Scott Murray's Blog, page 93

November 7, 2020

Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United: Premier League – as it happened

The visitors took a shock early lead before Hakim Ziyech took control

8.14pm GMT

That’s your lot, then. Thanks for reading this MBM!

8.13pm GMT

Chris Wilder’s verdict. “Poor goals from our point of view ... the second goal and fourth are avoidable ... we gave away poor goals to world class players ... world-class players will punish you ... there was an obvious block [for the third goal] and with the level of scrutiny these days you’d think somebody would have seen that ... the second is a mistake by Aaron [Ramsdale] ... it’s a scruffy goal ... the quick succession of three and four was disappointing ... we talked about gambling late on, I keep talking about staying in the game ... it’s 2-1 and we had a bit of the ball but it was disappointing and the game quickly went away from us ... we have to get on with it ... our fate will not be decided by Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea ... it’ll be decided in the lead-up to Christmas, the ten games ... you have to quickly clear your head ... we have to work our way through it, and we’re sure we will.”

7.58pm GMT

Frank Lampard speaks to Sky. “Sheffield United are a really strong team ... they’re very good at taking momentum in games ... but once the goal goes in, our reaction was important, and the team was spot on ... it’s a work in progress but I saw a lot of it today ... great signs, but we need to keep it going ... for Ziyech to hit the ground running is a great sign ... we have competition ... now we’re seeing some of the work and it was encouraging to see those signs ... the season is long and I will keep my feet on the ground ... every game is challenging.”

7.39pm GMT

There’s post-match managerial yammering still to come. But Jacob Steinberg’s report has landed, so here it is!

7.35pm GMT

Man-of-the-match Hakim Ziyech speaks. “We played a good game ... we started a little sloppy but after 0-1 we controlled the game ... we did well and created a lot of chances ... I feel comfortable here with the team and the squad and I’m really happy. ”

7.29pm GMT

Last season, United came back from two goals down in this fixture. The point they earned was an early-season statement of intent: they weren’t just in the Premier League to make up the numbers. The result also suggested Chelsea weren’t ready to take a tilt at the title. This time round, the mood music is all different. Chelsea look genuine contenders with Hakim Ziyech pulling their strings. United by contrast look bereft of confidence, uncertain up front and wobbly at the back, where Dean Henderson is a big loss. They’ve had a difficult run of fixtures, mind: the international break has come at exactly the right time. An opportunity to regroup.

7.23pm GMT

Hakim Ziyech is a wonderful player. Chelsea go above Leicester into third place. Sheffield United remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

7.22pm GMT

90 min +2: The corner’s no good. It matters not. This has been a very impressive performance from Chelsea, albeit against a pretty toothless side lacking in confidence.

7.21pm GMT

90 min +1: In the first of three added minutes, Mount creams a rising shot towards the top left. It’s swerving all over the place, and Ramsdale does well to fingertip over for a corner.

7.20pm GMT

90 min: Lowe and Osborn shuttle the ball in from the left to tee up Osborn, whose laboured shot is deflected out for a corner. That corner proves to be a waste of time.

7.19pm GMT

89 min: Chelsea are happy to run out the clock.

7.18pm GMT

88 min: Zouma deals with the second one. Mendy has had absolutely nothing to do in this second half.

7.17pm GMT

87 min: Before the set piece can be taken, Werner makes way for Giroud. Then the corner’s whipped to the far post. Abraham knocks it behind for another.

7.16pm GMT

86 min: United string a few passes together, and suddenly McBurnie has a little space inside the Chelsea box on the left. His cross is blocked out for a corner. A chance to reduce the deficit?

7.14pm GMT

84 min: Werner’s overly ambitious backflick allows McBurnie and McGoldrick to power off in tandem down the left. But the move peters out apologetically. United started well, but little has gone right for them since McGoldrick’s opener. That seems a long time ago now.

7.12pm GMT

82 min: That’s eight goals already this season for Werner in all competitions, and there’s a sense he hasn’t quite hit top form for his new club yet. Goodness knows how well he’ll do when he really finds his feet.

7.11pm GMT

No mistake this time! Lowe tries to whip the ball away from Kante. A close-range cannon sends the ball towards his own goal, down the middle. Werner is through again, and this time puts his laces through it. Ramsdale had no chance.

7.09pm GMT

78 min: It should be four. Ziyech, quarterbacking from deep, flies a glory pass down the middle to release Werner. The striker should score, but in lobbing Ramsdale sends his effort wide right. United’s defence was all over the show there.

7.07pm GMT

Ziyech is some player. He floats an inviting inswinger towards the near post. Silva nips into some space, and eyebrows a dainty flick across Ramsdale and into the top left. Game over!

7.06pm GMT

76 min: A free kick for Chelsea out near the right-hand corner flag. Ziyech to whip it in.

7.06pm GMT

75 min: Berge is booked for trying to remove Kante’s shirt, a proper cartoon yank, a fistful of material, and a brazen method of stopping the Chelsea midfielder breaking into a world of space. At least he has the good grace not to complain about the yellow card, a scrap of dignity retained.

7.03pm GMT

73 min: Chelsea pass and probe, probe and pass.

7.01pm GMT

71 min: Kovacic has twisted his ankle and hobbles off. Jorginho takes his place.

7.00pm GMT

70 min: United looked so bright during the early exchanges. They’ve been extremely poor ever since conceding the equaliser. But for all that, they’re still in this game.

7.00pm GMT

68 min: A loose Silva pass is eagerly latched onto by Osborn, who races down the right but can only loop harmlessly into Mendy’s hands.

6.56pm GMT

66 min: Ziyech dances along the front of the United box, right to left, and tees up Kovacic, who whistles a daisycutter inches wide of the left-hand post. Ramsdale, at full stretch, had it covered.

6.55pm GMT

64 min: Ziyech is illegally stopped as he makes his way down the middle. A free kick 35 yards out, just to the left of centre. James’s eyes have lit up. He hits a rising swerver towards the top left. Ramsdale punches clear, but again not with total certainty. He doesn’t look like a keeper playing with too much confidence right now.

6.53pm GMT

63 min: A double change by Sheffield United, as Brewster and Norwood make way for McBurnie and Osborn.

6.53pm GMT

62 min: Lundstram has an opportunity to send McGoldrick into acres down the left, but his attempt to thread a pass along the channel is no good. McGoldrick cocks his head back in impotent frustration. He was in a good position to cause Chelsea problems there.

6.50pm GMT

60 min: Stevens took a whack during that scramble, and he stays down for treatment. He’s up again soon enough, but not looking particularly happy.

6.49pm GMT

58 min: United are desperately fighting to stay in this game. A corner’s only half cleared. Abraham nearly gets a shot away amid a penalty-box melee. Kovacic fires low from the left. Ramsdale, who has looked uncomfortable on a few occasions today, fumbles what should be an easy low gather. Stevens boots clear to save his keeper’s blushes.

6.48pm GMT

57 min: Ziyech glides in from the right and curls towards the top left. That’s heading for the top left, Ramsdale never getting there. But Egan does extremely well to launch himself at the shot and eyebrow it over for a corner.

6.46pm GMT

56 min: It’s attack versus defence. Chelsea are utterly dominant now. Ziyech conducting. Abraham nearly bustles clear down the middle, but the ball doesn’t come out from under his feet.

6.44pm GMT

54 min: Chelsea continue to exercise full control.

6.42pm GMT

52 min: On the touchline, McBurnie performs a few stretches. We might see him soon, on account of Brewster having touched the ball five times so far this evening, and two of those touches inside his own half.

6.41pm GMT

50 min: Chelsea get back on the ball and pass it around for a bit. Just happy to nix any early second-half Wilder-inspired momentum.

6.39pm GMT

48 min: That close shave jolts United into life, and Lowe makes way down the left before fizzing a dangerous cross into the Chelsea box. Nobody in red and white is close enough to react. Scores in a couple of parallel universes: 3-1, 2-2.

6.37pm GMT

47 min: A long ball down the Chelsea right. Stevens heads weakly back towards his own box, allowing Kovacic to tear clear. He should score, but hesitates, allowing Basham to save the day with a last-ditch slide. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.

6.35pm GMT

Sheffield United get the second half underway. No changes.

6.22pm GMT

Earlier today in the Premier League ...

6.19pm GMT

Chelsea have conceded a goal at long last, but they’ve sparkled in attack and will be pretty happy with the way this game is now going. United will take succour from the memory of being 2-0 down at this stage here last season, but ended up with a precious point.

6.18pm GMT

45 min: There will be two added minutes. “I hate to disagree with New York resident Peter Mendelsund,” writes South Carolina resident Mac Millings, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump had been working on a VAR system of his own - Votes All Reversed.” For some reason the Buttertendo springs to mind.

6.16pm GMT

43 min: Baldock whistles the corner straight through the Chelsea six-yard box. Mendy looked a bit uncertain of his bearings there. He’s better several seconds later, gathering Lundstram’s speculative shot by the foot of his right-hand post.

6.14pm GMT

42 min: United throw a few people forward for the first time in a while, and force a mistake from Kante, who concedes a corner out on the left.

6.13pm GMT

40 min: The ball’s worked out to Ziyech, just to the right of the D. He launches a low shot that’s hit with venom but easily blocked. Sheffield United could do with hearing the half-time whistle and regrouping.

6.11pm GMT

39 min: Mount has been working away efficiently. He wins a corner down the left. Ziyech takes and hits long. There’s some head tennis. Then Chilwell prods towards the bottom right. Ramsdale turns around the post, just in time.

6.09pm GMT

37 min: Egan is booked for a desperate tug on Werner, who was making his way down the left with great purpose.

6.08pm GMT

36 min: This has been a really impressive response to falling behind by Chelsea. Anything Manchester United can do at Everton, huh?

6.08pm GMT

The corner’s played back down the wing for Ziyech, who hoicks long. The ball drops at the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Ramsdale comes out, flaps and misses, allowing Chilwell to let the ball hit him and fly home from a couple of yards. What an assist by the sensational Ziyech, though big question marks about the keeping there.

6.06pm GMT

34 min: James delivers a low cross-cum-shot into the box from the right. Ramsdale scrappily turns the ball round the post for a corner. From which ...

6.06pm GMT

33 min: United had started fairly confidently going forward, causing plenty of problems down their right. Now they’re offering very little in attack. Thing is, the way Chelsea have started to come at them, it may be their best method of defence.

6.04pm GMT

31 min: They cause bedlam all right! Ziyech whips it in fiercely. The ball’s swinging towards the far corner. Ramsdale paws at it with great uncertainty. The ball breaks to Werner, who sticks out a leg and, faced with a tight angle, fires an instant shot towards the top left. It comes off the underside of the bar and away. What a reaction strike that would have been.

6.02pm GMT

30 min: Lowe is slightly harshly penalised for stopping Kovacic’s gallop down the right. A free kick and a chance to cause bedlam in the United box.

6.01pm GMT

29 min: Chelsea continue to stroke it about. “I haven’t missed a weekend of EPL Football since they started televising you lot in the US,” begins New York resident Peter Mendelsund. “But as we only just now have learned that our democracy is safe, I’m making an exception. Going to go dance in the streets now. I don’t think VAR can take this one away from us.”

6.00pm GMT

27 min: Chelsea look much happier now. The passing a bit crisper, more confident. They’re moving the ball about nicely. Silva sprays a glorious crossfield pass to James on the right. James should do better with the final ball, and Stevens intercepts and clears. Nice move, though.

5.58pm GMT

25 min: United try to bounce straight back, winning a free kick out on the left. Norwood swings it into a crowded box, but James clears bravely with boots flying hither and yon. The whistle goes, the pressure is released. Good game, this.

5.57pm GMT

Kovacic passes long down the right. Ziyech reaches the ball on the byline and cuts it back sharply for Abraham, who miskicks a little into the ground, but nevertheless threads a diagonal bouncer into the bottom left! Not his sweetest strike, but it’s all about the accuracy.

5.55pm GMT

22 min: Lowe creams a no-backlift goalwards from 25 yards. A rising effort that’s easy enough for Mendy to gather, but a decent strike nevertheless, given the lack of space and time on offer.

5.53pm GMT

21 min: Frank Lampard maybe not so much. It’s pretty comfortable for United right now.

5.51pm GMT

19 min: Another ambitious crossfield pass by Ziyech flies harmlessly towards nobody. Chris Wilder will be extremely happy with the way his team have started this game.

5.50pm GMT

18 min: Chelsea stroke the ball around the middle of the park for a while. All a bit ponderous and sterile. They’re much better when they pile forward with the handbrake off. Ziyech tries to get something going with a diagonal pass into the United box from the right ... but there’s nobody in blue there.

5.48pm GMT

16 min: Some space for Mount, who curls in a cross-cum-shot from the left. It’s another easy snaffle for Ramsdale.

5.48pm GMT

14 min: It’s a bit early for Chelsea to be getting frustrated, but Abraham loses the place with the lino over the award of a throw. Probably best to rein it in a bit, plenty of time to recover, just as Liverpool did while trailing the Blades at Anfield.

5.46pm GMT

13 min: Chelsea have been a little taken aback by Sheffield United’s proactive approach. Abraham tries to respond with a sashay and a swivel down the inside left, but his low shot is easy pickings for Ramsdale.

5.44pm GMT

11 min: There goes Mendy’s hope of becoming only the fourth keeper in history to start his Premier League career with four consecutive clean sheets. He’d have followed Pepe Reina (Liverpool, 4), Anders Lindegaard (Manchester United, 5) and Alex Manninger (Arsenal, 6), but that’s all over now.

5.43pm GMT

Norwood and Baldock play the corner short and work some space. Baldock reaches the byline and pulls back for Berge, who leans back and whistles a low shot goalwards. The ball flies through a thicket and is steered into the bottom right by a clever, delicate McGoldrick flick. Mendy was completely wrong-footed. What a start for the Premier League’s bottom side!

5.41pm GMT

8 min: Baldock latches onto a long pass down the right and forces a corner off Chilwell. One corner leads to another, and ...

5.40pm GMT

6 min: Chelsea are stroking it around very smoothly, and at high velocity. They’re fun to watch. “Talking of entertaining early evening treats, Celebrity Supermarket Sweep is on ITV right now,” reports Simon McMahon. “John Barnes and David Seaman are one of the couples going ‘wild in the aisles’. Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder.” Bobby Charlton won £512 on Double Your Money in 1959. Nothing is new.

5.37pm GMT

4 min: James makes good down the right again and whips a low ball through the United box. Abraham tries a fancy flick but doesn’t really connect. The ball continues to Chilwell, who batters goalwards from a tight angle. It’s a fine effort, and one that’s kicked away acrobatically by Ramsdale.

5.35pm GMT

3 min: Chelsea’s turn to pile forward. Ziyech and James nearly open up some space on the right. Not quite. Both teams look well up for this.

5.34pm GMT

2 min: A really brisk start by United, who fly out of the traps on the front foot. Basham, Berge and Brewster all put in good challenges down the right. Berge nearly finds Lundstram with a cutback from the byline, but Chilwell is able to clear. A statement of intent, perhaps.

5.32pm GMT

Here we go, then! Chelsea get the ball rolling ... but only after the players take a knee. Black lives matter. No room for racism.

5.29pm GMT

The teams are out! Chelsea wear their famous blue, while Sheffield United also sport their storied first-choice colours of red and white stripes. Before the kick-off, a rendition of the Last Post and time to remember the fallen. A moving video of the Chelsea Pensioners on the big screen. We’ll be off in a couple of reflective minutes.

5.18pm GMT

Chris Wilder’s turn. “I’ve told all the players: don’t look at the league table! I have belief in how we’re going about it. Long term, but even as recently as our last two performances against Liverpool and Manchester City. I would not have been surprised if we’d got something out of those games. We can’t go toe to toe with any of these clubs, but we’ll try to stay in the game and try to cause them problems going forward. I don’t believe honestly that our performances this season have been than much different to last year. Players grow in belief and confidence when they take big moments, and we haven’t taken enough of them this season, but we hope the next game, round the corner, we’ll do that.”

5.08pm GMT

Frank talking. “We’re getting better. I expected it, but we had to work for it. New group, some injuries are coming back. Relationships on the pitch are getting better and we’re in a decent place. But in football that never stops, and we’ve got a difficult opponent today. We have to be even better. It will always be about personnel, and defensively about concentration and focus. Every team can cause you problems. Our concentration has been good but that has to continue.”

4.38pm GMT

Chelsea make one change to the team named for the 3-0 win over Rennes during the week. Mateo Kovacic comes in for Jorginho, who drops to the bench. Thiago Silva wears the armband for the first time, with club captain Cesar Azpilicueta and vice-captain Jorginho both on the bench.

Sheffield United make three changes to the team narrowly beaten by Manchester City last weekend. Oliver Norwood, John Lundstram and David McGoldrick are in; Oli McBurnie, who was ill during the week, and Ben Osborn drop to the bench, while the on-loan Ethan Ampadu is ineligible against his parent club.

4.32pm GMT

Chelsea: Mendy, James, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Chilwell, Kovacic, Kante, Mount, Ziyech, Abraham, Werner.
Subs: Rudiger, Jorginho, Caballero, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Azpilicueta, Emerson Palmieri.

Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Stevens, Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Lundstram, Lowe, Brewster, McGoldrick.
Subs: McBurnie, Sharp, Burke, Jagielka, Robinson, Verrips, Osborn.

3.37pm GMT

On the face of it, this should be a shoo-in for Chelsea. Frank Lampard’s side have won their last three matches to the aggregate tune of 10-0. Even more impressively, they’ve not conceded a goal in five games, some turnaround for a team shipping them for fun earlier in the year. Hakim Ziyech has hit the ground running, while Timo Werner has found his shooting boots after a quiet start.

Chelsea are on a ten-match unbeaten run in all competitions, winning five and drawing five, a stark contrast to Sheffield United’s 11-game sequence without a victory. They’re down at the bottom of the Premier League table as a result. But you know how these stories end sometimes. United’s last win? You guessed it: a comprehensive 3-0 stuffing of Chelsea at Bramall Lane back in July. And they’ll have good memories of Stamford Bridge, coming back from two down to draw early on last season, a statement of intent posted in fine fashion.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 07, 2020 12:14

Everton 1-3 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Bruno Fernandes scored two and set up another as United came from behind to take the pressure off Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

2.55pm GMT

Andy Hunter was at Goodison Park. His verdict is in. Thanks for reading this MBM!

2.53pm GMT

Carlo Ancelotti’s verdict. “After we scored, we were not able to defend well. They scored two goals easily, took advantage and then the game was more difficult. If we could play the first half like we did the second we could have had a different result, but that was not the case. We have to defend better. We were slow at the back. We have to improve. I hope after the international break we will be back in a different shape. I know how to manage the difficulties. This season is not finished yet. This moment is bad, so we have to be focused.”

2.45pm GMT

Since the start of February (when Bruno Fernandes signed) only Liverpool have taken more Premier League points than United. A vindicated Solskjaer speaks to BT Sport ... and he’s fuming. “We were set up to fail. They set up the boys to fail. We been to Turkey Wednesday night, we’re playing Saturday lunchtime kick-off, it’s an absolute shambles. And I cannot praise the boys enough for the character they have shown. Them boys deserve better than being thrown out here to fail today. Authorities set us up to fail. You’ve got Liverpool and City, play on Tuesday, they play Sunday. Who’s responsible? I’ve had enough. We’ve lost Luke Shaw [hamstring] because of that. So set us up on a Sunday, then. It’s a joke. We were brilliant. They deserve all the praise. Well done.”

2.37pm GMT

The man-of-the-match Bruno Fernandes speaks to BT Sport, and is asked who scored United’s second goal. “I don’t care. If Marcus touched it a little bit it can be his goal, it was no problem for me. Most importantly for me as a number 10 is serving my team-mates, as I did in the end for Cavani, I had the chance to shoot and look for the hat-trick but I see him alone. And if Marcus can take the second goal, it is not a problem for me. Everyone needs to be a leader. One who doesn’t talk too much but does the right things. Others need to speak a little bit more, to feel more part of the game. The three points is for everyone, not just one player.”

2.34pm GMT

You’d have been forgiven for fearing the worst for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when Bernard gave Everton the lead. But United’s players came to the rescue of their under-fire manager. Bruno Fernandes orchestrated a fine comeback, and the richly deserved win buys Solskjaer some precious time. It also moves United up to 13th, on ten points, suddenly only six off Southampton’s lead but with a game in hand. Everton meanwhile stay fifth, but they’ve been stuck on 13 points for a while now.

2.29pm GMT

It’s seven Premier League away wins in a row for United, thanks to two goals and an assist from the wonderful Bruno Fernandes. Everton have lost three on the spin, the first time that fate’s befallen Carlo Ancelotti since he was at AC Milan in 2006.

2.27pm GMT

It’s four on two. Fernandes down the middle. He draws Holgate infield, then plays a cute flick towards Cavani on his left. Cavani nearly runs offside, but he’s OK, and slams into the bottom left!

2.26pm GMT

90 min +4: Keane creams long towards Iwobi, just to the right of goal. Iwobi pulls back for Doucoure ... who takes a fresh-air swipe! United break, and ...

2.24pm GMT

90 min +3: Digne clumsily bowls Rashford to the ground. Rashford takes his sweet time to get up.

2.23pm GMT

90 min +2: United head up the other end and go about their business carefully and slowly. The clock ticks on.

2.22pm GMT

90 min +1: Coleman spins Fred gorgeously down the right. He cuts back for Doucoure, who leans back and hoicks high into the stand. He has the good grace to look sheepish.

2.21pm GMT

90 min: There will be four extra minutes.

2.21pm GMT

89 min: Fernandes tries to beat Pickford with the free kick from 35 yards. It’s always heading over ... but it’s always worth testing the erratic Pickford.

2.19pm GMT

88 min: Doucoure is booked for a high-speed whack into McTominay. There’s been a bit of an edge to this match, you know. Slightly surprising it hasn’t spilled over at any point.

2.18pm GMT

87 min: A free kick for United deep in Everton territory. Fernandes tries to surprise everyone with a quick flick, but only slaps the ball straight to Tosun.

2.17pm GMT

85 min: Tosun is booked for a cynical tug on McTominay. The foul allows VAR to take a look at an earlier coming together between Keane and Cavani just inside the Everton box. Turns out everything’s fine. We play on.

2.15pm GMT

84 min: Digne curls to the far post. Maguire rises to bash a header clear. The ball’s returned. Fernandes and Doucoure scrap and tug away at each other, but it’s a fair 50-50 tussle and Everton don’t get the penalty they ambitiously claim for.

2.14pm GMT

83 min: Coleman goes on another blistering run, this time down the right, and is taken out by a combination of Fred and McTominay. Fred goes in the book. Free kick, just to the right of the United box.

2.12pm GMT

82 min: United make a double change. On come Pogba and Cavani, in place of Mata and Martial.

2.11pm GMT

80 min: Everton ping it around, pushing United back. No way through, though. Rodriguez earns another corner down the left. It’s his last act of the afternoon; he’s replaced by Tosun. Nothing comes of his corner.

2.09pm GMT

78 min: Calvert-Lewin breezes down the left. He’s got no support, so does extremely well to win a corner on his own off Maguire. Nothing comes of the set piece, though. Everton need something.

2.07pm GMT

76 min: Iwobi earns a corner off Tuanzebe down the right. Rodriguez takes one, then another. Bernard has a whack from distance. Nope. De Gea still hasn’t had any serious work to do in this second half.

2.06pm GMT

74 min: Mata tries to thread a shot into the bottom right from 25 yards. Ambitious. Everton go up the other end, Iwobi crossing from the right. Maguire heads clear under pressure from Calvert-Lewin. That’s superb defending.

2.04pm GMT

72 min: He’s also a superb footballer, and gently wedges a ball down the middle that nearly releases Rashford. Pickford comes out to smother, then berates his team-mates for their poor decision-making, an admirable display of chutzpah.

2.03pm GMT

71 min: Fernandes slides in on Allan, catching both ball and foot. The referee’s not interested this time, but Fernandes is pressure-testing his luck. He’s fired up.

2.00pm GMT

69 min: It’s all gone a bit scrappy in the wake of the substitutions.

1.58pm GMT

67 min: A disappointed Shaw makes way for Tuanzebe.

1.57pm GMT

66 min: Sigurdsson, who has been very poor today, is replaced by Iwobi.

1.56pm GMT

65 min: Corner for United down the left. Coleman clears Fernandes’s cross before it reaches Pickford, who was preparing to squirt it with his funny flower.

1.55pm GMT

63 min: Now Everton want a penalty as Maguire scythes through Digne. But the flag had gone up for an offside earlier in the move, and Maguire got a toe to the ball before cleaning out his man. No penalty. A few rash decisions being made at the moment, in more ways than one.

1.54pm GMT

61 min: No penalty! That is preposterous. Maguire was clattered by two separate challenges. Everton ... specifically Pickford ... gets away with a couple of outrageous plays. Penny for the thoughts of Virgil van Dijk.

1.52pm GMT

60 min: Fernandes loops the free kick to the left-hand post. Pickford reprises his cock-up that set up Divock Origi in the Merseyside derby a couple of seasons ago. He drops the high ball, teeing up Maguire, who can only knee over the bar from a tight angle. But Maguire is then kicked by both Keane and Pickford. VAR to check.

1.50pm GMT

59 min: Fernandes threatens to spin away from Sigurdsson so is shoved to the ground by the Everton man. A free kick just right of centre, 35 yards out. Fernandes’s eyes light up.

1.49pm GMT

57 min: Coleman bustles with purpose down the middle of the park, the sort of dribble Rodriguez would be proud of. He enters the box, space opening up for a shot, but he can’t sort his feet out, hesitates, and eventually falls over. For a second, a wonder strike from a very unexpected source was on the cards. Shame.

1.46pm GMT

55 min: Everton have seen much more of the ball since the restart. They’ve yet to seriously warm De Gea’s hands, however.

1.44pm GMT

53 min: Calvert-Lewin clips a cross in from the left. Rodriguez attempts a bicycle kick, but his scheme is scuppered by Maguire, who has read the danger well and comes in to clear.

1.43pm GMT

51 min: Fernandes is booked for a late clip on Sigurdsson. He effs, jeffs and gesticulates, and really needs to watch himself. It’s not the first time this afternoon he’s nearly talked himself into bother.

1.41pm GMT

49 min: Sigurdsson’s set-piece delivery, not for the first time today, is appalling. United clear easily. In the dugout, Duncan Ferguson fumes in a manner that should worry the Icelandic midfielder.

1.39pm GMT

48 min: A long Everton hoof. Calvert-Lewin is the only man up, and he does sensationally well to win an aerial duel with Lindelof, spin him, then run down the left and draw a foul from Wan-Bissaka. Free kick to the left of the box.

1.38pm GMT

47 min: Everton appear to have upped the intensity. All players with hair freshly blow-dried by Carlo Ancelotti.

1.37pm GMT

46 min: Within 15 seconds of the restart, Sigurdsson rolls a ball across the face of the United box for Doucoure. Shaw very bravely blocks the shot.

1.36pm GMT

Everton get the second half underway. No changes.

1.29pm GMT

United’s second goal, then. It’s been awarded to Bruno Fernandes. Rashford didn’t get a touch on it.

1.22pm GMT

United responded wonderfully to falling behind. If you’ve heard people questioning whether the players are four-square behind their manager, well, there’s your answer. Everton by contrast played a half of two halves: very good, then very poor. A puzzle for Ancelotti to solve during the break.

1.20pm GMT

45 min +4: Allan is booked for a petulant lunge into the back of Fred.

1.20pm GMT

45 min +3: Digne might not be the only Evertonian culpable for the turnaround. Paul Fitzgerald has been looking back at the second goal: “It shows Allan completely unconcerned about Rashford strolling into the box ahead of him.”

1.18pm GMT

45 min +2: Shaw flicks purposefully clear. The ball’s returned by Digne but Rodriguez is caught offside. Everton have done absolutely nothing since Digne opted to shoot instead of setting up Calvert-Lewin at 1-0.

1.17pm GMT

45 min +1: Fred slides into Calvert-Lewin, out on the right. A free kick and a chance for Everton to line up on the edge of the United box.

1.16pm GMT

45 min: Martial is back up. There will be four added minutes.

1.15pm GMT

44 min: Fernandes is back up and about ... but now Martial is down, Keane’s knee accidentally catching him under the chin as the pair flailed around in the air.

1.14pm GMT

43 min: To be fair, though, Fernandes took a whack in the first challenge with Coleman, and he’s down getting treatment.

1.13pm GMT

41 min: Fernandes is bundled to the ground by Coleman. A minute later, he repays with interest. He should probably go into the book for a late tackle ... or for then demanding the referee book Coleman. But it’s just a stern talking-to.

1.10pm GMT

39 min: Everton have completely misplaced their mojo. #MEGA

1.08pm GMT

37 min: Martial is flagged an inch or two offside as he races down the middle. The correct decision but Everton were playing with fire there. United look dangerous every time they go forward.

1.07pm GMT

36 min: What a response by United to falling behind, though. Everton by contrast are losing their cool, Allan clattering into Martial and risking the ire of the referee.

1.06pm GMT

34 min: Holgate is booked for an agricultural lunge on Martial. Meanwhile, replays of the second goal aren’t conclusive, but ... it could be Fernandes’s goal, you know. Rashford certainly strained to head the cross, but did he make contact? If he did, it was the lightest of touches. Neither player seemed 100 percent sure as they celebrated ... but they celebrated as if it didn’t matter either way.

1.04pm GMT

Another lovely United goal. Fred finds Rashford in the middle with a lovely right-to-left diagonal pass. Rashford slips wide left to Fernandes, who chips delicately back into the centre. Rashford eyebrows it towards the bottom right, off the post, and in!

1.02pm GMT

31 min: Fernandes is brought down by Keane, 35 yards out. United load the box. Everton sit deep. Fernandes opts to blooter straight through the thicket of players. Any slight touch and it’s deceiving Pickford, but somehow the ball gets through without deviation, and it’s an easy gather for the keeper.

1.01pm GMT

29 min: Bernard skips past Wan-Bissaka, who has been uncharacteristically lax so far this afternoon. He reaches the edge of the box, where his shot is blocked. It’s good end-to-end fun, this.

1.00pm GMT

28 min: Bernard’s cute reverse pass down the left releases Digne. He enters the box, with Calvert-Lewin in the middle, waiting for the invitation to tap home from six yards. But Digne decides to take the shot on himself, going for the top-left corner. He gives it a good thump, but the ball bangs the left-hand post and out for a goal kick. Calvert-Lewin is furious. Digne pretends not to see him.

12.58pm GMT

27 min: It’s easily cleared, and suddenly United are flooding forward on the counter en masse! Mata scampers down the left, with time to weigh up his cross. But he sends it straight into the arms of Pickford, with Martial and Fred waiting in acres of space.

12.57pm GMT

26 min: Everton respond through Coleman, skittering down the right. He’s upended by Shaw. Free kick. This is basically a corner.

12.56pm GMT

This is a brilliant goal. United move up a gear and pick up the pace. Some nice triangles down the inside-left channel. Suddenly Mata slips the ball wide for Shaw, who sends in a stunning cross. He finds Fernandes, ten yards out. Fernandes plants a glorious header into the top right, giving Pickford absolutely no chance!

12.54pm GMT

24 min: Rashford drives in from the left and reaches the edge of the box, before opening his body and attempting a curler into the bottom right. It’s always sailing wide, but it was a nice purposeful run.

12.53pm GMT

22 min: WORLD KNOWS UNITED WINNING. #MAGA

12.52pm GMT

21 min: In the stand, Ed Woodward frowns, a dark cartoon scribble forming above his head. Not happy.

12.51pm GMT

Solskjaer isn’t smiling now. Pickford hits long. Calvert-Lewin flicks on, beating Lindelof in the air with ease. Bernard picks up possession, cuts inside past Wan-Bissaka, and threads a shot into the bottom left. Too easy. Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka and De Gea should all have done better.

12.49pm GMT

18 min: Lindelof plays a suicidal backpass that nearly lets Doucoure in. De Gea is off his line quicksmart to blooter clear. Lindelof makes a theatrical show of apologising to his keeper once the danger has passed. De Gea doesn’t seem too pleased.

12.48pm GMT

17 min: Buoyed by that chance, United come again, Fernandes seeing another shot blocked. The rebound falls to Rashford, who slices over the bar.

12.47pm GMT

16 min: United should be leading. Rashford’s corner from the left is half-cleared by Holgate. Fred returns it down the inside-left channel ... and Martial is free! He fires a low shot across Pickford and inches wide of the right-hand post. Everyone was expecting the net to billow.

12.46pm GMT

15 min: Fernandes shoots from distance. The ball twangs off Sigurdsson’s back, and this will be United’s first corner of the match.

12.45pm GMT

14 min: United move it around the middle of the park, but at glacial pace. Everton are once more quite content to sit back and wait.

12.44pm GMT

12 min: After a reasonable start, United are struggling to retain possession. Solskjaer nevertheless seems to be enjoying himself on the touchline. A broad smile as he laughs and jokes with his staff. Perhaps he’s just spotted that toolkit with his aeroplane.

12.41pm GMT

10 min: Everton are starting to stroke it around nicely. Rodriguez splits the United back line in half with a cute backheel down the right. Coleman dinks it into the middle but there’s nobody there. That was a very pretty move, shame about its end.

12.39pm GMT

9 min: Sigurdsson’s delivery is dismal, failing to beat the first man. Penny for Calvert-Lewin’s thoughts.

12.39pm GMT

8 min: Digne drops a shoulder down the left and wins the first corner of the match off Wan-Bissaka.

12.38pm GMT

6 min: Rodriguez sends Bernard scampering down the left. Bernard cuts inside and curls towards Calvert-Lewin, who flicks a header towards the top right. It’s just over the bar. De Gea was momentarily worried that the ball was looping into the corner, but he breathes again.

12.36pm GMT

5 min: Shaw crosses from the left. The ball pings off Rashford’s back and out for a throw. Everton seem perfectly happy to sit back and let United come onto them, having spotted how things have been panning out at Old Trafford this season.

12.35pm GMT

4 min: And now some careful probing by United, though they don’t really get anywhere. Everyone easing themselves into this match.

12.32pm GMT

2 min: Both sides take a turn to ping the ball around in fast and confident fashion. Early statements of intent.

12.31pm GMT

And we’re off! United get the ball rolling ... but only after the players take a knee of solidarity, love and equality. Black lives matter. There’s no room for racism.

12.30pm GMT

The teams are out! Everton in blue, Manchester United in red, Ed Woodward in the stand with that usual glazed look. A moment to remember the fallen. The Last Post. The referee pierces the silence with his whistle. We’ll be off in a minute, and the excitement is palpable, as amply illustrated by Neil Carter: “It’s Saturday and my beloved Manchester United are playing. Hello darkness my old friend. Sigh.”

12.26pm GMT

As one of Liverpool’s most famous sons once sang ... ♫ ♬ ♩ ♪ Above us only sky ♫ ♬ ♩ ♪ Imagine a world in which that really was the case. Because just look at the swivel-eyed tin-foil-hattery floating through the air over Goodison Park earlier this afternoon! Imagine using your own money to pay for this.

12.16pm GMT

Carlo Ancelotti’s turn. “It was a good week because we recovered a lot of players from injury. I think we have a better team today. It is a difficult game but also a great opportunity to come back to win as we did during the first period of the season. We have to defend better against United, they are a strong team with a lot of quality up front.”

12.07pm GMT

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer talks to BT Sport. “Every day when you’re at Manchester United you need to deliver, because you’re in the best position, you’ve got the best possible shirt over your head, and you must go out and enjoy it. That’s how I felt when I played, that’s how I feel now when I lead them out, so I just want them to express their talents. I want a confident team working together. Our diamond worked quite well against Leipzig, didn’t it, so you don’t have to delve too far back to find good results. Every game lives its own life, and the first goal is massive, so hopefully today we can start bright. That first goal against Istanbul is ... [laughs sheepishly] ... I don’t know what to say about that one because it’s one of the worst goals I’ve conceded as a manager, and when you make personal mistakes, it just costs you.”

11.57am GMT

Carlo Ancelotti has a lovely word or two for Marcus Rashford in his programme notes. Rashford was welcomed with a message on the big screen from the Everton Fans’ Forum which read: “Thank you for sticking up for our kids who needed a voice, here on Merseyside and across the country.” That’s been echoed by the manager, who writes ...

I heard our supporters are saying thank you to Marcus Rashford for his incredible effort to ensure no child in this country is hungry. I say congratulations too. In football we have a privileged position where people hear our voices. Marcus is using his platform to make a meaningful and lasting change and doing his work with maturity and dignity.

11.37am GMT

Carlo Ancelotti has made six changes to the Everton side beaten at Newcastle. Jordan Pickford, Seamus Coleman, Lucas Digne, Mason Holgate, Bernard and James Rodriguez replace Robin Olsen, Niels Nkounkou, Yerry Mina, Jonjoe Kenny, Fabian Delph and Andre Gomes.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer make just one change from the Manchester United side that lost to Arsenal last Sunday. Paul Pogba drops to the bench, Juan Mata taking his place.

11.32am GMT

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Digne, Doucoure, Allan, Sigurdsson, Rodriguez, Calvert-Lewin, Bernard.
Subs: Mina, Tosun, Iwobi, Andre Gomes, Godfrey, Davies, Olsen.

Manchester United: de Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Mata, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial.
Subs: Pogba, Cavani, James, Henderson, Matic, van de Beek, Tuanzebe.

3.36pm GMT

Everton’s fast start to the season seems a distant memory already. They won their first seven games in all competitions, and in some style too, but since then it’s been slim pickings: just one point from the last nine available. They could do with some good news as they look to snap that run, and here’s some: James Rodriguez should be back from injury.

Here’s some more: they face Manchester United this lunchtime. United aren’t in a good place right now. They were eased aside by Arsenal last weekend, conceded one of the daftest goals in the entire history of association football in Istanbul on Wednesday, and are stuck at the wrong end of the Premier League table. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under serious pressure; another bad performance today would plunge him into all sorts of bother.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 07, 2020 06:55

November 5, 2020

Europa League: Celtic sunk as Arsenal, Spurs & Leicester win – as it happened

Neil Lennon was left furious as Celtic lost 4-1 at home to Sparta Prague, Rangers were denied a famous win in Lisbon and all three English sides won

Arsenal 4-1 Molde | Leicester 4-0 Braga | Ludogorets 1-3 Spurs Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague | Benfica 3-3 Rangers

10.30pm GMT

That’s all from me - I’ll leave you with the news that Villarreal have gone 2-0 up, taking tonight’s total goal tally to 91. You’ve got to love the Europa. Here are all our reports from tonight. Adios.

10.25pm GMT

Here’s an altogether more languid Mikel Arteta: “It was really important for us to win tonight. We got a goal behind, we had to be patient but generated a lot of chances. Today, our combinations in the final third were really good.

“Our young players want to make a difference, they play with personality. Joe Willock scored and he made a lot of chances. If he keeps doing that consistently, he will get his chance.”

10.22pm GMT

Here’s Neil Lennon, who is in the grip of a quiet, cold-eyed rage.

“We started OK but then got really ragged with the ball, we conceded from a set piece again. We were so lackadaisical, I don’t know where that performance came from. I can only apologise to the supporters. We get back into the game at 2-1, but conceded a really poor goal.

10.11pm GMT

And here’s Jacob Steinberg on a mixed night for Arsenal:

10.10pm GMT

Here’s Paul Doyle’s match report from the King Power:

10.07pm GMT

Here’s Joe Willock, Arsenal’s standout player tonight: “The first half they played really well, we had to stick to the game plan and not get frustrated. I wasn’t making a mistake [with the goal], I had missed a couple of chances earlier! I’m a young kid trying to play, and make the most of every chance. I trust the manager. When I get the chance in the Premier League, I want to do my talking on the pitch.”

10.03pm GMT

Here’s Callum McGregor with a refreshingly honest appraisal of Celtic’s performance: “We cannot perform like that at this level. We were so disjointed, it was unbelievable. Everyone was trying to score, we were leaving two on two at the back. We started really poorly, and had to chase the game. You can’t lose 4-1 at home. It’s embarrassing.”

9.58pm GMT

Milan 0-3 Lille
Royal Antwerp 0-1 Lask
Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Wolfsberger
Feyenoord 3-1 CSKA Moscow
Crvena Zvezda 2-1 Gent
Zorya Luhansk 1-4 AEK Athens
Hoffenheim 5-0 Liberec
Villarreal 1-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv*
Young Boys 3-0 CSKA Sofia

*HT score; game delayed by bad weather

9.52pm GMT

Two for Kelechi Iheanacho as Leicester take charge of the group with another very impressive attacking display.

9.51pm GMT

The visitors took the lead and posed plenty of problems, but Arsenal turned it around in style and are set fair to top their group.

9.50pm GMT

Sparta Prague were very good value and took their chances clinically, but this was an another grim, grim night for Celtic in Europe.

9.48pm GMT

Look away now, Celtic fans. Sparta play it around a static home defence, before Dockal’s deep cross is headed in by Krejci at the far post.

9.47pm GMT

Joe Willock has worked really hard up front and deserves this goal. Elneny passes to Pepe, whose through ball allows Willock to fire into the roof of the net. Linde gets a hand to it, but can’t keep it out.

9.44pm GMT

Leke James, a forward signed from the Chinese second tier, has come on for Molde. His shot from 20 yards deflects off David Luiz and into the side netting with Leno wrong-footed.

9.42pm GMT

Saka makes a risible mess of a chance from two yards out, and is relieved to see the offside flag go up. At Celtic Park, the hosts have rather given up the chase.

9.39pm GMT

James Maddison gets on the scoresheet for Leicester, who are romping home in what looked a tough fixture on paper.

9.37pm GMT

Shane Duffy (I think) was all over the place there, getting turned inside out by David Karlsson, who crossed for Julis to tap in. At the Emirates, Kieran Tierney and Mohamed Elneny are on in place od Ceballos and Xhaka.

9.34pm GMT

Lille’s lead in Milan means Celtic really need something from tonight’s game ... but they’re not going to get it! Lukas Julis takes advantage of some Sunday league defending to complete his hat-trick on the break.

9.32pm GMT

Lille lead 3-0! It’s that man Yuzici again, completing his hat-trick. He’s now got six goals in three group games. Feyenoord have scored three in just nine minutes against CSKA Moscow, and Villarreal lead 1-0 in soggy Spain.

9.30pm GMT

More hot super-sub action as newcomer Bukayo Saka dances down the left and pulls back for Nicolas Pepe, moved back to the right but drifting centrally, who drills the ball home. Arsenal have got the job done!

9.28pm GMT

An excellent night’s work for Leicester and Kelechi Iheanacho in particular. Here, he bursts into the box down the left and picks out substitute Dennis Praet, who sweeps home from five yards.

9.25pm GMT

Moments after Michal Sacek struck the post from long range for Sparta, Griffiths strikes on the rebound after Tom Rogic’s shot is blocked. Celtic back in it!

9.24pm GMT

An instant impact from substitute Leigh Griffiths!

9.22pm GMT

It’s another own goal, with half-time substitute Sheriff Sinyan the unfortunate party this time. It’s made by Joe Willock again, too - his cross from the right throwing the defender into a panic, his attempted clearance flying into the far corner!

9.18pm GMT

At Celtic Park, Shane Duffy makes a crucial tackle to stop Sparta Prague adding a third, before Jeremie Frimpong fires just wide for the hosts. Neil Lennon brings on Leigh Griffiths and Hatem Elhamed, replacing Brown and Elyounoussi.

9.15pm GMT

Iheanacho draws a decent save from Matheus, with the impressive Cengiz Under sending the rebound over the bar. Lille lead 2-0 at San Siro, Yazici on target again. They are going top of Group H as it stands.

9.13pm GMT

Big chance for Arsenal! Linde flaps at a cross and the ball lands at Kolasinac’s feet, five yards out - but he skews his shot over the bar. Yikes. That was a sitter.

9.11pm GMT

Maddison is furious with Iheanacho after the forward tries a weak shot rather than play him in. Leicester almost pay the price immediately, Ruiz getting in behind but toe-poking his shot just wide.

9.08pm GMT

It’s a second of the night for Kelechi Iheanacho! He collects a pass from Cengiz Under and tries to catch Matheus out at his near post. Instead, his shot takes a big deflection and loops inside the far post. Not that he’ll mind!

9.06pm GMT

We are back under way around the grounds.

9.02pm GMT

Here’s our report from Benfica v Rangers:

8.57pm GMT

Here’s the rest of the half-time scores. Villarreal v Maccabi Tel Aviv was delayed by an hour due to torrential rain.

Milan 0-1 Lille
Royal Antwerp 0-0 Lask
Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 Wolfsberger
Feyenoord 0-0 CSKA Moscow
Crvena Zvezda 1-1 Gent
Zorya Luhansk 0-2 AEK Athens
Hoffenheim 2-0 Liberec
Young Boys 3-0 CSKA Sofia

8.53pm GMT

Arsenal have forced their way back into the game after Martin Ellingsen’s shock opener for the away side.

8.52pm GMT

An awful night at the office for Celtic so far.

8.51pm GMT

James Maddison so nearly doubles Leicester’s lead, but his low shot is palmed away by Matheus. Still, the Fozes go in ahead.

8.50pm GMT

Celtic’s European hopes may be fading away tonight. Lukas Julis gets his second just before half time, latching on to Adam Karabec’s through ball and finishing in style.

8.48pm GMT

Now Arsenal do equalise! Willock is at the heart of things again, scurrying through the defence to meet Eddie Nketiah’s cross. He’s denied by Linde but the ball skids off Haugen’s knee, and rolls into the net!

8.47pm GMT

No goal! Pepe puts down the ukelele and fires in a low cross towards Willock, who is offside - but Eddie Nketiah isn’t, and he gets in first to score. The flag stays up though, with Willock interfering with play. Had he hung back, that would have counted.

8.45pm GMT

Marc Albrighton gets booked for an unsightly lunge on Galeno. Over at the Emirates, the ball’s in the net ...

8.42pm GMT

Celtic hit the bar! It’s Elyounoussi again, his effort clipping the top of the bar from Christie’s cross. Back in north London, Molde pose a question of their own, with Mustafi called upon to intercept Haugen’s low cross.

8.39pm GMT

Arsenal are starting to cause a few problems, with Willian and Pepe switching wings. The former finds space for a cross, but lifts it over everyone waiting in the middle.

8.37pm GMT

In Leicester’s group, AEK Athens have taken a 2-0 lead at Zorya Luhansk. In Celtic’s group, Yusuf Yazici’s penalty has Lille a goal up against Milan at San Siro.

8.35pm GMT

“At this point, presumably Arteta would rather like the more senior members to step up a little bit; that means for example Pepe actually doing something positive rather than playing the ukulele out on the right hand side,” says Charles Antaki.

In the space where Pepe should be, Joe Willock makes inroads instead, beating Hussain, who is lucky not to bring him down. He wins a corner, which comes to nothing.

8.33pm GMT

At the King Power, a Braga cross causes a spot of bother, with Hamza Choudhury slipping and almost putting his back-pass beyond Schmeichel. At the other end, Maddison fires just over from 25 yards out.

8.31pm GMT

“David Luiz is taking Social Distancing to extremes,” notes Peter Littley. Indeed - as sweet a hit as it was, Ellingsen was given far too long to pick his spot.

8.29pm GMT

Oh, Celtic. Neil Lennon’s side had started brightly but fall behind from a corner. David Hancko’s header hits the post but Lukas Julis is first to the rebound!

8.27pm GMT

Villarreal v Maccabi Tel Aviv is on! As my colleague Philip Cornwall points out, it looks like perfect conditions for the Yellow Submarine...

8.24pm GMT

It’s Martin Ellingsen who strikes at the Emirates after Bernd Leno’s hoof downfield is played back into his path. He steps forward and fires into the far corner from 20 yards out! Pick that one out...

8.23pm GMT

Well, well. Molde take the lead in brilliant style!

8.22pm GMT

A very well-taken, if slightly strange opener for Leicester! Iheanacho plays a one-two with Maddison, who is still moving gingerly and advances on Matheus from a narrow angle. His first cross/shot is saved but spilled, and he tucks in the rebound.

8.19pm GMT

Worrying scenes for Leicester fans as James Maddison goes down under a challenge from Elmusrati. He requires a spell of treatment, but is able to continue. Meanwhile, Arsenal v Molde is held up while the assistant ref adjusts his earpiece. Modern football, eh?

8.16pm GMT

Celtic are up against Sparta Prague, the Czech league leaders. Both teams are winless after two Europa League games. Sparta have a free kick after Scott Brown’s handball but Celtic break, Elyounoussi eventually prodding wide after a goalmouth melee.

8.14pm GMT

At the Emirates, Pepe shanks a cross behind goal as Arsenal struggle to get going. Braga have started positively, their front three pressing the home defence.

8.12pm GMT

A potential postponement at Villarreal, where torrential rain means the kick-off time for their game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv has been provisionally put back to 10pm local (9pm GMT). A final decision will be made in the next few minutes; it doesn’t look great.

#UEL | Ay, mare ‍♂️... pic.twitter.com/TbPh1uAuj4

8.10pm GMT

Leicester are up against Braga in a game that will likely decide who tops their group. The Portuguese side are managed by none other than Carlos Carvalhal. Early on, a hopeful through ball finds Iheanacho, who gets shoved over near the corner flag by Braga keeper Matheus, a long old way off his line.

8.07pm GMT

Early chance for Arsenal! Pepe plays in Nketiah, who closes in on goal but lifts his shot just beyond the far post.

8.04pm GMT

Here’s Louise Taylor on a landmark night for Harry Kane:

8.01pm GMT

Thanks, Scott. The games are under way at the King Power, the Emirates and Celtic Park.

7.52pm GMT

And with that, I’ll hand over to Niall McVeigh, who will take you by the hand and lead you through the 8pm kick-offs. Big games for Arsenal, Celtic and Leicester City coming up. Thanks for reading.

7.50pm GMT

Here are the results of all the 5.55pm kick-offs:

A: Roma 5-0 Cluj
B: Rapid Vienna 4-2 Dundalk
C: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-4 Bayer Leverkusen; Slavia Prague 3-2 Nice
D: Benfica 3-3 Rangers, Lech Poznan 3-1 Standard Liege
E: Omonia Nicosia 0-2 Granada; PAOK Salonika 4-1 PSV Eindhoven
F: HNK Rikjeka 1-2 Napoli; Real Sociedad 1-0 AZ Alkmaar
I: Sivasspor 2-0 Qarabag
J: Ludogorets 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur

7.48pm GMT

Thing is, Rangers would have been perfectly happy with a point at the start of the evening. But that should have been three points for Steven Gerrard’s side. Benfica look relieved; Rangers, to a man, appear a little stunned. That’s a sickener ... though when it all comes down, they should take pride in their overall performance. And hey, it’s a lesson learned.

7.46pm GMT

Benfica have salvaged their unbeaten Europa League home record! Nunez scampers clear down the middle and slots powerfully into the bottom right. McGregor never had a chance. Rangers should have been out of sight ... but now look!

7.44pm GMT

Spurs get their Europa League campaign back on track with a solid if unspectacular win in Bulgaria.

7.42pm GMT

Spurs have been pretty quiet since Lo Celso restored their two-goal lead. Bergwijn mooches down the left and rolls an inviting pass across the face of goal. Vinicius makes no real attempt to connect. A chance of a confidence-boosting goal sails away.

7.38pm GMT

Rangers have regained a little composure and are playing keep-ball right now. Game management from the top drawer. Benfica can’t get a touch right now.

7.34pm GMT

Benfica suddenly look like ten-and-a-half men. Rafa Silva’s goal has also taken a little wind out of the Rangers sail. The lovely free-flowing stuff of earlier is no more. It’s going to be a long ten minutes.

7.32pm GMT

Helander allows Nunez to dribble into the box from the left. Nunez reaches the byline and cuts back for Rafa Silva, who can’t miss from a couple of yards. For all Rangers’ dominance, this is suddenly back on!

7.29pm GMT

Incidentally, Morelos’s goal tonight is his 22nd in European competition for Rangers ... and that’s a new club record. Ally McCoist, now second on the list, will no doubt console himself with the 20 trophies he won at Ibrox. Morelos is still stuck on zero ... though the way Rangers are playing this season, there’s a fair chance he’ll get hold of some silver soon.

7.26pm GMT

A fourth Rangers goal seems just a matter of time. Tavernier and Arfield combine crisply down the inside-right channel, but the latter overruns when put through. Rangers are playing some lovely football, albeit with the old against-ten-men caveat.

7.22pm GMT

Kent tries to curl one into the bottom right from the edge of the box. He’s inches wide. Up the other end, McGregor has had very little to do since picking the ball out of his net after 60 seconds or so.

7.21pm GMT

Spurs and Rangers both look completely comfortable at the minute. The minutes drift by.

7.18pm GMT

Kent should make it four for Rangers. It’s a lovely move, Morelos fizzing a pass inside from the left for Jack, who dinks a defence-splitter down the middle for Kent. He draws the keeper and slips the ball past him, but off the base of the right-hand post. Benfica are all over the shop here.

7.15pm GMT

Spurs throw on Son Heung-min. He’s immediately sent scampering into the box down the inside-left channel by Hojbjerg, He unselfishly rolls into the centre for Lo Celso, who taps home. Seventeen seconds that took Son. He really is an incredible force of nature.

7.13pm GMT

Spurs are no longer playing with their first-half sass. Ludogorets are giving this a good go. By contrast, Rangers are pressing forward looking for the fourth goal that would categorically do for Benfica. They’re playing with the sort of confidence that only comes when you’re on a nine-game winning run.

7.09pm GMT

An immediate warning for Rangers: this isn’t over yet. Rafa Silva sashays down the inside-right channel and into the box. He’s one on one with McGregor, but pulls his shot across the face of goal when it was surely easier to score. Rangers’ two-goal cushion remains.

7.08pm GMT

Tavernier races down the right and crosses low for Morelos, who tries his best to miss from a couple of yards. But he sidefoots high into the net, and Rangers are in control now! This is a fine performance, albeit one inspired by the antics of Nicolas Otamendi.

7.06pm GMT

Spurs nearly hit back immediately, Lo Celso scampering down the left and cutting back for the sub Vinicius ... who leans back and hoicks over from ten yards. What a chance.

7.04pm GMT

Hello! Where did this come from? Tekpetey cuts in from the right and takes a shot. It balloons up off a defender and drops to Keseru, alone and onside. He slams past Hart from six yards. If they ask nicely, can Spurs put Kane back on?

7.01pm GMT

A change for Spurs at half time. Harry Kane gets a chance to kick back ahead of Sunday’s game at West Bromwich Albion. Carlos Vinicius takes his place. According to the good folk at BT Sport, Kane’s 200th goal, scored in his 300th game, is his 100th away from home. That’s a very satisfying set of figures.

6.56pm GMT

Celtic: Bain, Frimpong, Duffy, Bitton, Laxalt, Brown, McGregor, Christie, Rogic, Elyounoussi, Edouard.
Subs: Barkas, Taylor, Griffiths, Ajeti, Klimala, Soro, Turnbull, Ntcham, Elhamed, Henderson, Welsh, Hazard.

Sparta Prague: Nita, Vindheim, Pavelka, Plechaty, Hancko, Sacek, Polidar, Karabec, Moberg Karlsson, Julis.
Subs: Gabriel, Patrak, Kotek, Vitik, Celustka, Ladislav Krejci, Dockal, Lischka, Plavsic, Travnik.

6.48pm GMT

Arsenal: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac, Willian, Ceballos, Xhaka, Pepe, Willock, Nketiah.
Subs: Bellerin, Tierney, Gabriel, Saka, Lacazette, Runarsson, Aubameyang, Holding, Cedric, Thomas, Elneny, Macey.

Molde: Linde, Wingo, Bjornbak, Gregersen, Haugen, Aursnes, Eikrem, Hussain, Ellingsen, Omoijuanfo, Bolly.
Subs: Risa, Sinyan, Mostrom, James, Craninx, Knudtzon, Christensen, Brynhildsen, Ranmark, Pedersen.

6.45pm GMT

All the half-time scores from the 5.55pm kick-offs:

A: Roma 3-0 Cluj
B: Rapid Vienna 1-1 Dundalk
C: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen; Slavia Prague 2-1 Nice
D: Benfica 1-2 Rangers, Lech Poznan 2-1 Standard Liege
E: Omonia Nicosia 0-1 Granada; PAOK Salonika 0-1 PSV Eindhoven
F: HNK Rikjeka 1-1 Napoli; Real Sociedad 0-0 AZ Alkmaar
I: Sivasspor 1-0 Qarabag
J: Ludogorets 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur

6.43pm GMT

Two own goals. One red card. Rangers are 45 minutes away from making it three out of three in Group D.

6.41pm GMT

Spurs have been completely dominant in Bulgaria. Harry Kane and Lucas Moura with a goal and an assist apiece.

6.38pm GMT

All falls quiet in Lisbon and Razgrad. Both British teams will be perfectly happy to see this through to half-time.

6.34pm GMT

Spurs go so close to a third. Doherty crosses deep from the right. Bale heads back across for Kane, who tries to guide a header into the top left. Too close to the keeper. Kane comes again and has a bash from a tight angle on the right. The keeper stops that one too. Spurs are enjoying themselves here.

6.30pm GMT

The rain is belting down in Lisbon. Benfica are soaked and looking very sorry for themselves. Rangers by contrast couldn’t be happier if the sun was shining bright. Kent crosses from the left and Aribo should really do better than shouldering the ball wide right from eight yards. A firm header and it would surely have been three.

6.29pm GMT

Kane turns provider, as is his wont so often these days. He’s pinged clear down the right. He rolls the ball across the face of the six-yard box for Lucas Moura, who can’t miss. No more than Spurs deserve.

6.28pm GMT

All credit to Rangers, though. They refused to capitulate after that nightmare start, and now look dangerous pretty much every time they go forward. Steven Gerrard will be pleased with his team’s display of moxie.

6.25pm GMT

Nicolas Otamendi, though. A penny for the thoughts of Manchester City supporters worldwide. It’s safe to say his Benfica career hasn’t started particularly well. He was at fault for a couple of goals on his debut for the club, and look what he’s done now. Benfica’s long unbeaten Europa League home record is in serious peril now.

6.23pm GMT

Morelos switches play right to left. Kamara drops a shoulder to move infield and flashes cleverly into the bottom left. Vlachodimos in the Benfica goal had no chance!

6.21pm GMT

Almost immediately, Rangers are level! Tavernier is sent scampering down the right. He fires low and hard into the mixer. Goncalves takes a wild swipe at the ball and shanks high into the net. It’s one own goal apiece!

6.19pm GMT

The former Manchester City defender is sent packing, having clipped the ankles of Ryan Kent as the Rangers man skedaddled clear towards goal. He can have no complaint, though makes one anyway. The referee’s not changing his mind, and off he goes. The resulting free kick is no good, but it’s advantage Rangers now.

6.16pm GMT

Lucas Moura, who has an assist to his name having taken the corner that led to Kane’s opener, nearly notches in the goal column as well. He whip-cracks a surprise daisycutter towards the bottom left. He’s caught the keeper off guard, but the ball whistles inches wide of the post. A fine effort ... Tottenham’s eighth of the match already.

6.14pm GMT

That was Kane’s 200th goal in a Tottenham shirt, incidentally. He’s reached the milestone in just 300 appearances. No wonder he’s an official Guardian one to watch!

6.12pm GMT

Rangers haven’t done much in attack so far. Alfredo Morelos races down the right and rolls across to Ryan Kent, who miscontrols on the edge of the Benfica D. But that’s about it. Up the other end, Pizzi cut in from the left and shot across the face of goal. Inches wide with Allan McGregor beaten.

6.09pm GMT

Kane could have had two already. It’s third time lucky as he plants a close-range header home from a left-wing corner. Spurs have been very impressive in these opening exchanges, and there’s their reward.

6.08pm GMT

A big goal in Arsenal’s group. Patrick Hoban has opened the scoring for Dundalk at Rapid Vienna in the seventh minute. Meanwhile in Bulgaria ...

6.05pm GMT

It’s all Spurs at the minute. A free kick out on the right. Gareth Bale fancies it and stands over the ball with great purpose. He curls over the wall and back down towards the bottom right. The keeper does extremely well to tip around for a corner, with the ball moving all over the shop and dipping. Nothing comes of the corner, but in a parallel universe, Spurs are already 3-0 up. Mourinho will be happy enough with the way his players are responding to that aforementioned pre-match pep-talk.

6.02pm GMT

Back in Bulgaria, Kane hits the post! He creams a stunning no-backlift effort off the base of the right-hand post from 20 yards. Plamen Iliev in the Ludogorets goal was beaten all ends up, but the ball clanks away from danger.

6.00pm GMT

A dismal start for Rangers as Filip Helander freezes near a loose ball, allowing Rafa Silva to zip into the box on the right. He reaches the byline and cuts back, the ball clanking off Connor Goldson, who can’t sort his feet out, and in. A couple of huge errors in the Rangers defence.

5.57pm GMT

Here we go then. Ludogorets, the champions of Bulgaria, get the match underway in Bulgaria. And inside the first 90 seconds, Harry Kane blazes over the bar when clear in the box, found by a gloriously impudent Harry Winks chip. Spurs should be leading.

5.46pm GMT

Steven Gerrard’s pre-match patter. “It’s a massive test for us, a big challenge. They’ve got a very technical side. Having said that, we know what we need to do to get a result. We need to defend really well, be strong and organised, and execute ourselves when our chances come. We have full respect for Benfica, but at the same time I want my players to back themselves, I want to see personality. One or two teams have asked questions of Benfica in the games I have watched, and I want mine to do the same.”

5.38pm GMT

Jose Mourinho tells BT Sport that he’s only just spoken to his players about last week’s defeat. “Since that match I didn’t speak about it. Only today. I tried to do it in a strong way, for their attitude to be different, and to understand that playing Spurs is a great motivation for these clubs, and if we don’t match that commitment we are going to be in trouble again.”

5.29pm GMT

Spurs could do with a result in Razgrad after last week’s dismal defeat at Royal Antwerp. They’ll be buoyed by Ludogorets’ record against English teams: played four, lost three, drawn one. They met Arsenal in the group stages of the Champions League in 2016, going two up at home in 15 minutes before eventually losing 3-2; Arsenal stuffed them 6-0 in London. The Bulgarians did rather better against Liverpool in 2014, losing at Anfield to a last-minute penalty, and holding Brendan Rodgers’ side at home. They’re currently top of the Bulgarian league with a game in hand, but they’re bottom of Group J having lost their first two matches.

5.21pm GMT

It’s a big ask for Rangers this evening at the Estádio da Luz. Benfica have a 100 percent success rate at home against visitors from Scotland, having beaten Celtic four times (1969, 2006, 2007, 2012) and Heart of Midlothian once (1960). And they’ve never been beaten at home in the Europa League, a run that stretches to 24 matches, including 20 victories.

On the other hand, the Light Blues have some notable recent history against Portuguese opposition: they beat both Porto and Braga in last year’s competition. Also, Benfica are coming off the back of a 3-0 battering at Boavista, so hopes of maintaining their 100 percent record in Group D are far from pie in the sky.

5.08pm GMT

Benfica: Vlachodimos, Goncalves, Otamendi, Vertonghen, Tavares, Weigl, Rafa Silva, Pizzi, Taarabt, Everton, Seferovic.
Subs: Svilar, Gilberto, Grimaldo, Pires, Nunez, Waldschmidt, Cervi, Chiquinho, Jardel, Helton Leite, Goncalo Ramos, Ferro.

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Davis, Jack, Aribo, Kamara, Morelos, Kent.
Subs: Ughelumba, Hagi, Itten, Patterson, Barker, Stewart, Roofe, Balogun, McLaughlin, Barjonas, Arfield, Dickson.

5.03pm GMT

Ludogorets: Iliev, Ikoko, Terziev, Verdon, Nedyalkov, Badji, Abel, Manu, Cauly, Yankov, Keseru.
Subs: Cicinho, Santana, Tchibota, Stoyanov, Moti, Josue Sa, Tekpetey, Mitkov, Yordanov.

Tottenham Hotspur: Hart, Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Bale, Lo Celso, Lucas Moura, Kane.
Subs: Lloris, Hojbjerg, Sanchez, Son, Alli, Bergwijn, Ndombele, Austin, Vinicius, Clarke, White, Cirkin.

3.00pm GMT

Welcome to our rolling coverage of tonight’s Europa League action. Here are the 5.55pm GMT kick-offs:

A: Roma v Cluj
B: Rapid Vienna v Dundalk
C: Hapoel Be’er Sheva v Bayer Leverkusen; Slavia Prague v Nice
D: Benfica v Rangers, Lech Poznan v Standard Liege
E: Omonia Nicosia v Granada; PAOK Salonika v PSV Eindhoven
F: HNK Rikjeka v Napoli; Real Sociedad v AZ Alkmaar
I: Sivasspor v Qarabag
J: Ludogorets v Tottenham Hotspur

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 05, 2020 14:36

The Fiver | Sorry to talk about Manchester United. But just look! What can you do?

The Fiver is acutely aware that we’ve been yammering on a bit too much recently about Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Frank O’Farrell and Herbert Bamlett’s 12 defeats in a row in 1930 and all that. Sorry. But just look! What can you do? Ten players in the attacking third, your £80m central defender at the far post waiting for a ball from a £50m right-back who can’t cross, your left-back on the right-hand corner of Istanbul Basaksehir’s six-yard box, and your last man, who at the best of times moves around the pitch with the speed, power and athletic grace of Withnail, loitering 20 yards inside the opponents’ half. Just look!

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 05, 2020 07:56

November 3, 2020

Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool: Champions League – as it happened

Diogo Jota’s fast start to his Liverpool career continued apace, as his hat-trick blew Atalanta away

10.26pm GMT

So that, my old MBM pals, is your lot for this evening. Andy Hunter’s verdict is in, so you’ll be heading off over there. Enjoy ... and thanks for reading this report. Nighty night!

10.24pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp’s verdict. “It was the performance we needed. The opponent is really strong and can cause you massive problems, and my boys played an incredible game. Front line, defending and attacking, outstanding. Midfield organisation, desire, readiness, top level. We win the game 5-0, could score more goals, yet your goalie has to make three world-class saves! So everybody was involved. It was a really good game. I don’t think any system could have defended tonight against Sadio, Mo and Diogo.”

10.17pm GMT

“Always on the bench I was thinking about what I could do to unlock the result.” That’s what Jota said after scoring the winner against West Ham last Saturday. His repeated use of the word “unlock” may be quite revealing. Liverpool have a very wily player on their hands here. Sorry: another very wily player.

10.12pm GMT

Diogo Jota speaks. “I am playing in the best team in my career, so I don’t know if it was my best moment. But scoring goals is my way of playing football, so I am really happy with it, and with the result. A great win away. A good moment, a good night. My favourite goal was the first one, because it unlocks the game. It is important to get the first one. After that we could manage the game our way.”

9.55pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp is delighted as he comes on to congratulate his players. They were sensational in attack, with one caveat: Atalanta were little short of appalling in defence, and allowed Liverpool far too much time and space in midfield. But a mention for Liverpool’s makeshift defence as well: they restricted one of Europe’s most goal-happy teams to Duvan Zapata’s unfortunate blooter off the post. Just as Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane excelled up front, so did Joe Gomez and young Rhys Williams at the back. The 19-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones was very tidy too. A good day at the office all round for Liverpool, who have a 100 percent record at the top of Group D with nine points; Ajax, who won 2-1 at Midtjylland, leapfrog Atalanta into second, both teams with four points.

9.49pm GMT

A rout. It’s Liverpool’s biggest away victory since winning at Porto two years ago. Hat-trick hero Diogo Jota will get the headlines, rightly so, but everyone in Liverpool red played extremely well tonight. A fine team performance, and a statement to the rest of the Champions League.

9.48pm GMT

90 min +2: A corner for Atalanta. Liverpool clear. The ball’s returned. Zapata spins and turns the ball into the bottom right from six yards. But the flag goes up, correctly, for offside. Liverpool’s back line had pushed out efficiently.

9.45pm GMT

90 min: There will be two added minutes.

9.44pm GMT

89 min: A corner for Atalanta down the left. Malinovskyi takes. Ruggeri guides a weak header towards the bottom left. Alisson gathers.

9.43pm GMT

88 min: Neco Williams and Tsimikas take turns to flash dangerous balls in from the flanks. Salah would have surely had a goal had he not slipped over.

9.42pm GMT

87 min: Atalanta attack. Jones intercepts and strides clear. The young midfielder has been excellent tonight.

9.41pm GMT

85 min: That really should have been six. It’s hard to criticise, though.

9.39pm GMT

84 min: ... Salah nearly scores on the break again! But Sportiello sticks out a strong arm this time. From the resulting corner, Mane heads straight at the keeper.

9.39pm GMT

83 min: Zapata has another fierce batter from just inside the box. Alisson parries well again, then Rhys Williams heads clear for a corner. From which ...

9.38pm GMT

82 min: Liverpool use up the last of their substitute allocation, replacing Alexander-Arnold and Wijnaldum with Neco Williams and Tsimikas.

9.37pm GMT

81 min: Atalanta make a triple change. Alejandro Gomez, Mojica and Hateboer make way for Lammers, Depaoli and Ruggeri.

9.34pm GMT

79 min: Milner has a whack from the left-hand edge of the Atalanta D. It’s deflected over the bar, and nothing comes of the corner.

9.34pm GMT

78 min: Alexander-Arnold takes his own sweet time over a throw. A sense that everyone would be happy to call it a day, for various reasons.

9.33pm GMT

76 min: Djimsiti makes good down the left and crosses dangerously. Joe Gomez slashes clear. Liverpool will be extremely happy with their defensive performance this evening.

9.30pm GMT

75 min: Malinovskyi has come on for Pasalic, incidentally.

9.29pm GMT

74 min: Not sure Klopp agrees with that assessment, because he’s booked for taking a discussion too far with the assistant ref.

9.29pm GMT

73 min: Jones nearly breaks clear into the Atalanta box from the right, chasing a Salah flick, but is eased off the ball with great feeling by Mojica. He claims a penalty but, quite correctly, isn’t getting one. A fair shoulder charge.

9.28pm GMT

72 min: Firmino has a shot blocked from the edge of the D. His was a good run; nothing’s coming off for the Brazilian at the moment.

9.25pm GMT

70 min: Salah whips in from the left for Firmino. Toloi should intercept and clear, and Firmino isn’t expecting the ball to get through ... but it does, after the defender fresh-air swipes. The ball breaks to Sportiello before Firmino can belatedly react.

9.23pm GMT

68 min: Zapata drives with purpose down the inside-right channel. It’s a powerful, swerving run, and he springs clear of Milner and shoots low. Alisson sticks out a strong arm to deny him. Gomez has another go, but this is an easier claim for the Liverpool keeper.

9.22pm GMT

66 min: Jota limped off the pitch a little gingerly. Liverpool will be worried about their new star ahead of the Manchester City game on Sunday.

9.21pm GMT

65 min: Liverpool make three changes. Robertson, Jota and Henderson make way for Keita, Firmino and Milner.

9.20pm GMT

63 min: It really isn’t Atalanta’s night. Zapata drops a shoulder to make space just inside the Liverpool box, just to the left, sending Gomez away to the wrong fire. He unleashes a thunderous rising shot across Alisson and towards the top right. It’s surely going to plant itself into the corner ... but hits the junction of post and bar, travels across the face of goal at the speed of light, and away! So unlucky. That would have been the goal of the evening.

9.17pm GMT

61 min: Wijnaldum and Mojica collide in the middle. A flailing arm hits the Atalanta wing-back in the face. It’s deemed accidental, fortunately for Liverpool, as Wijnaldum is already on a booking. “Huh?! What is happening?” begins Peter Oh. “Football, bloody hell. As an American, I might be saying the same thing about elections later tonight.”

9.15pm GMT

59 min: Palomino faffs around, last man, and is pleased to hear the whistle when Jota shoulders him off the ball. A wee too much force, and perhaps a little from behind. Jota would have been clear on goal otherwise.

9.13pm GMT

57 min: Salah tries to lob Sportiello from 40 yards. He nearly manages it, too, though if this match was tight he’d have surely slipped Mane into acres down the left instead. Atalanta are giving up a ludicrous amount of space in midfield.

9.12pm GMT

56 min: It’s seven goals for Jota in his first ten appearances ... and he’s not started so many of those.

9.10pm GMT

Mane curls a low pass down the left. Jota is clear of Palomino. Sportiello races from his area. Jota rounds the keeper on the left before rolling into an empty net. That’s his first hat-trick in Liverpool colours, and he’s got it in double-quick time. What a signing the Portuguese is proving to be.

9.09pm GMT

53 min: Zapata is replaced by Pessina. He looks surprised to be hooked. Ah hold on, no. It’s not #91 but #9. The fourth official recalibrates his gadget and Muriel makes way instead.

9.07pm GMT

51 min: Gomez slides a pass down the Atalanta left for Zapata, who threatens to burst into the box. Liverpool’s Gomez reads well and hoicks out for a corner. From the set piece, hit long, Zapata heads towards the bottom right. Alisson makes an awkward claim look easy.

9.05pm GMT

This is too easy. From a throw in the middle of the park, Salah feeds Mane down the inside left. Sportiello comes off his line. Mane enters the box and chips gently over the keeper and into the net.

9.04pm GMT

48 min: So much for Atalanta’s fast start to the second half.

9.03pm GMT

This is astonishing. Gomez’s poor corner is cleared by a combination of Robertson and Jones ... and suddenly Salah is one on one with Hateboer! He tears down the inside-right channel, cuts inside, and curls an unstoppable shot into the top left. Sportiello had no chance. What a counter!

9.01pm GMT

46 min: A bit of space for Muriel down the left. His cross is deflected out for a corner by Jota.

9.01pm GMT

Atalanta get the second half underway. They came back from two down against Ajax, Zapata scoring twice in six second-half minutes, so Liverpool won’t be taking anything for granted. No changes at the break.

8.47pm GMT

Half-time reading. You want news of the 5.55pm kick-offs? We got news of the 5.55pm kick-offs!

8.46pm GMT

Or: Atalanta 0-2 Diogo Jota. He, along with pretty much everyone else in a red shirt, has been excellent. Atalanta have been kept uncharacteristically quiet. A big half-time team-talk coming up for Gian Piero Gasperini.

8.45pm GMT

45 min: Jota tries to release Robertson down the left. He should send the full-back into plenty of space, but overcooks the pass. Goal kick.

8.44pm GMT

44 min: Robertson attempts an outrageous first-time diagonal spray down the right and nearly finds Salah, who was inches away from being clear on goal.

8.43pm GMT

43 min: Mane backs himself in a footrace with Hateboer down the left and wins. He crosses deep for Salah, but the ball floats out harmlessly at the far post. Liverpool carry danger every time they go forward.

8.41pm GMT

41 min: Salah tries to spin his way clear down the right but is ushered away from the ball by a combination of Mojica and Palomino. This is all Liverpool. Atalanta need a spark from somewhere.

8.39pm GMT

39 min: Salah holds the ball up on the edge of the Atalanta box with his back to goal. He very nearly releases Mane with a cute flick down the channel, but the ball doesn’t make it through the small gap he’d spotted. Liverpool are in total control right now.

8.37pm GMT

37 min: Now it’s Jota’s turn to run at Palomino. He wins a corner out on the left. Robertson’s delivery is no good and an easy clear for Gomez.

8.36pm GMT

36 min: Mane wins a loose ball in the centre circle and sashays forward. He drifts inside past Palomino and curls towards the top right. He’s denied by a brilliant full-stretch fingertip save by Sportiello. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.

8.35pm GMT

35 min: Liverpool are brimming over with confidence now. Jones and Salah flick their way down the middle, but the move breaks down as Mane tries one fancy trick too many.

8.34pm GMT

Atalanta clear the corner. Joe Gomez returns it from the halfway line, his long diagonal pass finding Jota, just inside the box on the left. He takes it down and knocks it inside, past Hateboer, and lashes into the bottom left! What a start to his Liverpool career this is!

8.33pm GMT

33 min: Jones and Wijnaldum combine down the right to earn a corner. From which ...

8.31pm GMT

31 min: Liverpool spend another couple of minutes in careful control.

8.29pm GMT

29 min: Zapata romps down the inside-left channel, then drops a shoulder to pass Alexander-Arnold. He shoots. Alexander-Arnold sticks out a leg and deflects the fierce effort off the top of the crossbar. Then the flag goes up, correctly, for offside.

8.28pm GMT

27 min: Gomez enters the Liverpool box down the right, and nearly breaks free of Henderson. But he’s tackled by his own feet and falls over. Henderson makes sure not to get too close and concede a soft penalty. The ball breaks off Zapata and it’s a pressure-releasing goal kick.

8.27pm GMT

26 min: Jota nearly bursts clear down the right but is denied by Toloi’s excellent last-ditch sliding tackle. That had to be timed perfectly. A red card if it wasn’t. Marvellous defence.

8.25pm GMT

24 min: Jota tears down the left and whips a low cross into the mixer. Hateboer does well to skelp clear under pressure from Salah and Mane. Liverpool come again, Robertson flaying a risible effort miles wide right and kilometres high.

8.23pm GMT

23 min: Robertson slips a pass down the left for Jones, who is in miles of space. The flag goes up. At first glance, it looks a simple decision, but replays suggest someone in the middle might have been too deep and playing him on. Atalanta get away with one there.

8.22pm GMT

21 min: Jones must have said something, because he’s gone in the book as well. Ah hold on, there’s a replay of an earlier slide on Alejandro Gomez, so perhaps it’s that. Either way, two-thirds of Liverpool’s midfield are suddenly walking the proverbial tightrope.

8.21pm GMT

20 min: Wijnaldum goes in the book for a cynical tug on Alejandro Gomez.

8.19pm GMT

19 min: More space for Muriel, this time in a pocket 25 yards out. He shoots low and hard. Alisson claims, but only at the second attempt, making a meal of the first one.

8.18pm GMT

18 min: Jota already looks like he’s been playing for Liverpool for years. Roberto Firmino will have a job getting his place back at this rate.

8.17pm GMT

Diogo Jota does it again. It’s simple, but magnificent. Alexander-Arnold slide-rules a pass down the inside-right channel. Jota gets ahead of Palomino, holds off a strong challenge by the defender, draws Sportiello, and flicks elegantly over the keeper and into the bottom left!

8.16pm GMT

15 min: Muriel enters the Liverpool box down the right channel, drops a shoulder, and gives Allison the eyes, using two defenders for cover. Alisson dives early, but adjusts to claim a weak shot. Liverpool go straight up the other end, Jones finding some space in the Atalanta box ... and delivering a Muriel-style dribbler that Sportiello gathers.

8.14pm GMT

14 min: Zapata again lurks with the intention of latching onto a long pass; again Williams intercepts crucially, this time with an extended leg. It’s been a confident start by the young defender.

8.14pm GMT

13 min: Jota and Salah combine well down the inside right, the latter teeing up Mane, who swivels and shoots for the top right in one graceful movement. Sportiello tips over the bar spectacularly, and nothing comes of the resulting corner.

8.13pm GMT

12 min: Liverpool keep hold of the ball for a couple of sterile minutes. But then Hateboer intercepts and feeds Pasalic, who is clumsily brought to ground by Henderson. Just a talking-to from the referee; Liverpool’s captain is fortunate not to go into the book there. Next foul, perhaps.

8.10pm GMT

10 min: Toloi, quarterbacking from deep, creams a lovely pass towards Zapata, threatening to break past Liverpool’s last man. But that last man, Rhys Williams, reads the situation well, stepping forward to head clear and put a stop to Atalanta’s direct plans.

8.08pm GMT

8 min: A glorious backheel by Mane, out on the left, sends Jota scampering down the wing. He’s got Wijnaldum underlapping him, and should release him in on goal, but overcooks the pass, allowing Sportiello to come out of his box and take control.

8.06pm GMT

6 min: Alexander-Arnold rakes a long ball down the right for Salah, who is found in acres of space. He nearly zips past Mojica, who is forced to tap out for a corner. The hosts deal with the set piece easily enough.

8.05pm GMT

4 min: Robertson tries to beat Mojica in a footrace down the left, but he’s eased off the ball by Palomino, who comes across to snuff out any danger. A nice open start to this game, news which should come as no surprise.

8.03pm GMT

2 min: Jota should put Liverpool ahead. Fed by Jones, he runs at Atalanta, right to left. Then he pokes down the channel, easing past Hateboer, and breaks into the box. He attempts to lift a chip over Sportiello, but the keeper does well to smother. Jota wears the expression of a man who knows he’s passed up a fine chance.

8.01pm GMT

1 min: An immediate test for Joe Gomez, who is one on one in a footrace with Muriel. He wins that one ... but nearly comes off second best as the same player runs at him down the right. Robertson comes over to help him out.

8.00pm GMT

Here we go, then! Liverpool get the ball rolling.

7.58pm GMT

The teams are out. Atalanta are in their black and blue; Liverpool wear their famous red (with not so famous teal trim). Once the Champions League anthem remix and then the Champions League anthem have been played, everyone will shake hands, toss coins, make decisions and we’ll be off. Not long now!

7.45pm GMT

A word with Jurgen Klopp. “It’s very intense, it’s a fight all over the pitch. It will be one against one. The cheekiness of Alejandro Gomez, the power of the wing-backs, there are a lot of things to think about. If we are in a good mood we can be really uncomfortable for our opponents. I was not sitting in front of the television for the draw and thinking: now please Bergamo! But I am pretty sure nobody wants us. We can be a pain, and we will try to be that tonight. We have to play good football, be well organised, to adapt but deny it and push through our idea. Clean sheets are nice but it’s not the main target. Rhys Williams has played football since 15, so very experienced!”

7.17pm GMT

Atalanta make two changes from the XI that started last weekend’s 2-1 win at Serie A bottom club Crotone. Duvan Zapata (five goals in the last six matches in all competitions) and defender Jose Luis Palomino replace Cristian Romero and Ruslan Malinovskyi. The 18-year-old Ivory Coast winger Amad Traore, who moves to Manchester United in January, is on the bench.

7.05pm GMT

Liverpool make two changes to the XI named for the 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday evening. Diogo Jota takes the place of the out-of-form Roberto Firmino, while Rhys Williams replaces Nat Phillips at the back. Firmino drops to the bench; Phillips isn’t part of Liverpool’s Champions League squad and therefore ineligible. Joel Matip returns to the bench after a four-match absence, while new left-back Kostas Tsimikas also returns to the squad.

7.05pm GMT

Atalanta: Sportiello, Toloi, Palomino, Djimsiti, Hateboer, Pasalic, Freuler, Gomez, Mojica, Zapata, Muriel.
Subs: Lammers, Romero, Malinovskyi, Depaoli, Rossi, Pessina, Ruggeri, Miranchuk, Ilicic, Diallo Traore, Gollini, Scalvini.

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Rhys Williams, Gomez, Robertson, Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Jota, Mane.
Subs: Milner, Keita, Firmino, Adrian, Minamino, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, Origi, Matip, Kelleher, Cain, Neco Williams.

11.07am GMT

Atalanta have won just one major trophy in 113 years, the 1963 Coppa Italia. And for a golden moment last season, it looked as though they might make it two by going all the way in the biggest tournament of all. Sadly for the Goddess from Bergamo, Paris Saint-Germain’s late double in Lisbon ended their run in the quarters, and the dream was over.

For a year, anyway. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team scored 98 goals in Serie A last season, the highest total in Italy’s top flight for more than six decades. They’re up to their usual nonsense again this time round: in six league games so far, they’ve been involved in two 4-1s, a 4-0, a 4-2 and a 5-2. They’ve spanked Lazio and been spanked by Napoli. Meanwhile in Europe they’ve trounced Midtylland 4-0 away, and come back from two down to draw a four-goal thriller with Ajax.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 03, 2020 14:26

The Fiver | Brendan Rodgers really did a number on Marcelo Bielsa

Poor old Hipster Fiver! Our wispy-bearded try-hard cousin is in a catatonic state right now. He’s had one hell of a shock to the system, you see, his entire worldview unravelling completely and spectacularly on Monday night as Brendan Rodgers took Marcelo Bielsa to school. Brendan Rodgers! Hipster Fiver hasn’t been this distressed since discovering the B-side of his 672g vinyl copy of A Love Supreme is a mispress, with Baby Shark where Part 3: Pursuance should be, and Part 4: Psalm replaced by Agadoo (Version). Hipster Fiver feels like crying. He’s already been pee pee. Eleven times.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 03, 2020 07:56

November 2, 2020

Leeds United 1-4 Leicester City: Premier League – as it happened

Youri Tielemans scored twice as Leicester enjoyed a romp at Elland Road

Read Paul Wilson’s match report

10.24pm GMT

And that, my good friends, is your lot. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

10.23pm GMT

Some Leeds reaction from Stuart Dallas. “We’ve given ourselves an uphill task of getting back into the game. We didn’t start the way we wanted to. It took us 25 to 30 minutes before we found our rhythm and started to play a bit, so it’s always difficult. We knew we were going to have a lot of the ball, and they were going to hit us on the counter, and they’ve done that. They’ve shown quality, and it’s a disappointing night for us, but we got back into it in the second half. We’ll take the positives from this and turn our attention quickly to Saturday. There’s a lot of things we can work on.”

10.15pm GMT

Brendan Rodgers talks to Sky. “I thought they [the Leicester players] were tactically brilliant in the game ... you have to deny Leeds space ... if it becomes a basketball game they cause you problems ... we made it difficult and had the quality to play when they had the opportunities ... I thought we were amazing ... we punished them really well ... I’m really pleased with our flexibility ... it’s still very early but we’ve had brilliant performances ... I’m delighted for the lads.”

10.09pm GMT

Managerial reaction to come soon ... hopefully ... but in the meantime, Paul Wilson’s report has landed. Here it is!

9.58pm GMT

Leeds will of course point to Patrick Bamford’s early header, the fine Pablo Hernandez curler that hit the frame of the goal, and all that second-half pressure. They remain in 12th place, six off the pace. But Leicester could have had a few more tonight, and were worthy winners. They’ve now put four past Leeds at Elland Road and five past Manchester City at the Etihad. They’ve also lost 3-0 at home to West Ham. A strange old season, with a fair few twists and turns yet to come.

9.54pm GMT

Brendan Rodgers has done a number on Marcelo Bielsa, having laid out his plans before the match, his players executing them pretty much perfectly. Leicester go second, one point behind leaders Liverpool.

9.52pm GMT

90 min +3: After some penalty-box pinball, Bamford snatches hysterically at a shot and slices over from six yards. It doesn’t matter; the flag’s gone up for offside.

9.50pm GMT

Tielemans flicks a delightful penalty into the top left, sending Meslier the wrong way.

9.49pm GMT

90 min: The ref trots over to the monitor at VAR’s request. He overturns his non-decision and awards Leicester a penalty. That’s the correct outcome.

9.48pm GMT

88 min: Maddison looks to gather an Albrighton pass from the right. He’s on the edge of the penalty box. Klich comes through the back of him. This looks like a penalty, though the referee’s not interested and play goes on.

9.46pm GMT

87 min: Albrighton bustles down the right and wins a corner. He’s in no rush to take it himself. Maddison strolls over and whips towards the near post, where Justin fails to connect.

9.45pm GMT

85 min: Morgan’s very first act is to bash a clearing header upfield. No nonsense.

9.44pm GMT

84 min: Thomas is booked for a clip on Poveda out on the right. Leeds load the box. But before the free kick can be taken, Wes Morgan comes on for Vardy, with a remit of seeing this one out in the no-nonsense style.

9.43pm GMT

83 min: Under sends Vardy clear down the middle. Vardy draws Meslier ... but chips weakly wide right. Well that was unexpected. A fourth Leicester goal looked a shoo-in there. Leeds aren’t quite out of it yet. But they need something very soon.

9.41pm GMT

82 min: The corner’s no good. But Leicester don’t clear efficiently, and Alioski has a dig from distance. The ball breaks left to Costa, who wins yet another corner. But once again, the corner is a complete non-event.

9.40pm GMT

81 min: Leeds continue to press. Ayling wins a corner down the right. Before it can be taken, Dallas is replaced by Alioski.

9.39pm GMT

80 min: From the corner, Cooper eyebrows an effort towards the top right. Schmeichel gathers the looping ball.

9.38pm GMT

79 min: Vardy’s goal has visibly deflated the hosts. Do they have one last push in them? Bielsa’s sides never give up, and a corner’s forced down the left. Harrison to take.

9.36pm GMT

77 min: That came out of nowhere, and credit to Brendan Rodgers, his two substitutes combining to set up what will surely be the clincher.

9.36pm GMT

Leeds had been pressing hard, but this could be the killer blow. Leicester suddenly spring into action, Maddison turning and spinning away from Ayling before slipping Under into the box on the right. Under draws Meslier and Cooper and chips to the left for Vardy, who rolls into an empty net from 12 yards!

9.34pm GMT

74 min: A huge penalty shout by Leeds, as Ayling breaks into the box down the right and prepares to be clipped by Fuchs. Ayling falls, Fuchs withdraws, and the referee isn’t interested. To be fair to Ayling, it’s his team-mates making the appeal; he doesn’t utter a peep. The correct decision, backed up by VAR.

9.32pm GMT

72 min: Harrison drops deep to quarterback but hoys a ball straight out for a goal kick on the full. Nothing quite coming off for Leeds in the final third at the minute.

9.30pm GMT

70 min: Hernandez is still theatrically shaking his head at his substitution! Not a happy man as he slowly trudges around the perimeter. And there’s more touchline action as Cengiz Under comes on for Harvey Barnes.

9.28pm GMT

68 min: Bamford chases a long pass down the middle. Schmeichel races out of his box. Both players slightly hesitate before they clash. Eventually the keeper clangs a clearance off the striker, the ball pinging away from danger, Bamford aquaplaning on the floor.

9.27pm GMT

67 min: Pablo Hernandez is replaced by Tyler Roberts. He departs in high dudgeon.

9.24pm GMT

65 min: Leeds have lost much of their early second-half momentum. Leicester have done well to quell their fervour.

9.22pm GMT

63 min: Leicester make their first change in the hope of regaining control of this match. James Maddison comes on for Dennis Praet.

9.21pm GMT

62 min: Vardy spins Cooper and romps down the right. For a second it looks as though he’ll either be tearing free on goal or feeding Barnes in the centre. But Harrison sticks to his back like glue and eventually wrestles him off the ball. A hard but fair challenge, though Vardy doesn’t see it that way as he gesticulates theatrically.

9.20pm GMT

61 min: Klich skims a low shot across the greasy surface from 25 yards. Schmeichel does very well to claim without drama.

9.19pm GMT

60 min: Praet brings down Costa out on the left. A chance to load the box. Leeds play the free kick short and waste it. Leicester haven’t been rocking exactly, but they’ve been forced onto the back foot for the first time in the match, and will be happy no pressure was applied there.

9.18pm GMT

58 min: Klich tries to steal the ball off Tielemans, guarding it while sitting down. Studs meet shin, and Tielemans isn’t totally happy about it, though there’s no real force to his complaint. VAR has a quick check and there’s very little in what looks an accident. We play on.

9.15pm GMT

56 min: Leeds have enjoyed 76 percent of possession since the restart. This is a completely different game.

9.15pm GMT

55 min: Koch fires a long pass down the left in the hope of reaching Harrison. It’s too strong, but Albrighton, unsure, eyebrows it out for a corner. From the set piece, Hernandez picks up possession 20 yards out, opens his body, and curls a delicious shot towards the top right. Schmeichel is out of the game, but the ball caroms off the woodwork and away. Inches from a world-class equaliser!

9.12pm GMT

53 min: Hernandez slide-rules a ball down the inside-right channel and nearly releases Harrison in to the box. Not quite. Leeds come again, Poveda dribbling purposefully down the right and trying to spring Hernandez clear. Again, it doesn’t quite work, but Leeds look a yard sharper than they did in the opening 45.

9.11pm GMT

52 min: That goal’s given Leeds fresh impetus, as you’d imagine it would. Leicester’s passes aren’t quite sticking like they were in the first half. The dynamic of this match has changed in short order.

9.09pm GMT

50 min: Dallas bustles down the inside-left channel and looks to have been clipped, but there’s no free kick. Incensed, he flies in on Albrighton who was attempting to break back up the Leicester right. It’s a wild slide, and he can’t complain about the yellow card he’s shown. A busy couple of minutes for Leeds United’s left-back.

9.08pm GMT

The ball’s rolled back up the wing for Dallas, who crosses towards the far post. The ball bounces through a thicket, touching nobody at all, and bounces into the top-right corner of the net! The ball just kept on going. A freak goal, and one that gives this match an all-new look!

9.06pm GMT

47 min: Costa earns a corner down the left off Albrighton. Leeds have clearly been given a talking-to. And ...

9.05pm GMT

Leeds get the second half underway. Bielsa’s made one change, removing young Jamie Shackleton and replacing him with Ian Poveda, who was impressive as a second-half sub a few weeks ago here against Manchester City. They’re immediately on the front foot, Harrison trying to release the new man with a raking left-to-right pass. Not quite. Goal kick.

8.58pm GMT

Half-time advertisement. There’s a new definitive history of Leeds United so breezy and enjoyable it’s almost as though the pages turn themselves: The Biography of Leeds United by Rob Bagchi, formerly of this parish. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll never before have read a youthful Jack Charlton described as looking “like a Postcard Records bass player.” Highly recommended.

8.50pm GMT

Justin crosses from the right. Koch makes a mess of a clearance and is fortunate not to tee up Vardy or Barnes. Leeds clear, Costa drawing a foul from Fuchs on the right. The free kick’s swung into the box but easily cleared, and that’s that. As the players trot off, Schmeichel gives the referee what-for, presumably piqued that Leeds were allowed to take that free kick after the one additional minute was up. He’s really ranting on, and would do well to zip it before the ref loses his patience and books him. Otherwise, it’s been a great half for Leicester, who will finish the night in second spot unless Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa have something up their sleeve.

8.46pm GMT

45 min: How Leeds could do with snatching back a goal before the break. They don’t look like getting it, though, wasting another corner.

8.46pm GMT

44 min: Some neat work by Costa and Ayling down the right. Hernandez is teed up, just to the right of the D. His shot is blocked, but Leeds, who have grown in confidence in the last ten minutes or so, come again and win a corner out right through Costa.

8.43pm GMT

42 min: Koch and Ayling get in each other’s way on the halfway line, allowing Vardy to scamper off down the left. Vardy cuts inside and ambitiously looks to curl into the top right from 25 yards. Nope.

8.42pm GMT

40 min: Harrison loops a cross into the mixer from the right. Thomas, with nobody in white near him, clears out for a corner. He nearly swept that into the bottom right. Inches away from a slapstick own goal; as it is, the resulting corner is an over-elaborated mess.

8.41pm GMT

38 min: Ayling plays a cute reverse pass down the inside right channel to release Bamford into the box. Bamford is one on one, but never quite in control and Schmeichel is able to come out to smother a weak chip. For all Leicester’s dominance, Bamford has had two gilt-edged chances. Leicester could be out of sight; equally the scoreline could be level!

8.39pm GMT

37 min: Barnes and Vardy combine down the right at pace. The ball squirts wide left for Thomas, who looks to curl into the top right. Easy for Meslier.

8.37pm GMT

35 min: Leeds continue to hog possession, but they’re not being allowed to do much with it. The visitors look extremely comfortable.

8.35pm GMT

33 min: Leeds pass and probe, but Leicester hold their shape marvellously. There’s no way through. The super-early Bamford header apart, Schmeichel has had nothing whatsoever to do.

8.33pm GMT

31 min: Vardy goes on a PlayStation run from right to left through the Leeds box, nearly opening the home defence up on a couple of occasions. Ayling sticks to him well and eventually forces the striker to turn tail ... but what a player Vardy is. If Leicester can keep him fit, another title tilt is surely on the cards.

8.32pm GMT

30 min: Leeds have had 64% possession. Leicester could quite feasibly have scored five or six goals. Nine tenths of the law? I don’t think so.

8.31pm GMT

28 min: Albrighton gets to the byline again and whistles a ball across the face of goal. If Thomas connects, he’s slamming home from six yards, Meslier out of position, but fortunately for Leeds the cross flies inches behind him.

8.28pm GMT

26 min: Dallas ships possession to Albrighton down the right. Albrighton skitters along the byline and whips towards Vardy in the middle. Meslier gathers at the near post, but spills the ball off the base of that post. Nearly a farcical own goal. He gathers and takes a deep breath.

8.26pm GMT

23 min: Bielsa, sitting motionless on his bucket, stares at the ground with great intensity. His team are getting ripped to shreds at the back.

8.24pm GMT

Albrighton crosses from the right. Vardy beats Koch at the near post with a diving header. His effort comes off Meslier’s startled face, and twangs back to Tielemans, who can’t miss from six yards. It’s fair to say that second goal had been coming.

8.22pm GMT

20 min: Another Leicester chance. Shackleton gifts possession to Vardy, who threatens to tear clear but overruns the ball and effectively tackles himself. Then another Leicester chance! Klich gives it away this time, allowing Praet to zip away. He’s bundled over just to the right of the D by Koch, and it looks like a free kick, but the referee isn’t interested. Praet is fuming.

8.20pm GMT

18 min: Hernandez gifts a sloppy ball to Praet, and suddenly Leicester are two on two. Koch and Cooper are skittering back in a panic, with Vardy running at them with extreme prejudice, so are happy when Praet’s attempt to release the striker goes awry. Not entirely sure how there’s just been the one goal scored so far.

8.19pm GMT

17 min: The rain continues to pelt down. An interesting stat from the good folk at Sky Sports: Leicester have never won the Monday Night Football. Played 12, drawn three, lost nine. Thirteenth time lucky?

8.17pm GMT

15 min: This game is being played at 101mph on a slippery pitch. Marvellous. “The peacocks look like they could be badly outfoxed by Vardy and co tonight,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “This has 5-5 written all over it.” Ssh, don’t be giving them ideas, I’m the poor bugger that has to type it all up.

8.15pm GMT

13 min: In a parallel universe, Leicester are already three up. Then again, in another, Bamford would have taken that early chance. And this will make Leeds feel a little better, a combination between Costa and Bamford down the inside right that ends with a snapshot by the latter sailing inches wide of the right-hand post.

8.14pm GMT

12 min: Leeds are all over the shop at the corner. Barnes, Vardy and Justin all have the ball at their feet in the box, but can’t quite work space for a shot. Justin eventually hoicks out for a goal kick.

8.13pm GMT

11 min: Leicester are totally dominant. Albrighton wins the ball down the right and sends Vardy on another scuttle. Vardy tees up Barnes, to the right of the D. Barnes sends a power curler towards the top right. Meslier does very well to turn round the post.

8.11pm GMT

9 min: Vardy drives at Cooper, nearly forcing a mistake that would offer up a chance to shoot from the edge of the D. Not quite, but Leeds look uncharacteristically rattled.

8.10pm GMT

8 min: Leicester unpick Leeds again, Vardy and Barnes combining crisply down the left, the latter tearing clear of Ayling. Barnes is one on one with Meslier, but gets a bit tangled up as he enters the box, allowing Ayling to recover. Between the defender and Meslier, the ball’s bundled out for a corner, from which nothing comes.

8.09pm GMT

6 min: Costa wins the first corner of the match down the right off Thomas. The set piece is wasted. Time for a replay of Marcelo Bielsa’s reaction to Bamford flashing that sitter straight at the keeper. He was fuming. Shame they didn’t run the film on 20 seconds or so; I’d have liked to gauge the amount of steam parping out of his ears when Koch failed to deal with the long ball.

8.06pm GMT

4 min: Brendan Rodgers said there would be plenty of space for Leicester to work with. He wasn’t wrong. Leeds were exposed by a simple long ball as they piled forward in attack. What a start!

8.05pm GMT

This is quite sensational. Leeds should be leading ... but they’re behind! Some neat work between Hernandez and Costa down the right. A long cross to Harrison is headed back to Bamford, six yards out. He flashes a header straight at Schmeichel. Leicester go straight up the other end, Barnes chasing a long pass down the left. Koch steps in, but plays an awful backpass across the face of his box, allowing Vardy to intercept, round the keeper, and roll across for Barnes, who has kept going and rolls home!

8.03pm GMT

1 min: A couple of early probes down the left by Bamford, with Leeds on the front foot from the get-go. Albrighton stands firm to make sure nobody passes.

8.01pm GMT

A poignant moment of silence to remember World Cup winner Nobby Stiles. The Last Post to remember those lost at war. And a knee of solidarity and love: there’s no room for racism, black lives matter. Leicester get the ball rolling.

7.57pm GMT

The teams are out! It is absolutely hosing down at Elland Road. Autumn in Yorkshire. Both teams get to gad about in their first-choice gladrags: Leeds in white, Leicester in blue. The captains lay red poppy wreaths by the side of the field in remembrance of the fallen. We’ll be off soon.

7.49pm GMT

Brendan Rodgers talks to Sky Sports. “Leeds play a different style to every other team in the Premier League. Teams normally press in a zone; theirs is very much man to man. So that’s different. They’ve done terrific, have players that are hungry and want to prove themselves at this level, and have a top-class manager. So we respect their qualities. But we also know our own qualities, and hopefully we can exploit them. There will be lots of space on the field. I would say we have the best counter-attacking player in the league in Jamie Vardy, so I hope that’s something we can exploit. But it will be a tough game.”

7.13pm GMT

Leeds captain Liam Cooper is back. He’s one of three changes to the starting XI from the team named at Villa. Jamie Shackleton and Pablo Hernandez, making his first start since the opening day at Anfield, are also in; Pascal Struijk and Ezgjan Alioski drop to the bench, while Rodrigo is missing altogether. He’s self-isolating after coming into contact with someone with coronavirus.

Luke Thomas makes his first appearance of the season for Leicester, one of four changes to the Leicester team named for the win in Athens. Nampalys Mendy, Dennis Praet and Harvey Barnes also step up; Wes Morgan, James Maddison, Hamza Choudhury and Cengiz Under drop to the bench.

7.02pm GMT

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

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Fofana, Thomas, Fuchs, Albrighton, Tielemans, Mendy, Justin, Praet, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Morgan, Ward, Iheanacho, Perez, Under, Choudhury, Maddison.

2.49pm GMT

Both of these teams go into tonight’s match on the back of extremely fine performances. Leeds United’s second-half display at Aston Villa last week was the best sustained burst of quality by any team in the Premier League so far this season, while Leicester City meanwhile performed a textbook smash and grab at Arsenal.

Should Leicester win tonight, they’ll go second; should Leeds take the three points, they’ll move into third. Both teams will fancy their chances at Elland Road, and with good justification. Two impressive teams playing for high stakes. This should be a goodie. It’s on!

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 02, 2020 14:24

The Fiver | Another miserable capitulation at the Theatre of Recurring Nightmares

It was a huge result for Arsenal at the weekend. The Gunners had infamously failed to win a Premier League match at any of their established big six rivals since the days of Herbert Chapman, it felt like, pretty much. So securing all three points at the home of Manchester United was a long overdue and most acceptable state of affairs. The epochal win catapulted Arsenal up to the 12-point mark, just four off the lead, and means they can continue to harbour semi-realistic hopes of a tilt at the title, just like close neighbours and pals Tottenham, who also won on Sunday and moved into second spot. The Fiver wonders which of them will have their hopes dashed first, and whether it’ll happen before or just after Christmas.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 02, 2020 08:21

October 31, 2020

Liverpool 2-1 West Ham United: Premier League – as it happened

Another Saturday evening, another Diogo Jota winner at Anfield

8.10pm GMT

That’s your lot, then. A reminder that Andy Hunter’s report has landed. Thanks for reading this report. Nighty night!

8.08pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp speaks. “Seeing the determination and will of the boys to play football to deal with setbacks, is really exceptional. Football is about finding the right way, and tonight they found it. I loved the second goal. Super play. Shaq incredible! Every set piece was a major threat for us and we dealt with that well. I’m really happy. Subs should have an impact. It is not a surprise. We had to be patient but lively. Nat Phillips: wow! I couldn’t be more happy. He played a really good game. It’s a really nice story.”

7.59pm GMT

David Moyes’s verdict. “Well, it tells you [something] that I’m disappointed that we’ve lost at Anfield. We looked as though we could get something. Liverpool played well and had a lot of the ball, but we did a lot of good things and have a lot of positives to take from it. But I’m amazed a penalty kick was given. I’m getting disappointed that those sort of penalties are being accepted. In my book that’s not a penalty. We weren’t clinical enough. Liverpool were really good with the ball but we defended really well and missed a couple of opportunities. It [the winner] was good play by Liverpool but we should have done better on the defending side. For Haller’s first game back it was always going to be tough coming here. He’s got lots of attributes and hopefully will show them in the coming months.”

7.50pm GMT

We shall hear from Klopp and Moyes before this MBM wraps up. However, Andy Hunter’s verdict has landed, and we can’t keep you waiting.

7.47pm GMT

Nat Phillips dissects his Premier League debut. “It’s massive, something that I dreamed of. To have that opportunity tonight was huge for me and my family. It was Thursday in training when the gaffer mentioned it to me. He said as long as nothing happens, you will be playing so I knew I had to make sure to keep myself fit until the weekend! I knew the possibility may come up with the injuries that we’ve had so I kept prepared. It was important for me to do the basics early on. I really enjoyed it, it was a tough battle. A lot of aerial battles, but that’s one of my strengths. But most importantly we got the good result. Obviously if the opportunity does arise again, I have got to make sure I’m ready for that.” He’s then told Jamie Carragher made him man of the match on Sky, and a modest smile slowly creeps across his face. “That’s a huge compliment, especially coming from a Liverpool legend, so I’m really happy to have heard that. Thank you Jamie!”

7.37pm GMT

Diogo Jota has scored three goals in his last three games at Anfield. “It means a lot of course. Always on the bench I was thinking about what I could do to unlock the result. I scored two goals, just one to count, and fortunately we got the victory.” He’s told that he’s the first player since Luis Garcia in 2004 to score in three consecutive matches for Liverpool at Anfield. “Stats and more stats. Always good things, of course, but most important was the win. The other team got tired. Movement, movement, and there was space. Great pass from Shaq and I could score. For me it [the disallowed goal] was a goal. I didn’t see anything. But it’s football now, we need to wait.”

7.30pm GMT

West Ham will be distraught at getting nothing from that game, having held Liverpool so long. They defended quite magnificently. But they were ripped in two by a magical Xherdan Shaqiri pass, a defence-splitter and a nutmeg, all rolled into one. The in-form Diogo Jota slammed home, and Liverpool go top of the table. They’re three points ahead of Everton, who visit Newcastle tomorrow. West Ham remain in 13th position on eight points, but should take heart from their performance. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester City and now Liverpool, causing great concern against them all. It bodes well for the future. It’s unfashionable to say it, but David Moyes is doing a fine job.

7.24pm GMT

That is that! Liverpool were made to work their socks off, but they get the three points and equal the club record of 63 consecutive home league games unbeaten. Diogo Jota’s fast start to his Liverpool career continues apace; David Moyes is still waiting for his first Anfield win after 17 attempts.

7.23pm GMT

90 min +5: Phillips, who has been superb on the whole, bashes a header clear. Lanzini tries to return it dangerously, but the ball sails out for a goal kick. That should be that.

7.22pm GMT

90 min +4: Yarmolenko curls in low from the right. Alisson was preparing to gather but Gomez doesn’t hear a call and hacks out for a corner. Will Liverpool pay?

7.21pm GMT

90 min +3: Soucek beats Gomez to the high free kick, but the resulting header is weak and easy for Alisson. Liverpool go up the other end, Alexander-Arnold scampering into the box from the right. Coufal is on hand to clear.

7.20pm GMT

90 min +2: Yarmolenko is clattered by Phillips as the pair contest a high ball 40 yards out on the right. A chance for West Ham to load the box.

7.19pm GMT

90 min +1: Liverpool play some keep-ball at the back.

7.18pm GMT

90 min: Liverpool look to hold on to what they’ve got. Salah makes way for Milner. There will be five added minutes.

7.17pm GMT

89 min: West Ham make a double change. On for his Premier League debut: Benrahma. Also on: Lanzini. Masuaku and Bowen make way.

7.15pm GMT

87 min: Turns out the VAR decision was for a foul on Ogbonna, and not the keeper. Like I say, clear and obvious? “I am an Everton fan,” writes Mary Waltz. “Nothing would make me happier then a Liverpool loss. But VAR has to go. That was simply a multi player scramble and that should be a good goal. VAR has to be binned and we will accept the inevitable howler from a human official.” Preach.

7.14pm GMT

86 min: This isn’t over, though. Just ask Spurs.

7.13pm GMT

Jota’s not to be denied! They press West Ham back for the first time all evening. Probing left and right. Suddenly Shaqiri slides a ball down the inside-left channel, nutmegging Balbuena, and releases Jota, who passes into the bottom left! That’s a quite wonderful goal, a brilliant pass from Shaqiri.

7.11pm GMT

83 min: The Delap has gone out of fashion, and West Ham opt to work space for a cross instead. Soucek delivers to nobody.

7.11pm GMT

82 min: Yarmolenko goes on a fine dribble down the right, but there aren’t many options for him. The move peters out. But West Ham come again and win a throw deep in Liverpool territory down the right.

7.09pm GMT

80 min: That’s one that’ll no doubt be argued about. There wasn’t much contact, and it didn’t seem a clear and obvious error. On the other hand, Mane was sliding in with his boot and caught the keeper. You could make a decent argument for both sides. That’s how the internet works, right?

7.08pm GMT

No referee this season has stuck with his original decision after being sent across to the monitor. And Kevin Friend isn’t going to buck the trend. He performs the international mime for TV, and the goal is chalked off.

7.07pm GMT

78 min: But VAR Guy is checking this. Mane’s boot clipped the keeper. Enough to blow for a foul? Kevin Friend goes over to the monitor to check!

7.05pm GMT

Bowen crosses from the right. Alexander-Arnold heads clear. Jota sashays down the left. He rolls inside for Mane, who shoots towards the bottom left. Fabianski parries. Mane slides in for the loose ball. It breaks left for Jota, who lashes home!

7.04pm GMT

76 min: Jota busies himself down the middle and tries to slip Salah clear. Just a little bit too much on the pass. Salah can’t control and Fabianski claims. Henderson wanted to be released down the right channel, but Jota didn’t spot him.

7.03pm GMT

75 min: West Ham make their first change, replacing the ineffective Haller with Yarmolenko, who surely can’t be any worse than he was last weekend against Manchester City.

7.02pm GMT

74 min: A rare bit of space for Salah, just inside the box on the right. He fires ambitiously towards the top left. His rising effort is decent, but always wide and high.

7.01pm GMT

73 min: Liverpool ping it around the middle, but there’s no space to advance. It’s all too slow. West Ham are holding their shape marvellously.

6.59pm GMT

71 min: Klopp has seen enough. Jones and Firmino are replaced by Shaqiri and Jota.

6.59pm GMT

70 min: Robertson instigates a melee in the West Ham box, trying to poke home from a tight angle on the left. Fabianski saves but goes walkabout. Salah loops over him into the centre, but can’t find anyone in red. West Ham clear again.

6.57pm GMT

69 min: Mane tries to dribble his way into the West Ham box. A successful one-two with Salah would ping him clear, but the return ball is weak and the visitors can clear.

6.56pm GMT

68 min: Liverpool were lucky Fornals didn’t spot Bowen free and unmarked to his left before taking that shot. If he’d found his team-mate, Bowen was almost sure to score, with Alisson having been drawn out of position.

6.55pm GMT

66 min: Haller flicks on, beating Phillips for the first time in a while. And he nearly opens Liverpool up. Fornals latches onto the dropping ball and powers into the area. He shoots low and hard, but Robertson comes across to block bravely and brilliantly.

6.53pm GMT

65 min: Another Liverpool long ball sails out of play for a goal kick. This is really poor from the champions. West Ham are as comfortable as can be right now.

6.52pm GMT

64 min: Cresswell’s good to go again. On the touchline, Jurgen Klopp looks pensive.

6.51pm GMT

63 min: Cresswell slips as he tries to beat Alexander-Arnold down the left. He accidentally performs the splits, over-extending and hurting himself in the process. On comes the trainer.

6.49pm GMT

61 min: A long ball down the left intended for Mane. Goal kick. Liverpool are running out of ideas.

6.48pm GMT

60 min: Mane dinks a clever pass down the right channel for Alexander-Arnold. For a second it looks as though it’ll land perfectly for a shot, just inside the box, but Cresswell extends a leg to hook clear. That’s fine defending.

6.46pm GMT

58 min: West Ham put a lovely sweeping right-to-left move together, involving Bowen, Soucek and Cresswell. Phillips does very well to clear the eventual cross.

6.45pm GMT

57 min: It’s all very bitty. West Ham are doing a textbook job of breaking up play, closing down space, and jiggering Liverpool’s momentum.

6.43pm GMT

55 min: The game grinds down almost to a halt. West Ham will be perfectly happy with this. Liverpool need a rocket; they’ve been so laboured.

6.41pm GMT

53 min: Jones finds a little bit of space to the right of the West Ham box. He rolls an inviting ball across the face of goal, but neither Salah nor Firmino react in time and West Ham are eventually able to clear their lines.

6.39pm GMT

51 min: Alexander-Arnold hangs one in from the right. Mane does his best but it’s always going to be an easy claim for Fabianski. Liverpool are pretty ponderous in attack right now.

6.38pm GMT

50 min: West Ham’s first attack of the second half sees Masuaku get the better of Alexander-Arnold down the left. He crosses low. Fornals sticks out a leg and sends the ball goalwards, but there’s no real pace on the effort and it’s an easy snaffle for Alisson.

6.37pm GMT

49 min: Wijnaldum turns on the jets and makes off towards the West Ham box, defenders backtracking. Rice takes one for the team, tugging him back. A booking, and a free kick, just to the right of centre. Alexander-Arnold wedges into the centre. Salah tries to head towards the top left, but the ball comes off his shoulder and Fabianski claims.

6.36pm GMT

48 min: Jones drifts across the front of the West Ham box, right to left. He should feed Mane on the left, but tries a reverse ball towards Firmino and gets that all wrong.

6.35pm GMT

46 min: Salah bustles down the right. He’s hoping to spring West Ham’s back line, but Firmino over-elaborates a flick and eventually fouls Ogbonna.

6.33pm GMT

Liverpool get the second half underway. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this second half. Let’s see if they’ve been given the what-for by Jurgen Klopp. No changes.

6.19pm GMT

Half-time round-up.

6.18pm GMT

Liverpool have done the lion’s share of attacking but West Ham have defended well and scored a fine goal. The scoreline seems about right. Both teams will fancy their chances in the second half on this evidence.

6.16pm GMT

45 min: Salah drifts in from the right and looks for Robertson, racing in from the opposite flank. There’s too much on the cross and it’s a goal kick. There will be two minutes added onto the end of an entertaining first half.

6.15pm GMT

43 min: West Ham hoick a ball into the Liverpool mixer. Alisson claims under pressure from the physical Haller. But they come back at Liverpool again, Henderson clipping Haller out on the left. Soucek’s delivery is easily cleared by Robertson. But that’s a good response to conceding the equaliser from West Ham.

6.12pm GMT

... lashes it straight down the middle with extreme power. Fabianski dives out of the way and the hosts are level!

6.11pm GMT

40 min: Robertson should probably have taken it. Alexander-Arnlod blooters it straight into the wall, and that’s that. But Liverpool come again, Jones chipping down the inside-right channel for Salah, who looks to spin but is clipped by Masuaku. The referee points to the spot. Salah gets up to take it himself. And ...

6.10pm GMT

39 min: Firmino slips a ball down the inside right for Wijnaldum, who spins cleverly into space and draws a foul from Rice. This is a free kick just to the right of the D. Alexander-Arnold’s eyes have lit up, though Robertson fancies it as a left-footer too.

6.08pm GMT

37 min: Mane jinks down the inside-right channel before switching play to Robertson, who meets the dropping ball with a creamy volley. But it’s always heading over the bar. It’s an attempt, though, and Liverpool haven’t had many of those so far.

6.06pm GMT

35 min: Salah tries to bustle down the right but he’s eased off line by Cresswell and eventually concedes a frustrated foul. West Ham are extremely well organised. They’re offering up little space, doing a proper number on Liverpool’s front line.

6.04pm GMT

33 min: Mane is clipped by Soucek as he spins, 25 yards out. It’s a free kick just to the left of centre. Liverpool waste it, Jones and Robertson taking turns to take heavy touches. West Ham counter, albeit not in a particularly efficient manner.

6.02pm GMT

32 min: Mane tries to get something going down the left, but after exchanging passes with Robertson, the flag goes up for offside. Liverpool’s early energy has dipped a little. West Ham are beginning to look a little more comfortable.

6.01pm GMT

30 min: Despite the scoreline, David Moyes looks more concerned than Jurgen Klopp right now. But give it time.

6.00pm GMT

28 min: Fornals bombs down the middle with extreme prejudice. He’s got options either side and Liverpool are panicking, but his pass to the right, intended for Bowen, is poor and intercepted by Robertson. That break was the result of Phillips getting into a tangle with Haller on the halfway line and taking himself out of the game for a crucial minute.

5.58pm GMT

26 min: Fabianski spills an Alexander-Arnold cross and is very fortunate not to tee up Mane in front of an empty net. West Ham hack clear. Liverpool will be happy enough with the way they’re attacking; it’s threatening to click. Just not yet.

5.57pm GMT

25 min: Mane tries to break through the middle. Cresswell comes across him and nicks the ball away. Mane goes over, but he’s not getting a penalty. The ball breaks to Henderson, who tries to guide a low shot into the bottom right. His effort whistles inches wide.

5.56pm GMT

24 min: Gomez switches play to the right with a Van Dijkesque rake. Alexander-Arnold chests down and sends a cross-cum-shot into the box. Fabianski claims. The West Ham keeper hasn’t had much to do.

5.54pm GMT

23 min: Another cross into the Liverpool box from the West Ham left. Phillips does well to clear under intense pressure from Haller. West Ham aren’t attacking often. But when they do commit men forward, they carry a threat.

5.53pm GMT

21 min: Mane probes down the left. No way through. Salah and Alexander-Arnold combine crisply down the right. No way through again. This West Ham defensive block is going to be tricky to break down. The Hammers are a confident outfit at the minute. That win at Leicester changed everything.

5.50pm GMT

19 min: Henderson tries to spring Alexander-Arnold clear down the right but Masuaku reads the danger intelligently and intercepts.

5.49pm GMT

17 min: Coufal is forced to head out for a corner, under pressure from Mane and a long ball. Fornals heads half clear. Wijnaldum intends to return the ball but is stopped from shooting by Coufal. West Ham are keeping the hosts at arm’s length right now.

5.47pm GMT

16 min: Jones wins the ball from Fornals but also stands on his toe. Both players are expecting a free kick to be awarded. The referee, standing by, doesn’t whistle. Liverpool play on through Alexander-Arnold down the right. His low cross is gathered by Fabianski, after a brief fumble, with Mane lurking. It’s a good game, this.

5.46pm GMT

15 min: Robertson shovels the free kick towards the far post. Salah tries to keep it alive but can’t manage it. A poor delivery.

5.45pm GMT

14 min: Liverpool probe patiently. Eventually West Ham get fed up and Balbuena comes through the back of Mane, just to the left of the box. Liverpool string out along the front of the West Ham penalty area.

5.43pm GMT

12 min: Well this is interesting now! Not least because that unbeaten home league record is on the line. Liverpool are the best in the business right now in turning this sort of thing around; West Ham are the Premier League’s worst for dropping points from winning positions. Yep, this is going to be interesting.

5.42pm GMT

Bowen is in acres in the centre circle. He spreads play to Cresswell on the left. Cresswell pings back for Masuaku, who curls into the box. Gomez’s clearing header is weak, falling to Fornals by the left of the D. Fornals isn’t closed down, and has time to thread a superb low shot into the bottom left. A shock lead, and so much for Liverpool’s fast start!

5.40pm GMT

8 min: Phillips is penalised for clattering into Haller. A free kick. Coufal is sent scampering down the right. Phillips makes up for the foul by getting in ahead of Haller at the near post. A corner, which is ballooned straight out of play, the pressure released.

5.37pm GMT

6 min: Alexander-Arnold’s crossfield ball looks like going out of play to the left of the West Ham goal, but Robertson somehow hooks it into the mixer. The ball hangs in swirling wind and confuses the hell out of Fabianski, who freezes, but Cresswell and Ogbonna are positioned well to deal with the situation.

5.35pm GMT

4 min: Phillips heads Fabianski’s long ball clear. An early confidence booster for the debutant, on whom many pairs of eyes will be trained.

5.34pm GMT

3 min: Alexander-Arnold creams a long pass down the right wing. Salah brings it down but can’t quite control, allowing Ogbonna to usher the ball out for a goal kick.

5.33pm GMT

2 min: Now Mane has a determined run at the West Ham back line, nearly breaking through down the left. Liverpool have flown out of the blocks here. I wonder whether they’ve decided that attack is the best form of defence given the enforced new look of their back line?

5.32pm GMT

1 min: West Ham are kicking towards the Kop in this first half. They soon give up possession, and Salah hares off down the right. He combines neatly with Firmino to break into the box, but the dream of a super-fast start evaporates when he loses control.

5.30pm GMT

West Ham get the ball rolling ... but not before everyone takes the knee. There’s no room for racism. Black lives matter.

5.30pm GMT

The teams are out! Liverpool are in red, West Ham in fetching 1970s-throwback blue with claret stripe. Both teams wear the poppy of remembrance in honour of the fallen. There’s also a moment taken to remember Nobby Stiles. We’ll be off in a minute.

5.20pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp on why he’s plumped for Nat Phillips. “Plenty of reasons! Your show is not long enough. It’s just he’s the most experienced of the guys. We did not need to put a midfielder in there. Rhys Williams did well [in midweek] but Nat is not on the list for the Champions League, so it was an easy decision [to rotate and play him today]. He looks good in training, a proper challenger, loves one-on-one situations and is good in the air. It’s a special day for him.” And what does he expect from young midfielder Curtis Jones today? “Defending like a soldier, attacking like a scouser, being cheeky, being free.”

5.12pm GMT

David Moyes, who hasn’t won at Anfield in 16 attempts, speaks to Sky Sports. “The form the players have been in justifies going with the same team. Obviously we look at all the opponents and decide what’s right, but the form of the players is making it quite easy for me. Liverpool are a fantastic team. The crowd normally play such a part. Not to have them here, I hope we can try to take advantage of it.” He’s also looking forward to seeing how Sebastien Haller changes the dynamic of West Ham’s attack in Michail Antonio’s absence, and says he’ll not be rushing Saïd Benrahma into the team just for the sake of it, preferring to build up his fitness and bed him in slowly.

5.03pm GMT

Pre-match reading.

4.40pm GMT

Jurgen Klopp’s solution to the Van Dijk / Matip / Fabinho problem: 23-year-old Nathaniel Phillips. He spent most of his time out on loan last season in the Bundesliga 2 with Stuttgart, but also made his Liverpool debut against Everton in the FA Cup. This will be his Premier League debut. Thiago is still recovering from injury, but Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino all return after being rested to varying degrees against Midtjylland during the week.

4.32pm GMT

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Phillips, Robertson, Jones, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs: Milner, Adrian, Minamino, Jota, Shaqiri, Rhys Williams, Neco Williams.

West Ham United: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Masuaku, Bowen, Soucek, Rice, Fornals, Haller.
Subs: Yarmolenko, Benrahma, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Diop, Fredericks, Randolph.

11.11am GMT

On the face of it, this should be a shoo-in. Liverpool have won the last three stagings of this fixture by an aggregate score of 11-3. West Ham have only won here once in their last 47 attempts, a run stretching back to 1963. Liverpool have won 28 of their last 29 Premier League games at Anfield, and if they avoid defeat today, they’ll equal their club record of 63 home league games unbeaten.

But! West Ham’s sole victory at Anfield in the last 57 years was a 3-0 rout in 2015, when Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren showcased a contemporary dance routine still talked about in hushed tones today. It’s probably pushing the point to say Liverpool wouldn’t mind one or either of them back for this match, given the current crisis in the centre of their defence, but not by much. Joe Gomez was also in Liverpool’s back four that day, for a start.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 31, 2020 13:10

Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Kyle Walker marked his 100th City appearance with a goal against his boyhood club

2.48pm GMT

Louise Taylor was at Bramall Lane. Her report has landed. You know what to do. Enjoy reading that one ... and thanks for reading this one.

2.47pm GMT

Chris Wilder’s verdict. “I’m frustrated with my side. We got into some decent areas. If people think we can open up and go toe to toe with City then they are deluded. We’ve got to find a way to close the gaps on teams who have spent a billion pounds. But when we get into decent positions, we have to look at ourselves and the quality we didn’t show to make them count. That’s the disappointing thing, we have a lot more quality in those areas. But it’s Man City, by the way. I’m realistic.”

2.43pm GMT

Pep’s verdict. “We played very well. We struggled for goals given the chances we created. It was a lot against this team. They had one clear chance, no more than that. It was our third game away in seven days, so we are in a better position now, two games before an international break. I am happy for Kyle Walker that he scored against the one team he loves a lot. He loves this club.” As for Pep’s own boyhood club, who are rumoured to want him back? “I said many times: my period as a manager in Barcelona is over. It’s over. I will come back to watch but it is done.”

2.32pm GMT

The match-winner Kyle Walker, who made his 100th appearance for City today against his boyhood club, speaks to BT Sport. “I’m happy to get on the scoresheet and get the three points. United are well drilled and it’s a tough team to come and break down. But luckily I came up with a goal, through the bodies! My mum and dad live here, so if I celebrated I’d probably get a lot of stick! I’m a Sheffield United fan, so I couldn’t. When I played here for Aston Villa, my first game was here and I scored a rare goal as well, so I seem to like this ground. Hopefully we’ll never know in the future!” A suggestion there that he’d quite like to end his career where it all began, though City fans need not panic quite yet: “I’m enjoying my football and happy to be part of this team.”

2.24pm GMT

A thoroughly deserved win for Manchester City. They weren’t at their barnstorming best, but three points at a difficult venue, after an away fixture in Europe, is never to be sniffed at. Kyle Walker, boyhood Sheffield United fan, was the difference. City move into seventh on 11 points; United stay in 19th with just the one.

2.22pm GMT

90 min +2: Foden takes the ball to the corner flag ... but he’s not playing for time. He flicks inside for Sterling, who pulls back to De Bruyne. The resulting shot is blocked at source.

2.19pm GMT

90 min: There will be three added minutes.

2.19pm GMT

89 min: City are seeing this match out in a thoroughly professional fashion. United are causing them no problems at all.

2.17pm GMT

87 min: Gundogan flicks a pass down the right for Sterling, who makes good into the box but can’t find anyone in blue with his low cross. Ransdale smothers for the 100th time this afternoon. The keeper’s had a good game.

2.15pm GMT

85 min: Gundogan comes on for Mahrez. Ederson then hoicks long down the middle. Sterling is free of the last man! But Ramsdale comes to the edge of his box and, uncertain as to whether he can handle or not, dives and heads bravely away from Sterling’s feet. City really must wonder how this is still only 0-1.

2.14pm GMT

84 min: Silva sashays down the inside right, smoothly entering the box and whistling a low shot straight at Ramsdale. A wonderful run that deserved a better finish.

2.12pm GMT

83 min: Foden intercepts Basham’s telegraphed pass and romps down the left. He’s got Sterling in the middle, but Stevens intercepts just in time. City are likely to get a few more chances to pick United off now, with the home side increasingly desperate.

2.11pm GMT

82 min: Both sides make a change. McGoldrick comes on for Lowe, an attacking final throw of the dice by United. City meanwhile replace Torres, who was excellent in the first half, with Foden.

2.10pm GMT

81 min: Mahrez suddenly turns on the jets, but is ushered out of play by Lowe. Fine defending. Goal kick.

2.10pm GMT

80 min: City continue to perambulate with style.

2.08pm GMT

78 min: City are comfortable. Almost too comfortable. Dias sloppily miscontrols and is fortunate Brewster wasn’t closer and able to take advantage. City stroll on.

2.06pm GMT

76 min: It’s all gone quiet. City appear to have weathered that brief United storm.

2.04pm GMT

74 min: So having said that, De Bruyne releases Sterling down the left with a glorious side-of-foot flick. Sterling dribbles with baroque elegance into the area, nearly working space to shoot at the corner of the six-yard box. He selflessly looks for a partner to tee up, and eventually Ramsdale smothers, with a little bit of pinball luck.

2.03pm GMT

73 min: Cancelo’s work down the left earns City a corner. De Bruyne takes. Some head tennis, and eventually the home side clear. City haven’t looked quite as confident in attack in this second half.

2.02pm GMT

72 min: For all their recent effort, United still haven’t had a shot on target.

2.01pm GMT

71 min: And now Brewster’s sprung clear down the left! He attempts to dink over Ederson from the edge of the box, but the keeper claws a poor effort away. The flag belatedly goes up for offside, sparing the young striker’s blushes.

2.00pm GMT

70 min: Berge dances his way down the right wing, nutmegging Cancelo along the way. He reaches the byline and cuts back for Lundstram, who leans back and creams a shot towards the top left. It sails inches over the bar, with Ederson nowhere. So close to an equaliser!

1.58pm GMT

68 min: Mahrez nearly dribbles his way out of a cluster of five United defenders. It would have been a hell of an achievement, and he’s one dragback away from working space to shoot, but eventually he’s dispossessed. Full marks for ambition.

1.57pm GMT

67 min: Norwood drifts in from the right and pings a pass to Berge, who storms into the box down the channel. He hammers a low ball across the face of goal. Dias traps and Ederson gathers. That could have gone anywhere. United are beginning to ask a couple of questions down this right wing.

1.55pm GMT

65 min: A second switch of the Blades, as Norwood comes on for Ampadu.

1.55pm GMT

64 min: Not immediately, no. Basham and Baldock both faff around down the right when they’ve got chances to cross. City clear. Meanwhile De Bruyne misplaces a pass when it was easier to slip Torres free down the left. Very out of character.

1.52pm GMT

62 min: Chris Wilder clearly wants his team to pick up the pace. As an Ederson clearance flies out of play, he spikes the ball volleyball style to the nearest player, demanding a quick throw. Will his team respond?

1.51pm GMT

61 min: Basham dribbles down the inside-right channel and slips in Berge on the overlap. Berge wedges to the far stick, where Rodri beats McBurnie to clear.

1.49pm GMT

60 min: City are beginning to dominate again. United can’t get a touch at the minute.

1.48pm GMT

58 min: Mahrez takes instead. His low shot fizzes towards the bottom left. Ramsdale turns it around the post. The corner’s headed clear by McBurnie.

1.47pm GMT

57 min: De Bruyne is dragged down by Stevens. A free kick in KDB Country, just to the right of the D. There was no need for that foul, with Ampadu also in close attendance. This could be costly.

1.45pm GMT

56 min: Lundstram’s contract impasse is set to one side, and he comes on in place of Osborn.

1.45pm GMT

55 min: Walker tries again, reaching the byline and cutting back. De Bruyne, rushing into the box, lashes a low diagonal ball inches wide of the left-hand post. Ramsdale was nowhere. So close to stretching the lead.

1.44pm GMT

54 min: Walker crosses from the right. Egan miskicks wildly. Ramsdale gathers. United don’t look totally comfortable at the back.

1.42pm GMT

52 min: A long pass down the left for Torres, who is clear! Ramsdale rushes out of his box hoping to intercept. Torres gets there first, and tries to whip around the keeper and into the empty net. But the keeper does marvellously well to get back into his area and pluck from the sky, aided by Torres’s slightly weak effort.

1.39pm GMT

50 min: This is better from Berge, a whipped cross from the right touchline, along the corridor of uncertainty. It should be meat and drink for McBurnie, but he’s not made the run. Ederson still hasn’t had his hands warmed.

1.38pm GMT

49 min: Sterling and Cancelo take turns to probe down the left. Baldock and Basham hold them up, but only just.

1.37pm GMT

47 min: Cancelo nudges into McBurnie’s back. It’s a free kick out on the right, and a chance for United to load the box. Berge takes ... and delivers miserably, the ball sailing high into the stand behind. Chris Wilder looks on with a mix of disdain and disgust.

1.35pm GMT

United get the second half underway. No changes. “At half-time, the stadium PA played the Bond theme,” Gary Naylor reports. “Nice touch.”

1.21pm GMT

Half-time entertainment.

1.20pm GMT

There’s just enough time for Sterling to accidentally stand on poor Basham’s arm - Sterling goes back to check his opponent is OK, and there are no hard feelings, though that’ll have been a sore one - and the whistle goes for half time. City have been totally dominant and would be out of sight were it not for Ramsdale, but there were signs of growing United confidence in the last few minutes of the half. All set up nicely for the second half. A couple of big team-talks coming up!

1.18pm GMT

45 min: Basham, Berge and Baldock ping a few increasingly confident triangles down the right. They can’t work the space for a cross, but it’s a spell of possession in City territory that’ll give them succour for the second half.

1.16pm GMT

43 min: A dismal ball to nobody by Mahrez is intercepted by Berge and swung wide right to Baldock, who powers down the right, reaching the byline. He digs out a cross ... but there’s too much on it and flies harmlessly over everyone in the box.

1.14pm GMT

41 min: Cancelo swans past Berge down the left and crosses long. The ball drops to the dangerous Torres, on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Torres tries to steer a volley across Ramsdale and into the bottom left, but Stevens blocks.

1.12pm GMT

40 min: The rain’s stopped and the sun’s out!

1.12pm GMT

39 min: Berge finds a little bit of space down the right. He whips a cross towards Brewster, who has found a pocket in the middle. Not sure where Laporte and Dias are. But the cross is a little too high, and Brewster can only get the tops of his eyebrows onto the ball. A little lower and that would have been one hell of a chance.

1.10pm GMT

37 min: Ampadu takes down Silva on the right. De Bruyne swings the free kick into the mixer. Torres flicks on. There’s a deflection out for a corner on the left. That’s worked long for Mahrez on the right. Mahrez reaches the byline but runs the ball out for a goal kick. City must be wondering how they’ve only got the one goal to show for their efforts.

1.09pm GMT

36 min: The second corner, from the right, is easily cleared. De Bruyne threatens to counter and is stopped by a fine last-ditch sliding tackle by Baldock.

1.08pm GMT

35 min: Lowe works down the left and wins United’s first corner. It’s hit long. Baldock wins a header at the far post. It pings off Walker and out for a second corner.

1.07pm GMT

34 min: Berge is the only player in the United wall to jump. De Bruyne fires the free kick low under him, towards the bottom left. Ramsdale does extremely well to read the surprise effort and smother.

1.06pm GMT

33 min: De Bruyne curves a pass down the left for Sterling, who lays off for Torres. The striker is clumsily blocked by Egan, and this is a free kick in De Bruyne Territory, just to the left of the D.

1.04pm GMT

32 min: Ederson, by contrast, has had the square root of bugger all to do.

1.03pm GMT

30 min: Ramsdale got a fingertip to Walker’s shot, which also took a slight deflection off Osborn, and was skidding on the wet turf. Full marks for effort; the odds were simply stacked against him.

1.01pm GMT

This had been coming. Sterling dribbles down the left but can’t quite get clear. So he switches play to Walker on the right. Walker takes a touch, and threads a low diagonal heatseeker into the bottom left from 20 yards! That’s one hell of a precision strike. He doesn’t celebrate against his boyhood club, though.

12.59pm GMT

26 min: City are coming at United from all angles. De Bruyne steams down the right and whips into the middle. Egan does extremely well to extend a leg and belt clear. City come again, Dias passing long down the right to release Torres, who is one on one with Ramsdale. The keeper spreads himself. Torres passes infield to nobody, and Stevens clears. The flag goes up for offside anyway.

12.57pm GMT

24 min: Mahrez hoicks over from distance. City are piling on the pressure. Meanwhile this weather is becoming biblical.

12.57pm GMT

23 min: An astonishing close-range stop by Ramsdale! Sterling is flicked free down the left by Rodri. He reaches the byline and rolls the ball across the face of the goal, nutmegging Egan in the process. Torres flicks the ball powerfully goalward at the near post. Ramsdale gets in the way, saving with his chest, then smothers. The keeper’s made three great saves already.

12.55pm GMT

21 min: McBurnie worms his way down the right and forces a throw deep in City territory. There’s nobody around to Delap the ball into the mixer, though, and the move that develops from Baldock’s short throw soon peters out.

12.52pm GMT

19 min: Rodri powers in from the left and shoots from the best part of 30 yards. The rising ball swerves around dramatically, and Ramsdale makes a meal of palming over his bar, before rubbing the rainwater from his eyes. Nothing comes of the corner.

12.50pm GMT

18 min: It really is tipping down in Sheffield.

12.50pm GMT

17 min: Mahrez loops one in from the right. Ramsdale punches powerfully clear. This is a little bit scrappy. United won’t mind too much.

12.48pm GMT

15 min: City fail to clear their lines and Lowe is able to drive into their box on the left. He’s forced to turn tail and loses possession. City go up the other end, De Bruyne nearly releasing Sterling down the left, but Egan sticks out a telescopic leg to guide the ball back to Ramsdale. Had he not made contact, Sterling was in on goal. What an intervention!

12.47pm GMT

14 min: The pitch is pretty sodden, though it doesn’t appear to be hindering City’s trademark passing game.

12.45pm GMT

13 min: The corner’s flashed towards the near post, where Laporte slams a first-time shot inches past the left-hand post. Very close to the opening goal.

12.44pm GMT

12 min: City get metronomic. Suddenly De Bruyne and Sterling combine down the inside-left channel. Sterling reaches the byline and wins a corner off Egan.

12.44pm GMT

11 min: United haven’t shown much up front yet. McBurnie wins a couple of long balls, but can’t find Brewster. Berge scuttles down the right but is ushered out of play easily enough by Cancelo.

12.41pm GMT

9 min: City have enjoyed 80 percent of possession so far. A pattern set early doors, I’ll be bound.

12.40pm GMT

8 min: Cancelo swings in from the left. It’s a juicy cross, and met well by Torres, who flashes a header towards the top right. Ramsdale palms away at full stretch, a very decent reflex save. Mahrez tries to keep the move going, latching onto the loose ball on the right, but his cross is no good.

12.38pm GMT

6 min: City continue to dominate possession, albeit to little effect.

12.36pm GMT

4 min: City quickly settle into their pretty passing patterns. Mahrez tries to spring Torres free down the inside-right channel but puts too much weight on the ball and it’s a goal kick.

12.34pm GMT

2 min: Dias will have felt that one. Keep punching, Chris Wilder said. A statement of intent.

12.34pm GMT

Nine seconds: McBurnie sticks a power-shoulder into the chest of Dias, who is clattered to the floor. Oof! Ooyah! Welcome to Bramall Lane.

12.32pm GMT

Manchester City get the match underway ... but not before the players take a knee. Black lives matter. There’s no room for racism.

12.32pm GMT

The Last Post. Remembrance of the fallen ... and memories of Nobby Stiles, who passed away yesterday. The players will wear black armbands to honour the 1966 World Cup winner.

12.27pm GMT

The teams are out! United wear their red and white stripes, while City sport first-choice sky blue. Both shirts feature poppies in remembrance of the fallen. It’s extremely rainy and windy in Sheffield this lunchtime. No pre-match word from Chris Wilder, though BT Sport carried an interview in which he promised his team will “keep punching”. The bell rings in a minute or two.

12.17pm GMT

Here’s Sid Lowe on the man leading Manchester City’s line today.

12.05pm GMT

Pep’s pre-match pow-wow. “We have to be more consistent in many games to make sure we are on the right path. It is not easy to attack a defence with five at the back and a lot of people in the middle. For the striker it is most difficult. Ferran Torres did really well [against Marseille] and we try again. We know the quality of Sheffield United. The position in the table is what it is, but we know the quality two seasons ago in the Championship and last season in the Premier League, so we have no doubts. We are in the beginning of the season and they are going to get results in the future.”

11.38am GMT

Sheffield United make one change from the XI that lost narrowly at Anfield. Max Lowe replaces John Lundstram in midfield. Lundstram, who has refused to sign a new contract, drops to the bench.

Manchester City make three changes to the team that breezed past Marseille in midweek. Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez come in for Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden, all of whom are on the bench. Kevin De Bruyne makes his first league start since the draw at Leeds four weeks ago. Sergio Aguero remains out with a hamstring injury.

11.32am GMT

Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Stevens, Baldock, Berge, Ampadu, Osborn, Lowe, Brewster, McBurnie.
Subs: Lundstram, Sharp, Burke, Norwood, McGoldrick, Robinson, Verrips.

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Torres, Sterling.
Subs: Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Carson, Foden, Garcia.

11.07am GMT

It’s way too early to be panicking. Even so, both teams could do with a positive result this afternoon. Sheffield United still don’t have a victory to their name this season, and they’re currently second bottom, but it’s not as though they’ve been playing particularly badly: it wouldn’t have needed too much to change last Saturday at Anfield for the Blades to have taken all three points off the champions. They haven’t beaten Manchester City in the league since 2000, but breaking that run is far from a pipe dream, given City’s uncertain display at West Ham last week, and the way Chris Wilder’s side made them work for a single-goal victory here last season.

As for City? They won’t be desperate for victory ... but potentially slipping further behind the leading pack won’t appeal. Pep Guardiola’s men are again coming off the back of an excellent result in Europe, this time a comfortable 3-0 stroll in Marseille, but their domestic form hasn’t sparkled quite as brightly, and they haven’t won away in the Premier League since the opening day at Wolves. They’re favourites to prevail here ... though if they ship the opening goal things could get interesting, because City have failed to win any of their last seven away matches in which they’ve fallen behind.

View more on Scott Murray's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 31, 2020 07:48

← Previous 1 2 … 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 … 233 234 Next →

Scott Murray's Blog

Scott Murray's profile
3 followers

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