Scott Murray's Blog, page 164

Chelsea 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain (agg 2-4): Champions League last 16 – as it happened

The French champions were too good for their English counterparts, though it was an entertaining end-to-end battle until Zlatan Ibrahimovic settled it late.

9.35pm GMT

And that’s that! The champions of France see off the champions of England. PSG put Chelsea out for the second year running, and they’re into the hat for the quarter finals. In truth, they were the better side in both legs, though Chelsea kept it competitive deep into this second match. Guus Hiddink warmly congratulates his opposite number Laurent Blanc, as PSG gambol across to their fans in celebration. We’d usually say “ah well, there’s always next year” at this point, but for once Chelsea are struggling to qualify for the big one. Having said that, they’re one of the form teams in the Premier League, so that route’s not closed yet. And hey, there’s always the FA Cup.

Related: PSG and Zlatan Ibrahimovic make easy work of labouring Chelsea

9.33pm GMT

90 min +1: Two minutes of added time, then. The first is soundtracked by some defiant Chelsea sing-song.

9.32pm GMT

90 min: A free kick for Chelsea out on the right. The home heroes load the box. Willian whips into the mixer. A late consolation? Nope. Ivanovic elbows Motta in the side, and the Chelsea captain is booked for his sauce.

9.31pm GMT

89 min: PSG are playing keep ball now. The away fans are enjoying themselves. Olé! Olé! Olé!

9.29pm GMT

87 min: Matuidi departs, and on comes Van der Wiel. Admin’s all that’s left to report. This match was over the minute Ibrahimovic tapped in PSG’s second.

9.28pm GMT

86 min: Matuidi is booked for a cynical tug on Pedro. He should have been booked in the early exchanges, of course, not that any of this really matters now.

9.27pm GMT

85 min: Traore has a whack from distance, but Trapp gathers easily. Meanwhile hep cat Wilson Beuys has only just stopped listening to the half-time entertainment: “If you’re going to do Paris, you should use MC Solaar’s version, you old traditionalist.”

9.26pm GMT

83 min: Cavani is almost immediately sent scampering clear down the middle by a first-time Motta pass, but he didn’t bend his run enough to beat the offside trap.

9.24pm GMT

82 min: Edinson Cavani comes on for Di Maria.

9.23pm GMT

80 min: Di Maria slips a ball down the left to release Maxwell. It’s nearly a carbon copy of PSG’s second, a low fizzing cross met by Ibrahimovic in the six-yard box. But the big man can’t quite connect properly, and the ball squirts to the feet of Courtois, who can clear his lines. Chelsea are almost certainly out; they don’t want to suffer an embarrassing scoreline as well. That was a little too easy for Paris. Just another ten minutes to hold it together.

9.20pm GMT

78 min: Lucas is replaced by Javier Pastore. Willian, excellent all night as usual, turns the jets on down the left and earns Chelsea another corner. This one’s pretty poor too, Thiago Silva clearing easily, under no pressure.

9.19pm GMT

77 min: Hazard twists and turns on the left, earning a corner off Marquinhos. Fine play. A goal now, and you never know. Hazard doesn’t want a part of any comeback, though; he points down at his legs, wincing, and asks to come off. Chelsea waste their corner, then Hazard departs, Oscar taking his place.

9.17pm GMT

75 min: A bit of space for Fabregas, just to the left of the PSG box. He bursts into the area and looks to beat Trapp at his near post, but the low shot doesn’t have enough steam, and it’s easily dealt with.

9.16pm GMT

73 min: Hazard embarks on an ambitious dribble down the right. He rather brilliantly beats three men, but a fourth on the edge of the area puts a stop to his gallop. Hope is in short supply for Chelsea right now. PSG continue to dream, though: Ibrahimovic makes good down the left and fires low into the centre, where Di Maria attempts a back-flick into the bottom-left corner. Not quite. Courtois claims.

9.14pm GMT

71 min: Willian attempts to inject a little pace back into Chelsea’s game, but his team-mates are clearly deflated. His burst down the left is easily snuffed out by Marquinhos. “A shame about Costa,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Especially as it’ll be another 18 years or so before Chelsea can call on Brazilian wunderkid Donaldo as his replacement.”

9.11pm GMT

69 min: How important that Trapp double save looks now. The atmosphere has been sucked out of Stamford Bridge. Chelsea need three goals in the next 21 minutes. And there’s no chance of extra time.

9.10pm GMT

Well, this came out of nowhere, and it looks to have done for Chelsea’s Champions League dream. Di Maria, out on the left, plays a loose pass inside. Willian looks like getting to it first, but Motta is super sharp and plays it straight back down the inside-left channel for Di Maria, who is free in acres! He enters the area and fires low into the centre, where Ibrahimovic is there to sidefoot home from close range. What a pass by Motta to turn a mistake into a game-changer!

9.08pm GMT

65 min: But Chelsea need a goal to force extra time, and they’re not about to die wondering. Willian drifts in from the left and, on the left-hand edge of the D, hammers a low shot towards the bottom left. It’s a brilliant effort, and stopped by a strong Trapp hand. The ball flies to Hazard, to the left of goal. Hazard belts low and hard - and Trapp stops that one too! Willian has another go on the penalty spot, but it’s a proper stramash now, and he can’t get the shot away. Paris escape. Wow.

9.05pm GMT

63 min: Yes, they’re on the front foot suddenly. Ibrahimovic powers his way into the Chelsea box down the left, and he’s one on one with Courtois! Happily for Chelsea, he’s faced with a very tight angle, and the keeper wins that battle. Ibrahimovic’s attempted slide under Courtois is nicked out for a corner, and nothing comes from the set piece.

9.04pm GMT

61 min: Di Maria sends Marquinhos skittering at speed along the right wing. Marquinhos whips low to the near post, but Ivanovic, at full stretch, belts the ball away from danger. But already it looks like PSG have gained heart from Costa’s departure. A spring in their step.

9.02pm GMT

60 min: Awful news for Chelsea. Diego Costa, who has been absolutely brilliant all evening, a constant menace, has tweaked a muscle and he’s got to go off. The 20-year-old Bertrand Traore - who has scored in his last three home games - replaces him.

9.00pm GMT

58 min: This is good old-fashioned end-to-end fun. Maxwell enters the Chelsea area on the left, but his high cross to the right is claimed by Courtois with Ibrahimovic lurking. Fabregas then slides Costa into space down the Chelsea left. Corner, from which Pedro screws a shot weakly left from 20 yards.

8.59pm GMT

56 min: Azpilicueta, deep on the right, plays a diagonal pass forward for Hazard, who dummies. And suddenly Costa is free down the inside-right channel! He draws Trapp and scoops over the keeper and into the net from the edge of the box, a delicious chip. But he’d been caught a yard offside. What a shame, because that was a picture-book finish.

8.57pm GMT

55 min: Willan earns a corner out on the left, and takes it himself. It’s headed clear at the near post by Marquinhos. This surely isn’t going to end 1-1, though good luck guessing the next scorer correctly. A brilliant, open, unpredictable and entertaining match.

8.56pm GMT

54 min: Di Maria’s free kick from the left isn’t very good, but it’s recycled by Motta on the right. He hooks the ball into the centre, where Ibrahimovic is free, eight yards out. But he’s offside.

8.55pm GMT

53 min: Willian, to the right of the Paris D, shapes to shoot. He’s clipped to the floor by Matuidi. Or is he? No, he went over before there was any contact. No free kick. PSG flood upfield, and the home fans aren’t happy when Lucas sashays in from the left and is clipped from behind by Mikel. A free kick, and a booking for the Chelsea man.

8.53pm GMT

50 min: Chelsea are closing PSG down with a great intensity. Ibrahimovic is caught lumbering on the halfway line by Hazard, who very nearly sends Costa clear down the right. His pass slips out of play. Very close to launching a dangerous attack there.

8.52pm GMT

49 min: Ah yes, Chelsea are right into this again now. Willian goes screeching off down the left, and upon reaching the byline tugs a low ball back into the middle for Costa. The goalscorer can’t make contact, but Azpilicueta, behind him, can. He sidefoots goalwards, but it’s blocked instantly and cleared.

8.50pm GMT

48 min: Now Di Maria’s close to latching onto a pass down the right. Not quite. Costa tries to kick-start Chelsea’s second half with a rumbustious run down the inside-left, but he loses control on the edge of the box.

8.49pm GMT

47 min: The French champions stroke it around the back for a while. A pensive start to the second half. Then after 90 seconds or so of sterile possession, Maxwell is sent scampering down the left. He nearly breaks into the box, but is hounded out of it by the excellent Azpilicueta.

8.47pm GMT

No changes. PSG get the ball rolling for the second 45.

8.34pm GMT

Half-time entertainment: Sophisticated pop from Paris and London.

8.33pm GMT

There’s time for Costa to shoot low and hard towards the bottom corner, and for Trapp to make a mess of the save - Maxwell had to hook clear with Pedro rushing in for the rebound - but that’s that for the half. What a brilliant half of football. PSG threatened to run away with the game in the early stages, but they were holding on by the end of the 45. It’s going to be a magnificent second half, and we may get the bonus of extra time too. You’ll not be going anywhere, will you?

8.31pm GMT

45 min: Fabregas is booked for high-kicking Motta. Though it should be noted that Motta, in defending himself, crumped his studs on Fabregas’s breastplate by way of exchange. Motta’s already been booked, remember. Hmm.

8.30pm GMT

44 min: Pedro picks Lucas’s pocket in the centre circle. He eats up plenty of ground, then hands the ball to Diego Costa, who attempts to ride a couple of tackles through the middle to break into the box. It’s not working this time, and the ball eventually loops through to Trapp. Pedro, waiting for a return pass to Costa’s left, throws his hands up in irritation.

8.28pm GMT

42 min: Chelsea are much the better team now. Costa powers his way through a couple of challenges, ignoring the laws of physics to keep possession. The ball eventually breaks left for Hazard, who glides back inside and looks to curl one into the top right. There’s not enough outward bend on it, and Trapp traps it.

8.27pm GMT

41 min: Fabregas looks to break upfield from deep, and is brought down by Motta’s outstretched leg. He’s booked. There wasn’t a lot in that. So much for the referee’s leniency.

8.25pm GMT

40 min: Chelsea saunter upfield, Pedro dancing on the edge of the D before laying off for Fabregas, who slaps a first-time shot low, hard and just wide of the left-hand post.

8.25pm GMT

39 min: PSG press Chelsea back for the first time in a while. Lucas has a look down the right, Ibrahimovic attempts a couple of twists and turns down the left. But Chelsea hold their shape. Nothing doing.

8.24pm GMT

37 min: A bit of a lull. This half has flown by! Brilliant entertainment. “This does seem to be an almighty ding-dong in the making,” argues Ian Copestake. “Indeed, perhaps it will even transcend ding-dongs and leave one side pondering Ingeborg Bachmann’s famous pessimistic saying that history constantly teaches, but finds no students.” Did that go over your head too? Just me?

8.20pm GMT

35 min: Lucas is sprung clear down the right wing. He reaches the dead ball line and whips high to the far post, where Ibrahimovic rises high above Azpilicueta and plants a downward header goalwards. Courtois is in the right position to claim. Chelsea go straight up the other end, Costa making ground along the left. He’s clattered by Rabiot, and finally the referee gets his card out. Willian’s free kick goes straight down the throat of Trapp, a dreadful waste with the box loaded.

8.19pm GMT

32 min: Di Maria goes down in a lot of pain after Fabregas stands on his foot. No booking. There wasn’t a booking when Maxwell clipped Hazard a couple of minutes ago, either, or when Costa halted a charging Ibrahimovic. You’ll have seen them all given on another day. At least the ref’s being even-handed, so neither team can have too many complaints.

8.17pm GMT

31 min: Costa, cutting in from the left, one-twos with Willian and is this close to breaking clear into the box. Thiago Silva steps in to intercept, just in time.

8.16pm GMT

29 min: That’s a fine response by Chelsea, who were all over the shop before and after the opening goal, but dug in and fought their way back into this match. This really is on now. Another goal for Chelsea, and we’ll get extra time tonight.

8.14pm GMT

Willian and Pedro combine down the middle, a couple of crisp passes. The ball’s slipped forward to Diego Costa along the inside-right channel. He enters the box, drops a shoulder to his left to send Thiago Silva spinning like a teenager on Special Brew, and sidefoots a confident finish into the bottom left. PSG can tweet about that one! Some fraud.

8.12pm GMT

25 min: Ibrahimovic, dropping deep in his own half, nearly sets Di Maria clear down the middle with a 1980s-style hoof. Hey, those can be pretty too. Di Maria’s a few inches offside, which is just as well as Chelsea were wide open. Then up the other end, Willian is close to setting Pedro whizzing into the PSG box down the right, but Pedro gets his feet all tangled up and the chance is gone. But no matter, because ...

8.09pm GMT

23 min: Now it’s Willian’s turn to play a loose ball deep inside his own half. He’s very fortunate that Lucas touches it heavily, and Azpilicueta can close down the danger before the PSG man bursts clear down the left. Tense times.

8.07pm GMT

21 min: PSG are far from perfect, though. A loose Marquinhos pass allows Hazard to come at the visitors again, this time down the left. He can’t deliver a dangerous cross. Then there’s another phase of attack, Fabregas looping a straight pass down the middle. Costa is miles offside, and his attempted chip over Trapp flies over the bar. But the last couple of minutes have provided Chelsea with some much needed succour after the shock of conceding that goal.

8.05pm GMT

19 min: This is a little better from Chelsea, as Hazard, on the right-hand corner of the PSG box, turns Luiz with ease and fizzes a low shot towards the bottom right. The effort’s blocked, but small acorns and all that.

8.04pm GMT

18 min: More space for Paris down the right, young Kenedy’s flank. Motta romps into the area, but his cutback doesn’t find a team-mate, and Chelsea hack clear. The mood at the Bridge is somewhat subdued right now, as you’d expect. PSG are coming at the hosts again and again with extreme prejudice.

8.02pm GMT

This had been coming. Di Maria is in a lot of space in the middle of the Chelsea half. He slides Ibrahomovic into the area down the right. Ibrahimovic slides a low pass through the six-yard box. Coming in, Rabiot, who taps home ahead of Azpilicueta. Chelsea need to score twice now to take this to extra time.

8.00pm GMT

14 min: Ivanovic brings Ibrahomovic down on the PSG right flank. Di Maria asks the referee to get out his book, which is a bit of a cheek considering what Matuidi has just got away with. From the resulting free kick, Di Maria hooks diagonially right to left, the ball dropping to Ibrahimovic, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Courtois smothers his low drive, and he’s offside anyway. But the Chelsea back line were taking a collective chance in pushing up there. Not a lot in it.

7.58pm GMT

12 min: Pedro spins around Matuidi along the right wing. He’s away, and cynically hauled back. A free kick, though no booking, which is strange. The referee very lenient there. Willian flings the set piece into the mixer, but PSG hold their shape well.

7.57pm GMT

9 min: PSG are on top right now. Maxwell very nearly finds Lucas down the left with a long rake. Then Ibrahimovic bursts down the left wing, into the area, and his shot is blocked out for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing. “Say what you like about the future Brazilian centre-half Trumpinho, but whenever his team are penalized on the edge of their area, he’ll get that wall sorted out quick.” Justin Kavanagh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the cachaça.

7.53pm GMT

6 min: ... PSG find the net, though it won’t count. The corner from the right is half cleared. Luiz lifts the ball back into the mixer. Motta, on the edge of the six-yard box, heads to the left for Ibrahimovic, who draws Courtois and chips home. But the striker’s well offside from the knockdown, and he knows it too. Stamford Bridge drew its collective breath there, sucking in hard.

7.52pm GMT

5 min: Lucas bursts down the middle of the park before slipping a ball down the right channel to release Di Maria into the Chelsea area. He’s one on one with Courtois, albeit at a tight angle. He chips over the keeper, but Chelsea’s captain for the night, Ivanovic, slides in to hook clear before the ball can dribble into the net. Corner. From which...

7.49pm GMT

3 min: Hiddink’s decision to employ Kenedy as a left back tonight has raised a few eyebrows, but you can already see his thinking, as Hazard very nearly sends the young man skittering clear down the left on the overlap. Then Paris make an awful pig’s lug of clearing their lines, and the ball breaks to Willian on the left-hand corner of the box. He shifts the ball inside for Costa, who nearly makes the PSG social media guru pay for their lip by unleashing a shot from the edge of the area towards the bottom right. Trapp parries well, and Paris do their defensive thing at the second time of asking. A bright start by the English champions.

7.46pm GMT

Chelsea get the ball rolling. It’s a stunning atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. Pedro is quickly scampering down the right wing in plenty of space, but his ball inside isn’t up to much. The visitors take their turn to stroke the ball around awhile.

7.45pm GMT

Anyway, the teams are out. Chelsea in their famous blue, Paris in their change strip of white. We’ll be off in a minute, once The Liquidator is played!

7.44pm GMT

Guus Hiddink speaks! “It is true we are underdogs. Everyone knows our run in the league in the first half of the season. We have a bit more confidence now, but we are playing a very solid team. Diego Costa will focus on his job [rather than PSG’s saucy tweets]. He likes to play on the edge, but he never goes over. Because of the absence of John Terry, we have had to reshuffle our defence. Kenedy is a young guy and he is full of confidence.”

On the subject of Chelsea’s stand-in full-back, here’s Peter Oh: “If Chelsea have Kenedy, who is PSG’s Nixon? Ibrahimovic’s occasional lack of touch with reality could make him a candidate. I have some familiarity with Brazilian culture and have noticed a tendency of some parents there to name their kids after American presidents. Washington and Jefferson seem to be popular choices and there’s been the occasional Lincoln, but Kenedy is new to me. I just cling to hope that this tradition won’t be marred by hordes of boys named Trumpinho kicking about on the streets of Rio and Salvador a few years from now!” Agreed, here’s hoping the winning goal at the 2042 World Cup is scored by Hillaré or Bernicha. Of course Cristiano Ronaldo was named after Ronald Reagan, wasn’t he, CR7’s pop having been a big fan. It was all about Reagan’s acting chops rather than his political savvy, Bedtime for Bonzo taking preference over trickle-down economic policy.

7.20pm GMT

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has just been asked the big question by BT Sport: where will he be playing next season? “I don’t know.” So there you have it. If I was a better journalist I could spin an 800-word news story and three opinion pieces out of that. But I’m not. So if you’re after some more hot chat, this interview with absent PSG midfielder Marco Verratti, from earlier in the week, will have to do.

Related: PSG’s Marco Verratti: ‘Diego Costa is a good guy but he uses warfare to win games’

7.00pm GMT

Both teams suffered disappointing home draws at the weekend, against Stoke City and Montpellier respectively. No doubt as a result of leaving out some key men.

Chelsea make four changes. Kenedy, Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and Diego Costa return, while Abdul Baba Rahman, Nemanja Matic, Oscar and Bertrand Traore drop to the bench.

6.53pm GMT

Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Kenedy, Mikel, Fabregas, Pedro, Willian, Hazard, Diego Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Baba Rahman, Matic, Loftus-Cheek, Oscar, Traore, Remy.

Paris Saint-Germain: Trapp, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Maxwell, Thiago Motta, Rabiot, Matuidi, Di Maria, Moura, Ibrahimovic.
Subs: Sirigu, Augustin, Van Der Wiel, Stambouli, Kurzawa, Pastore, Cavani.

2.31pm GMT

This one’s beautifully in the balance. Paris Saint-Germain were probably the better side in the first leg of this tie, but only just, Chelsea coming ever so close to a determined draw. Edinson Cavani’s late goal was the difference, though, and so the reigning English champions need a positive result tonight to avoid being dispatched from this glorious tournament by their French counterparts for the second year in succession.

Chelsea put PSG out in the quarters a year previously, of course, having turned around a 3-1 first-leg deficit. So hope springs eternal. Not least because the Blues are unbeaten in seven home games against French opposition, keeping five clean sheets during that run. However, there’s been danger whenever they do concede: PSG prevailed after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge last year, and Monaco pulled off exactly the same stunt in the 2004 semis.

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Real Madrid 2-0 Roma (agg 4-0): Champions League last 16 – as it happened

Roma squandered several excellent chances to get back into the tie, before Real finally put the result beyond doubt.

10.12pm GMT

Related: Cristiano Ronaldo goal sets Real Madrid on course to ease past Roma

9.37pm GMT

Perotti, tight on the dead-ball line on the left, chips across for Dzeko, but it’s an inch too high. No consolation for the Italians, and that’s that. Real, on the face of it, have eased through to the quarter finals. But they were far from impressive defensively, and a more sharp-shooting team than Roma would have had them in all sorts of trouble. A comfortable result, but this wasn’t the display of potential European champions.

9.35pm GMT

90 min +2: Totti has a belt from 20 yards. It’s heading towards the top left, but Ramos flings himself in front of the shot and it’s deflected out for a corner. Navas punches the set piece clear.

9.34pm GMT

90 min +1: There will be three added minutes. One of them passes without fuss.

9.34pm GMT

90 min: James has a whack from 12 yards out on the left. It’s deflected away for a corner on the right. From the set piece, Totti picks up possession in his own area, dribbles around awhile, then rolls a calm clearing pass up the centre of the field and away from danger. A class act to the end.

9.32pm GMT

88 min: Salah zips down the right. He loops a cross towards Perotti, 12 yards out and level with the left-hand post. Perotti sends a screaming volley onto the base of that post; the ball comes back out, off Navas, and away from danger. Roma have missed some chances tonight, but that was pure bad luck. When it’s not your night, it’s not your night.

9.30pm GMT

87 min: Ronaldo feeds James down the inside-right channel. James should shoot, but tries to return the ball, which is bundled out for a corner. From the set piece, Danilo belts high over the bar.

9.29pm GMT

86 min: Keita is replaced by Maicon. Florenzi romps down the middle. He one-twos with Totti, and would be through on goal had he anticipated the return. But he goes right instead of left, and Real clear.

9.27pm GMT

84 min: Kovacic comes on for Casemiro. Danilo tears down the right and fires low and hard through the six-yard box. Ronaldo is waiting to tap in, but Manolas sticks out a leg to divert the ball away from danger. Marvellous defending. Now there’s a phrase we’ve not had the chance to trot out too often tonight.

9.26pm GMT

83 min: James and Ronaldo one-two down the inside-right channel. Ronaldo’s return should give his team-mate a goalscoring chance just inside the area, but James stumbles and the chance is gone.

9.24pm GMT

81 min: Corner for Roma on the left. Totti comes across to magic-wand one into the area. He finds the head of Zukanovic, on the penalty spot, but the defender can only head weakly downwards and straight at Navas. Real go up the other end, Lucas Vazquez sending a screecher inches over the bar from 25 yards.

9.23pm GMT

79 min: James comes in from the right and curls a bobbler towards the bottom left. Szczesny has it covered, and it’s going wide anyway. Everyone’s just throwing training-ground shapes now, at a pre-season pace. Strange to think how Roma were seriously bothering Real only a quarter of an hour ago.

9.21pm GMT

78 min: Kroos, 25 yards out and central, drops a shoulder to the left before unleashing a fierce riser goalwards. But it’s straight at Shiner Szczesny, who parries to the floor before gathering.

9.19pm GMT

76 min: Zukanovic is booked for a rare old clatter on James. He can’t complain. And to be fair, he doesn’t.

9.18pm GMT

75 min: “Sorry for my continuous writing-in but this is annoying me,” seethes this report’s co-author Ruth Purdue. “I don’t know about you but I was taught to weigh up the angles when you shoot, to see what percentage of the goal is open and use the appropriate area of your body accordingly to exploit that. Simple stuff. Can Roma bring on Totti now to show them how?” Good news, Ruth: here he comes, taking the place of El Shaarway. Meanwhile Real swap Modric with Jese.

9.17pm GMT

74 min: Space for Marcelo on the left. He chips a diagonal pass across for Ronaldo, who meets the dropping ball with a volley from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. Blooter! No good!

9.15pm GMT

72 min: Real knock it around the midfield awhile, with a view to running down the clock.

9.14pm GMT

70 min: It should be 3-0, as Roma fall apart. It’s actually a Roma corner, but the hosts clear easily and romp up the other end. James makes his way down the middle, and slips a ball to Ronaldo on his left. Ronaldo is clear in the area, but though his sidefoot towards the bottom right beats Szczesny, it’s wide of the post. A terrible miss, really, though it doesn’t matter. Real are through, Roma have suddenly fallen apart. What a very, very strange game this has been.

9.11pm GMT

Yep, this is over. Roma are caught light at the back. Ronaldo runs at them down the inside left. He slides a pass down the channel for James, who hammers a low shot from a tight angle through Szczesny, the keeper beaten at his near post. Real, for all their faults defensively, have at least taken their chances when they’ve come along. Roma take note.

9.09pm GMT

66 min: Szczesny took a smack in the coupon while attempting to stop that goal. He’ll have a rare old shiner in the morning.

9.09pm GMT

Real have been pretty poor tonight, but suddenly there’s relief. The substitute Lucas Vazquez makes an instant impact, dribbling with purpose down the right and whipping low into the centre, where Ronaldo nips in ahead of Manolas and sidefoots into the net. That’s 13 goals in eight games for Ronaldo! Roma will now start thinking about all those missed chances quite a lot, and with some regret.

9.06pm GMT

63 min: Salah scampers down the right at speed. Marcelo doesn’t bother putting in a challenge. Salah nears the corner flag, then skelps a low cross towards the near post. El Shaarway, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, attempts to flick into the left-hand portion of the net, but can’t connect properly.

9.04pm GMT

61 min: Real have at least been dangerous themselves in attack. Two shots squirm wide right of Szczesny’s goal in quick succession, the first by Kroos, the second by Ronaldo. And then Zidane makes his first change of the match, hooking the not-fully-fit Bale and sending on Lucas Vazquez.

9.03pm GMT

58 min: Up the other end, Modric drops a shoulder down the right and looks for the top left. His shot is deflected wide left and high. The corner is dealt with easily enough by Roma. The home fans sound a little concerned. Their team are still hot favourites to go through, but have done their level best to knacker things up for themselves. Roma could have had four or five!

9.01pm GMT

56 min: Florenzi flicks a ball past a flailing Ramos down the inside-right channel. He’s got space just inside the box, and lashes towards the top left. Navas parries into the air. Ramos gets back to head over the bar before Dzeko can follow up with a shot towards an unguarded net. From the corner, the ball drops to Manolas, who is faced with a tight angle on the left. His shot is low and hard, and parried clear by Navas, who is suddenly the only Real Madrid player offering resistance. Real are an abject shambles at the back; a side more lethal than Roma would be thrashing them right now.

8.58pm GMT

54 min: Manolas places a poor clearing header straight at Marcelo’s feet. Marcelo’s on the left-hand corner of the D, but his shot is weak and easily gathered by Szczesny. “This is starting to get embarrassing now for Salah,” opines Ruth Purdue, who can speak for me.

8.57pm GMT

53 min: Ronaldo has a whack from 20-odd yards. Szczesny parries easily enough. Casemiro then dispatches an ambitious one goalwards from 25. It’s deflected over for a corner, which comes to nothing.

8.55pm GMT

51 min: A flurry of action in the Roma box. Marcelo and Ronaldo take turns to dribble around to the left of goal. Neither can get a clean shot away. The ball’s pulled back to James on the penalty spot. He unleashes a pearler goalwards, but straight at Szczesny, who parries well. Then Roma break upfield, and a simple ball down the middle by Dzeko sends Salah clear into the area. He has to score, but slaps a low shot inches wide of the right-hand post. Within 60 seconds, Roma could have been out of it. And then right back in it. They should have had three goals tonight. Each miss has been appalling, bordering on disgraceful at this level. Salah wants shooting for his shooting.

8.52pm GMT

49 min: A better cross from the Real left, this time by Pepe, but Zukanovic gets there ahead of Ronaldo. Corner, from which nowt occurs. It would appear the hosts have been sent out for the second half with a flea in the collective ear. For they look right up for this now, in a way they never did during the first half.

8.51pm GMT

48 min: The Ronaldo neck twitches again. James is sent scampering into acres down the left, but his cross is high and poor. Ronaldo was free, eight yards out, and pound to a penny he’s got a cob on regarding the poor delivery from both flanks.

8.50pm GMT

47 min: Modric bursts down the inside-right channel and slides a ball out right for Danilo, whose cross very nearly finds the head of Ronaldo, six yards out, in the centre. Ronaldo was straining his neck muscles there, but to no avail.

8.48pm GMT

Roma get this one going. Vainqueur comes on for Pjanic. The visitors will still harbour hopes after carving out those first-half chances. But they’ll also be aware that Real scored six in the second half last weekend. So it’s swings and roundabouts.

8.38pm GMT

Half-time entertainment:

8.33pm GMT

One minute of additional time is played in this first half. Ronaldo, the best part of 30 yards out down the right, takes a shot. It’s deflected out for a corner, which leads to Marcelo finding the top left of the stand behind the goal. And that’s that for the first half. Roma are not out of this tie yet. They should in all honesty be right back in it. But they’ve not taken the chances offered up by their defensively tatty hosts. It could be a dramatic second half. Or a complete anti-climax. Either way, don’t go anywhere!

8.30pm GMT

43 min: Bale cuts in from the left and curls a cross-cum-shot into the area. It’s immediately blocked by the forearm of Florenzi. Bale claims a penalty kick, but the Roma captain was standing right next to him and his arm was hanging limply by his side. No intent, no penalty.

8.28pm GMT

42 min: Pjanic, out on the left, swings a slow ball towards Salah on the Real penalty spot. Salah shoots for the bottom right, but he doesn’t connect properly and Navas can easily claim. That’s two-and-a-half good chances for Roma now, with one-and-a-half falling to Salah.

8.26pm GMT

40 min: Ronaldo attempts a rabona down the right. It doesn’t come off. More whistles! Tough crowd. Just the 39 goals so far this season. What a loser.

8.25pm GMT

39 min: A slight lull as the play gets scrappy and the crowd fall quiet. The only noise comes when the home fans give James the bird for a misplaced pass. There’s always at least one fall guy at the Bernabeu.

8.22pm GMT

37 min: Danilo comes straight through the back of El Shaarawy, and can have no complaints at being booked. Why he made the challenge is anyone’s guess, as the Roma man was deep inside his own half and going nowhere.

8.21pm GMT

36 min: Bale is found in some space down the left. He whip-cracks a gorgeous low cross through the six-yard box. James and Ronaldo both try to extend a leg to poke the ball over the line, but both curse the fact they cut their toe-nails last night.

8.19pm GMT

34 min: Bale slides a pass down the inside-left channel to release Ronaldo into the box. Ronaldo looks to slide low into the bottom right, but Szczesny is out quickly to smother. Corner, from which Marcelo blazes over from 25 yards. This could be 2-0, 0-2, or anything in between. How is it still 0-0?!?

8.18pm GMT

33 min: Danilo and Dzeko have clattered into each other while challenging for a high ball. Again, it looks like the magic sponge will do the trick, but there’s a pause while the medicine men do their thing.

8.17pm GMT

31 min: Once again, Real respond to giving up a big chance by creating a couple of their own. Bale takes a shot from distance down the left channel; it’s way too high. Then Ronaldo has a go; it’s a low fizzer, but met by Szczesny. It’s not clear how this is still 0-0.

8.15pm GMT

28 min: Another huge miss for Roma! Danilo is bowled over down the right by Digne. It should be a free kick, but Real don’t get it. Roma sweep up the other end, Pjanic sliding a ball down the inside-right channel to release Salah into the area. Salah only needs to lift the ball gently over Navas, who has come off his line and is sprawled in no-man’s land. But he sends his chip wide right of the goal. For all Real’s possession, this really should be 2-0 to Roma. They’ve had two glorious chances to get right back into this tie. They’ll be feeling sick at their profligacy. Their only consolation is that Real look useless at the back.

8.12pm GMT

26 min: Digne curls a ball into the Real box from the left. El Shaarawy flicks a header on, but it sails over the bar. The visitors haven’t seriously warmed Navas’s gloves yet, though of course Dzeko certainly should have.

8.11pm GMT

24 min: James, tight on the right, flicks a ball inside to release Danilo into a lot of space. Danilo should find Ronaldo on the edge of the box with a low cross, but his pass is woeful. Ronaldo starts to throw his arms into the air in frustration, but doesn’t follow through with the action, perhaps deciding that he’s already made his point this week about team-mates letting him down.

8.08pm GMT

22 min: Modric has a dig from distance. A slight nick takes the ball towards the right-hand corner, momentarily wrong-footing Szczesny, but the keeper readjusts to parry clear. Then a couple of corners for the home side, the second finding James on the edge of the area with the ball at his feet. He chips weakly wide left; not sure whether he was trying to shoot or scoop a pass towards a team-mate. Either way, it didn’t come off. Goal kick, and a period of Real pressure comes to an end.

8.06pm GMT

20 min: It’s a bright end-to-end game all of a sudden. Florenzi and Salah nearly combine successfully down the Roma right to open Real up, but Pepe intercepts. Then Real flood upfield, Marcelo making ground on the left and finding Ronaldo in the middle. Ronaldo, on the penalty spot with his back to goal, spins and shoots in one smooth turn, but his effort clanks off his own man James and Roma are able to thwack clear.

8.03pm GMT

18 min: More room for El Shaarawy in the middle of the Madrid half. He slips the ball wide left for Digne, who has time to think, but simply blooters a high ball into the box instead. Navas claims it with a yawn.

8.02pm GMT

16 min: Roma so nearly pay for that miss immediately. Bale twists down the left, and his cross inside is deflected into the side netting. Szczesny had it covered, I think, but only just. The corner from the left is worked out to the right, and Modric floats a ball back inside. Szczesny plucks from the sky easily enough.

8.00pm GMT

14 min: Roma should have scored. What a chance Dzeko wastes! Salah makes off down the right, into acres, having nipped past Ramos, who had sold himself needlessly. Salah slips the ball across the face of the area. El Shaarawy dummies, and Dzeko is free in the box, down the left channel, with the ball at his feet! And he shanks it wide left from ten yards. That was terrible. So close to making a real match of this.

7.58pm GMT

13 min: Roma started quickly, but they’re not seeing much of the ball right now. The Real midfield is beginning to impose itself. Roma aren’t doing a whole lot of pressing, only stepping in when Real threaten their final third.

7.56pm GMT

11 min: Ronaldo embarks on a manic dribble down the inside-left and is brought down rather clumsily by the hanging leg of Florenzi. A free kick, level with the left edge of the box, 25 yards out. And that’s a rugby-style conversion. Actually, no it’s not, as well as being high, it’s wide right. The flags stay down!

7.55pm GMT

9 min: Real knock it about this way and that. All very Barcelona-esque. Kroos eventually gets a bit fed up with the tiki-taka, and threads powerfully towards the bottom left from 25 yards. Szczesny gathers easily.

7.53pm GMT

8 min: Bale and Marcelo combine at speed down the left. Marcelo slides the ball down the wing for Bale, who reaches the dead-ball line and hooks back into the centre. Marcelo had kept on running, and sweeps a first-time effort well wide of the left-hand post. This has been a lively start.

7.52pm GMT

6 min: Ronaldo takes a shot from 25 yards. It’s scuffed, but bounces up off Manolas’s boot and onto Zukanovic’s hand. Ronaldo claims a penalty, but he’s got a bit of a cheek really, seeing Zukanovic was standing right next to him and facing the other way at the time. The referee’s not having a bar of it.

7.51pm GMT

5 min: Yes, they’re in the mood all right. Florenzi makes good down the right and whips a dangerous diagonal cross towards the far post. El Shaarawy isn’t far away from converting, but Pepe gets in the way and the ball flies out for a goal kick.

7.50pm GMT

3 min: Real’s slightly groggy start continues. El Shaarawy swings a cross in from the left. Dzeko goes up on the penalty spot. Navas punches clear, but clocks Pepe upside the head while doing so. Pepe will be OK, but only after a dab down with the magic sponge. A half-chance for Roma there. They need something quick if they’re to become the first-ever side to overturn a first-leg 0-2 deficit in the knockout stage of the Champions League. They appear to be in the mood to give it a go.

7.47pm GMT

Real Madrid get the ball rolling. And within ten seconds, Danilo clumsily handles the ball 30 yards from his own goal. A chance for Roma to load the Real box. Which they do. Problem is, Pjanic’s free kick doesn’t clear the first man. A strange start.

7.44pm GMT

The teams are out! And the Blancos will take on the Giallorossi: everyone’s sporting their first-choice colours tonight. All white versus yellow and red, an aesthete’s dream. A fine atmosphere at the Bernabeu. We’ll be off in a minute! “I have a sad feeling that this is the last time we will see Totti in the Champions League, if he plays,” sighs Ruth Purdue. Well, he is 40 this coming September. Still, look on the bright side. If he does get a trot out this evening, and it does prove to be his final match on the European stage, there are worse places for a curtain call.

7.36pm GMT

Our very own man in Spain, Sid Lowe, has been on BT Sport oozing gravitas and sounding knowledgeable while wearing a big coat. I’ve got a big coat; one out of three ain’t bad. Anyway, his analysis contained this little statistical gem: “The Champions League is Real Madrid’s only option this season, but it’s the option. It’s the tournament that defines this club, and if they were to win this, nothing else would matter. Bear in mind that of the last seven European Cups Real Madrid have won, all seven came in seasons when they didn’t win the league. So it’s not a bad way out!”

Here’s his weekly Spanish round-up, just in case you missed it.

Related: Resurgent Las Palmas prove a Beatles week is long time in La Liga | Sid Lowe

7.22pm GMT

Real Madrid: Navas, Danilo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Bale, Rodriguez, Ronaldo.
Subs: Casilla, Varane, Carvajal, Kovacic, Lucas, Jese, Isco.

Roma: Szczesny, Florenzi, Manolas, Zukanovic, Digne, Pjanic, Keita, Perotti, Salah, El Shaarawy, Dzeko.
Subs: De Sanctis, Leandro Castan, Totti, Maicon, Falque, Vainqueur, Torosidis.

7.15pm GMT

Real Madrid trounced Celta Vigo 7-1 on Saturday. That hasn’t stopped Zinedine Zidane making five changes to his starting XI. Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Luka Modric come in; Mateo Kovacic, Lucas Vazquez, Isco and Dani Carvajal drop to the bench, while young Borja Mayoral misses out altogether.

Roma have won three games on the bounce since losing the first leg of this rubber. Their latest taste of victory was a 4-1 trouncing of Fiorentina, and Luciano Spalletti doesn’t mess too much with a successful recipe. Only the two changes: Ervin Zukanovic and Edin Dzeko replace Antonio Rudiger and Radja Nainggolan.

8.42am GMT

Here’s a stat to open the eyes: Real Madrid have lost their last eight two-legged European ties against clubs from Serie A. In the Champions League, they went down to Juventus in last year’s semi, the 2005 round of 16, the 2003 semi, and the 1996 quarter final, and to Roma in the 2008 round of 16. Torino sent them packing in the 1992 Uefa Cup semis. Milan meanwhile did for them in the second round of the old European Cup in 1989-90, and the semi-finals the season before that.

In fact, Real haven’t beaten an Italian side over two legs in Europe since 1987. That’s when they saw off Diego Maradona’s Napoli in an epic first-round encounter that illustrated the

fundamental flaw in
sheer brilliance of the old unseeded European Cup knock-out format.

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Liverpool 3-0 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Liverpool pay City back for that League Cup final defeat by seriously compromising their title challenge.

9.52pm GMT

And that’s that. Liverpool were determined and impressive, City lacklustre, bordering on dreadful. A much-needed positive Premier League result for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who leap to eighth in the table. But a massive blow for City, whose title hopes are hanging by a thread, and must now look over their shoulder, with Manchester United and West Ham United after their Champions League place. A bad night for City, but they’ll always have Wembley.

Related: Liverpool revenge is swift and sweet against all-at-sea Manchester City

9.49pm GMT

90 min +2: The home fans singing the showtunes. “If I had told you two days ago that in this gameweek Leicester City would draw with West Brom and extend their lead on the other three teams in the top four by a point what would you have said to that?” asks JR in Illinois. “I didn’t think it possible but this season is actually getting crazier.”

9.48pm GMT

90 min +1: There will be three added minutes. Allen, 40 yards out but facing a dropping ball, sends a spectacular, screeching, Alonso-style volley goalwards. It’s only just over the bar, though Hart almost certainly had that covered.

9.47pm GMT

90 min: Corner for City out on the right. Kompany comes up in search of consolation. Navas loops the ball into the box. Lovren, who has been very solid tonight, batters a header clear. Bony comes back at Liverpool, and tries to send a Lallana tribute dribbler into the bottom left from 25 yards. Mignolet isn’t fooled, and gathers with ease.

9.45pm GMT

88 min: Flanagan is fine to continue. Milner is replaced by Ibe. The former City man is given a huge ovation by the Anfield faithful as he departs. It’s richly deserved. He’s been magnificent tonight.

9.44pm GMT

87 min: Kolarov flaps a flailing hand into Flanagan’s fizzog. Accidental, but the young full back will need some treatment. The clock ticks on.

9.43pm GMT

85 min: City’s evening gets worse and worse: Juan Mata has scored what looks like a late winner for Manchester United against Watford. United will be level on points with their city rivals.

9.42pm GMT

84 min: Kompany is all over Benteke as the pair contest a high ball just to the left of the City D. A free kick in a dangerous position. Henderson whips up and over the wall, and towards the top left. Hart’s feet are rooted to the spot. If that’s on target, it’s in, but it sails inches wide of the post.

9.40pm GMT

83 min: So this is shaping up to be a huge night for league leaders Leicester City. City are on their way to defeat here. Meanwhile West Ham United have beaten second-placed Spurs 1-0, while Arsenal have lost 2-1 at home to Swansea City! Dear oh dear. West Ham’s win has put all sorts of pressure on City in fourth, too. Pep’s not going to be happy if his new club end up in the Europa League, is he.

9.39pm GMT

82 min: Kolarov, 40 yards out on the left, mishits a diagonal cross. But for a second, it threatens to dip under the crossbar. In the end, it clears the frame of the goal by some distance, but Mignolet was backtracking nervously for a second there.

9.37pm GMT

79 min: Toure takes a free kick by the halfway line, out on the right. He blooters it high and long. Benteke goes up bravely on the edge of the box, rising Hart’s fist in his chops. Hart connects with the ball instead. Anfield’s fallen a bit quiet again, a general sense that the job here is done. Unless City can find something soon, of course.

9.35pm GMT

77 min: A chance for Benteke to take up possession and power down the left, but instead he meekly heads the ball nowhere in particular. If ever there’s a player who needs a confidence boosting goal, it’s this chap. “I thought Vincent Kompany said that it was ‘hunting season’?” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Typical City: They’ve obviously bagged their rabbit and are giving up on chasing the fox, having decided to dismount for a breather and get the collective cigar on.”

9.32pm GMT

75 min: Both teams make a change. Kolarov comes on for Clichy, while Firmino makes way for Allen.

9.31pm GMT

73 min: A quiet period on the field, allowing the fans to trade songs about Steven Gerrard, the ability to win league titles, the ability to win major European trophies, etc. “Dammit, a comfortable Liverpool victory is probably the most frustrating result,” writes Matt Dony. “They proved they can outplay City in the first league meeting. Now it just has an air of ‘Why couldn’t you do this a couple of days ago!’ Fourth place isn’t going to happen, this result won’t have a huge impact on Liverpool’s league position, and the chance to win silverware came and went. Sigh.”

9.29pm GMT

71 min: This is brilliant defending by Toure. Aguero powers down the left, and it looks as though he’ll be breaking clear into the Liverpool box, shooting to score. But a slightly heavy touch allows Toure to step across the striker and take control of the situation. The ball’s hacked clear for a corner, which is dealt with easily enough by the home side. City are getting very frustrated.

9.28pm GMT

70 min: Poor Lallana, though, more sinned against than sinning, yet so often seems to come off second best. With this in mind, the home fans sing his name by way of support. Meanwhile Origi is replaced by Benteke, who will doubtless have been told to fill his boots. But then Klopp will have told him that ahead of the Exeter games too.

9.27pm GMT

68 min: Adam ‘Scrappy Doo’ Lallana infamously got involved with Yaya Toure at Wembley on Sunday. Probably a bit embarrassing for him to recall how that panned out, even if he was rather harshly fouled. Anyway, now he’s engaged in a row with Navas, the City man having clambered all over his back in the midfield, then taken a couple of toepokes at his legs. For a second, it looks like a mass brawl is about to break out, but everyone calms down quickly enough, Navas is booked, and Lallana isn’t at any point tossed around like a rag doll.

9.23pm GMT

66 min: Iheanacho has a bit of space to run into down the left, but suddenly Flanagan is right up in his grille, snapping in the tackle. He gets the ball back, but the space has gone now, and he can only lift a high one harmlessly into Mignolet’s arms.

9.22pm GMT

64 min: Milner dances into the City box along the inside-left channel, and sends a wild shot over the bar. He may have done a little better there.

9.21pm GMT

63 min: Lallana chases a long ball down the middle. A simple ball for Hart to claim, or at least blooter clear, but he hesitates on the edge of his area, forcing Kompany, inches ahead of Lallana, to clear under pressure with a spectacular bicycle kick. City’s heads have gone right now. They need to snap out of this quickly.

9.19pm GMT

62 min: City are trying their hardest to respond, but passes aren’t sticking in the final third. Lovren and particularly Flanagan are snapping into every challenge. There’s no space for the visitors to work.

9.17pm GMT

60 min: Liverpool are knocking it around for fun right now. Origi romps down the right, then pulls the ball back from a deep position for Firmino, who offloads to Milner. The former City man, level with the right-hand post and 25 yards out, unleashes a fierce rising shot towards the top left. Hart palms over the crossbar. The resulting corner comes to nothing.

9.16pm GMT

City sit off Henderson in the middle. Henderson thinks awhile, then rolls a ball down the inside-right channel for Origi. The striker controls, with his back to goal. Lallana immediately picks up possession, dribbles diagonally towards the edge of the City D, then slips Firmino free into the area on the left. Firmino opens his body and powerfully flicks into the top right. Kompany had played him onside, and Hart had no chance. Are City’s title hopes going up in smoke here? Their Champions League place could be in question if they’re not careful.

9.13pm GMT

55 min: Fernandinho one-twos with Bony down the inside-right channel, then slips a first-time flick towards Silva, breaking into the Liverpool box down the left. The ball is inches away from sticking to Silva’s boot; he’d have been clear on goal. Not quite. But much better from City. Though that’s Fernandinho’s last act of the evening, as he’s replaced by Iheanacho. City are really rolling the dice now.

9.11pm GMT

53 min: Firmino bursts down the right and shuttles the ball forward for Origi. A less callow striker would have battered the ball goalwards as he entered the box, but he offloads to Lallana on the inside. Lallana wasn’t in such a good position, and though he dribbles around awhile, he can’t fashion space for a shot.

9.09pm GMT

52 min: Can powers down the left. Fernando has a chance to clear but miscontrols and gifts the ball back to Can. He feeds Milner, who runs straight into Kompany on the edge of the City box. He claims a free kick, but he’ll not be getting that.

9.07pm GMT

50 min: A bit better from City, now, as they start to probe and press a little. Aguero nutmegs Flanagan to make off down the left, but he’s soon swarmed in red. Clichy turns up in support, but his low fizzing cross is blocked by Toure.

9.05pm GMT

47 min: Flanagan plays a gorgeous sliderule pass down the right to release Milner into space. The ball’s shuttled forward for Origi, who hammers low into the middle. Hart gets down to get a strong hand to the cross, and nudges it away from the in-rushing Lallana. Zabaleta once again clears. City have yet to come out for this second half.

9.03pm GMT

46 min: Liverpool are immediately on the attack down the right. Origi looks to have run the ball out of play, but he hooks it into the centre with a telescopic leg. If anybody had been keeping up, City were in trouble, but Zabaleta is able to trap, turn and clear.

9.02pm GMT

A huge cheer from the Liverpool fans before a ball’s been kicked: Sterling has been hooked in favour of Bony. The home side then get the ball rolling for the second half, and they’re kicking towards the Kop, which is their preference for what that sort of thing is worth.

8.53pm GMT

Half-time entertainment: This starts with a Manchester City versus Liverpool match, so any old excuse to put the greatest football documentary of all time up. Featuring Malcolm Allison, John Bond, Kenny Dalglish, Peter Swales, Peter Swales’ magnificently brazen scrapeover, and a boardroom ashtray teeming with fags. The second half of tonight’s match promises to be great, so don’t be disappearing off down a YouTube rabbit hole. Have a quick look, but save most of it for later.

8.50pm GMT

And that’s that. A strange half. Nothing much happened. Except for the two goals which exploded out of nowhere, that is. Liverpool will be very happy with that, though they’ll surely be wondering why they couldn’t take this league form into the cup final. City meanwhile need a big second half if they’re to keep their title challenge on track. Drama ahoy, one way or another. No flipping!

8.47pm GMT

45 min +1: Silva is upended just outside the Liverpool box on the left, Flanagan the culprit. Silva whips high to the near post. Aguero rises, eight yards out, and powers a header down towards goal. Milner, on the line by the post, chests down and clears. City claim a penalty, but they’re not getting it.

8.46pm GMT

45 min: Aguero bustles into the Liverpool box down the City left. He turns on a sixpence and pulls back towards the onrushing Sterling, who is ready to pull the trigger, but sees the ball whipped off his toe by an excellent sliding hook from Flanagan.

8.45pm GMT

44 min: Clyne sends Firmino into acres down the left. Firmino chips inside and finds Lallana on the penalty spot. But the flag goes up for offside - correctly - and Lallana blazes wildly over the bar anyway.

8.43pm GMT

42 min: “Am I the first to castigate Pelligrini for dropping Sunday’s hero?” asks Lou Roper. Yep! But I guess somebody had to. Hart had no chance for Milner’s strike, but his role in Lallana’s goal was preposterous. The keeper was diving at full stretch, but got nowhere near the corner.

8.42pm GMT

Once again, Anfield had fallen into quiet contemplation. And once again Liverpool suddenly burst into life when it looked as though there was nothing doing! Lallana somehow digs a ball out on the right, backheeling inside and past two City defenders to release Firmino into space. Firmino strides down the channel before slipping a ball forward for Milner, who bursts into the box and batters a shot off the bottom of the right-hand post and into the net!

8.38pm GMT

38 min: City respond by winning a corner down the right. Navas and Silva play it short. After knocking it between them, Navas whips to the near post. Lovren hoicks clear. Then another phase of City attack, Navas once again crossing from the right. Sterling can’t get on the end of the dropping ball, and Can combines with the determined looking Lovren to tidy up.

8.36pm GMT

36 min: Liverpool’s tails are up. Milner has a bit of space down the right, and his pitching-wedges a ball into the area for Firmino. The ball’s a little high, and Firmino’s run a little late.

8.35pm GMT

It’s not so quiet now! This came from nothing. Liverpool finally get the ball after a long period of City possession. Milner, on the right, clips a ball inside for Lallana, who takes a speculative shot from the best part of 3o yards. He sends a pea-roller towards the bottom right - and somehow Hart allows it to trundle in! That’s a very weird goal. Not that Anfield cares a jot. Off comes that roof!

8.33pm GMT

33 min: In fact, City have enjoyed nearly 70% possession during the last five minutes. Anfield is pretty quiet as a result.

8.33pm GMT

31 min: Aguero one-twos crisply with Fernandinho down the inside-left channel. Aguero nearly breaks clear into the box, but can’t quite keep control. Silva gets involved, and very nearly nudges the ball through for the striker, but it’s overhit and Mignolet comes off his line to claim. City are beginning to boss possession now, having ridden out Liverpool’s early storm, such as it was.

8.31pm GMT

29 min: Flanagan plays a loose ball on the halfway line, allowing Silva, Fernandinho and Aguero to tear as a group down the left wing. For a second it looks like Fernandinho, near the byline, has found Silva with a pullback, but Lovren makes a nuisance of himself, allowing Flanagan to get back and retrieve the ball he’d lost. Liverpool were nearly caught out there.

8.28pm GMT

28 min: Sterling is still getting the bird. He relieves any frustration or irritation he may be feeling by cutting in from the left and taking a short-backlift snapshot towards the top left from 20 yards. It sails harmlessly wide left, and into the Kop.

8.26pm GMT

26 min: Can, 30 yards out and shaping to shoot, spots Flanagan making ground down the right. Can plays an opener down the inside-right channel. If he’d weighted it properly, the full-back was in on goal. He didn’t, though, and Flanagan can’t keep it in play. A bright idea, badly executed.

8.25pm GMT

24 min: After some neat tiki-taka from City, Zabaleta is found tight on the byline to the right of the Liverpool goal. Having watched Mignolet’s near-post antics at Wembley last weekend, he decides to take a shot from an absurd angle. Maybe it was a cross. Mignolet made it look like a shot, anyway, as he parries it out in a mild panic. Liverpool clear. City attack again, though Navas, who from a position down the inside-right channel, wheechs a low diagonal shot wide of the left-hand post.

8.22pm GMT

22 min: Henderson, wide on the right, plays a first-time diagonal pass to Origi on the left. The ball’s taken out of play by a gust of wind. There’s a fair old blow whistling through Anfield. Liverpool come again, but Firmino’s shot from 25 yards is claimed easily by Hart, the ball having been dispatched straight at him.

8.21pm GMT

19 min: A clever reverse pass down the right wing by Flanagan, and Lallana’s in all sorts of space. But he hesitates, and a corner’s not much of a reward for the position he’d found himself in. He had loads of options in the centre. Liverpool used to have a fanzine called Another Wasted Corner, didn’t they? Well, anyway: that.

8.18pm GMT

17 min: More space for Navas on the right wing. This cross is a little better, with Aguero’s radar beginning to ping hectically on the edge of the six-yard box. But Lovren intercepts before the ball reaches the striker. That was close. The nearest we’ve come to a goal so far, though I can’t stress enough the importance of context.

8.16pm GMT

16 min: Nothing’s quite coming off yet. Navas makes ground down the right, but his low centre is easily battered clear by Lovren. Then Firmino tries to slip Origi clear down the left, but the striker doesn’t read the pass and fails to turn the jets on.

8.15pm GMT

14 min: Liverpool come again, Henderson, Origi and Milner combining down the right. Milner’s cross is overhit, and Firmino, free on the penalty spot, was offside anyway.

8.14pm GMT

13 min: Can chips a cute pass down the inside-left channel with a view to releasing Milner into the area, but he overcooks it, the ball sailing out of play for a goal kick. Liverpool have had quite a lot of the ball, but they’ve not forced Hart into breaking sweat yet.

8.12pm GMT

12 min: A first attack for Sterling down the left. Boo, holler, yell. And he cuts across the front of Flanagan, earning a free kick just to the left of the Liverpool box. City load it. Silva whips it into the mixer. Fernandinho, City’s goalscoring hero at the weekend, gets his head on the ball, 12 yards out, but sends a weak effort miles wide right.

8.10pm GMT

9 min: Clyne, playing at left-back tonight, with Flanagan on the other side, looks in the mood to attack. A couple of runs down his flank. He’s never quite in control of the first one. The second is without the ball, and if Lallana had spotted him, he’d have been away.

8.08pm GMT

7 min: A lot of faffing around in the midfield. City will be happy enough with this, as it’s quelled Liverpool’s early passion. “It could be worse for ‘Inner Anger’,” opines Grant Tennille. “Just ask Ings or Agger.”

8.05pm GMT

5 min: But not for long. Origi goes tearing down the inside-right channel and is unfairly upended by Otamendi. Henderson’s free kick is once again miserable. Once again, Lallana tries to keep things going on the other flank. His deep cross flies out of play on the right, and there’s nothing a persistent Firmino can do about it.

8.04pm GMT

4 min: A fast start by Liverpool, with Lallana, Henderson, Can and Flanagan seeing a lot of the ball down the right. Firmino nearly breaks clear down the wing, but his barge into the back of poor Sterling is a clear foul. The pressure’s off City.

8.02pm GMT

2 min: Henderson’s free kick fails to beat Clichy, the first man. Very poor. Lallana tries to restart the attack down the left, and whips into the centre. Can attempts to control. If he manages it, he could have a shot from ten yards. But he doesn’t.

8.01pm GMT

City get the ball rolling, and they’re attacking the Kop in the first half. Sterling is booed on his first touch, and immediately crumped by Flanagan. Fairly, much to the amusement of the home crowd. And the tussle results in a free kick out on the right for Liverpool, and a chance to load the box.

7.58pm GMT

The teams are out! A cracking atmosphere at Anfield. Liverpool in all red, Manchester City, unnecessarily, in second-choice dark blue. It’s an aesthetic delight, if not one for the purists. Raheem Sterling closes his eyes and crosses himself as he crosses the white line. We’ll be off in a minute. “Won’t ‘BR’ please shut up?” cries Lou Roper. “Happily for him, he possesses rose-coloured specs that prevent him from reflecting on his many errors or, indeed, his unsuitability for top-flight management: viz. his (as opposed to the ‘transfer committee’s) ‘marquee signings’, ‘Inner Anger’ Moreno and Joe Allen, make it no further than the bench tonight; only the GBP 33 million wasted on the two of them.” Poor old Brenny. If he’d only positioned a defender or two in his own half against Chelsea that time, a couple of careers could have been a whole lot different. He’ll be back having learned a tactical trick or two from the experience, I’m sure.

7.52pm GMT

And now here’s Manuel Pellegrini. “It was an important week in three different competitions. We made a big step in the Champions League, and we won the Capital One Cup. And now we want to win the Premier League, in the best way, because we lost the last two games we played. We will try to continue and try to do it, to fight until the end. These three points tonight are very important. This team has a lot of experience, about how to win a title coming from behind. It’s important to reduce the gap.”

7.49pm GMT

Poetry Corner (with William Carlos Williams scholar Ian Copestake, a man clever enough to have written this): “The middle bank of scarves in your pic makes for a poem of sorts with a nice anti-climactic ending:

Sturridge
We are Liverpool
Coutinho
Steven Gerrard.
Coutinho - Firmino
SHANKLY
Lallana.

7.39pm GMT

And now here’s Jurgen Klopp. Was Liverpool’s 4-1 win at the City of Manchester Stadium his team’s best performance this season? After a long pause, and a smack of the lips, he answers. “Yes, I think as a full package it was the best one. Everything came together. We played brilliant and they didn’t play too well to be honest. It was pretty good. But what can we expect after Sunday? We want to strike back. They took something we wanted to have. They won something that we wanted to keep. But the good thing in sports is we can fight. We are experienced enough to know the final was the final, and we have to carry on. But we had nothing to celebrate on Sunday night!” Klopp also points out that Daniel Sturridge is rested, and not injured. “He had a little bit of a calf problem, but that is normal after 120 minutes. He wanted to be in the squad, but I said to him that if he was in the squad, I would want him on the pitch and that doesn’t make too much sense. It was my decision so he can have some recovery and be back for Sunday after a long injury.”

7.30pm GMT

Brendan Rodgers speaks! (We’ll get to the current Liverpool manager in a minute.) “On the pre-game show we get here in India,” begins Prateek Chadha, “they have Brendan Rodgers as a pundit for this game. On being asked whether the ownership will back Klopp on his desire for a major squad overhaul, Rodgers pulls no punches. He bluntly stated that he was replaced because they felt this squad was good enough to qualify for the Champions League and, given that, they are unlikely to agree to an overhaul.” Hmm. Well, that’s either worrying news for Liverpool fans, given the shoddy state their team is in right now, or for Rodgers himself, who’ll have steam pouring from his ears should his successor get a few quid to spend in the summer, and the realisation sinks in that he was sold a line upon being told to pack up his things. Either way, someone’s going to be sitting in a dark room come August hugging their knees and rocking quite a lot.

7.22pm GMT

Pre-match reading. While we wait to hear from the managers, how about we take a stroll down

Repressed
Memory Lane? Here’s the online version of flicking idly through the programme as you contemplate leaving your seat for a cup of milky tea and a subsequent visit to the special little room. Good old guardian.co.uk archive! Good old internet!

Related: The Joy of Six: great Liverpool v Manchester City matches | Scott Murray

7.13pm GMT

Willy Caballero, put your feet up, sir. Cigar? Brandy? Hey, he deserves it. Manchester City’s Wembley hero is back on the bench, as usual in the league. Joe Hart returns in goal, with big gloves to fill. He’s one of three changes to the City team that started at Wembley on Sunday. Bacary Sagna also steps down, to be replaced by Pablo Zabaleta. Meanwhile Yaya Toure

is sulking because nobody ran after him at the end
has

hurt feelings
a sore foot, and his place on the teamsheet has been taken by Jesus Navas.

7.01pm GMT

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Lovren, Flanagan, Milner, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Origi, Firmino.
Subs: Benteke, Coutinho, Moreno, Allen, Ibe, Skrtel, Ward.

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Kompany, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Silva, Sterling, Aguero.
Subs: Sagna, Kolarov, Caballero, Bony, Mangala, Demichelis, Iheanacho.

1.00pm GMT

If Liverpool aren’t careful, this could turn into a habit. Back in 2012, Kenny Dalglish’s side lost a closely contested FA Cup final to Chelsea. Three days later, their victors turned up on the doorstep for a league game. All those broken dreams, right up in their grille.

And now it’s happening again. Three days after losing the League Cup final, here come Manchester City, shiny new trophy poking out of their backpack. Once more, the fans at Anfield are forced to look at what they could have won.

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The Fiver | A perfect parabola o’pique

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Leicester City, whose major roll of honour begins and ends with the League Cup, are currently top of the tree in England. Tottenham Hotspur, whose last title predates Acker Bilk, the Berlin Wall and Valium, are in second spot. West Ham United, who haven’t won very much at all since they landed the 1966 World Cup, are a mere four points off the Big Cup places. There aren’t very many of the usual suspects among that lot, are there? So it was only a matter of time before the toys, blankets, soothers, teethers, sippy cups and soiled nappies were dispatched from the Premier League pram along a perfect parabola o’pique.

Related: Premier League clubs admit to meeting over changes to Champions League

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Bournemouth 2-0 Southampton: Premier League – as it happened

Bournemouth deservedly beat Saints in the league for the first time since 1958, and are now eight points clear of the relegation places.

10.22pm GMT

Related: Benik Afobe rises to the occasion as Bournemouth beat Southampton

9.42pm GMT

And that’s that! Bournemouth claim three richly deserved points - and their first league win over Southampton since 1958! Saints didn’t really turn up tonight, but put that down to the Cherries playing a hard game from front to back. They pinged the ball around nicely as usual, but tonight was about hunting in packs, defending well, and taking their chances from set pieces. They’re now eight clear of the relegation zone, and survival in their first top-flight season is very much on the cards!

9.41pm GMT

90 min +3: Bertrand earns a corner for Saints down the left. Ward-Prowse takes, but Boruc snaffles confidently. That should be that.

9.39pm GMT

90 min +2: Gosling has a shot from 25 yards. It flies 25 yards into the sky.

9.39pm GMT

90 min +1: Smith goes on a romp down the left. His cross flies straight through the Saints area, but is fetched by Ritchie on the other flank. The clock’s whizzing by for the home side right now.

9.38pm GMT

90 min: There will be four added minutes. A ripple of anxiety around Dean Court. The home crowd know how important these three points will be in the context of their battle to stay in the division.

9.36pm GMT

89 min: Ritchie heads into space down the right, sending Grabban scuttling off to the corner. Time is Bournemouth’s friend now, and well they know it.

9.35pm GMT

87 min: So having said all that, Saints naturally muster their first shot on target. Romeu flicks down the inside-right channel to release Mane into the area. Boruc comes off his line to smother at the striker’s feet. That was a brilliant save from a goalkeeper who has had nothing to do all evening.

9.34pm GMT

85 min: Pugh comes on for Gradel. Grabban has a dig from 25 yards out on the left, straight at Forester. A general sense that this game is over: Saints have been low on energy for most of the evening, and they’re looking particularly kaput right now.

9.32pm GMT

83 min: Replays of the free kick that led to Bournemouth’s second suggest it was a generous decision: Van Dijk had simply risen higher to win a header, and Afobe went down easily. Then again, Saints didn’t bother to defend the free kick properly - serious questions will be asked of both Forster, who froze on his line, and Van Dijk, who let Afobe swan in front of him - so there’s only so much sympathy available.

9.29pm GMT

81 min: Afobe is sent scampering after a long ball down the right. He earns Bournemouth’s 984th corner of the evening. This one’s sent long to the far post, where Francis is penalised for pushing. Saints look seriously deflated after that goal.

9.27pm GMT

This is as simple as it comes. A free kick for the hosts out on the right touchline, Van Dijk having nudged Afobe as the pair rise for a high ball. Ritchie takes the set play, whipping an inswinger into the box. Afobe makes a run ahead of five green shirts. Forster fails to come off his line, and Afobe is free to guide a simple header into the top right!

9.26pm GMT

78 min: A long ball down the right wing for Mane. He’s a touch offside, Cook and Francis stepping up just in time. Just as well, because Mane crossed anyway, and his ball beat Boruc: had play continued, there’d have been a tap-in for any Saints player keeping up with play.

9.24pm GMT

75 min: Cook with a full-length dive to clear with a header. Brave, as Pelle’s boot was flying around there too. Free kick, and some welcome relief for Bournemouth, who are struggling to hold onto the ball right now.

9.22pm GMT

73 min: Davis, from deep, plays a long pass along the floor, down the middle of the park. Pelle, his back to goal, turns to the right and bobbles a low shot towards the bottom left from 25 yards. It’s only just wide of the left-hand post. Hearts in Bournemouth mouths there. The away side are beginning to press and probe, finally.

9.20pm GMT

72 min: Tadic is immediately involved, first making a pest of himself down the left, then getting involved in a game of head tennis in the Bournemouth box. The hosts eventually batter the ball clear. This could be a long 20 minutes for the

Hampshire
Dorset stars, as they look to keep a hold of these precious three points.

9.18pm GMT

71 min: Injuries have totally and utterly disrupted this second half. Now it’s Long’s turn to limp off looking glum. Tadic replaces him. Meanwhile King - who was up until the early hours of this morning waiting for his partner to give birth, congratulations to all - sleepwalks off. Grabban takes his place.

9.16pm GMT

68 min: Space for Gradel down the left. He whistles his cross out of play on the right. It’s all very scrappy at the moment. “It can’t be Charlie Austin’s knee,” writes Dr Chris Brock, “as he doesn’t have one.”

9.13pm GMT

66 min: There’s nobody near Arter, but he lands awkwardly and instantly signals to the bench to be substituted. Looks like he’s tweaked a knee if the way the physio is manipulating his leg counts for anything. Gosling comes on in his place.

9.12pm GMT

63 min: Pelle’s first act is to head a long ball forward into the Saints box. Cook comes across to clear. Long, desperately trying to connect with a volley, merely kicks his opponent. A proper playground hoof on the shin, and a no-brainer of a free kick to Bournemouth. Both players roll about in agony, though they’re soon up and about. On the touchline, Ronaldo Koeman ludicrously argues with the new fourth official, demanding a penalty! No, I don’t think so, sir. By the way, on the subject of the fourth official, the departed and hospitalised Friend did faint before crashing into the dugout, though word is he’s now feeling OK, if a little bruised and battered.

9.08pm GMT

60 min: Austin looks to have tweaked something. Knee? Hamstring? Dr Murray is an ignorant old quack, but he can report that Austin is limping off. Pelle, having quickly divested his vest, comes on in Austin’s stead.

9.06pm GMT

58 min: It’s still tatty. Long and Davis take turns to send simple passes out of play. Saints need to step it up a bit here. They’ve not created very much, and Bournemouth are half an hour or so away from their first home win against Saints since 1958.

9.04pm GMT

56 min: Gradel, down the inside-left channel, tries to slip Afobe clear on his inside. But he overhits the pass, and it goes straight through to Forster. A chance spurned. This has got a little tatty.

9.01pm GMT

54 min: Surman meets a third corner in a row. This one’s a clearing header, though, as Saints win their first corner of the game, out on the right.

9.00pm GMT

53 min: Afobe robs Cedric down the Bournemouth left. He slides a ball down the middle for King to chase. King’s not far from getting clear of Van Dijk, but the big defender reads it well, steps across, and sweeps clear. He’s been very impressive this evening.

8.58pm GMT

51 min: Corner for Bournemouth on the left. Ritchie plays it short for Surman, who miscontrols and allows Cedric to sweep clear. But Afobe is soon coming back at the visitors, down the same wing, and that’s Bournemouth’s ninth corner of the night. (Saints haven’t had a single one.) Surman gets on the end of this one too, but it’s a directionless header, wafting up into the air, and once again Saints hoick clear.

8.57pm GMT

49 min: Davis slides a ball down the right wing for Cedric, pushing him towards the corner flag. He crosses deep for Long, who tries to work a bit of space down the inside-left channel. The ball hits the striker’s arm as he shapes to shoot, and the whistle goes for hand ball. A slightly lucky bounce for Bournemouth there, as that wasn’t deliberate by the Saints man, and he was in range to trouble Boruc.

8.55pm GMT

47 min: Gradel takes the free kick, and skelps it deep to King, who can’t quite keep the ball in play at the far post. On the face of it, a waste, but that was a good idea: had Gradel sent that over a bit lower, King would have been heading that back into a packed six-yard box.

8.53pm GMT

Bournemouth get the ball rolling for the second half. Arter chips a fine pass down the left for Daniels, who is shoved onto the floor by Mane. A free kick in a very dangerous position, and a very positive start to the half by the hosts.

8.48pm GMT

The second half will be delayed by five minutes or so. Kevin Friend is being taken to hospital for checks, so we’ll need a new fourth official. Dean Treleaven is here, and will take up Friend’s duties.

8.45pm GMT

And the half-times in the other Premier League matches: Aston Villa 0-2 Everton; Leicester City 2-1 WBA; Norwich City 0-2 Chelsea; Sunderland 1-0 Crystal Palace. Leicester keep on keepin’ on. Meanwhile Norwich are beginning to play their way into a little trouble, aren’t they. Palace need to wake up as well. This is one magnificent season. Aston Villa aside, good luck predicting what’s going to happen at either end of the table.

8.41pm GMT

News of Kevin Friend: According to BT Sport, the fourth official either fainted or tripped before colliding with the dugout. Ooyah. The poor chap’s cut up his face a wee bit, and is being treated by the local ambulance service. He’s conscious, but a little groggy. Get well soon.

8.38pm GMT

Half-time entertainment from sunny

Dorset
Hampshire: It’s Bournemouth in 1961. My sight’s not what it was, but is that a shop called CIGARS (38 to 50 seconds)? Marvellous. Who needs fancy branding?

8.34pm GMT

Mike Dean opts to blow for half time and scuttles off down the tunnel. The players follow him. A slightly surreal end to the half.

8.33pm GMT

45 min +1: It’s not quite half time - seconds to go - but the referee’s stopped the game. Word is that fourth official Kevin Friend has somehow banged his head while working on the touchline. All of a sudden, a very strange, subdued atmosphere at Dean Court. Confusion more than concern is the top note right now, as it’s not totally clear what’s happened, but fingers crossed that this is nothing serious and Friend is OK.

8.30pm GMT

44 min: ... the ball hits Long in the chest, six yards out. Bournemouth scream for a penalty, but they’re being cheeky buggers there. Saints can only half clear, and King earns yet another corner - Bournemouth have had about 600, the bookies will be furious - down the same flank. This one ends with Ritchie faffing around on the wing and being caught offside.

8.28pm GMT

43 min: Arter embarks on a Power Dribble down the inside-right channel. He very nearly breaks into the box, but before he can find the room to shoot, Romeu takes the ball off his toe and hacks out for a corner on the right. From which ...

8.27pm GMT

40 min: Austin is adjudged to have illegally barged Francis off the ball as the pair contest a long pass down the Saints inside-right channel. It looked like a fair shoulder charge, so Austin batters a wild shot into the stand behind the goal in frustration. Not sure whether the referee pedantically booked him for that - BT Sport cut away as Mike Dean was fingering his pocket with a satisfied grin playing across his boat - so let’s assume common sense won the day there, and the card remained sheathed. Smith is then hacked to the floor by Romeu in the centre circle. No booking, that I can tell you for sure, though there probably should have been.

8.23pm GMT

37 min: Ward-Prowse takes an awful chance deep on the Saints right. He’s nearly swarmed by Afobe and Gradel, but manages to dribble between them. Had he been dispossessed there, Bournemouth were tearing clear on goal.

8.21pm GMT

35 min: Koeman decides to make a tactical change. Off goes a sheepish Yoshida, on comes Davis. A move to bolster the midfield. Perhaps he saw that possession stat, eh.

8.20pm GMT

33 min: Bournemouth come at Saints again. They have their tails up right now. Gradel shifts the ball inside from the left, sends Cedric spinning around like a teenager on Teacher’s Highland Cream. From 20-odd yards, he looks to curl one into the top-right corner. It’s not too far over the bar, a decent effort.

8.18pm GMT

Ritchie takes the free kick, just outside the box on the right. He lashes it into the six-yard box at mid-height, forcing a wrong-footed Forster to parry up and out, his defenders having failed to react. Cook, shaping like Mark Hughes, guides a soft volley down, up and into the unguarded right-hand portion of the net. That’s a tatty goal, but full marks to King for earning the free kick. Fonte wants to have a good think about what he’s just done.

8.16pm GMT

30 min: Brilliant play by King down the right, winning a ball he should never win as Fonte tries to shepherd it out of play. King makes for the box, tries to diddle his way past Yoshida, fails, and is fouled by Fonte. Free kick in a dangerous position, though. From which ...

8.14pm GMT

29 min: Francis bowls Bertrand to the floor as the Saints man makes off down the left. Saints load the box. Ward-Prowse whips fiercely along a low arc to the far post, where Boruc claims. That was a better free kick than his strikers made it look. He’s a talent with the dead ball, that lad.

8.12pm GMT

27 min: Bournemouth have apparently enjoyed 89% of possession during the last five minutes. Saints have, of course, come the closest to scoring during that period. The inexorable rise of statistics, eh? Jesus wept.

8.10pm GMT

26 min: King’s going nowhere down the inside-right channel, but Van Dijk helps him by shoving him needlessly in the back. A free kick, just to the right of the D. A very dangerous position. Surman nudges the ball to the left for Ritchie, who hits low and hard but straight into the Saints wall. That wasn’t particularly clever.

8.09pm GMT

24 min: Austin gets the better of Francis down the left. He loops a cross into the middle for Long, who doesn’t quite connect with his header. Daniels does connect, sending the ball high into the air. Boruc does well to sprint off his line and claim before Long can have a second go. A split second later, and Long was scoring there.

8.08pm GMT

22 min: Ward-Prowse clatters into the back of Arter, who lands on the meat of his buttocks. No foul is awarded, but Arter sits on the turf awhile, waving his arms in fury, as some midfield noodling is played out around his prone body. It’s quite a nice little vignette.

8.06pm GMT

20 min: Daniels does incredibly well to control a fizzing pass down the left, and races along the wing. He whips into the area. A decent cross, but once again it’s Van Dijk who heads clear. He’s been on the end of just about everything so far. No wonder Celtic aren’t half as good this season.

8.04pm GMT

18 min: Saints on the attack through Bertrand down the left. Long and Austin are lurking, but Francis clears. Romeu chests the clearance down, 25 yards from goal, shapes to shoot, but instead pokes a pass down the inside-left channel to release Mane into the area. Mane’s facing a tight angle, though, and belts a wild effort well over the bar. That was nice football from the visitors; a slightly better pass, and Mane was opening the scoring there.

8.02pm GMT

16 min: Ritchie goes sliding in on Mane after overrunning the ball. He gets to it first, but then crumps his studs into his opponent’s boot too. You’ve seen yellow cards given for that, even if it looked clumsy and out of control rather than malicious. Mike Dean makes do with a lecture.

7.59pm GMT

14 min: Bournemouth push Saints back a wee bit. Smith finds a yard or two down the right, but his looping cross, meant for King in the middle, is easily dealt with by Yoshida.

7.58pm GMT

12 min: A lot of sterile possession in the midfield for Saints. Eventually Van Dijk gets fed up, and takes a couple of Beckenbaueresque strides down the inside-right channel. Eventually, he takes a shot from the best part of 40 (!) yards. It’s not a wholly realistic ambition, that, is it. And sure enough, it’s easily blocked by the nearest red-and-black shirt.

7.55pm GMT

10 min: Another corner for Bournemouth! Gradel wins this one with a powerful run down the left. And then it’s corner five-and-a-half, because Gradel takes it while the ball’s rolling and has to play it again. The corner’s hit deep, but King can’t get onto Daniels’ knock-down. The ball’s recycled down the left for the busy Gradel again, but his cross into a still-crowded box doesn’t beat the first man, and Saints mop up the danger.

7.53pm GMT

8 min: Gradel, making good down the inside-left channel, slides Afobe into space on the wing. Afobe earns a corner off Cedric. Once again, Van Dijk gets his nut on the set piece and sends the ball sailing clear of the danger zone. A lovely, bright, end-to-end start to this derby. Both sets of fans are still giving it plenty.

7.52pm GMT

5 min: Mane finds a little space down the right. He cuts back to Ward-Prowse, whose low cross is half cleared. Another chance for Mane on the wing. He shifts the ball forward for Cedric, who reaches the byline and fizzes a low cross to Austin on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He opens his body and sidefoots strongly, albeit well wide of the right-hand post. A striker of Austin’s quality really should have hit the target there, and well he knows it, holding his head in his hands.

7.49pm GMT

3 min: This is a great start by Bournemouth. First they win a corner down the left. Forster punches Gradel’s effort clear. Then Ritchie tears down the right, and earns his side’s third corner of these early exchanges. This one’s clanked clear by the head of Van Dijk. But the underdogs have come flying out of the blocks here.

7.47pm GMT

59 seconds: King bursts down the right and cuts back for Arter, who blooters hard towards the bottom right. Nearly a dramatic start, but Forster saves well. The resulting corner comes to nothing.

7.46pm GMT

The Saints get this evening’s march underway. A thundering atmosphere at Dean Court. A long ball from deep, but Austin can’t get anywhere near it. Boruc gathers.

7.43pm GMT

The teams are out! A light show welcomes the players as they take to the field. Bournemouth sport their AC Milan influenced red-and-black stripes, while Southampton wear second-choice nuclear-power-plant-incident green. Meanwhile here’s Richard Hamblin, who’d like to take issue with my glib factual assertion that this game is a Dorset versus Hampshire affair. “Yeah, but historically and pretty much culturally too Bournemouth actually is Hants not Dorset,” he writes, while rhythmically thrashing me over the head with a rolled-up copy of the Local Government Act of 1972. He’s got a point, readers, as said piece of legislation concerning the reorganisation of county and district councils can confirm. Also, having spent a large proportion of my life in Basingstoke, the Dallas of England, I can confirm that being battered around the noggin is very much part of Hampshire culture, so Richard is bang on the money in all respects.

7.31pm GMT

And now a slightly stern Eddie Howe, in full Business Mode, no messing: “Three points tonight would be a huge step. We’re looking at home to set a real platform for the rest of the season. We haven’t been as fluent as we’d like at home, so this is a good chance to put that right. I’m sure our supporters will make tonight an atmosphere to remember. We haven’t done as well as we’d like in derbies of late, so we have it all to prove.”

7.21pm GMT

A very relaxed-looking Ronald Koeman speaks! “We know this is a difficult one. They are fighting against relegation, and it is always difficult to beat such clubs. We played a good game against Chelsea, even if we lost. If we make a good run of good results, we have a chance of Europe. It’s a small stadium and it will be a good atmosphere. I am looking forward!”

6.56pm GMT

Just the one change to the Bournemouth starting XI that earned a point at Watford last weekend. Junior Stanislas suffered a hamstring injury in that match, and he’s replaced by Max Gradel, who only returned from a long injury lay-off on Saturday himself.

6.47pm GMT

AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Gradel, Afobe, King.
Subs: Gosling, Elphick, Pugh, Federici, Distin, Murray, Grabban.

Southampton: Forster, van Dijk, Fonte, Yoshida, Cedric, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Bertrand, Mane, Long, Austin.
Subs: Clasie, Steven Davis, Tadic, Martina, Pelle, Stekelenburg, Targett.

12.04pm GMT

It’s never going to generate the heightened emotions of the Saints-Pompey fixture. Hey, that’s probably just as well. And in any case, a south-coast derby is a south-coast derby is a south-coast derby, and this Dorset-Hampshire brouhaha promises to be a cracker.

The hosts first. And the Cherries are looking for their first home victory over Southampton since they won 2-1 in the old Third Division in October 1958. They’re also hoping to avoid defeat against Saints for the first time in the 21st century. They’ve met four times in recent years, and lost the lot: two League One fixtures in 2010/11, a League Cup tie in the same season, and a 2-0 reverse at St Mary’s last November, Steven Davis and Graziano Pelle the goalscorers in a match which also saw hot fuse Victor Wanyama sent off.

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Filling the old breeks every February and March

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If Arsenal land the FA Cup this season, they’ll become the first team to win the famous old competition three years in a row since they themselves did it in 2001, 2002 and 2003. (They did win the FA Cup in 2001, right? The Fiver switched off bored after 82 minutes, it was such a one-sided nonsense.) Before that, you’re looking to Blackeye Rovers in the 1880s! The Gunners meanwhile are also a mere five points off the top of the Premier League, and they’ll make it through to the last eight of Big Cup should Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar’s legs fall off during the next fortnight, admittedly a long shot in strict statistical terms, though only a fool would make any rash assumptions before things are done and dusted.

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West Bromwich Albion 3-2 Crystal Palace: Premier League - as it happened

Two previously goal-shy teams serve up a five-goal thriller. Football, eh?

7.27pm GMT

Berahino wastes 30 seconds with some adroit dribbles in a tight space by the corner flag. And that is that! A sensational five-goal thriller comes to an end, and West Brom are the deserved winners. Just about. Palace - nearly as good in the second half as West Brom were in the first - will point to the two non-penalty decisions during that second period. But on the other hand they should have probably been playing with ten men for quite a long time as a result of Adebayor’s first-half rake on Dawson. Swings and roundabouts. And in all honesty, if a team goal like West Brom’s third doesn’t end up winning a match, we might as well Stop Football. Though Connor Wickham’s spectacular second ran it close. Phew. West Brom consolidate 13th position, moving to 35 points, three ahead of Palace in 14th, after a goalfest nobody thought would happen. The glorious unpredictability of sport, right here.

7.25pm GMT

90 min +4: McClean takes the ball towards the left-hand corner flag, sent in that direction by a wise pass from Fletcher. Not so wise is the way Jedinak trundles over to foul the West Brom winger. Such stupidity. A free kick by the corner flag, and a chance to run the clock down.

7.24pm GMT

90 min +3: A ball thrown into the West Brom box from the right now. Dawson heads clear. The Hawthorns erupts as though a goal was scored. It’s fair to say the tension is palpable.

7.22pm GMT

90 min +1: A throw for Palace out on the left, Wickham having put himself about in the robust style. The ball’s Delaped into the area, but Palace bustle too heartily and the flag goes up for pushing.

7.21pm GMT

90 min: There will be five minutes added onto the end of this magnificent match.

7.20pm GMT

89 min: Olsson barges into Gayle, 30 yards from goal. There was no need for it, and now Palace have a free kick in a dangerous position. Gayle gets up, and looks like he fancies it. He lashes at the ball, which squirts off harmlessly to the right of the target. That was very ambitious.

7.18pm GMT

87 min: Berahino wins a free kick off Delaney as the pair tussle down the West Brom right. A chance for some clever game management. But do they run the clock down? Nope! The ball’s instantly hoicked down the right, and Berahino is flagged offside. Palace immediately have possession back.

7.17pm GMT

86 min: Rondon is replaced by Sandro. What West Brom have, they’ll try to hold.

7.16pm GMT

85 min: Zaha embarks on a George Best style meander, right to left, before feeding Bolasie on the wing. Bolasie’s cross is cleared. Jedinak picks up possession, and dives across McClean to win a free kick out on the right. The ball’s hoicked into the mixer, and half-cleared. Ward has an ambitious dig; the ball flies wide left of the target.

7.14pm GMT

83 min: Another corner for Palace, this time on the right. Mutch takes. Dann rises on the penalty spot, and crashes a header towards the top right. Gardner, on the line, heads clear! This is absurdly good entertainment.

7.13pm GMT

81 min: Ledley is replaced by Jedinak. Wickham has another half-chance, out on the left. His shot is blocked out for a corner. The set piece is mopped up.

7.13pm GMT

What a goal this is! Ledley dinks the free kick, awarded for the Cabaye-Chester foul, into the box. McAuley’s attempt at a clearing header is half-arsed, and drops to Wickham, 12 yards out and level with the left-hand post. Wickham lashes a shot into the top right! Unstoppable! Is this on? It could be on, you know.

7.11pm GMT

78 min: A couple of minutes ago, Cabaye took a knee up the arse from Yacob. The poor man’s in the wars, because now he’s crumped on the shin by Chester, who is booked for his trouble. Having been kicked from pillar to post, he’s hooked by his manager. Coming on: Dwight Gayle, the star of Palace’s three-goal comeback against Liverpool in 2014.

7.08pm GMT

77 min: Zaha smoothly glides into the West Brom box from the right, holds the ball awhile, and lays off to Cabaye, rushing in. Cabaye blasts a hopeless effort miles over the bar. He should at least have made the keeper work. Lovely play by Zaha, though.

7.07pm GMT

76 min: Berahino has been very impressive from deep positions this evening. He sprays a lovely pass down the left with a view to releasing McClean down the flank. Dann steps across to intercept, just in time, or the West Brom winger would have been away.

7.05pm GMT

74 min: The Baggies make their second change of the evening: McClean comes on for Sessegnon.

7.04pm GMT

73 min: Ledley lashes over from 30 yards. Frustration took a hold there, I’ll be bound.

7.04pm GMT

72 min: Bolasie looks to break into the box down the inside-right channel. Fletcher stands his ground, arguably too stubbornly. He blocks the Palace man to the ground. That’s another strong penalty shout, but once again the referee isn’t having a bar of it. That one looked a genuine claim too. Palace could have had a couple of free goes from 12 yards tonight. On another day, they would have.

7.02pm GMT

71 min: Sessegnon, Rondon and Berahino are moving around in a very fluid fashion. A few sassy interchanges as the trio move in from the left, and Sessegnon has space to shoot from 25 yards. His shot is weak and straight at Hennessey.

7.00pm GMT

69 min: Chester, deep on the left, curls towards the far post for Gardner. Kelly is forced to volley the dropping ball out of play for a corner on the right. Kelly clears the set piece too, a basic hoof out of harm’s way.

6.58pm GMT

66 min: West Brom slow things down again, with a lot of little triangles in the middle of the park. Rondon is everywhere right now, always an option for his team-mates. Palace look a little frustrated as the hosts rob them of their momentum.

6.55pm GMT

64 min: Cabaye is booked for coming straight through the back of Yacob. There, that happened in the midfield.

6.54pm GMT

62 min: Kelly rather pointlessly clips Rondon’s heels near the right-hand corner flag. Hennessey plucks the free kick from the sky. There’s not a lot of action happening in the midfield. A sugar rush of a game.

6.52pm GMT

60 min: Rondon makes off down the left and fires a low cross through the Palace box. All the visiting defenders are gadding around upfield like Franz Beckenbauer, so if anyone in blue and white had kept up with play, they’d have had themselves a tap-in. But no. West Brom soon come at Palace again, this time down the right through Dawson, but this time a low cross is hacked clear by Delaney.

6.50pm GMT

58 min: Palace are going hell for leather. Bolasie, tight on the left touchline, swings one into the area for the centre-half Dann. The centre-half! There’s still half an hour to go. Marvellous. Anyway, Dann can’t quite connect, and Foster smothers. This isn’t going to end 3-1. It surely can’t. Both teams are locked into Expansive Mode. It’s great fun to watch.

6.48pm GMT

57 min: Bolasie twists and turns down the left and earns a corner. He’s been very busy since his introduction. The set piece is headed powerfully clear by Chester. But Palace are soon coming back at their hosts, Zaha tearing after a ball down the inside-left. Foster is forced to come off his line and slide clear. It’s a perfect challenge; a nanosecond out, and he’d have conceded a penalty kick.

6.46pm GMT

54 min: Berahino takes a little of the heat out of the game with a smooth sashay down the middle of the field, holding the ball up in the Palace half until friends arrive. Dawson eventually shows on the right, and earns a corner, from which nothing comes. But we’ve a competitive game on here, all of a sudden.

6.44pm GMT

51 min: It might be, you know. A couple of corners for Palace. Both cause all sorts of trouble in the West Brom box. Both are bundled clear. The second corner sees McAuley barge Dann into the back as the Palace man goes up for a header. It should be a penalty. It’s not given. And so West Brom fly up the other end, Berahino cutting in from the left and curling a beauty from 20 yards towards the top right. It’s beaten Hennessey all ends up, but clanks off the corner of the goalframe! It should have been a penalty for 3-2; it was an inch away from 4-1. It’s fair to say this game’s gone slightly weird.

6.41pm GMT

What an almighty cock-up by Olsson! A simple ball bouncing down the middle of the park, towards the West Brom box. Instead of hoicking clear, Olsson opts to shepherd the ball back to Foster. It’s never getting there, and Wickham, on Olsson’s shoulder, can hook a leg out to send the ball over Foster. He rounds the keeper on the left and lashes the dropping ball home. Is the comeback on, then?

6.39pm GMT

48 min: Gardner sends Rondon jigging down the left wing. Rondon reaches the byline, having sent Dann spinning around like a teenager on Special Brew. He loops a cross to the far post, where Berahino can’t quite bundle home. So close to a fourth. But then up the other end...

6.37pm GMT

46 min: Incidentally, Bolasie has come on for Adebayor, who should probably have been red-carded during that first-half shambles. His first act is to bowl over Sessegnon in the middle of the park.

6.35pm GMT

Palace get the ball rolling for the second half. Do they have any hope? Perhaps. A little. Not much, but a little. The last time West Brom were 3-0 up here in the Premier League - against West Ham in February 2011 - they were pegged back and had to settle for a 3-3 draw. And you only have to ask your nearest Liverpool fan about Palace’s penchant for hauling back three-goal deficits. So maybe. Perhaps. Well, probably not, but you never know. Meanwhile in other optimism news, here’s JR in Illinois: “Holy crow, what team am I watching here? I’m pretty sure this is the beginning of the Baggies’ takeover of America. I officially take back 50% of the mean things I’ve said about Pulis this season. A real shame to see Brunt go off like that. Puts a damper on the best half of the season.”

6.24pm GMT

Half-time entertainment: Palace v Baggies from the 1980-81 season. Featuring a fine goal from Cyrille Regis, two of the best strips in the entire history of All Football, and West Brom manager Ron Atkinson, wired up in the dugout, bollocking winger Peter Barnes live on ITV. Very much worth a couple of minutes of your time.

6.23pm GMT

The first ten minutes were probably the worst of the entire Premier League season. Palace never improved, but Albion sprung into life, playing some wonderful football at times. Their third goal in particular was the work of an art collective. Simply stunning. They’re worthy of their three-goal lead; they’ve been as good as Palace have been abysmal. Who predicted a goalfest like this, huh? NBC viewers are getting a rare treat.

6.21pm GMT

45 min +4: Zaha looks to break into the West Brom box down the right. He’s checked unfairly by Yacob. From the resulting free kick, there’s a bit of pinball in the box. Mutch, to the left of goal and 12 yards out, fires towards the bottom right. It’s going in, but hacked off the line by Olsson. Nothing’s gone Crystal Palace’s way so far.

6.19pm GMT

45 min +3: ... his low, hard shot clips the boot of Ward, on the penalty spot, and deflects onto the base of the left-hand post! The ball goes out for a corner, which Hennessey claims easily enough.

6.18pm GMT

45 min +2: Sessegnon makes off at pace down the inside-right channel, and is stopped illegally by Mutch, 30 yards from goal. Yet another free kick in a dangerous position. West Brom load the box. Gardner takes, and ...

6.16pm GMT

45 min: There will be five added minutes to the first half, in the wake of Brunt’s injury. Zaha touches the ball a couple of times, and gets the bird from the home fans.

6.16pm GMT

44 min: Zaha was a wee bit incensed because he was penalised for a foul after that incident. But there was no contact with Brunt, and in fact Zaha would have been clear down the right. Technically he’s correct, but a couple of his team-mates come over and tell him that it’s best left. Brunt looks to have a serious knee injury, and is in a lot of distress as he’s carried off. In fairness to Zaha, I don’t think he was aware of Brunt’s injury, and he quickly calms down. Chester comes on in Brunt’s stead.

6.12pm GMT

42 min: Poor old Chris Brunt’s misery continues. Hit by a coin last week, and now he’s just seriously twisted his right knee when chasing a loose ball alongside Zaha and catching his studs in the turf. He immediately went down in a lot of pain, and will be carried off on the stretcher.

6.11pm GMT

40 min: Palace are sleepwalking around. Ward dilly-dallies in the middle of the park. There’s nobody near him. But he takes so long that Berahino is able to get across and hassling him into a miscontrol. Throw to West Brom, and possession squandered.

6.09pm GMT

38 min: Zaha back-flicks wonderfully down the right to release Kelly into a little space. The full back whips a high cross into the mixer. Mutch rises, but can only head harmlessly wide right of goal. Palace have been insipid in attack.

6.07pm GMT

36 min: A frustrated Kelly barges Gardner - who was going nowhere - off the field down the West Brom left. A daft free kick to concede, and another chance to load the box and cause Palace problems. But Gardner inexplicably plays this one short, and all the resulting faffing relieves the pressure on the visitors.

6.05pm GMT

33 min: Dann strides forward, along the right-side channel, and balloons a forward pass out of play, miles to the left of the West Brom goal. On the touchline, all the blood has drained from Alan Pardew’s face. The Hawthorns is the highest ground in England, but I’m guessing that’s not an altitude-related problem.

6.02pm GMT

Oh this is a gorgeous goal. Sensational. Dawson, deep in his own half, plays forward to Rondon, who whips a first-time pass out to the right wing. Sessegnon launches a pinpoint diagonal ball to Berahino, who has broken into the area. The ball drops onto his left foot. Berahino opens his body and sidefoots into the bottom right. That’s such a sweet move, from front to back. What an assist, and what a finish! The Baggies have gone goal crazy!

6.00pm GMT

30 min: A period of sterile possession for Palace, all in the midfield. They’re going nowhere. Zaha attempts to inject a bit of oomph into their play down the right, but he’s crowded out of it.

5.58pm GMT

27 min: Now Fletcher goes sliding in on Cabaye. It’s a bit reckless, and he should go in the book too, but the referee doesn’t see too much of a problem with the challenge. After some treatment, the Palace midfielder gives his assailant a mouthful. Fletcher responds with a verbal volley of his own. All of a sudden, this match is threatening to boil over a wee bit.

5.56pm GMT

25 min: Adebayor is booked for raking his boot down Dawson’s shin. It was a nasty challenge and he’s lucky not to see red.

5.53pm GMT

22 min: Palace are all over the shop right now. Shocked and stunned, they’re allowing the hosts to swing balls into their area from both flanks with absurd regularity. Dann and Kelly deal with everything here, but they can’t carry on like this much longer.

5.51pm GMT

Gardner, tight on the byline to the right of the Palace box, whips high and hard to Dawson, who rises on the left-hand corner of the six-yard area and plants an unstoppable header into the right-hand portion of the net! Hennessey had no chance. Our Saturday evening goalfest is very much on!

5.49pm GMT

19 min: Sessegnon causes more busy bother down the right. On the edge of the Palace box, near the byline, he’s hauled back by Delaney. And from the free kick...

5.49pm GMT

17 min: Dawson clips Mutch late, and goes into the referee’s book. Nothing much comes from the resulting free kick on the left, but another’s soon won by Palace on the right, Zaha’s feet too quick for the lumbering Brunt. Adebayor can’t quite get his head on the free kick, but Olsson is forced to head behind for a corner. Dann heads harmlessly wide from the set piece.

5.46pm GMT

15 min: Ward takes down the busy Dawson, near the right-hand corner flag. Gardner takes, but it’s punched clear by Hennessey with ease. The Baggies are soon boinging back at Palace, though, Berahino and Rondon combining down the inside-left channel. Rondon can’t quite work room for a shot. The ball breaks back to Gardner, who hits a shot down into the ground and over the bar from distance.

5.44pm GMT

And this is a lot better! Rondon is sent scampering into the area, down the inside-right channel, by a wonderful slide-rule pass by Berahino. Rondon hits low and hard across Hennessey towards the bottom left. The keeper sticks a leg out to save well, but can only set Gardner up for a simple tap-in. That’s a gorgeous team goal! And this game springs into life!

5.42pm GMT

11 min: Dawson plays a ball down the right for Sessegnon, who suddenly turns on the jets to power past Ward. He lashes a superb cross into the area, but there’s nobody there to convert. That’s a little better!

5.40pm GMT

9 min: Something happens, sort of. Dawson hugs the right touchline, and swings a low cross into the mixer, towards Berahino at the near post. But the striker’s not on the front foot, and the ball sails harmlessly into the arms of Hennessey.

5.39pm GMT

8 min: It’s very difficult to describe or recreate the sensation of a void. It makes you realise what a stunning piece of art Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles is.

5.37pm GMT

6 min: There’s absolutely no rhythm to this game yet. The away fans are doing their best to bring a little of that special Selhurst bounce to the Hawthorns. A lot of singing in lieu of action.

5.35pm GMT

4 min: Possession is still very much at a premium right now. Nothing constructive is being achieved. The only way is up.

5.34pm GMT

2 min: A lot of scrappy nonsense at the start. Neither team has a handle on control yet. And on that subject, here’s JR in Illinois: “Here in the US this game is being broadcast on one of the big four national television networks, NBC. I am more than a little worried that my Baggies are going to put any casual fans who happen to tune in to this one off the sport.” Hey, we sat through this year’s Super Bowl, it’s America’s turn to show a bit of patience.

5.31pm GMT

The hosts get the ball rolling. And they head forward immediately with purpose, Rondon doing his best to break into the box down the inside-right channel, only to be stopped in his tracks by Delaney.

5.28pm GMT

The teams are out! West Brom sport those famous dark blue and white stripes, while Palace wear their first-choice garb too, all red and blue. The atmosphere at the Hawthorns is pretty excitable given the two teams’ lack of potency. Everyone doing their bit. We’ll be off in a minute.

5.20pm GMT

And now it’s the turn of Alan Pardew to talk. “The result at Spurs gave us a lift as you’d expect. Our league form has been disappointing. We can’t afford to let this game get away from us. We need to take something away. We’ve had a terrible injury run with our offensive players, and now they’re all back. So our defenders are a bit relieved, there’s something up top, and we can play our game. There’s a renewed tenacity.” It’s probably worth pointing out that the Palace boss looked a lot happier and more relaxed than some of these words make him sound. Perhaps he’s just good at poker.

5.10pm GMT

Every Cloud dept. A silver lining, as the decent West Bromwich Albion majority respond to the actions of that clown who pinged a 50p coin off Chris Brunt’s noggin last weekend.

4.39pm GMT

West Brom make four changes to the team that started at Reading last weekend. Craig Dawson, Gareth McAuley, Claudio Yacob and Craig Gardner come in; James Chester, James McClean and Sandro step down to the bench, while Jonny Evans is hamstrung.

Crystal Palace meanwhile won at Spurs last Sunday. And if it ain’t broke, it ain’t broke. They name the same starting XI.

4.32pm GMT

West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Brunt, Fletcher, Yacob, Gardner, Sessegnon, Rondon, Berahino.
Subs: Chester, Anichebe, Myhill, McClean, Lambert, Pritchard, Sandro.

Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Kelly, Dann, Delaney, Ward, Zaha, Cabaye, Ledley, Mutch, Adebayor, Wickham.
Subs: Speroni, Mariappa, Bolasie, Lee, Jedinak, Gayle, Chamakh.

10.41am GMT

We’re not Sky Sports, so we’re under no obligation to pretend this match is anything other than a difficult sell. West Bromwich Albion have recently been knocked out of the cup in pitiful fashion at second-tier Reading. They’ve scored just two goals in their last five league matches. They’ve won only two of their last 11 games; one of those victories came against struggling Championship side Bristol City. Only doomed Aston Villa have scored fewer Premier League goals this season. It’s been a poor show.

Luckily for Tony Pulis, there are smokescreens. Chris Brunt took a coin in the coupon from his own fans after the Reading defeat; the actions of a lone nutter are expected to be condemned by the greater good during this game. Saido Berahino meanwhile has just apologised for threatening to go on strike over a planned move to Tottenham Hotspur. And look! Over there! A puppy!

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West Ham United 1-0 Sunderland: Premier League - as it happened

Sunderland created plenty of chances, but couldn’t take any of them, and another defensive lapse cost them dearly.

2.35pm GMT

M’Vila sends a high hail Mary into the box. Adrian rises to claim. And that’s it. How did that stay 1-0? Sunderland threw everything at West Ham in the second half, and carved out some decent chances, but couldn’t find the net. The hosts held firm, and they move up to fifth in the Premier League table. Sunderland stay in the relegation places. An entertaining match, if slightly light on quality. But quality can be over-rated: that was good fun. Not that Sam Allardyce, who trudges off glumly down the tunnel, will agree. No victory on his return to Upton Park. Ah well, he’ll be hoping to have another go at his former club next season, providing he can keep Sunderland up of course. If his players start taking some of these chances they’re creating, they’ve every chance.

2.34pm GMT

90 min +2: Sunderland load the box for a throw on the right. Yedlin launches it in. The ball drops towards M’Vila on the edge of the area, but his own man Rodwell gets in the way, and he can’t shoot.

2.32pm GMT

90 min: There will be three added minutes. Upton Park is a tense venue right now.

2.31pm GMT

89 min: Sunderland are seeing more of the ball, but passes aren’t sticking in the final third. Time is not their friend.

2.30pm GMT

87 min: Van Aanholt sends Khazri into the West Ham box down the left. Khazri attempts a rabona, only for the ball to clank off his standing leg and out of play. He takes a fresh-air swipe, and sends himself skittering hysterically across the turf on his teeth. That’s ludicrous in so many ways, not least because time’s running out and you can’t be showboating like that in these circumstances. You’ll be seeing that again, I’ll be bound.

2.28pm GMT

85 min: A free kick for Sunderland in the middle of the West Ham half. It’s lumped into the area by Khazri. Carroll heads out for a corner on the left. Van Aanholt sends the set piece screaming straight through the area and out on the other side. On the touchline, Sam Allardyce is loading up with gum. Many small pieces are in his mouth now, moving around like mad molecules. He knows this isn’t over yet.

2.26pm GMT

83 min: Payet slips a marvellous pass down the inside-left channel for Antonio, who tries to shuttle it on to the underlapping Cresswell. But the ball’s played behind the full back. Then another wave of West Ham attack. Payet chests down, just to the left of the D, and whips a volley inches wide right. Mannone was beaten all ends up.

2.24pm GMT

82 min: Noble is replaced by Obiang.

2.23pm GMT

80 min: Kirchhoff makes another delightful defence-splitting pass, this time down the inside-left channel, to release N’Doye into the West Ham area. N’Doye curls low towards the bottom right, but Adrian parries with a strong hand. Rodwell, picking up the loose ball on the other side, yet again can’t get a clean shot away. Sunderland have given this a real go in the second half. It’s not clear how they’ve failed to score.

2.21pm GMT

78 min: How is this still 1-0? A heavy touch by Byram in his own area sets Rodwell up, ten yards from goal! He must score, but Byram recovers to get a block in at full stretch, and Rodwell’s shot is deflected over the bar. The resulting corner ripples the side netting.

2.20pm GMT

76 min: And now West Ham hit the woodwork again! Noble, out on the left, hits diagonally and deep towards Byram at the right-hand post. Byram heads across and down towards Carroll, who meets the ball first time with a rasping Zidane-style volley from six yards. He’s got to score, but somehow the ball twangs off the crossbar, is cushioned by Van Aanholt just in front of the line, and into Mannone’s arms. It’s slightly surprising that the goalframe hasn’t crumbled into splinters.

2.17pm GMT

74 min: A long ball down the inside right. Kone shepherds it out of play, but not without needlessly handling Payet into touch. On another day, a referee’s pointing to the penalty spot. It would have been a soft one, but you’ve seen them given. Not this time, though. And seconds later, Sunderland have the ball in the net up the other end! But it won’t count. Kirchhoff slide-rules a gorgeous pass down the right to release Yedlin into the box. Yedlin reaches the byline and pulls it back for Rodwell on the penalty spot. Rodwell opens his body up, and sidefoots powerfully towards the bottom left. But Adrian sticks a boot out to make a marvellous save! The rebound clanks into Rodwell’s hanging arm. Rodwell spins and dispatches the ball into the unguarded right-hand portion of the net, but having handled, it’s never going to be given. Sunderland so close.

2.14pm GMT

72 min: Khazri - who has been Sunderland’s greatest threat today, although that’s not saying a whole load - takes the free kick. He gets it up and over the wall, but without pace. As the ball sails towards the bottom left, Adrian scuttles over to catch the gently dropping effort.

2.13pm GMT

71 min: N’Doye powers down the middle before playing a clever reverse pass down the inside-left channel for Defoe. Yellow card magnet Byram bundles Defoe over. That’s his 10th booking of the season, and he’ll miss the next two matches. And this is a free kick in a dangerous position.

2.11pm GMT

69 min: Moses cuts in from the left and sends a low shot towards the bottom-left corner. It’s weak and easily gathered by Mannone. Sunderland go up the other end through Yedlin, who makes ground on the right but can’t find anyone in the area with his pull-back from deep.

2.10pm GMT

68 min: Antonio gets on the end of a Carroll knock-down, just inside the Sunderland area on the right. He crosses, hits O’Shea on the chest, and claims a penalty kick. No dice! The ball breaks to Payet, to the right of the D. He sends a screamer over the bar. He’s been uncharacteristically off today, Payet. Still plenty of time to do something jaw-dropping, of course.

2.09pm GMT

66 min: Rodwell is immediately into the action, battling Ogbonna and Kouyate as he bustles down the left wing. He nearly gets past the West Ham pair, but not quite, and runs the ball out of play for a goal kick. But this is an attacking substitution by Allardyce. Sunderland really need something from this match. Sunderland really need something from every remaining match. There’s little room for error.

2.07pm GMT

65 min: Lanzini can’t complete 90 minutes on his comeback. He’s withdrawn in favour of Moses. Meanwhile Sunderland make their first change, swapping Cattermole for Rodwell.

2.06pm GMT

2.05pm GMT

63 min: Payet tries to free Lanzini on the left. Sunderland are woefully light at the back, but for once the West Ham midfielder plays a poor ball. Stop the press!

2.04pm GMT

60 min: Space and time for M’Vila, 25 yards from goal in a central position. He looks to curl one into the top right, but his effort is weak and wide. He grabs at thin air in frustration. “Not being a top, top reader I misread Sunderland’s gesture as them giving free shirts to West Ham fans,” writes Ian Copestake. “As a result I wasn’t sure why they were being praised other than for bringing sarcasm back into the game.” It’s an idea, though. And people thought half-and-half scarves were the living end.

2.01pm GMT

59 min: Bilic, aware his team need jolting into action, replaces the invisible Emenike with Carroll.

2.00pm GMT

58 min: Defoe is going nowhere 25 yards from goal, just to the left of the West Ham goal. He’s needlessly upended by Noble. A free kick in a very dangerous position. But N’Doye blasts it witlessly into the West Ham wall. No Philippe Coutinho he. However, West Ham can’t keep carrying on like this: they’ve been asleep since the restart. A more confident team than Sunderland would have equalised by now.

1.57pm GMT

55 min: Khazri and Byram get involved in a playful shoving match as Van Aanholt prepares to throw into the area. All good natured, though the crowd don’t think so. West Ham appear distracted, as Khazri and Van Aanholt combine to spring the latter into the box. Van Aanholt, who owes his team something today after his part in the West Ham goal, blasts a wild shot over the bar from 12 yards. A chance to get something on target at the very least.

1.55pm GMT

52 min: Sunderland have come out with renewed purpose. Khazri, who has been lively today bordering on excellent, nearly Cruyff Turns his way between two men down the left. He then floats a deep cross dangerously towards the far post, but neither Defoe nor N’Doye can rise to meet it with a header from close range.

1.52pm GMT

51 min: Lanzini makes off down the left and earns a corner off Cattermole. Payet and Noble attempt the old Beckham-Scholes routine, but Payet’s ball is too floaty, Noble can’t meet it with a volley, and Kirchhoff comes out to block.

1.51pm GMT

49 min: Defoe misses another sitter. Khazri skitters in from the left, draws a couple of claret shirts, and slips a ball down the inside-left channel to release Defoe into the box. Defoe’s low curler across Adrian sails wide right. He should have scored. His blushes are spared when the offside flag goes up, though only in strict theoretical terms, because not for the first time, it’s an incorrect decision by the linesman.

1.49pm GMT

47 min: A quiet start to the half suddenly explodes when Collins misjudges Cattermole’s basic lump down the inside-right channel. Defoe is free on the edge of the area, meeting a dropping ball! But he pulls it woefully wide right of goal, to the audible joy of the home support.

1.47pm GMT

West Ham set the ball rolling for the second half. Sunderland now have the worse defensive record in the 2015-16 Premier League: 51 goals conceded. But they have scored in 10 of their previous 13 away games, so there is hope.

1.35pm GMT

Half-time reading: Hats off to Sunderland for this. Every little helps, as some rather more rapacious capitalists once said.

Related: Sunderland give free shirts to fans travelling to West Ham away match

1.33pm GMT

An entertaining half comes to an end. Sunderland were, on the whole, containing their hosts, but Van Aanholt’s mistake and Antonio’s fine run and finish has tipped the balance in West Ham’s favour. Sunderland need a response in the second-half. They found one against both Manchester City and Liverpool, with varying results. Can they do it again here? We’ll find out soon enough.

1.30pm GMT

44 min: Kirchoff, playing at quarterback, tries to release Yedlin down the Sunderland right. Not quite, but full marks for ambition. Otherwise, there’s a general sense that both teams will be happy to hear the half-time whistle: West Ham to put their feet up after a job well done, Sunderland so they can re-inflate their spirit.

1.28pm GMT

42 min: Allardyce refuses to give the ball to Cresswell, as West Ham prepare to take a quick throw. All good-natured, and performed in the comedic style. Both manager and player enjoy the moment and a good laugh, but the home crowd aren’t so enamoured with their erstwhile boss, and a few boos ring out. It had to happen at some point.

1.25pm GMT

40 min: Byram, who likes a basic challenge every now and then, bowls N’Doye over on the Sunderland left. From the free kick, Van Aanholt romps down the wing and wins a corner. It’s hit deep by Khazri, but Defoe can’t rise to connect at the far post. Adrian gathers. That’s a little better from Sunderland, who have looked rather deflated since spoiling all their good early work.

1.24pm GMT

37 min: M’Vila floats an easy-to-intercept crossfield ball to the Sunderland right. Payet steps in and romps down the West Ham left. He earns a corner off Kone. From the set piece, the ball’s shuttled to Antonio out on the right. He’s got his back to goal, 25 yards out. He flicks it up, spins, and unleashes a dipper towards the bottom right. Memo to Adrian: that’s how to make like Le Tissier. Mannone gets down to turn the ball around the post for a corner. A marvellous save, and the corner comes to nothing. What an effort from Antonio, though!

1.20pm GMT

35 min: Lanzini jinks down the middle of the park, and looks for the top corner from 25 yards. Nope!

1.19pm GMT

32 min: Big Sam slumps back in his chair, hands forced into his coat pockets. He’s chewing quite a lot. I wouldn’t fancy being Van Aanholt at half-time, though I’d pay ready money to be a fly on the dressing-room wall.

1.16pm GMT

West Ham score out of nothing! A hopeful punt down the right touchline should be dispatched into the stand by Van Aanholt. But the Sunderland full back attempts a clever flick back up the wing. It’s intercepted by Antonio, who squeezes past a couple of neon-green shirts and into the box, before carefully passing one across Mannone and into the bottom-left corner! A glorious finish, but what on earth was Van Aanholt thinking there? And Sunderland looking pretty comfortable too.

1.14pm GMT

29 min: Sunderland have done well so far, restricting West Ham to that long-range Noble bash. The crowd have gone a little quiet. And having said that ...

1.13pm GMT

27 min: Sam Allardyce is out on the touchline screaming “Long throw! Long throw!” Yedlin launches it into the West Ham area. Head tennis. It’s eventually cleared by the home side, but they didn’t look particularly comfortable there. On another day, that might have fallen to the lurking Defoe. It’s almost as though Allardyce knows exactly what he’s talking about, isn’t it.

1.11pm GMT

25 min: Cresswell is rather foolishly upended by N’Doye as he makes good down the left. A chance for West Ham to load the box now, and for Payet to take one of his trademark free kicks. He curls it in with menace, but it’s cleared by O’Shea. It’s not the highest quality match you’ll ever see, but since when has quality been the be-all and end-all? This is good end-to-end fun right now.

1.10pm GMT

23 min: ... Khazri hits the bar! He loops one direct towards the top left, with everyone expecting the common-or-garden cross, the box loaded with players. He nearly catches Adrian out. Not quite, but it twangs off the top of the crossbar. That’s one each, then.

1.08pm GMT

22 min: Sunderland earn a corner on the left. Van Aanholt fires it into the side netting. But from the goal kick, the ball’s played back to Adrian, who suddenly decides to showcase his Le Tissier flick-up skills. What nonsense. He’s charged down by Khazri, and the ball nearly balloons back into the net. Instead, it breaks to the Sunderland right, where Cresswell upends Kirchoff in a challenge for the loose ball. Free kick, to the right of the West Ham box. From which ...

1.06pm GMT

20 min: West Ham hit the bar! Lanzini sashays in from the left, drops a shoulder to skate past a couple of challenges, then lays off to Noble, powering down the inside-right channel. From 25 yards, Noble creams a rising shot towards the top right. It’s going in, but Mannone gets a fingertip to the ball, and pushes it onto the underside of the bar. The ball bounces out. Emenike can’t follow up with a header, and he’s offside anyway.

1.04pm GMT

19 min: Antonio Rory Delaps a throw into the Sunderland box from the right. The ball’s allowed to drop into the six-yard box. Penny for Sam Allardyce’s thoughts. Yedlin eventually hoofs away from danger.

1.03pm GMT

17 min: Cresswell has been West Ham’s most dangerous threat so far. The full back again strides down the left, and whips a low cross into the six-yard box. Mannone makes a nine-course tasting menu of gathering, but gather he does, eventually.

1.02pm GMT

16 min: It’s all gone a bit scrappy. Then, suddenly, Kirchoff sticks a boot in to dispossess Kouyate in the centre circle. Cattermole latches onto the loose ball and slide-rules Defoe clear down the middle! Defoe takes a step into the box and pokes straight at Adrian, who smothers. The flag goes up for offside anyway, though it was an incorrect decision: the striker was level with the last defender when the pass was played. So close to the opener.

12.59pm GMT

13 min: Cattermole charges down Ogbonna’s clearance. Kirchoff picks up the loose ball, but his first-time pass forward for Defoe is too strong. Then Sunderland come again at the Hammers, Cresswell misjudging a bouncer down the right wing. N’Doye would have been through on goal had he not slipped over while Cresswell was making his mistake.

12.56pm GMT

11 min: Kouyate goes on a purposeful stride down the middle, before sliding the ball down the inside-left channel for the ambitious Cresswell. The resulting pass inside, meant for Emenike, isn’t up to much. West Ham are slowly asserting themselves here.

12.54pm GMT

9 min: A couple of long balls nearly come off. First Cresswell is sent scampering after a hoof down the West Ham left. He cuts inside but is harried off it by Kone. Then up the other end, Defoe very nearly latches onto an agricultural hoick down the middle, but the ball is carried on a fairly strong wind back to Adrian.

12.53pm GMT

7 min: After a bright start, Sunderland are having a little difficulty staying on the ball. West Ham knock it around the back awhile, maybe with a view to staying warm. It’s very cold in east London.

12.52pm GMT

5 min: Van Aanholt rather clumsily and needlessly gives away a corner down the West Ham right. From the set piece, Payet dribbles around on the wing and earns another. That one’s hooked clear by M’Vila. Both teams are showing a fair bit of ambition in attack. Positive mindsets. Meanwhile, it transpires that a job lot of free away shirts have been distributed among the Sunderland travelling support, hence the preponderance of that particular neon garment. That’s a stylish move by Sunderland, at least in one respect.

12.48pm GMT

3 min: But West Ham only half clear that second corner, and Khazri is soon bursting into the box down the right. Fortunately for the home team, there’s nobody but Collins in the six-yard box, and the big West Ham defender can blooter clear.

12.47pm GMT

2 min: A bit of space for Cattermole down the right. He looks to hook the ball into the area, but it comes off Cresswell for the first corner of the match. And then there’s another corner as Ogbonna heads behind. Emenike clears that one.

12.45pm GMT

Jermain Defoe - a fair bit more unpopular round these parts than Sam Allardyce, after chipping off to Spurs with extreme prejudice in 2004 - gets the ball rolling. It’s soon sent sailing out of play on the right.

12.42pm GMT

The teams are out! A marvellous atmosphere at Upton Park, with bubbles flying around like billy-o. That machine’s forever blowing them. West Ham are bedecked in the Victorian splendour of their claret-and-blue kit. Sunderland are in nuclear-power-plant-incident green. Tradition’s not the be-all and end-all. And in fairness, that shirt seems popular with the travelling support: the away end is a verdant pleasure. We’ll be off in a minute or two!

12.35pm GMT

Sam Allardyce was interviewed on tape earlier. He’s hoping to get a good reception today. “It’d be nice.” All the news that’s fit to print.

12.32pm GMT

Slaven Bilic speaks! “It is a special game for Sam, he was a very long time here. They don’t need special motivation because of their league position, though. And they will be very confident after their last couple of results. Any team in the world would have taken those results, Liverpool away and Manchester United at home. So we are expecting a very difficult game. We have to be direct, but at the same time patient. They are organised and dangerous. But our form is good and we are confident. It was difficult to leave Pedro Obiang and Victor Moses out, because they were playing well but it is good that we have options. Manuel Lanzini is one of our key players.”

12.23pm GMT

This week marked the 23rd anniversary of Bobby Moore’s passing. It’s the last time the West Ham and England legend can be remembered at the old ground he graced between 1958 and 1974, so respectful tributes are in order. Some of the heroes of the 1960s will take to the pitch at half time in order to commemorate the great man. The fans meanwhile have already been doing their thing outside Upton Park...

11.50am GMT

West Ham make three changes to the team that routed Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last weekend. Adrian, Sam Byram and Manuel Lanzini are in; Darren Randolph, Pedro Obiang and Victor Moses all drop to the bench.

Sunderland name the same starting XI that beat Manchester United a fortnight ago. Hey, if it ain’t broke.

11.46am GMT

West Ham United: Adrian, Byram, Ogbonna, Collins, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble, Lanzini, Antonio, Emenike, Payet.
Subs: Randolph, Song, Carroll, Obiang, Moses, Henry, Oxford.

Sunderland: Mannone, Yedlin, Kone, O’Shea, Van Aanholt, Kirchhoff, N’Doye, Cattermole, M’Vila, Khazri, Defoe.
Subs: Jones, Larsson, Rodwell, Borini, Pickford, Kaboul, Toivonen.

10.21am GMT

A point for West Ham United will propel the Hammers into the European places; a point for Sunderland will see the Mackems rise above the relegation waterline. A big match this, then, for both teams. Yet it’s really all about Big Sam, isn’t it.

You can make a case that Sam Allardyce saved West Ham United. He rescued them from the Championship, then consolidated their status as a Premier League team. No thrashing around helplessly in the lower reaches a la Middlesbrough, Fulham, Leeds, Wolves or Sheffield Wednesday for the Hammers.

Continue reading...

Roma 0-2 Real Madrid: Champions League – as it happened

A fairly easy - and surely decisive - win for Real in an uneventful match at the Stadio Olimpico.

9.37pm GMT

And that’s that. It wasn’t much of a match, truth be told, but Real won’t care. They were clinical where Roma were wasteful - an away goal for Cristiano Ronaldo! - and take what is surely a decisive win back to the Bernabeu. Unless something very dramatic happens in Spain, Roma’s long wait for another Champions League quarter-final goes on.

Related: Cristiano Ronaldo on target as Real Madrid take control against Roma

9.33pm GMT

90 min: There will be three additional minutes.

9.31pm GMT

88 min: Ronaldo makes way for Casemiro.

9.31pm GMT

87 min: A suspicion that this tie is over now, even at the halfway point. Totti comes on for Florenzi. The World Cup winner’s first act is to take a corner on the right, but it’s easily cleared.

9.30pm GMT

Jese dribbles down the inside-right channel. And dribbles, and dribbles, and dribbles. Digne backs off, and backs off, and backs off. Jese reaches the edge of the box, and lashes a low shot into the bottom left. Szczesny had no chance. So simple. That was a vicious finish.

9.28pm GMT

85 min: Salah goes zipping off down the right. He’s cynically stopped in his tracks by Ramos. Salah stops to demand a booking - which comes - but if he had kept going, he’d have been clear down the right. Real can regroup, and the danger is gone. Which is costly, because ...

9.26pm GMT

83 min: Florenzi takes up possession down the inside-right channel, and flicks into the area for Salah, who should control and take a free shot from 12 yards, but doesn’t. Roma have been worth an equaliser at least. Time’s not their friend now, though.

9.25pm GMT

82 min: Rodriguez makes way for Jese.

9.25pm GMT

81 min: Roma should have a penalty. Florenzi bursts into the Real box down the left. His touch is a bit heavy, but that’s by the by: as he strides after the ball, Carvajal slides in from the left and cleans him out. No idea how that wasn’t given. What a poor decision.

9.23pm GMT

80 min: This is a very open game now. First Dzeko is released into the Real box down the left by a clever Perotti pass. He whips a shot goalwards from a tight angle, but Navas has the angle covered.

9.22pm GMT

78 min: Roma swap Vainqueur for De Rossi. Ronaldo whips a cross into the box from the left. Rodriguez should score, but heads lamely wide from six yards. Then Real come again, Benzema attempting a curler into the top right from the edge of the box. An easy claim for the keeper.

9.20pm GMT

76 min: Rodriguez twists and turns inside the Roma box on the left. He chips across for Benzema, who must head home from six yards. But he clatters his effort onto the back of Digne’s nut, and Roma escape! Ronaldo, rushing onto the rebound from the left, brushes past Pjanic’s high-kicking leg, and goes down looking for a penalty kick. He’s not getting it. In fairness to the referee, it didn’t look as though there was a whole load of contact.

9.17pm GMT

73 min: And now Real are close to a second. Rodriguez, his lug repaired, makes space down the inside right and floats a ball across for Ronaldo, rushing into the Roma box from the left. He wins a header, guiding the ball past Szczesny but across the face of goal and inches wide of the right-hand post. Florenzi ushered that out of play, the calmest man in the stadium. What judgement!

9.16pm GMT

72 min: Roma are giving it a good go now. Dzeko causes all sorts of bother in the Real box. He can’t get a shot away, but neither can Real clear it. Dzeko holds it up, then rolls the ball back for Vainqueur, who unleashes a thunderbolt towards the top right from 25 yards. It curls away from the post at the very last. So close to a spectacular equaliser.

9.14pm GMT

71 min: Salah tears down the right wing, past Ramos and Marcelo. He enters the box and fires low towards Dzeko, steaming in. But Varane slides in at the near post to intercept.

9.13pm GMT

69 min: A little space for Salah just inside the Real area on the right. But he can’t sort his feet out to get a shot away. Up the other end, Pjanic and Rudiger faff around on the edge of their own box in the grand style, and Ronaldo nearly strolls through.

9.12pm GMT

68 min: All a bit scrappy at the moment. Real Madrid don’t have a care in the world, though, with the exception of Rodriguez, who has hurt his shoulder while competing for a 50-50.

9.09pm GMT

66 min: Dzeko moves with purpose into the Real box down the left. His shot is cleared by Ramos, but very weakly indeed. Nainggolan has the opportunity to shoot from 20 yards, but miscontrols, and is forced to quickly poke the ball towards Salah on the right. Salah manages to get a shot in, but it’s at full stretch, and without power. Navas gathers.

9.07pm GMT

64 min: Both teams make a change. Roma send on Dzeko in placve of El Shaarawy, while Isco makes way for Kovacic.

9.06pm GMT

62 min: Benzema glides in from the left and looks to curl one delicately into the bottom right. Szczesny claims easily enough. Roma go up the other end, Perotti drawing a foul out on the left from Varane, who is booked. Perotti gets up and whips the free kick into the Real box, but it’s punched violently clear by Navas.

9.03pm GMT

60 min: Roma are rocking. Ronaldo exchanges passes with Benzema to the left of the Roma D, and he’s free in the box. He reaches the byline and chips across. But there are no grey shirts in the middle. Manolas heads behind for a corner, and the set piece is mopped up easily enough, but Roma have to clear their heads here. Another away goal, and this tie might be over.

9.01pm GMT

Marcelo scoops a pass down the left wing for Ronaldo. Real’s star man takes a clever touch inside, confusing the backtracking Florenzi, then shoots for the top right. The ball sails into that corner on a vicious arc, having taken a deflection off the Roma captain, who had spread himself in front of Ronaldo in the desperate style. Ronaldo races off in glee. Real have their away goal, and Roma are in a lot of trouble all of a sudden.

8.59pm GMT

55 min: Roma are looking for that precious goal. Pjanic, deep on the right, sprays a delightful high diagonal ball to El Shaarawy. The striker brings it down perfectly, but then takes a heavy touch as he prepares to stride into the area from the left. It allows Navas to come off his line and block the ball away from danger.

8.57pm GMT

52 min: Perotti steps inside the Real area on the left, and has a dig. The ball’s deflected out for a corner, which is only half cleared by Real. It’s lumped back into the mixer. Ramos loses his bearings entirely, allowing the ball to fall at the feet of the suddenly busy Rudiger, ten yards out. It’s fortunate for Madrid that the Hail Mary fell to a defender.

8.54pm GMT

50 min: Nainggolan strides into a lot of space down the inside-right channel. He’s got nobody up with him in support, so decides to have a smack from distance. The shot’s not all that, but it clanks off Ramos for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing. Real go up the other end, through Ronaldo out on the left. There follows a very strange incident. Ronaldo scoops a long diagonal ball towards Rodriguez in the middle. It’s a brilliant no-backlift pass. Rodriguez is miles offside, but it looks as though he’s clear on goal. He can’t control, though, and that allows Rudiger to attempt to intercept. Instead, he high-kicks Rodriguez in the ear, drawing a little blood. No offside flag, no free kick.

8.51pm GMT

47 min: Salah and Perotti ping a couple of quick passes off each other on the edge of the Real D. They nearly manage to crowbar Salah into the area, but it doesn’t quite come off. Looks like both teams have come out with a renewed sense of purpose. There’s evidence of a bit more pace in this game already.

8.50pm GMT

46 min: Marcelo skelps a long ball down the left wing. Ronaldo turns on the burners, and very nearly nips past Manolas. But not quite. Manolas tries to usher the ball out of play, but it clanks off his shin. It should be a corner, but Real don’t get it. Ronaldo throws a mild strop. Not for the first time this week, he’s within his rights.

8.48pm GMT

Real Madrid get the ball rolling for the second period, and it would be just lovely if there were a few more thrills during this half. Marcelo’s near miss with that fine volley was pretty much all we had to show for the opening 45. No changes in personnel. The half-time score from tonight’s other match, by the way, was Gent 0-1 Wolfsburg. Julian Draxler opened the scoring there on 44 minutes.

8.34pm GMT

Half-time advertisement: In lieu of on-field artistic endeavour.

8.33pm GMT

One for the purists.

8.32pm GMT

45 min: Vainqueur chips a gorgeous pass down the inside-left channel to send El Shaarawy scampering towards the Real box. As he enters the area, it looks as though he’ll be able to take a belt at goal. But he checks his stride, and the extra nanoseconds he requires allows Varane to tear across and block spectacularly. Great tackle, because had that been mistimed it would have been a corner and possibly a red card. The set piece comes to nothing. That’s as dangerous as Roma have looked all evening.

8.29pm GMT

43 min: The busy Perotti wins a corner for Roma out on the right. The set piece is whipped in high. Manolas rises and clanks a fairly tame header miles over the bar.

8.28pm GMT

41 min: A little space inside the Roma area for Benzema, but he can’t quite get his feet sorted for a shot. He lays off to Ronaldo on his left. Ronaldo shoots, but it’s blocked by this resolute Roma back line. Roma once again break upfield at pace through Salah, but the move breaks down. It’s a little scrappy now.

8.27pm GMT

39 min: A Ronaldo corner out on the right. Easily cleared by Roma. This isn’t the attacking masterclass set out in the brochure.

8.26pm GMT

37 min: Kroos puts a stop to Digne’s gallop down the left. A free kick in a dangerous position, 30 yards out. With the box once again loaded, Pjanic scuffs the worst free kick of all time straight into the chest of Modric at super slow-motion. Talk about not clearing the first man; that one almost didn’t even reach the first man. Real clear their lines. The Roma defenders, having come upfield once more for some action, will be thoroughly radged off at having their time wasted again and again.

8.22pm GMT

35 min: A bit of a scrap on the edge of the Real Madrid box. El Shaarawy has a shot, but it’s blocked by Ramos. Then Pjanic has a go. That one’s deflected wide right of goal. The resulting corner is a nonsense: with the box packed, Roma faff around on the right, and Perotti squirts a harmless ball inside for Navas to claim.

8.21pm GMT

33 min: Oh this would have been a picture. Ronaldo, standing stock still on the left, chips a ball inside for Marcelo, on the left of the D. Marcelo meets the dropping ball with an insouciant volley, sending a dipper up, down and towards the bottom right. Szczesny is beaten all ends up, but the ball whistles wide of the right-hand post. Only just. That was gorgeous football.

8.19pm GMT

32 min: Real are stepping up the pressure though. Marcelo has space to shoot on the edge of the box, but attempts an over-elaborate shuffle in an attempt to spring Benzema down the inside-left channel. It’s blocked by Manolas. Then another phase of play. Marcelo again. He crosses from the left, with a view to finding the head of Ronaldo, six yards out. Nearly, but not quite: Manolas clears this one too.

8.17pm GMT

31 min: Isco drops a shoulder to move in from the left wing, picking up a pass from Kroos. He shoots. It’s blocked. Isco comes again, a one-two down the same flank with Marcelo. But the door slams shut on the edge of the box. Roma are holding their shape at the back very nicely right now.

8.15pm GMT

28 min: Modric glides down the right at speed. He’s a delight to watch in full flight. But his cross into the box is headed clear by Rudiger. Then a bit of room for Ronaldo down the left. He sends the ball into the mixer too, but this time it’s headed clear by Manolas. Roma are looking fairly comfortable right now. Real have had most of the ball, but Szczesny hasn’t had anything to do yet.

8.12pm GMT

26 min: Salah is this close to sending Perotti away down the inside-right channel. But falling backwards, his pass is poor, and Ramos is there to block. Real were otherwise all over the shop at the back there.

8.11pm GMT

24 min: Isco feints to shoot from 25 yards, but slides a pass down the inside-left channel towards Benzema instead. Right idea, but there’s too much pace on the ball. Roma break upfield through Salah again, and he very nearly burns Ramos on the right. But not quite. He runs the ball out of play for a goal kick.

8.09pm GMT

23 min: Ronaldo drives down the middle, and is stopped by the outstretched leg of Nainggolan. The free kick’s nearly 40 yards out, so Ronaldo turns the chance of a direct shot down. Real shuttle the ball around to no effect. Maybe he should have had a pop anyway.

8.08pm GMT

22 min: Marcelo strides down the left, his cross deflected out for a corner. Varane eyebrows the set piece on at the near post, but Manolas is there to head out for a second corner. That one is met by Benzema, who sends a header well clear of the bar.

8.06pm GMT

19 min: Marcelo and Ronaldo exchange quick passes down the left, and for a second it looks like the latter will scoot clear towards the area. But just as he’s about to turn on the jets, Florenzi slides in and wins not just a tackle, but a free kick, guiding the ball onto Ronaldo’s hand. Roma have kept Real’s star man fairly quiet so far, starving him of the ball.

8.04pm GMT

16 min: A good period of possession this, from Roma. Real are struggling to get a touch of the ball. Digne is showing quite a lot of ambition down the left. Then the ball is worked out to the right. Perotti is released into the box by a slide-rule Pjanic pass. He whips to the near post for El Shaarawy who, facing an incredibly tight angle, leans back and hooks over the bar. But that’s the first effort of the evening, however wayward. And a very decent, patient, pitch-wide move by Roma.

8.00pm GMT

14 min: Perotti makes good down the right, reaching the byline and cutting back for El Shaarawy. But Modric steps in to intercept. Roma are certainly working their way into this tie now.

7.59pm GMT

13 min: Another corner that’s cleared without fuss or drama. But the home side come again, Salah and Pjanic exchanging crisp passes down the right. Salah cuts inside, stepping into the box, but he’s stopped in his tracks unceremoniously by Varane. Signs that Roma are waking up, having started rather slowly and timidly.

7.58pm GMT

11 min: El Shaaraway should be booked for a ludicrous tug back on Rodriguez, who is skittering down the right wing. But it’s just a free kick, to the right of the Roma area. Kroos to take. He loops long, looking for Ronaldo, but it’s headed clear, allowing Roma to break up the right wing through Salah. The speedy winger wins a corner after zipping past Isco, and nearly foxing Marcelo.

7.56pm GMT

10 min: Real are enjoying the lion’s share of possession, so the Stadio Olimpico has fallen a little quiet. A lot of passing in the midfield, with Roma keeping everyone behind the ball, in the final third. The visitors will be more than happy with this state of affairs.

7.54pm GMT

8 min: Indeed he is. He pelts a low fizzer wide right of the goal. Not particularly accurate, but that was certainly travelling.

7.53pm GMT

7 min: Modric gives the ball away in the middle of the park, allowing Digne to tear down the left. But the little midfielder chases back to block just before the Roma full back can deliver a cross. Real go up the other end, Ronaldo drawing a free kick out of Vainqueur, 35 yards from goal. He’s going to have a pop from there, isn’t he.

7.51pm GMT

5 min: Ronaldo embarks on his first run of the evening, down the left. He tries to diddle Salah with several stepovers, but Salah’s not buying it. He lays off for Marcelo, who wins a corner off Florenzi. The ball clanks off the Roma captain’s head at such pace that he requires a little treatment. But it looks as though he’ll be OK. The corner is headed clear with ease by El Shaarawy.

7.49pm GMT

2 min: Real knock it around the back awhile, getting a feel of the ball. Rodriguez bursts down the inside-right channel, one-twoing with Benzema and nearly breaking into the box. But his path is blocked and possession is conceded.

7.47pm GMT

The hosts get the ball rolling. Pjanic finds Florenzi out on the right. Florenzi curls a low ball into the Real box, but it’s easily claimed by Navas. Roma have only kept one clean sheet in their last 20 Champions League games. They’re already 60 seconds on their way to number two.

7.44pm GMT

The teams are out! Needless to say, there’s a wonderful atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico. Roma are in their famous red-and-yellow shirts, while Real Madrid’s equally renowned meringue-white garb appears to have been put into the wash with the socks and towels; they’re decked out in a dull grey. I’m sure it looks good with jeans. Another great example of Florentino Pérez’s devastating business acumen. The Champions League anthem drones out of the PA speakers. Pennants are exchanged, coins are tossed, hands are shaken. We’ll be off in a minute!

7.16pm GMT

A bit of a coup for BT Sport, as they’ve got former Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez in the studio. And he’s pulled his big boots on, and he’s delivering Florentino Pérez a good old kicking. “Obviously I came from the academy at Real Madrid, and so I was proud to be there. We qualified scoring a lot of goals, and we wish we were still there now. It is difficult to explain. You need to know what happened at Real Madrid in the last years. So you had Camacho, Del Bosque, Pellegrini, Mourinho, Ancelotti ... it is not easy to be the manager there. You have to do everything perfectly. As soon as something is wrong, or that the chairman thinks is wrong, then you start having problems. The chairman is always around, talking with players, talking with the press, every single day. It is not easy. You have to fight against Barcelona, who have a style of football. Real Madrid is changing managers all the time. So that is the reason Barcelona have won five titles in the last seven years. They have won more than double trophies than Real Madrid since the chairman is there, because they are more consistent. Pérez did a good job in terms of business, but in terms of football, he is changing and changing.”

They ask Michael Owen some stuff about his time at Real Madrid as well.

7.05pm GMT

Roma make just the one change from the team that won 3-1 at Carpi in Serie A last Friday. Edin Dzeko makes way for Miralem Pjanic.

Real Madrid don’t shake it up too much either, having just beaten Athletic Bilbao 4-2 at the Bernabeu. Marcelo and Isco come in; Danilo and Mateo Kovacic make way.

7.00pm GMT

Roma: Szczesny, Florenzi, Manolas, Rudiger, Digne, Pjanic, Vainqueur, Nainggolan, Salah, Perotti, El Shaarawy.
Subs: De Sanctis, Dzeko, Totti, Maicon, Falque, De Rossi, Keita.

Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Modric, Kroos, Isco, Rodriguez, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Subs: Casilla, Nacho, Casemiro, Kovacic, Lucas, Jese, Danilo.

11.40am GMT

Here’s the scale of Roma’s task in this Round of 16 tie. Since losing to Villarreal just before Christmas, Real Madrid have embarked on a nine-match unbeaten run. In the process of totting up seven wins and a couple of draws, they’ve scored 37 goals, a rate of just over four per game. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored nine of them. Karim Benzema meanwhile has scored 16 goals in his past 12 outings, including two hat-tricks. Ulp.

Roma can’t quite match those stats. And yet the Italian giants are in none too shabby a state themselves. They’ve only lost one game in all competitions since the start of December, a narrow defeat at Serie A force of nature Juventus. The Giallorossi have won their last four matches, with Edin Džeko suddenly relocating his goalscoring chops after a minor drought. They’ll also take succour from the fact they held Real’s domestic rivals Barcelona to a 1-1 draw here at the Stadio Olimpico back in September.

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He MUST score an away goal tonight. He MUST | The Fiver

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