Scott Murray's Blog, page 155

April 19, 2017

Performing donuts in the centre circle in a car with square wheels

In today’s Fiver: Vidal goes in two-footed, a Fiver letters north-south divide special and a Hanson reference

So Leicester City’s dream of joining Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in the pantheon of unlikely European champions is over. A terrible shame but on the flip side they don’t look like becoming irrelevant second-tier mediocrities any time soon, so it’s swings and roundabouts. And in any case, last night’s display against Atlético Madrid ensures they take their leave of the continental stage with heads held high. “What a great performance from Leicester,” swooned Atletico manager Diego Simeone. “It was almost a pleasure to compete against them. We were living in fear all night of what they might achieve.” Forcing Diego Simeone to live in fear! They should strike Leicester a few shiny medals just for that.

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Published on April 19, 2017 08:44

April 18, 2017

Leicester City 1-1 Atlético Madrid (agg 1-2): Champions League quarter-final – as it happened

Leicester’s European dream is over, as resolute Atlético march on to the semis.

9.37pm BST

Vardy forces another corner down the left. Schmeichel comes up for that one too. Godin clears, allowing Griezmann to have a wild hack at an empty net from distance. But it’s never going in; Alberto Moreno is not alone. And that’s that! Leicester City’s European dream is over. But the mood at the King Power is celebratory. As it should be. Leicester put in a fine second-half performance tonight, matching one of the top teams in Europe over the past few years blow for blow. It’s a fitting end to one hell of a journey: a Premier League title followed by a European Cup quarter-final appearance is some achievement. All of which raises the question: does anybody fancy another go? You wouldn’t put anything past Leicester City.

9.33pm BST

90 min +3: Mahrez slips a ball down the right for Albrighton, who reaches the byline and chips into the middle. Chilwell is waiting to slam home but Savic gets in the way and concedes a corner. Schmeichel comes up for it, and causes a little confusion, but the ball ends up in the arms of Oblak.

9.32pm BST

90 min +2: Fuchs launches long. Ulloa flicks on and nearly finds Vardy in the Atletico box, but Godin reads well and hooks clear.

9.31pm BST

90 min +1: Griezmann bursts down the inside-left but, upon reaching the Leicester box, can’t find Torres with a low ball inside.

9.30pm BST

90 min: There will be four added minutes.

9.30pm BST

89 min: Atletico run down the clock with some clever keep-ball in the midfield. Time is not Leicester’s friend.

9.29pm BST

88 min: Ndidi tees up Drinkwater for a shot from 20 yards, but it’s blocked at source. Atletico tear up the other end, Lucas Hernandez nearly curling one into the top left. Schmiechel gathers.

9.28pm BST

87 min: Griezmann scampers down the middle of the park and, with Leicester backtracking in panic and light on numbers, should really release Torres on goal with a little flick down the inside right. But he hogs the ball and the chance is gone.

9.27pm BST

86 min: Chilwell, who has been excellent since coming on at half time, goes on a rococo ramble down the left. He nearly opens Atletico up, but Savic comes across to cover.

9.26pm BST

85 min: Torres threatens to break clear down the left but Simpson holds him up well.

9.24pm BST

84 min: Morgan shakes his head sadly as he concedes defeat: on comes Amartey in his stead.

9.24pm BST

83 min: Morgan has tweaked something while stretching for a ball he was never meant to get. He wants to continue, but he palpably can’t. He can hardly walk.

9.23pm BST

81 min: Torres, quarterbacking from deep, launches long, long, long. Griezmann is free! But suddenly Schmeichel appears from nowhere, and 40 yards from his own goal beats the striker to a header and the danger is gone. The old man will have enjoyed watching that. World-class gadding about.

9.21pm BST

80 min: A long throw into the Atletico box from the right wing. Ulloa wins a header but there’s nobody there to latch onto the knockdown. Oblak gathers.

9.20pm BST

79 min: Chilwell, brimful of promise, romps down the left and earns a corner. Godin clears the set piece. Leicester have yet to give this up, and don’t Atletico know it.

9.19pm BST

78 min: Morgan bundles Torres to the ground out on the left. Koke tries to catch out Schmeichel, whipping the free kick towards the top left, but the keeper’s read it.

9.18pm BST

77 min: But Leicester keep on coming. The relentless Albrighton makes good down the right and curls one towards the near post for Ulloa. But Oblak rises high to pluck the ball from the sky under pressure. On the touchline, an irate Diego Simeone does the impotent jig o’the manager.

9.16pm BST

76 min: After an interminable wait, Mahrez looks to whip-crack one around the Atletico wall and into the top left. It’s too high.

9.16pm BST

75 min: Mahrez causes enough bother in front of the Atletico box to panic Godin into a rash bodycheck. A free kick, just outside the D. Mahrez has that look in his eye. Fuchs fancies a dig too.

9.14pm BST

74 min: Atletico make their last change: Angel Correa comes on for Filipe Luis.

9.14pm BST

72 min: Lucas Hernandez wheechs down the left, reaches the byline, but can’t find Griezmann or Torres with his cutback. Leicester flood up the other end. Albrighton, out on the right, whips low towards Vardy, who channels his inner Ibrahimovic and attempts to score with a backflick from the edge of the box. Straight into Oblak’s arms, but full marks for ambition.

9.12pm BST

71 min: Ndidi’s miskick was nevertheless Leicester’s 13th attempt on goal in this second half. Atletico haven’t mustered one yet. This is a magnificent response by Leicester, who at the very worst won’t have died wondering.

9.11pm BST

69 min: Atletico swap Carrasco for Torres. And they’re beginning to panic. Albrighton scoops a ball into their area from the right. It pinballs about awhile, and should be forced home by Ndidi from ten yards. But the Leicester midfielder shanks his shot wide left.

9.09pm BST

68 min: Another vital block by an Atletico shirt! Mahrez bustles down the inside-right channel and pulls one back for Vardy on the penalty spot. Vardy bashes towards the top right, but Savic gets in the road. What an intervention!

9.08pm BST

67 min: The Atletico passes aren’t quite sticking up front at the moment. Koke tries to release Griezmann with a chip down the left, but it harmlessly bumbles out of play for a goal kick.

9.07pm BST

65 min: Chilwell is causing Atletico all sorts of bother down the left. He bombs down the left and earns a throw. Mahrez launches it long. Morgan wins a header, and the ball drops to Ulloa, whose shot from six yards must go in ... but it’s deflected wide by Lucas Hernandez’s vital diving block. What a stop! The resulting corner leads to nowt, but this is much better from Leicester. Atletico aren’t rocking, not yet, but they are looking a little worried all of a sudden!

9.03pm BST

63 min: Well that came out of nothing! And now Leicester are first to everything in the middle of the park. The King Power is bouncing!

9.03pm BST

Albrighton hooks one into the area from the right. It finds Chilwell clear, ten yards out at the far post. Chilwell bangs a shot goalwards. It’s blocked by a flying Savic, but deflects right towards Vardy, who roofs it home from close range! They just need two now! They couldn’t, could they?!

9.00pm BST

59 min: A few boos ring around the stadium as Saul Niguez goes down, seemingly for nothing. But replays show Mahrez had planted his studs in his trouser arrangement as the pair slid across the turf. Ooyah! Oof! Unintentional, but still. Ooyah!

8.59pm BST

57 min: Chilwell looks a prospect all right. He finds a minuscule amount of space down the left wing and floats a superb cross towards Ulloa on the edge of the area. Ulloa should spin on the dropping ball and run clear, but he misjudges the flight and the chance is gone.

8.56pm BST

55 min: Atletico substitute Juanfran for Lucas Hernandez. That switch was made in the professional clock-bothering style, designed to check the slight momentum Leicester were building for a couple of minutes back there.

8.54pm BST

52 min: Chilwell looks very lively. Two efforts on goal in 60 seconds or so. First a blooter of a looping volley which only just clears the crossbar, then a header from a deep Albrighton cross which was never troubling the goal. He’s bringing the verve Leicester desperately need tonight.

8.52pm BST

50 min: Atletico come so close to a second. Griezmann tears past Fuchs as if he wasn’t there, and breaks into the box on the right. He reaches the right-hand edge of the six-yard box but instead of dinking past Schmeichel, squares for Carrasco. But there’s too much speed on the pass. Carrasco, never getting there, goes over under light pressure from behind by Albrighton. He wants a penalty, but is never getting one.

8.50pm BST

49 min: Saul really should send Griezmann clear down the inside-left channel but inexplicably delays the pass and eventually loses possession. Leicester go up the other end through Chilwell on the left. The young full-back’s cross, meant for Ulloa, is cleared by Godin.

8.48pm BST

47 min: Leicester start the half hot, Mahrez’s deep cross from the left finding Albrighton coming in from the other wing. Albrighton’s decent first-time shot is deflected out for a corner, from which nothing comes. But that’s a lot better already.

8.46pm BST

And we’re off again! Leicester have made two changes, removing Benalouane and Okazaki and replacing them with Chilwell and Ulloa. They’ll go three at the back with Albrighton and Chilwell as galloping wing backs. Tinkerman Shakespeare! Penny for Claudio’s thoughts. “If Leicester do this, I’m backing Sergio for the Impregnable Quadrilateral of Golf,” writes cross-pollination’s Simon McMahon.

8.36pm BST

Half-time reading: That David Squires is a genius is not exactly breaking news. But his offering today was particularly wonderful, even by his ludicrously high standards. Clickety click, just in case you missed it.

8.33pm BST

The referee blows up for half time a couple of seconds before the 45 minutes are up. Leicester will be happy to get off the park and regroup. They were looking decent until the goal, but have been led a bit of a merry dance since, and were very fortunate not to have conceded a penalty that would surely have put this tie to bed. As it stands, they need three second-half goals to progress.

8.29pm BST

43 min: Seems the tactic of Delapping one into the mixer doesn’t cut it against this Atletico defence. Meanwhile, they’ve just shown a replay of Schmeichel’s tackle on Carrasco. He took the players legs out. It should have been a penalty kick. Leicester have gotten away with a big one there.

8.27pm BST

42 min: Vardy, zipping after a Morgan chip down the right, earns a throw deep in Atletico territory. A chance for Fuchs to Delap one into the mixer.

8.26pm BST

40 min: Carrasco launches a solo bid for glory down the right wing. He nearly dribbles the ball all the way into the net, but is stopped on the corner of the six-yard box by Schmeichel’s slide tackle. The keeper may or may not be highly irritated that none of his colleagues bothered to make a serious challenge on the Atletico interloper.

8.25pm BST

38 min: This has suddenly turned into a possession exhibition by Atletico. They spend the best part of two minutes stroking the ball hither and yon, pinging it between Leicester’s players with almost contemptuous ease. The pressure is eventually lifted when Filipe Luis blooters a witless shot high into the stand behind Schmeichel’s goal from 25 yards.

8.22pm BST

36 min: For a split second back there, the home support rediscovered their voice as Mahrez sent the ball along its arc. But the atmosphere has understandably taken a bit of a downturn since the goal.

8.21pm BST

34 min: Vardy skedaddles down the left, his persistence earning a corner. But Saul Niguez is everywhere right now. He heads clear. Leicester come back at Atletico, and the ball drops from high towards Mahrez, on the right-hand edge of the D. He larrups a volley goalwards, but it’s straight at Oblak and not particularly powerful.

8.18pm BST

32 min: Carrasco strides down the inside-left channel and cuts one back for Saul Niguez, who whips a vicious curler from distance towards the top right. Schmeichel does very well to read it, never mind get both hands on it.

8.16pm BST

30 min: Atletico are, rather unsurprisingly, happy to sit back and let Leicester ping it around the middle. When the ball’s finally shuttled forward, they intercept it, then try to launch a counter. This could become a pattern, no?

8.15pm BST

28 min: That’s taken the wind out of the King Power sails. It takes a couple of minutes for the home fans to find their voice again. No wonder: Leicester were beginning to establish a foothold in the game, and had launched a couple of meaningful attacks. But now look.

8.14pm BST

And how costly! Carrasco nearly releases Griezmann down the middle. Morgan slides in to intercept. Fine tackle. But the ball only goes wide left to Filipe Luis, who curls a delicious deep cross into the Leicester area. Saul is coming in from the other flank, and plants a stunning downwards header across Schmeichel and into the bottom left. What a header! But now the English champions need three goals to progress. Against this Atletico defence.

8.11pm BST

25 min: This wasn’t particularly good from Mahrez, either. He latches onto a Morgan header down the middle. Filipe Luis’s attempt to intercept is appalling, allowing Mahrez to tear towards the Atletico box. He’s only got Godin ahead of him, and Vardy to his right! Bue he delays the pass too long, pushes Vardy too far wide, and he’s offside to boot. What a waste of a great chance.

8.10pm BST

24 min: Mahrez curls it carefully into the strong and loving arms of Oblak. That was dreadful.

8.09pm BST

23 min: Mahrez dribbles down the right wing and is upended by a backtracking Griezmann. A free kick in a very dangerous position, and a chance for Leicester to load the box.

8.08pm BST

21 min: Leicester come straight back at Atletico, though! Vardy scoots down the inside-left channel, reaches the byline, and pulls the ball back for Okazaki, romping into the area, level with the left-hand post. Okazaki has to meet it first time, and whips his shot high and wide left from 12 yards. But that was as close as Leicester have come so far!

8.06pm BST

20 min: ... it’s a free kick to Atletico, Benalouane having been a clumsy bugger during an impromptu game of head tennis.

8.05pm BST

19 min: Leicester press Atletico back, the result of a free kick in the middle of the park flung into the mixer. Fuchs whips a cross in from the left, forcing Gimenez to eyebrow the ball out for a corner on the right. Bedlam at the King Power! The corner’s taken, and...

8.04pm BST

17 min: Atletico are looking lively in attack. Koke, deep on the right, rolls a sliderule pass along the flank with a view to releasing Juanfran on the overlap. Leicester are very fortunate he overcooks it. Goal kick. But on the touchline, there’s applause from Simeone.

8.02pm BST

16 min: Ndidi suddenly finds himself in a lot of space, 30 yards from goal. He’s got Vardy ahead of him, on the edge of the box, plus an option to shoot. But he’s flustered, miscalculating the amount of time he’s been granted, and lets the ball clank off his boot and harmlessly through to Oblak.

8.00pm BST

14 min: Griezmann and Carrasco combine down the right this time. Carrasco gets a yard on Morgan and whips a low ball into the area. If Koke had longer toenails, he’d be running that in. But it evades him. Leicester breathe again. But perhaps too ostentatiously, because within seconds Atletico are coming straight back at them, Saul sending a poor shot low and wide right from 20 yards. The visitors are getting into this now.

7.58pm BST

12 min: Atletico show in attack for the first time. Griezmann drops deep and slides a pass wide left to Carrasco, who cuts a low one straight back towards the penalty spot. Griezmann is rushing in to meet it, forcing Simpson to slide, intercept, and concede a corner. The set piece is confidently headed clear by Drinkwater. But a sudden reminder that an away goal would set Leicester quite the three-goal poser against Simeone’s defence.

7.56pm BST

10 min: Okazaki is very busy early doors. He bustles in from the right, linking well with Mahrez. The ball finds the feet of Albrighton, on the edge of the D. He shoots, but his effort balloons off an Atletico leg and into the arms of Oblak.

7.54pm BST

8 min: Okazaki and Albrighton combine well down the left. The former pulls a ball back for the latter, who chips down the channel and very nearly finds Vardy, zipping into the Atletico area. But there’s too much juice on the ball, and it’s gathered easily by Oblak.

7.52pm BST

6 min: A lot of Leicester possession in the middle of the park. Atletico are happy to sit back. Eventually Fuchs, on the left, gets fed up and loops a cross into the box. It’s a hopeful one, and Okazaki has no chance against Godin.

7.51pm BST

4 min: Mahrez lumps it straight down the middle in the Charles Reep style. A proper 1980s style hoof. Vardy scampers after it like a good boy, and very nearly reaches it, but Juanfran shepherds the ball out of play. If the pitch were only a couple of feet longer, Vardy could have nicked that.

7.48pm BST

2 min: It’s intense. And rather shapeless so far. The first display of skill comes from Schmeichel, who drops a shoulder to evade the pressing of Griezmann while dealing with a Benalouane backpass. Ole!

7.47pm BST

Pennants are exchanged. Handshakes. A last squeeze of water from a bottle. And we’re off! Atletico get the ball rolling. They launch it long, and lose it within five seconds. What an atmosphere. Cum on Feel the Noize still a top pop favourite 44 years on.

7.43pm BST

The teams are out! It doesn’t really need saying, but there’s a storming atmosphere at the King Power Stadium tonight. The stands a swirl of glitter, blue, silver and gold flags fluttering in the breeze. Leicester will play in their trademark blue shirts, while Atletico sport their famous red and white stripes.

7.33pm BST

A quick reminder of the state of play. Leicester lost the first leg to a solitary Antoine Grizemann penalty. No away goal, so only a 1-0 home win can force this quarter-final into extra time tonight. Should that happen, and penalties loom, Atletico may get a little fidgety: they’ve only won two of their six penalty shoot-outs in European competition. And the last one they contested lost them last year’s final.

7.25pm BST

Craig Shakespeare speaks! “Wes Morgan is ready, a big bonus for us. He came through training. We made sure there was no reaction this morning, and he’s ready to go. We have to be respectful of the opposition. They’re a terrific side, we start as underdogs. But we’ve been underdogs before, we enjoy it. We know the task ahead. If we’re on the front foot, and we deny them the space, and do what we’re good at, hopefully we can be effective. The bookies have got it wrong occasionally, some team were 5,000-1 last season!”

7.11pm BST

Pretty much the same line-ups from last week’s game at the Vicente Calderon. Leicester make one change, welcoming back Wes Morgan, who replaces the suspended Robert Huth. Atlético meanwhile relegate striker Fernando Torres to the bench, with Jose Maria Gimenez stepping up into a defensive screening role. Diego Simeone looking to preserve his side’s lead, who’d have thought it?

Incidentally, Wilfred Ndidi, Islam Slimani and Jamie Vardy are all a booking away from a ban. Gimenez is the only player in red and white worrying about a possible semi-final suspension.

6.51pm BST

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Benalouane, Morgan, Fuchs, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Albrighton, Okazaki, Mahrez, Vardy.
Subs: Zieler, Chilwell, Musa, King, Amartey, Gray, Ulloa.

Atlético Madrid: Oblak, Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Gimenez, Filipe Luis, Gabi, Koke, Saul Niguez, Carrasco, Griezmann.
Subs: Moya, Torres, Correa, Lucas Hernandez, Gameiro, Thomas, Gaitan.

1.00pm BST

Leicester City, champions of England, are doing the Premier League proud. Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have fallen miserably by the wayside, but the Foxes have prowled on, first under title-winning hero Claudio Ranieri, now with regeneration expert Craig Shakespeare. And here they are: a mere 90 minutes away from the semi-finals of the European Cup!

In the road: Atlético Madrid. Hot damn! Because it’s Atlético who have scuppered Leicester’s hopes in two of their three previous European campaigns to date, knocking them out of the first round of the 1961-62 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1997-98 Uefa Cup. Here’s a selected list of Leicester players historically disappointed by Atlético: Gordon Banks, Frank McLintock, Ken Keyworth, Colin Appleton, Neil Lennon, Muzzy Izzet, Steve Walsh, Emile Heskey. Throw in managers Matt Gillies and Martin O’Neill, and that’s not such a bad roll call, eh.

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Published on April 18, 2017 13:49

The Fiver | Bodyswerving a particular monicker-based humiliation

In today’s Fiver: Big Cup, ’Arry Redknapp, Brighton and much more

The folks at Uefa have much to worry about at the moment. Did they really treat Borussia Dortmund properly? How to deal with the ongoing situation involving Bastia? And whatever to order?! Cheese soufflé and double cream, beef with wild mushrooms in a red wine jus, lard ice cream, café et petits four? Then, after breakfast, deconstructed club sandwiches, with the constituent parts of bread, chicken, bacon, tomato, mayonnaise and another slice of bread replaced by, in turn, foie gras, foie gras, foie gras, foie gras, a very thick slab of foie gras and some deep-fried battered foie gras? Decisions, decisions.

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Published on April 18, 2017 07:56

April 13, 2017

Anderlecht v Manchester United: Europa League quarter-final first leg – as it happened

United spent most of the evening on top, but Leander Dendoncker’s late equaliser keeps the tie in the balance.

9.56pm BST

For a second, it looks as though Chipciu, about to meet a dropping ball to the right of the United goal, is planning to recreate Marco van Basten’s volley in the Euro 88 final. But let’s not be silly. And that’s that. The late Anderlecht goal will sting, but United are still in the box seat in this quarter final. They were the better team for the majority of the game, have an away goal in their pocket, and the second leg at home to come. But the Belgians have a little hope to take to Old Trafford now. Next week’s game promises to be a cracker.

9.53pm BST

90 min +2: Fosu-Mensah is booked for a slightly reckless slide into a 50-50 challenge with Hanni.

9.52pm BST

90 min +1: There will be three added minutes. The travelling support are belting out a defiant version of Glory, Glory.

9.51pm BST

90 min: United make their final change, replacing the goalscorer Mkhitaryan with Fosu-Mensah.

9.50pm BST

88 min: Anderlecht have been much improved in this second half. But United still looked in control and the more likely to score. That equaliser came out of nothing. On the bench, Jose Mourinho has his don’t-care face on.

9.48pm BST

The always lively Obradovic bursts down the left wing, and curls a fine high cross towards the far post. Dendoncker romps in from the right, leaps above Darmian and crashes a superb header into the top left! That was an unstoppable header!

9.46pm BST

85 min: Ibrahimovic, in the centre circle, plays a glorious defence-splitting pass down the centre to release Martial, curling his run from the left. Ruben is out to batter clear, and the flag goes up for offside anyway. Martial looked to have timed his run well, for the record, not that it really matters.

9.45pm BST

83 min: United, after sitting back for most of the half, are now pressing for a second away goal that would surely kill the tie. Ibrahimovic flicks cleverly down the inside-right channel to release Pogba. He’s one on one with Ruben! But it’s a tight-ish angle. Pogba looks to smash across the keeper and into the bottom left, but Ruben gets a fine hand on it, and the ball spins out to the left of goal. From the corner, Fellaini nearly silences the stadium again with a close-range header, but doesn’t quite connect.

9.43pm BST

81 min: Fellaini, given the bird with every touch, almost delivers the perfect riposte. He batters a shot goalwards from 25 yards. It pinballs off the legs of Chipciu and very nearly deceives Ruben, but the keeper readjusts to claim well.

9.41pm BST

80 min: Dendoncker launches long in the hope of releasing Acheampong. Bailly wins the duel. The ball breaks to Hanni, who can’t get a shot away. But Hanni is busy, and soon enough he’s twisting and turning on the edge of the United area after being fed by Acheampong on the left. His shot is deflected wide left of goal, for a corner that leads to nothing. But for a few seconds there, United looked a bit scrappy.

9.39pm BST

78 min: Anderlecht are seeing enough of the ball, but only in their own half. United are making them work for everything, and shutting them down repeatedly in the final third.

9.37pm BST

75 min: United seem quite happy to sit back and soak things up. With this tactic uppermost in mind, Fellaini comes on for Rashford. Fellaini, a former employee of Anderlecht’s rivals Standard Liege, is given quite the reception. And he’s going to get it every time he touches the ball.

9.34pm BST

72 min: Hanni rolls Bailly down the left and romps towards the area. He crosses low for Thelin, who falls over as he shapes to shoot. The crowd claim a penalty as the nearby Darmian challenges and makes off with the ball. But they’re not getting that.

9.32pm BST

70 min: This was better from the talented Thelin. He snaffles the ball 40 yards from the United goal, scampers up the inside-left channel for a second before slipping a pass forward and inside for Hanni. The sub instantly runs into Rojo, with United otherwise very light at the back. A half-chance for Anderlecht to launch an attack spurned.

9.30pm BST

69 min: Carrick gets a wipe-down with the magic sponge after being clattered upside the head in an aerial duel with Thelin. A few seconds later, Thelin clips an in-flight Mkhitaryan. Just a couple of fouls, but Thelin wants to watch himself; another cheeky challenge, and he’ll earn a booking that’d keep him out of the second leg at Old Trafford.

9.28pm BST

67 min: Obradovic is booked for a fairly basic slide on Rashford, who was looking to make off down the right. An incensed Mourinho, brow furrowed, springs off the bench to wave his arms about in protest.

9.27pm BST

66 min: All a bit scrappy at the moment. Jose Mourinho will be happy enough to watch the clock tick on without incident.

9.26pm BST

64 min: It’s like watching an England international during the Sven-Goran Eriksson era right now. Or rugby. A substitution every other minute. Now Hanni comes on for Stanciu.

9.24pm BST

63 min: Now United make their first change of the evening. Martial comes on for Lingard. By all accounts, his next goal will earn Monaco an extra £8.5m. Gotta love modern football accountancy gossip!

9.22pm BST

61 min: Mkhitaryan is this close to releasing Rashford down the middle. But not for the first time tonight, Kara steps in and says ta-ra. United look to have more goals in them tonight, though.

9.21pm BST

60 min: A rare mistake from Valencia as he allows Tielemans to roll him and scamper down the left. Tielemans slides the ball forward to Acheampong, whose cross-cum-shot is deflected back to Obradovic in space on the penalty spot. But the full back is leaning back, and his first-time shot squirts woefully wide right.

9.18pm BST

58 min: The first change of the night, as Bruno is sacrificed for Chipciu.

9.18pm BST

57 min: Rashford comes drifting in off the left flank and batters a shot straight down Ruben’s throat from 20 yards.

9.17pm BST

55 min: And all of a sudden, United nearly extend their lead. Pogba sprays a pass down the left from deep. Darmian takes a touch as he strides down the wing and hooks a ball into the box. Mkhitaryan, level with the left-hand post and 12 yards out, twists and tries to steer a volley into the top right. His clever attempt has the rooted Ruben beaten all ends up, but the ball flashes just wide of the post. That was a very aesthetically pleasing high-speed move.

9.15pm BST

54 min: A corner for Anderlecht out on the left, and a bit of head tennis in the United box. Romero eventually deals with the situation. But the home side are finally putting together a few more attacks.

9.14pm BST

52 min: A ball hoicked down the left by Anderlecht. Pogba, in his own box, clears after juggling the ball a wee while. That took ice in the veins. Lovely skill under pressure.

9.13pm BST

50 min: Anderlecht come at United again, Tielemans dinking a ball down the inside-left to release Acheampong into the area. He must shoot, he probably should score, but he foolishly hesitates and allows Bailly to relieve him of the ball. Better from the home side, though. And once again, United start the half in a slightly sluggish fashion.

9.11pm BST

49 min: Obradovic, out on the left, makes like Georgie Best across the face of the United box. He eventually slips the ball to Bruno on his outside. Bruno’s shot from a tight angle is deflected, beats Romero as a result, and is hacked into the air, off the line, by Valencia. It drops to Acheampong in Mkhitaryan Territory, tight to the left of goal. Acheampong volleys goalwards, but Valencia spreads himself to block legally. What defending!

9.09pm BST

48 min: And it’s a free kick in a dangerous position, just to the left of the D. Stanciu looks for a curler into the top right, but it’s a dismal effort which flies high into the stand.

9.08pm BST

47 min: Acheampong makes off down the inside-left channel. He’s dragged down just outside the area by Carrick, who is booked for the challenge. He goes to argue with the referee, but you can tell his heart’s not really in it. It’s a fair cop.

9.07pm BST

And we’re off again! United get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. The play’s almost immediately stopped again as Ibrahimovic carelessly clocks poor Nuytinck on the tip of his beak with a high boot. Tonk! Ooyah! Oof!

8.58pm BST

Half-time listening: European chat for your pleasure.

8.52pm BST

Anderlect looked dangerous for the first ten minutes or so. Since then, though, United have been in total control. They’ve hogged possession, dictated the play, and deservedly have an away goal in their back pocket already. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia have all been very impressive in their own ways. This tie could be over tonight if the second half pans out in similar fashion, so don’t go away!

8.50pm BST

44 min: Bruno slides a pass down the right wing in a forlorn attempt to release Appiah. The move is easily snuffed out by Darmian. Anderlecht are doing absolutely nothing in attack. United are utterly dominant.

8.49pm BST

42 min: Valencia earns a corner out on the right. Nothing comes of the set piece, but the United right-back has been sparkling in attack tonight. He’s a fine player: relentless, clever, direct. No need for frills.

8.46pm BST

40 min: Anderlecht are rattled. Their passing is hectic and panicked. It’s never very long before someone in a red shirt steps in to intercept and sashay off with the ball in a calm fashion. Rashford sprints with great purpose down the right and very nearly finds Lingard on the penalty spot. The ball’s blocked and cleared before a shot can be taken.

8.43pm BST

38 min: Breaking news: the United travelling support are making the most noise now.

8.42pm BST

This had been coming. More room for the increasingly dangerous Valencia down the right. He’s sent clear by Ibrahimovic. He crosses low for Rashford on the penalty spot. Rashford shoots first time towards the bottom left. Ruben does very well to get a hand to the ball, but can only push it wide left. Mkhitaryan, from a very tight angle, rushes in and lashes high into the net. A crucial away goal!

8.40pm BST

35 min: Anderlecht haven’t done much in attack for a while now. Bruno tries to get something going down the left, but there’s little space for him to operate and eventually the move fizzles out, not far past the halfway line.

8.39pm BST

33 min: Valencia romps down the right and smashes a low cross into the centre. Mkhitaryan, to the right of the D, takes all the pace off the ball with a very clever first-time pitching-wedge down the inside-right channel. But Rashford and Ibrahimovic are on the back foot, and can’t respond quickly enough. Ruben comes off his line to gather.

8.37pm BST

32 min: But he batters an uncharacteristically witless free kick into the wall.

8.36pm BST

31 min: Lingard dribbles his way down the inside-left channel and is unceremoniously upended by Appiah. That was clumsy rather than cynical, so there’s no yellow card. But this is a chance for Ibrahimovic from a free kick, the best part of 30 yards out. He’s got that look in his eye.

8.35pm BST

29 min: Another stunning Kara intervention! Mkhitaryan slips a ball down the middle and for a second it looks as though Lingard is going to scoot clear into the area. But out comes Kara’s telescopic leg, and the ball’s hooked away. What a last-ditch tackle! The home side can’t keep carrying on like this, though. They’re disturbingly easy to penetrate through the centre. A United breakthrough is surely only a matter of time.

8.33pm BST

27 min: United are seriously threatening to open Anderlecht up. Carrick sprays a long ball down the middle, releasing Rashford towards the box. But the striker takes a heavy touch, allowing Kara to step in, snaffle the ball, turn and clear.

8.31pm BST

26 min: Pogba, from a central position, rakes a gorgeous high diagonal pass towards Valencia on the right. Valencia meets it on the volley near the byline, sending a low cross into the area. If someone else in red was rushing into the Anderlecht box, that could have ended in a picture-book goal. But no.

8.29pm BST

24 min: Tielemans charges through the middle of the park as Anderlecht launch a quick break. Mkhitaryan, giving chase but labouring a wee bit, clips his ankle in the cynical manner and doesn’t bother complaining when the referee shows him the yellow card.

8.27pm BST

22 min: United are beginning to dominate now. The home side are struggling to retain possession when they do get the ball. The visitors pinging it around the middle of the park in fancy fashion. The home fans are still giving it plenty, though.

8.26pm BST

19 min: United keep passing the ball around. All those Louis van Gaal drills were worth something after all, huh. Eventually Rashford earns a little space 25 yards out. He drops a shoulder and curls a delicious effort towards the top right. It doesn’t quite come back, inches wide of the post. But what an effort that was!

8.24pm BST

17 min: United go up the other end and nearly score! Ibrahimovic gets on the end of a deep Rashford cross from the left. He can’t quite force the ball home, prodding it with his studs into Ruben’s chest from close range. A fine reaction save. The ball breaks to Lingard on the right. He smashes the ball against the post. It drops six yards from goal, but Nuytinck is the first to it, and batters clear. United so unlucky!

8.22pm BST

16 min: Acheampong earns Anderlecht another corner down the left. It’s hit long, and eventually it’s a corner on the other side. United let the ball bounce a couple of times in their own six-yard box. Bailly blooters clear, but Tielemans returns it with a chip down the centre of the field. Thelin is clear! And he puts the ball into the bottom-left corner, but he’s miles offside and Romero had stopped playing.

8.20pm BST

14 min: Bruno busies himself down the right and finds Dendoncker in the United box. Dendoncker returns the ball with a cushioned pass, setting up Bruno for a thrash at goal from a tight angle. The shot hits Thelin, six yards out, but the Anderlecht man is offside and the ball clanks wide right anyway.

8.18pm BST

11 min: Pogba again from deep, this time sliding a pass down the left channel for Rashford. Kara Mbodji does very well to step across his man and take over possession without conceding a penalty kick. Rashford, battling to reclaim the ball, tugs his man back. Both sides are seriously threatening to score; the last passes just aren’t quite coming off. It’s been a very open game.

8.16pm BST

10 min: Pogba, his back to the Anderlecht goal, 30 yards out, swivels and pitching wedges a delightful ball down the inside-right channel. He’s not far away from releasing Lingard at all, but there’s a little too much juice on the pass. Goal kick. This is very entertaining end-to-end fun.

8.15pm BST

9 min: Space for Appiah down the right. He looks to have won a corner off Rashford, but the ball clanks back off him. Goal kick. The hosts are piling forward in the progressive style, though. They come again. Acheampong dribbles down the left and looks for the bottom right with an ambitious diagonal fizzer. He drags it well wide of the goal, though Thelin was hovering in the middle, and if his toenails were a bit longer, may have been able to poke the cross home, Romero in no-man’s land.

8.13pm BST

7 min: United are on the back foot as Acheampong drives down the inside-left channel. The Anderlecht striker slides the ball wide left to Obradovic on the overlap. Hoof! Hoick! Shank! The ball flies into the stand behind the goal. That was dreadful; he had men in the centre and United were looking a bit light at the back.

8.11pm BST

6 min: Pogba does a little bit of probing in the Anderlecht final third, nearly finding Lingard in space down the inside-right channel. It’s a nice, open game so far. Both teams looking very expansive in attack.

8.10pm BST

4 min: United wake up. A ball played down the inside-left channel very nearly releases Rashford into the area. For a second, it looks like a shot is forthcoming, but Obradovic does well to usher the United man away from danger. Then the home side go up the other end. Acheampong races after a long ball, forcing Romero to come out of his box to clear. From 25 yards out, Romero shanks the ball behind for a corner. That was not good. But the set piece is mopped up easily enough.

8.08pm BST

2 min: Anderlecht launch a couple of attacks down the left. First Thelin chests down a long Nuytinck ball but can’t quite set up Acheampong; then Denconcker fires a low cross to Bruno, in a little bit of space inside the United D. He’s got a chance to shoot, but swings at fresh air. That was half a chance. United have been a bit sleepy so far.

8.07pm BST

Anyway, we’re off! Anderlecht get the ball rolling, and it ping-pongs around the middle of the park awhile. No great shape to the play as of yet, but the atmosphere in Belgium is splendid.

8.06pm BST

The teams are out! There’s a cracking atmosphere in the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium tonight, fully befitting such a big European tie. Anderlecht are in their famous purple and white, while Manchester United get to wear their trademark red and white. Not such good news coming from France, where the kick off of Lyon-Besiktas is certain to be delayed after crowd bother caused fans to flee from the stands and onto the pitch. It would seem Besiktas fans in the upper tier of a stand have been dispatching items downwards onto opposing supporters; shades of Ireland-England at Lansdowne Road all those years ago. What is wrong with people?

7.46pm BST

Jose Mourinho speaks! “We have a special feeling for the Europa League because now this is the only competition we can win. We cannot win the Premier League. This is a competition where we share our motivations and ambitions with seven other teams, we need to beat three of them, and Anderlecht is the first hurdle. They are a difficult opponent. They have a mixture of physicality at the back and speed and agility in attack. It will be difficult. We play ten matches to get here, we travel around Europe, now we have to push.”

7.43pm BST

Anderlecht make five changes to the XI sent out for a goalless draw with Gent on Sunday. Frank Boeckx, Uros Spajic, Alexandru Chipciu, Sofaine Hanni and Lucasz Teodorczyk make way for Bruno Martinez, Bram Nuytinck, Massimo Bruno, Frank Acheampong and Isaac Thelin.

Manchester United make three changes to the team who stepped out to win 3-0 at Sunderland on Sunday. Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini are replaced by Michael Carrick, Marcus Rashford and Antonio Valencia.

7.15pm BST

Anderlecht: Ruben Martinez, Appiah, Mbodji, Nuytinck, Obradovic, Bruno, Tielemans, Dendoncker, Stanciu, Acheampong, Thelin.
Subs: Boeckx, Deschacht, Spajic, Chipciu, Diego Capel, Teodorczyk, Hanni.

Manchester United: Romero, Valencia, Bailly, Rojo, Darmian, Carrick, Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, Rashford, Ibrahimovic.
Subs: de Gea, Martial, Blind, Herrera, Shaw, Fosu-Mensah, Fellaini.

9.46am BST

Manchester United’s first-ever match in European football was against Anderlecht. It was a preliminary round fixture in the brand-new European Cup competition in September 1956, and according to the Manchester Guardian’s Old International - the pen-name for the legendary Donny Davies - Matt Busby’s side “bore themselves nobly in the Belgian capital”. The game was advertised as a Grand Match International en Nocturne and was played out under “cool silvery light”. United took the lead after 20 minutes, Dennis Violett ending a “long, sinuous run” with a “blistering scoring shot”.

Mark Jones conceded a penalty for handball, but Martin Lippens hit the post, and Hippolyte Van den Bosch had his follow-up saved by a “wonderful lurch forward off all fours” by Ray Wood. Tommy Taylor headed home a David Pegg cross to make it two. Game over, and the result was a “triumph of team spirit and a credit to all concerned ... if one wants to feel British and proud of it, travel round with Manchester United.” The Belgian fans appeared in awe of the visitors; “reverence” and “extravagant adulation” was the order of the day.

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Published on April 13, 2017 13:58

The Fiver | Pining for the days of Tomasz Radzinski

In today’s Fiver: Anderlecht down on their luck, maritime history, students and Tony Adams

Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht have a storied European history, starting with their 10-0 spanking by a Tommy Taylor and Dennis Viollet inspired Manchester United in 1956, to the time they paid the referee £27,000 to cheat Nottingham Forest out of a place in the Euro Vase final of 1984. Those are stories, right? To be fair, along the way there have been good times too: they’ve bagged a couple of Cup Winners’ Cups, one at the expense of West Ham United, plus the 1983 Euro Vase. But it’s been a long while since they’ve been a force on the continent. There was brave defeat in the 1990 Cup Winners’ Cup final, and Tomasz Radzinski scored twice against United in the Big Cup groups of 2000, but otherwise pickings are slim. Pining for the glory days of Tomasz Radzinski. This is where they’re at.

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Published on April 13, 2017 09:02

April 12, 2017

The Fiver | Playing Paul Rutherford to Jamie Carragher’s Holly Johnson

In today’s Fiver: Big Cup bonanza, Graziano Pellè, and poor ol’ Big Sam

Leicester City’s bid to become the latest club from the English Midlands to make fools of the European elite continues apace. It’s all been going so well, as they follow the playbook written by Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa to the letter. Title surprisingly won by team of unsung journeymen, underappreciated cast-offs and emerging talent? Check! Manager barely able to last until the new year of the following season? Check! Tensions between manager and assistant that we’ll probably never get to the bottom of, but at a cursory glance make the relationship between Brian Clough and Peter Taylor look like the Captain & Tennille? Check! All we need now is for Claudio Ranieri to rock up at a close rival, like Ron Saunders did at Birmingham, and we’ll pretty much have the full set. Claudio the next manager of Coventry, then. And he won’t be giving back the company car.

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Published on April 12, 2017 09:50

Playing Paul Rutherford to Jamie Carragher’s Holly Johnson

In today’s Fiver: Big Cup bonanza, Graziano Pellè, and poor ol’ Big Sam

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Published on April 12, 2017 09:50

April 10, 2017

Oh, Sergio! How Masters winner García proved me wrong after all these years | Scott Murray

After 73 failed attempts to win a major the Spaniard finally came good at Augusta National having seemingly thrown his challenge away once again

On reflection it was wrong to say we had been waiting for this since 1999. It was not a thing in 1999 at all. When the precocious 19-year-old charmer Sergio García announced himself by manufacturing a six iron to the green from behind a tree at that year’s US PGA Championship, sprinting up the fairway after it, then running Tiger Woods close in a near-miracle at Medinah, it was simply assumed he would go on insouciantly to gather up armfuls of major titles – just like Tiger. But it did not work out like that.

Since then Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, Geoff Ogilvy, Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson, Trevor Immelman and Mike Weir have won majors – fine players but none possessing the innate flair of Sergio. Ah well, the nature of golf. But no wonder García at one point mentally gave up the ghost, publicly declaring he did not possess the moxie to get the job done.

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Published on April 10, 2017 08:39

April 3, 2017

When Masters years ended in seven: eight famous or forgotten anniversaries | Scott Murray

From the nearly man who gave golf lessons to Dwight Eisenhower to a player whose clothing would have made Payne Stewart look like Johnny Cash

Nicklaus warmly congratulated his victor, who was quick to offer an apology for misinterpreting events

The beginning of the Tiger era – and one of those rare events that can genuinely be described as epochal

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Published on April 03, 2017 05:34

April 2, 2017

Celtic win Scottish Premiership title after 5-0 win over Hearts – as it happened

Scott Sinclair’s hat-trick secured Celtic’s 48th Scottish title - and their sixth in a row.

2.49pm BST

Congratulations to Celtic, then: Scottish Premiership champions 2016-17! They’ve secured the title with eight games still to play, having dropped just four points in 30 matches! Astonishing. A triumph for the ages. And with the League Cup also in the bag, they’ll now start dreaming of securing the Scottish Cup and the fourth domestic Treble in the club’s history. They’ll take some stopping; it could be quite a year!

2.43pm BST

And now a word from Brendan Rodgers, a title-winning manager at last! “It’s nice to clinch it, of course, but to play in the manner we did was very important for me. I always demand it. It is important how the players represent the club: Celtic is all about professionalism, dignity, pride and style. To clinch it how we did, playing like we did, is a massive credit to the players!”

2.35pm BST

The captain Scott Brown speaks ... “It’s a great performance today. Scott Sinclair deserves all the plaudits, he’s been outstanding this season from start to finish. We’re a lot fitter under the new manager, we’re scoring a lot more goals, and we’ve made some not-bad signings! We are going to push as hard as we possibly can in the Champions League next season.”

... alongside hat-trick hero Scott Sinclair. “The whole point when I signed was to enjoy my football again, and get my form back. Which I have. The manager believes in me. I’m just enjoying every minute of it!”

2.28pm BST

Rodgers leads his Celtic team to the away end. Players applaud punters; punters applaud players. It’s a love-in! Then a moment of introspection, sort of, as the squad group into the mother of all huddles and bounce around in a circle for a while. Lovely scenes. The other three sides of Tynecastle are deserted, of course, as Hearts fans wander off to contemplate their team’s worst home defeat since losing 7-0 to Hibs in 1973. Contrasting emotions all right.

2.22pm BST

Scott Sinclair started it with the winner here at Tynecastle back in August; he’s wrapped it up with a brilliant hat-trick at the same venue today! Celtic have won the Scottish title for the sixth year in a row; it’s their 48th championship overall! They’ve been a class apart, and the celebrations start now. The players pull on some celebratory bibs; Brendan Rodgers, ever the gentleman, commiserates with Ian Cathro and the Hearts players before joining his men, a broad, proud smile playing across his face!

2.19pm BST

90 min: With the scoreline as it is, only one extra minute will be added on. Sixty seconds to cigarettes and booze!

2.18pm BST

89 min: ... nearly clears Arthur’s Seat.

2.18pm BST

88 min: Cowie trips the excellent Tierney as the Celtic defender sashays in from the left. A free kick in a dangerous area, 25 yards out. Armstrong stands over it, and...

2.17pm BST

87 min: Kolo Toure, who so nearly won the English title three years ago with Rodgers at Liverpool, comes on for Boyata.

2.16pm BST

86 min: Forrest turns on the jets to burn down the right. His low cross is only just missed by Mackay-Steven, six yards out. This is already a rout; Hearts don’t want this to turn into an abject humiliation.

2.14pm BST

Sinclair bashes the penalty into the top left. That’s his hat-trick, his 21st goal of the season, and his sixth against Hearts. Celtic enjoy a little group cuddle on the penalty spot, and you can’t begrudge them: what a way to win the title!

2.12pm BST

83 min: Sinclair bursts into the box down the left. Nowak comes across and upends him. The referee has no option. That’s a spot kick.

2.11pm BST

82 min: This is a training-ground exercise now. Celtic playing keep-ball. Sinclair, Tierney, Armstrong and Mackay-Steven take turns to cause a little bother in the Hearts box. Hearts desperately swarm around them and eventually hack clear.

2.09pm BST

80 min: Celtic make a double change. Roberts and Lustig are replaced by Mackay-Steven and Gamboa.

2.09pm BST

79 min: A rare Hearts attack. Cowie plays a clever ball down the inside-right channel to release Struna ... but the Hearts full back has gone too early, and the flag goes up.

2.07pm BST

77 min: Roberts tries to liven the mood with a burst down the right. His dipping cross is met by Forrest on the penalty spot. Forrest surely has to score, but fluffs a very weak shot, under pressure from Bauben. Hamilton smothers.

2.05pm BST

75 min: It’s very quiet at the moment.

2.03pm BST

73 min: The Celtic fans are running through their party songbook. A few ole!s as their team stroke it around the back. A sense that we’re just all looking at the clock now.

2.02pm BST

71 min: With the red mist threatening to descend on Goncalves, he’s hooked for Beith. He doesn’t seem too happy about it. He’s played well. The look he shoots Ian Cathro! Ah to be a fly on the wall in the Hearts dressing room afterwards.

1.59pm BST

69 min: A bad 60 seconds from Boyata, who cynically slashes at the back of Goncalves’ boots, the big Hearts striker having turned out of a tight spot brilliantly. He was making his way with some purpose into a sparsely populated Celtic half; he’s entitled to be irritated, which he obviously is. Sure enough, the free kick comes to naught.

1.57pm BST

68 min: ... Boyata rises high, only to slap his header from ten yards well over the crossbar.

1.56pm BST

67 min: McGregor and Forrest scuttle down the inside-right channel and earn Celtic a corner. From which...

1.55pm BST

65 min: Hearts look visibly deflated. They were snapping at Celtic’s heels all the way through the first half. Now, not so much. They make a double change: Walker and Tziolis off, Martin and Bauben on. Meanwhile here’s Simon McMahon, continuing the Supertramp theme, because somebody had to: “Am guessing that the Celtic fans will take the long way home today.”

1.52pm BST

Hearts certainly would, anyway. This is turning into a rout. Avlonitis plays a piss-poor pass upfield. It’s intercepted easily by McGregor, and suddenly Hearts are light at the back and in awful trouble. McGregor slips a pass down the inside-right channel, Roberts steps into the area, drops a shoulder, and curls a shot around Nowak and into the top left. What a finish! Hamilton had no chance. This is a championship party all right!

1.49pm BST

60 min: But it’s all gone a bit scrappy again. Everyone knows what’s what. If there was an option to end this match prematurely, you’d guess that everyone would take it.

1.48pm BST

58 min: Walker has been a marvellous nuisance all afternoon, and he nearly breaks through the middle of the Celtic defence with another busy bustle. The ball clanks off his boot and nearly whistles into the bottom left from the edge of the box, but Gordon has that one covered too.

1.46pm BST

57 min: Kitchen attempts to respond by sending a dipping screamer in the general direction of the Celtic goal from 30 yards. A decent enough effort, albeit one which sails wide left. Gordon had it covered.

1.45pm BST

And there goes that lull! Tierney cuts in from the left, and rolls a glorious hit-me-hit-me-hit-me ball across the face of the Hearts box. Armstrong takes a stride and batters a shot into the bottom right! Maybe Hamilton should have done a bit better - certainly he sent Celtic on their way initially with a poor clearance - but that was all about Tierney and Armstrong. It’s Celtic’s party, after all!

1.44pm BST

53 min: There goes that lively start to the second half. A lull.

1.42pm BST

51 min: Celtic have the ball in the net again, and once more it’s ruled out. McGregor is in space out on the right, and bumbles a cross into the middle. Sinclair is waiting to sidefoot home, but he’s offside. Avlontis slides in and guides the ball into his own net. But the flag goes up, and it’s disallowed. No doubt there will be differing interpretations of that, but it looks like the right decision to me: the defender wouldn’t make the attempt to intercept were Sinclair not active in the middle.

1.39pm BST

50 min: Johnsen races towards the Celtic box, with the visitors light at the back. He’s got Cowie free on his right, but opts to keep going himself, and eventually scores three rugby points. That’s not very clever; Cowie was in acres. Cowie makes his displeasure known using the international language of mime.

1.38pm BST

48 min: Walker attempts to bring down a high ball, 35 yards from goal. Simunovic rattles him to the ground, and it’s a free kick for Hearts. A training-ground routine, which sees three maroon shirts spray off to the left, goes awry. Cowie tries to salvage the situation with a deep cross towards Goncalves at the right-hand post, but the Hearts striker is surrounded and never winning a header.

1.36pm BST

46 min: A subdued start to the second half, as Tierney takes a couple of throw-ins deep in Hearts territory, in almost total silence. It’s almost as if everyone’s already waiting for the final whistle, one way or another.

1.34pm BST

We’re off again! No changes have been made. Celtic get the ball rolling for the second half. They’re just 45 minutes plus stoppages away from their sixth league title in a row, their 48th in total.

1.21pm BST

Half-time sing-song: It was only a matter of time before Supertramp were reclaimed by the hipsters.

1.19pm BST

And that’s your lot for the first half. Scott Sinclair scored his fourth and fifth goals against Hearts this season, and Celtic are halfway to their 48th league title. The home side shouldn’t beat themselves up too badly; they’ve played well. This is just how Celtic have been rolling all season. Don’t leave before the party begins, now!

1.17pm BST

45 min: Nowak is booked for cutting down Forrest, who was on a high-speed slalom down the middle of the park.

1.16pm BST

44 min: All a bit scrappy now, as both teams begin to dream of their half-time orange quarters. Cowie goes up for a high ball on the edge of the Celtic penalty area, and is bundled in the back by Simunovic. No penalty. No free kick either, strangely. “Brown is a bit of a throwback in the sense that he just gets on with it,” opines Simon McMahon. “There should be more like him.”

1.14pm BST

42 min: McGregor sprays a pass out to the right for Forrest. Nowak is going to reach the bouncing ball first. Forrest goes in with a high boot, and though there doesn’t look to be much contact, that’s a deserved yellow card for recklessness.

1.12pm BST

40 min: Goncalves, Cowie and Struna work it cleverly down the right, the latter reaching the byline and whipping a cross into the danger zone. But Boyata is on hand to deal with the danger. Hearts continue to look impressive against the best team in the country.

1.10pm BST

38 min: A loose backpass from Sowah very nearly lets Forrest through on goal. Hamilton races out of his area to blast clear of trouble. Brown meanwhile is back on the field. Like a twisted ankle is going to stop him.

1.09pm BST

37 min: Brown might have injured himself here, though. He’s accidentally stood on the foot of Cowie as the pair contested a high ball, eyes up. A twisted ankle, and he’s off the park getting some strapping.

1.07pm BST

35 min: Brown nearly starts a diplomatic crisis over a throw-in. He’s wonderfully intense, another reason Celtic are romping away with this title.

1.05pm BST

33 min: Another minor rammy, this time on the pitch, as Kitchen tries to take a quick free kick in the centre circle. McGregor stands in the way and, once Kitchen objects, goes into full Scrappy-Doo mode. He’s booked for his in-your-face stylings, as is Goncalves for, well, not very much.

1.03pm BST

31 min: Hearts haven’t given this up quite yet, with Struna, Cowie, Walker and Goncalves all taking turns to probe around the Celtic area. Nothing doing. Thing is, despite Celtic’s high-quality smash-and-grab, Hearts have actually played very well so far. It’s been pretty evenly balanced. But this is why Celtic are going to win the championship.

1.02pm BST

29 min: Suffice to say, the Hearts fans aren’t particularly happy with how this match has suddenly turned. Lustig goes to gather the ball for a throw; a Hearts supporter picks it up and flings it away. There’s a bit of Hegelian chat. Something and nothing. Top-class eejitry all round.

1.00pm BST

Having threatened to equalise, Hearts fall further behind! Celtic go straight up the other end. Roberts, in the middle of the Hearts half, shimmies to make himself a bit of room then slips a ball down the park to release Sinclair. He takes a touch and slips a shot into the bottom left. Two in three minutes, and six in a row is on!

12.58pm BST

26 min: Hearts respond well through Goncalves, who bombs down the inside-right channel, refusing to give up. He’s stopped by a combination of Brown and Simunovic. From the restart, Hearts work the ball out to Nowak on the left. He can’t get a cross in. Then Walker has a go, but he’s crowded out.

12.56pm BST

What a finish this is! Sinclair and Tierney faff around out on the left awhile, waiting to see what’s what. Eventually Sinclair decides to act. He crisply one-twos with Roberts, and suddenly he’s free in the area! There’s still a bit to do, but he absolutely roofs a shot from a slightly tight angle, 12 yards out. No stopping that!

12.53pm BST

22 min: Walker twists and turns down the inside-left channel, and earns Hearts’ first corner of the game. Cowie hits it long. Nowak heads it down, and Walker, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, looks to hook home. Gordon is right behind him to parry round the post. The second corner comes to nothing. But good luck in guessing the opening scorer. Both teams are giving it plenty.

12.51pm BST

20 min: ... nothing occurs. But that’s padded out the first real lull in an otherwise excellent match.

12.51pm BST

19 min: Forrest twists Nowak this way and that, earning a corner down the right. From which...

12.50pm BST

17 min: This is wonderful end-to-end entertainment. Cowie feeds Walker into space in the middle of the Celtic half. Walker slides a pass through the Celtic backline to release Goncalves into the area on the left. He’s one on one with Gordon! But the keeper comes out to close the angle, blocks, and even wins the goal kick. Then the visitors go up the other end, Sinclair dancing his way down the left before clipping a stunning ball to the far post. McGregor must score from close range, but he somehow squirts his sidefoot wide right of the target. A bad miss.

12.47pm BST

15 min: Armstrong, McGregor, Roberts and Tierney are all involved as Celtic spray the ball around from right to left. Some lovely close footwork from Tierney nearly opens up some space down the inside-left channel, but Hearts are pressing well and they panic the Celtic full-back into a rash pass inside to nobody. All very pretty, though, very Brendan Rodgers.

12.45pm BST

13 min: Hearts are in full flight right now. Out on the left wing, Goncalves back-flicks in the fancy style to set Sowah scampering clear. He’s brought down. Free kick, which is lumped fairly witlessly into the mixer by Tziolis; Gordon plucks it from the sky.

12.44pm BST

12 min: After a squeeze of the magic sponge, Gordon is OK. He’s soon nearly in action again, as Walker races down the left after a long Sowah throw. He whips a ball into the middle for Cowie, who can’t connect. Gordon comes out to gather, but Lustig takes no chances and wheechs the ball away from danger first.

12.42pm BST

10 min: This is an impressive spell from Hearts, and in particular Goncalves, who drives down the left, then cuts inside and sweeps past Simunovic and Lustig as though they didn’t exist. He reaches the left-hand edge of the D and lashes low towards the bottom left. Gordon smothers at the second attempt, and is clattered by the buzzing Walker for his trouble.

12.41pm BST

9 min: Struna slides a fine ball down the right wing for Walker, who bustles and eventually gets a cross into the Celtic box. Gordon comes off his line to punch confidently under intense pressure from Goncalves.

12.39pm BST

7 min: Wonderful, powerful play by Goncalves, who has no right whatsoever to win a long ball down the left wing, but muscles Lustig out of it, then whips a cross into the Celtic box. Johnsen chests it down for Walker, who hits an average shot wide left of goal from 20 yards. But that was a sweet move by Hearts, who clearly haven’t just turned up for the party. They’re showing plenty of attacking intent.

12.37pm BST

5 min: Walker goes sliding in on Forrest, who is waiting to receive a pass out on the right wing. He’s booked for the foul, and on another day that would have been a red card, albeit a slightly harsh one, Walker’s studs landing on the top of Forrest’s boot. An eventful start, to say the least: on another day, with another set of officials, Celtic could already be a goal up, Hearts a man down.

12.35pm BST

2 min: Sinclair picks the ball up in the middle of the park. He slides a simple pass down the inside-right channel to release McGregor on goal! McGregor gives Hamilton the eyes and sidefoots confidently into the bottom right. A lovely finish! But the flag’s gone up for offside. That was very tight, so much so that the flag surely should have stayed down. Roberts was certainly offside in the centre, but not interfering. A poor decision.

12.33pm BST

Here we go, then! Hearts get the ball rolling. One hell of an atmosphere. Hearts earn a throw deep in Celtic territory. Sowah flings it into the mixer, but Simunovic deals with it easily enough. A bright, positive start from the hosts.

12.29pm BST

The teams are out! Heart of Midlothian are in their gorgeous maroon, Celtic their equally resplendent green-and-white hoops. On a beautiful day in Edinburgh, sunbeams glimmering across Tynecastle, it’s a visual feast. Destiny awaits Celtic; Hearts simply want a boost in their quest for a Europa League spot. We’ll be off in a minute!

12.20pm BST

Ian Cathro - who has won just five of his 17 matches in charge so far, losing three of his last four, progressive thinking’s Kris Boyd will be delighted - speaks! “We focus on making sure we are competitive throughout the game. We’re playing against a strong opponent, but we have qualities as well, and we’ll focus on our qualities. It’s a very important game for us. It’s a constant process trying to improve. We’ve looked into the games where we’ve suffered a bit, and there are areas of work there. We want to make this a game of football today, and we want to compete. We are aware of their qualities, but we have quality too.”

12.13pm BST

Brendan Rodgers - looking to become a title-winning manager at Celtic like Willie Maley, Jimmy McGrory, Jock Stein, Billy McNeill, David Hay, Win Jansen, Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan, Neil Lennon and Ronny Deila - speaks! “If we can do it today, great. If we don’t, it’s OK, we’ve got another game on Wednesday night, and then another game after that. Give no more, or no less. The players have been brilliant, they have been all season, so play how you’ve been in every game and do your very best. Our idea is to dominate the game, though we expect a tough game, even though Hearts have had mixed results ... a real good test. Our style will always be the same, dominate, play with aggression, score goals, and hopefully win.”

12.00pm BST

Sunday brunch:

Beef Malabar is the guest curry at Tynecastle today. Visit the Curry Shed on the Wheatfield concourse #HMFCvCELTIC pic.twitter.com/uCh5cAAKcR

11.52am BST

Hearts make two changes to the XI who didn’t acquit themselves particularly well at Pittodrie a fortnight ago. Arnaud Djoum has picked up a knock, while Sam Nicholson drops to the bench. Perry Kitchen and Bjorn Johnsen make the step up.

Champions-elect Celtic must do without Moussa Dembele, who is missing altogether along with Leigh Griffiths. Dembele is the only change to the starting XI at Dundee two weeks ago: Patrick Roberts takes his place.

11.39am BST

Heart of Midlothian: Hamilton, Struna, Avlonitis, Nowak, Sowah, Tziolis, Kitchen, Cowie, Walker, Johnsen, Goncalves.
Subs: Buaben, Nicholson, Noring, Beith, Liam Smith, Currie, Martin.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Simunovic, Boyata, Brown, Armstrong, Tierney, McGregor, Sinclair, Forrest, Roberts.
Subs: Toure, Bitton, Gamboa, Mackay-Steven, Bailly, Aitchison, Eboue.

10.44am BST

Celtic are going to win the Scottish Premiership. It’ll be their sixth title in a row, so they’ll be two-thirds on the way to replicating the second greatest achievement of the Jock Stein era. We’ve known they’re going to claim this title for some time now. The only question left is: will they claim it today?

All signs point to yes! The required win away at Heart of Midlothian would be a tall order for most teams - Hearts have only lost twice in the league all season - but this Celtic side are not most teams. They’re a relentless force of nature. In 29 league games to date, only Inverness Caledonian Thistle and 38-year-old Clint Hill have managed to stop them registering victories. Take your pick for the Scottish player of the season: Moussa Dembélé, Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney, Craig Gordon, Scott Brown, Scott Sinclair. And as for manager of the year? Well, Derek McInnes continues to do a fine job at Ab... no, c’mon. Top work, Brendan. God speed, Hearts!

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Published on April 02, 2017 06:50

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