Scott Murray's Blog, page 81

April 16, 2021

The Fiver | Uefa’s golden goose is showing signs of severe constipation

It was another great evening in Europe for English clubs who aren’t Liverpool. Arsenal took a stand by taking the knee, then saw off dubious shower Slavia Prague with amusing ease. Manchester United breezed past Granada, finally achieving closure for the 1987 FA Cup defeat at home to Coventry City, who that day sported shirts bearing the name of the bingo wing of the popular leisure conglomerate, and went on to win the final wearing the same. Sir Alex Ferguson was always a Top Rank man after that, Gala at a push if there was no other show in town when his dauber really started twitching. Some losses stay with you.

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Published on April 16, 2021 08:54

April 14, 2021

Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid (agg 1-3): Champions League – as it happened

Liverpool made a few chances but took none of them, as Real held on comfortably in the end to set up a semi-final against Chelsea

10.31pm BST

No trophy for Liverpool this year, then, after a couple of seasons of glory. All things must pass, as one of the city’s most famous old boys once sang. As they turn their attention to the battle for a top-four spot, you should turn yours to Andy Hunter’s match report. Clickity click! Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.

10.27pm BST

Jurgen Klopp speaks to BT Sport. “You always need the key moments. The performance in general was good. We didn’t lose the tie tonight, we lost it in Madrid. But even if we played there 0-0 we probably would now still be playing because we didn’t score. It was uncomfortable for Madrid, definitely, we were good and aggressive and had a massive chance at the beginning of the game. Hypothetical I know, but if we got one it would have opened up for us. But if and when is not really interesting because we didn’t score. And it got more difficult because of the experience of Real Madrid, who played the time down, that’s how it is. It’s a little bit of ourselves this year. We have had ridiculous games this year when we should have won, but just don’t finish the situation. But we have to take that. It’s how it is. We know how many times Mo Salah finishes these things with closed eyes, but this time not. We had a lot of situations. After 60 minutes they took more control, we made changes but maybe the timing was not exactly right, we didn’t come through that well to be honest. Tonight it was absolutely OK, but we are out anyway. We love this competition, and for different reasons it is very important for the club. We can now concentrate, unfortunately, on the Premier League but that’s what we will do. Monday night at Leeds, who lead all physical stats, so we have to run and work our socks off to get anything!”

10.16pm BST

Jurgen Klopp’s post-match interview is on its way ... but in the meantime, Andy Hunter’s match report has landed.

10.11pm BST

The Bright Side with Luke Jones. “As a Liverpool fan, this is disappointing, but I’m reminded that not so long ago we would have ended a game like this with everyone chucking long balls at Steven Caulker. So onwards and upwards I guess.”

10.09pm BST

James Milner talks to BT Sport. “I thought our performance was good, the intensity and desire was good. We won the ball back well, pressed pretty well, but you can’t not take the chances we had. We had more than enough chances to do what we needed to do, and didn’t take them. That was the difference unfortunately. The positive is that we’re creating chances against a team like this, and the reaction after the first leg. We have done enough tonight to go through, I believe that, the chances we had, we were obviously the better team. If you get the first one it changes the game, but if you don’t take your chances you’re not going to go through. Maybe a few of the substitutions, we lost a few minutes while the guys got into the game, it cost us a few minutes of time, but we had chances once they came on. It’s a disappointing way to end, because if we’d played the first leg with that intensity I’m sure it could have been a different story. But ultimately we weren’t good enough over the two games. If we perform with the intensity we played with tonight, we can get a top-four spot.”

10.00pm BST

This quarter final was won by Real last week in Madrid ... and lost by Liverpool at Anfield tonight when they failed to convert a couple of big first-half chances that might have changed everything. Mohamed Salah and Georginio Wijnaldum were the culprits, but the pair have plenty of Champions League credit in the bank, having scored huge goals in the final and semi-final respectively en route to 2019 glory. It wasn’t to be today, though, Zinedine Zidane’s side holding on before gradually grinding the hosts down. The Spanish champions celebrate modestly, while Liverpool congratulate them with rueful smiles.

9.55pm BST

Liverpool were the better team tonight, but Real Madrid defended staunchly ... and were the best team over the two legs. The Spanish giants deservedly progress to the semis, where they’ll face Chelsea.

9.53pm BST

90 min +4: Oxlade-Chamberlain burns the turf down the left with a stunning run, but there’s nobody in the box to convert the cross. He has another go a bit later, but Nacho wins a header and that’ll be that.

9.51pm BST

90 min +2: Liverpool’s last chance to worry Real is denied by Courtois, who smothers Salah’s attempt to chip him from the corner of the six-yard box. Salah had been put through cleverly by Thiago, who otherwise has done very little.

9.50pm BST

90 min +1: Jota crosses from the left, but once again there’s nobody there. On the touchline, Klopp appears incredibly irritated at his team’s inability to mix it up with the final ball.

9.49pm BST

90 min: Four extra minutes for a miracle. “This has been an honourable performance by the Reds,” writes Peter Oh. “Plenty of desire and skill on show. It’s hard to break down an experienced and resolutely defensive side like Real Madrid.”

9.47pm BST

88 min: More pretty but ineffectual Liverpool probing. They’ve got no presence in the box. Real are sitting back, and look totally comfortable.

9.45pm BST

86 min: Liverpool continue to huff and puff. Jota shovels a cross in from the left that momentarily confuses Courtois, but there’s nobody in red hassling him, and eventually Mendy clears. Meanwhile here’s pre-match optimist Matt Dony, with an email headed Oh Well: “Ah, in all honesty, I had no expectations for tonight. I can accept Liverpool going out, as long as they play like this for the rest of the season. They may not have taken chances, but they’ve pressed and harried and created chances in a way that’s been conspicuously lacking this year. Take confidence from the performance, if not the (expected) result.”

9.43pm BST

84 min: Real let Liverpool pass it around, only showing interest in getting involved when the ball nears their final third. At which point: no way through.

9.42pm BST

82 min: Real replace Asensio with Isco, while Liverpool make their final gambit, replacing Mane and Firmino - both of whom having disappointed - with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Shaqiri.

9.41pm BST

81 min: Liverpool half clear the corner. Militao whips a cross in from the right. It beats Phillips and lands on the head of Benzema, six yards out. He must score ... but heads down, the ball bouncing harmlessly over the bar. I suspect the flag would have gone up for offside, but it doesn’t matter now.

9.39pm BST

80 min: Liverpool win a corner down the left. It’s swung into the mixer. Phillips wins a header, but it’s weak and wide. Real go up the other end, Ascensio bringing down a high ball with a soft touch and releasing Rodrygo down the left. Rodrygo wins a corner.

9.38pm BST

79 min: Rodrygo nearly gets the better of Alexander-Arnold down the left, but the much-maligned full back defends the situation brilliantly, sticking to the striker’s shoulder and eventually easing him off the ball. Had he not won that battle, Rodrygo was clean through.

9.37pm BST

78 min: Real are in total control now. Liverpool appear to have burned themselves out. Can the hosts gather themselves for one last push?

9.35pm BST

76 min: A corner for Real. They don’t throw too many people up for it, and nothing occurs, but no matter, as the sands of time continue to run down.

9.34pm BST

74 min: Benzema strips Fabinho of the ball in the centre circle and makes for the Liverpool box. The hosts just about hold their defensive shape, but once again, there’s a reminder that Real, already two goals to the good with time on their side, could put this to bed in short order with one rapier thrust.

9.31pm BST

72 min: It’s Real’s turn to make a double change. Odriozola and Rodrygo come on for Kroos and Vinicius Junior.

9.30pm BST

71 min: Jota has a flash from a tight angle on the left. A deflection leads to a corner, which leads to a pause in the game as Nacho takes a whack upside the head. Real are more than happy to let the clock tick on.

9.29pm BST

69 min: Militao blocks again, this time from Firmino’s spin and shot from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Liverpool have had their chances. Plenty of them. But the old clinical Liverpool is no more.

9.28pm BST

68 min: A half-chance for Jota near the left-hand post. He can’t decide whether to head goalwards or backwards, and achieves neither. Then a full-fat opportunity for Salah, who finds the ball at his feet on the penalty spot after some in-box pinball. But he pauses, allowing Militao to get in the way, and can’t get a proper shot off. Real somehow block and clear.

9.26pm BST

66 min: Vinicius is spring clear down the middle by Valverde’s long ball! He’s one on one with Alisson, but the keeper makes himself big and smothers, then stops Benzema as well, before springing up and hacking clear. Liverpool are still in it ... just. Two goals are proving elusive enough; three would surely be too much.

9.24pm BST

65 min: Mane strips Mendy of possession down the Liverpool right and digs out a cross that forces a corner. But the resulting set piece is a complete non-event. On the touchline, Jurgen Klopp is beginning to show signs of high irritation. His opposite number Zinedine Zidane is his usual inscrutable self.

9.23pm BST

64 min: Plenty of space for Vinicius down the left. He’s got Benzema and Asensio in the middle, but can only clank his pass straight into Fabinho. Liverpool breathe again after looking very light at the back for a few seconds there.

9.21pm BST

62 min: The pace of this game has seriously dropped. Real will be delighted.

9.20pm BST

60 min: Having failed to reduce the arrears, Liverpool decide that they may as well go for it. On come Thiago and Jota, their heads full of arrows and diagrams; off go Kabak and Milner. Fabinho will drop back into defence, and Liverpool will throw four up front.

9.18pm BST

59 min: Phillips is booked for blocking Casemiro. That might be more for repeated fouling, actually, the final straw after a series of impudent clips and shoves.

9.17pm BST

58 min: Liverpool are planning a double substitution, though they’re taking their sweet time over making it, Jota and Thiago taking in page after page of tactical bumf.

9.15pm BST

56 min: Firmino has a whack from distance. The ball nestles in the roof of the Kop.

9.15pm BST

55 min: Mane’s sweet backheel nearly releases Robertson into the box down the left. One of the Casemiros - there is more than one of him, right? - comes across to block Robertson’s run and win the goal kick.

9.13pm BST

54 min: Mendy and Benzema combine beautifully down the inside-left channel. Mendy reaches the byline, but under pressure from Fabinho, he can only pull back into a thicket of red shirts, and Alexander-Arnold clears.

9.11pm BST

52 min: Valverde steams down the right and hooks inside for Benzema, who tries to trap and shoot, but is only able to cushion the ball softly into the arms of Allison. Real are responding well to Liverpool’s early second-half thrust.

9.09pm BST

51 min: Modric nearly springs Benzema clear down the right, but Kabak gets across as fast as he can and intercepts, just in time.

9.08pm BST

49 min: Asensio and Valverde combine well down the right. A low cross is blasted clear by Phillips in the no-nonsense style.

9.07pm BST

48 min: Alexander-Arnold comes again, nearly finding Firmino at the near post again. Not quite. Liverpool have come flying out of the blocks again.

9.06pm BST

47 min: Nothing comes of the set piece, but what a pass that was from Alexander-Arnold, caressed with the outside of his boot, threaded through a thicket to find his man.

9.05pm BST

46 min: Alexander-Arnold scoops a stunning cross in from the right. Firmino brings it down and hammers a shot towards the near post. Courtois parries brilliantly. Corner.

9.04pm BST

Real get the second half underway. No changes. Liverpool are kicking towards the Kop in the second half, which is just how they like it.

8.52pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Relive last night’s Champions League action in aural form ...

8.49pm BST

Liverpool have had plenty of chances, but haven’t seriously bothered Courtois in the Real Madrid goal. The 13-time champions will be happy to have kept their hosts contained.

8.47pm BST

45 min +1: Mane looks to chest down on the penalty spot, with a view to spinning and shooting. But he slips at exactly the wrong time. Had he remained on his feet, he’d surely have scored, but his studs went.

8.45pm BST

45 min: There will be two added minutes. Can Liverpool score a goal that would change the half-time mood entirely?

8.45pm BST

44 min: Liverpool have had their chances. But it’s been their story of 2021: plenty of good build-up play, but an obvious lack of confidence in front of goal. Sport’s a funny thing.

8.43pm BST

42 min: Liverpool miss their second gilt-edged opportunity of the match. Alexander-Arnold fights his way down the inside-right channel, then suddenly cuts an unexpected pass back for Wijnaldum, who is in a pocket of space, ten yards out. Wijnaldum, who has more time than he realises, blazes over the bar. He holds his head in both hands, as well he might.

8.42pm BST

41 min: Another chance for Salah, albeit a much harder one than his early opportunity. Wijnaldum and Mane work well down the left. The ball comes across and evades Mendy. Salah, the ball a little bit behind him, swivels and tries to scoop it home but can only hoick it over the bar.

8.41pm BST

40 min: Mane finds a little space down the left but his cross is cut out by Casemiro, who has misplaced a couple of passes, and nearly got himself sent off, but has otherwise been excellent.

8.38pm BST

38 min: Some shapeless bustle down the Liverpool right. Suddenly Alexander-Arnold decides to restore order, and whips a glorious cross towards the far post. It’s dipping towards Mane, but he’s reluctant to clatter into Courtois, which is what would have happened had he thrown himself at the ball. The cross flies out for a goal kick. A yard further out, and Mane was slotting that home.

8.37pm BST

36 min: Kabak does well to hold up Benzema, who was threatening go breeze off down the left. But Vinicius Junior nicks the ball back immediately and chips over Kabak, who is out of the game. Fortunately for Liverpool, Vinicius takes a heavy touch as he enters the box and runs out for a goal kick.

8.35pm BST

35 min: Liverpool ping it around nicely, 30 yards out, but can’t find a way into the final third. Eventually Milner gets fed up and crosses long from the left. Easy pickings for Courtois.

8.33pm BST

33 min: Real slow the pace down, taking their sweet time to restart the game after a garden-variety foul. They’ll be pleased with the way this is going, having drawn most of Liverpool’s early sting.

8.32pm BST

31 min: Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Wijnaldum combine crisply down the right touchline. Their quickfire triangulation nearly opens up the Real defence, but Mendy holds firm in the face of Salah’s final twisting, and the danger is over.

8.29pm BST

29 min: Mane spins gracefully down the left and romps into the Real half. He slips the ball inside for Firmino, who has Alexander-Arnold in acres down the other flank. Firmino delays and delays, then when he finally produces a pass, clumps it straight to Nacho. What a waste.

8.27pm BST

27 min: As a result of that brief brouhaha, there’s a bit of an edge to this game now. They wanted an Anfield atmosphere; they’ve got one.

8.26pm BST

25 min: Casemiro is back up and running quickly enough, because here he is clattering hard, fast and late into Milner down the touchline. It all briefly threatens to kick off, with Klopp and Robertson in the thick of it. Klopp is trying to calm things down, Robertson not so much as he comes across to debate issues with Casemiro. Eventually both Casemiro and Robertson are booked.

8.24pm BST

24 min: Casemiro is down, rolling around after being caught by Fabinho. There didn’t appear to be too much in it, but the Real midfielder holds himself gingerly as he gets up.

8.22pm BST

22 min: Real are beginning to impose themselves now, establishing a little control after those early Liverpool flourishes. “Will Liverpool regret the blown early chance?” wonders Mary Waltz. “Absolutely. During the Championship year Salah put those opportunities in the net. Liverpool has lost their confidence this year.”

8.21pm BST

20 min: Benzema busies himself down the inside-left channel, taking advantage of a Phillips miscontrol. He twists and turns, then shoots. The ball deflects of Kabak’s shin and beats Alisson, but crashes off the bottom of the left-hand post and away. Vinicius Junior returns it with a weak shot that Alisson smothers. A huge break for Liverpool ... though it’d have been a huge slice of luck for Real had that gone in.

8.19pm BST

19 min: Mane threatens to spin his way past Militao down the inside-left channel, but the defender battles hard and eventually gets his body in between opponent and ball to win the free kick.

8.18pm BST

18 min: Robertson whips it in. Kabak tries to steer a header goalwards but he’s got Nacho on his back and can’t get his effort on target.

8.17pm BST

17 min: Casemiro gives the ball away in the centre circle, allowing Salah to zip forward with Mane in close attendance. They combine down the right, and then Vinicius Junior bowls Mane to the floor. Free kick in a dangerous position.

8.14pm BST

15 min: Vinicius Junior nearly gets a yard on Alexander-Arnold down the Real left, but the Liverpool wing back keeps on his shoulder and eventually forces the first-leg hero to turn tail.

8.13pm BST

13 min: Alexander-Arnold sashays into acres down the right. He floats a cross inside for Mane, who can’t win a header at Courtois’s expense. Courtois flaps clear, and in any case Mane was well offside.

8.12pm BST

11 min: Alexander-Arnold sends Salah skittering down the right touchline. He glides infield and sets up Milner, who opens his body and aims for the top right from 25 yards. It’s heading in, but Courtois extends fully to tip around the post. Nothing comes of the corner, but Liverpool could easily be two up already. Will they live to regret this, the super-early Salah chance especially?

8.10pm BST

9 min: Kabak ships possession cheaply, but makes up for it by deflecting Modric’s shot out for a corner. From the set piece, Modric swings to the far post, where Benzema is found offside. A lovely ball by Modric, though, who sent Mane off to the shops with a drop of the shoulder before delivering it.

8.09pm BST

8 min: Another corner, this time down the left, won by Mane. Robertson takes. The ball drops to Salah, who is preparing to shoot from the edge of the box when the whistle goes for a foul. Phillips has skittled Benzema and Militao with one determined burst, and it’s relief for Real, albeith painfully so for the winded Militao.

8.07pm BST

6 min: Alexander-Arnold wins a corner down right. He takes one of his famous quick corners, but Milner is no Divock Origi. He can’t connect properly with the low fizzer and Mendy is able to clear the danger.

8.05pm BST

5 min: On the touchline, Jurgen Klopp screams at several members of his team. He’ll be wanting them to maintain this whirlwind start, and no mistake.

8.04pm BST

3 min: Mane drives down the left before sending one hell of a ball across the face of goal. Firmino misses the ball six yards out. Salah tries to turn home at the far post, but can only win a corner. Nothing comes from the set piece, but this is a promising start by Liverpool.

8.03pm BST

2 min: Liverpool should be celebrating the perfect start. A ball launched down the middle is cushioned by Mane into the path of Salah, just inside the box. Salah looks to tuck home, but instead of finding a corner, hits straight at Courtois, who makes himself big and parries. What a chance!

8.02pm BST

1 min: Milner goes in hard on Benzema. It’s a hearty 50-50, but the Real striker has turned his ankle and goes down. Milner caught him on the follow through, albeit accidentally. Benzema’s up again quickly enough.

8.00pm BST

After a minute to remember those who lost their lives at Hillsborough, Liverpool get the ball rolling. Real Madrid are kicking towards the Kop in this first half.

7.58pm BST

The teams are out! You’ll Never Walk Alone blares out of the PA speakers in supremely ironic fashion; this stadium would normally be bouncing right now. That penultimate chord still manages to get the old neck hairs standing to attention, all the same. Liverpool are in their famous red, Real in their storied merengue white. We’ll be off once the pre-match pleasantries are done and dusted. “Olympiakos. Milan. Dortmund. Barcelona,” chants

M of Pop Musik fame
Matt Dony. “I’m going for positivity. It could happen!”

7.48pm BST

Jurgen Klopp is asked by BT Sport’s Des Kelly whether attempting a comeback without a crowd is “the toughest of challenges”. “I don’t know, never tried it!” he laughs. “Let’s give it a try. Of all the problems you have when you are 3-1 down, having no crowd is just another one. But it’s one we have to overcome. We have to create a special atmosphere on the pitch. I don’t know how big the staff is, plus 15 to 20 people outside! That’s what we try, and we’ll see where it leads us. It is clear what we have to do. We have to score goals but we must not concede. We have a lot of great options to bring on if we have to increase the risk.”

He’s also asked whether a special plan has been cooked up for Toni Kroos, who ran the show in Madrid. “Yes. But Toni is allowed to move and do what he wants and the more he drops the more difficult it makes it. Each team in the world has their problem with Toni, and if he is marked then Luka Modric drops. And if he is marked then Casemiro does the same. It is not that easy. We have to cause them more trouble. This is Anfield, even without fans, and we have to make sure that everybody can see that tonight.”

7.41pm BST

It would seem that some clown has put through one of the windows of Real Madrid’s team bus. Liverpool have responded to this dispiriting buffoonery with a statement: “We condemn unequivocally the actions that led to Real Madrid’s team bus being damaged during its arrival to Anfield this evening. It is totally unacceptable and shameful behaviour of a few individuals. We sincerely apologise to our visitors for any distress caused. We will work together with Merseyside Police to establish the facts and identify those responsible.”

7.26pm BST

In tonight’s match programme, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has responded to the online abuse suffered by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita in the wake of last week’s first leg. “I’m sick of seeing people I know, and people I don’t know, having to put up with the kind of abuse that turns my stomach. It has to stop and anyone who has a shred of decency has to play their part in making it stop ... At one stage I was considering switching off all of my social-media accounts in protest. I still have that option and I applaud those, like Thierry Henry, who have taken the ultimate step as far as this issue is concerned. But for now I want to see if I can turn my own feelings into something positive by shining a light on an appalling situation and seeing if some sort of positive can be extracted from it.” In an attempt to raise awareness of the problem, Henderson has given the reins of his social-media accounts to an online-bullying charity, the Cybersmile Foundation.

Jordan has dedicated his programme notes ahead of tonight’s @ChampionsLeague game against Real Madrid to call on everyone to pull together to stop online abuse.

If you see it, report it. It’s everyone’s responsibility.

Reporting tools - https://t.co/vo5wumgvtb @CybersmileHQ

7.17pm BST

Tomorrow marks the 32nd anniversary of Hillsborough. There will be a minute of silence before tonight’s match to remember the 96 souls who went to the game and never made it back home.

6.55pm BST

Liverpool make two changes to the starting XI named in Madrid. James Milner replaces Naby Keita in the midfield, while Roberto Firmino takes Diogo Jota’s place in the front three. A slight surprise that Milner has been given the nod ahead of Thiago, but there you have it.

Real Madrid make just one change from last week. Lucas Vazquez is injured, so in comes Federico Valverde.

6.52pm BST

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Thiago, Keita, Adrian, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jota, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, Ben Davies, Rhys Williams, Harvey Davies, Cain, Clarkson.

Real Madrid: Courtois, Valverde, Eder Militao, Nacho, Mendy, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius Junior.
Subs: Marcelo, Lunin, Odriozola, Isco, Mariano, Rodrygo, Altube, Park, Arribas, Chust.

3.47pm BST

This is one of the stranger rivalries in European football, chronologically speaking. The clubs first met the 1981 final, Alan Kennedy scoring from an absurd angle as Liverpool lifted their third European Cup. They didn’t meet again for the best part of three decades, at which point Rafa Benitez’s side won home and away in the Champions League last 16, Andrea Dossena putting the icing on the cake of a 5-0 aggregate thrashing. At this point, Real were very much Barcelona to Liverpool’s Dundee United.

It couldn’t last, though, and since then the clubs have met on four occasions, Real winning the lot. Brendan Rodgers effectively threw in the towel in the 2014-15 groups by leaving Steven Gerrard out at the Bernabeu; in the 2018 final Loris Karius literally threw ... but there’s nothing to be gained by reliving that again. Then last week at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, Liverpool dominated possession and made exactly 100 more passes than their hosts, but were nevertheless comprehensively dismantled 3-1 thanks to a combination of shoddy defending and Vinicius Junior’s clinical brilliance.

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Published on April 14, 2021 14:31

The Fiver | Replacing Poch with tactics to make George Graham look like Ossie Ardiles

When Daniel Levy took over at Tottenham Hotspur in 2001, it felt like the club were in a state of suspended animation. One of the grandest institutions in the country, all they’d won in the previous nine years was a solitary League Cup. Things had to change. And just look at them now! Two glory-strewn decades down the line, not only have they won another League Cup, they’ve also come third in a two-horse race in the Premier League, behind a 5,000-1 shot and Arsenal, and forgotten to turn up for a Big Cup final, though they did qualify for it. Well done, Daniel, it’s been one hell of a blast.

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Published on April 14, 2021 08:22

April 12, 2021

West Brom 3-0 Southampton: Premier League – as it happened

The Baggies registered back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they comprehensively outplayed Southampton at the Hawthorns

8.12pm BST

Paul Doyle was at the Hawthorns to witness both a fine West Brom display and “a new form of VAR imbroglio”. Here’s his verdict. Be about your business! Click! Click! Click! In the meantime, please allow me to bid you farewell ... and to remind you that Rob Smyth is on the Brighton-Everton game this very minute. Thanks for reading this MBM.

8.00pm BST

West Brom stay in 19th place, but they’re now on 24 points. That’s still eight shy of Newcastle, who have also played 31 games, and Brighton, who play their 31st match of the season in a few minutes. You can follow their game against Everton with Rob Smyth. Saints meanwhile are stuck in 14th on 36 points. Safety shouldn’t be an issue for them, despite their questionable form since the turn of the year, but they’ll be hoping for an upturn before their season-defining showdown with Leicester at the weekend.

7.56pm BST

West Brom keep their survival hopes alive with a comprehensive victory over Saints. It should have been four, but VAR did what VAR does. It could have been five or six, so dominant were the home side. Saints were dreadful, and need to pick themselves up quicksmart ahead of their FA Cup semi-final with Leicester City on Sunday.

7.55pm BST

90 min +5: Ward-Prowse tries to make up for his miss, lining up a free kick from distance. It’s high and wide. What a miserable evening for Southampton, who are back to thinking about that hot bath.

7.53pm BST

90 min +4: Ward-Prowse’s spot kick is saved! He powers towards the bottom left, but Johnstone wants that clean sheet, and extends himself to palm away sensationally!

7.53pm BST

90 min +3: Armstrong nips in ahead of Ajayi. He’s clipped, but it’s not given. No matter, because Djenepo is then upended by Gallagher, and the referee points to the spot.

7.51pm BST

90 min +2: Everyone clearly dreaming of a lovely hot bath.

7.51pm BST

90 min: There will be six added minutes.

7.50pm BST

89 min: In the West Brom dugout, Big Sam’s smile is wider and shiner than the sun. He knows that Great Escape II, while still unlikely, is on. His side are about to win two games in a row for the first time this season, and while they’re still eight points from safety, there’s promise in what remains of their fixture list: Leicester, Villa, Wolves, Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham and Leeds. If they keep playing like they’ve played tonight, and at Chelsea the other week, against several unpredictable teams, a world of possibility opens up.

7.46pm BST

87 min: Ings is replaced by Tella, while Walker-Peters makes way for Djenepo.

7.45pm BST

85 min: Bartley is replaced by Ajayi. He’s put in a fine shift. Saints haven’t got any change from the West Brom defence at all.

7.43pm BST

83 min: Some good news here, as Maitland-Niles first sits up, then stands up. It looks as though he was just severely winded, having fallen flat on his chest from a great height. He walks to the touchline unaided, and looks ready to carry on.

7.41pm BST

81 min: Maitland-Niles is down, having fallen awkwardly and dramatically. The physios are taking no chances, and on comes the stretcher.

7.40pm BST

79 min: So having said that, Southampton go as close as they’ve come all evening. Of course they have. Adams is sent skittering down the right on the break at speed. He enters the box and lashes a fine low diagonal drive inches wide of the bottom left. Johnstone didn’t have that fully covered. If it had found the corner, it would have been a consolation.

7.38pm BST

78 min: Saints are done. Thoughts now have clearly turned to damage limitation, and the big cup semi on Sunday.

7.36pm BST

76 min: Diagne, who scored a perfectly good opener that wasn’t allowed, makes way for Robson-Kanu. Walcott, who has been completely, totally and utterly invisible, makes way for Adams.

7.35pm BST

75 min: Redmond has a dig from distance. It’s always heading over. Worth a shout, though, Saints are creating nothing otherwise. “Do you reckon Mike Dean does that Fonzie thing in the mirror?” wonders Gary Naylor of our shark-jumping refereeing classes. I’d imagine so, although pound to a penny his attempt at “Aaaaaaaay” sounds less like the Fonz and more like Bernie Winters.

7.32pm BST

73 min: OK, the stay of execution didn’t last long. Gallagher comes on for Robinson after all. Big Sam clearly didn’t want to ruin the goalscorer’s moment. There’s nice!

7.30pm BST

71 min: Robinson was about to get the hook, too, in favour of Conor Gallagher, but that’s earned him a reprieve. Saints have been comprehensively rope-a-doped.

7.29pm BST

They’re comfortable now! Saints faff about in midfield. Yokuslu picks up the loose ball in the centre circle, and plays a simple first-time pass down the inside-left channel. Robinson races ahead of Vestergaard, draws Forster, and slots home. Easy as that!

7.28pm BST

68 min: Saints probe, but to little effect. West Brom are very comfortable at the minute, despite sitting off and sitting back.

7.26pm BST

66 min: Diallo tugs at the shoulder of Pereira as the West Brom man dribbles down the middle of the park. Free kick, 25 yards out. Yokuslu fancies this, but his attempt to find the top-left corner is never going close.

7.24pm BST

64 min: Saints continue to dominate the ball, and they’re enjoying plenty of time in the West Brom half ... but not too much of it in the final third. It’s been a decent containing job by the hosts since the restart.

7.23pm BST

62 min: Redmond goes over in the area as he tries to spin Bartley at speed, and makes a half-arsed appeal for a penalty. The officials aren’t interested in finding fault with that, not even the pedants operating the VAR kit.

7.21pm BST

61 min: Armstrong has a whack from distance. Easy pickings for Johnstone, though Saints are beginning to ask a few questions now. “The most heinous, clear and obvious error in the game is VAR. Football’s equivalent of Brexit. A toy for the small minded.” Preach on, Kevin Porter.

7.19pm BST

59 min: Bertrand floats it in softly. It’s easily cleared by West Brom, but Saints come back at them quickly, Armstrong and Ings combining to nearly release Redmond into the box down the left channel. Just as Redmond prepares to pull the trigger, Furlong comes sliding in to block him, and he doesn’t even get the corner. What a perfectly timed challenge that was!

7.18pm BST

58 min: Ings is tugged back by Yokuslu as he makes good down the inside-left channel. A free kick, and a chance to load the box.

7.17pm BST

56 min: Ings sends Armstrong scampering down the left, forcing O’Shea to slide in and concede a corener. Ward-Prowse’s delivery is headed powerfully clear by Bartley. “Jump the shark?” wonders Mary Waltz. “Memo to shark: Please eat VAR, we will be forever grateful.”

7.15pm BST

55 min: Diallo sends a raking diagonal ball towards Walker-Peters on the right. It nearly sends the marauding full-back away, but Townsend sticks to him and eventually draws a frustrated foul.

7.12pm BST

53 min: West Brom seem happy to sit back and see what Southampton can do. Given Saints recovered from two down to beat Burnley last time round, it might be a dangerous game to play. Saints have had 80% possession since the break.

7.11pm BST

51 min: Saints are a little bit more on the front foot now. Some space for Walker-Peters out on the right. He’s allowed to make it into the box, and fires a low one through the six-yard box. Only Ings is anywhere near it, but he can’t reach. A hell of a ball, though.

7.09pm BST

49 min: Sky flash up a stat that may worry Southampton. In the last two months, only Manchester United have conceded fewer goals (four) than West Brom’s five. Next on the list: Chelsea, who have shipped seven, although admittedly five of those came on that off day against ... West Brom. Strange old season, huh?

7.06pm BST

47 min: No obvious increase in Southampton’s tempo so far, though admittedly the data set is extremely small.

7.04pm BST

West Brom get the second half underway. No changes. “Is this the moment that VAR finally jumped the shark?” wonders Stephen Carr. “And if it did, was its fin on or off?”

6.57pm BST

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6.52pm BST

Half-time checklist. Heat pie in microwave. Pour Bovril. Top-up hip flask. Subscribe to Fiver.

6.49pm BST

Ings gets back up, and that’s the end of a dominant first half for West Brom. Big Sam for England!

6.49pm BST

45 min +2: Saints force a corner. Nothing much happens, other than Yokuslu accidentally standing on Ings’ ankle. The striker requires some treatment.

6.46pm BST

45 min: There will be two added minutes.

6.46pm BST

44 min: But in the main, Saints can’t handle the West Brom press. The hosts are playing them at their own game, and winning. On the touchline, Ralph Hasenhuttl is fuming.

6.44pm BST

42 min: Saints try to settle themselves down with a period of sterile possession in the middle of the park. This idea might better have been employed after ten minutes.

6.42pm BST

40 min: Yokuslu hoicks a long-distance effort high and wide. A strange five-minute period before the opening goal apart, this has been all West Brom.

6.41pm BST

39 min: The Baggies are rampant. A corner leads to some pinball in the Saints box, and Yokuslu’s eventual shot is blocked, squirting away from danger. Saints desperately need to hear the half-time whistle.

6.39pm BST

38 min: Ward-Prowse takes a booking for the team, cynically clipping Pereira as he raced down the left, preparing to deliver a cross that would have surely released either Diagne or Phillips.

6.39pm BST

36 min: Saints wrapped that up in a pretty bow, but take nothing away from the skill of Diagne and Phillips. What determination. What a combination!

6.37pm BST

Ings plays an awful backpass down the West Brom left. Diagne picks up possession and storms towards the box, before playing a scientifically perfect low cross towards the far stick. Phillips races in and can’t do anything but roof home!

6.36pm BST

34 min: Thing is, Saints were finally beginning to contribute to the game. Just before the penalty, they’d enjoyed a five-minute spell in which they hogged the ball for 68 percent of the time. Still, on balance, the scoreline seems about right.

6.34pm BST

Smash! Straight down the middle, Forster opting to dive. No more than the hosts deserve.

6.33pm BST

31 min: The hosts work the ball cutely upfield yet again. Suddenly Maitland-Niles rolls into the box from the right. Pereira traps and shapes to round Forster on the spot, only for the keeper to bring him down. A no-brainer of a decision.

6.32pm BST

30 min: A neat short routine between Bertrand and Redmond leads to a game of bagatelle in the West Brom box. The ball ricochets at speed off Ings and straight into the arms of Johnstone. That would have been a goal, an inch or two either side.

6.30pm BST

29 min: Armstrong sends a rising curler towards the top left from 25 yards. Johnstone tips around the post, and from the resulting corner ...

6.29pm BST

28 min: Pereira slips a ball down the middle for Diagne, the end of a lovely series of crisp West Brom triangles. Diagne opens his body and looks for the top right ... but his effort sails wide.

6.28pm BST

26 min: Ings works the ball down the right for Redmond, who momentarily looks like bursting free. Not quite, but he rolls inside for Armstrong, who slips while attempting to spin and shoot. Ings picks up the ball near the left-hand corner of the six-yard box and whistles a low shot across the face of goal. Sadly for Saints, there’s nobody there to run it home. Is there any way of cloning Ings?

6.26pm BST

24 min: But when you’ve got Danny Ings in your side, you’re always going to carry a threat. Redmond barges down the left and loses control, but the ball breaks to Ings, just inside the box. He shifts his feet quickly and tries to steer a no-backlift effort into the top right. It sails wide, but had it been on target, I’m not sure the planted Johnstone would have reached it.

6.25pm BST

23 min: Vestergaard tries to get something going for Saints by slipping a long pass down the inside-left channel. He nearly finds the overlapping Bertrand, but Phillips shepherds the ball out for a goal kick. One parry apart, Johnstone has had nothing to do in the West Brom goal.

6.23pm BST

21 min: A West Brom throw from the right. Bartley wins it with ease, flicking on for Pereira, whose weak header sails straight at Forster. Saints haven’t got going at all. The cup semi on their mind?

6.21pm BST

19 min: According to the chancers of Stockley Park, VAR Guy “could not draw a definitive line” with Diagne partially obscured by Bartley, “so it stays with the on-field decision”. Even though another angle made it fairly clear that Diagne was on. They’re grifting us, people. It’s not too late.

6.19pm BST

17 min: The chances continue to come for West Brom. Phillips crosses, Furlong shoulders wide when attempting to head. Then Diagne nearly bustles through the middle only to see his speculative prod squirt wide right.

6.17pm BST

15 min: West Brom continue to cause plenty of bother down the left, Yokuslu nearly opening them up. Then a rarer attack down the other flank, Phillips sending in a low fizzer that Vestergaard nearly deflects into his own net. Nothing comes of the resulting corner, but this is excellent stuff by West Brom.

6.15pm BST

13 min: Can somebody please, please, please put VAR back in its box? Dear officials, it’s OK to admit you were wrong.

6.14pm BST

12 min: You know what, turns out that VAR decision actually could have been a load of old balls. Another look at the picture suggests Bednarek was indeed playing Diagne on, and the line was drawn for the wrong man, Bartley, who was standing behind the scorer.

6.12pm BST

10 min: Saints wake up. Walker-Peters glides past Townsend with a sensational backflick near the corner flag on the right, and enters the box. He shoot low and hard towards the near post, but Johnstone refuses to be caught out and parries wide. From the resulting corner, Walcott hits a shot that’s ambitious, the best that can be said for it.

6.10pm BST

9 min: An inch here, another there, and West Brom could already be two goals to the good. Saints need to wake up.

6.10pm BST

8 min: West Brom’s fast start continues apace. A corner is won down the left. Then Pereira and Phillips combine down the flank, Saints pushed back, forced into the concession of a throw. From that, Townsend curls to the near post, where Robinson arrives late, unannounced, to sidefoot inches wide. Great start by the hosts, this.

6.08pm BST

6 min: Nope, no goal. That’s not as egregious an outcome as some of the VAR nonsense this weekend, not least because Diagne looked offside to the naked eye, and that was the decision made in real time as well. Nobody seems particularly aggrieved.

6.06pm BST

5 min: However, the old VAR rulers are out, and Bednarek could have played Diagne on here, you know. It’s going to be very close.

6.06pm BST

4 min: ... West Brom get the ball in the net. Phillips twists down the inside-left channel to makes space. He shoots. Forster parries. The ball drops to Furlong, on the edge of the box. He shoots towards the top left. Diagne heads it on, into the corner, but the flag goes up for offside.

6.04pm BST

3 min: Now it’s Diagne’s turn to be clattered. Bednarek comes in from the back, and he’s fortunate not to get a booking for that. And from the resulting free kick ...

6.03pm BST

2 min: West Brom start by knocking it around the back, only for Maitland-Niles to take a whack on the ankle as Saints press hard from the off. Accidental, and happily it looks like Maitland-Niles will be fine to continue, despite that clearly having been a sore one.

6.01pm BST

Here we go, then! Saints get the game underway ... but only after the knee is taken. Solidarity and love. There’s no room for racism. Kick it out.

5.58pm BST

The teams are out! West Brom wear their famous navy blue and white stripes, while Southampton wear their first-choice St-Mary’s-in-negative red shirts with white sash. It’s a cool but clear evening at the highest league ground in England. We’ll be off in a minute, after a quick Baggies blast of the Liquidator.

5.50pm BST

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s turn. “The team deserve to play again. Turning the table around against Burnley is not so easy and they showed a special performance after the first half hour. Today we need a similar performance but from the first moment. Hopefully we can show up immediately. We have never looked down, we always try to climb the table and look in front. We have to be fresh in the mind and we have eight, maybe nine games coming up.”

5.46pm BST

Sam Allardyce talks to Sky. “Let’s focus on winning but not going all out, not going gung-ho, doing it with the right stability, and the right stability has been from a good solid defensive unit playing the right way to create opportunities to attack when we win the ball back. We need to win this game, a draw is no use to us based on the four points Newcastle have picked up over the last two games. So let’s try to win and stay in touch if we can.”

5.13pm BST

Ryan Bertrand of Saints speaks to Sky as well, saying that “we’ve got work still to do in the Premier League so it’s important we’re fully focused tonight ... if we can get the win we can keep the good momentum going into the [FA Cup semi] ... it’s hard to not have half an eye on it, but we have a lot of work to do in the Premier League from now until the end of the season ... West Brom’s results show they have a solidity and have found a way to win ... we have to be on our jobs.”

5.10pm BST

Conor Townsend of West Brom tells Sky that “the mood is good ... to be honest it’s been good for the past few weeks, performances have been up there but results haven’t followed ... but last week we got both so hopefully we can do the same again tonight ... we’ve got a lot of games still to go, a lot of points to play for ... in this league, anyone can go on a run of three or four wins, and as soon as you do that, it’s game on ... we hope for back-to-back wins for the first time this season and kick on ... we’ve got to win the game.”

5.07pm BST

Sam Allardyce makes one change to the West Brom team named for the thrashing of Chelsea. Callum Robinson - who came on to score twice at Stamford Bridge - takes the place of defender Semi Ajayi. Attacking formation ahoy!

Ralph Hasenhuttl isn’t in the mood to obsessively tinker either. He names the same Saints XI that came from two goals down to beat Burnley last week.

5.02pm BST

West Bromwich Albion: Johnstone, Furlong, O’Shea, Bartley, Townsend, Phillips, Yokuslu, Maitland-Niles, Matheus Pereira, Robinson, Diagne.
Subs: Gibbs, Robson-Kanu, Ajayi, Livermore, Diangana, Gallagher, Peltier, Button, Ahearne-Grant.

Southampton: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Walcott, Ings, Redmond.
Subs: McCarthy, Stephens, Adams, Djenepo, Minamino, Salisu, Tella, Ferry, Jankewitz.

2.57pm BST

Southampton have West Bromwich Albion’s number. And that number is 2-0 1-2 2-3 1-0 1-0. Yep, they’ve won their last five matches against the Baggies, four in the Premier League, one in the FA Cup. If they prevail at the Hawthorns this evening, they’ll equal their longest winning streak against a single opponent in their top-flight history.

Saints will be feeling good about themselves right now. They’re coming off the back of a 3-2 comeback victory against Burnley, and contest an FA Cup semi-final this coming Sunday against a Leicester City side suddenly out of sorts. Relegation may still be a possibility, but it’s not a serious concern. There shouldn’t be too much pressure on Ralph Hasenhuttl and his men tonight.

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Published on April 12, 2021 12:12

The Fiver | Counting out the sausages, scooping the tatties and pouring the gravy

Food fights are extremely uncommon in the serious world of professional association football. Yes, there was the time in the early 2000s when Cesc Fàbregas attempted to spice up a rather bland margherita by flinging it at the startled pepperoni-hued face of Sir Alex Ferguson. The moment on the Channel 4 documentary Club for a Fiver when Orient boss John Sitton offered most of his squad outside for a fight at half-time, telling them that they should bring their dinner because they’re going to need it. And of course there was the most notorious incident of all, when 1930s England hard man Wilf Copping came at Stanley Matthews in the FA canteen with a slice of Spam, neatly cut across the diagonal, and rammed it sideways into the young winger’s mouth with such force that it nearly left him with a permanent, albeit very tasty, Chelsea Grin [subs, please check]. But all in all, nutritious substances rarely feature in the game’s discourse.

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Published on April 12, 2021 08:56

April 3, 2021

Arsenal 0-3 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

Diogo Jota came off the bench to score twice as Liverpool rediscovered their long-lost mojo

11.58pm BST

10.31pm BST

That’s your lot, then, my old MBM pals. A reminder that David Hytner’s verdict is in, so if you’ve not read that already, get clicking. Thanks for reading this report; stay safe wherever you are. Nighty night!

10.30pm BST

Mikel Arteta’s turn for a chat with Sky, and you wouldn’t fancy being one of his players when he gets back to the dressing room, because he’s clearly seething. “We completely deserved to lose the game, they were better in every department ... they deserved to win the game by the margin they did, or more ... and I can’t accept from our side the way we played today ... they won every duel, every second ball, every challenge ... they were brave when they had the ball, they made the right decisions, we didn’t ... it is my fault ... I have to set the team to play in a different way ... congratulations to Liverpool, who were exceptional today, they can play at that level ... the margin is incredibly high ... the standard has to be much higher for this football club ... we could not put three passes together ... too many simple things were not done right and when you do that against this opponent you get punished ... at the moment I am in shock ... I didn’t expect that, the way the team trained, but it happened today, it is the reality ... it is a challenge and a challenge brings an opportunity, and in football you have an opportunity a few days later, and if you have courage and you have big balls and you represent a club like this, you have to stand up in the next game and take it.”

10.14pm BST

Jurgen Klopp speaks to Sky. “We were very good ... top game ... our counter-pressing was at the highest level ... in general the defending of the whole team looked exactly how it should look ... I am very happy about the overall performance and even more about the three points ... it is the first time in the season when pretty much, apart from the long-term injuries, all of the boys were fit and in really good shape ... Oxlade, Naby, Shaq, we will use them and hopefully it will help us ... we have to work harder ... Diogo felt the intensity of the games in Portugal and that’s why he didn’t start ... and Trent Alexander-Arnold showed his class again ... I don’t want to make a funny discussion about Trent, it’s Gareth’s decision, and he’s blessed with the choice he has, but Trent is in a good shape, so if somebody says he’s not, I say he is wrong ... I am not responsible for Gareth’s decision ... we have a tough programme, we don’t have to start dreaming, we have to keep working ... tonight the package was extremely good ... it was really good.”

10.07pm BST

Post-match interviews with Arteta and Klopp to come ... but in the meantime, David Hytner’s verdict has landed. Make sure to come back here, y’all!

10.04pm BST

Liverpool’s two-goal hero Diogo Jota speaks to Sky. “It was a very important result ... to think about higher spots in the table we need to do our job, to win every single game until the end ... if we do that, we have a chance to be there ... it is very hard to win in the Premier League, but we did our job and we move on ... the ball from Alexander-Arnold was unreal ... it made it a lot easier for me to finish ... you need to be ready to make an impact and that’s what I did today and want to do always ... we pressed really well and didn’t allow Arsenal to have possession ... we controlled the game ... it’s another clean sheet, everyone is working hard and well, and now we have a really hard game against Real.”

9.58pm BST

That’s a huge result for Liverpool, whose hopes of finishing in the top four aren’t quite extinguished yet. Wide smiles on a night when the champions rediscovered their mojo. Ironically, they got back in the groove on the same evening Manchester City won at Leicester, a result which means Liverpool are mathematically out of the title race. But that’s a mere technicality. Liverpool move up into fifth, just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who were shocked at home by West Brom this lunchtime. They’re suddenly only seven behind third-placed Leicester, too. It’s going to be an interesting end to the season if Liverpool manage to build on this confidence-boosting performance. Arsenal meanwhile remain in ninth, and this is a match they’ll want to forget in a hurry. They offered nothing whatsoever up front, found themselves run ragged in midfield, and were oftentimes a shambles at the back. One of those nights.

9.53pm BST

There’s just enough time for Alisson to launch long, setting up Salah to miss, who then sets up Mane to miss. No matter. Smiles all round as the whistle goes. Arsenal were dismal, but Liverpool, at long last, were back to their brilliant best.

9.52pm BST

90 min +3: Wijnaldum races down the middle and looks to exchange passes with Mane on the edge of the Arsenal box. The move breaks down. Liverpool have been on it from the first minute until the last.

9.51pm BST

90 min +2: Alexander-Arnold swings the free kick into the box. Mane launches himself at it horizontally, six yards out, but doesn’t get enough on his header, which wafts wide left. It should be four. Mane smiles ruefully.

9.49pm BST

90 min +1: The first of four added minutes passes without incident ... until Gabriel hauls down Jota, who was threatening to break clear down the right. Booking.

9.48pm BST

90 min: On Sky, Gary Neville gives the man-of-the-match award to Fabinho, who has indeed been excellent. How Liverpool missed his presence in midfield for so much of this season.

9.46pm BST

88 min: Pepe dribbles down the right and earns a corner off Williams. Time for an Arsenal consolation? Nope. Phillips heads clear. Partey tries to return it with interest, but the shot doesn’t make it through the thicket.

9.45pm BST

87 min: Liverpool continue to hog the ball. A real sense that both teams, for very different reasons, would love to hear the final whistle right now.

9.43pm BST

85 min: Liverpool are stroking the ball around with confidence. We haven’t seen this Liverpool for a while.

9.43pm BST

84 min: Liverpool make their third change, replacing Kabak with Rhys Williams. Kabak looks a bit non-plussed at being hooked, but Klopp has a word and a smile quickly plays across the young centre-back’s face. All good.

9.41pm BST

Diogo Jota can’t stop scoring right now. Gabriel’s dreadful pass upfield is intercepted by Alexander-Arnold, who romps down the right and crosses low. Mane dummies, allowing Jota to power in behind him and slam home.

9.39pm BST

81 min: Milner crosses low from the left. Salah cushions the ball into the road of Wijnaldum, who sends a low shot straight down Leno’s throat.

9.38pm BST

80 min: On the touchline, Mikel Arteta cuts a disconsolate figure. On Sky, Gary Neville describes his eyes as “glazed”. It’s been one of those nights. On that subject, here’s Charles Antaki: “It’s no good expecting Odegaard to lead the fight to pull Arsenal out of this one, given that he’s not getting the ball, seeing it, or even hearing vague rumours about it.”

9.36pm BST

78 min: Both teams make a change up front. Aubameyang is replaced by Martinelli, while Firmino makes way for Wijnaldum.

9.36pm BST

76 min: Phillips channels his inner Beckenbauer and swans down the right. He’s got options in the middle, but thunders a meaty cross out of play on the left. That could have taken someone’s leg off!

9.34pm BST

75 min: Elneny somehow escapes a booking after wrestling Jota from behind. The referee has made some odd decisions tonight, albeit nothing wildly controversial. Just ... y’know ... strange.

9.32pm BST

73 min: Jota is booked for hanging out a leg to stop Partey. Then Salah races after another long ball, and slaps a shot straight at Leno. It should be three.

9.31pm BST

72 min: Arsenal came from behind to win this fixture last season, but they don’t look like laying a glove on Liverpool tonight. Can they somehow raise their game in the last 20 or so minutes? “That was an absolute diamond cross from TAA,” writes Dean Kinsella. “If Southgate doesn’t want him as a right back he should be put on the right wing and told to just keep centring like that a la Beckham.”

9.29pm BST

70 min: It’s Salah’s 150th appearance in the Premier League, and he’s celebrating it with his 93rd goal. Only Alan Shearer, Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero and Ruud van Nistelrooy have scored more goals in their first 150 games.

9.27pm BST

This is a lovely finish. Alexander-Arnold passes infield from the right. Fabinho loops down the channel. Salah wriggles free of Gabriel and enters the box, drawing Leno off his line and then cheekily nutmegging him!

9.26pm BST

68 min: Both Chambers and Cedric are good to continue.

9.25pm BST

67 min: Now Cedric is down, having come off worst in a 50-50 stretch with Fabinho. A busy few minutes for the physio.

9.24pm BST

66 min: Chambers needed a bit of attention after the goal, having been barged out of the way by Jota. Leno got a hand to that header, by the way, but there was no stopping it.

9.24pm BST

65 min: Jota is in hot form right now. Alexander-Arnold hasn’t been, but that was a hell of an assist, and he celebrates vocally. Being dropped by England will have stung; that’s some response at the end of a difficult couple of weeks.

9.22pm BST

Alexander-Arnold strides down the right and curls a sensational cross towards Jota at the far post. Jota powers a header into the top left. He’s been on less than four minutes!

9.21pm BST

63 min: All a bit stop-start at the minute.

9.20pm BST

61 min: Cedric drives in from the left and pearls a shot towards the bottom right. It’s a decent hit, but one easily claimed by Alisson.

9.19pm BST

60 min: Robertson is replaced by Jota. Milner goes across to fill in at left-back.

9.17pm BST

59 min: Thiago stands on Lacazette’s toe, and really should pick up a yellow. But the referee remains super-chilled.

9.16pm BST

58 min: Elneny comes on for Ceballos.

9.16pm BST

57 min: Arsenal ship possession from their own throw, and suddenly Liverpool stream forward. But Firmino, Salah and Mane overcomplicate the attack, allowing Gabriel to intercept. They should really have manufactured a shooting chance there.

9.14pm BST

55 min: Some space for Salah to zip into down the right. But once again he’s uncharacteristically hesitant and eventually runs slap bang into Gabriel, who waltzes off with the ball, chuckling.

9.12pm BST

54 min: Ceballos clatters into the back of Thiago and is fortunate to escape censure. Stuart Attwell has been in a mellow mood this evening.

9.10pm BST

52 min: Alexander-Arnold finds Salah in the box with a low cross from the right. Salah miscontrols and an opportunity to shoot is gone.

9.09pm BST

51 min: The game’s settled back into its first-half shape. Liverpool probe hither and yon, Arsenal sit back in organised fashion. So much for Arteta’s half-time rocket.

9.08pm BST

49 min: Firmino and Robertson combine well down the left, the latter whipping a low cross into the six-yard box. Holding is once again on point to deal with the danger.

9.07pm BST

48 min: A simple long pass down the middle nearly releases Mane on goal. Holding does well to read the danger, come across, and blooter clear.

9.06pm BST

47 min: Arsenal start the second half looking signally more alert, having been told some home truths during the break, I’ll be bound.

9.03pm BST

Arsenal get the second half underway. No changes.

8.50pm BST

Half-time entertainment. In lieu of goals today, here are some Arsenal and Liverpool prepared earlier.

8.49pm BST

It’s been all Liverpool ... but Leno has had very little to do. Neither team will be particularly happy, for wildly different reasons.

8.47pm BST

45 min +2: Pepe and Aubameyang combine down the left. The ball’s sent into the box. Milner hacks it clear. Liverpool were dozing there.

8.46pm BST

45 min +1: Nope, Tierney can’t continue. He hobbles off, to be replaced by Cedric.

8.45pm BST

45 min: Tierney is up again, though he’s reluctant to put too much weight on his left knee, which took a whack in a 50-50 with Milner.

8.44pm BST

44 min: Tierney is down and shaking his head. This will be a huge blow for Arsenal if their brilliant young marauding defender can’t continue.

8.43pm BST

43 min: Liverpool pass it around metronomically.

8.42pm BST

41 min: Lacazette, Odegaard and Aubameyang pick up the pace and triangulate down the middle, nearly opening Liverpool up. Not quite, but it was a slick move and much, much better from the otherwise impotent hosts.

8.40pm BST

40 min: The ball’s curled into a crowded box. Leno comes through the crowd to punch clear spectacularly.

8.39pm BST

39 min: Tierney is slightly fortunate to avoid a booking after he clips the heel of Milner. But it is a free kick, out on the right, and everyone lines up on the edge of the Arsenal box in anticipation of Alexander-Arnold’s delivery.

8.37pm BST

37 min: Liverpool continue to probe. Arsenal continue to sit deep.

8.35pm BST

35 min: Liverpool should be leading. Firmino sends Alexander-Arnold scampering free down the right with a gorgeous flick. Alexander-Arnold reaches the byline, then cuts back forensically to find Milner in space on the edge of the box. Milner drags his first-time shot wide, and holds his head in his hands, as well he might. That’s an awful end to a fine move.

8.33pm BST

34 min: Tierney slips Aubameyang into space down the left. Alexander-Arnold does well to get back and hold the striker up. Aubameyang eventually chips to the far post, where Pepe heads harmlessly into Alisson’s arms. That’s better from Arsenal, though, their first real attack of the evening.

8.32pm BST

32 min: More Liverpool possession, but they can’t find a route through Arsenal’s packed defence.

8.30pm BST

30 min: Firmino dribbles down the inside left before shooting low and hard towards the bottom right. It’s always going wide, and Leno had it covered anyway.

8.29pm BST

29 min: Liverpool are two on one. Mane capers down the left and looks for Salah in the middle, when again he probably should have gone on to shoot himself. The pass isn’t good. Firmino tries to race in and help, but Gabriel clears.

8.28pm BST

28 min: Liverpool have the scent of blood in the nostrils. They’ve upped the tempo and Arsenal are seriously struggling to escape the press and bust out of their own final third. Having said all that, Leno has had very little to do. Arsenal, determined to stay compact, will be pleased enough in that respect.

8.26pm BST

26 min: Robertson is seeing a lot of the ball. He tears down the left and attempts to release Salah with a diagonal pass. Salah gets to the ball but is forced to turn tail. He lays off to Milner, who chips in a cross from the right. Mane guides a weak header into the arms of Leno.

8.25pm BST

24 min: Robertson extends a telescopic leg to keep alive a ball that had been flying out of play on the left. That’s quite sensational, especially as he finds Mane in the box, but Mane hesitates and the chance for a shot is gone.

8.24pm BST

23 min: Phillips and Lacazette clatter into each other. Lacazette takes what looks like an accidental one in the eye. Blood is drawn. It’s a free kick, nothing more. Lacazette isn’t too happy about the decision, and his mood doesn’t improve when the referee orders him off the field to get patched up.

8.22pm BST

22 min: Liverpool have enjoyed 61 percent of possession so far.

8.21pm BST

21 min: One corner leads to another, which leads to nothing. Liverpool are firmly on top.

8.20pm BST

20 min: Salah spins into space down the right, and combines with Mane and Alexander-Arnold to win a corner. In doing so, Mane has the option to go down, Holding having clumsily made contact, but stays on his feet.

8.18pm BST

18 min: Liverpool get back to pinging it around. They’ll be the happier of the two teams right now.

8.16pm BST

16 min: Arsenal finally enjoy a bit of extended time in the Liverpool half. Tierney makes a couple of runs down the left, but there’s no space to exploit. Yet.

8.14pm BST

14 min: Fabinho has a whack from distance. The ball sails wide left. Liverpool are first to mostly everything right now.

8.13pm BST

13 min: The Liverpool press looks up to speed this evening. Once again Arsenal are panicked into shipping possession, and the teal shirts flood forward. Robertson hoicks his cross from the left out for a goal kick, but these are promising early signs for the visitors.

8.11pm BST

11 min: Thiago finds Firmino down the right. Firmino juggles the ball awhile, then crosses. It’s half-cleared, and falls for Milner, who sends a first-time shot well wide left from the edge of the box. Tonight’s first shot in anger.

8.10pm BST

10 min: Arsenal are struggling to retain possession right now. Liverpool are pressing them back. There’s no out ball.

8.09pm BST

8 min: Having said that, Liverpool are seeing plenty of the ball during these opening exchanges, a state of affairs that won’t do any harm as they seek to rebuild that confidence.

8.07pm BST

6 min: That really was a fine situation Mane found himself in. By happily laying off to Firmino, he illustrated Liverpool’s current collective lack of confidence. Only Southampton and Newcastle have been in worse form during the last eight games.

8.05pm BST

4 min: Alisson - channelling Arsenal legend David Seaman with a glorious moustache - passes long. Mane spins Holding and makes off towards the Arsenal box. He lays off to Firmino when he should really have taken a couple more strides, entered the box, and shot.

8.04pm BST

3 min: A little bit of early possession for Arsenal. They probe down both wings, but not with much pace or panache. Liverpool hold their shape and the hosts go nowhere.

8.02pm BST

2 min: Scrappy and slow.

8.01pm BST

1 min: There’s been a change of referee, Stuart Attwell standing in for Martin Atkinson. He’s soon whistling for a garden-variety foul in midfield. A scrappy start.

8.00pm BST

Liverpool get the party started ... but only after everyone takes the knee. There’s no room for racism. Kick it out.

7.56pm BST

The teams are out! Arsenal are in their famous red shirts with white sleeves, while Liverpool wear second-choice teal. We’ll be off in a few minutes, once coins have been tossed and hands shaken.

7.50pm BST

Jurgen Klopp, in a cheery mood, takes his turn. “Things will only change if we win football games ... but in our situation, with quite a few teams ahead of us, if they win all the games, we can win all the games but they will still be ahead of us ... we have to win here, but it doesn’t get easier just because West Brom won at Chelsea ... nothing changed since yesterday, the same approach, the same idea, hopefully it will work ... I am fine with the team, now we have to perform ... Arsenal have put everything they have offensively on the pitch, so we have to be ready ... it’s just a good football team, we have to defend against them.”

7.38pm BST

Mikel Arteta, in a determined mood, speaks to Sky Sports. “We will try to be as competitive as we want to be ... we do not want to find any excuses ... we need to put a run together, it doesn’t matter what other teams are doing ... we know we have to win our games to achieve what we want in the Premier League ... the standards and quality Liverpool have, we have to be at our best to win the game ... there is no handbrake now, there is only seven weeks to go, we need to go for it.”

7.35pm BST

Brilliant and beloved, David Rocastle passed away 20 years ago. The anniversary of his death is being marked by Arsenal today. Seeing Liverpool are in town, let’s remember him with this lovely story from his Guardian obituary, courtesy of Brian Glanville:

Pleasant, modest and humorous, it was hard to upset him on or off the field. Alan Hansen relates that when, playing against him for Liverpool, he brought him down quite badly, Rocastle merely smiled at him and asked: “Getting old?”

7.13pm BST

Both teams are coming off the back of morale-boosting performances in the Premier League. Arsenal rebounded from three goals down to draw 3-3 at West Ham a fortnight ago, and make four changes to the team that started that match. Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe, Rob Holding and Gabriel step up; David Luiz and Bukayo Saka are injured, Granit Xhaka is ill, and Pablo Mari drops to the bench.

Liverpool, who won their last league fixture 1-0 at Wolves, make two changes to the starting XI named at Molineux. James Milner replaces Georginio Wijnaldum, while Roberto Firmino returns from injury to replace the in-form Portugal striker Diogo Jota. Wijnaldum and Jota both put in some hard yards during the World Cup qualifiers, so will presumably be more than happy to kick back on the bench.

7.02pm BST

Arsenal: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Ceballos, Pepe, Odegaard, Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Subs: Bellerin, Willian, Cedric, Pablo Mari, Nelson, Elneny, Nketiah, Ryan, Martinelli.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Thiago, Fabinho, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Wijnaldum, Keita, Adrian, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Jota, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, Rhys Williams.

6.18pm BST

Welcome to our coverage of one of the classic top-flight fixtures. Two giants of English football face off tonight, though neither are at their best right now. Liverpool’s direction of travel has been well documented, while Arsenal have spent most of the season taking one step forward and another back.

European qualification isn’t out of the question for either club yet, though it’s now or never in terms of launching a late charge up the table. Neither team has room for error, in fact both need the win, so tonight’s match is set up deliciously. Mayhem ahoy, hopefully.

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Published on April 03, 2021 14:31

Leeds 2-1 Sheffield United, Real Madrid 2-0 Eibar and more: clockwatch – as it happened

Leeds move into the top half of the Premier League after a deserved victory over Yorkshire neighbours Sheffield United

5.13pm BST

Leicester City are about to welcome Manchester City to the King Power. Barry Glendenning has all the latest. Once that’s done, please hang about for our coverage of Arsenal-Liverpool. Thanks for reading this Clockwatch!

5.07pm BST

FULL TIME: Real Madrid 2-0 Eibar. Job done for the Spanish champions without too much fuss, though they did have three goals ruled out by VAR. They move into second spot in La Liga, three points behind Atletico Madrid having played one more match, and now turn their thoughts to the Champions League visit of Liverpool on Tuesday.

5.00pm BST

A deserved victory for Leeds, who should have scored more. Three points, though, and they move Marcelo Bielsa’s entertainers into the top half of the table. Sheffield United remain rooted to the bottom, 14 points shy of safety and completely doomed.

4.59pm BST

FULL TIME: Dunfermline Athletic 0-0 Heart of Midlothian. Hearts continue their late-season stutter with a goalless draw at East End Park. That’s just two wins in their last seven, plus that humiliating cup defeat by Brora Rangers. To be fair, they’re still 11 points clear of Raith Rovers at the top of the Championship, but you’ll not find too many fans proselytising for manager Robbie Neilson right now.

4.52pm BST

FULL TIME: Dundee 0-1 St Johnstone. The Dee’s 110-year wait for a second Scottish Cup goes on.

4.51pm BST

GOAL! Dundee Utd 2-1 Partick Thistle (Clark 90). United have completed the turnaround, their top scorer Nicky Clark coming up with the goods at the death. So much for the big shock that was on the cards just 13 minutes ago.

4.49pm BST

GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Eibar (Benzema 73). It’s been a struggle for the Spanish champions on a rainy day in Madrid, but Karim Benzema looks to have settled it.

4.46pm BST

Leeds should have killed this game off. They spring forward on the counter again, from a Sheffield United corner, and it’s three on one. But Harrison’s attempt to free Rodrigo is hopeless, a dismal clunk forward that allows Ramsdale to race out of his box to intercept and clear. Rodrigo cocks his head back in super-frustration, having made a lung-busting run.

4.43pm BST

Sheffield United have hung on in there against Leeds, and are very much still in the game, despite it all. A free kick’s launched into the Leeds box towards McBurnie ... but Leeds clear and break, Dallas squirting a shot inches wide of the left-hand post. It’s fair to say this is still in the balance.

4.39pm BST

GOAL! Dundee Utd 1-1 Partick Thistle (Shankland 78). There are happier Dundonians across Tannadice Street, where Lawrence Shankland has equalised for the Arabs.

4.37pm BST

Dundee are still trailing St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup. Charlie Adam had the chance to equalise from the spot, but his penalty was saved by Zander Clark.

4.33pm BST

The teamsheets for the summit meeting at the King Power are in. Barry Glendenning has all the answers.

4.30pm BST

The other Bundesliga results:

4.27pm BST

FULL TIME: Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt. A seven-point gap opens up between fourth-placed Frankfurt and fifth-placed Dortmund. Manchester City next for the labouring Bundesliga giants!

4.20pm BST

GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt (Silva 87). The hosts pile forward in search of the winner they desperately need to close the gap on fourth-placed Eintracht. But they’re caught on the counter, Andre Silva heading home from a left-wing cross. It’s probably safe to say that Dortmund now need to win the Champions League if they’re to play in it again next year.

4.17pm BST

WSL: Reading 0-5 West Ham. A huge result in the Women’s Super League, as Martha Thomas helps herself to a first-half hat-trick for West Ham against Reading at the Madejski Stadium. While the Biscuitwomen crumble, the Hammers move out of the relegation zone, leapfrogging Aston Villa and Bristol City into tenth spot.

4.14pm BST

Leeds nearly put some clear daylight between themselves and Sheffield United. Stuart Dallas shaves the crossbar when attempting to plant a curler into the top right. A lovely effort with Aaron Ramsdale totally stranded.

4.13pm BST

Ezgjan Alioski crosses low from the left. It’s a hellishly dangerous ball, with Raphinha waiting to tap home at the far stick. Phil Jagielka has to do something, but he can only divert the cross into his own net.

4.09pm BST

The shock of the day in Scotland is still on, with Partick Thistle winning at Dundee United as the teams kick off for the start of the second half. Exciting times for Kingsley, though spare a thought for poor old Simon McMahon. “If United lose today, I’ll rationalise it on the grounds that they are quite rightly keeping their powder dry until next season, as everyone knows that if you win the Scottish Cup and no fans are in the ground to witness it, it hasn’t really happened.”

4.06pm BST

HALF TIME: Real Madrid 1-0 Eibar. As things stand, Real will move ahead of Barcelona into second spot, three points behind leaders Atletico having played one game more.

4.04pm BST

Plenty of results just in from Serie A.

4.01pm BST

There’s been a disallowed goal at the Westfalenstadion, too. Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Stefan Ilsanker got on the end of a left-wing cross to thump a header into the Dortmund net, but VAR spotted an offside and it’s still 1-1.

3.59pm BST

GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Eibar (Asensio 41). Second time lucky, huh. Asensio drives home from the edge of the box, and Real Madrid are definitely ahead this time.

3.57pm BST

NO GOAL! Real Madrid 0-0 Eibar. VAR chalks it off.

3.54pm BST

GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Eibar (Asensio 36). Marco Asensio opens the scoring for Real at the Alfredo di Stéfano. But hold on ...

3.52pm BST

It’s been all Leeds, but it’s all square in the big Yorkshire derby.

3.52pm BST

That came completely against the run of play. For a second, it looked like Kalvin Phillips had stopped Osborn’s shot on the line, albeit with his arm. But he’s not in trouble, because the referee’s watch bleeped to signal the ball had crossed the line, and replays show Phillips was miles behind it. So much for the Blades waiting to regroup at half-time, then!

3.50pm BST

Leeds have been utterly dominant at Elland Road, but now look! Oli McBurnie worms down the inside-right channel and rolls across for Ben Osborn, who slams home from six yards!

3.42pm BST

Brentford boss Thomas Frank is still hopeful of automatic promotion, despite his team dropping more points at Huddersfield this lunchtime. “We need to keep clear heads and keep believing because there’s everything to play for. Watford will be saying nothing is over yet and that’s right because this is the Championship. It always feels disappointing not to get three points, but you have to handle those frustrations and move on again.”

3.40pm BST

Leeds continue to push Sheffield United back. Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha are at the heart of everything. A second goal is surely just a matter of time; the visitors will simply be hoping to hear the half-time whistle.

3.35pm BST

Jack Harrison misses a huge chance to double Leeds’ advantage at Elland Road. Clean through, he slips the ball past Ramsdale in the Sheffield United goal, but inches wide of the right-hand post.

3.34pm BST

GOAL! Dundee Utd 0-1 Partick Thistle (Tiffoney 25). The Jags have only won the cup once, way back in 1920. A staunch defensive display did for Rangers in the final that year, John Blair scoring the only goal. Only 28,000 turned up for the final due to “restricted train services”, according to the Sunday Post. Anyway, here we are.

3.27pm BST

HALF TIME: Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt. Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Augsburg are beating Hoffenheim 2-0, while Bayer Leverkusen lead hapless Schalke 1-0.

3.23pm BST

GOAL! Dundee 0-1 St Johnstone (Melamed 20). The newly crowned League Cup champions take the lead at Dens Park through Guy Melamed. Dundee’s hopes of a first Scottish Cup since 1910 hanging by a thread here.

3.19pm BST

Some defiant words from Sam Allardyce here, in the wake of his side’s astonishing five-goal salvo at Chelsea. Asked for his thoughts on West Brom’s chances of avoiding the drop, he says: “A little better after three points, but a long way to go for us. Six out of nine I said, and now it’s five out of eight, and we might have a chance. Even then we might need a couple of draws, or a draw. But we’ve started on the track of trying to get an undefeated run and trying to get more wins in the last eight games than we have had all season. It’s been done before. This is a good start, but there’s a long way to go still.”

3.17pm BST

GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Hummels 45). Mats Hummels has tied it up for Dortmund on the stroke of half time. The hosts desperately need to win this one if they’re to overhaul Frankfurt and secure a top-four spot.

3.15pm BST

This had been coming. Dallas and Raphinha exchanges passes down the right. Raphinha drops a shoulder to sashay past George Baldock with embarrassing ease, then rolls across the face of goal to lay one on a plate for Jack Harrison. That’s lovely.

3.10pm BST

A lively start at Elland Road with Leeds showing trademark ambition. Raphinha has already whipped a free kick just over the bar, while Kalvin Phillips and Stuart Dallas have both tested Aaron Ramsdale in the Sheffield United goal.

2.55pm BST

“Afternoon Scott.” Why, it’s Fife’s finest, Simon McMahon! Afternoon Simon. “While struggling Dundee enjoy a welcome break from their battle to avoid relegation by welcoming League Cup winners St. Johnstone to Dens, Micky Mellon’s Dundee United begin their quest for Scottish Cup glory at the other end of Tannadice Street against Partick Thistle, Covid-19 allowing both Dundee clubs to kick off at home on Saturday at 3 o’clock. Other ties include Brora Rangers of the Highland League, conquerors of Hearts in the last round, welcoming Stranraer while Formartine, also of the Highland League, play Premier League Motherwell.”

2.46pm BST

Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (L). Dortmund have some work to do if they’re to finish in the top four of the Bundesliga this season. They’re currently fifth, seven points behind today’s opponents, and this won’t help: Nico Schultz has headed into his own net after 11 minutes of this summit meeting at the Westfalenstadion.

2.41pm BST

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Brentford (FT). This fixture would have been a pretty big deal in the 1930s. It’s none too shabby these days either, with the Terriers recently a Premier League concern, and the Bees striving to get to the top. It’s honours even today, Lewis O’Brien giving the hosts a seventh-minute lead, Mads Sorensen levelling up on 50. The point moves play-off hopefuls Brentford into fourth, relegation-haunted Huddersfield into 18th.

2.28pm BST

Chelsea 2-5 West Bromwich Albion (FT). Chelsea have finally lost under Thomas Tuchel ... and, it has to be said, in some style. They’ve been absolutely spanked at home, 5-2 by West Bromwich Albion. West Bromwich Albion! Can you picture the smile of satisfaction that played across Big Sam’s face as he draped himself across the Stamford Bridge dugout during the last few minutes? You can do that exactly, can’t you.

2.13pm BST

Dumbarton 0-1 Aberdeen (FT). The Dons, who haven’t won the Scottish Cup since the likes of Alex McLeish and Charlie Nicholas were still pulling on boots - 1990 since you ask - have made it to this year’s fourth round. An 84th-minute drive by Callum Hendry was the difference at The Rock, one of the most picturesque stadiums around. Aberdeen join Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the velvet bag, the Caley Jags having seen off Highland rivals Ross County last night.

2.04pm BST

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Cooper, Alioski, Phillips, Raphinha, Dallas, Roberts, Harrison, Bamford.
Subs: Koch, Poveda-Ocampo, Casilla, Helder Costa, Hernandez, Rodrigo, Struijk, Klich, Shackleton.

Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Bogle, Jagielka, Stevens, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Osborn, McGoldrick, McBurnie.
Subs: Mousset, Egan, Lowe, Burke, Foderingham, Ampadu, Brewster, Bryan, Ndiaye.

6.25pm BST

Welcome to EasterClocko! The bank holiday has made quite the abstraction of the fixture list, so Saturday afternoon games are thinner on the ground than usual. But no matter, because what remains is choice. Here’s what to look forward to ...

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Published on April 03, 2021 09:13

March 31, 2021

England 2-1 Poland: World Cup 2022 qualifying – as it happened

John Stones looked to have cost England two points with a slip at the back, but found redemption by setting up Harry Maguire’s late winner

11.53pm BST

Southgate reaction.

11.01pm BST

Ronay on Sterling.

10.24pm BST

Get your player ratings.

10.00pm BST

David Hytner was at Wembley ... and his verdict is in! Click below for his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

9.57pm BST

Gareth Southgate’s verdict. “We were very good in the first half and in control of the game. Obviously to concede a goal like we did can hit the team, but they stuck at it, recovered their composure, and it was an important set-play winner. John Stones has managed to compose himself for the rest of the game and had a part in the winning goal. You can fold in those moments and he didn’t. He’s been having a really good season. Everybody’s got a lot to play for for the Euros. We did a lot of good things this week but there is still a step to go. Fatigue was starting to tell but the players stuck at it and they deserved the win.”

9.46pm BST

Harry Maguire speaks to ITV. “Of course it’s a big win. We’re playing to play at a World Cup. We started the game well but in the second half didn’t start well at all. The first 15-20 minutes they were the better team and put us under pressure. It’s nice to get the victory, nine points after a tough camp, three games in a short space of time, and we’ve got a lot of players injured as well. John Stones has been brilliant this year. We’re defenders and when we make mistakes we are scrutinised. He made up for it with a great header at the far post. Defenders make mistakes. We’re not perfect! John has made a little blip tonight but he’ll come back strong.”

9.38pm BST

The Poles made England fight for it during the second half, but it’s a third win out of three for Gareth Southgate’s side, who can now happily park the World Cup and start thinking about the Euros.

9.36pm BST

90 min +4: Poland throw long from the right. A flick on. Augustyniak shins it over from eight yards. Only a half-chance, but still.

9.35pm BST

90 min +3: Grosicki momentarily threatens to break clear down the left, but is brusquely dealt with by the shoulder of Walker.

9.33pm BST

90 min +2: Lingard and Calvert-Lewin keep the ball in the corner, deep in Polish territory. Textbook clock management.

9.32pm BST

90 min: There will be four minutes of injury time.

9.31pm BST

89 min: Another couple of England changes. Kane and Sterling are replaced by Calvert-Lewin and Lingard.

9.31pm BST

88 min: Bereszynski barges his way down the right, reaching the box and whipping low into the centre. The ball just evades Grosicki on the penalty spot. So close to another equaliser!

9.29pm BST

87 min: Poland make two Hail Mary changes: Grosicki and Reca come on for Zielinski and Rybus.

9.28pm BST

86 min: ... and on comes a sub at last. Foden is replaced by James as England look to shore it up.

9.27pm BST

Redemption for John Stones! Phillips hits the corner long. Stones, battling at the far post, heads back towards Maguire, who lashes an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 12 yards!

9.26pm BST

84 min: So having said that, England put a move together for the first time in a while, Mount ending it with a shot from the edge of the box. It’s deflected out for a corner, from which ...

9.25pm BST

83 min: England are currently struggling to piece anything together. With time running out, you’d expect Gareth Southgate to roll the dice ... but the starting XI remain on the pitch.

9.23pm BST

81 min: It’s scrappy again. A series of throws and blocks, and the clock ticks on.

9.21pm BST

79 min: Sterling slips Mount into space down the left. Mount’s cross slams into Glik, who deflects out for a corner. Phillips to take. He hooks into the six-yard box. Szczesny claims, but then drops under pressure from Maguire. The keeper’s happy to hear the whistle.

9.19pm BST

77 min: Phillips sends a long free kick into the Polish mixer. Maguire gets his head on it, but only succeeds in cushioning the ball into the grateful arms of Szczesny.

9.18pm BST

76 min: Poland make their third change, Augustyniak coming on for Piatek.

9.16pm BST

74 min: Foden tries to whip the free kick towards the top right, but slams it straight into the wall.

9.15pm BST

73 min: Foden dribbles with great purpose down the middle of the park and draws a clumsy foul from Glik. A free kick just to the right of the D. While we wait to see how this goes, here’s Niall Mullen: “I wonder if ITV pundit Roy Keane is thinking about the time he gave the ball away for John Salako to equalise and was met in the dressing room with a thump in the face from Brian Clough? I doubt Stones is in any danger from his manager tonight though.”

9.14pm BST

71 min: Poland have visibly grown in confidence. Mount tries to brush Krychowiak off the ball and is unceremoniously sent bouncing away. That sort of thing wasn’t happening in the first half. “Just as Arsenal and England supporters had to accept after far too long that Theo Walcott’s potential was never going to solidify into a really consistent centre-forward, isn’t it time we all accept that John Stones is never going to be a reliable centre-half?” asks David Wall. “He’s no longer a young player who can be excused mistakes because he’s still learning his position. That’s not to say England shouldn’t select him. We just have to accept that he’s always going to make those kinds of errors, and with noticeably higher frequency than other centre-halves.”

9.11pm BST

69 min: Foden has a speculative dig from distance, hoping to find the bottom left. Szczesny claims without fuss.

9.10pm BST

68 min: Kane goes chasing after the ball when Szczesny takes a heavy touch. The keeper clears just in time, and Kane cleans him out. Kane for some reason escapes censure. That was late and borderline reckless.

9.09pm BST

66 min: Zielinski forces his way past Stones down the left and loops long. The ball’s headed back in from the right, towards Milik, who is in space eight yards out. It’s a great chance, but he can’t steer his header on target. England - and Stones - breathe again.

9.06pm BST

64 min: ... there’s a bit of bedlam on the edge of the area. Moder falls over. Maguire blooters the ball into the prone Pole’s body. Play stops while Moder repopulates his lungs with wind.

9.05pm BST

63 min: Sterling turns on the jets down the left and enters the box. He’s about to shoot from a tight angle when Szczesny comes towards him and smothers at his feet. The ball deflects out for a corner. From which ...

9.04pm BST

62 min: A free kick out on the England right. Phillips whips it in. Piatek clears easily. England seem collectively dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events.

9.03pm BST

60 min: That’s the old hapless John Stones, just when we thought we’d seen the back of that particular model. What a time for him to re-emerge. England have been made to pay for failing to convert all that possession into more than a single goal. Let’s see how they react.

9.01pm BST

... and now they’re made to pay for it. Stones faffs around with the ball at his feet, to the left of the D. Moder toe-pokes the ball away from him towards Milik, who returns it down the inside-left channel. Moder is free, and lashes across Pope and into the top right. What a mistake by Stones, who holds his hand up in apology.

8.59pm BST

57 min: England continue to hog the ball, to little effect.

8.58pm BST

55 min: Poland make their second change of the evening, replacing Helik with Jozwiak.

8.57pm BST

53 min: A long Polish pass down the middle. Piatek threatens to get on the end of it. Stones tries to shepherd the ball back to Pope, who hesitates when clearing and nearly falls over his own feet. Just as the situation threatens to turn into a full-blown fiasco, Piatek needlessly clatters the keeper, gifting Pope a get-out-of-jail-free card. You’ve heard this plenty of times before, but Pope really needs to work on the old footwork.

8.53pm BST

51 min: Phillips takes a whack on the heel from Zielinski, though it was purely accidental. He rolls around in some pain, but the sting clearly subsides quickly because he’s up and about again soon enough.

8.51pm BST

49 min: Glik barges into Mount down the right. Foden clumps an awful free kick over everyone in the box, and has the good grace to look sheepish about it.

8.50pm BST

47 min: Foden crosses from the right. Sterling can’t get up at the far post to head home.

8.48pm BST

46 min: Milik’s first act is to clip the heel of Kane and pick up a booking. That took 44 seconds. It would have been 41 seconds had the referee not dropped something before showing the card.

8.47pm BST

Poland get the second half underway. They’ve made one change, replacing Swiderski with Milik.

8.34pm BST

Half-time reading.

8.32pm BST

There’s just enough time for next to nothing to happen at the corner, and the whistle goes for the break. England have dominated both possession and territory. Poland have a wee bit of thinking to do.

8.30pm BST

45 min: Sterling drifts in from the left yet again, and looks for the top right. His curler is deflected out for a corner on the right.

8.29pm BST

44 min: Sterling waggles his hips and races past Bereszynski down the left with great ease. He reaches the byline and cuts back. A quick game of pinball in the Polish six-yard box ends fortunately for the visitors, who clear their lines.

8.27pm BST

42 min: Kane and Glik have taken whacks upside the head, the result of a clumsy aerial set-to. We pause as both players rub their throbbing noggins.

8.26pm BST

41 min: Poland, it is fair to say, are missing the constant, hovering threat of Lewandowski. They’ve got nothing going on up front right now.

8.24pm BST

39 min: See 37 min. It’s suddenly gone a little flat, tell the truth.

8.23pm BST

37 min: England get the ball back and probe down both flanks. Poland hold firm.

8.21pm BST

35 min: A little bit of possession for Poland, but it all frays the minute they approach the final third. England have yet to be asked a serious question. “I’ve always maintained that England haven’t won anything in over half a century because the players have never been good enough,” begins Gary Naylor. “But this is the first time a majority of the XI do not play like older versions of the big boys who could dominate Under-12s games played on a full size muddy pitch. These players look like they grew up on 3G grass, competing in short-sided matches in which performance mattered more than the result. I still think France are four years ahead of us, but this is progress.”

8.18pm BST

33 min: England are playing some nice football. A cross in from the right causes momentary mayhem, before Szczesny comes through a crowded box to punch clear.

8.17pm BST

31 min: Kane cuts in from the left and smashes low towards the left-hand corner. Szczesny does extremely well to stick out a strong hand to deny him.

8.16pm BST

30 min: Sterling is a sensational player, like that’s breaking news. He sashays into the Polish box from the left, dropping a shoulder in an attempt to make room for a curler into the top right. Room never quite comes, though he slithers away from a pocket of five (!) defenders, only for Bednarek to slide in and block. That would have been a hell of a goal. Ricky Villaesque.

8.14pm BST

28 min: Pope slaps a dismal clearance straight at Rice, who is very fortunate not to deflect the ball into the path of Piatek. England hack clear.

8.13pm BST

27 min: Yep. Poland, having pushed up, are caught on the counter, Sterling sent skittering clear down the left. He enters the area and is one on one with Szczesny, albeit facing a tight angle. He should shoot, but tries to tee up Foden in the middle instead, and can’t find the killer pass.

8.11pm BST

26 min: Poland are coming out a bit more since falling behind. To little effect so far, but this could make for an enjoyable end-to-end romp. You can blame me if it all goes wrong.

8.10pm BST

24 min: A long ball down the Polish left drops to Swiderski, on the corner of the England box. He opts to volley it. A first-time cross would have been ambitious enough, but that could have been an attempt at a Van Bastenesque shot. It’s no use, but that’s not really the point. You have to hope it was the latter. If so, full marks for dreaming the dream.

8.07pm BST

22 min: Rybus’s delivery is little short of appalling, a lame slap of a cross that doesn’t beat the first man. Kane batters clear.

8.06pm BST

21 min: Poland try to respond immediately, Swiderski battling down the right and drawing a clumsy foul from Maguire. This is a free kick just outside the box, and a chance for Poland to load the box.

8.04pm BST

Kane skelps it straight down the middle, having given Szczesny the eyes and sent him a-diving. What a gift for England.

8.03pm BST

18 min: Sterling dribbles powerfully down the left. He’s not really going anywhere, running out of room, but Helik slides in recklessly and clips his man. The ref points to the spot.

8.02pm BST

17 min: The corner’s hit long. Foden knocks it back into the mixer from the right. Too high for Stones, and Poland eventually clear.

8.01pm BST

16 min: Mount and Chilwell combine down the left again, the full-back hooking from the byline and forcing a corner. Phillips to take.

8.00pm BST

15 min: England continue to buff up their possession stats.

7.58pm BST

13 min: Sterling glides in from the left and curls towards Foden on the penalty spot. Foden’s preparing to flick goalwards when Bednarek steps across to head clear.

7.57pm BST

12 min: There’s a nice, fresh, open feel to this match. England are enjoying the (three) lion’s share at the moment, but Poland appear happy with the set-up, prepared as they are to spring a counter whenever the opportunity arises.

7.56pm BST

10 min: Foden goes to ground while running back upfield, out of the Polish box. Did Krychowiak get a bit of him, or did Foden lose the run of his legs and tackle himself? A bit of both, but although there’s a muted English claim for a penalty, the referee’s not interested at all. Foden doesn’t make too much of it himself.

7.54pm BST

9 min: Bednarek passes long down the right. Piatek threatens to get on the end of it, but Pope races miles out of his box to blooter clear.

7.53pm BST

8 min: ... but suddenly England put the first serious move of the match together. Mount shimmies to the left of the Poland D before slipping a ball down the channel for Chilwell. The Chelsea full-back wedges into the centre, where Foden gets under a header and sends the ball miles over the bar.

7.52pm BST

7 min: It’s all a bit scrappy now as both teams get their press on.

7.50pm BST

5 min: Poland finally get their foot on the ball. Piatek has a little probe down the centre, but the move is quickly snuffed out by Stones.

7.49pm BST

3 min: Poland don’t get their first touch of the match until Mount crosses from the left and Rybus heads clear. If you can make a statement in the first three minutes of a football match without doing very much, England have done that.

7.47pm BST

2 min: England knock it around in confident fashion, making sure all of their defenders get an early touch. Ping, stroke, pass.

7.45pm BST

England get the ball rolling ... but only after telling racists to do one. They take the knee, while Poland show their solidarity by pointing at the Uefa RESPECT logo. There’s no room for racism. Kick it out.

7.43pm BST

The teams are out! England wear white, Poland red. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes, after the anthems. We know all about the English one, but what about Poland’s?

Poland has not yet perished
So long as we still live!
What the alien force has taken from us
We shall retrieve with a sabre!

7.38pm BST

Gareth Southgate speaks to the channel formerly known as Associated-Rediffusion. “I was very close to picking the same team. Ben is fresh so we refreshed that position. For all of the players there’s a lot of optimism. We’ve done very well in the first two games, but this is a much sterner test. We’re going to have to work hard to break them down. Our full backs will get plenty of the ball and we must move their back five around. Tonight’s all about the three points towards World Cup qualification. The Euros will take care of itself.”

7.07pm BST

England will be hoping the evening can only get better: their counterparts at Under-21 level have just been knocked out of the 2021 Uefa European Under-21 Championship. It looked as though they were heading through to the quarter-finals when Curtis Jones put them 2-0 up against Croatia with a fine strike from the edge of the box. But in the first minute of injury time, Domagoj Bradaric scored an absolute screamer, a heatseeker into the top right from 25 yards, and though England still won the game 2-1, it wasn’t enough. Croatia went through instead on the head-to-head goals rule. There was a massive donnybrook after the final whistle, with Jones and Rhian Brewster in particular looking beyond livid and more than in the mood to throw hands.

6.34pm BST

If It Ain’t Broke dept. Gareth Southgate makes just one change to the XI named for the stroll in Albania. Ben Chilwell comes in for Luke Shaw.

6.32pm BST

England: Pope, Walker, Maguire, Stones, Chilwell, Rice, Phillips, Foden, Mount, Sterling, Kane.
Subs: Henderson, Trippier, Lingard, Coady, James, Dier, Calvert-Lewin, Mings, Shaw, Watkins, Johnstone, Bellingham.

Poland: Szczesny, Bednarek, Glik, Helik, Bereszynski, Krychowiak, Moder, Rybus, Swiderski, Piatek, Zielinski.
Subs: Szymanski, Dawidowicz, Placheta, Kowalczyk, Fabianski, Kozlowski, Jozwiak, Milik, Augustyniak, Grosicki, Reca, Niemczycki.

5.44pm BST

It feels like England are forever playing Poland, but in truth it’s been a while. The two countries last met in 2013, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard scoring the goals in a garden-variety 2-0 Wembley win. You’d imagine Gareth Southgate would settle for something similar tonight. Get the job done and move on.

That doesn’t really sell this game, but it is what it is. Poland have only beaten England once in the Entire History of All Football, and have lost their last seven matches in Blighty, a record that doesn’t suggest they’ll cause a shock here this evening. Especially as the Robert Lewandowski Team are missing Robert Lewandowski.

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Published on March 31, 2021 14:00

The Fiver | A little pushback against the punditocracy's blowhardista wing

England played very well last week against San Marino, for 45 minutes, and were efficient if not exactly effervescent against Albania at the weekend. Nothing to worry about there, although exactly how much use it is to anyone in a world where Belgium’s second string are capable of walking in eight against Belarus, celebrating their goals with little more than an insouciant shrug, is a moot point. Belgium’s haul was one of several eye-catching scorelines in the Human Rights World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, along with Gibraltar 0-0 Netherlands after 40 minutes and Luxembourg 1-0 Portugal after 44. If we could have blown the final whistle there and then, sat back, got out the popcorn and immersed ourselves in the lovely fallout, we would have, promise you.

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Published on March 31, 2021 07:56

March 30, 2021

Wales 1-0 Czech Republic, Belgium 8-0 Belarus: World Cup qualifying – as it happened

A late Dan James header earned Wales their first win of the 2022 qualifying campaign, while the Dutch scored seven and Belgium hit eight

10.50pm BST

Qatar v Ireland.

10.50pm BST

Around Europe.

9.57pm BST

Ben Fisher’s match report has landed. Enjoy ... and thanks for reading tonight’s Clockwatch. Nighty night!

9.53pm BST

Wales captain Gareth Bale speaks. “We didn’t get off to the best start against Belgium ... it was massively important to get the victory ... the press were saying it was a must-win, we knew it wasn’t a must-win but we wanted to win the game and showed a lot of heart and desire ... it was a good goal ... two bits of magic to win the game ... we kept going until the end and got the win ... Pagey’s kept us focused through thick and thin, no matter what’s going on off the field.”

9.40pm BST

9.38pm BST

Still no win for Stephen Kenny, but it’s baby steps in the right direction after the pain of Luxembourg.

9.36pm BST

A huge win for Wales! The Czechs had a couple of chances towards the end, but some staunch defending - including a sensational last-minute block by Joe Rodon - has secured a result set up by Dan James’ wonderful header.

9.34pm BST

GOAL! Croatia 3-0 Malta (Brekalo 90). It was in the balance for an hour, but Josip Brekalo puts a more realistic sheen on the scoreline.

9.33pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-7 Netherlands (Depay 88). Memphis Depay gets his second. Can the Dutch match Belgium’s tally?

9.32pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 8-0 Belarus (Vanaken 89). It’s all too easy, as Hans Vanaken sidefoots into the bottom right from the edge of the box.

9.31pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-6 Netherlands (Van de Beek 85). Donny van de Beek embellishes the rout on the rock.

9.28pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 3-3 Latvia (Ikaunieks 79). Turkey were 3-1 up and odds-on to maintain their 100 percent start. But Latvia have stunned them by completing the comeback, Davis Ikaunieks jinking and threading a shot into the bottom left.

9.26pm BST

GOAL! Luxembourg 1-3 Portugal (Palhinha 80). Maria Joao Palhinha makes the points safe for the unconvincing European champions.

9.25pm BST

Wales find the goal they need. Gareth Bale digs out a cross from a tight spot on the left. In the middle, rising highest ... the diminutive Dan James, who steers a superb header into the bottom left! That’s a peach of a cross, some leap, and one hell of a finish!

9.23pm BST

GOAL! Slovakia 2-1 Russia (Mak 74). ... but Robert Mak soon restores Slovakia’s lead.

9.22pm BST

GOAL! Slovakia 1-1 Russia (Fernandes 71). Mario Fernandes draws the Russians level ...

9.21pm BST

GOAL! Croatia 2-0 Malta (Modric 76 pen). The 2018 runners-up have huffed and puffed this evening, but should have secured the points now. They’ll feel a little better after an underwhelming start to their campaign.

9.19pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 7-0 Belarus (Trossard 75). Leandro Trossard nutmegs keeper Aleksandr Gutor, who has had better evenings.

9.18pm BST

RED CARD. Connor Roberts, who was involved in the dismissal of Patrik Schick, has picked up a second yellow card, and it’s now ten versus ten. Wales really need to win this game, given the early results in the group, and now that task has been made quite a bit harder.

9.16pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 6-0 Belarus (Benteke 70). Christian Benteke grabs a slice of the action in Leuven, meeting a right-wing cross by lashing a volley into the bottom right.

9.12pm BST

Wales are huffing and puffing against the Czech Republic. In fact it’s the ten men who nearly break the deadlock in Cardiff, as Vladimír Darida whips a vicious volley towards the top left, the ball only just clearing the crossbar, Danny Ward beaten all ends up.

9.10pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-5 Netherlands (Malen 64). Donyell Malen makes it four goals in nine minutes for the 1974, 1978 and 2010 runners-up.

9.08pm BST

GOAL! Croatia 1-0 Malta (Perisic 62). Ivan Perisic, who scored in the 2018 final, breaks the deadlock against the Maltese minnows.

9.07pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-4 Netherlands (Wijnaldum 62). ... Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum adds another. All of a sudden, having harboured hopes of a shock, Gibraltar are in damage-limitation mode.

9.05pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-3 Netherlands (Depay 61). Not long after Memphis Depay makes it three ...

9.03pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 3-2 Latvia (Uldrikis 57). Turkey lose their two-goal cushion in short order for the second time this evening, as Roberts Uldrikis narrows the gap.

8.59pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-2 Netherlands (De Jong 55). Reality has also invaded the rock, as Luuk de Jong nudges the Dutch back towards respectability.

8.57pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 3-1 Latvia (Yilmaz 52 pen). Burak Yilmaz restores Turkey’s two-goal cushion from the penalty spot.

8.56pm BST

GOAL! Luxembourg 1-2 Portugal (Ronaldo 50). A ball comes in from the right. Ronaldo meets it, six yards out, softly guiding a volley into the bottom right. Reality is back in fashion.

8.54pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 5-0 Belarus (Praet 49). How many are Belgium going to score, then? Leicester City’s Dennis Praet sends a low drive into the bottom left from distance. A fine goal, though it’s so easy he doesn’t bother celebrating too wildly.

8.53pm BST

Mohammed Muntari swivels and fires into the bottom left, and the 2022 hosts draw level with Ireland.

8.51pm BST

RED CARD! Czech striker Patrik Schick has been sent packing for gormlessly thumping Connor Roberts during a penalty-box melee. Wales will play the next 41 minutes against ten men!

8.47pm BST

Right, time for the second halves, then. Here we go. “Bale never misses a sitter when he is with Real Madrid,” quips the sun-frazzled Ian Copestake, refusing to cut the former and future Bernabeu dugout regular any slack whatsoever.

8.37pm BST

8.35pm BST

GOAL! Luxembourg 1-1 Portugal (Jota 45). It couldn’t last. After 64 seconds of the one extra minute (yep) added by the referee, Diogo Jota continues his rich vein of form by steering a left-wing cross into the top left with a cute header.

8.33pm BST

GOAL! Slovakia 1-0 Russia (Skriniar 38). Milan Skriniar powers a header into the net against the 2018 hosts.

8.32pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 3-0 Belarus (Trossard 38); GOAL! Belgium 4-0 Belarus (Doku 42). Another quick one-two by Belgium, Leandro Trossard sending a heatseeker into the top left, Jeremy Doku then finding the bottom left at the end of a fine dribble. Safe to say this one is over.

8.30pm BST

GOAL! Gibraltar 0-1 Netherlands (Berghuis 41). Speaking of Gibraltar, they’d been holding out at home against the Netherlands, but just as they started to dream of going in goalless at half-time, Steven Berghuis has broken their hearts. A similar story to the game against Norway last week.

8.27pm BST

GOAL! Montenegro 0-1 Norway (Sorloth 35). Alexander Sorloth begins Norway’s response to their surprise thumping at the hands of Turkey. Montenegro had won their first two games, against Latvia and Gibraltar.

8.25pm BST

Gareth Bale has just missed an absolute sitter in Cardiff. A cross comes in from the left and drops at his feet, six yards out. He has to score ... but he slams the ball straight into the ground and back up, allowing keeper Tomáš Vaclík to tip it over the bar. He should never have been given the chance.

8.23pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 2-1 Latvia (Savalnieks 35). OK, apologies for getting ahead of myself. Roberts Savalnieks abruptly halves Turkey’s lead in Istanbul.

8.22pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 2-0 Latvia. (Calhanoglu 33). Hakan Calhanoglu doubles Turkey’s lead. At this rate, the Crescent Stars will fancy their chances of matching, or perhaps even bettering, their third-place finish in 2002. Might as well dream, huh?

8.18pm BST

GOAL! Luxembourg 1-0 Portugal (Rodrigues 30). Can Clockwatch claim an assist? Because having said that, and all of a sudden, it’s all happening at the Stade Josy Barthel in Luxembourg! Moments after Cristiano Ronaldo sees a fierce free kick batted away by keeper Anthony Moris, the hosts zip up the other end, sling a cross in from the left, and the hero of Dublin, Gerson Rodrigues, guides a header into the bottom left! Luxembourg lead the champions of Europe! Luxembourg 1, Portugal nul points.

8.15pm BST

Nearly half an hour has passed, and Portugal have yet to score in Luxembourg. More proof, if it was required after events in Dublin last weekend, that the perennial minnows have filled out a bit? Or maybe it’s just one of those nights. Not many goals about.

8.11pm BST

Bad news for Burnley fans: Robbie Brady has limped away from the Qatar-Ireland stramash. Troy Parrott of Ipswich comes on in his stead. Meanwhile Ian Copestake has clearly spent the day outside enjoying the sun, because he’s tinder dry this evening: “I am surprised Bale is in a fit state to play given that he’s had his head turned by the team he is under contract with.”

8.06pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 2-0 Belarus (Vanaken 17). Thomas Meunier whips a cross in from the right. Hans Vanaken slams a volley home from ten yards. Belgium are already in total control of this match. Their new golden generation has to win something, surely. Euro 2020? The 2022 World Cup? Both?

8.02pm BST

GOAL! Belgium 1-0 Belarus (Batshuayi 14). Michy Batshuayi opens the scoring for the world number-one side with one hell of a thrash into the roof of the net from a tight angle on the left. What a finish that is! Belgium have rested quite a few players; they have some strength in depth.

7.59pm BST

Meanwhile in Debrecen, Qatar have responded well to falling behind early on. They’re asking quite a few questions of Ireland, shifting the ball hither and yon, showing promise down both flanks.

7.57pm BST

The Czechs have established some early control in Cardiff. They’re pinging it around nicely. Wales have yet to get out of first gear, and they’re having trouble getting out of their half. By way of illustration, Jakub Jankto has just been allowed to turn and face goal, 20 yards out; his attempted curler towards the bottom left only just flies wide.

7.54pm BST

GOAL! Turkey 1-0 Latvia (Karaman 2). The Turks have made a sensational start to their qualifying campaign, with huge wins against the Netherlands and Norway, and it looks like they’re at it again: Kenan Karaman opens the scoring early doors in Istanbul.

7.52pm BST

What a start for Ireland, who work a lovely short-corner routine that ends with James McClean sweeping home from 12 yards. That’s a very well-worked goal, and on the touchline Stephen Kenny celebrates accordingly. A huge smile as everyone cavorts.

7.48pm BST

And we’re off! Just before kick-off at the Cardiff City Stadium, Wales take the knee, while the Czechs point at the Uefa “Respect” badge on their shirts. The Czech line-up includes Ondřej Kúdela, the Slavia Prague player accused of racially abusing Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara.

7.42pm BST

All across Europe, the teams are out. Not long now!

7.37pm BST

Robert Page talks to Sky Sports. “We thought it was a great performance in the second half against Belgium, the number-one seeds in the world ... we have tried to pick a team that we think can go out and win us the game ... the Czechs went toe-to-toe with Belgium so we know it will be a tough game ... we’ve got to get everything right.” Incidentally, he point-blank refused to be drawn on the antics of Hal Robson-Kanu, Tyler Roberts and Rabbi Matondo, sent home after breaking curfew.

7.23pm BST

Some more pre-match reading. Paul Doyle picks the bones of the Luxembourg debacle, and argues that there’s no need to be pressing the panic button quite yet.

7.12pm BST

Qatar: Al-Sheeb, Ro-Ro, Salman, Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Al-Rawi, Boudiaf, Al-Haydos, Hatem, Muntari, Ali.
Subs: Abunada, Waad, Alaaeldin, Fatehi, Youssef, Kheder, Al-Hajri, Suhail, Ahmed, Al-Ahrak, Madibo, Yousef Hassan.

Republic of Ireland: Bazunu, Coleman, O’Shea, Duffy, Christie, Molumby, Brady, McClean, Hendrick, Shane Long, Horgan.
Subs: Travers, Manning, Clark, Knight, Browne, Collins, Robinson, Curtis, Cullen, Parrott, Lenihan, O’Hara.

7.08pm BST

Some pre-match reading ... that may make you wonder whether all this is the ultimate exercise in futility.

7.00pm BST

Wales: Ward, Mepham, Jamie Lawrence, Rodon, Connor Roberts, Wilson, Ampadu, Morrell, Neco Williams, James, Bale.
Subs: Levitt, Johnson, Sheehan, Tom Lawrence, Moore, Norrington-Davies, Cabango, Hennessey, Jonathan Williams, Adam Davies, Gunter.

Czech Republic: Vaclik, Coufal, Celustka, Kudela, Boril, Holes, Soucek, Provod, Darida, Jankto, Schick.
Subs: Pekhart, Vydra, Zima, Mandous, Pesek, Masopust, Krmencik, Pavelka, Barak, Stronati, Pavlenka, Kaderabek.

6.58pm BST

FULL TIME: Cyprus 1-0 Slovenia. The other early kick-off was settled by a 42nd-minute goal from Ioannis Pittas. That’s put the Cypriots second in Group H behind leaders Russia, though it’ll be all change later once the Croatia-Malta and Slovakia-Russia matches are over.

6.54pm BST

FULL TIME: Azerbaijan 1-2 Serbia. Aleksandar Mitrovic, who put Ireland to the sword last week, was Serbia’s hero yet again in Group A. He whistled a low drive into the bottom-right corner on 81 minutes to settle a tight match. Serbia go three points clear of second-placed Portugal, who play Luxembourg this evening.

6.49pm BST

As well as the World Cup qualifiers, we’ll be keeping one eye on the Republic of Ireland, who are taking on World Cup hosts Qatar in a Debrecen friendly. Stephen Kenny makes eight changes to the side humiliated by Luxembourg at the weekend, with only keeper Gavin Bazunu and defenders Seamus Coleman and Dara O’Shea surviving the cull. Shane Duffy, who hasn’t played a minute since losing his place at Celtic in February, starts along with with Cyrus Christie, Jeff Hendrick, Jayson Molumby, James McClean, Robbie Brady, Daryl Horgan and Shane Long. Ciaran Clark, Enda Stevens, Matt Doherty, Jason Knight, Josh Cullen, Alan Browne, James Collins and Callum Robinson make way.

STARTING XI | Qatar v Ireland

▪️ Wholesale changes as only Bazunu, Coleman & O'Shea remain from Luxembourg defeat
▪️ Shane Duffy, Shane Long, Daryl Horgan, Cyrus Chrstie & James McClean among those to start

KO | 7.45pm (8.45pm local time)#WEAREONE | #COYBIG | #QATIRL pic.twitter.com/UQUNcvxw1j

6.38pm BST

Wales make one change to the side named for the opener in Belgium. Joe Morrell replaces Joe Allen, just as he did after a few minutes in Leuven last week. The Czechs recall captain Vladimir Darida and striker Patrik Schick after their 1-1 draw with Belgium on Saturday.

CYMRU XI

Chi'n barod, #YWalGoch?
#WALCZE | #TogetherStronger | #WCQ pic.twitter.com/aojxAs6gPV

4.18pm BST

It’s a big one for Wales tonight. Having lost their opening Group E qualifier against top seeds Belgium, they really can’t let the Czech Republic out of their sights. The Czechs have already hit Estonia for six, and drawn with the Belgians, so if they take anything away from Cardiff this evening, Wales will be playing catch-up early doors.

Other fixtures are available, hence this Clocko. Here’s the card ...

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Published on March 30, 2021 13:57

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Scott Murray isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but they do have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from their feed.