Scott Murray's Blog, page 67
December 22, 2021
Carabao Cup: Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea into semis – as it happened
Spurs get the ball rolling ... but only after everyone takes the knee. A gesture that’s met with warm applause. There’s no room for racism.
The teams are out! Both teams are able to wear their famous colours. Tottenham in lilywhite, West Ham in claret and blue. A rare atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as you’d expect for one of the big London derbies. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
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December 21, 2021
Arsenal 5-1 Sunderland: Carabao Cup quarter-final – as it happened
Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick before Charlie Patino became the youngest Gunner to score on his debut since Jon Sammels in 1963
5 min: Stewart tries to burst into the Arsenal box down the inside-left channel. He gets past Elneny, then trips over. He wants a penalty, but he’s not getting one, and there’s no VAR tonight, so that’s that. There didn’t seem to be a whole load of contact.
3 min: Sunderland take the first shot in anger. Gooch crosses from the left. The ball’s not cleared, and falls to Pritchard, who swivels cutely to the left of the D and sends a fairly weak effort straight at Leno.
Continue reading...December 18, 2021
Leeds United 1-4 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened
Having shipped seven at Manchester City earlier in the week, Leeds were given another hiding, this time by effervescent Arsenal
30 sec: Saka dozes, allowing Dallas to tear down the left and win a corner. An early statement of intent, right there.
Leeds get the party started ... but only after everyone takes the knee. Applause rings round Elland Road. There’s no room for racism.
Continue reading...December 17, 2021
The Fiver Christmas Awards 2021
Welcome to the 2021 Fiver Christmas Awards. For anyone counting, this is the fifth year of us admitting that we’ve lost track of how long we’ve been doing this, so the all-time total has to be in double figures at least, 11 or 14 or 23 maybe, something like that. Sound right? So here we are again, happy as can be, all good pals and jolly good company. And while we’re on the subject of contrived bonhomie and forced festive spirit, pour yourself a large glass of Cillit Bang, top it up with a little Bold, pop in a cube or two of Calgon, and let yourself slip into an effortless, decadent, back-of-the-cupboard-under-the-kitchen-sink-fuelled reverie, enough to get you through the rest of this email and then some. Enjoy! Try to enjoy!
Continue reading...December 16, 2021
Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle: Premier League – as it happened
Newcastle put in a shift that augurs well for the relegation battle ahead, but Liverpool ultimately had too much quality, Trent Alexander-Arnold scoring one of the goals of the season so far
Newcastle kick off ... but only after the knee is met by warm applause. There’s no room for racism.
Here come the teams! Liverpool are in red, Newcastle sport third-choice aquamarine. You’ll Never Walk Alone sung under the lights on a dry, crisp Anfield evening. The Albert Stubbins Derby kicks off in a couple of minutes.
Continue reading...The Fiver | Drastic action for football is probably the best course of drastic action
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There’s only one more sleep until The Fiver’s festive awards! But who are we kidding? Let’s face facts, Christmas is already banjaxed, you only have to take one look at the prime minister’s glaikit boat to realise that. Having already got to the point where renowned socialist-state firebrand Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has taken the advice of an “unelected Covid public health spokesperson” and shelved plans for a festive family get-together, we’re fast approaching a place where fun might have to be parked for an indefinite period in order to rein in this damn virus. Don’t shoot the messenger, but this could be 2020-21 all over again.
Continue reading...December 14, 2021
Manchester City 7-0 Leeds United: Premier League – as it happened
Kevin De Bruyne orchestrated a rout as the champions pulled four points clear at the top
Leeds get the party started ... but only after everyone takes the knee. Warm appreciative applause. There’s no room for racism.
The coda to pre-match na-na-na-fest Hey Jude finally fades out, at which point the teams emerge from the tunnel on a mild Mancunian evening. Manchester City are in their sky blue shirts, while Leeds wear second-choice dark blue. Bielsa and Guardiola warmly embrace. We’ll be off in a minute or two. “Most clubs and countries reached peak-kit design classic around the late 60s/early-mid 70s, and most of the kits since have been a bit like scribbling on the Mona Lisa,” writes Julian Menz. “Those kits were iconic design statements. Yes, I have a life, but I can still watch the 1974 World Cup Final for the strips alone (and the hair of course).” Preach on, brother. Julian can speak for me.
Continue reading...The Fiver | The proud modern tradition of the Arsenal captaincy bother
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If recent history teaches us anything at all, it’s that the captain of Arsenal Football Club almost always gets himself into wholly avoidable trouble. Take William Gallas, who went out of his way to start an argument with his teammates and was stripped of the armband as a result. Or Granit Xhaka, who instigated a row with his own fans with predictably similar consequences. Patrick Vieira got into a brawl with Roy Keane that lasted six years, Cesc Fàbregas annoyed Hull boss Phil Brown by wearing a coat, and Tony Adams ended up in prison. That rumble you hear from below the ground isn’t the Piccadilly Line passing through; it’s Charlie Buchan, Alex James and Joe Mercer furiously spinning in their graves.
Continue reading...December 8, 2021
Manchester United 1-1 Young Boys: Champions League – as it happened
In his second game as United boss, Ralf Rangnick shuffled the pack to take a look at the rest of his first-team squad, plus a few youngsters from the academy
5 min: United are knocking it around crisply now, the ball moving fast across rain-sodden turf. Wan-Bissaka has acres to run into down the right but shows too much of it to Lustenberger and the chance to cross is gone.
3 min: Mata hoicks a speculative ball forward. Young Boys don’t deal with it. Diallo prepares to break clear into the box, but his own man Elanga gets in the way. Diallo is forced a little to the left, and though he gets a shot away, he’s now falling backwards and can’t get any power behind it. So close to a dream start for United’s young boys.
Continue reading...The Fiver | Pepe diplomatically bobbing about in a bench-emptying 42-man stramash
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Please excuse the Fiver for being particularly bleary eyed and low rent today. Up late last night, you see. Granny Fiver threw an impromptu business meeting, with cheese and wine and parlour games and Secret Santa and all that, so everyone could watch the first session of the Ashes together. But then Rory Burns hamster-danced himself out first ball, so The Fiver chugged back its glass, made its excuses and left. A bit of a bust, all told, and absolutely no ministers or lobby journalists were in attendance.
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