Scott Murray's Blog, page 22

Chelsea 6-1 Middlesbrough (agg: 6-2): Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg – as it happened

Chelsea steamrollered Boro to claim a place in the final

6 min: Chelsea haven’t managed to put anything together yet. Out of frustration, or perhaps impatient ambition, Colwill clanks a long pass straight through to Glover in the Boro goal.

4 min: A couple of promising early attacks by Boro, with Howson and Rogers taking turns to probe at the Chelsea back line. Nothing dramatic occurs, but that’ll give the Championship side some encouragement.

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Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace: Premier League – as it happened

The Gunners put themselves firmly back in the title hunt with a thumping home win

5 min: Zinchenko crosses from the left. Richards doesn’t get any purchase on his clearing header and the ball drops to Odegaard on the penalty spot. A good chance, but the Arsenal captain dig the ball out from under his feet and Palace eventually clear their lines.

3 min: Eze launches a long free kick into the Arsenal box. Andersen wins a header but can only send the ball floating harmlessly wide right and out for a goal kick.

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Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace, Blackpool 2-3 Nottingham Forest: FA Cup replays – as it happened

Forest won a minor classic by the odd goal in five as Everton and Norwich also booked their places in the fourth round

Blackpool 0-0 Forest. The visitors win the first corner, though, and from that, Murillo steers a header towards the bottom-right corner. It’s not particularly powerful, but Grimshaw sees it late and does well to get down and turn the ball around the post. The second corner comes to nowt.

Blackpool 0-0 Forest. The hosts start strongly, pinning Forest back in their final third. But there goes that pressure, as Connolly wangs a dreadful cross from the right wing into the sand behind the goal. He had Rhodes in the middle waiting for a decent delivery.

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Eastleigh 1-3 Newport, Bristol City 1-0 West Ham, and more: FA Cup replays – as it happened

Newport set up a fourth-round tie with Manchester United while Bristol City knocked out West Ham

The teams are out at Ashton Gate. I can see Bristol City and West Ham United. I’m not so privileged when it comes to Birmingham and Hull at St Andrews, Bolton and Luton at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Eastleigh and Newport at Silverlake Stadium and the aforementioned Wolves and Brentford at Molineux. But we’ll do what we can do. Peep! And we’re off!

Purists and traditionalists will demur, and I’ll admit I’ve yet to think this through properly, but the early rounds of the FA Cup could do with a live goals show. I’ll level with you, I’m already jonesing for next season’s NFL RedZone, not to mention James Richardson’s Champions League goal-blasts on TNT. Top-drawer hectic entertainment. Anyway, it’s still goalless at Molineux.

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Newcastle United 2-3 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Oscar Bobb secured all three points for the champions at the end of a wonderfully entertaining game

1 min: Ederson passes out from the back with absurd levels of confidence. Did he just nutmeg Isak? Dear me!

Manchester City get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Gallowgate in this first half.

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Burnley 1-1 Luton Town: Premier League – as it happened

A controversial late Carlton Morris goal salvaged a point for Luton at Turf Moor

1 min: A nervous start by the Luton keeper Kaminski, who shanks a simple clearance straight out of play. The home fans, who haven’t had much to cheer about at Turf Moor this season, enjoyed that.

Burnley get the ball rolling. It’s cold at Turf Moor but at least it’s dry.

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Liverpool 2-1 Fulham: Carabao Cup semi-final first leg – as it happened

Second-half goals from Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo gave Liverpool a slight advantage ahead of the second leg at Craven Cottage

2 min: A couple of very early, confident touches for Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stand-in, Conor Bradley. That should help the young right-back settle.

Fulham kick off. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this first half.

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Wigan Athletic 0-2 Manchester United: FA Cup third round – as it happened

United set up a fourth-round tie at either Newport or Eastleigh after a deserved victory at the DW Stadium

West Bromwich Albion v Brentford or Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Bournemouth v Swansea City

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Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle United: FA Cup third round – as it happened

Newcastle were too experienced for Sunderland as they beat their rivals for the first time since 2011 to make it to the fourth round

2 min: Newcastle quickly snatch possession of the ball and Trippier wins a corner down the right. Bellingham heads clear, but Trippier swings a cross in again from his wing. Patterson fingertips away nervously, but does enough. Just. And then a third Trippier delivery from the right! Longstaff flicks goalwards from close range but straight at Patterson, who blocks. What a start by Newcastle this is!

Sunderland get the ball rolling. “Do I have to watch it?” asks Newcastle fan Richard Slassor. “I feel sick again after all of these years not having to think about our neighbours down the road. I must remind myself: it’s only football, you’re 60 man.”

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton: FA Cup third round – as it happened

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was sent off after catching Nathaniel Clyne with his studs, and nothing much else happened

2 min: All Everton in the very early stages. Onana tries to release Harrison down the inside-left channel but overcooks the pass and it’s a goal kick.

Everton get the game underway. It’s still raining.

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