career goes on.

9.53pm GMT

90 min +4: Hazard, out on the left, sends a dipping cross into the Arsenal box. It’s a fine ball, but nobody in blue attacks it. Ospina drops to his knees and grabs the ball. But Chelsea are soon coming back again, Zappacosta bringing down a desperate hoof with great style and earning a corner on the right. They couldn’t, could they?

9.52pm GMT

90 min +3: Space for Barkley, 25 yards out. He shapes to shoot but Wilshere picks his pocket. The tension is palpable!

9.51pm GMT

90 min +2: Alonso bursts down the left but another pinball deflection goes Arsenal’s way: his cross hits Bellerin and comes back off his boot. Goal kick.

9.50pm GMT

90 min +1: Ozil is sent scampering into the Chelsea half, pretty much on his own. But he was offside.

9.49pm GMT

90 min: Hazard, dropping deep to influence a desperate Chelsea attack, lifts a pass down the right for Zappacosta, who can’t keep the ball in play. Goal kick. There will be four added minutes. Put another way: Arsenal are four minutes away from a final tie with Manchester City!

9.47pm GMT

88 min: Alonso converts in the rugby style. That was as wild as they come.

9.47pm GMT

87 min: Barkley tries to hold the ball up, 30 yards from the Arsenal goal. Mustafi comes through the back of him. Not a booking, but it’s a free kick in a very interesting position for Chelsea. The Emirates falls silent in fear/anticipation (delete according to viewpoint).

9.46pm GMT

86 min: Mustafi hoicks a pass down the middle, and Xhaka is free and in space! But the ball is dropping over his shoulder, and with Chelsea breath on his neck, he can only help it to harmlessly bounce wide left of the goal.

9.45pm GMT

85 min: This game is now a nervy mess. Nobody can string more than two passes together! And they say the League Cup doesn’t mean anything these days. Pah!

9.43pm GMT

84 min: Lacazette is replaced by Kolasinac, while Iwobi is sacrificed for Ramsey. Arsenal plan to hold on to what they have.

9.42pm GMT

82 min: Zappacosta, out on the right, hooks deep for Alonso, tight on the byline to the left of goal. Alonso tries his best Marco van Basten impersonation, but his screaming volley is blocked. From the corner, the ball hits Rudiger on the back, six yards out. The big man deserves a bit of luck tonight when it comes to strange bounces and odd deflections, but this one balloons over the bar harmlessly.

9.40pm GMT

80 min: Yes, mistakes are being made all right. Ozil slips a pass down the right to send Lacazette into space, then goes off into the centre to await a simple return. Lacazette shanks a terrible cross backwards, setting Zappacosta away down the opposite flank! Fortunately for Arsenal, Monreal is on the case and runs the Chelsea man out of play.

9.38pm GMT

78 min: Chelsea go up the other end and earn a corner, Hazard flashing a shot-cum-cross through the six-yard box from the left. Nothing comes of the set piece. But the nerves are beginning to jangle at the Emirates, as both defences begin to tire and make a few mistakes. Gaps are opening up.

9.36pm GMT

76 min: Iwobi should have wrapped this tie up! Arsenal ping the ball down the right in pretty triangles, Lacazette, Ozil and Bellerin at the heart of it. Bellerin rolls a pass down the right, Ozil rolls it into the centre, and Iwobi, free, aims for the bottom right. But doesn’t meet it truly, and hits it straight at Caballero, who kicks clear. What a chance to book a date at Wembley!

9.34pm GMT

75 min: Alonso has a blast from 25 yards on the left. It’s as wild as it is ambitious.

9.34pm GMT

74 min: Chelsea press Arsenal back for the first time in a while. Alonso and Hazard threaten to open the hosts up down the left. Not quite. And with that, the rare period of pressure is released. On the touchline, Antonio Conte looks concerned, and no wonder: his side were on top in the first half, but since the break they’ve been second best by some distance.

9.32pm GMT

73 min: For once, a ricochet goes Chelsea’s way, Bellerin’s cross from the right coming off Alonso, back onto the Arsenal wing back, and out for a goal kick.

9.31pm GMT

72 min: Zappacosta comes on for Moses. That’s Chelsea’s last throw of the dice.

9.31pm GMT

71 min: A magnificent Gazza-esque burst down the inside-left channel by Wilshere nearly opens Chelsea up. He lays off to Ozil on the left. Ozil checks, and the momentum is gone. Wilshere has turned his career around marvellously this season.

9.29pm GMT

70 min: Kante charges Lacazette to the ground. It’s a fair bump with the shoulder, but Lacazette wants the yellow card shown. The referee simply reminds Kante not to get overly aggressive.

9.28pm GMT

69 min: Xhaka slides a pass down the right for Bellerin, who reaches the area and checks. A pass inside for Lacazette, who lays off for the man who started the whole move off. Xhaka rushes in and blooters harmessly goalward.

9.26pm GMT

67 min: Hazard tries to turn the tide, dribbling with purpose down the right. He’s upended by Monreal, who is booked for his trouble. Chelsea have a free kick, which is sent into a crowded box. Arsenal clear without too much ceremony.

9.24pm GMT

65 min: Chelsea make their second change of the night, Batshuayi replacing Pedro.

9.23pm GMT

64 min: Chelsea can’t get out right now. Bellerin and Wilshire probe down the Arsenal right, and the visitors do very well to keep their shape.

9.22pm GMT

62 min: Moses flies in on Iwobi and is booked. The decision goes to VAR: was Moses out of control, studs up? The decision comes: no. We move on.

9.21pm GMT

For the second time tonight, a deflection off Rudiger costs Chelsea dear! Lacazette busies himself down the inside-right channel. He reaches the byline and checks, attempting a pullback into the mixer. The ball ricochets off Rudiger and flies across the face of the six-yard box. Xhaka, at the near post, acts with the poacher’s instinct of a striker, and prods the loose ball home!

9.19pm GMT

59 min: Iwobi races down the left, his low cross hooked over his own bar by Christensen. The corner isn’t all that. But Arsenal are the dominant force in this game for the first time tonight.

9.18pm GMT

58 min: Wilshere, who has been busy and impressive this evening, wedges gently down the left to release Lacazette into the Chelsea box. Lacazette is free, but up goes the flag again, correctly this time. The striker went too early.

9.16pm GMT

57 min: Elneny hooks a ball down the left wing to release Ozil. Again the flag goes up for offside on a hair trigger. Ozil looked level. That’s happened on a couple of occasions to Arsenal tonight.

9.15pm GMT

55 min: Now it’s Arsenal’s turn to ping the ball around without doing anything particularly constructive. But they’ll be happy to make Chelsea do the chasing for once. Arsenal have been much improved since the restart.

9.13pm GMT

54 min: Hazard goes dribbling down the inside-right channel, and stumbles to the ground just before he reaches the area. Chelsea claim a light clip by Mustafi, trotting behind, but there doesn’t seem to be any contact, and the referee waves play on. The ball is sent out for a throw on the right. From that, Hazard shoots towards the bottom right but the effort is deflected. The corner isn’t any cop.

9.11pm GMT

52 min: Rudiger nibbles at Lacazette down the Arsenal right and that’s a free kick in a very dangerous position. Arsenal load the box; Xhaka takes; the flag goes up for offside. This is better from Arsenal, though.

9.09pm GMT

50 min: For the first time in the match, Arsenal pin Chelsea back. Iwobi nearly dribbles his way through down the left. Not quite. Then Monreal crosses. Suddenly Chelsea break! Hazard skedaddles down the middle of the park and is preparing to shoot from the edge of the Arsenal box when Koscielny slides in to save the day. Good end-to-end fun.

9.07pm GMT

48 min: Iwobi nips in from the left and flicks to Lacazette, who bustles to make some space on the edge of the area. He slightly miscontrols, the ball breaking to Xhaka, who fizzes a rising shot well over the bar. Lacazette seethes slightly; he was trying to work something out for himself there.

9.05pm GMT

46 min: Space for Moses down the right. He eventually runs into trouble, but for a second it looked like Chelsea were going to start fast again, with Hazard screaming for the ball down the inside-right channel and the home team light at the back.

9.04pm GMT

Here we go again, then! Arsenal get the fourth chapter of this two-legged semi-final underway. No changes.

8.52pm GMT

Half-time reading:

Related: The verdict: who has done better out of the Sánchez-Mkhitaryan deal?

8.51pm GMT

And that’s that for the first half. Chelsea were the better side, certainly in terms of possession and territory, but they didn’t carve out too many chances and the teams go in level. This is poised beautifully for the most dramatic and tense of second halves. We still don’t know who will meet Manchester City at Wembley next month. We’ll find out soon enough. Don’t leave!

8.49pm GMT

45 min +3: Wilshere dribbles down the inside-right channel and flicks a ball forward for Ozil, who is suddenly in the area with only Christensen and Caballero in front of him. He looks for the bottom left, and a clip off Christensen nearly spins the ball into the corner, but it drifts wide of the post at the last. The corner leads to nothing.

8.47pm GMT

45 min +2: In the second of three added minutes, Elneny has a shot from 25 yards. It slams straight into Kante. The crowd claim for a hand ball, but the players don’t really bother.

8.46pm GMT

45 min: A rare Arsenal foray into Chelsea’s final third. Ozil, dropping deep, rolls a fine pass down the left wing to spring Iwobi free, but the flag goes up. Iwobi looked level with the last man Rudiger, but he doesn’t get the decision.

8.45pm GMT

44 min: Moses breaks down the right, nearly releases Barkley, then has another run down the same wing. His cross causes a little bit of panic in the Arsenal area, but Bakayoko can’t shift his feet to get a snapshot away.

8.42pm GMT

42 min: More of the sterile Chelsea passing. Arsenal do a lot of chasing down. Suddenly Pedro and Alonso combine down the left to cause a bit of bother down the wing, but Pedro’s cross is easily cleared by Mustafi. “It’s not a good sign when Elneny seems to be the Arsenal player most in possession,” opines Charles Antaki. “That usually means the square pass and the worrying location of Xhaka somewhere risky. All we’re missing is Alexis Sánchez gesturing furiously out on the left.”

8.40pm GMT

40 min: Ozil dribbles with purpose and style down the left, and is stopped unfairly by Christensen. A free kick, and a chance for Arsenal to load the box. Ozil floats the set piece in. Monreal meets it with a header, but there’s no pinball wizardry this time. The ball sails harmlessly into the arms of Caballero.

8.39pm GMT

39 min: After a wild start, this game has settled down considerably. Chelsea are hogging the ball, but to no great effect at the moment.

8.38pm GMT

37 min: Hazard zips down the left wing, checks, spins and goes again. Bellerin is beaten. Hazard makes his way to the byline, and into the area, and his low cross is hoicked out for a corner by Koscielny. The corner leads to diddly squat.

8.36pm GMT

35 min: Chelsea stroke the ball hither and yon, making Arsenal do a lot of chasing. They don’t really go anywhere in particular, but they’ll be running down Arsenal’s energy. They’ve enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in this first half.

8.34pm GMT

33 min: And now Barkley’s taken out Bellerin as the Arsenal man chased down the right! No booking, but it’s a needless challenge, just to the right of the Chelsea box. A free kick in a very dangerous position. Xhaka takes, looking to surprise Caballero by whipping one from a tight angle towards the top right. It nearly goes in, too, clipping off the back of Hazard in a two-man wall. (Barkley the other man in that wall, needless to say, he’s everywhere right now, one way or another.) The ball flies over the bar, and the resulting corner leads to nothing.

8.32pm GMT

31 min: Barkley’s had a busy introduction to the game all right. Now he’s scythed to the floor by Wilshere, who had miscontrolled the ball in the midfield and went after it with scant regard for his immediate environs. It’s a no-brainer of a booking.

8.31pm GMT

30 min: On comes Barkley. Within seconds, he’s chasing a long pass down the left wing. He nearly beats Koscielny in the foot race, but can’t control the ball as it goes out for a goal kick. Koscielny nudges him in the back to make sure he slides across the turf nipples first. The crowd enjoyed that.

8.28pm GMT

28 min: Willian, a picture of misery, trudges off. On the touchline, Ross Barkley prepares to make his debut for Chelsea. For now, the game restarts and the visitors continue with ten men.

8.27pm GMT

27 min: Willian pulls up, holding his hamstring. It doesn’t look like he’ll be able to continue. It’s a big blow for Chelsea.

8.26pm GMT

25 min: Chelsea win a corner down the left, then pin Arsenal back in their own box for a bit. Moses has a shot from distance that’s blocked, then the dependably brilliant Azpilicueta swings a pass to the left. Ospina comes off his line rashly, and is beaten to the ball near the byline by Pedro, who pulls back for Hazard ... who sends a rabona cross into the centre. Nobody there in blue, and Arsenal clear easily, but full marks for style.

8.23pm GMT

23 min: Chelsea stroke it around the middle awhile, reestablishing their early dominance in terms of possession, if not territory.

8.22pm GMT

21 min: Arsenal play a long pass down the middle of the park, which nearly sends Lacazette clear! Christensen sticks to his shoulder, though, and doesn’t give up a shooting chance. Eventually the ball bobbles through to Caballero, and the danger is over. This is a gloriously open game. Let’s hope neither coach works out how to shut it down.

8.21pm GMT

20 min: Chelsea settle themselves quickly enough, though. Pedro, tight on the left touchline, plays a pass inside for Hazard, but Chelsea’s star man dummies instead of trapping on the edge of the box. The ball sails through to Willian, who for a split second is one on one with Ospina! He looks for the bottom right, but drags it well wide.

8.19pm GMT

18 min: Chelsea had started so brightly, but look slightly miffed in the wake of that crazy equaliser. Under no pressure, Azpilicueta sprays a wild ball out of play down the left, and frowns quite a lot.

8.17pm GMT

17 min: ... and he’s brought down on the halfway line in the cynical fashion by Hazard. That’s the first booking of the match.

8.17pm GMT

16 min: ... Rudiger causes a whole load of fuss in the Arsenal box. Then Willian works hard for another corner. That second one is intercepted immediately by Arsenal, who break upfield through Ozil ...

8.15pm GMT

15 min: What a start to this game! Puts the first leg to shame. Moses makes good down the right and earns Chelsea a corner. From which ...

8.14pm GMT

Yes, Arsenal have finally woken up! Bellerin dances down the right and earns himself enough space to whip a ball through the six-yard box. The ball’s poked out on the left by Rudiger for a corner. The set piece is swung into the mixer. Monreal meets it, 12 yards out with his head. Then pure farce, as the ball clanks off Alonso’s head to the right, then clips Rudiger’s head and flies back off to the left ... and in, past a hugely confused and flat-footed Caballero. That might officially count as a Rudiger own goal, but let’s give it to Monreal, whose header before the double-pinball madness looked on target.

8.10pm GMT

10 min: Caballero took a whack on the knee in making that save. A mop down with the magic sponge sees him up and about again.

8.10pm GMT

9 min: Arsenal need to score twice this evening now, though Chelsea’s away goal won’t count until the end of extra time. With this in mind, the home side finally string a few passes together. Ozil and Lacazette exchange passes down the left and nearly open Chelsea up. Then another phase sees Iwobi sweep a pass into the Chelsea box from the left. Wilshere is racing down the inside-left channel, hoping to meet the ball first and poke it past Caballero. The Chelsea keeper gets there first, though only just, palming the ball away from Wilshere, and from danger.

8.08pm GMT

We’re barely seven minutes in, and yet this has been coming. It’s so simple, too, Pedro dropping deep to roll a pass down the middle of the park. Arsenal’s defence has been split in two, and Hazard races clear. He draws Ospina and slips the ball under him.

8.06pm GMT

6 min: What a bright start by Chelsea, though. Arsenal have barely sniffed the ball yet.

8.05pm GMT

5 min: Chelsea put the ball in the net, but it’s offside. Azpilicueta, quarterbacking from deep, wedges a ball over the Arsenal back line. Pedro, running into the box, meets the dropping ball with a header, guiding it into the top right. It’s a fine finish, but he’d gone far too soon and was clearly offside. He doesn’t bother complaining.

8.04pm GMT

4 min: Monreal upendes Hazard on the halfway line. Nothing serious, just letting Chelsea’s playmaker know he’s there. Then Iwobi plays a loose pass on the edge of his own area, inviting needless pressure. Bakayoko looks for the top right from distance, but the shot is deflected out for a corner. From that, Moses takes another shot from the edge of the box, but it’s wide right and lame. The visitors very much on the front foot.

8.02pm GMT

2 min: Kante bursts down the inside-right channel, a most proactive move. He’s bundled off the ball, the Arsenal defence closing ranks and doing their job. But maybe there’s a very early sign that Chelsea aren’t just here to sit back and soak up pressure from the home side.

8.00pm GMT

After a warm and friendly handshake between the two managers, we’re off! Chelsea get the ball rolling. The Emirates is bubbling away nicely.

7.58pm GMT

The teams are out! Arsenal are in their famous red shirts with white sleeves; Chelsea in their equally storied blue. It’s a major cup semi-final, with a place at Wembley at stake ... and it’s a London derby between two bitter rivals, so the atmosphere, unlike the weather, is hot, hot, hot! And before we begin, just a quick recap of the rules and regulations: away goals count, but only at the end of extra time, so the only score that will take us to penalty kicks is 0-0 after 120 minutes. Oh, the VAR system is in use tonight, too, so good luck to all the officials. We’ll be off in a minute!

7.49pm GMT

Antonio Conte speaks! “We have prepared and want to reach the final. We have to put in a good performance. This is a big challenge, a massive game for us, but also for Arsenal. There is a lot of balance between these two teams and we will see what happens.”

7.37pm GMT

Arsene Wenger speaks! “We are good teams that know each other very well. The more we play each other, the more we know each other’s strengths. But we never can predict. The last game in the Premier League was a very open game, the first tie in this competition was very blocked. So let’s see what will happen tonight. These are always tight games, a semi final, and whether you are favourite or not you want to win the game. We play at home, we have an opportunity to go to the final and we want to take it.”

7.25pm GMT

Meanwhile there’s been some big transfer news involving Chelsea. And here it is.

Related: Chelsea agree £44m deal for Roma’s Edin Dzeko and Emerson Palmieri

7.20pm GMT

Arsenal make four changes to the team named in the first leg at Stamford Bridge. In come Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Mohamed Elneny and Mesut Özil; Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles drop to the bench, while Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck miss out altogether. New man Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in Manchester United’s quarter-final defeat at Bristol City, so has to wait to make his debut for the Gunners.

Chelsea also make four changes from the first leg. In come Willy Caballero, Tiémoué Bakayoko, Willian and Pedro; Danny Drinkwater drops to the bench, while Thibaut Courtois, Álvaro Morata and Cesc Fàbregas are all injured. Box-fresh signing Ross Barkley is on the bench and will be raring to start his Chelsea career tonight.

7.05pm GMT

Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Elneny, Ozil, Wilshere, Xhaka, Iwobi, Lacazette.
Subs: Ramsey, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Macey, Nelson, Nketiah.

Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Moses, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Willian, Pedro, Hazard.
Subs: Drinkwater, Barkley, Zappacosta, Batshuayi, Cahill, Luiz, Eduardo.

9.10am GMT

This is the fifth meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea this season. So far, the Gunners have enjoyed the upper hand ... just. They won the Community Shield on penalties; eked out a draw in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge; scored a last-minute equaliser in the League at the Emirates; and held Chelsea again at their place in the first leg of this League Cup semi. Throw in last year’s FA Cup final, and it’s fair to say Chelsea are overdue something positive to take away from this intense rivalry.

You couldn’t fit a cigarette paper between the teams, though. Both thrashed struggling Premier League opposition at the weekend: Arsenal hit four in a 16-minute burst against Crystal Palace, Chelsea scored four on the road at Brighton & Hove Albion. But before those spirit-replenishing wins, neither team had won in five. Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup at Nottingham Forest and lost dismally at Bournemouth, while Chelsea registered three goalless draws on the bounce and required penalties to squeak past Norwich City in the cup. Form and confidence is at a premium. But it wouldn’t take much for both teams to snap back to their brilliant best, either.

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In January 1982, a groundbreaking new quiz-show debuted to great fanfare on ITV. Top of the World was a joint production between Thames Television, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and PBS in America, and its format was simple. Three contestants in London, Sydney and Miami would answer questions by satellite about Britain, Australia and America; in the next round, they would be quizzed on their chosen specialist subject, unless they were that week’s returning champion, in which case general knowledge would do; then there was a buzzer round requiring a time lag to allow signals to get around the world and back. The winner returned the following week, though players also competed against 11 other contestants from their own countries across a number of episodes, and eventually the three most successful qualified for the grand final, with the eventual victor (true story) given the keys to one of the cars used in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Tens of viewers worldwide were glued to their sets, and the show was cancelled after one series.

Related: Uefa Nations League: home nations get tough test in new competition

Bristol City 2-3 Manchester City (agg 3-5): Carabao Cup semi-final second leg – as it happened

Bristol City’s 109-year wait for a major final appearance goes on, but the Championship side did themselves proud against Premier League leaders Manchester City.

12.44am GMT

Related: Sergio Agüero guides Manchester City to Wembley despite Bristol City rally

Related: Lee Johnson puts Bristol City back on map and plots Premier League course

9.41pm GMT

Phew! What an end to a memorable semi-final! Manchester City are on their way to Wembley, where they’ll play either Chelsea or Arsenal on Sunday 25 February. They’re one match away from their fifth League Cup! And the quadruple is still on! Bristol City meanwhile are left to concentrate on the league, and their push for promotion to the Premier League. On the evidence of this cup run, they’d be a worthy addition to the top flight. A first major cup final since 1909 wasn’t to be, but they’ve done themselves proud against the best side in the land.

9.40pm GMT

Bristol City over-commit. David Silva slips a pass down the left for Sane, who rolls into the centre. De Bruyne races in, and slams into the bottom right. City worried? No. Nearly, but no.

9.39pm GMT

90 min +5: Silva is booked for faffing around. Then there’s space for Flint down the right, but he can only slice behind for a goal kick from a tight spot.

9.38pm GMT

But hold on! Hold on! Brownhill crosses deep from the left. Reid pulls off the last man at the far post, heads across the face of goal, and Flint slides in! Game on! Shame there’s only 60 seconds to go!

9.37pm GMT

90 min +3: The Ashton Gate faithful are serenading their heroes. It’s been a superb cup run, and the famous ballboy-bothering win over Manchester United will never be forgotten.

9.36pm GMT

90 min +2: Kent slips a ball wide left for Diedhiou, tight on the touchline. He makes good for a while, but eventually runs into Fernandinho. Manchester City go up the other end, Gundogan having a whack from the penalty spot, after good work from Danilo and Sane. His shot is deflected out for a corner, which leads to nothing.

9.34pm GMT

90 min: Only five minutes remain of Bristol City’s dream. Unless ...

9.33pm GMT

89 min: Kent dances down the right but runs into trouble. David Silva races up the other end, spreading the ball towards Danilo on the right. Danilo opens his legs, enters the Bristol City area, and fires a low shot inches wide of the bottom left.

9.31pm GMT

87 min: A throw for Bristol City, deep in enemy territory. Brownhill launches it long. Diedhiou attempts a scissor kick from the edge of the box. Full marks for ambition.

9.28pm GMT

85 min: Walker eventually makes way for Danilo.

9.27pm GMT

83 min: Walker clatters into the back of Diedhiou. Perhaps he’s not so convinced the elbow was an accident.

9.25pm GMT

82 min: Then they replace Aguero with Gundogan.

9.25pm GMT

81 min: Manchester City run down the clock with some pretty triangles.

9.23pm GMT

79 min: To be fair, Walker had taken a rare old clatter on the lug from the elbow of Diedhiou. There didn’t look like there was any bad intent; all accidental. Manchester City prepare Danilo as a replacement, but Walker frowms and shakes his head quite a lot. He’ll continue.

9.21pm GMT

77 min: Bristol City are on the attack, but the referee is forced to stop the play because Walker is down holding his head after a coming together with Diedhiou. The home crowd aren’t too pleased, but the official’s hands were tied.

9.18pm GMT

75 min: The game’s become rather disjointed. Flint tries to make good down the right but shanks his cross deep into the stand behind the goal.

9.17pm GMT

73 min: Kent comes on for Paterson.

9.15pm GMT

71 min: David Silva skitters down the inside-right channel, thinking about a shot. He finds Sane instead. There’s a bit of pinball, and Sane tries to scoop a no-backlift shot into the top right from a tight spot, six yards out. It’s deflected away for a corner which leads to nothing.

9.13pm GMT

70 min: Walker goes bowling down the right at preposterous pace. He whips a low ball into the centre, Flint very nearly sliding into his own net. Steele saves his pal some major embarrassment.

9.12pm GMT

68 min: Manchester City decide to take the sting out of the game, stroking the ball around the centre circle in the professional style.

9.10pm GMT

66 min: That’s woken Ashton Gate up! Manchester City try to put a stop to Bristol City’s gallop immediately, winning a corner from which Aguero blooters over. The hosts regroup. Still plenty of time for the unthinkable to become reality!

9.09pm GMT

Manchester City go to sleep at the back. Stones lets Paterson race into space down the left. He hooks into an empty area. Pack rises on the penalty spot, and guides a wonderful header into the top left, past a flat-footed Bravo! Bristol City just need the two goals to take this to extra time. They couldn’t, could they?

9.07pm GMT

63 min: A lovely bittersweet moment in the dugout, as poor Magnusson, no doubt running through tonight’s opening goal again and again in his mind, is momentarily pictured alone. There’s nobody in any of the surrounding seats! But his pal Engvall eventually comes across to sit next to him, in support his friend. There’s nice. He’ll never walk alone.

9.05pm GMT

62 min: David Silva has space and time to shoot from the edge of the Bristol City area. But he takes far too much of the latter, and is eventually closed down. Then De Bruyne should send Sane scampering clear on goal down the left, but his pass is woefully overhit. A couple of rare slapdash strokes by Manchester City’s greatest artists.

9.04pm GMT

60 min: Reid took a small clatter in the face from Fernandinho there. All accidental, and he’ll be good to continue once a wet sponge works its old-school magic.

9.03pm GMT

58 min: But this is better from Bristol City, who may as well give it a go. Brownhill nicks the ball off Zinchenko down the right, and pulls it back for Diedhiou, who shoots straight at Bravo from 12 yards. A hand-warmer for the Manchester City keeper, nothing more. And then there’s another attack, Paterson racing down the left and dinking in the middle for Reid, who isn’t allowed to get a header goalwards, Fernandinho nipping in to clear.

9.00pm GMT

56 min: Inevitably, some of the fire and passion has gone out of this match. A period of midfield passing that doesn’t amount to much.

8.58pm GMT

54 min: Walker, tight on the right touchline, fires a stunning crossfield pass to Sane, on the left-hand corner of the Bristol City box. Sane looks to send a heatseeker into the top right. It’s not so far away, but high and wide nonetheless. That would have been a picture-book goal.

8.57pm GMT

53 min: De Bruyne has a blast from 25 yards, having waited patiently for his own man Bernardo Silva to get out of the road. Steele is the match of it. A corner results, and nothing much comes of that. The home fans are still giving it plenty, despite being thoroughly deflated by events.

8.56pm GMT

51 min: Sane loses the ball in the middle of the park, allowing Diedhiou to make haste towards the Manchester City box. He crosses for Reid in the centre. Reid tries to flick the ball around Otamendi, but can’t quite make the space for a shot. Despite it all, Bristol City aren’t giving up yet.

8.54pm GMT

Bristol City throw a few men forward. Big mistake. De Bruyne races up the other end, and flashes a pass wide right for Aguero. Baker doesn’t get close to his man. Aguero strides towards the box and unleashes a ripper across Steele and into the bottom left. Manchester City are surely going to Wembley!

8.52pm GMT

49 min: De Bruyne pings a ball down the inside left. It bobbles through to Steele, but only just, Baker ushering it back with Magnussonian patience.

8.51pm GMT

47 min: Manchester City are clearly of a mind to polish this tie off at the earliest possible opportunity. Walker tears down the right, released by De Bruyne. He can’t find anyone with his cross. Sane then has a look down the left, but can’t square it for anyone. The visitors are playing with great intent.

8.49pm GMT

Here we go again! Bristol City get the second half underway, having made a couple of changes. Poor Magnusson is hooked and replaced by Baker, while Diedhiou comes on for Walsh. The hosts immediately gift possession to Aguero, who scuttles off down the inside-left channel and has his shot blocked on the edge of the area. It loops through to Steele.

8.37pm GMT

Half-time reading:

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8.36pm GMT

And that’s that for the first half of the second leg. On balance of play, the scoreline is about right on the night, but Bristol City had battled hard to stay level, and were so close to reaching the break still within touching distance overall. But now they’re two goals adrift on aggregate. It’s a huge ask now. The biggest 45 minutes of Bristol City’s recent history is coming up soon. Manchester City meanwhile will be dreaming of Wembley.

8.32pm GMT

45 min: That was very poor defending by Magnusson, who is a picture of misery. He knows what a costly mistake that was. Ashton Gate falls silent, bar the visitors’ section, who are trilling about a trip to Wembley.

8.31pm GMT

Magnusson tries to usher a ball played down the inside-right channel out for a goal kick. Bernardo Silva doesn’t let him, nicks the ball, and plays it back to Sane, who blasts goalwards from eight yards. It’s heading into the net, and though Flint slides in, hoping to hook clear, all the defender can do is help the ball home.

8.29pm GMT

43 min: Walsh over-elaborates as he looks to shuttle the ball away from his own area. Aguero picks his pocket, and nearly breaks clear down the inside left. He’s hounded out. But no matter, because...

8.28pm GMT

41 min: Manchester City are turning up the heat again. Bernardo Silva dribbles with purpose, in from the right, and works space to shoot. But his low fizzer is blocked and hacked clear.

8.27pm GMT

40 min: Another De Bruyne shot from distance. This one deflects out for a corner on the right. The set piece is half cleared, dropping to Aguero on the edge of the box. Aguero chests down, and attempts a very creative Le Tissieresque volley into the top right. And it’s not as easy as Le Tiss used to make it look. Goal kick.

8.26pm GMT

39 min: De Bruyne plays some gorgeous one-touch stuff down the inside-left, in tandem with David Silva and Sane. Eventually he smashes a shot well wide left of goal. A slight sense of Manchester City frustration.

8.24pm GMT

37 min: A throw for Bristol City down the left, and a chance for Magnusson to Delap one into the mixer. Flint tries to eyebrow the ball goalwards from six yards. Otamendi deflects it slightly. The ball very nearly loops over Bravo on the goalline, but Manchester City breathe again. The hosts are slowly working their way into this match, having held firm during the early onslaught.

8.22pm GMT

35 min: Fernandinho aims a heatseeker towards the top left of Bristol City’s goal from the best part of 30 yards. The home side will be very happy to see the Premier League team resort to nonsense like that.

8.21pm GMT

34 min: Pack, quarterbacking from deep, smacks a lovely ball down the right. Paterson race ahead of a sleeping Zinchenko, and very nearly reaches the ball before Bravo, who does well to race out of his area, intercept and blooter clear.

8.19pm GMT

32 min: City knock it around the middle in the old-fashioned tiki-taka style. Eventually they spring forward through De Bruyne, who earns a corner off Bryan. Sane whips it in from the left. Pack heads clear. This represents a slight lull. Bristol City won’t give a hoot; they’re very much still in this semi-final, despite all Manchester City’s possession and probing.

8.16pm GMT

30 min: Walker, from his right-back position, rolls a diagonal pass towards David Silva in the centre circle. Silva romps forward, and with options right and left, decides to shoot for the bottom-right corner from 25 yards. He drags it wide.

8.15pm GMT

28 min: Sane slips a pass down the left for David Silva, who whips an immediate ball through the six-yard box. Steele fingertips it across the face of his goal, meaning it somehow evades Aguero in the middle. Magnusson is on hand to clear. Bristol City were living very dangerously there.

8.14pm GMT

26 min: The corner isn’t worth waiting for. Thank goodness for the volleyball interlude. Bristol City launch a counter attack themselves, Brownhill nearly releasing Paterson down the inside-left channel, but there’s way too much juice on the ball.

8.13pm GMT

25 min: Manchester City had been snoozing for a couple of minutes there, but they’ve woken up, and how. Some pretty, high-speed triangles down the left. Sane and David Silva very nearly open the hosts up. It’s just a corner. Which won’t be taken yet because the ball’s up in the stands, and the Bristol City fans are enjoying an impromptu game of volleyball. Yay! Yay! Y-yay! It lasts a while, and it’s a lovely moment of genuine humour.

8.10pm GMT

23 min: ... but De Bruyne can’t work space to shoot. Eventually the ball is worked to Zinchenko on the left, and he flashes a speculative long-distance shot wide of the target.

8.09pm GMT

22 min: Bristol City load the box from the set piece. Smith’s delivery is disappointing, straight into Bravo’s arms. The goalie flings the ball upfield, and Manchester City are quickly on the break ...

8.08pm GMT

21 min: A high ball down the Bristol City right. Fernandinho should head clear, but he allows Reid to bully him out of the way, then spin him brilliantly. Reid makes off for the box, and is tugged back. Fernandinho is booked, and that’s a free kick in a very dangerous position.

8.07pm GMT

20 min: Walsh presents the ball to Aguero on the edge of the Bristol City box. He’s very happy to see the striker over-elaborate when a dangerous shot looked on the cards. Aguero is closed down and the danger is gone.

8.06pm GMT

19 min: More Manchester City passing. But their Bristol namesakes are holding firm, and the Ashton Gate faithful continue to enjoy themselves at volume.

8.05pm GMT

17 min: The biggest cheer of the evening so far, as De Bruyne races down the middle and lays off to the left for Sane. The winger has time and space to shoot from the edge of the area, but in taking one extra stride slips over and skids along on the seat of his pants. Perfect coming timing, in the silent-movie style, but there goes the chance of tonight’s opening goal.

8.04pm GMT

16 min: A bit of respite for Bristol City, who are doing their best to close the visitors down with a diligent pressing game. But it only means Manchester City do their passing thing in the midfield for a while. Possession for the home side still comes at a premium.

8.01pm GMT

14 min: Bristol City are under huge pressure here. Aguero is bundled over by Smith, just to the left of the D. David Silva wedges the free kick into the box, Stones glancing a header wide right from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. Stones should have done much better. Manchester City will wonder how they’re not leading on the night.

8.00pm GMT

12 min: De Bruyne bursts down the middle. He slips the ball to the left for David Silva, whose first touch squirts further left to Aguero. The first-leg matchwinner hooks into the centre, and the ball bounces off the top of the crossbar and away. Bernardo Silva earns a corner at the far post which comes to nothing.

7.57pm GMT

11 min: Walsh is down after getting an accidental boot in the face from Otamendi, the pair sliding in for a 50-50 in the midfield. He’s up and about again after a good soaking with the magic sponge.

7.56pm GMT

9 min: Bernardo Silva has a quick poke around down the right wing. Nothing doing right now. Then there’s some space for the progressive Zinchenko along the left. He hooks into the mixer but out for a goal kick to the right. It’s thoroughly one-sided in terms of possession and territory right now ... but it’s still goalless and as such, the first job’s done for the home side.

7.54pm GMT

7 min: Aguero and Zinchenko play a few pretty triangles down the left. They eventually lose possession, but once again Paterson gifts the ball straight back to the visitors. De Bruyne probes down the wing and pulls back for Fernandinho, who hesitates too long 20 yards from goal, and can’t get a shot away.

7.52pm GMT

5 min: Zinchenko rakes a pass down the left and releases David Silva into space. The flag goes up for offside, Bristol City’s back four pushing up in perfect time. The home team could do with a little bit of possession; this is attack versus defence right now.

7.51pm GMT

4 min: Bernardo Silva waltzes down the right and hits deep. Sane can’t get on the end of the cross, but Paterson treads on the ball as he tries to clear, allowing Sane to attack down the left flank. He earns a corner which leads to nothing. But the home side have started very nervously. You can hardly blame them on the biggest night in Bristol City’s recent history.

7.49pm GMT

2 min: Manchester City stroke it around the back awhile. Walker has a wander down the right, but goes nowhere in particular. Bristol City have hardly touched the ball in these early stages.

7.48pm GMT

29 sec: Stones meets the corner, 12 yards out, but misses the ball and kicks Smith by accident instead. Free kick and that very, very, very early pressure on the home heroes is released.

7.47pm GMT

And we’re off! The visitors, Premier League leaders and tonight’s hot favourites get the ball rolling. De Bruyne with the first kick of the evening. Aguero zips down the left and wins a corner off Smith within 11 seconds. From which ...

7.45pm GMT

The teams are out! Bristol City sport their crisp and classic red shirts. Manchester City eschew their famous sky blue and wear third-choice black; bah! Nice change strip and all, but y’know. Ashton Gate is buzzing, red and white tin-foil flags shaking and shimmering in every corner of this atmospheric ground. We’ll be off in a minute! “Cor, 1909 was the last cup final for Bristol City?” begins Woolie Madden. “It boggles my mind sometimes just how old football is. That was before World War I! I wonder if football fans of the Edwardian era enjoyed a tasty Thai energy drink every now and then? I suppose not, but if they could see us now they’d certainly be in awe of some of the improvements made to the League Cup, such as holding the third-round draw at 4am. Poor, simple folk!”

7.39pm GMT

Pep Guardiola speaks! “I think Bristol City will play the best football they can. We have to play the game. If you think about what you have done, you forget what you have to do. We have to play football, try to score goals and win the game.”

7.38pm GMT

Lee Johnson considers Bristol City’s recent 0-0 draw with Derby County, a result which brought to an end a five-game losing run in all competitions. “It was good. It was a bit of a test for us, a difficult period. There’s an emotional dip players get from a big game back down to the league. But we’ve performed quite well, I don’t think it tells a real story. We will give it a go. If we do score first, the atmosphere will be electric. This could be the biggest night in the club’s history. We’re going to do everything we can to entertain the folks at home and in the stadium.”

7.10pm GMT

Lee Johnson has already said he doesn’t intend to die wondering. With that in mind he’s made two changes to the team sent out at the City of Manchester Stadium two weeks ago. The first is enforced: Luke Steele takes the injured Frank Fielding’s place in goal. The second is a positive switch, defender Nathan Baker benched in favour of midfielder Liam Walsh.

Pep Guardiola names a very strong side. There are five changes to the team he named a fortnight ago. In come Kyle Walker, Nicolás Otamendi, Fernandinho, David Silva and Sergio Agüero. No messing, with full respect paid to the hosts. Then again, he’d named a pretty darn good team in that first leg, too, because look who are dropping to the bench: Danilo, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gündoğan, Eliaquim Mangala and Yaya Touré.

6.54pm GMT

Bristol City: Steele, Smith, Flint, Wright, Magnusson, Brownhill, Pack, Walsh, Bryan, Paterson, Reid.
Subs: Wollocott, Baker, Diédhiou, Taylor, Engvall, Eliasson, Kent.

Manchester City: Bravo, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, B Silva, D Silva, De Bruyne, Sané, Agüero.
Subs: Ederson, Danilo, Kompany, Sterling, Gündoğan, Mangala, Touré.

9.39am GMT

April 1909: it’s an awfully long time ago. Nearly 109 years have passed since Bristol City reached the final of the FA Cup, losing 1-0 to the Manchester United of Billy Meredith, Charlie Roberts and Sandy Turnbull. It remains the only major showpiece occasion in the entire history of the Robins. They came close to reaching another in 1971, but Spurs knocked them out of the League Cup semi-finals. They came close in the League Cup again in 1989, but Nottingham Forest did for them that time. And so here they are now, hoping it’s third time lucky in English football’s second cup.

It’s only Manchester City in the way. The runaway Premier League leaders, English football’s champions-elect, a team that can call on the brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane. God speed, Bristol City ... except Lee Johnson’s spirited side really did push Pep Guardiola’s team all the way in the first leg at the Etihad, so they’ve got more than just pie-in-the-sky hope. Another big performance, like the one that put out Manchester United in the quarters, could see Bristol City’s second major final become a reality. After their 2-1 defeat in the first leg of this semi, they need to win tonight, bottom line. They may need to rely on away goals (which only count after extra time) or perhaps penalty kicks. But they’ve proved they have what it takes to make it.

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The Fiver | Some more golden-age-of-Hollywood slapstick combined with pathos

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It’s been a week of seismic shocks in sport. A British man who isn’t fated to be bagelled by Novak Djokovic in the final has reached the last four of the Australian Open. Ronnie O’Sullivan didn’t win the Masters snooker, bad news for those of us who like to watch rocket-fuelled century breaks, good news for anyone whose teeth are set on edge by desperate phlegm-rattling bellows of CAHMONRONEEEE from members of the audience whose ability going forward to pay the mortgage may be seriously compromised by the book they’ve been running down the drinker. And in the football on Monday night, there was a classic for fans of cognitive dissonance, as Southampton supporters tried to balance the sight of Virgil van Dijk turning into Dejan Lovren II with the view of Swansea City coming up hard in the rear-view mirror.

Related: Bristol City won’t play the brave losers, Lee Johnson warns Pep Guardiola

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

Sergio Agüero was City’s hat-trick hero in a game they dominated by a massive margin.

8.11pm GMT

Related: Sergio Agüero puts Manchester City back on track against Newcastle

7.22pm GMT

Shelvey caresses a cross into the City box from the left, Gayle heads over when he should work Ederson at the very least, and that’s that! So for the second time in a month, Rafa Benitez’s plan for a rope-a-dope smash-and-grab briefly threatens to bear a little fruit ... but ultimately ends in failure, with the possession stats more damning than the actual scoreline. Newcastle battled hard and showed great discipline, but ultimately City were just too darn good, with Leroy Sane and hat-trick hero Sergio Aguero particularly impressive. Newcastle remain a couple of points above the relegation zone, while City go 12 points clear of Manchester United at the top.

7.18pm GMT

90 min: There will be three added minutes.

7.16pm GMT

88 min: Sane is replaced by Diaz. Meanwhile Newcastle aren’t quite finished: Murphy goes on a Sane-like run down the inside-right channel, reaching the edge of the area with a fine dribble. His shot comes off his own man Shelvey, who then nearly rounds Ederson, on walkabout. But City clear their lines.

7.15pm GMT

87 min: City ping it around the back, with a view to running the clock down.

7.14pm GMT

85 min: Bernardo Silva comes on for Sterling.

7.12pm GMT

Sane goes on a Ricky Villa style ramble into the Newcastle box down the left. It’s a stunning dribble. He looks to have been crowded out, but shimmies through three challenges and threads a pass into the centre for Aguero, who takes a touch on the penalty spot and pokes into the bottom right. That’s his 11th hat-trick for City ... and yes, he’s been awarded that first goal, so there are no questions about that!

7.09pm GMT

82 min: De Bruyne nearly puts it out of Newcastle’s reach, curling a glorious shot towards the bottom right from 20 yards. It’s inches wide of the right-hand post. Darlow wasn’t getting to it.

7.09pm GMT

80 min: Murphy tears down the Newcastle right in acres of space. He’s got Gayle peeling away on the other flank, but can’t pick the pass. He eventually runs out of steam on the edge of the City box. But the visitors are going for it now. Newcastle are - improbably, given the possession stats - very much in this game.

7.06pm GMT

78 min: Clark is booked for hanging out a leg and bringing down De Bruyne in the midfield.

7.05pm GMT

77 min: Gayle comes on for Joselu. Plenty of pace up front for Newcastle now, as they look to test City in the latter stages of this very lop-sided and strange match.

7.04pm GMT

76 min: City win their 17th corner of the evening. From the left, it’s played deep for Silva, who lashes a shot wide right from the edge of the box.

7.03pm GMT

74 min: And now Newcastle are three on three, breaking from a City corner! Perez lets the hosts off the hook with a witless blooter upfield towards Ederson. But the hosts are rocking a little here. A little.

7.02pm GMT

72 min: This game has turned very weird. Newcastle again trouble City, springing into life and attacking from nowhere. Diame snaffles a loose ball down the inside-left and flashes a shot at Ederson from a tight angle. Ederson parries, and should gather the ball, but lets it slip through his arms in the soap-in-shower style. Perez has a shot, then Diame has another go. Ederson rescues the situation at the third attempt.

6.59pm GMT

71 min: City nearly score a picture-perfect goal, pinging triangles down the left. Sane drives a low cross towards Sterling, who hammers a first-time shot towards the bottom right. Darlow turns the effort onto the base of the right-hand post, and then Aguero flashes his hat-trick attempt into the side netting from a tight angle.

6.58pm GMT

69 min: In the City dugout, Pep does that thing where he leans back, takes a slug of water from a bottle, and kids on he doesn’t care. To be fair, it’s still attack versus defence on the pitch, despite Newcastle’s surprise goal.

6.56pm GMT

Er, hold on! This came from absolutely nothing! Joselu hacks a 50-50 ball forward from the centre circle. Suddenly Murphy is tearing free of Zinchenko, the last man! He draws Ederson and dinks a delightful effort over the keeper and into the empty net! Who needs possession, huh?

6.54pm GMT

66 min: In more deckchair rearrangement news, Yedlin comes on for Manquillo.

6.52pm GMT

64 min: Perez comes on for Atsu. Manchester City have enjoyed 85% possession!

6.51pm GMT

No question that Aguero’s scored this one! He batters his penalty into the left-hand portion of the net. Darlow got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out.

6.50pm GMT

62 min: City ping it around awhile. Suddenly Sterling turns on the jets down the left. He enters the area, feels Manquillo’s arm weighing heavily on his back, and goes down. The ref points to the spot.

6.49pm GMT

61 min: The corner leads to another corner, which leads to nothing.

6.48pm GMT

60 min: Fernandinho wedges a gorgeous pass down the inside-right channel to spring Walker into the area. Walker’s low cross, meant for Aguero in the six-yard box, is bundled out at the near post by Hayden. That’s marvellous play all round.

6.47pm GMT

58 min: This is not much of a spectacle, if we’re being honest with ourselves. Newcastle finally commit a couple of players upfield and nearly pay the price, losing possession and allowing Sterling to attack their suddenly out-of-shape defence down the right. Fortunately for the visitors his cross into the centre towards Aguero is no good.

6.45pm GMT

57 min: De Bruyne whips a cross into the Newcastle box from the right. Sane gets the jump on Manquillo in the middle, but can’t connect with his head, ten yards out. A chance to work Darlow is spurned.

6.43pm GMT

55 min: A loose ball from Murphy allows Sane to pick up possession and run at pace down the inside-left channel. Newcastle are light at the back, but Lascelles comes across to tackle Sane as he enters the box. A perfectly timed challenge that wasn’t without risk.

6.42pm GMT

54 min: Fernandinho and Joselu clatter into each other and go down. The City man had swung his arm into the Newcastle striker’s startled face. Accidentally, it should be stressed. But for some reason it’s Fernandinho who’s come off worse. Very strange. They’re both up and about eventually.

6.39pm GMT

52 min: A lot of possession for City in Newcastle’s final third. But it’s all in front of the box, and the visitors aren’t minded to give up enough space for a shot. Eventually City try to tiki-taka their way through, but once again Sane and Sterling aren’t quite on the same wavelength.

6.38pm GMT

50 min: It’s worked all the way to Sane on the right, who overhits a pass down the flank for Sterling. This half has yet to get going properly.

6.37pm GMT

49 min: Space for Zinchenko down the left. He earns City’s 11th corner off Murphy. Silva to take.

6.35pm GMT

48 min: It’s attack versus defence again all right. Newcastle are quite happy to sit back and hold their shape, with a view to seeing what might happen late on if they can keep it to 1-0.

6.34pm GMT

And we’re off again! After two false starts, Manchester City get the ball rolling for the second 45. No changes. Sterling goes fast at Newcastle, and tries to release Walker down the right with a cheeky backflick. Not quite.

6.20pm GMT

Half-time listening: The likes of Rob Smyth, Lee Calvert, Rob Bagchi, Carrie Dunn, Jacob Steinberg, Gary Naylor, Mike Gibbons and Adam Hurrey going on quite a lot about 1980s and 1990s football? Yes please! Yes please!

Related: Nessun Dorma: the podcast that celebrates 1980s and 1990s football

6.16pm GMT

So City lead at the break thanks to Sergio Aguero’s header. And it is his goal: the TV folk have got the virtual magnifying glass out, and you can see him flick the ball lightly as it passes him. More attack versus defence coming up!

6.14pm GMT

43 min: Space and time for Fernandinho, 25 yards out. He drags a poor shot wide of the target. Then a rare attack for Newcastle, with Joselu in space down the left. He’s got Atsu in the middle, but his cross is weak and easily intercepted by Otamendi. Newcastle can’t afford to waste good positions like that.

6.12pm GMT

41 min: City stroke the ball around a bit, then suddenly Aguero turns on the jets and attacks Newcastle down the inside-right channel. He flashes a no-backlift shot goalwards, and it’s deflected over by Dummett, who is operating as a one-man wall of defiance right now.

6.11pm GMT

39 min: From the corner on the right, the ball’s worked to De Bruyne, 25 yards out, down the inside-left channel. He shoots for the bottom right. Darlow saves and Dummett bundles the ball out for another corner.

6.09pm GMT

38 min: A sense of relief has washed over the Etihad. Silva rakes a glorious long ball down the right and very nearly releases Aguero into the area. Dummett is forced to step in, head back and concede a corner.

6.08pm GMT

36 min: It’s still attack versus defence, the visitors haven’t changed their gameplan as a result of falling behind. Newcastle haven’t won at Manchester City since the days of Maine Road and Alan Shearer. That run doesn’t look like ending any time soon.

6.06pm GMT

Apologies to Newcastle fans for pointing that out. Because look what’s happened now. De Bruyne cuts in from the left and swishes a cross into the mixer. Aguero eyebrows a gentle header into the bottom right, out of Darlow’s reach. Aguero celebrates, though there’s a suspicion he didn’t get a light brush on that cross, in which case it’s De Bruyne’s goal. But the important thing for City is, they’ve finally broken Newcastle’s brave resistance.

6.04pm GMT

33 min: De Bruyne strokes a ball down the left for Silva, who earns yet another corner for Manchester City. Silva’s corner fails to beat the first man Joselu. It’s all hands to the pump for Newcastle, but they’re doing a fine number on City so far.

6.02pm GMT

32 min: City get their first shot on target. De Bruyne dribbles across the front of the Newcastle box, left to right, and lays off for Sterling, who cuts back to the left and sends a riser straight at Darlow.

6.01pm GMT

30 min: Sane flicks a ball down the left to release Silva, who is barged in the back by Manquillo. A free kick, just to the left of the Newcastle area. De Bruyne narrows his eyes ... and in looking to curl spectacularly across Darlow and into the top right, blooters harmlessly over.

5.59pm GMT

28 min: Zinchenko shovels a pass down the left for Silva, who squirrels away in the box before looking for Aguero in the middle. Clark reads the play well to intercept and clear. Then another attack, as the ever-influential Silva slips a ball down the left to release Sane. But the winger’s gone too soon, and he’s offside.

5.56pm GMT

25 min: Now De Bruyne powers down the middle, going to ground just outside the Newcastle box under pressure from Shelvey. There was a little bit of contact, but De Bruyne isn’t getting the free kick he’s demanding.

5.55pm GMT

24 min: Sane pushes a pass down the left flank to release Sane, who reaches the byline. His cross is blocked by a sliding Lascelles. De Bruyne tries to revive the move by picking up the loose ball and surging down the same wing, but he runs the ball out of play. An uncharacteristically heavy touch.

5.53pm GMT

22 min: City have made 153 passes so far, Newcastle 24. It’s that kind of game.

5.52pm GMT

21 min: Another wasted corner for City. They’re not quite firing on all cylinders at the moment. The home fans are giving it plenty anyway. There’s a fine atmosphere tonight at the Etihad.

5.51pm GMT

18 min: City get the ball in the net, but the goal’s disallowed. Newcastle launch a rare attack and lose the ball. City flood up the other end at pace. Sane slides the ball wide left for Silva, who instantly whips a low ball towards the far stick for Sterling. Sterling slams the ball past Darlow and into the right-hand side of the net, but he’s gone a fraction too early and the flag goes up. It’s the correct decision, although it’s such a tight one it’s slightly surprising the attacker didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. Yes, that tight.

5.48pm GMT

16 min: Sane embarks on a dribble from deep on the left, and gets as far as the corner of the Newcastle six-yard box. But Manquillo has stuck to his shoulder, and eventually nicks the ball off him before he can take a shot. That’s fine defending.

5.46pm GMT

15 min: Sane takes a shot from 25 yards out, just to the left. A daisy-flattener gently rolls out of play to the left of goal. For all City’s possession and domination, Darlow has yet to get his hands warm.

5.45pm GMT

14 min: Walker might not have much of a shot on him, but what a crossfield pass he plays here, right to left, to release Zinchenko into space. Zinchenko crosses deep, forcing Dummett to concede another corner. Yet again the set piece doesn’t trouble Newcastle, but this is a very one-sided game right now.

5.43pm GMT

12 min: This match has settled into attack versus defence. No prizes for guessing. Silva sashays down the left and earns City yet another corner. The set piece leads to nothing.

5.41pm GMT

10 min: Sane tricks his way to the byline down the left and nearly finds Aguero in the middle with a floated cross. It’s half cleared, but Sane just comes again down the same flank to earn a corner. From the set piece, the ball’s worked out to Walker, who launches a comical effort into orbit.

5.39pm GMT

8 min: Silva bursts down the left and very nearly finds De Bruyne on his inside with a cute pass on the edge of the Newcastle area. It’s intercepted at the very last second by Manquillo. City looking dangerous, as usual, after that unusually sluggish start.

5.37pm GMT

6 min: So much for City’s early nerves. They win a couple of corners down the right in short order. The second sees De Bruyne, tight on the wing, slip a pass down the flank to release Silva in to the box. Silva crosses low and hard to the near post, where Stones rushes in and sidefoots powerfully wide right. Very close to the opening goal.

5.35pm GMT

4 min: Sane kicks the ball against himself in the midfield to ship possession. A few signs that City have some early nerves jangling. Their lead at the top has, of course, been cut to a mere nine points after Manchester United’s earlier win at Burnley. Problems, problems.

5.34pm GMT

2 min: A free kick for Newcastle just inside the City half. Shelvey shapes to float it into the box, but slides it down the left for Diame instead. City are sleeping, and Diame reaches the byline, hooking towards the far post. Zinchenko only half clears, the ball dropping to Atsu on the penalty spot. A good connection and City are in all sorts of trouble, but Atsu snatches at his shot, the ball bouncing harmlessly into the arms of Ederson.

5.32pm GMT

1 min: City grab the ball off Newcastle within 20 seconds and stroke it around the back a bit. Then Aguero tries to skitter free down the left. Nothing doing.

5.30pm GMT

And we’re off! Newcastle get the ball rolling, but not before a minute of warm applause to remember the late, great, brave and brilliant Cyrille Regis.

Related: David Squires on … Cyrille Regis, one of British football's most important players

5.26pm GMT

The teams are out! Manchester City wear their famous sky blue shirts, while Newcastle United sport those storied black and white stripes. A classic look to this match, which of course is a repeat of the 1955 FA Cup final (the Toon won that 3-1) and the 1976 League Cup final (which City won 2-1). We’ll be off in a minute! “I’m sure that Rafa would have a go at City if he and Newcastle could,” argues Hubert O’Hearn. “The old master of tactics will have seen that, if there is any vulnerability, there it is in the wide areas attacked with pace. Problem is, he doesn’t have wide attackers. Or pace. The Magpies are my warmly-felt second club, but this could be a grim 90 minutes.”

5.17pm GMT

Rafa speaks! “We have nothing to lose here. Everyone thinks City will win easily so we have to ensure it will be a difficult game for them. City will be more focused after their defeat last week but maybe they will be more nervous, so if we can start well we can see what happens during the game. We have to try different things to score goals, hopefully we will have our chances.”

5.08pm GMT

Pep talks! “When you drop points, the next game is the most difficult. We did it in the past when we won a lot of games, the next one is important. If Newcastle defend deep like they did a month ago, we know what to try to do. But they might press high and go forward, so we will see. Zinchenko played in the recent past and did very well, he’s got a good left foot and a good mentality.”

4.43pm GMT

Manchester City make two changes to the team named for the 4-3 defeat at Liverpool last Sunday. The injured Fabian Delph is replaced by Oleksandr Zinchenko, while David Silva returns at the expense of Ilkay Gundogan, who is named as a substitute.

Newcastle United make four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Swansea City at St James’ Park last Saturday. Javier Manquillo, Isaac Hayden, Jacob Murphy and Joselu get the nod, with DeAndre Yedlin, Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez dropping to the bench.

4.33pm GMT

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Sterling, Aguero, Sane.
Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Gundogan, Mangala, Bernardo Silva, Adarabioyo, Diaz.

Newcastle United: Darlow, Manquillo, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Shelvey, Diame, Hayden, Murphy, Joselu, Atsu.
Subs: Elliot, Gayle, Ritchie, Perez, Yedlin, Merino, Haidara.

2.27pm GMT

It’s fair to say Newcastle played it safe when these teams met at St James’ Park just after Christmas. Manchester City’s 1-0 win really isn’t worth revisiting. But Rafa Benitez may consider it prudent to set up his team in similar fashion at the Etihad today. Partly because those much-derided defensive tactics back home nearly paid off with an unlikely draw - Newcastle carved out a couple of half-chances to snatch something at the end - but mainly because City are coming off the back of their first Premier League defeat of the season.

Pep Guardiola’s men will be desperate to make a statement after a 4-3 defeat at Liverpool, a result which slightly flattered them. The last time they lost a game, going down 2-1 in a dead Champions League rubber at Shakhtar Donetsk, they put in one of the performances of the season by winning at Old Trafford. The Toon Army will be fearful of similar repercussions, especially as they’ve conceded 11 goals on their last two visits to the Etihad. Getting anything out of this game will be a tall order for Newcastle, though they’re unbeaten in four since the City defeat, and you’ve got to take every positive you can. Hey, here’s another: City have only kept four clean sheets at home this season. God speed, Newcastle.

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Brighton 0-4 Chelsea: Premier League – as it happened

Chelsea started fast at the Amex and never looked back.

2.36pm GMT

Here you go.

Related: Eden Hazard provides rhythm as Chelsea profit from Brighton’s slack start

2.22pm GMT

Stephens has a dig from just inside the Chelsea box, but Azpilicueta and Caballero combine to deny him. And that’s that. On another day, Brighton could have had a penalty, maybe a goal or two. They played well in patches. But they didn’t have the luck, and no decisions went their way. And they started cold, Chelsea punishing them severely. Then the class of the English champions told during the latter stages. Antonio Conte’s men have ended a barren run with a stylish goalfest, and they join Manchester United on 50 points, for a couple of hours at least. The man of the match, the ever-sensational Eden Hazard, gifts his top to a young lad in the crowd, a lovely end to a fine afternoon for Chelsea. Not such a happy ending for Brighton, who are slipping towards relegation bother.

2.18pm GMT

90 min: Kayal crosses from the right. Murray flashes a header over the crossbar. A consolation goal wouldn’t flatter Brighton, who have played well. They’ve just been undone by the class of Chelsea.

2.17pm GMT

Musonda, quarterbacking from deep, loops a stunning pass down the centre to pick out Moses, cutting in from the right. He’s clear on goal. He takes a touch and guides the ball into the bottom right. A lovely goal!

2.16pm GMT

88 min: Musonda elects to pull the ball back for Moses, instead of launching it into the mixer. It eventually ends up at Cabellero’s feet. A waste of an opportunity, not that it matters one jot.

2.15pm GMT

87 min: Musonda drives elegantly down the right and is upended by Propper. A free kick, and a chance to pile into the Brighton box.

2.14pm GMT

86 min: The travelling Chelsea support are running through their songbook. Carefree, wherever they may be. The Brighton fans entertain themselves by trilling abusive observations about Crystal Palace. Everyone’s happy right now, in their own way.

2.12pm GMT

84 min: Izquierdo races down the left with a view to outstripping Azpilicueta, but a heavy touch runs the ball out of play.

2.11pm GMT

83 min: Marsh is replaced by Izquierdo.

2.09pm GMT

81 min: The wonderful Willian is replaced by the 21-year-old Belgian Charly Musonda.

2.08pm GMT

80 min: Yes, this match was never going to finish 0-2. Though it took a while.

2.07pm GMT

79 min: Goldson completes a miserable couple of minutes by picking up a booking for obstructing Hazard. Luiz tries to send the free kick into the top left from 35 yards. Ambitious, even for him.

2.06pm GMT

A lovely solo dribble by Hazard, who is sent scampering down the left by Willian. He drifts inside. Goldson runs away from him, as opposed to putting in a challenge, and suddenly the Brighton defence opens up in the generous fashion. Hazard has acres to run into down the middle. He enters the box, and calmly rolls the ball into the bottom left. Chelsea will be joining Manchester United in second spot on 50 points, for a couple of hours at least.

2.04pm GMT

76 min: Chelsea made their second change. Zappacosta comes on for Alonso.

2.03pm GMT

74 min: Batshuayi gets involved in a garden-variety tangle with Dunk, and briefly considers pushing his head into his opponent’s mush, then thinks better of it. The ref tells him to stop playing silly buggers and calm down. A little flashpoint out of nothing. It hasn’t been that sort of game.

2.01pm GMT

72 min: March tries to bustle his way through the middle, and very nearly works space to shoot on the edge of the Chelsea D. But he loses balance - with a little bit of encouragement from Kante - and Chelsea mop up. March wants a free kick, but he’s not getting it.

1.58pm GMT

70 min: The ever-busy Propper robs Willian in the middle of the park and starts a move that sends Brighton into the Chelsea box. Murray can’t quite control to shoot; Schelotto has a whack that’s blocked the second it leaves his boot. Batshuayi threatens to tear clear on the break, but Duffy puts a stop to his gallop. This is a very open, entertaining match!

1.56pm GMT

68 min: Brighton make a double change: Gross and Hemed off, Kayal and Murray on.

1.55pm GMT

66 min: And then suddenly Brighton spring into life! Gross makes a nuisance of himself under a high ball. Rudiger only half clears with his header. Schelotto bursts in from the right, chests the ball down, and suddenly he’s one on one in the area with Caballero! But the keeper spreads himself brilliantly and saves Chelsea’s bacon. I repeat: how has this game stayed 0-2?

1.53pm GMT

65 min: Moses probes down the Chelsea right but can’t make room to deliver a cross. The game’s slipped into a lull.

1.51pm GMT

63 min: Chelsea break upfield straight from Brighton’s corner, Willian feeding Hazard down the left. Hazard enters the box and looks briefly threatening, but then runs the ball out of play. End-to-end fun.

1.50pm GMT

62 min: Space for March down the inside-right, Brighton having put a few nice passes together to advance upfield. He looks for the top right, but the ball deflects off Luiz and out for a corner.

1.49pm GMT

60 min: How on earth has this game stayed at 0-2? The woodwork has been bothered at both ends, and there have been three penalty shouts that on another day could have been given. The punters have had their money’s worth today.

1.47pm GMT

58 min: But before the free kick can be taken, referee Jon Moss ushers a confused looking Christensen to the sidelines. The defender can’t continue. Luiz comes on in his stead. Willian then takes the free kick, sending the ball towards the top right. Ryan, at full stretch, pushes it onto the post, and the danger is cleared.

1.45pm GMT

56 min: Hazard goes on a brisk meander down the middle of the park. He’s stopped by a crunching Stephens tackle. But he springs up and goes again. This time he’s scythed down by Duffy, who is booked. A free kick in a dangerous, central position, 25 yards out.

1.42pm GMT

54 min: Brighton are first to everything right now, though most of the game is being played out in the middle of the park. They’ve been impressive today, those costly (and admittedly rather important) first six minutes aside.

1.40pm GMT

52 min: Christensen is back on. Brighton are on the front foot. Chelsea have not looked comfortable when dealing with crosses.

1.39pm GMT

50 min: Brighton hit the post! Schelotto jinks down the right and whips a deliciously inviting cross into the Chelsea box. Propper throws himself at it, and guides a header towards the top right. Caballero is beaten all ends up, but the ball crashes off the upright and away from danger! So unlucky!

1.37pm GMT

49 min: And there’s a stoppage as Duffy and Christensen require some treatment after clashing heads. The Chelsea man has come off worse; he looks pained and a little dazed. He ambles off the pitch though all signs suggest he’ll be waved back on soon.

1.36pm GMT

47 min: A free kick for Brighton down the left and a chance to load the Chelsea box. Suttner curls it into the six-yard box. Duffy flings himself at the ball but only succeeds in clattering into Christensen. Free kick, he’s offside.

1.34pm GMT

46 min: A loose pass from Duffy sets Chelsea on the attack again almost immediately. Hazard threatens to break down the middle. Then Moses has a look down the right. Nothing doing. But Brighton can’t afford to start the second half as slowly as they did the first.

1.33pm GMT

And we’re off again! Brighton get the game restarted. No changes. The rain is still coming down.

1.20pm GMT

Half-time listening: Lee Calvert, Gary Naylor and Rob Smyth reminiscing about Italia 90? What could you possibly be waiting for?!

Related: Nessun Dorma: the podcast that celebrates 1980s and 1990s football

1.19pm GMT

Hazard dribbles into the area from the right, and jinks past Suttner. There’s the slightest contact, and Hazard goes down. It would have been a harsh decision, but then you’ve seen them given. The third penalty claim of the half! And all ignored. So a slightly strange half of football comes to an end. Chelsea flew out of the blocks, and could have added more goals to their total. Brighton will argue that they should have had at least one spot kick, while Cabellero made a stunning stop on the line from Hemed. Pretty fine entertainment, all in all. You’ll not want to miss the second half, in which anything could happen.

1.15pm GMT

44 min: Then they suddenly break upfield through Willian, who shuttles the ball down the right for Batshuayi. The striker spins on the edge of the box and slashes a first-time effort towards the top left. It’s high and wide, but not so far off target.

1.14pm GMT

43 min: Chelsea take the sting out of the game by stroking the ball around in the centre circle awhile.

1.13pm GMT

41 min: Chelsea go very close to a third. Batshuayi has a dig from the edge of the D. It’s blocked, but the ball finds its way to Hazard on the left. Hazard enters the area and hits a cross-cum-shot that Moses can’t quite turn in at the far post.

1.11pm GMT

40 min: Christensen plays a poor one out of defence and Brighton are once more on the attack. Propper tries to open Chelsea up with a backheel down the left, a clever idea that doesn’t quite come off. Nearly.

1.10pm GMT

38 min: Chelsea suddenly look slightly less effective going forward. Batshuayi latches onto a loose ball in the middle of the park and drives upfield, but then sprays what should be a simple pass to Hazard on his left out of play for a throw.

1.08pm GMT

37 min: Brighton are flinging crosses into the Chelsea box from left and right, and the visitors aren’t looking totally solid right now. Caballero has been a bit flappy.

1.07pm GMT

35 min: Another penalty shout for Brighton! And again it’s Schelotto breaking into the box from the right. He goes over in a tangle with Bakayoko. Referee Jon Moss decides it was a 50-50 coming together, and isn’t giving that one either. Then he books Schelotto for arguing the toss. The home crowd are livid, and the Brighton players aren’t too happy either.

1.05pm GMT

33 min: Another corner for Brighton on the right. Duffy meets this one, six yards out, but doesn’t connect properly and the ball flashes wide left. A chance spurned, though in fairness Alonso was seriously hassling him.

1.04pm GMT

30 min: And yet Brighton, on another day, could be level. Add to the earlier penalty controversy this amazing save by Caballero, Hamed meeting a right-wing Gross cross with a header down towards the bottom left. Caballero somehow stops the brilliant effort on the line. It’s not quite Pele v Gordon Banks, but it’s in the very rough ballpark, and it’s some pretty great football all round. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.

1.00pm GMT

28 min: Hazard embarks on a Maradonaesque dribble down the middle of the park. He thinks about shaping one into the top right from the edge of the area. Shame he didn’t, it would have been a classic goal. Instead he feeds Batshuayi on his right. The striker shoots; Ryan saves; the resulting corner is wasted. But Chelsea are back to their scintillating best.

12.59pm GMT

26 min: Hazard slips a pass down the right to release Willian, Brighton’s offside trap all over the shop. Willian has a batter at goal, and very nearly finds the top right. Ryan parries. Corner. Hazard dances around in the area for a while, then tries to bust Moses into space on the right. He overcooks the pass, and that’s a goal kick. Chelsea look incredibly potent today.

12.57pm GMT

25 min: A free kick for Brighton out on the right, and a chance for the home side to load the Chelsea box. Gross curls it into the mixer, but Hemed can’t get his head on it. Chelsea clear.

12.56pm GMT

23 min: Hazard and Willian nearly open Brighton up again down the inside-right channel. One loose pass at the crucial moment nixes the move. Brighton are living on their nerves at the back. “Allow me to be the 567th pedant to say it should be 1.4 billion pennies for his thoughts (11 min).” Be my guest, Mike McCarthy. I’m not good at the number counting.

12.52pm GMT

20 min: Brighton win their first corner of the game down the right. That one leads to a corner on the left. From that one, Caballero comes off his line and makes a complete balls of a punch. Duffy wins the header on the six-yard line and the ball’s bouncing around the area with the keeper stranded. The referee saves the day for Chelsea, by blowing up for a foul on the keeper that didn’t really happen. A shaky start for Caballero on his Premier League debut for Chelsea. And this is much better from Brighton, who have finally turned up to play.

12.50pm GMT

18 min: Having been very fortunate with the penalty non-decision, Chelsea go up the other end and nearly make it three. Bakayoko bashes towards the bottom right from the edge of the box, and Ryan does very well to push the ball away from danger.

12.48pm GMT

16 min: Brighton claim for a penalty as Caballero races off his line and fails to gather Suttner’s cross from the left. Schelotto romps into the box down the inside-right channel, knocking the ball past the keeper. There’s contact, and the Brighton man goes down. But the referee isn’t having any of it.

12.46pm GMT

14 min: This is nice, though, as March executes a brisk Cruyff Turn to spin his way past Bakayoko and make good down the inside-right channel. He looks to thread a shot into the bottom left, but Caballero gets down and gathers well on a greasy pitch.

12.45pm GMT

13 min: Chelsea stroke the ball around the middle of the park. Hazard and Willian take turns to perform elaborate backflicks as the English champions put on a stylish show. Brighton are chasing shadows.

12.43pm GMT

11 min: They hold firm. In the stand, Jürgen Locadia is chewing gum hard and frowning quite a lot. Fourteen million pennies for his thoughts right now.

12.42pm GMT

10 min: Willian is in a no-nonsense mood today. He drives at purpose down the inside left and feeds Alonso, who earns a corner off Goldson. Brighton have already conceded 12 goals from corners this season, the worst record in the Premier League. They really need to hold firm here.

12.41pm GMT

8 min: The home fans are stunned. The only noise is coming from the Chelsea corner, much as you’d imagine. Brighton try to steady the ship with some crisp passing of their own in the opposition half, but Chelsea hold their shape and neither March nor Hemed can fashion space for a shot from the edge of the box.

12.39pm GMT

This is a gorgeous goal! Willian drives down the middle and offloads to Hazard, who instigates some pretty triangles with Batshuayi. Willian then gets involved in the ping-fest. More triangles. Then Willian finds a bit of space and slams a rising shot into the top right! What a start this is by Chelsea! Goals have been hard to come by ... but no longer!

12.37pm GMT

5 min: Chelsea always win when they take the lead. They’re 13 wins out of 13 this season. Brighton meanwhile have lost nine of 11 when conceding first. The form book suggests this game is already over, then. But Brighton won’t be going down without a fight, and Gross has a belt from distance. Over the bar.

12.36pm GMT

Chelsea have been struggling for goals recently, so this will do them very nicely. Willian and Moses take turns to dribble down the right. Moses reaches the byline and pulls one back for Hazard on the penalty spot. Stephens and Dunk try to intercept the pass, but no luck. Hazard takes a touch, shifts the ball to the right, and lashes into the top left!

12.34pm GMT

2 min: The rain is coming down hard on the south coast. Chelsea ping the ball about awhile. Stephens tries to stop a Hazard dribble and upends his man. An early free kick for the visitors deep in Brighton territory, in a fairly central position. Chelsea load the box, but Willian goes for goal from the best part of 30 yards. He looks for the top right but wafts his effort straight down Ryan’s throat.

12.31pm GMT

And we’re off! Chelsea get the 150th league game at this lovely new stadium underway. But only after a bittersweet minute of the warmest applause in memory of the late, great Cyrille Regis.

Related: David Squires on … Cyrille Regis, one of British football's most important players

12.26pm GMT

The teams are out! Brighton & Hove Albion are in their blue-and-white-striped tops, which forces Chelsea into third-choice black. A rare old atmosphere at the Falmer Stadium, as ever, despite the hazy rain; Locadia taking to the pitch in his civvies for an introductory clap to all corners is met with a particularly huge roar. We’ll be off in a minute!

12.18pm GMT

Antonio Conte speaks! “Every game is different. We will try to be focused offensively, and focused defensively. We will try to get three points, it’s the most important thing today.” One day I’ll stop transcribing these pre-match interviews, and you’ll probably thank me for it.

12.17pm GMT

Chris Hughton speaks! “We have had a decent level of performance against the top teams, but we haven’t scored any goals against them, and so we haven’t won any of the games. So sometimes as a manager you try to do something a little bit different. We are at home, we have a chance in every game. We will certainly have a go.”

12.13pm GMT

We won’t be seeing him on the pitch today - in fact he’s injured and won’t be available for a couple of weeks - but Brighton’s new £14m record signing Jürgen Locadia is in the house, and he’s been talking to Sky Sports: “This move is crazy, it was all a dream, I’m glad I’m in the Premier League now. I’m obsessed with football and watch every Premier League game at home, so it’s crazy to be here. I bring power, precision, goals, assists and a lot of energy. I can shoot with my right and left foot, and have lot of ability to score a goal. I don’t think about the price.” He looks and sounds like he means business. Brighton fans will be extremely excited.

11.49am GMT

Brighton weren’t able to register their new signing Jürgen Locadia in time for this match. Nevertheless, they still make five changes to the team that went down 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion last week. Connor Goldson, Ezequiel Schelotto, Markus Suttner, Solly March and Tomer Hemed replace Gaetan Bong, Jose Izquierdo, Bruno, Anthony Knockaert and Glenn FFS Murray.

Chelsea have all manner of concerns. Pedro and Alvaro Morata are suspended after their red cards against Norwich City in the cup; Thibaut Courtois, Cesc Fabregas and Gary Cahill are all injured. Willy Caballero makes his Premier League debut for the club, while Ross Barkley is seen in a Chelsea shirt for the first time, albeit on the bench. There are six changes to the team sent out against Norwich midweek: Eden Hazard, Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Victor Moses and N’Golo Kane take the places of Davide Zappacosta, David Luiz, Danny Drinkwater, Kenedy, Ethan Ampadu and naughty Pedro.

Related: Brighton break transfer record to sign striker Jürgen Locadia from PSV

11.31am GMT

Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Goldson, Duffy, Dunk, Suttner, Schelotto, Stephens, Propper, March, Gross, Hemed.
Subs: Hunemeier, Kayal, Baldock, Murray, Izquierdo, Rosenior, Krul.

Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Moses, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Willian, Batshuayi, Hazard.
Subs: Barkley, Musonda, Zappacosta, Luiz, Eduardo, Ampadu, Sterling.

3.00pm GMT

Neither of these teams are in the goals. Brighton have scored just three in their last eight Premier League matches, while Chelsea have only managed one in their previous four league and cup fixtures. And form comes at a premium too. Brighton have only won three games since the start of November; Chelsea haven’t tasted victory in a match in 2018 yet, one FA Cup penalty shootout aside.

But there’s always hope. Brighton will take succour from the fact they’ve only lost two of their 11 Premier League matches at the Amex all season; Chelsea will be buoyed by the way they saw off the Seagulls easily enough on Boxing Day.

Related: Mathew Ryan: ‘English pundits tend to be critical of goalkeepers’

Continue reading...

Chelsea beat Norwich on penalties, Swansea 2-1 Wolves, Wigan 3-0 Bournemouth – as it happened

Chelsea were pushed all the way by Norwich, but won on penalties and join Swansea and Wigan in the fourth round

10.47pm GMT

Chelsea have the good grace not to celebrate too wildly. The champions of England were pushed all the way tonight by Championship side Norwich City, at one point losing their heads to the extent that they ended extra time with only nine men. But they regained their composure during the penalty shoot-out, and a home time against Newcastle United in the fourth round is their reward! Hats off to Norwich, though, for making it one hell of a fight.

Related: Hazard penalty puts Chelsea through against Norwich on dramatic Cup night

Related: Wigan sense repeat of history after crushing win over Bournemouth

Related: Jordan Ayew’s quality finish offers Swansea Cup relief against Wolves

10.45pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 5-3 Norwich. Hazard rolls his spot kick into the bottom left, and Chelsea will host Newcastle in the fourth round!

10.44pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 4-3 Norwich. Murphy has to score. And he does, pelting one into the top right, sending Caballero the other way. But if Eden Hazard scores next, it’s all over.

10.43pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 4-2 Norwich. Kante hits high and hard into the top right. Gunn went the correct way, but had no chance.

10.42pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 3-2 Norwich. Vrancic hooks one into the right-hand side , Caballero going to the left.

10.42pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 3-1 Norwich. Azpilicueta blasts one into the right-hand side of the net. Gunn went the wrong way.

10.41pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 2-1 Norwich. Maddison jinks before hitting one into the bottom left. Cool as you like.

10.40pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 2-0 Norwich. Luiz smashes his into the bottom right, Gunn going the other way.

10.40pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 1-0 Norwich. Oliveira goes high to the left ... and Caballero parries it away brilliantly!

10.39pm GMT

Penalties: Chelsea 1-0 Norwich. Willian sends Gunn the wrong way, rolling into the bottom left.

10.38pm GMT

Who’ll host Newcastle United in the fourth round? We’ll finally get an answer soon. But only after a penalty shoot-out. And the kicks won’t be taken in the ABBA sequence; it’ll be the more conventional alternate system. Chelsea to take first. Here we go, then...

10.35pm GMT

Klose flashes a header at Caballero, who grasps the ball comfortably. And that’s it! We’re going to penalty kicks! “I am in favour of VAR,” said Antonio Conte before the game. “It is a good option to solve some strange situations and mistakes. It is right this way!” Compare and contrast: he’s ranting in the face of the fourth official in the animated style. His press conference is going to be good fun.

10.33pm GMT

With three minutes of stoppages having been played, Norwich earn a free kick to the right of the Chelsea box! They couldn’t, could they?

10.31pm GMT

Morata protests too much, and he’s shown another yellow. Chelsea are down to nine men!

10.31pm GMT

The extra 30 minutes are up. Morata tries to round Zimmerman on the outside. He goes over in the box, feeling a hand on his shoulder. The referee thinks he’s gone down too easily. No VAR intervention, and so it’s a yellow card for Morata. And then ...

10.28pm GMT

Two minutes left. After a long period of Chelsea pressure, Norwich are first to everything right now. All the action in the middle of the park. The hosts are getting super-frustrated.

10.27pm GMT

Pedro, booked for simulation earlier on, slams into Hoolahan from behind. It’s a late lunge, and an obvious second yellow. Off he goes. At least he won’t have to take a penalty kick. Three-and-a-half minutes to go!

10.26pm GMT

Five minutes until penalty kicks, unless Chelsea can do something about it. Or Norwich, obviously, but you see the general direction of travel right now. Pinto is hooked, Tettey coming on in his stead. Once he leaves, that is: Pinto takes an age to get off. Expect at least one added minute once the 120 is up.

10.24pm GMT

Six minutes to go. Zappacosta curls deep from the right and it’s hacked out of play for a corner. Norwich deal with the set piece, but they’re effectively playing with ten men, because Pinto is knackered. Chelsea fling the ball into the mixer again from the right. Morata meets the ball with his head, six yards out! He must score, but it’s straight at Gunn, who drops to the line and smothers. What drama!

10.22pm GMT

It’s attack versus defence. Kante bursts down the left channel and reaches the corner of the six-yard box. He looks for Morata in the middle but Zimmerman is on hand to flick the ball clear. Pinto goes down with cramp. The clock ticks on. Seven minutes left, and the Chelsea faithful are giving the stricken Norwich defender the bird.

10.21pm GMT

Ten minutes to go. It’ll seem like ten years to Norwich. But Chelsea will hear the clock ticking loudly. Azpilicueta sprays a simple pass out of play, under no pressure other than time pressure. The hosts are frustrated.

10.18pm GMT

Corner for Chelsea. Willian hooks it into the six-yard box. Gunn is forced to tip the ball from under his bar at full stretch. Then Morata tries to work the ball round a sliding Klose in the Norwich box. It hits his chest, but Chelsea claim the penalty. The ref - and presumably his VAR sprite - is having none of it.

10.15pm GMT

The teams switch around, Chelsea getting the ball rolling again. We’re 15 minutes away from penalty kicks. It’s raining quite a lot. It’s stormy in Antonio Conte’s soul. If the late, late equaliser wasn’t enough, the Willian penalty non-decision will have put the tin lid on it.

10.12pm GMT

A fun first period of extra time comes to an end with the teams still level. A shame the original 90 minutes weren’t like that.

10.11pm GMT

Vrancic lobs a pass down the left and nearly releases Lewis into the Chelsea area. A deep ball finds Hoolahan tight on the byline to the right of goal. Hoolahan performs a thoroughly pointless rabona, a pretty flourish that puts an end to a very promising move. Chelsea nearly punish him thoroughly, Willian and then Morata denied by some staunch work from Gunn.

10.07pm GMT

Eden Hazard comes on for Drinkwater. He’s straight into the action, dancing down the right and very nearly making space for himself in the Norwich area. Not quite. But with 20 minutes of extra time still to play, the brave visitors have a new problem to solve.

10.05pm GMT

Cantwell is sent scampering into acres of space down the inside-right channel. A better cross and he’d have found Hoolahan in the centre. He settles for a cornerl, which comes to naught. But Norwich are giving as good as they’re getting. “Conte will have a face on his face when he recalls that his Chelsea have the early Saturday kickoff at Brighton,” suggests Marie Mayer, not unreasonably.

10.03pm GMT

Now Morata goes down in the Norwich box, Klose getting a bit saucy with his hands. The defender taking a chance there, but he just about gets away with it. Incidentally, the VAR dude didn’t feel the Willian incident was a “clear and obvious error”, so the ref’s original decision stood. Ah, grey areas, the VAR’s Achilles heel.

10.01pm GMT

Willian drops a shoulder in the Norwich box and goes over Klose’s leg. He’s booked for simulation. However, there’s a little contact, but to Conte’s red-faced disbelief, the referee doesn’t go to the VAR ref. Neither does the VAR ref step in. They’ve probably decided that Willian was already going down, looking for the decision before contact was made. But no doubt you’ll hear more of that. It should have been a penalty kick.

9.57pm GMT

And we’re off again! Chelsea will be kicking themselves: that was uncharacteristically sloppy by Azpilicueta, and sloppy by Luiz. Penny for Conte’s thoughts. You’ve a fair idea, though, haven’t you. Norwich get the ball rolling for the first half of extra time.

9.53pm GMT

That was pretty much the last act of the game. In the stand, Delia Smith beams with delight. On the touchline, Antonio Conte has a face on. What a dramatic end to an otherwise dull match! We’re heading to extra time ... and possibly penalty kicks. Newcastle United still don’t know who they’ll be playing in round four!

9.51pm GMT

We’re heading for extra time! And it’s no more than Norwich City deserve! Klose, out on the left, curls a delicious cross into the area. Lewis rises above the static Luiz and Azpilicueta, and flicks a header into the top right!

9.50pm GMT

Kante - who came on for Kenedy - slips a ball down the middle of the park for Morata, who tries to spin free on the edge of the Norwich area. His control lets him down. Hoolahan hoofs up the other end. It’s an artful hoof, and it nearly releases Murphy. But Christensen sticks on his shoulder, between man and ball, allowing Caballero to rush out from the area to clear upfield.

9.48pm GMT

Pedro whips a cross into their box from the Chelsea left. Morata should slide it home, but can’t get his extended leg onto the ball. His confidence is shot. Which is why, in the next Chelsea attack, he tears free down the left but lays off for Willian instead of shooting. Willian hesitates on the penalty spot, in a futile attempt to dummy Gunn, and the chance is gone. Time is running out for Norwich as the board goes up: four minutes.

9.45pm GMT

Kenedy goes off, to great applause. He’s done well tonight, setting up the goal and nutmegging Pinto with an outrageous piece of close control. ♬ Ken-e-dy for them. ♬ “He always uses his quick feet to escape defenders in the middle of the park,” writes Luke Forrester. “That’s why they call it the Kennedy Space Centre.”

9.43pm GMT

All of which leaves us with the last knockings at Stamford Bridge. Unless Norwich can somehow find an equaliser from somewhere. There are five minutes to go. Morata very nearly put the tie to bed, but from close range flashed a header wide left.

9.41pm GMT

A reasonably sized shock, as the League One leaders see off the Premier League strugglers. Wigan host West Ham in the next round.

9.40pm GMT

Wolves’ wait for their first FA Cup since 1960 goes on. Swansea travel to Notts County in the fourth round.

9.39pm GMT

Chelsea replace their goalscorer Batshuayi with Morata, while Christensen comes on for Ampadu. Signs that Conte isn’t taking any chances, with his team holding onto their slender lead, but not with any great conviction. Meanwhile Norwich throw the dice by replacing Reed with the imaginative Hoolahan. Eight minutes, plus any stoppages, for the Canaries to save themselves.

9.34pm GMT

Drinkwater has a punt at goal from the best part of 30 yards. Nope. Chelsea might have ended their goal drought, but they’re not looking any more confident as a result. Up the other end, Oliveira has a pop from similar distance. Caballero claims with ease. “Pedro booked for simulation?! That’s what he gets for jumping the Gunn.” Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for Peter Oh. Like many of the punters dependent on the District Line to get home, he’s here all week.

9.31pm GMT

A long hoick upfield, and Kenedy nearly tears clear down the Chelsea left. Fortunately for Norwich, Pinto is wise to what’s going on and snuffs out a potentially decisive attack. ♬ Kenedy, Kenedy, Ken-e-dy. ♬ Meanwhile Kennedy is also for Drew Goldie. “I’ll inject a bit of culture. When he went all punk/etc, Nigel Kennedy, precocious, young and an admittedly brilliant violinist, decided that he wanted to be called Kennedy. I can see why he thought that would work, and in those days (not now, I think, no-one actually cares any more) he worried that the name Nigel was tainted, but sadly the world moved backwards and eventually he reverted to the norm. I’m not going to look it up to tell you which, but he played the National Anthem on the violin in the ring before one of those IBO/WBA/WTF World Title boxing fights that took place in GB a while back. It was ludicrous, a real moment of - Whaaat? Hope things aren’t so dull that this gets a mention, but bless you for being there so that the rest of us don’t have to.”

9.26pm GMT

Things aren’t quite as clear cut at Stamford Bridge. The champions of England may be a goal to the good, but Norwich are asking some serious questions. Reed, cutting in from the left, tees up Maddison on the penalty spot. Maddison looks to slot powerfully into the bottom left, but Caballero spreads himself to save the day for Chelsea. And here’s a measure of Chelsea’s slight desperation: Pedro has been booked for a ludicrously brazen dive, having scampered past a prone and innocent Gunn, chasing a lost cause and throwing himself over some thin air.

9.23pm GMT

Aye, that’s surely a home tie against West Ham United secured for the League One leaders. Callum Elder makes it three, and the Latics can party like it’s 2013 all over again.

9.22pm GMT

The Cherries feel the Burn. Dan doubles Wigan’s lead, and the Premier League side are in a lot of trouble now. A shock on the cards.

9.19pm GMT

A game of pinball in the Chelsea area, set off when Caballero and Azpilicueta confuse each other. Amid the melee, Murphy, to the left of the D, whips a shot towards the bottom right. Luiz just about has the line covered, while the ball crashes off the right-hand post! Norwich hit the woodwork for the second time tonight.

9.16pm GMT

... only for Wilfried Bony to almost immediately restore the Swans’ lead!

9.15pm GMT

And it’s all happening! Because in rainy south Wales, Diogo Jota brings the Championship leaders level ...

9.13pm GMT

Finally Chelsea score a goal! And it’s set up by that man Kenedy, who makes room down the left and fires a low and hard cross towards the near post for Batshuayi. The striker can’t miss with a simple sidefoot, and Norwich’s resistance is broken. Altogether now: ♬ Kenedy, Kenedy, Kenedy, Kenedy, Kenedy, Kenedy, Ken-e-dy for me. ♬

9.11pm GMT

With absolutely nothing of note going on in west London, there’s time for me to mention Kenedy’s (admittedly inconsequential) cameo towards the end of the first half. First, he was caught rolling around the floor with Oliveira, attempting to land a very limp slap on the Norwich striker’s mush. On another day, etc. Then, moments later, from the ridiculous to the sublime, as he nutmegged Pinto with an exquisite dragback and flick, all in one smooth motion. What an all-round entertainer! ♪ ♫ Kenedy for me! ♬

9.03pm GMT

They’re off again at Stamford Bridge, an unchanged Chelsea getting the ball rolling once more. Some midfield ping-pong. The BBC’s on-screen clock is jiggered again. It’s been that sort of night.

9.01pm GMT

No early second-half goals at Wigan or Swansea. We’ll be off again in a minute at Stamford Bridge, where the bollocking being delivered by Antonio Conte will be coming to a rousing climax right about now.

8.49pm GMT

Let’s not try to sugar-coat it ... that was a fairly miserable half of FA Cup football. Lucky there’s Sid Lowe to put a grin back on your face (with just a little help from a certain Brazilian showman).

Related: Ronaldinho: a player so good he made you smile

8.46pm GMT

Chelsea have now gone three-and-a-half matches without scoring a goal. Norwich look very comfortable.

8.45pm GMT

Kenedy has a pop from distance. It’s not up to much. Up the other end, Murphy swings a cross in from the left but Luiz is behind that all the way. The half-time whistle can’t come soon enough. “I was sort of enjoying the Chelsea match, as I enjoyed my lunchtime cheese sarnie here in New Mexico,” reports Marie Meyer. “But the repeated viewings of the advertising hoardings saying NOTHING IS CERTAIN has cast me into an existential funk.” They should display that slogan on the displays at Fulham Broadway station as well.

8.41pm GMT

The League One leaders are 45 minutes away from a fourth-round home tie against West Ham United.

8.39pm GMT

Chelsea have been poor so far tonight, and Norwich are beginning to sense a potential upset. They’ve certainly grown in confidence, anyway, as their hosts get frustrated. Oliveira sends another shot whistling just over the Chelsea crossbar. Then Murphy is sent scampering into space down the left. He reaches the Chelsea box, and decides to go for goal instead of squaring it for Oliveira. His shot nearly hits the right-hand corner flag. Oliveira isn’t too happy, but Murphy deserved the chance to shoot after making a lung-bothering run.

8.36pm GMT

The Premier League strugglers go in leading, thanks to Ricky Villa tribute act Jordan Ayew.

8.34pm GMT

And now it’s Norwich’s turn to twang the crossbar! Batshuayi plays a dreadful ball across the face of his own area, gifting possession to Oliveira! The Norwich striker takes a touch and sends a looper over the straining Caballero and off the top of the bar! A few Chelsea hearts in mouths there, and that’s woken a sleepy Stamford Bridge up.

8.32pm GMT

Another free kick for Chelsea to the right of the Norwich D. This time it’s Willian’s turn, after Luiz’s earlier fluffed effort. He lamely sends an effort, meant for the top right, sailing high into the stand.

8.30pm GMT

This Chelsea-Norwich tie isn’t much of a game. Never has switching over to ITV / sitting on a stationary train outside West Brompton seemed so attractive.

8.27pm GMT

Chelsea hit the bar! Drinkwater pearls one from the edge of the box. It’s a beauty of a riser, heading into the top left at some pace. Gunn manages to get his fingertips onto the ball, tipping it onto the crossbar. Zimmermann hooks it away from danger. It was Chelsea’s tenth attempt on goal; Norwich have yet to trouble Caballero in any way.

8.24pm GMT

Kenedy releases Batshuayi down the left. But the striker can’t beat Gunn from a tight angle, and he’s offside anyway. We’re a quarter of the way into this game, and not a great deal has happened yet, the Azpilcueta near-miss apart. Norwich will be happy enough with the way things are going.

8.20pm GMT

Wigan’s opener was a fine effort, Colclough dancing his way around a rash Fraser challenge down the left, and nearly setting up Grigg in the centre. The ball broke to Morsy, who slotted low and hard into the bottom left from 12 yards, wrong-footing the stranded Boruc cleverly. Meanwhile Jordan Ayew’s goal for Swansea was an FA Cup dribble from the Ricky Villa playbook. The white shirts help.

8.15pm GMT

Luiz sidefoots gently over the net and straight into the hands of Gunn. Not a great effort. Gunn launches long in the direction of Oliveira, who is about to race towards the box with the ball. But Caballero comes out of his area, ushers Oliveira out to the right wing, and then hoicks the ball out of play, allowing his team-mates to catch up with play. Brave goalkeeping, to say the very least.

8.13pm GMT

Willian looks in the mood tonight. He powers down the inside-right channel and is upended by Vrancic, just to the right of the D. This is a free kick in a very dangerous position. Luiz is narrowing his eyes. He fancies it.

8.12pm GMT

And now Chelsea’s captain Azpilicueta lifts a pass down the inside-left channel to release Willian into the Norwich box. Willian screws a shot across the face of goal, and out on the right. He should have worked Gunn in the Norwich goal at the very least. He probably should have scored.

8.10pm GMT

Those Chelsea nerves didn’t jangle for long. The ever-excellent Azpilicueta spreads a gorgeous left-to-right pass for Willian on the wing. Willian earns a corner, and swings it into the mixer. Bakayoko eyebrows it towards the left-hand post, and Azpilicueta is an inch or so away from toe-poking the ball over the line. If he was half an inch taller.

8.07pm GMT

Chelsea are a wee bit nervous in these early exchanges. Kenedy creams a backpass towards his keeper Caballero, who does very well to trap the fizzing ball. He then rather spoils the effect by returning it towards Kenedy, over the wing-back’s startled head, and into the stand. Rather better for the home side is Drinkwater’s speculative shot from distance, which flies inches wide of the bottom right.

8.04pm GMT

Anyway, Norwich have got the ball rolling at Stamford Bridge. The atmosphere’s a bit hollow and tinny, as you’d expect with the stadium yet to fill with punters. The BBC have yet to fire up their on-screen clock, too, giving the entire evening a lovely old-school ramshackle feel. Nothing much to report in the early stages.

8.02pm GMT

Meanwhile at the Liberty, Jordan Ayew keeps the Premier League’s end up, drawing first blood for Carlos Carvalhal’s strugglers against the runaway Championship leaders.

8.00pm GMT

Sure enough, having announced that nothing was going on, Sam Morsy opens the scoring at the DW for the League One leaders. A shock? Well, let the record state that Wigan have led their Premier League opponents for all but 12 minutes of the 99 they’ve played so far in this tie. It’s on.

7.57pm GMT

A slow start to the evening’s action. No goals yet at either Swansea or Wigan, and no play at Stamford Bridge. But the teams are finally about to come out on the Fulham Broadway, even if quite a few fans are clearly still stuck on the District Line. A lot of empty seats still. Chelsea will play in blue, Norwich in yellow. The Liquidator blasts out of the PA, and we’ll be off in a minute!

7.46pm GMT

And now Daniel Farke has his say. “Today we are not the favourites, so we can enjoy this game. But we believe in cup competitions. We want to put in a good performance and get the best result we can. January is always a bit annoying: we have lost a key player in Alex Pritchard, who was pretty important for us. But you have to accept that and we have to find some solutions with the other lads. When you face an opponent with such a high individual quality in comparison to us, it is always necessary to create a special plan, and fulfil this plan with a special performance on the pitch. And we will need a bit of luck, and also perhaps Chelsea will not be at their best. We will see!”

7.40pm GMT

A word with Antonio Conte, who is asked whether he’s taking a chance with his line-up, having made nine changes from the side that drew with Leicester City in the Premier League at the weekend. “I don’t know, but for sure we do not have any other way. We are also in the other cup, in the semi-final. I think this is the right way, and I trust my players, every one. We want to win and go to the next round. We are conceding less, but we are not scoring a lot, and for sure we have to improve the quality of our finishing. I am in favour of VAR, it is a good option to solve some strange situations and mistakes. It is right this way.”

7.27pm GMT

The kick-off of the Chelsea-Norwich game has been delayed by 15 minutes due to “difficulties with public transport”. That one won’t be kicking off until 8pm. Huw Edwards, hanging about to read the late news on BBC1, will be cursing the District Line right now.

7.22pm GMT

Wigan Athletic: Jones, Colclough, Dunkley, Bruce, Elder, Perkins, Morsy, Gary Roberts, Power, Massey, Grigg.
Subs: Walton, Byrne, Jacobs, Hunt, Powell, James, Burn.

AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Fraser, Steve Cook, Simpson, Daniels, Mahoney, Surman, Arter, Pugh, Mousset, Afobe.
Subs: Hyndman, Federici, Ibe, Butcher, Taylor, Hobson, Ndjoli.

7.04pm GMT

Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Ampadu, Zappacosta, Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Kenedy, Willian, Batshuayi, Pedro.
Subs: Kante, Morata, Hazard, Musonda, Christensen, Eduardo, Sterling.

Norwich City: Gunn, Hanley, Zimmermann, Klose, Ivo Pinto, Reed, Vrancic, Lewis, Maddison, Oliveira, Murphy.
Subs: Husband, Hoolahan, Stiepermann, Raggett, Tettey, McGovern, Cantwell.

6.58pm GMT

Swansea City: Nordfeldt, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Roberts, Carroll, Roque, Fer, Narsingh, Bony, Ayew.
Subs: Ki, Britton, Dyer, Clucas, Mulder, Bartley, McBurnie.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Norris, Roderick Miranda, Batth, Hause, Doherty, White, N’Diaye, Douglas, Helder Costa, Mir, Enobakhare.
Subs: Bennett, Neves, Burgoyne, Coady, Jota, Saiss, Leo Bonatini.

12.58pm GMT

Welcome to a special edition of Clockwatch, as the third round of this year’s FA Cup comes to an exciting close. There are three ties yet to be settled ...

Chelsea v Norwich City
Swansea City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Bournemouth

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