Scott Murray's Blog, page 96

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

Pretty much as expected, Leeds and City served up a gloriously open and entertaining end-to-end thriller

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Related: Anarchic spectacle leaves Bielsa's and Guardiola's heads spinning | Jonathan Liew

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Richard Jolly was at Elland Road. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM!

Related: Rodrigo's first Leeds goal earns fighting draw against Manchester City

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Pep’s verdict. “It was good, huh! ... it’s good when both teams want to attack ... a good game, a fair result ... unfortunately we could not win but we move on from here ... I am not complaining for one second ... it is not easy to play against them ... but we had chances in the first half to kill the game ... and in the last 15 minutes we were better.” Then a lovely moment as Guardiola, barely able to stop himself guffawing, reveals Bielsa asked him his opinion of the game immediately after the final whistle. “I said, after one second, I am not able to analyse the game! He is much cleverer than me! I need time to process. But I said it was a good game and the result was fair.” A real sense that, despite the two points dropped by City, Pep really enjoyed that. Lovely to see.

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It was a game that almost defied analysis. Thank the lord I don’t write about tactics for a living. City could have been home and hosed after 20 minutes, but allowed Leeds to get back into the match. Confidence restored, the hosts could have gone on to win in the Leicester style, though it was City asking the serious questions near the end. A draw seems about right. “We know they’re very good defensively, but knew they had weaknesses defensively,” says Kalvin Phillips, “but we’re just happy to get a point really.”

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That point takes Leeds into fifth spot, on seven points. City are in tenth, eight points behind the early leaders Everton on four points, albeit with a match in hand. Perhaps more importantly, they’ve already fallen five points behind the defending champions Liverpool, who can really turn up the pressure with a win at Aston Villa tomorrow night. Already the title race is shaping up to be very interesting indeed.

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“I rarely re-watch matches I have seen live,” writes Mary Waltz. “This will be the exception.” Yep. One up there with the Bilbao-Barca back-and-forth of 2011. Bielsa and Guardiola should get it on more often.

Related: Athletic Bilbao make a splash to peg back Barcelona in thriller | Sid Lowe

7.21pm BST

An absurdly entertaining match comes to an end. Trot out the old cliche: nobody deserved to lose that one. Bielsa and Guardiola warmly embrace, the pair smiling broadly. They enjoyed that one. What a game!

7.19pm BST

90 min +3: De Bruyne swings the resulting free kick in from the right. Bamford sends a header the wrong way, and it’s heading in, but Meslier saves his blushes with a fine diving catch.

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90 min +2: Dallas slides in on Silva from behind. It’s a yellow, a decision rubber-stamped by VAR, but you’ve seen red for those. Studs on ankle. A nasty one.

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90 min: De Bruyne swings in a free kick from the right. Ayling eyebrows away from the lurking Ake at the far post. Corner. Wasted corner. There will be three bonus minutes. Wish there could be 33.

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89 min: Then Bamford was one on one with Ederson. He was denied, but the flag went up for offside after the event.

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88 min: Incidentally, in between those two penalty shouts, Sterling made another, after a tangle with Davis. But he was never getting that one. City have finished strongly, though.

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87 min: Another look at that Sterling penalty shout. There was very little contact, with Cooper missing the ball altogether. Was there a little contact on Sterling’s knee? It’s hard to say, even after a couple of viewings. Who’d be a referee these days?

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86 min: Sterling clatters into Cooper as he glides into the Leeds box from the right. He wants a penalty, but it looked a legal tackle ... timed perfectly. VAR checks and isn’t interested.

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85 min: Sterling digs the ball out from under his feet and sends a no-backlift whack wide of the top right.

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83 min: Foden dribbles into the Leeds box from the left. His cross squirts to Silva, who slams a shot goalwards from six yards. The ball twangs off the sliding Davis’s hand and away. City want a penalty. VAR checks, but no. Last week, maybe.

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82 min: Silva nips in from the right and looks for the top left. Always too high. Leeds have made 11 attempts on goal this evening, City a mighty 20. I have no idea how this is still only 1-1.

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81 min: Fernandinho aquaplanes a shot across the greasy surface and inches wide of the left-hand post. City are coming on strong again.

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80 min: Sterling tees up De Bruyne on the edge of the D. De Bruyne shoots, but he’s swarmed by white shirts.

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79 min: It’s suddenly gone a bit scrappy. But if any two teams deserve to be cut some slack, it’s these lads. This has been an exhilarating ride. Plenty of time for a twist in the tale.

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77 min: Leeds make their final change, swapping Klich for Davis. Seconds later, City use up their last sub, replacing Mahrez with Fernandinho.

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75 min: ... Leeds break upfield through Poveda down the right! The move soon breaks down, though, with only Bamford in attendance.

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74 min: Walker breezes down the middle, then slips the ball wide left for Foden, who shoots from a tight angle. Corner. From which ...

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73 min: This is joyously relentless! Costa drops a shoulder, coming in from the left, but his shot is deflected wide of goal. The corner isn’t all that, but Leeds come again, Rodrigo barging down the right and flipping inside for Bamford, whose close-range flick is blocked by Ederson.

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72 min: Ake comes on to replace Mendy. Then Sterling skitters clear! He’s one on one with Meslier, but seems to freeze, allowing the keeper to smother at his feet.

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71 min: De Bruyne is caught dawdling on the edge of the Leeds box, thinking about shooting. He’s stripped by Poveda, who romps up the other end. It’s four on four! Bamford and Rodrigo over-elaborate and the move breaks down.

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69 min: Poveda curls in from the right. Rodrigo sends a header towards the top right. Ederson fingertips onto the bar and out for a corner. Nothing comes from the resulting set piece, but I repeat: this surely can’t end 1-1. Both teams are going for it, hell for leather!

6.55pm BST

68 min: A free kick for Leeds out on the left. Phillips swings it towards the far post. Cooper heads off Rodri and onto the right-hand post, Ederson all at sea! The flag goes up for a very tight offside. Goodness knows how this is going to end. It won’t be 1-1, surely. It can’t be.

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67 min: Mahrez dribbles in from the right and looks to send a curler into the top left. Too wide, too high.

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66 min: Mahrez sashays down the inside right and fires wide from a tight angle. This is such an open and entertaining game now.

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65 min: De Bruyne cuts in from the left and curls viciously towards the bottom right. Just wide. Good luck guessing who scores the next goal. It won’t be Torres; he makes way for Bernardo Silva.

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64 min: Poveda is causing mayhem down the Leeds right. He zips away into acres and pulls back for Rodrigo, who can’t get a shot away. Phillips takes up possession instead and curls towards the top right. It’s a good whack, but well read and handled by Ederson.

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63 min: Nothing comes of the resulting corner.

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62 min: Space for Poveda out on the right. He’s got options in the middle, but sends in a strange low diagonal ball that’s an easy claim for Ederson. City go up the other end, De Bruyne working his way down the right and settling for a corner ... though he strangely decided against firing a low first-time ball across the face of goal.

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60 min: The Leicester story isn’t going to repeat itself, is it? Surely not. “Is it just me or is Kyle Walker a most frustratingly indecisive and inaccurate throw-in taker?” wonders Peter Oh. “Liam Delap’s dad must be shaking his head in disgust.”

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The corner’s slung into the mixer. Ederson makes a hash of punching clear, slapping the ball into Mendy, leaving Rodrigo with a simple slapshot from six yards. That had been coming, either side of half-time.

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58 min: A cute Costa backheel releases Rodrigo down the inside-left channel. He shimmies and shakes, and shoots towards the top left. The ball’s tipped round for a corner. From which ...

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57 min: The rain continues to spill from the heavens. The pitch is getting extremely heavy.

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56 min: Leeds make their second change, sending on Rodrigo for Roberts.

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55 min: Sterling cuts in from the left and tries to replicate his goal. The shot is blocked. De Bruyne blooters wildly over from a tight spot on the left.

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54 min: A free kick for City out on the left. De Bruyne lumps an uncharacteristically witless one straight into Meslier’s arms.

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52 min: Leeds stream forward, Dallas driving his men on, and the ball’s sent wide right for Ayling, who has options in the middle but wafts an awful chip into the stand behind the goal. The hosts are playing with much more confidence now.

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51 min: A long pass down the Leeds right. Poveda presses Mendy again. Mendy clears, but it’s obvious Leeds have decided to target the City left-back, on a yellow as he is.

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49 min: Passes aren’t sticking right now. All a bit shapeless.

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47 min: Walker takes an age over a throw, before flinging it straight into the arms of Meslier.

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46 min: Leeds over-elaborate; the corner’s a waste of time. But the home side have obviously been told to go up a gear or two.

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Second half! Leeds get the ball rolling again, having made one half-time change. Alioski is replaced by former City prospect Ian Poveda. The sub is immediately in the thick of it, romping down the right and winning a corner.

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Half-time entertainment. This is such a lovely gallery. Immerse yourself in the past for 15 luxurious minutes ... but don’t forget to come back for the second half, now.

Related: Graffiti, fishing and Mr Whippy – unseen photographs from football's yesteryear

6.18pm BST

There’s time for a huge error by Mendy, who miscontrols on the edge of his box, allowing Ayling to zip clear into the area. He drops a shoulder to send Laporte sliding out of harm’s way, but Ederson denies him at point-blank range with a stunning starfish save. And that’s the end of the first half. I was going to suggest that, given the way City started, 0-1 is something of a result for Leeds. But they really should have drawn level there. What a second half we have in store!

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45 min: There will be one extra first-half minute.

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44 min: Bamford spins away down the right and pulls back for Costa, who shoots from a tight angle and earns a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece.

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43 min: Costa chases a long ball down the right. Mendy, on a booking, can’t dive in, but does extremely well to usher Costa towards the corner flag and force him to turn tail.

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41 min: Mahrez stops a quick Leeds free kick being taken. For some reason, Mike Dean doesn’t book him.

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39 min: Foden comes in from the right and lashes diagonally across goal. Wide left, but not by much. This is turning into the entertaining end-to-end game we expected.

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38 min: A corner on the left leads to a corner on the right. A quick game of head tennis leads to a City break, De Bruyne sending Sterling clear down the inside-left channel. Sterling over-elaborates, allowing Koch and Ayling to get back, the latter stealing the ball brilliantly.

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37 min: A gorgeous Leeds move as Klich glides in from the right. Bamford takes up possession and flicks wide left to Dallas, who barges into the box and sees his shot turned round the post by Ederson. For a second, City were opened up.

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36 min: Mendy is booked for a cynical trip on an in-flight Costa. A daft challenge, on the halfway line, with other City players in close attendance.

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35 min: The rain is still sheeting down.

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34 min: City crank it up, Foden sending Torres away down the right. His low cross is gathered well by Meslier, but there’s a sign that, no, City aren’t minded to make the same mistake again.

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32 min: Mendy channels his inner Beckenbauer by striding through the midfield in regal fashion. He slips a pass down the left to release Sterling, but his team-mate has gone too soon. Up goes the flag, and Leeds breathe again.

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31 min: Leeds have picked up their tempo, while City have reined themselves in. Shades of the Leicester narrative last weekend. They’ll not make the same mistake twice, surely.

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29 min: Costa slips a ball down the right for Ayling, whose low cross is spilled by Ederson at the near post. The whistle goes as everyone swarms; turns out Ayling had run the ball out of play for a goal kick. But these are promising green shoots of recovery for Leeds, after an absurdly lop-sided start to this match.

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28 min: Dallas and Phillips probe gently down the left. They go nowhere, but at least they’re getting a semblance of a foothold in the match now. They’ve had 52 percent possession during the last ten.

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26 min: A little bit of Leeds possession. Time to check City’s momentum, take a breather, take stock. The hosts have been run ragged so far.

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24 min: A rare Leeds sortie as Bamford powers down the inside left and whistles a fierce shot well wide left of goal. Ederson wasn’t worried, but small acorns and all that. Leeds just need to stay in the game right now.

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23 min: On the touchline, Pep wears a worried frown. His standards are absurdly high ... like that’s breaking news. His team have been sensational.

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22 min: Another attack, as De Bruyne robs Phillips and sends Sterling dribbling with great purpose down the left. He tees up Foden, who snatches at his shot and drags it well wide right.

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21 min: But City keep coming at them. Sterling and De Bruyne combine down the left to win City’s fifth corner of the game. De Bruyne fires a flat cross towards Laporte, who flashes a header inches wide of the top left from 12 yards.

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19 min: Leeds, to their credit, aren’t panicking. They’ve been making mistakes, sure, but they’re not panicking. Ayling, Koch and Cooper calmly play out of the back, under intense City pressure. Some admirable triangles as they live on the edge.

5.48pm BST

It’s fair to say this had been coming. Sterling takes up possession on the left-hand corner of the box. He drops a shoulder once, then twice, as he skitters across the face of the area. Then he curls an unstoppable shot into the bottom right. That’s a fantastic finish, and no more than City deserve. They’ve flown out of the blocks this evening.

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16 min: Sterling jinks down the left, turning Ayling inside out, then cutting back for Torres, who shoots towards the bottom right with Meslier out of position. Dallas sticks out a leg and blocks on the line. This is brilliant stuff from City, who will be wondering how they’re not already a goal or two to the good.

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14 min: But this is better from Leeds, as Ayling whips deep for Alioski, who heads powerfully over the bar. He should have got that one on target. He’ll be thinking he should have scored.

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13 min: Leeds need to wake up quickly. Torres romps down the right and enters the box. Another shot; another block. It’s only a matter of time before City score the opening goal.

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12 min: From the corner, Dias is gifted a free header six yards out. He should score, but heads wide left. Leeds clear upfield, where Bamford swings an arm into Laporte’s face. He’s booked for that one.

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11 min: De Bruyne is given an absurd amount of time as he drives down the middle. He finally shoots, but probably took one or two strides too many, allowing Koch to stick out a boot and deflect wide right for a corner.

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10 min: Sterling cuts in from the left and looks towards the far corner. His shot is blocked at source. City have enjoyed 72 percent of possession in this opening phase.

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8 min: Leeds are chasing shadows right now. On the touchline, Bielsa is shouting at his troops with great feeling.

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6 min: This is a supremely confident start by City, who will be in the mind to make a statement after last week’s shenanigans.

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5 min: Two corners follow. From the first, Dias claims a penalty as his header twangs off Cooper at close range ... but the referee calls it correctly, the ball having bounced off the Leeds defender’s head. Leeds clear the second.

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3 min: Leeds have hardly had a touch. Sterling is bowled over out on the left. De Bruyne curls in the free ki ... no he doesn’t! He opts to go for the top left, with everyone, especially Meslier in the Leeds goal, expecting the swinger to the far post. The ball caroms off the post and Leeds are able to hack out for a corner. Shades of Gary McAllister’s last-gasp winner for Liverpool at Goodison Park in 2001 ... except that one went in of course. But it was an equally brilliant bit of quick thinking. Inches to the right and that was nestling in the unguarded left-hand side of the net.

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2 min: Rodri takes. Cooper clears. City take up possession again. De Bruyne slips a pass down the left channel for Sterling, who takes a touch inside and sends a curler, intended for the top-right corner, high over the bar.

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1 min: City are on the front foot reasonably quickly. Mendy drives in from the left. Foden and De Bruyne combine to tee up Walker, whose weak shot is deflected out for a corner on the right.

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City get the ball rolling ... but only after everyone takes a knee. No room for racism.

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The teams are out! Leeds are in their world-famous Revie white, while City sport a fetching black second strip. It is absolutely hosing down at Elland Road, shades of San Mamés in 2011, when Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao and Guardiola’s Barcelona shared the spoils in a four-goal thriller. More, please! We’ll be off in a minute.

5.17pm BST

Bielsa considers the style of his so-called former pupil. “I don’t see in Pep’s playing style any ideas that he’s taken from my playing style ... It’s not a good time to face them. When they face adversity, they’re stronger.”

5.07pm BST

Pep welcomes Ruben Dias. “He starts as soon as possible. He will adapt. Eric [Garcia] has some niggles in the hamstring and John [Stones] was out for ten days, so we didn’t have options. I think he has a good personality, a good header, good in the build-up, intelligent in movement. Do not forget he’s 23 and has time to improve.”

4.50pm BST

Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola meet again this evening, 14 years after the City manager made a pilgrimage to Argentina in search of knowledge. Jonathan Liew tells the story of one of football’s great enduring bromances.

Related: Bielsa, Guardiola and a meeting that may have changed football history | Jonathan Liew

4.39pm BST

Leeds United make just the one change from the side that won at Bramall Lane last weekend. It’s an enforced one: Jack Harrison is on loan from City and ineligible against his parent club, so Ezgjan Alioski takes his place.

Manchester City hand a debut to their new great defensive hope Ruben Dias. He’s one of three changes to the side thrashed by Leicester last Sunday. Aymeric Laporte and Ferran Torres are also in; Nathan Ake, Fernandinho and Eric Garcia make way.

4.32pm BST

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

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, Rodri, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden, Torres, Sterling.
Subs: Stones, Ake, Steffen, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Delap, Palmer.

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Last season, Manchester City rebounded from the first loss of their campaign in spectacular style, following up a shock 3-2 defeat at Norwich by hammering Watford 8-0. Leeds United, fully aware that City had the back seat of their trousers handed to them neatly pressed by Leicester City last weekend, are permitted to take one long, loud, hard gulp. Nobody likes facing down a wounded lion.

Then again, Leeds are no Watford. The three-time champions of England, back in the big time after a ludicrously long hiatus, have immediately made their presence felt on the top division again. An unfortunate last-gasp 4-3 loss at the champions Liverpool was followed by a fingernail-bothering 4-3 win over Fulham and a staunch victory over local rivals Sheffield United. They’ve won 14 of their last 17 league matches, and under Marcelo Bielsa they’re unlikely to change their gung-ho approach for anyone.

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Chelsea 4-0 Crystal Palace: Premier League – as it happened

Ben Chilwell starred on his league debut for Chelsea as Palace were blown away in the second half

2.48pm BST

Jacob Steinberg was at the Bridge. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM!

Related: Jorginho scores from the spot twice as ruthless Chelsea sink Crystal Palace

2.47pm BST

Roy Hodgson’s take. “It’s the difference goals make ... all four were very clear individual errors ... we didn’t have a clear attacking threat at any stage ... on the ball we showed no composure or confidence ... it’s a harsh scoreline and one we can only blame ourselves for ... one or two players were not anywhere near their level.”

2.44pm BST

Frank Lampard’s verdict. “We got our reward ... not too many put four past Palace ... we were comfortable in the first half but needed a bit more ... we had to mix it up ... change it up, more speed ... Chilwell was fantastic today ... I admired his ability to get up the pitch.” Also, the Jorginho-Abraham penalty spat has “been dealt with” and there are “no problems ... I appreciate his eagerness ... but those are the rules, you don’t jump ahead in the list.”

2.26pm BST

Chelsea weren’t perfect, but when you can say that after a four-goal victory, you’re not in a bad place. A welcome three points after a fine second-half performance ... though Palace may consider themselves the architects of their own downfall. Chelsea go fourth, while Palace slip to eighth.

2.23pm BST

90 min +1: The first of three extra minutes. Werner - on the margins today - tries to juggle his way into the box down the right but miscontrols. No matter, the ball deflects out for a corner. Palace deal with the set piece easily enough.

2.21pm BST

90 min: Ben Chilwell does indeed get the man-of-the-match award. A goal and an assist on his league debut. Not bad, huh.

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89 min: Like 87 min, but even more so.

2.18pm BST

87 min: Both teams just seeing out the remaining time now.

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85 min: Ayew wins a corner for Palace down the right. He’s then bundled off the ball by Havertz and wants a penalty, but it’s a fair challenge. Chelsea break and nearly fashion a fifth, Werner, Havertz and Pulisic combining well at speed down the left. But the flag goes up for offside when Pulisic takes a shot from a tight angle.

2.15pm BST

84 min: Chelsea replace Hudson-Odoi and Kante with Kovacic and Pulisic.

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Abraham wants to take the penalty and grabs the ball. Azpilicueta takes it off him and gives it to Jorginho, who replicates his earlier spot kick. Chelsea celebrate, with the exception of Abraham, who stomps off with a face on.

2.13pm BST

81 min: Guaita claims Chilwell’s corner. But Chelsea quickly come back at Palace. Havertz steps into the box, dinks the ball past Sakho’s dangling leg, and goes over. A clear pen.

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80 min: Azpilicueta crosses low from the right. Milivojevic slides in to intercept, and nearly sends the ball flying into the bottom right. Inches wide.

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After a completely unnecessary VAR check, Jorginho hops, skips and dispatches a fine penalty into the bottom right, sending Guaita the wrong way.

2.08pm BST

76 min: Chelsea are now even closer to that precious game-killing third goal. Mitchell hangs out a leg as Abraham dribbles into the box down the inside-right channel. Abraham goes over, and the ref points to the spot.

2.07pm BST

75 min: Hudson-Odoi tears past Mitchell down the right and whips a cross towards Abraham at the near post. Abraham power-steers a header inches wide of the bottom right. So close to a third that would totally put this game to bed.

2.06pm BST

73 min: Riedewald replaces McArthur. Palace’s midfield has been denuded all right.

2.03pm BST

71 min: Townsend hits the free kick too long. Palace recycle the ball down the left. McArthur chips it across the face of goal from a tight position. Chilwell, who already has had some league debut, chests calmly into the arms of Mendy. The man-of-the-match award looks a shoo-in for Chelsea’s new left-back.

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70 min: Abraham clips Townsend as the Palace winger makes his way down the right. A chance for Palace to load the box.

2.01pm BST

69 min: Kante is booked for a tug on Ayew’s shirt.

1.59pm BST

68 min: Palace respond by replacing McCarthy with Milivojevic.

1.59pm BST

Chilwell now has an assist to go with his goal! His initial corner is cleared, but Hudson-Odoi returns it to him. He crosses from the left. Zouma rises highest to plant a header into the top right! That’s better!

1.56pm BST

65 min: Chilwell crosses from the left. He’s got Abraham free in the middle, but takes too long and settles for a corner instead. And from that ...

1.55pm BST

64 min: Azpilicueta takes a yellow card as he hauls down a counter-attacking Eze. He makes no complaint.

1.54pm BST

63 min: Another good moment for Palace as Chilwell is stranded upfield, allowing Townsend to drive down the right. He lays off to Ayew, whose cross-cum-shot stings Mendy’s hands. Chelsea clear.

1.53pm BST

62 min: This is better from Palace, as they apply a gentle press, allowing Zaha to spin down the inside-left channel and take a shot that’s deflected wide left. The resulting corner is a waste of time, but that should give the visitors succour as they look for an equaliser.

1.52pm BST

61 min: Chelsea stroke it around the back. Palace seem almost totally unwilling to step out and compete. The hosts have been put under very little pressure at the back.

1.50pm BST

59 min: ... Chelsea should really score. Chilwell curls the corner onto Zouma’s head. He’s six yards out, but sends his header wide left. Not exactly a banner couple of minutes for the Chelsea defender.

1.49pm BST

58 min: Abraham works his way down the right and wins a corner off Mitchell. And from the set piece ...

1.48pm BST

57 min: Zouma gives away the ball carelessly in the midfield. He’s very fortunate that Townsend plays a weird pass down the right to nobody in particular, spoiling the chance of a Palace counter.

1.47pm BST

56 min: Chelsea ping it around, to no great effect.

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54 min: McArthur tries to curl a shot into the top right from 25 yards. He finds the top right of the Shed End. That was beyond appalling, and he has the good grace to hang his head accordingly.

1.44pm BST

53 min: Palace need to raise their own game now, and Ward hassles Chilwell into the concession of a corner down the right. Chelsea deal with the set piece easily enough. Mendy still hasn’t had to make a significant contribution on his league debut.

1.43pm BST

52 min: As a result of the goal, Chelsea immediately appear freer, their passing a little bit crisper and quicker.

1.42pm BST

Palace gift Chelsea the opener! Hudson-Odoi tries to break down the right but loses control. Sakho should clear, but stubs his toe, allowing Hudson-Odoi to have another go. The ball’s worked across the front of the Palace goal, via Abraham to Chilwell, haring in from the left. Chilwell batters home from close range. What a blunder by Sakho, undoing all of his team’s good defensive work up until this point.

1.40pm BST

49 min: Other than that, Chelsea haven’t really flown out of the blocks in this second half. Palace look comfortable. Chelsea need to pick up the tempo.

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47 min: Havertz swivels into space down the middle, and briefly has a chance to shoot, but hesitates and is closed down by McCarthy. An excellent block tackle.

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46 min: No changes, incidentally.

1.36pm BST

Chelsea get the second half underway ... having been kept waiting by tardy Palace again. They’re a good two minutes late, pushing Chelsea’s buttons. Plenty of Chelsea frowns, both on pitch and off. We could witness Frank losing his supercool yet.

1.21pm BST

Half-time entertainment. This gallery is truly delightful. Lose yourself in it for the next 15 minutes. Includes a 1959 picture of Ally MacLeod, waist deep in all sorts of trouble, not for the last time in his career.

Related: Graffiti, fishing and Mr Whippy – unseen photographs from football's yesteryear

1.18pm BST

Time for that rethink. Take stock. Draw up a few new plans. Here’s Ian Copestake: “The game seems well-balanced and just waiting for the last seconds when VAR decides who wins.”

1.18pm BST

45 min: There will be one added minute. Half time can’t come quickly enough. Both teams need a rethink in the final third.

1.17pm BST

44 min: Free kick for Chelsea out on the right. Hudson-Odoi wastes it by hoicking it out of play on the left. That kind of sums this half up.

1.14pm BST

42 min: But Palace come straight back at Chelsea, Townsend getting the better of Werner down the right and crossing long for Sakho, who heads lamely wide left. A good chance gone.

1.14pm BST

41 min: Townsend flicks the ball past Chilwell, who sticks out an arm to stop the Palace man skittering off down the right. The resulting free kick is cleared easily enough by Zouma.

1.11pm BST

39 min: Jorginho chips a lovely long pass down the inside-right channel for Abraham. The striker sticks out a telescopic leg, hoping to bring it down, kill it, and shoot. But he can’t quite cushion the ball and lets it clank out for a goal kick. Nearly a delightful goal. What a pass by Jorginho.

1.09pm BST

37 min: Abraham wins a corner for Chelsea down the right. Chilwell swings it into the mixer. Guaita flaps. The ball drops to Hudson-Odoi, who again fails to get a shot away quickly. McCarthy closes him down. Chelsea have had some half-chances, but are yet to seriously warm Guaita’s hands.

1.08pm BST

35 min: Chilwell tees up Hudson-Odoi on the edge of the box. There’s a chance to shoot, but it’s taken far too late, by which time Palace have shut the door. Hesitation once again costs the hosts.

1.06pm BST

33 min: Abraham and Werner both chase after a ball down the inside-right channel, and get in each other’s way. Abraham was probably within his rights to take control and have a whack, but he seemed happy to defer to Werner, that indecision costing Chelsea and allowing Palace to clear.

1.05pm BST

32 min: Havertz conducts the orchestra again, sliding a pass down the left for Hudson-Odoi, who tries to release Chilwell with an instant ball down the channel. He gets too much juice on it, and Chilwell can’t keep it in play. But that’s better from Chelsea, who had gone a little quiet back there.

1.02pm BST

30 min: It’s been a good few minute for Palace, who have slowly but surely worked their way into the game. They even enjoy a bit of prolonged possession, stroking it around the back. Roy Hodgson will be perfectly content with this.

1.00pm BST

28 min: Townsend’s first corner leads to a second, and that one’s swung to the far post. Silva clears as Mendy, surrounded in a crowded box, flaps a little.

12.59pm BST

27 min: Eze has been Palace’s liveliest player. He drifts in from the left again, and sends the ball wide right for Ward, whose low cross finds Zaha at the near post. But Zaha is under pressure and can’t control. Palace come again, Zaha taking a pop from distance and earning his team’s first corner, Kante deflecting out to the right.

12.58pm BST

25 min: Azpilicueta is in the thick of it again, this time winning a corner with a raking crossfield pass that causes Palace some panic. Chilwell takes from the left. Abraham rises, but can’t add to his three-in-four tally against Palace, slapping a poor header well wide right from eight yards. That was a fine chance wasted.

12.56pm BST

24 min: Azpilicueta nibbles at Eze out on the left and it’s a chance for Palace to load the box. Eze takes the free kick himself, looking for Kouyate at the far post, but it’s overcooked and sails out harmlessly for a goal kick. Mendy has had absolutely nothing to do on his Premier League debut so far.

12.55pm BST

22 min: Palace take their time over a couple of throws, just to nix Chelsea’s increasing momentum. Classic game management.

12.53pm BST

20 min: A free kick for Chelsea out on the left. Chilwell floats it towards the far post. Silva nods it down for Jorginho, who swivels and volleys over from 12 yards. Chelsea are beginning to ask some serious questions now.

12.51pm BST

19 min: Havertz breezes down the middle with grace and purpose. He slips wide left for Werner, who takes a stride into the box and curls a shot towards the bottom left. It’s an easy gather for Guaita. But what a run by Havertz, who could become a transformational signing for Chelsea.

12.49pm BST

16 min: Jorginho makes a huge nuisance of himself on the edge of the Palace box, nearly bursting through a melee in the D. But Palace blast clear, eventually, and nearly spring a counter. But Eze and Zaha can’t get it together, and the hosts breathe again. Both sides living on the edge there.

12.47pm BST

14 min: Jorginho and Werner interchange down the inside-left channel, only for the cute, crisp move to break down. No matter, Chelsea come again, Hudson-Odoi barging down the right and slipping inside for Jorginho, who shuttles further infield for Kante. He blooters over the bar from the edge of the box, a wild effort.

12.45pm BST

12 min: Eze drifts in from the left and slips a diagonal ball towards the overlapping Ward on the opposite flank. Zaha gets in the way and confuses the issue, a two-on-one against Zouma coming to nothing as the ball rolls harmlessly away. An early sign that the Chelsea defence is still very much an organisational work in progress.

12.42pm BST

10 min: Chelsea continue to ping it about. Palace continue to hassle, harry and harass. Both managers will be happy enough at the minute.

12.41pm BST

8 min: Jorginho chips inside from a deep position on the right. Abraham eyebrows a header weakly wide left of goal. Chelsea are dominating the early possession, pretty much as expected. Holding onto the ball isn’t really Palace’s MO.

12.39pm BST

6 min: Werner is down, having copped a whack on the jaw from the elbow of Ward. All accidental, and the Chelsea striker is soon up and about again, albeit with a Paddington-style hard stare, and maybe revenge on his mind.

12.37pm BST

5 min: Azpilicueta crosses viciously from the right. Havertz hopes to meet it at the near post, but Kouyate races in to head behind for another corner, just in time. Chilwell swings the corner into the mixer, but there’s been too much pushing and shoving in the box and the referee blows for a pressure-releasing free kick to Palace.

12.35pm BST

3 min: Chelsea go straight down the other end, Kante and Hudson-Odoi combining down the right to earn the first corner of the game. Ayew clears the set piece with a booming header. A nice, fresh, open start.

12.34pm BST

2 min: Eze wanders down the left and drops a shoulder with a view to skating past Azpilicueta, but the Chelsea captain isn’t buying it.

12.33pm BST

And we’re off! Palace get the ball rolling ... but only after a minute of silence in memory of Matiu Ratana, the police officer tragically killed recently in Croydon. The players also take a knee. No room for racism.

12.29pm BST

The teams are out! Chelsea, who were dressed as Crystal Palace last weekend at the Hawthorns, revert to their normal blue garb. Palace arrive - after keeping the increasingly tetchy hosts waiting for a good couple of minutes - in second-choice white. Hey, it’s a long way from the temporary away changing room in the car park. Anyway, we’ll be off in a minute.

12.19pm BST

Roy discusses his team’s new attacking philosophy. “We’ve always created chances, we just haven’t always scored them. We’re trying to play with two front players instead of one and two wide, and sometimes that’s helpful in terms of attacking play. You’re denuding the midfield to some extent but giving yourself more chance up front. But in terms of principle, nothing has changed. Often people’s impression of your attacking play depends very much on how many goal chances you create and how many goals you score.” I’ll go out on a limb here and suggest that’s the first time the verb “denude” has been used in a pre-match interview on BT Sport. Will Self’s appearances on Newsnight have nothing on this.

12.09pm BST

Frank Lampard gives you a cast-iron no-touchline-brouhaha guarantee ... or your money back. “I’ll always stand my ground and be respectful,” he tells BT Sport. “I’m not just defending myself, I’m defending Chelsea, we’re working hard to do things right and there’s a lot said sometimes on the line. Roy’s different to all of them, the biggest gentlemen in the game. I’ll be very surprised if me and Roy are head to head come Saturday morning!” So let the love-in commence.

11.48am BST

Could this be Callum Hudson-Odoi’s final appearance in a Chelsea shirt for a while? The young midfielder may be Bundesliga bound. Here’s Jacob Steinberg with all the latest from behind the curtain at Stamford Bridge.

Related: Bayern Munich in talks with Chelsea over Callum Hudson-Odoi loan deal

11.38am BST

Chelsea make four changes to the XI picked for the League Cup defeat at Tottenham. Out go Fikayo Tomori, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Olivier Giroud; in come Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kante, Kai Havertz and serial Palace-botherer Tammy Abraham, who has three goals in his last four against the Eagles.

Palace are unchanged. Roy Hodgson names the same team that lost 2-1 at home to Everton.

11.32am BST

Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Zouma, Chilwell, Kante, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Werner, Abraham.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Pulisic, Tomori, Kovacic, Giroud, Mount, James.

Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Kouyate, Sakho, Mitchell, Townsend, McCarthy, McArthur, Eze, Ayew, Zaha.
Subs: Milivojevic, Dann, Meyer, Hennessey, Benteke, Kelly, Riedewald.

11.23am BST

Crystal Palace don’t have a great recent record against Chelsea: they’ve lost the last five meetings. In that sense, this looks every inch the home banker. But things are never quite that simple, are they.

For a start, Chelsea have yet to convince this season. Fair enough with so many new faces to slot in, and a couple of big names missing injured to boot, but whatever the justification, the performances are what they are. Curate’s eggs the lot of them: an uneven win at Brighton, a comprehensive home defeat to Liverpool that nevertheless hinged on a scuffed one-on-one and a missed penalty; that topsy-turvy 3-3 thriller at West Brom. Good luck correctly predicting which Chelsea will turn up today. All available evidence suggests the smart money goes on both.

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The Fiver | Three big draws made in the ever-exciting world of association football

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Since The Fiver last saw you, a mere 24 hours ago, a tempest has raged across the south of England depositing 387 billion gallons of rainwater in its wake, the president of the United States of America and leader of the free world has contracted a potentially lethal virus, and three, not just one, but three big draws have been made in the ever-exciting world of association football. And to think some days we struggle for news. Actually, we’d still have struggled had the Big Cup, Big Vase and Energy Tin draws not taken place, the other subjects falling well outside The Fiver’s remit, but you get the general point. Thank goodness for that wild frenzy of hot velvet-bag-cupping, balls-out action, eh kids?

Related: Dundalk drawn against Arsenal in Europa League group stage

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Football transfer rumours: PSG to beat Arsenal in race for Houssem Aouar?

Today’s fluff is loving the weather

José Mourinho’s bid to bundle Dele Alli out of the back door of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has hit a snag. Paris Saint-Germain are willing to take the unwanted star off his hands, but are only willing to stump up a £1.5m loan fee. Daniel Levy isn’t so green as he’s cabbage looking, and wants more coin. PSG might come back with an increased offer.

They also might not. The Parisians may instead concentrate their efforts on Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, which would irritate Arsenal greatly, on account of their long-standing serious interest. The Gunners are committed enough to the idea of Aouar to have already agreed to ship Lucas Torreira to Atlético Madrid.

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Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (5-4 pens): 2020 Community Shield – as it happened

The FA Cup winners edged the champions on penalties after an entertaining encounter at Wembley

7.04pm BST

Congratulations to Arsenal, then, and commiserations to Liverpool. Barney Ronay was at Wembley to see the Gunners win the Community Shield for the 16th time. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM!

Related: Aubameyang keeps his cool as Arsenal win Community Shield on penalties

7.02pm BST

Jurgen Klopp’s verdict. “We had to play against a low block and a counter-attacking threat. But we should have created more because we had the ball quite a lot. But we had to be careful like crazy because of Aubameyang and they are strong in counter-attacking. So we had two really good moments when Sadio had the chances, and scored a good equaliser, but should have scored more and we didn’t do that. We have to take it, and the penalty shoot-out is always a lottery so we were unlucky. Congratulations to Arsenal. We respect the competition! A lot of things were good, I didn’t expect any sort of perfection. In the final third we need to be fresh and the rhythm failed a little bit. Today it was not enough.”

6.52pm BST

Mikel Arteta speaks! “I am so happy. I knew the challenge we faced against incredible opponents. David Luiz for example trained one day, so thank you very much to the players for the performance. I was pleased with our courage, how we pressed and made decisions. We sustained it in the second half. The last ten minutes, we dominated and created two good chances to win. Hopefully they can get used to it, it creates belief and a good atmosphere. Big games, big moments, big players ... Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was magnificent!” And his new contract? “We are close!”

6.44pm BST

Huge smiles as Aubameyang lifts the Community Shield! He doesn’t drop this one, even though Bellerin sends a huge spray of champagne straight into his face as he lifts it skyward! Liverpool stay to applaud their victors, but depart fairly quickly, heads bowed, once the Shield is lifted. Not the perfect start to the season for the champions, though this happened to them last season as well, and things didn’t pan out too badly after that. Arsenal meanwhile are left to celebrate wildly. Something is happening here under Mikel Arteta!

6.39pm BST

The match-winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang speaks! “I feel very good. Today we deserved the win. I will take this trophy and hopefully this time I won’t drop it! I am very happy. We’re going to see [about a new contract]. Today we get the trophy.”

The man of the match Ainsley Maitland-Niles - who is 23 today - adds: “It’s a special moment. The first time I’ve ever played on a my birthday, and at Wembley, fighting for another cup for the club. We brought it home, and it’s a fantastic feeling. I’m an Arsenal player until I’m told otherwise.”

6.36pm BST

A dejected Brewster scrunches his eyes and looks to the heavens. He gets a kiss from Jones, then hugs from Klopp and Firmino. He’ll need picking up tonight. Arsenal are in no need of an uplift, though! Smiles all round as they caper around an empty Wembley, filling the place with celebratory vibes! They fought so hard for this, refusing to buckle under some late Liverpool pressure. Quite a few grim faces. They wanted to win this Shield all right. Both teams had their eye on it ... and we were served up some highly decent early-season entertainment as a result!

6.32pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 5-4 Liverpool. Aubameyang whips into the top right, and the FA Cup winners have beaten the Premier League champions! A second trophy in four weeks for Mikel Arteta!

6.31pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 4-4 Liverpool. Jones has to score ... and whips a fine kick into the bottom left, sending Martinez the wrong way.

6.30pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 4-3 Liverpool. Luiz belts a sensational penalty into the top left. Alisson went the right way this time, but had no chance.

6.29pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool. Minamino, Liverpool’s second-half hero, spanks one straight down the middle.

6.29pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 3-2 Liverpool. As Van Dijk puts a fatherly arm around Brewster, Cedric slots into the right-hand side of the goal. Alisson sent the wrong way for the third time.

6.28pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool. Brewster, on with seconds remaining, twangs his effort off the top of the bar. Too much power.

6.28pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool. Maitland-Niles, the man of the match, is up next for Arsenal. He passes confidently into the bottom right. What nerves of steel!

6.27pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool. Fabinho, who had a record of 17 penalties out of 17 with Monaco, skelps into the bottom left. Martinez off to the right.

6.26pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool. Nelson is up. The substitute whistles a fine effort into the bottom left. Alisson sent the wrong way.

6.26pm BST

Penalties: Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool. Salah takes ... and lashes it into the right-hand side of the net, Martinez going the other way.

6.25pm BST

Arsenal defended magnificently in that second half, standing firm in the face of much Liverpool pressure. A very impressive performance, seeing they’ve just had five days of pre-season training, while Liverpool are a couple of weeks in. Liverpool will be happy enough with their own display, mind you ... up until the final third at least. It looks as though Liverpool will take the first penalty. Here we go!

6.21pm BST

A draw seems about right. We’re going to penalties!

6.20pm BST

90 min +2: Brewster comes on for Wijnaldum. A switch with the penalty shoot-out in mind?

6.19pm BST

90 min +1: Mane curls right to left for Robertson, who wins a header but slaps it over from six yards.

6.18pm BST

90 min: There will be a minimum of three added minutes.

6.18pm BST

89 min: Willock makes a couple of dangerous runs down the left. He looks for Aubameyang at the near post. The striker can only run the ball out for a corner. Arsenal have looked the more likely since that tranche of changes.

6.16pm BST

88 min: The official man-of-the-match is Maitland-Niles, who looked halfway out the door last week, en route to Wolves.

6.15pm BST

86 min: Cedric crosses from the right. Willock gets between Gomez and Fabinho, and should be working Alisson at the very least. But he sends a very presentable chance wide left. That was a big opportunity to win this for Arsenal!

6.12pm BST

84 min: A reminder that if there’s no late winner, we’ll be going straight to penalty kicks.

6.12pm BST

83 min: Keita allows his pocket to be picked by Maitland-Niles, who is free down the left ... but clumsily runs the ball out for a goal kick, under pressure from the covering Gomez.

6.11pm BST

82 min: A triple change for Arsenal: Tierney, Saka and Nketiah are replaced by Kolasinac, Willock and Nelson. Meanwhile Liverpool send on Jones for Firmino.

6.09pm BST

81 min: Robertson digs out a cross from the left. Mane chests it down but takes a heavy touch when one on one with Martinez, and their second duel ends in another win for the keeper. Brilliant save!

6.07pm BST

79 min: Holding sprays a long pass down the right for Saka, but the young man looks tired and is easily brushed off the ball by Robertson. “Minami-YES,” quips Peter Oh, because somebody had to.

6.05pm BST

77 min: Liverpool are applying pressure, Arsenal beginning to tire. Firmino spins and looks to shoot. Not quite. Minamino nearly bustles his way free on the left. Not quite. Minamino, now on the right, goes over under pressure from Elneny, but doesn’t appeal for a penalty.

6.03pm BST

75 min: There was a VAR check for handball, as Minamino and Salah flicked the ball between each other. It might have hit a hand in the middle of a tangle of limbs ... but it belonged to Cedric. The goal stands.

6.02pm BST

Salah sashays along the front of the Arsenal box, right to left. He’s looking for space to shoot, but instead flicks to Minamino. There’s not much space as the pair barge into the box down the left channel. The ball breaks to Minamino, who opens his body and slots his first Liverpool goal into the bottom right!

6.00pm BST

71 min: Robertson swings it in. Arsenal half clear. Firmino and Mane combine down the left, but the final ball is lacking. Arsenal are defending with great resilience.

5.58pm BST

70 min: Cedric barges into the back of Minamino, and this is a free kick on the left, 25 yards out. Robertson swings it in, and Tierney is forced to head over his own bar for a corner.

5.57pm BST

69 min: Saka drops a shoulder to edge past Wijnaldum on the right. He enters the box and shoots. It’s going wide, but only just, and Alisson can’t take the chance, catching and carrying over the line for a corner. The resulting set piece is a waste of everyone’s time.

5.56pm BST

68 min: A little pocket of space for Minamino, 25 yards out. He tries to whip a shot into the top left, but it’s an easy pick for Martinez.

5.55pm BST

67 min: Liverpool have had 80% of possession during the last five minutes. Martinez has had nothing to do.

5.55pm BST

66 min: Nketiah takes one in the chest from a high-kicking Keita. The collision look accidental enough, and there’s no card. Nketiah is up again quickly enough.

5.54pm BST

65 min: Mane threatens to break clear down the right, but Maitland-Niles sticks to his task and holds his line brilliantly. Mane can’t barge through.

5.52pm BST

64 min: The game’s slowed right down. Arsenal are more than happy with this state of affairs. Liverpool not so much, but they’re having trouble raising their tempo.

5.50pm BST

62 min: Arsenal are sitting back, but Liverpool can’t get anything going in the final third. The FA Cup holders are comfortable enough at the minute.

5.48pm BST

60 min: Keita’s first touch: a 30-yard belt at goal. It’s always flying wide right. But it’s a statement of intent, if nothing else.

5.48pm BST

59 min: The admin frenzy continues as Liverpool make a double swap. Off go Milner and Williams, on come Minamino and Keita. Gomez will move over to right back, Fabinho partnering Van Dijk in the middle.

5.46pm BST

58 min: And now the first sub of the day: Arsenal replace Bellerin with Cedric.

5.45pm BST

57 min: Milner picks up the first booking of the day, sliding in hysterically on Nketiah. He can’t complain.

5.45pm BST

56 min: Martinez is finally forced into action! Robertson rakes a long pass down the left. Mane gets in ahead of Holding, and enters the box, one on one with the keeper. But he can’t quite sort his feet out, and when he eventually tries to chip the ball home, the keeper smothers. Fine goalkeeping, though he should never have been allowed to make the save.

5.44pm BST

55 min: Van Dijk gifts possession to Aubameyang, who tries to release Saka down the right. Robertson tracks back to snuff out the danger.

5.43pm BST

54 min: Fabinho wins a corner off Maitland-Niles down the right. Milner takes, and finds Van Dijk at the far post, but Elneny and Holding make it hard for the Liverpool man, who can only softly eyebrow the ball wide left under extreme pressure. Martinez hasn’t had a save to make.

5.41pm BST

52 min: Aubameyang is found in space down the left. He swings to the far post, where Saka waits to knock home. But for once Aubameyang’s radar is wonky. The ball sails harmlessly away and Liverpool breathe again. This doesn’t look like it’s going to end 1-0, but who scores next?

5.39pm BST

51 min: Saka makes good down the right and lays off for Maitland-Niles, who leans back and clears the bar with ease. Liverpool go up the other end, Firmino cutting in from the left and trying to replicate Aubameyang’s goal, his effort sailing wide right.

5.38pm BST

49 min: Gomez slides a pass down the middle, but Mane and Firmino can’t execute the one-two they’re going for. Aubameyang threatens to counter down the left, but Gomez has stayed alert and wins the footrace.

5.35pm BST

47 min: Arsenal stroke it around the back confidently enough. Eventually Liverpool get a go. Williams blooters long, and Firmino nearly gets the better of Luiz under the high ball. Not quite, but for a second, Arsenal hearts were in mouths.

5.33pm BST

Arsenal get the second half underway. No changes.

5.20pm BST

Half-time entertainment. Hannah Jane Parkinson anticipates the new season by running the rule over all the new shirts.

Related: Lava touches and teal accents: the Premier League's 2020-21 kits

5.17pm BST

The Gunners started slowly, but go into the break deservedly leading. It’s not happened for Liverpool up front.

5.16pm BST

45 min: Saka whistles a ball in from the left. It rolls invitingly through the six-yard box, but Nketiah hasn’t gambled and Liverpool get away with it. There will be one added minute.

5.14pm BST

43 min: Saka’s corner is a non-event. In lieu of action, here’s Matt Dony: “Right. First game of the season, and I’m already annoyed. The referee, the commentary team and Peter Walton all agree that ‘There wasn’t enough contact for Mane to go down.’ Can anyone point out the rule that says there has to be enough contact to knock someone down? If you pull someone back, even slightly, while making no effort to play the ball, how is it not a foul? And this isn’t one-eyed Liverpool bias; I get just as annoyed when Liverpool players do it. Skrtel essentially built his whole game around it, and it infuriated me every time. Ah, I hate football.”

5.13pm BST

42 min: Maitland-Niles stands one up from the left, momentarily confusing Alisson, but Milner ushers it away from a throw. Arsenal work it around to the left again, allowing Tierney to have a whack. The shot balloons off Gomez and out for a corner.

5.12pm BST

40 min: One corner leads to another. And another. Arsenal are struggling to get out. From the third, Robertson curls delightfully from the left. Mane eyebrows it gently. At the far post, Van Dijk mistimes his attempt at trundling home, and the ball sails harmlessly out of play for a throw. Robertson will be wondering how he’s not got an assist to his name. On another day, he could have had two or three.

5.10pm BST

39 min: Salah threads a stunning diagonal pass through a small gap in the Arsenal defence to Robertson on the left. His low fizzer is poked out for a corner by Bellerin. Just as well, for red (and teal) shirts were lined up behind him.

5.09pm BST

38 min: Arsenal stroke it around the back a bit in the old George Graham style. A smart move, with Liverpool having built up a little momentum.

5.08pm BST

36 min: Gomez hoicks an extremely ambitious shot over the bar from distance. No need for this sort of traffic-on-North-Circular-bothering desperation yet.

5.07pm BST

35 min: It’s not quite happening for Liverpool. Mane does extremely well to keep the ball in down the left and tiptoes along the tightrope. Robertson joins in and whips another fine ball through the six-yard box. Salah can’t reach it with his big toe.

5.04pm BST

33 min: More good work from Arsenal down the left flank, and the ball ends up at the feet of Nketiah, just inside the Liverpool box. He tries to sort his feet out, but can’t fix them in time, and Van Dijk grabs the opportunity to intercept and clear.

5.03pm BST

31 min: Liverpool try to raise the tempo. Mane and Firmino exchange crisp passes down the left. A little brush between Bellerin and Mane, the latter going over, but he’s not getting a penalty for that. Robertson fizzes the loose ball across the face of goal, but there’s nobody there to poke home. Then another phase, and Salah has a shot blocked easily enough.

5.01pm BST

30 min: Milner sends a couple of crosses in from the left. Both are cleared easily enough, though hats off for the skill he displayed before the second, taking down a looping Gomez pass with an exquisite cushioned touch and spin.

4.58pm BST

28 min: Saka finds Nketiah down the inside-left channel. Nketiah drops a shoulder and, in looking for the top right, lashes well over the bar. It’s Arsenal who are looking more likely at the moment. Liverpool have barely threatened since falling behind.

4.58pm BST

26 min: Williams thinks about delivering a ball into the Arsenal box from the right. He hesitates, and allows Aubameyang, tracking back at speed, to nick it off his toe. Aubameyang is clearly willing to put in the work Arteta demands. Now they just need to get him to sign a new contract.

4.55pm BST

24 min: So having said that, it all goes a bit scrappy. Both teams are playing it like they mean it, though. Don’t let anyone argue this means nothing.

4.53pm BST

22 min: Williams and Milner take turns to shoot from the edge of the Arsenal box. Both attempts are blocked at source. Liverpool come again, Milner trying to find Firmino in the middle with a hooked pass, but Arsenal hold firm. This match is good fun.

4.52pm BST

21 min: Some space for Tierney down the left. He crosses too high, and it’s an easy claim for Alisson. But the momentum has almost totally flipped. Now it’s Arsenal who are first to everything, enjoying the lion’s share of possession.

4.50pm BST

19 min: Saka isn’t perfect, mind, and he loops the resulting corner into Alisson’s arms. What a prospect the 18-year-old is, though. A real discovery.

4.49pm BST

18 min: Gomez is robbed by Nketiah in the centre circle. The ball’s slipped wide right for Saka, who nearly gets a second assist, advancing down the flank then cutting back for Nketiah, who doesn’t have to break stride as he sidefoots powerfully towards the bottom right. Alisson does extremely well to turn the shot around the post.

4.47pm BST

16 min: Hats off to Saka for the crossfield ball that set Aubameyang on his way. It was a sensational pass. Something’s afoot at Arsenal under Arteta.

4.46pm BST

14 min: That goal came very much against the run of play, and Liverpool look a little stunned. A question mark over Williams’ positioning, though Tierney was making off on the overlap, so he had plenty to think about.

4.44pm BST

Arsenal go straight up the other end and score! Saka sweeps right to left. Aubameyang drives at Williams down the left. He nudges the ball inside, given too much time and space, and lashes an unstoppable curler into the bottom right! What a finish!

4.43pm BST

12 min: Luiz slices out of play under pressure from the Liverpool press. Williams takes up possession on the right and curls onto Milner’s head. He should work Martinez at the very least, but heads harmlessly over.

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11 min: Liverpool have enjoyed 60 percent of possession so far. Arsenal are struggling to put anything significant together.

4.40pm BST

9 min: Arsenal seem happy enough to sit back and look for Aubameyang with long passes. It’s all easy enough for Van Dijk and Gomez at the minute. Here’s Tom Hopkins: “That Arsenal kit put me in mind of the surface of Europa (the moon, not the limit of their continental ambitions).”

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7 min: Robertson curls it in. Van Dijk sticks out a boot and guides the ball across Martinez and into the bottom corner. He doesn’t bother celebrating the goal, because he clearly went too early and had been caught offside. The Arsenal back line holding their nerve well. VAR checks, totally unnecessarily, and we play on.

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6 min: Wijnaldum runs at Luiz down the inside left and is nudged over clumsily. A free kick. Everyone lines up on the edge of the Arsenal box.

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5 min: Robertson hares down the left and curls a glorious deep ball towards Salah, to the right of the D. Tierney sticks out a leg and nearly sends an absurd looper over Martinez’s head and into the top right. But the keeper backtracks well and claims. Tierney enjoyed that, a tacit admission that he might not have meant to do exactly what he did.

4.34pm BST

3 min: Liverpool are further into their pre-season, and it’s showing in these very early exchanges. The champions first to everything at the minute. Mane breezes down the left and clips back for Robertson, haring down the inside-left channel. But the pass isn’t quite there. Holding does just enough to deal with the situation.

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1 min: Liverpool are immediately on the front foot, Mane shaking and shimmying at Bellerin down the left. Bellerin stands firm and passes his first test.

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Liverpool get the ball rolling. But not before a knee of solidarity and love is taken. Black lives matter.

4.28pm BST

The teams are out! Arsenal are in their ... yes, we’ve already covered this, haven’t we. Suffice to say, at a slightly damp and dreary Wembley, we’ll be off in a couple of minutes. Just the national anthem, pennant swap and coin toss to get out of the way. “That Arsenal shirt looks like the kitman left his red pen in a track suit pocket while loading the last wash. Nobody is buying his Marble Halls malarkey,” writes iconoclastic architecture critic

Jonathan Meades
Justin Kavanagh.

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Here’s what happened the last time these two met.

Related: Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

4.19pm BST

Mikel Arteta talks! “It’s always good to be back at Wembley. We’re going to be fighting for another trophy. We have some really nice memories of this stadium. But when this game is being played is a little bit awkward. Winning a trophy generates belief and it was great to win another FA Cup title. We know the opponent we are facing, but we are convinced that if we do what we have to do, we have a chance to win. A lot of names are not even on the bench at the moment, we have players that have only had one training session. But it is what it is, and we’re going to put out the strongest team possible. But having five days training is not ideal. Martinez was our goalkeeper in the FA Cup, and he deserves to play this final.”

4.10pm BST

Jurgen Klopp speaks! “I would say we are ready. We have enjoyed training so far. Yes, the break was not too long, but it was absolutely OK. The boys look good. We are as fit as we can be. I hope I don’t have to spend all year talking about defending the title because I don’t understand that phrase 100 percent. We have the same in Germany, I never understood it there, it’s not about the language. You cannot defend a title when it’s an open race for everybody. So we try to attack again. But we don’t have a guarantee that it will work out, so why worry about that now? This is a really good opportunity for us, a big game, I am excited. But I saw the Arsenal line-up and it looks good.”

4.05pm BST

Match rules. If it’s a draw after 90 minutes, there’s no extra time. We’ll be going straight to penalty kicks. Each team will be able to make a maximum of six substitutions.

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The FA Cup holders will be wearing this beauty today. It’s a nod to the marble halls at their much-missed Highbury pile.

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Eight of the Arsenal team that started the FA Cup final four weeks ago are named again. Not here at all this time: Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette.

James Milner captains Liverpool in the absence of the injured Jordan Henderson. Trent Alexander-Arnold is also unfit; he’s replaced at right-back by Neco Williams.

3.33pm BST

Arsenal: Martinez, Bellerin, Luiz, Holding, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Nketiah, Aubameyang.
Subs: Leno, Cedric, Saliba, Kolasinac, Olayinka, Willock, Nelson, Smith Rowe, John-Jules.

Liverpool: Alisson, Williams, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Keita, Grujic, Jones, Minamino, Tsimikas, Brewster, Elliott, Koumetio.

11.31am BST

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here’s the legendary Guardian football correspondent David Lacey on Liverpool in 1979: “Their strength remains in their teamwork and in their ability to get the basic details of passing and positioning right for most of the time. When they have got the ball they consistently make space, when they lose possession, space disappears.” There you have it: the laconic Bob Paisley and the gregarious Jurgen Klopp, two peas in a pod.

Liverpool dominated Arsenal in that year’s Charity Shield. Alan Hansen channelled his inner Franz Beckenbauer, Terry McDermott scored twice, and a swaggering Kenny Dalglish display was topped when he sent Steve Walford off to the wrong fire before slotting past Pat Jennings. Liverpool won 3-1, payback for defeat in a marathon FA Cup semi the season before.

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The Fiver | A thin-lipped low seethe, the most dangerous of all the seethes

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It’s been a far from perfect start to the season for the Queen’s Celtic. Points dropped at Kilmarnock. Coronavirus quarantine breaches. A sense that Pope’s Newc O’Rangers are finally approaching a level of basic competence and could sustain a title challenge until the end of September, or whenever Leeds make off with Ryan Kent. Ah well, at least they tried. And now another hammer blow, with yet another Big Cup fiasco that in one fell swoop makes the European record of Brendan Rodgers look a little better in comparison. Yep, that bad.

Related: Celtic hit the Champions League buffers and Neil Lennon questions attitudes

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PSG 0-1 Lyon: Women's Champions League semi-final- as it happened

Wendie Renard’s second-half goal was the difference as Lyon reached their fifth consecutive final

9.54pm BST

Sid Lowe was in Bilbao, and here’s his report. Enjoy, enjoy ... and thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

Related: Wendie Renard rises highest for Lyon and PSG are pushed aside once again

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Nikita Parris will miss the final: she was unlucky to pick up her first yellow, but what on earth was she thinking for the second? However she races onto the pitch to celebrate with her team-mates nonetheless. Lyon cavort in a low-key manner, the collective out on their feet after being forced into plenty of late defence. They’re deserved victors, though, having enjoyed 57% possession and carving out the two best chances of the match: Gunnardsottir’s header and Renard’s winner. PSG at times seemed to be more interested in breaking up play than creating - they gave away 27 fouls this evening - which was strange considering how dangerous they looked when they did attack. Diani was superb again. But Lyon had more players on their game tonight - Majri, Cascarino, Karchaoui and Renard were all magnificent - and they go into Sunday’s final against Wolfsburg.

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Lyon are through to their fifth final in a row, their captain Wendie Renard the difference in a tight and occasionally testy match!

8.52pm BST

90 min +5: Dudek sends a pea-roller into the arms of Bouhaddi. That will probably be it.

8.51pm BST

90 min +4: Dabritz takes and finds ... Endler, her goalkeeper, who has come up to make her presence felt. But the keeper can’t control, and Lyon clear.

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90 min +3: Diani goes on a rococo ramble down the right and wins a corner off Bacha. The last chance for PSG to force extra time?

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90 min +1: The first of five added minutes sees Diani romp up the right, getting the better of Bacha. But she can’t find Katoto in the middle. Lyon half clear, then Diani bowls Bacha to the ground, and the pressure is off.

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90 min: Gunnarsdottir handles as she attempts to break up the wing. A free kick for PSG out on the left. Dabritz takes, sending a dismal delivery straight down Bouhaddi’s throat.

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88 min: Lyon are clearly extremely nervous. Katoto and Morroni swarm their defence; nobody wants to put their foot through a clearance in case they catch an opponent and give away a penalty. Eventually Van de Sanden arrives to blooter away from danger.

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87 min: Renard tries to Beckenbauer her way out of trouble and ships possession. She’s fortunate that Diani carelessly hoicks the loose ball out for a goal kick. Van de Sanden then replaces Marozsan.

8.43pm BST

85 min: Lyon are sitting back, hoping to hold on to what they’ve got. Too conservative? Kumagai nervously gives away a corner with a clumpish backpass that Bouhaddi has no chance of keeping in. Be thankful that wasn’t on target. Lyon mop up the corner easily enough, but they won’t be looking forward to the next five minutes at all.

8.41pm BST

83 min: Diani crosses dangerously from the right. Bronze heads clear under pressure from Bruun and Katoto. Dabritz tries to get a shot away from the edge of the box but is quickly closed down. The tension mounts.

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81 min: PSG sub a sub, Baltimore making way for Bruun, their quarter-final hero. Baltimore makes no fuss and hides her disappointment, knowing her coach’s plans will have gone up in smoke after the red card.

8.37pm BST

79 min: Le Sommer is brought down as she makes good along the right flank. Majri floats the free kick diagonally towards Renard, who heads across the face of goal. Le Sommer nearly latches onto the loose ball ... but not quite. PSG are struggling to deal with these free kicks. They should probably stop giving them away, but they’ve been racking up the fouls all evening, and some habits are hard to break.

8.35pm BST

77 min: Cascarino is replaced by Le Sommer, as Lyon process the repercussions of Parris’s loss of composure.

8.34pm BST

75 min: If Geyoro’s second yellow was daft, this is truly idiotic. Parris, already on a yellow, pointlessly clatters into the PSG keeper Endler, competing for a ball she was never going to reach. She immediately holds her head in her hands, knowing full well that a second booking is coming. What a way to miss a big final, should Lyon get there.

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73 min: Karchaoui can’t continue, and she’s replaced by Bacha. Meanwhile the PSG coach Echouafni is booked for complaining a little too loudly about a garden-variety Lyon foul.

8.29pm BST

71 min: Karchaoui is back up. Lyon launch a long ball down the right. Parris chases, and is crudely shoved in the back by Paredes, who is fuming with frustration right now. A pointless free kick to give away, and she’s very lucky that this time Majri’s delivery, again meant for Renard at the far post, isn’t half as good.

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69 min: PSG try to strike back immediately, Diani competing with Karchaoui for Baltimore’s left-wing cross. The defender wins, then goes down with cramp.

8.26pm BST

Majri curls the free kick in from the right. Renard rises highest at the far post, and heads confidently down and into the bottom-left corner. What a nightmare minute for PSG!

8.25pm BST

66 min: Before the free kick, PSG send on the defensively minded Formiga for Bachmann.

8.24pm BST

66 min: Bronze dribbles with great grace down the inside-right channel. Geyoro hangs out a cynical leg to bring her down. It’s a daft challenge - she’s already on a yellow, and she’s off.

8.21pm BST

63 min: Diani and Bachmann combine well down the right, but a ball forward to spring Katoto clear catches the striker offside.

8.19pm BST

62 min: Majri’s up and good to go, no serious damage done by the looks of it.

8.19pm BST

61 min: Diani curls deep from the right. Bronze, under little pressure but given no shout, slams out for a corner. From the corner, Bachmann drops a shoulder down the left and crosses for Diani, who barges into Majri and concedes a free kick. Pressure off Lyon, though Majri looks to have landed awkwardly on her shoulder. Physio on.

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59 min: Katoto spins Buchanan out on the left and zips up the wing. Buchanan does well to get back, forcing Katoto to lay off for Baltimore, who loops harmlessly into Bouhaddi’s arms from the left.

8.15pm BST

58 min: Lyon stroke it around the middle of the park without really going anywhere.

8.14pm BST

56 min: PSG push Lyon back. A free kick, then a corner. Then Baltimore drifts down the left and nearly breaks into space, but she doubts herself and checks back, and the window of opportunity closes.

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54 min: Nadim, so close to a second yellow in the first half, is replaced by Baltimore.

8.12pm BST

53 min: The free kick’s floated into the box. Dudek has a crafty pull on Buchanan’s shirt as the ball sails out for a goal kick. Buchanan complains, and she’s got a point. Lyon are on a rolling boil now.

8.10pm BST

52 min: Parris goes down, trapped in a pincer movement by Paredes and Dabritz. She complains too loud and long, and goes in the book, which is somewhat harsh seeing she was on the end of a foul that’s been given. Lyon are irritated all right.

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50 min: Karchaoui threatens to burst down the left but she’s pulled back by Lawrence. She makes her feelings known to the referee. Lyon are getting irritated at PSG’s no-nonsense approach.

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49 min: Katoto dribbles across the front of the PSG box, left to right, before pulling back for Dabritz, who tries a curler towards the top right. It’s all wrong. Goal kick.

8.06pm BST

48 min: Majri and Geyoro tangle in the centre circle. Just for a second, the situation threatens to escalate, but the ball squirts away and the pair disengage. A slight edge to this game.

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46 min: Lyon are on the front foot immediately, Majri skittering down the left and slipping the ball infield for Parris, who drops a shoulder before striding into the box and sending a shot towards the bottom left. Endler has it covered.

8.02pm BST

Lyon get the second half underway. No half-time changes. A reminder that this gets decided one way or another tonight, so extra time and penalties are very much a possibility.

7.50pm BST

Half-time entertainment.

Related: Women's transfer window summer 2020 – all deals from Europe's top five leagues

7.48pm BST

Nothing happens in it. The teams troop off. Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir should have given Lyon the lead; Nadia Nadim is testing the referee’s patience. Otherwise, it’s too close to call.

7.46pm BST

45 min: There will be a full minute of added time.

7.44pm BST

43 min: PSG are coming back into it, after a period of Lyon domination. Diani dribbles hard down the left and hopes to find Bachmann in the middle, but takes too long over the cross, is closed down, and runs the ball out for a goal kick.

7.43pm BST

42 min: This is tight and tense. Already. Extra time and penalties, anyone?

7.42pm BST

40 min: Some good work by Morroni down the left wins a corner that PSG waste. Karchaoui goes up the other end, and for the second time she’s stopped in her tracks by Nadim’s cynical check. That really should be a second yellow, but the referee stops at a stern lecture. Any more transgressions and she’s surely for the off.

7.40pm BST

38 min: Cascarino robs Dudek down the right and draws a foul. An old-school playground hair-tug vaguely reminiscent of Peter Crouch’s antics at the 2006 World Cup. And from the resulting free kick, sent in by Maroszsan, Gunnarsdottir really should score, heading wide left from six yards. She did well to get in ahead of Paredes, but having done the hard work she’s missed a sitter.

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36 min: Cascarino sashays down the right again, but is ushered out by a determined Morroni. Cascarino looks Lyon’s most likely lock-picker; she’s causing a lot of problems down this flank.

7.36pm BST

34 min: Paris respond well, probing down both flanks, Diani and Katoto making their presence felt. A corner is punched clear by Bouhaddi. Lyon go up the other end, Cascarino crossing from the right, Majri eyebrowing a header wide left. This is great back-and-forth fun.

7.33pm BST

32 min: Lyon are getting closer and closer. Cascarino swipes a volley towards the bottom right. It’s always going wide, but Endler doesn’t know that, and tips around for a corner. From the set piece, Bronze guides a header towards the top right, but Endler is able to claim.

7.32pm BST

31 min: Dabritz tugs at Parris’s shirt. PSG are giving away quite a few free kicks at the moment. Parris isn’t happy. “Protect me! Protect me!” she shouts at the ref. Lyon getting irritated at the constant fouling.

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29 min: Paredes comes back on. Then Geyoro becomes the second Paris player to go into the book for a clumsy barge on Kumagai.

7.29pm BST

28 min: Lyon apply some pressure as Paredes gets her knee wrapped. PSG hold out, but the champs are beginning to ask quite a few questions now.

7.28pm BST

27 min: Paredes is off getting some treatment to a sore knee.

7.27pm BST

26 min: PSG take the sting out of the game by rolling it around the back awhile. Clever move, with Lyon beginning to impose their class.

7.26pm BST

24 min: Cascarino has started brilliantly, and here she pulls back a ball she had no right to reach, from the byline to the right of goal. She was so fast, and her pullback so unexpected, that Parris was caught napping. PSG clear, with the champs beginning to apply some pressure.

7.25pm BST

23 min: Geyoro is good to continue. And it seems she deflected Marozsan’s shot out for a corner, adding insult to injury. It’s hit long, and drops to Renard at the far post. She’s six yards out, but Bronze gets in her way and the chance to poke home is gone.

7.23pm BST

22 min: Marozsan flashes a snapshot wide left from 25 yards. She accidentally kicks Geyoro on the follow-through, and so the physio comes on to deal with the fallout.

7.22pm BST

21 min: Cascarino tears down the right again and swings a high cross into the box. Parris can’t get anywhere near it, though it’s looping dangerously close to goal anyway. Endler does very well to claim it at full stretch while backpedalling along her goalline.

7.21pm BST

20 min: The game gets momentarily scrappy.

7.19pm BST

18 min: Nadim is booked for cynically hanging out a leg to stop a full-flight Karchaoui. The Lyon full-back was preparing to launch a counter from deep, forcing the PSG player to take one for her team. She doesn’t complain when the ref rushes across to flash yellow.

7.18pm BST

16 min: Dabritz slips the overlapping Morroni into acres down the left. There are options in the middle, but she overhits the cross. Goal kick.

7.17pm BST

14 min: A nice end-to-end feel now. Diani glides at the Lyon defence only to be put off by a wily tug from Marozsan; Majri drives at PSG and wins a free kick that’s wasted. But the game is beginning to flow.

7.15pm BST

12 min: So having said that, here she is, latching onto Marozsan’s right-wing cross and swiping for the bottom-left corner. It’s not the fiercest shot, but it does take a deflection, out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece, but Parris, the competition’s all-time leading scorer, has made her first announcement of the evening.

7.12pm BST

11 min: Paris are having the better of things at the moment. Lyon haven’t really got going yet, and they’re struggling to get much gametime in PSG’s half. Parris has barely touched the ball.

7.11pm BST

9 min: The resulting free kick is no good, failing to beat the first woman, but PSG come straight back at Lyon, Bachmann tiptoeing down the left and nearly getting the better of Bronze. But not quite. Though she drops a shoulder to go past, she runs out of room and it’s a goal kick. This should be a good battle between two excellent players.

7.09pm BST

8 min: Buchanan clatters into Geyoro out on the Paris left. A chance for the underdogs to load the box.

7.08pm BST

6 min: An uncharacteristically poor pass in the midfield by Bachmann allows Lyon to flood forward. Marozsan slips a ball down the left for Karchaoui, who is in a lot of space, but wastes the opportunity by shanking harmlessly wide of goal from long distance. A rush of blood from the left-back.

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4 min: Cascarino goes on a long run down the right touchline, but eventually runs out of space. A very entertaining high-speed venture along the tightrope, though, and it had PSG on the back foot for a brief second.

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3 min: A little bit of space for Nadim out on the PSG right. She floats one into the mixer, but it’s an easy claim for Bouhaddi in the Lyon goal. Both teams just putting out feelers at this early stage.

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1 min: An early statement of intent by the ever-excellent Bronze, who outrageously nutmegs Diani while clearing her lines. Talk about calm defending.

7.01pm BST

Before kick-off, the players take a knee. Black lives matter. And then PSG get the ball rolling.

6.58pm BST

The teams are out! Both wear their first-choice clobber: PSG in blue with red-and-white stripe, Lyon in white. It won’t be long now.

6.48pm BST

In the other semi, Barcelona dominated but Wolfsburg prevailed. Here’s Barry Glendenning’s MBM, and Sid Lowe’s match report.

6.45pm BST

More tip-top preview material.

Related: PSG dream of precious win over rivals and Champions League holders Lyon

6.44pm BST

Team guides.

Related: Women's Champions League last-eight team guides – No 7: PSG

Related: Women's Champions League last-eight team guides – No 6: Lyon

6.38pm BST

Some Covid-19 related news from San Mames. PSG reserve goalkeeper Alice Pinguet yesterday tested positive for the virus, and is isolating as a result. According to BT Sport, she is asymptomatic, and had the virus three months ago.

6.12pm BST

PSG coach Olivier Echouafni names the same XI selected for the quarter-final win over Arsenal. Lyon’s Jean Luc Vasseur makes two changes from the side named against Bayern Munich last weekend. Sakina Karchaoui and Sara Bjork Gunnarsdóttir replace Amandine Henry, who is struggling with a calf injury, and Eugénie Le Sommer.

6.03pm BST

PSG: Endler, Lawrence, Paredes, Dudek, Morroni, Bachmann, Dabritz, Geyoro, Diani, Katoto, Nadim.
Subs: Voll, Criscione, Simon, Cook, Luana, Saevik, Fazer, Baltimore, Bruun, Huitema, Formiga, Khelifi.

Lyon: Bouhaddi, Bronze, Buchanan, Renard, Karchaoui, Gunnarsdottir, Kumagai, Cascarino, Marozsan, Majri, Parris.
Subs: Gallardo, Talaslahti, Bacha, Le Sommer, van de Sanden, Carpenter, Greenwood, Cayman, Taylor, Malard.

4.24pm BST

Welcome to our coverage of the second semi-final in this year’s Women’s Champions League. Reigning champions Lyon take on Paris Saint-Germain at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, for the right to face Wolfsburg in Sunday’s final.

Lyon go into the match as favourites. They’re the reigning champions, having won the last four editions of this tournament, and a record six in total. They haven’t been beaten in this competition since November 2014, when they were shocked in the last 16 by ... Paris Saint-Germain. No prizes for spotting the narrative arc up above the streets and houses, flying high.

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The Fiver | Barcelona continue to be the soap-opera skip fire that keeps on blazing

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Here’s the Fiver’s bold and brave prediction: Lionel Messi will still be a Barcelona player come the start of the new season. He’s quit Argentina a hundred times before, so we don’t see why this should be any different. But if we must dance the dance, while everyone at Barcelona dances the dance, then so be it. He’s off, kids! But to where? And when? And for how much? And where?

Related: Messi at Manchester City would bring fantasy football to England | Jamie Jackson

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Chelsea's first great splurge failed miserably. Will Lampard fare better?

With the club spending big again in pursuit of success the transfer experiences of 90 years ago provide a salutary lesson

As Frank Lampard romps up and down the aisles of soccer’s summer supermarket with carefree abandon, tittering hysterically as he loads his trolley to a height that makes Sheikh Mansour look like Mike Ashley, excitement and anticipation builds among the Chelsea faithful. Off-the-shelf glory may be just around the corner!

Who can blame anyone for succumbing to their wildest dreams? Lampard’s binge will peal loud bells among Chelsea fans of a certain vintage. A 28-day burst of luxury transfer activity during the summer of 2004 brought Petr Cech, Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho and Mateja Kezman to Stamford Bridge, and, well, four out of five ain’t bad. José Mourinho’s box-fresh team went on to win the Premier League in short order, a root-and-branch refresh paying instant dividends.

Related: Chelsea close to £90m Kai Havertz deal and expect to land Thiago Silva

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Arsenal 1-2 PSG: Women's Champions League quarter-final – as it happened

Signe Bruun sent the Parisians into the semis as Arsenal ran out of second-half steam in San Sebastián

9.26pm BST

Sid Lowe was at Anoeta tonight to see Arsenal’s WCL dream come to an end. Here’s his report. Enjoy that one ... and thanks for reading this one. Nighty night!

Related: PSG's Signe Bruun hits winner to end Arsenal's Champions League dream

9.25pm BST

Joe Montemurro’s verdict. “Mixed emotions. It’s hard to put your finger on a few things. You see why these teams are big teams in Europe. They’re powerful and hit you with every little error you make. To wake up and play after going a goal down is always very difficult, but I’m very proud of my team under difficult circumstances regarding preparation. But it’s the way it goes, there’s no excuses, they scored two goals and we scored one. Would we have loved one or two games of top competition in the lead-up? That would have been fantastic. We made the most of what we could do, simulating pressure moments, but it didn’t go our way.”

9.15pm BST

Arsenal goalscorer Beth Mead speaks. “We didn’t play our style of football. We played into their hands. We played long balls, but we’re a footballing side, so maybe it’s a lack of experience in this competition. We’ve got to learn from that, regroup, and qualify again. Do you know what, I thought [my goal] was close [offside] but I’ll take any goal in these competitions! I hit it pretty well, but if it was offside, it was offside. PSG’s match-time probably gives them a bit of an edge, but we’ve had a few pre-season friendlies. Today was their day, not ours. As English teams, we want to prove we can compete, and we’ve got to start doing that and deliver when it’s most needed. The girls are really excited about the new WSL season, so hopefully we can qualify and prove ourselves here again.”

Not entirely sure the BT Sport interviewer really needed to point out that Mead’s goal was offside. Her team’s just been knocked out of Europe, after all, and (as she was too modest to say herself) it was a hell of a finish. But she responded to the question with good grace and humour. She can be very pleased with her contribution to this match, one of Arsenal’s best players tonight, alongside Kim Little and the debutant Noelle Maritz.

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Cut Arsenal some slack: they hadn’t played for so long, while PSG have had some recent cup-final action to get themselves up to speed. That really showed as the second half developed, the Arsenal tanks powered by fumes for the last 30 minutes or so. Kim Little never gave up, but she could only do so much prompting, and the Gunners struggled to get Vivianne Miedema into the match. By contrast, PSG boasted the game’s two star performers in Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto. Always on the move, looking for a new angle, they forced Arsenal into one mistake too many, and Signe Bruun snaffled a winner her side richly deserved. PSG will face the reigning champs Lyon - who sneaked past Bayern Munich tonight - in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

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The whistle goes. Arsenal pushed PSG all the way, but the French side were deserved winners, their dominant second-half display the difference.

8.52pm BST

90 min +4: Dudek heads it half clear; Dabritz completes the job with a blooter halfway to the Hotel María Cristina.

8.51pm BST

90 min +3: Nobbs and Foord busy themselves down the inside-right channel. It’s enough to force a corner. Hope for Arsenal!

8.50pm BST

90 min +2: Bruun goes on a game-management gander down the left. The clock ticks on.

8.49pm BST

90 min +1: Dudek attempts a long-range pearler. It’s parried easily enough by Zinsberger.

8.48pm BST

90 min: Baltimore takes one of the strangest corners of all time, slicing one straight out of play in slow motion from the right. There will be five minutes for Paris to hang on; for Arsenal to save themselves and force extra time.

8.46pm BST

88 min: Williamson clatters Endler at the corner. She was entitled to go for the ball, but gets booked anyway. Then some changes: Arsenal replace Van de Donk and McCabe with Catley and Roord, while PSG send on the 42-year-old Formiga, who replaces Diani with a view to shoring everything up.

8.45pm BST

86 min: Miedema slides a ball down the left to release McCabe into the box. McCabe briefly sees redemption on the horizon. But as she shapes to shoot, Lawrence comes in to toe-poke out for a corner.

8.42pm BST

84 min: Little takes. Too soft, too high; Endler claims the floated corner with the greatest of ease.

8.41pm BST

83 min: As it is, Arsenal are still in with a shout. Some space for Foord down the right. She crosses low towards Miedema at the near post, but Paredes hooks out for a corner.

8.40pm BST

82 min: Diani makes good down the right and slips a pass inside for Katoto, whose rising drive is palmed out by Zinsberger. Then another wave of attack ends as Dabritz pearls a long-distance drive inches wide of the right-hand post. Zinsberger was rooted to the spot. Had that been on target, this quarter-final would have been over.

8.38pm BST

80 min: Foord, not yet up to speed, mistimes a tackle on Morroni. She goes straight in the book, and has the good grace not to bother complaining.

8.37pm BST

79 min: Arsenal look tired. Bruun and Baltimore combine smartly down the left and nearly open the Gunners up. The final ball is no good, though.

8.35pm BST

McCabe makes a crucial error, hesitating while shielding the ball near the right-hand corner flag. Diani toe-pokes it away from her from behind, allowing Katoto to dribble into the box and fire across the face of goal. Bruun sticks out a leg and guides into the bottom-left corner. For the second time tonight, a PSG goal had been coming.

8.34pm BST

76 min: A double change for Arsenal: Mead and Evans are replaced by Foord and a determined-looking Jordan Nobbs.

8.32pm BST

75 min: Before the corner can be taken, Bruun comes on for Bachmann. Her first contribution is to hoick a shot over the bar from the set piece.

8.32pm BST

74 min: Katoto plays the ball of the match, a delicate roll through the eye of a needle, down the inside-right channel to release Diani. She’s one on one with with Zinsberger, but doesn’t win the eye-to-eye duel. Save. Corner. What a pass by Katoto, though!

8.30pm BST

72 min: PSG have enjoyed 56% of possession so far tonight. They nearly turn that stat into an advantage on the scoreboard, as Bachmann slips Katoto away down the middle. But there’s hesitation again, and she can’t sort her feet out to shoot upon reaching the box. The excellent Maritz is back to put a stop to her gallop.

8.28pm BST

70 min: Bachmann goes on a rococo ramble down the right before the ball squirts into Zinsberger’s arms. Arsenal are struggling to get out again.

8.27pm BST

69 min: Arsenal get ponderous at the back, and nearly allow Katoto and Diani to one-two their way through. There’s not quite enough space to get a shot away.

8.25pm BST

68 min: PSG make their first change. Sandy Baltimore comes on for Nadim.

8.23pm BST

66 min: ... nothing of note occurs.

8.23pm BST

65 min: Little, Evans and Mead work well to tee up Van de Donk on the edge of the PSG box. But the ball gets caught under her feet. Diani goes up the other end and wins a corner down the right. From which ...

8.21pm BST

64 min: Bachmann slips a pass down the left for Geyoro, who tackles herself as she enters the box and falls to the ground in the vain hope of winning a penalty. The referee’s not having a bar of it.

8.20pm BST

62 min: Zinsberger is much more certain here as she gets behind Diani’s shot and gathers, the PSG midfielder cutting in from the right and whipping towards the bottom right.

8.19pm BST

61 min: Zinsberger takes a punch at the corner, but very weakly, allowing Dabritz to take a swipe goalwards. Fortunately for the Arsenal keeper, she can’t connect.

8.18pm BST

60 min: The corner leads to another corner. But before it can be taken, Van de Donk is treated after falling heavily amid a penalty-box stramash. She’ll be OK to continue by the looks of it.

8.17pm BST

58 min: Miedema releases Mead into the PSG box with a cute flick down the left, but the flag goes up for offside. PSG break up the other end, Nadim nearly getting on the end of a long ball down the left. Maritz makes a spectacular last-ditch tackle just as Nadim prepares to break free into the box. Corner.

8.15pm BST

57 min: A lull.

8.13pm BST

55 min: Diani’s in the mood at the moment. She skedaddles down the right and Arsenal are fortunate her pullback somehow evades all the blue shirts in their box. The Gunners are struggling to get out of their final third right now.

8.12pm BST

54 min: Arsenal half-clear the free kick. It’s returned to Nadim, who lashes over wildly from a good position to the left of the D.

8.11pm BST

53 min: Van de Donk slides in on Diani, near the right-hand corner flag. Free kick. Arsenal aren’t happy with the award, but it looked a pointless tackle.

8.09pm BST

52 min: Miedema tries to regain some momentum, scuttling in from the right and sending a shot bobbling through to Endler.

8.09pm BST

50 min: Diani takes a shot that’s deflected inches wide of the right-hand post. Nothing comes of the corner, other than a minor brouhaha that Arsenal eventually tidy up. But Arsenal’s fast start to the second half didn’t last long.

8.08pm BST

49 min: Beattie has picked up a knock. She’s instantly replaced by Schaderbeck, which suggests Arsenal knew about a problem at half time and were hoping Beattie could run it off. Nope.

8.06pm BST

48 min: Williamson brings the ball out of defence and takes an awful heavy touch that allows Diani to take the ball off her toe and race towards the Arsenal box. She should tear clear, but strangely hesitates, allowing Maritz to get back and crowd her out. Williamson owes the new signing one.

8.04pm BST

47 min: Arsenal start the half confidently, probing down both wings, then pinging it around the centre of the park. A statement of intent they weren’t able to make at the start of the first half.

8.02pm BST

Arsenal get the second half underway. No changes.

7.51pm BST

Half-time entertainment.

Related: Women's transfer window summer 2020 – all deals from Europe's top five leagues

7.50pm BST

A half of two halves comes to an end. PSG were utterly dominant until they scored, whereupon they sat back a bit. Arsenal needed no invitation to snatch the initiative, and deservedly go in level. This is set up to be a cracking second half. And remember, this has to be decided on the night, so extra time, penalties and all the concomitant drama could be ours to enjoy. Hunker down!

7.47pm BST

45 min: Katoto has no right to go on a dribble down the left, but her poise and determination earns a corner. She’s been PSG’s star turn so far by some distance, perhaps no surprise given her league haul over the past three seasons: 59 in 57!

7.45pm BST

44 min: Miedema, quarterbacking from deep, goes long down the middle. Just a little too much juice on the pass, which flies through to Endler with Evans in futile pursuit.

7.44pm BST

42 min: Miedema can’t quite sort her feet out on the edge of the PSG box. She does get a shot away, though it bobbles apologetically wide right, Endler watching it all the way. PSG flew out of the blocks tonight, but they’re the ones hoping to hear the half-time whistle.

7.43pm BST

41 min: Corner for Arsenal down the left. Bedlam from the corner. PSG clear, but their heads are muddled right now, and Arsenal are completely on top.

7.42pm BST

40 min: Mead’s joy is short-lived as she’s bodychecked crudely by Lawrence. A second PSG name goes in the referee’s book.

7.42pm BST

Little dinks a lovely pass down the inside-right channel for Mead, who has her back to goal, just inside the box. She turns and curls immediately across Endler and into the bottom left! What a wonderful finish! A slight suggestion that she was a couple of inches offside when she received the pass, mind, but there’s no VAR tonight, and there’s no flag ... so no worries. It’s all level!

7.40pm BST

38 min: Maritz and Nadim consider coming to blows over a throw-in. We don’t like to see it, won’t somebody think of the kids, etc. (But we do, and the kids can look after themselves.)

7.39pm BST

37 min: Arsenal faff around at the back, allowing Bachmann to take up possession on the edge of their area. She slips Diani away down the right. Diani fizzes a glorious low cross through the six-yard box, but nobody in Parisian blue has taken a gamble. Arsenal breathe again.

7.37pm BST

35 min: Bachmann tries to release Diani down the right, but overhits the pass and it’s a goal kick. Despite leading, PSG haven’t found their range. They’ve sent quite a few balls unnecessarily out of play, laying waste quite a few promising situations.

7.35pm BST

33 min: Diani is booked, slightly harshly, for clipping Walti as the pair stretch for a loose ball.

7.34pm BST

31 min: Williamson skies a nervous clearance. Katoto and Zinsberger challenge for the ball as it descends from the clouds. Katoto wins the battle, the Arsenal keeper once again extremely hesitant when dealing with a high ball. Fortunately for Arsenal, the ball squirts harmlessly wide of goal.

7.32pm BST

30 min: Van de Donk swings a cross in from the right; Endler plucks calmly from the sky. Arsenal haven’t forced the PSG keeper into serious work yet.

7.29pm BST

28 min: All a bit scrappy now. PSG seem much happier than Arsenal to let the game drift on.

7.28pm BST

26 min: And then suddenly PSG spring forward, Bachmann and Diani combining well down the right, nearly opening Arsenal up but not quite. Yet another heavy PSG touch lets Arsenal off the hook again.

7.26pm BST

25 min: Arsenal continue to hog the ball, but it’s sterile possession.

7.24pm BST

23 min: Little is causing Dudek problems down the Arsenal right. She’s got no right to even reach a loose ball, but gets in ahead of her opponent and earns a corner. Mead’s delivery is once again lacking, and an easy claim for Endler in the PSG goal.

7.22pm BST

21 min: Katoto chips a delicate defence-splitting pass down the PSG inside-left channel. She’s sent Dabritz clear, but a heavy touch runs the ball out for a goal kick. That’s a let-off for Arsenal, whose defence was caught cold.

7.21pm BST

19 min: Little dribbles hard down the right, bustling past a couple of stern challenges but crossing to nobody in particular. This is a good response to going behind by Arsenal, though. PSG had been completely on top, and the opener was no surprise, so they really needed this positive reaction.

7.19pm BST

17 min: Arsenal should be level in short order. Evans slips a pass down the right for the overlapping Maritz, who pulls one back from the byline for Little. She must score, eight yards out, but smashes her first-time shot inches wide right. What a chance!

7.18pm BST

Nadim curls it to Katoto on the penalty spot. She takes a step forward to lose Williamson, and guides a fine volley into the bottom right! It had been coming.

7.17pm BST

14 min: Dabritz curls it into the mixer. Paredes sidefoots goalwards but it hits a falling Arsenal defender. They want a penalty. They’re not getting one. PSG come again, Paredes challenging an uncertain Zinsberger under a high ball and clattering her. Free kick. PSG come again, again, winning a corner down the right. And from that ...

7.14pm BST

12 min: Diani turns sharply down the left and is unceremoniously blocked by Van de Donk. Now it’s PSG’s turn to load the box ahead of a free kick.

7.13pm BST

11 min: Bachmann bundles Little to the floor and this is a free kick out on the right, a chance to load the box. But once again Mead’s delivery is below par, failing to beat the first woman. PSG clear their lines.

7.12pm BST

10 min: The corner’s wasted, Mead shanking it straight out for a goal kick. But at least Arsenal have shown something in attack now.

7.11pm BST

9 min: Diani works her way in from the right and reaches the byline, but cuts back to nobody. A fine run, though. Arsenal go straight up the other end, Little winning a corner off Dudek down the right.

7.09pm BST

7 min: Mead slides through the back of Lawrence near the halfway line. She’s slightly fortunate not to go into the book for that overly aggressive lunge; the referee leaves it at a stern talking-to.

7.08pm BST

6 min: PSG are enjoying the bulk of the possession in these early exchanges. Their passes are sticking; Arsenal have yet to string anything of note together.

7.06pm BST

4 min: Maritz loses possession out on the PSG left, allowing Katoto to drive down the flank and glide infield. She shuttles the ball on for Bachmann, who tries an ambitious backheel from a very tight angle to the left of the Arsenal goal. It’s not half-bad, either, but Zinsberger isn’t going to be beaten at her near post.

7.04pm BST

2 min: Other than that, it’s a slightly frantic start at an eerily quiet Anoeta.

7.03pm BST

1 min: PSG are quickly on the front foot, Bachmann spraying a pass wide right to send Diani off down the wing. But Diani runs the ball out for a goal kick with uncharacteristic clumsiness. Arsenal were napping at the back there, and it’s an early opportunity to carve out a chance gone.

7.01pm BST

PSG get the ball rolling. But not before all the players take a knee of solidarity and love. Black lives matter.

7.00pm BST

The teams are out! Pennants have been swapped, team photos taken, coins tossed, fists bumped. We’ll be off soon. But before kick-off, a minute of silence to remember all those who have lost their lives to this dreadful virus. RIP.

6.51pm BST

Arsenal coach Joe Montemurro speaks: “The break has been fantastic for Kim Little, so we haven’t had to rush her back from injury. Effectively she’s had the time to recover properly. And the whole group has been able to freshen up from a mental perspective, so we’re looking forward to tonight. Noelle Maritz is a player with experience in the Champions League, and a right-sided player that suits our style. She’ll be ready and will complement what we want to do. To be back in football on this great occasion is where we want to be. We hope the fans will see a great game!”

6.46pm BST

It’s been a while ... so why not reacquaint yourself with tonight’s teams?

Related: Women's Champions League last-eight team guides – No 1: Arsenal

Related: Women's Champions League last-eight team guides – No 7: PSG

6.41pm BST

The other changing room. Moving pictures! In glorious technicolor! With slightly disquieting minimalist soundtrack!

Un tour dans le vestiaire

#AllezParis pic.twitter.com/vVzivI8JBn

6.33pm BST

Kit-and-caboodle watch. Arsenal’s 2020-21 away shirt is delicious, isn’t it, and now I want an ice-cream. Meanwhile that’s a fine pennant captain Kim Little will be handing over this evening: metal rod, quality stitching, luxury tassels. Just a shame the club insist on sticking with that cookie-cutter crest: substitute it for the old elaborate Victoria Concordia Crescit number, the iconic standalone cannon with little AFC balls, or ideally that Art Deco number that used to be all over Highbury, and what a gift that would be.

6.22pm BST

Noelle Maritz makes her debut for Arsenal at right-back. The Swiss international is formerly of Wolfsburg and therefore has an extensive medal collection already, despite being just 24 years old: five for the Bundesliga and another for the 2014 Champions League. Influential midfielder Jordan Nobbs doesn’t make the starting XI.

PSG have a Swiss debutant of their own in the shape of the aforementioned Bachmann. On their bench: the evergreen Brazilian midfielder Formiga, who at 42 could become the oldest player to feature at this stage of the Women’s Champions League.

Related: Formiga forever: Brazil's stalwart still shining for women's football at 42

6.09pm BST

Arsenal: Zinsberger, Maritz, Williamson, Beattie, McCabe, Walti, van de Donk, Little, Evans, Miedema, Mead.
Subs: Stenson, Maier, Catley, Mace, Schnaderbeck, Gut, Nobbs, Roord, Filis, Foord.

PSG: Endler, Lawrence, Paredes, Dudek, Morroni, Diani, Dabritz, Nadim, Geyoro, Bachmann, Katoto.
Subs: Voll, Pinguet, Simon, Cook, Luana, Saevik, Fazer, Baltimore, Bruun, Huitema, Formiga, Khelifi.

9.27am BST

Arsenal don’t have a particularly good record against French teams. Then again, most of the time they’ve been coming up against Lyon, by some distance the best team in the world. Lyon beat them 3-2 on aggregate in the 2007-08 Women’s Cup quarters; 3-0 in the 2008-09 Women’s Cup groups; and 5-2 on aggregate in the 2010-11 Women’s Champions League semis. Throw in a 3-2 aggregate victory in the 2001-02 Women’s Cup quarters for Toulouse and ... well, sequences are there to be broken, aren’t they.

This looks like a pretty well-balanced tie. PSG finished second to Lyon in Division 1 Féminine this season after the league was abandoned; Arsenal came third behind Chelsea and Manchester City in the Women’s Super League when the points per game were divvied up. Arsenal’s star is unquestionably Netherlands international Vivianne Miedema, who has been the leading scorer in England for the past two seasons; France international Kadidiatou Diani turned down an offer from Lyon to keep banging them in for PSG.

Related: Arsenal 1-3 Chelsea: 2018 Women's FA Cup final, as it happened

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