Rob Smyth's Blog, page 106

August 5, 2020

The Fiver | Manchester United, Fred the Red and that slender five-goal advantage

In these troubling times, nothing compares to the healing power of a Big Vase dead rubber. Tonight, Manchester United will drink in the LASK-chance saloon, where the booze is free and it’s impossible to get barred. United won 5-0 at LASK in the first leg, back in those innocent times when Boris Johnson was still licking trolley handles to demonstrate there was nothing to worry about. Given how little is at stake, the second leg could make the Craggy Island All-Priests five-a-side Over-75s Indoor Challenge Football Match seem fast-paced by comparison.

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Published on August 05, 2020 07:50

August 4, 2020

The France football captain who murdered for Hitler – podcast

The best stories from the beautiful game that you may never have heard before, written by some of the world’s leading sports journalists, and spanning more than 100 years of sporting history from across the footballing planet.

In this episode: Alex Villaplane said captaining France was ‘the happiest day of his life’. Fourteen years later he was shot dead for being a traitor.

Read the text version here.

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Published on August 04, 2020 21:00

The Spin | Next task for improving England side is to shed habit of losing series-openers

Past five Test series have begun with a loss and a change in their mentality could turn them into a potent force

All hail Rooty’s Bouncebackables! This phonetic travesty refers to a unique achievement by Joe Root’s England last week. When they beat West Indies in the third Test at Old Trafford, they became the first side in Test history to win consecutive series after going 1-0 down. It reflects well on a number of things, including their resilience, their patience, their nerve - not to mention the decision, 17 years ago, of the Home Office to belatedly grant a work permit for Workington Town’s new coach, Ged Stokes.

A successful response to adversity is never a bad thing, but that doesn’t mean it comes without a downside. Most would accept that a proper Test team shouldn’t have been going 1-0 down to these South Africa and West Indies sides in the first place. The Spin doesn’t want to be too harsh, because England’s Test team have made exciting progress since Chris Silverwood took over as coach. It no longer feels like a JFK moment when they score 400 and if they stop handicapping themselves they could become a serious team.

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Published on August 04, 2020 02:30

August 2, 2020

Celtic 5-1 Hamilton: Scottish Premiership – as it happened

The inevitable Odsonne Edouard scored a hat-trick as the champions got off to a flyer in their quest to win a tenth consecutive league title

6.35pm BST

Here’s Neil Lennon

“I’m delighted – it’s a fantastic start to the season. We were a little bit passive for my liking in the first half, but in the second half we showed what we’re about: real pace and power and some really good goals. We whipped them a bit at half-time, and in the end it was a really powerful performance.

6.24pm BST

After a slowish start, Celtic looked ominously good against an intrepid but inferior Hamilton. Their through passing and crossing was devastatingly incisive; in fact, the crosses for the first three goals were effectively through passes from a different angle.

Odsonne Edouard scored a hat-trick of close-range finishes, Jeremie Frimpong added another and the substitute Patryk Klimala forced his way onto the scoresheet in the last minute.

6.21pm BST

Peep peep! The champions return to action with a thumping victory.

6.20pm BST

The goal was made by Jullien, who slid a long through pass down the inside-right channel. It loooked like Hamilton had everything covered, but then Klimala appeared from nowhere to surge onto the ball, hold off Hamilton and force a precise first-time shot into the far corner. It wasn’t the most elegant finish, but it was a triumph of sheer desire.

6.18pm BST

That’s a terrific goal from the substitute Patryk Klimala!

6.14pm BST

86 min A triple substitution for Celtic: Karamoko Dembele, Hatem Abd Elhamed and Patryk Klimala replace Frimpong, Christie and the hat-trick hero Edouard.

6.13pm BST

85 min Taylor is booked for a tactical foul.

6.12pm BST

84 min The match is starting to peter out - partly because both teams are tired, mainly because of the scoreline.

6.09pm BST

81 min Jullien almost makes it five after staying forward following a corner, but Fulton denies him with another brave save.

6.08pm BST

80 min McGregor angles a fine pass to Christie, who takes it in his stride and is about to shoot when Hamilton comes across to concede a corner.

6.07pm BST

79 min “Big statement of intent from Celtic, Rob,” says Brendan Vahey. “The well-oiled machine looks up and running.”

It was a decent statement from Rangers as well, in fairness. Celtic look so good, though, and even odds of 4/9 to win the title feel a bit long.

6.04pm BST

77 min Moyo drives wide from 25 yards. Even at 4-1 down, Hamilton are attacking with puppy-dog enthusiasm.

6.03pm BST

73 min Ogkmpoe’s shot is deflected behind - and he misses a good chance from the corner, flicking a near-post header across goal and eventually out for a throw-in.

6.02pm BST

72 min “It was a rough 21 hours between the Cup final and the start of Celtic’s season but somehow I made it through,” writes Gerry Scott. “The alterations that Lennon has made to our style since returning have made us more entertaining to watch compared to the rather sterile final six months of Brendan Rodgers. It sounds like both full backs have been playing well today. Frimpong in particular can be great fun to watch.”

Yes, he’s one for the Joy of Six: infectious footballers. Both full-backs have been superb going forward, and Taylor’s two crosses for the first-half goals were Robertsonian in their precision.

6.00pm BST

71 min A double change for Hamilton as well. Ciaran McKenna and Charlie Trafford replacing Callachan and Odoffin.

5.58pm BST

70 min Olivier Ntcham comes on for Celtic to replace the impressive Elyounoussi.

5.58pm BST

69 min Fulton makes another good save, beating away Elyounoussi’s shot. Once upon a time, Wales lost 7-1 to the Netherlands - and Neville Southall was the best player on the pitch. Fulton is having a mini-Southall today.

5.56pm BST

67 min “That Elyounoussi dummy for Celtic’s first was a lesser spotted no-touch assist,” says Anthony Hill.

That would make a decent list piece. You could include off-the-ball runs and even off-the-ball fouls (don’t watch the ball here, watch Mark Hughes).

5.53pm BST

64 min Frimpong zips infield and plays a one-two with Forrest, whose angled return pass is quite glorious. Frimpong runs onto it and stabs a shot that is bravely saved by Fulton. The loose ball comes to McGregor, who heads it towards the Fulton-less goal. Odoffin, on the line, calmly takes it down on the chest and belts it clear.

5.49pm BST

61 min Anyone out there?

5.47pm BST

59 min Forrest cuts infield from the left and curls a lovely shot towards the far corner that is superbly tipped behind by the diving Fulton.

5.45pm BST

57 min Ogkmpoe should have been given a second yellow card for that first touch. Had he miscontrolled it even slightly he would still have been able to get a shot in.

5.44pm BST

56 min Ogkmpoe suddenly has a chance to make it 4-2, but his first touch is a custodial offence and his second is a foul of Jullien.

5.43pm BST

55 min Ogkmpoe is booked for booting McGregor up in the air, prompting a brief exchange of views involving Scott Brown.

5.42pm BST

Celtic opened Hamilton up with a superb move: Forrest fired the ball into Elyounoussi, who stabbed it through to the onrushing Christie. He opened his body to clip a left-footed shot that was pushed out by the diving Fulton, but Edouard reacted smartly to steer the ball into the roof of the net.

5.41pm BST

It’s getting messy all right. Odsonne Edouard has completed his hat-trick!

5.40pm BST

52 min Fulton is smartly off his line to beat Edouard to a through -ball. Brian Rice must be concerned that this will get messy for his young side. They don’t deserve to suffer a heavy defeat, but football doesn’t really care for such sentiment.

5.38pm BST

It was another clean, clinical move from Celtic. Christie, just inside his own half on the right, flicked a defence-splitting pass down the line towards Forrest. He scurried onto the ball, looked up and curled a precise low cross that was finished with authority by Edouard.

5.37pm BST

Ryan Fulton’s pulse rate has increased now.

5.36pm BST

48 min Lots of Celtic pressure at the start of the second half, though nothing to alter Ryan Fulton’s pulse rate.

5.33pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Hamilton begin the second half.

5.25pm BST

Replays of Martin’s goal suggest the original shot was going wide, so it will probably go down as a Callum McGregor own goal. It hit him first and then Jullien before dribbling into the net.

5.22pm BST

Half-time reading

5.21pm BST

Peep peep! Celtic deserve to be ahead, but an intrepid Hamilton contributed fully to an entertaining half of football. Two devastating crosses from Greg Taylor left Odsonne Edouard and Jeremie Frimpong with open goals, but Scott Martin - who trained with Celtic as a bairn before being released - got Hamilton back into the match with an early contender for goal of the decade. See you soon for the second half.

5.18pm BST

45+1 min Christie’s deep corner is met by another cracking volley from Jullien at the far post. This time it’s blocked by a Hamilton defender, as is his follow-up shot.

5.17pm BST

45 min Elyounoussi picks up a loose ball and hits a deflected long-range shot that is comfortably held by Fulton. One minute of added time.

5.16pm BST

44 min Celtic are zipping the ball around with increasing confidence. Hamilton look like they could do with a half-time breather.

5.14pm BST

41 min Ronan Hughes has pulled something and is going off; Marios Ogkmpoe replaces him. Look at him with four consecutive consonants in his surname, thinking he’s special.

5.13pm BST

39 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Good to have Scottish fitba back, and on the MBM, though it felt a bit strange to be watching at home yesterday with my virtual season ticket as Dundee United unfurled the Scottish Championship flag at Tannadice prior to a 1-1 draw with St. Johnstone. I missed being there, but at least I could have a drink at the game. And didn’t need to queue for the toilets. Or pay through the nose for my half-time snacks. Or listen to umpteen terrace Messis/Klopps telling me and everybody else how it should be done. And I was home the second the full time whistle went. But as I said, I missed being there.”

Association football: the most moreish misery around. (With the possible exception of English cricket.)

5.10pm BST

37 min The free-kick is 22 yards from goal, to the right of centre. Christie clips a nice effort that skims the head of Moyo in the wall and loops onto the roof of the net. Good game, this.

5.09pm BST

36 min Callahan is booked for taking Elyounoussi from behind.

5.07pm BST

35 min At the other end, Christie clips a shot just wide from 25 yards. I think Fulton had it covered.

5.07pm BST

Hamilton are back in it! Hughes’s high, hanging free-kick from the left was headed back into the middle by Callahan beyond the far post. Christie cleared it towards the edge of the area, where Martin hit a frankly lame shot that took two deflections and wrongfooted Bain. It’s on!

5.05pm BST

Now then!

5.03pm BST

The two full-backs combine to put Celtic two ahead. McGregor found Taylor, who curled another devastating ball into the corridor of uncertainty. It flashed across the six-yard box and was met at the far post by Frimpong, who gleefully tapped it into the open net. Brilliant stuff. A goal like that, involving both full-backs, would never have been scored 20 years ago.

5.02pm BST

It’s there!

5.00pm BST

29 min Edouard is limping after a robust ball-and-man challenge from Callachan. He and Martin have not been shy about putting it about in midfield.

4.58pm BST

27 min A quiet spell in the game. Hamilton have done really well for the most part, and there wasn’t much they could do about Edouard’s excellent goal. Taylor’s ball in was nigh-on perfect.

4.54pm BST

23 min Frimpong’s sharp cross is headed over by the backpedalling Edouard.

4.53pm BST

22 min: Chance for Hamilton! McMann’s corner from the right was met by Want, who headed over from six yards under pressure from Ajer. He did really well to get to the ball in front of Ajer; having done so, he should probably have done better.

4.52pm BST

That was an excellent team goal. Frimpong started the move with a typically explosive run over the halfway line before finding Edouard. He moved the ball on towards Elyounoussi, who dummied it so that it could run through to Taylor on the left wing. He looked up and curled a superb low cross that took the keeper and defenders out of the game and left Edouard with an open goal from three yards. He accepted the invitation.

4.50pm BST

Odsonne Edouard gives the champions the lead!

4.48pm BST

18 min Scott Brown strolls over to engage Martin in a strident discussion about his tackle on Frimpong, and the referee intervenes to ensure it doesn’t descend - or should I say ascend - into the throwing of hands.

4.47pm BST

17 min Martin is booked for a naughty back at Frimpong.

4.45pm BST

14 min The corner is lofted well beyond the far post to Jullien, who smacks a volley into the ground and off the outside of the near post. I’m pretty sure Fulton had it covered but Jullien’s technique was lovely.

4.44pm BST

13 min Elyounoussi, near the byline on the left, picks out Forrest on the edge of the area. He shifts the ball onto his right foot and then drags a disguised shot towards the near post that is pushed round by Fulton. That’s a really good save.

4.42pm BST

11 min There’s a lovely, intrepid feel to Hamilton’s approach play. After a smooth passing move, Odoffin beats Taylor on the right and clips an excellent cross the near post. Moyo gets above his man and flicks a header that drifts across goal and wide of the far post. That was a chance.

4.40pm BST

9 min Frimbong surges past Hughes to win another corner for Celtic, this time on the right. Christie clips it in and the teenager Hamilton clears at the near post.

4.39pm BST

8 min McMann’s corner is overhit and drifts behind for a goalkick.

4.38pm BST

7 min Hamilton are playing with two up, the teenager Winter and the Zimbabwean Moyo. It’s a brave approach given how little they are likely to see of the ball. But Winter shows why he’s in the side with a really confident turn and shot from 20 yards that is punched over the bar by Bain.

4.36pm BST

6 min A nice backheel from Edouard finds Forrest, whose first-time cross is well held by the stretching Fulton.

4.35pm BST

4 min Another corner to Celtic on the left. Christie curls it towards sthe near post, where Ajer bullies Want and heads just over the bar.

4.33pm BST

3 min “A bipartisan mon the Hoops,” says Anthony Hill. “Good to be back!”

4.33pm BST

2 min Hamilton slices a clearance behind for the first Celtic corner. Christie’s outswinger is headed towards goal by Jullien, and Fulton falls to his right to make a comfortable save.

4.31pm BST

1 min Peep peep! After the players on both sides take a knee, Odsonne Edouard gets Celtic’s season under way.

4.29pm BST

Hamilton’s young team - average age 22 - form a guard of honour for Celtic’s champions. This looks like a mismatch, but then so has every great footballing shock. Scott Brown then brings out the Scottish Premiership trophy to mark another yet another Flag Day. These Celtic players are already legends; if they are doing this again in a year’s time, they will be immortal.

3.57pm BST

Pre-match reading

3.43pm BST

Celtic (4-2-3-1) Bain; Frimpong, Jullien, Ajer, Taylor; Brown, McGregor; Forrest, Christie, Elyounoussi; Edouard.
Substitutes: Barkas, Abd Elhamed, Bolingoli, Bitton, Soro, Ntcham, Rogic, Dembele, Klimala.

Hamilton Academical (4-4-2) Fulton; Odoffin, Hamilton, Want, McMann; L Smith, Callachan, Martin, Hughes; Winter, Moyo.
Substitutes: Gourlay, Fjortoft, McKenna, Munro, Trafford, Mimnaugh, Owolabi, C Smith, Ogkmpoe.

12.11pm BST

Hello. I doubt any team in world football will start the 2020-21 season with the same giddy optimism as Celtic. This is their chance to make history by winning a tenth Scottish title in a row. The record is nine, jointly held by Celtic (1966-74) and Rangers (1989-97), and Celtic supporters know that if they fail their team will have to go back to the first level. But if they succeed, they’ll be made for life. In a city where bragging rights count for so much, Wa Decima would be the ultimate conversation-finisher.

The quest for 10 in a row starts with the pursuit of 13 in a row. Celtic have won their last 12 matches against today’s visitors Hamilton Academical and are huge favourites to beat them again. The Accies also have their eye on tenth - tenth place, that is, which would guarantee SPFL football for an eighth successive season. It wouldn’t compare to ten titles in a row, but it would still be a damn fine achievement.

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Published on August 02, 2020 10:35

July 30, 2020

England beat Ireland by six wickets: first ODI – as it happened

The recalled David Willey took his first ODI five-for and Sam Billings hit a career-best 67 not out as England cruised to victory at the Ageas Bowl

10.07pm BST

7.52pm BST

That’s it for today’s blog - I’ll leave you with Victor’s report from the Ageas Bowl. Thanks for your company, emails and recipes. Bye!

7.37pm BST

Wanting, needing, waiting for more live sport? Then Scott Murray is your man.

7.35pm BST

That was a cracking partnership between Billings and Morgan: 96 in 14.1 overs on a pitch where most batsmen struggled to score fluently.

7.33pm BST

27.5 overs: England 174-4 (Billings 67, Morgan 36) Eoin Morgan swipes Simi Singh for a majestic straight six to complete a comfortable victory for England. He finishes on 36 not out from 40 balls, Billings on 67 not out from 54.

7.30pm BST

27th over: England 165-4 (Billings 64, Morgan 30) Billings drives Delany down the ground for a couple, with the sprawling Tector doing extremely well to save the boundary, and then pulls a long hop for four to bring up his highest ODI score. It’s been a very watchable innings.

7.26pm BST

26th over: England 157-4 (Billings 57, Morgan 29) Four more to Billings, clipped confidently through midwicket off Young. Then Morgan, who always seems to bat well against Ireland, dumps Young into the stand at fine leg. I don’t think he’s a sentimental man.

7.21pm BST

25th over: England 145-4 (Billings 52, Morgan 22) Gareth Delany comes on to bowl a bit of legspin. He lands them well enough in his first over, and Morgan and Billings settle for four singles.

“Scream, partially hidden bodies Prodigy lyrics ... ?” begins Ian Copestake. “For the love of Blue Peter, can we please leave 1994 to 1996 alone.”

7.17pm BST

“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “In response to demand, the OBO cheesecake recipe has been developed by Mrs Starbuck from a lime or lemon cheesecake recipe for 16. We aim for serving 8 so amounts are approximate and can be varied to taste.

Ingredients

7.17pm BST

24th over: England 141-4 (Billings 50, Morgan 20) Billings pulls Young emphatically for four to reach a stylish half-century from only 41 balls. It’s his third fifty in his 16th ODI, and his first since 2017.

7.14pm BST

23rd over: England 137-4 (Billings 46, Morgan 20) Billings isn’t the only batsman in a hurry. Morgan smears McBrine to cow corner for a one-bounce four and then sweeps the next delivery to the boundary. These two tend to bat well together, though it doesn’t happen as often as Billings would like.

7.10pm BST

22nd over: England 128-4 (Billings 45, Morgan 12) Billings clearly wants to be back in his hotel room in time to watch Escape to the Chateau: Make Do and Mend. He takes consecutive boundaries off Campher with a flick behind square and a muscular cut stroke, and then keeps the strike with a single off the penultimate delivery. England need 45 to win from 28 overs.

7.06pm BST

21st over: England 119-4 (Billings 36, Morgan 12) McBrine returns in place of Singh, whose three overs went for 14. Morgan comes to the reverse sweep party with a wristy clout that just clears backward point and runs away for four. It’s been a good effort from Ireland but England are cruising now. They need 54 to win.

“Bob,” says Mac Millings. “Regarding your 12th-over entry, do you like it when I call you Bob, Bob?”

7.01pm BST

20th over: England 109-4 (Billings 32, Morgan 7) Billings carries on breezily, pulling and driving Campher for two boundaries in three balls. He looks in triffic touch and should be eyeing his highest ODI score, that series-winning 62 in Bangladesh all those years ago.

6.58pm BST

19th over: England 100-4 (Billings 23, Morgan 7) Billings pings a lovely reverse sweep for four off Singh, a shot of such ease and class that he does it again two balls later. What we’re dealing with here is a total lack of respect for the MCC Coaching Manual.

“Sure, mango is ‘ok’ I guess,” writes

Livia Soprano
Matt Dony, “and it means a decent-sized slice counts as one of your five a day, but I’m just going to put ‘Baked Baileys Cheesecake’ out there. Plain digestive base; it doesn’t need any extra flavouring or texture. And a heavy hand when you pour in the Baileys. Excuse me, I’m just going to go and spend some time in the kitchen...”

6.55pm BST

18th over: England 90-4 (Billings 14, Morgan 7) Morgan heaves a short ball from Campher into the leg side for a single. Ireland have done really well to make a game of this; when they slipped to 28 for five I thought we’d be finished in time for Pointless.

6.47pm BST

17th over: England 88-4 (Billings 14, Morgan 6) “Scenes, Mr Smyth, pure scenes!” says Abhijato Sensarma. “I reckon Morgan will put an end to this nonsense by playing with the cool head he is famed for. But you never know when you’re playing your first match in ages, that too in the middle of a pandemic. Strange things tend to happen!”

Yes, one of the interesting foibles of this all-conquering England side is their proud record of absurd and/or unlikely defeats.

6.46pm BST

16th over: England 85-4 (Billings 13, Morgan 5) Morgan fails to score off five consecutive deliveries from Campher. Sometimes I wonder whether Morgan uses dot balls to play mind games: hit the first ball for four, score two singles from the next 20 and then hit seven sixes in 12 balls.

6.40pm BST

15th over: England 83-4 (Billings 11, Morgan 4) Simi Singh replaces McBrine (6-0-28-1) at the Offspinners End. His first over is a quiet one, with just a single to Billings.

6.37pm BST

14th over: England 82-4 (Billings 10, Morgan 4) Eoin Morgan walks to the crease and guides his first ball past backward point for four.

“KP is irritating me by saying everything twice,” says Gary Naylor. “It’s so annoying to hear him repeat what he’s just said.”

6.34pm BST

The debutant Curtis Campher, who top scored with 59 not out, comes on to bowl some medium pace. He dismissed Banton in an under-19s match for South Africa a couple of years ago - and he’s done it again in big school! Banton top-edges a pull high in the air, and Lorcan Tucker takes a comfortable catch. Campher has a wicket with his fourth ball in international cricket.

6.31pm BST

13th over: England 77-3 (Banton 11, Billings 9) Banton gets his first boundary with a wristy sweep off McBrine. KP, on commentary, is good on why Banton needs to improve his rotation of the strike against spin, and how he can construct a typical over against a bowler like McBrine.

6.28pm BST

12th over: England 71-3 (Banton 6, Billings 8) Billings pulls consecutive deliveries from Young for four to move to eight from three balls. He has so much class that, even allowing for the stop-start nature of his England career, his modest record is pretty hard to fathom.

“Evening Rob,” says Alex Bramble. “Hope you’re enjoying the return of Morgan and the troops as much as I am. Huge fan of KP the player and there’s a lot to like about him on the mic. Just one (slightly pedantic point): his pronunciation of inningses is a bit sneaky little hobbitses, which is possibly where the similarities with Smeagollum end...”

6.23pm BST

11th over: England 62-3 (Banton 5, Billings 0) Banton has started watchfully, especially against the spin of McBrine. That’s fair enough as the run-rate isn’t an issue. McBrine has half an appeal for LBW when Banton drags a sweep onto his pad and away for a couple of runs.

6.20pm BST

10th over: England 59-3 (Banton 2, Billings 0) Sam Billings is the new batsman. Eoin Morgan, the selfless git, has demoted himself from No4 to give the fringe batsmen a chance to play a longer innings.

6.19pm BST

Deja Vince. After playing some delightful strokes, James Vince falls in frustrating circumstances. He had a big drive at a tempting delivery from Young and edged it straight to the keeper. Vince goes for an ephemeral 25.

6.16pm BST

9th over: England 54-2 (Vince 21, Banton 1) Vince makes it four fours in five balls with a firm sweep off McBrine. He is such a beautiful batsman; he could make a flat-footed reverse hoick look elegant.

6.12pm BST

8th over: England 49-2 (Vince 17, Banton 0) High-class batting from James Vince, who hits Young for three boundaries in four balls: a drive through mid-off, a clip through midwicket an finally an effortless pull stroke.

6.08pm BST

7th over: England 37-2 (Vince 5, Banton 0) Banton gets two thirds of the way down the track before realising Vince has sent him back. He gets home comfortably but that’s another reflection of England’s scruffy start.

“We need more fracking information from John Starbuck,” says David Wall. “Does he use mango puree (like in the cans you can buy)? Cheesecake is the only cake worth spending time eating and my regular recipe is pretty good (as well as adaptable and forgiving). But my niece wants a mango cheesecake for her birthday so I’ve been thinking how best to do that. Personally I’m not so keen on fruit cheesecakes (too reminiscent of the Sara Lee freezer imposters) but even bad cheesecake is good.”

6.05pm BST

6th over: England 36-2 (Vince 4, Banton 0) The precocious Tom Banton is the new batsman.

6.03pm BST

Jason Roy can fuggoff himself! He has been trapped LBW after hitting Young’s two previous balls for four. It was a fine delivery that nipped back to hit the flap of the back pad, with Roy surprisingly slow to get his bat down. He knew it was out and walked straight off without discussing a review.

6.01pm BST

5th over: England 26-1 (Roy 16, Vince 3) After a slow start, Roy gets down on one knee to clout McBrine over midwicket for six. The last time I watched him bat, I hadn’t seen Succession. Now every time I think of his name I picture a man in a shawl cardigan telling me to fuggoff. On the plus side, at least there isn’t an England batsman named Walnuts.

“Mango and ginger biscuit cheesecake,” says Damian Clarke. “Could you let Mr Starbuck know that I just might be a little in love with him?”

5.56pm BST

4th over: England 14-1 (Roy 6, Vince 1) Vince scrambles to make his ground after being sent back by Roy. I think he would have been just home had Young’s throw hit the stumps, which it didn’t. It’s been a rusty start from the England batsmen, which I suppose is understandable in the circumstances.

5.53pm BST

3rd over: England 12-1 (Roy 5, Vince 0) “Hi Rob,” says Peter Rowntree. “Dave Willey showing he is still a force to be reckoned with in white ball cricket. Recalling his early career, he suffered horrendous injuries to his back and neck, making it almost inevitable that his body would never really stand up to the longer formats of the game. For all that, he is a very fine cricketer, and a very likeable young man.”

He sure is, and he accepted his omission from the World Cup squad with admirable dignity. He still played his part, I truly believe that, especially in the 2018 series against India. Had England lost that series, I don’t think they’d have won the World Cup.

5.51pm BST

Bairstow has gone! It hit him in line and was going on to hit leg stump.

5.50pm BST

2.5 overs: England 12-0 (Roy 5, Bairstow 2) The offspinner Andy McBrine comes on second change... in the third over. Bairstow survives a very good shout for LBW after pushing down the wrong line ... but Ireland are going to review. He might be outside the line of off stump; if not, it’s plumb.

5.47pm BST

2nd over: England 11-0 (Roy 4, Bairstow 2) The sight of Roy and Bairstow means another airing for the stat that keeps on giving: of the 125 openers to score 1000 runs or more in ODIs, Roy and Bairstow have the highest strike-rates. Bairstow’s record as an opener is astonishing: average 51, strike-rate 110.

Craig Young shares the new ball with McCarthy (and Stirling). A loose delivery deflects for four leg-byes, and an LBW shout against Bairstow is caught in the throat because of an inside edge.

5.42pm BST

1st over: England 4-0 (Roy 3, Bairstow 0) Roy bagged a first-baller for the Lions against Ireland the other day. He almost makes it back-to-back golden ducks when he misses a big drive at McCarthy’s first ball, and then gets off the mark with a sliced drive past backward point for two. It was a no-ball as well, called by the third umpire under the new system. It also means a free hit, but Roy can only mow it to midwicket.

No-balls are the least of Ireland’s worries. McCarthy has injured himself and is leaving the field after only five deliveries. Paul Stirling bowls the last ball of the over.

5.35pm BST

The players are back out on the field. Barry McCarthy will open the bowling to Jason Roy.

5.30pm BST

Thanks Simon, evening everyone. So far the match has been predictably one-sided, but there have been some nice individual stories: Gareth Delany’s eyecatching cameo, Curtis Campher’s unbeaten 59 on debut and David Willey’s maiden five-for in his first ODI since May 2019. It will take another - a Barry McCarthy five-for, perhaps - if Ireland are to turn this into a contest.

5.11pm BST

Right then, I’m off. Rob Smyth will take you through England’s response. Please send your thoughts to him here. Bye!

5.08pm BST

44.4 overs: Ireland 172 all out (Campher 59*) Campher comes down the track and miscues his shot, which drops just beyond the reach of Morgan at cover! Then Young hoists one way into the late afternoon sky, but just beyond Roy as he runs back from mid-off! And then he miscues again, and this one forces Roy to dive forwards but he completes the catch and ends the innings! It’s also Willey’s first ODI five-fer!

5.03pm BST

44th over: Ireland 168-9 (Campher 58, Young 9) Young gets a leading edge that goes just beyond the grasping left arm of the bowler and away for four. A little later Campher has a royal heave and the ball skims straight past him and just wide of off stump!

4.59pm BST

43rd over: Ireland 160-9 (Campher 57, Young 3) “Watching the MLB these last few days demonstrates how hard baseballers throw the ball deploying (it seems) two techniques - one for the infield and another for the outfield,” writes Gary Naylor. “All these coaches, but players still throw like they did in schoolboy cricket.” This is interesting, and would probably be even more interesting if I ever watched baseball. I remember reading about Fred Spofforth being able to throw a fresh egg 50 yards in such a fashion that it wouldn’t break upon landing, and thinking that some nuances of throwing have been lost somewhere, beyond mere pace and distance.

4.56pm BST

42nd over: Ireland 157-9 (Campher 56, Young 1) A single off the last keeps Young on strike and denies Mahmood a wicket maiden.

4.52pm BST

Barry McCarthy sends the ball soaring in a delicious arc straight into the pouch of Vince at deep square leg!

4.49pm BST

41st over: Ireland 155-8 (Campher 56, McCarthy 3) Willey, having laid waste to the top order, comes back to wrap things up. Nothing is wrapped, nor is any waste laid.

4.45pm BST

40th over: Ireland 152-8 (Campher 55, McCarthy 2) Into the final 10 overs we rip. For a long time it didn’t look like Ireland would make it this far, but Campher’s 111-ball (and counting) 55 has ensured they will have at least something to celebrate.

4.41pm BST

39th over: Ireland 145-8 (Campher 52, McCarthy 1) Moeen completes his allocation, for no wickets and 37 runs, mainly thanks to the 10 scored in over 35.

4.38pm BST

38th over: Ireland 145-8 (Campher 50, McCarthy 0) McBrine rips into Curran, hitting consecutive and extremely handsome fours before hoisting down the ground for what was clearly intended to be a six but never quite made it. He didn’t stop there, though, and the last ball of the over goes straight to the hands of Billings.

4.36pm BST

McBrine shifts gear, starts really motoring, and then ruins it by picking out Billings at deep square leg!

4.32pm BST

37th over: Ireland 131-7 (Campher 50, McBrine 28) Moeen gets one to rip off the pitch, from wide of off stump to being on its way well wide of leg when it hit Campher. Bairstow has an optimistic appeal, but to no avail. Next ball he gets the single he needs to reach his half-century. It’s been an excellent debut for the 21-year-old, who has dug his team out of a large hole to reposition them in, well, a much smaller but still quite daunting hole.

4.28pm BST

36th over: Ireland 131-7 (Campher 48, McBrine 28) The players take drinks, after which Curran comes back. McBrine takes a bit of a wild swing at the last but top-edges over Bairstow for four.

4.22pm BST

35th over: Ireland 124-7 (Campher 46, McBrine 23) McBrine goes on one knee and swings his bat in a great arc. The camera pans upwards to follow the ball’s trajectory towards the boundary, then the cameraman realises it’s not there, pans downwards again and there it is, rolling harmlessly towards a fielder. Last ball of the over he goes again, and this one he catches cleanly and sends soaring into the stands for six!

4.19pm BST

34th over: Ireland 114-7 (Campher 45, McBrine 14) McBrine pulls Mahmood’s final delivery, a handsome shot. Straight to Rashid though, so just a single for it.

4.16pm BST

33rd over: Ireland 110-7 (Campher 42, McBrine 13) There were as many boundaries in the fourth over of this match as there have been in the last 23 overs. Three, since you ask.

4.12pm BST

32nd over: Ireland 106-7 (Campher 40, McBrine 11) Mahmood comes back, and Ireland score a few singles. It still looks a fine batting track I think, particularly in the blazing sun.

4.08pm BST

31st over: Ireland 103-7 (Campher 39, McBrine 9) “Richard Noble got me thinking about ‘that region’,” muses Dave Brown. “I remember opening the batting for my school when I stopped the bowler in his run up, realising I forgot to don my box. I trudged off to the changing rooms to rectify this. Came back to face the first ball of the game ... skittled. It felt a long walk back.”

4.04pm BST

30th over: Ireland 99-7 (Campher 37, McBrine 7) Rashid is all bowled out, his 10 overs costing 26 and bringing one wicket (and a run out).

4.03pm BST

29th over: Ireland 98-7 (Campher 36, McBrine 7) Moeen’s fifth over goes for a couple.

4.01pm BST

The ball would have cleared the stumps, concludes ball tracking, and anyway hit the batsman so far from the stumps that the technology can’t be relied upon, leading to a rarely-witnessed umpire’s call for excess distance.

4.00pm BST

He came way down the track to Moeen, making the on-field umpire’s job difficult, but though he’s unmoved England think they might have him.

3.58pm BST

28th over: Ireland 96-7 (Campher 35, McBrine 6) Runs! Rashid leaks seven, including a thumping crack over cow corner from Campher the brings the first boundary for 12 overs.

3.55pm BST

27th over: Ireland 89-7 (Campher 30, McBrine 4) Campher’s is - wait for it - the sixth slowest score of 30 or more against England since 1990. It’s the fourth slowest since the turn of the century, if that helps.

3.52pm BST

26th over: Ireland 87-7 (Campher 29, McBrine 3) Rashid’s eighth over yields but a single single.

3.49pm BST

25th over: Ireland 86-7 (Campher 28, McBrine 3) “So this isn’t a series, but three matches in the World Cup Super League,” notes Gary Naylor. “If England win the first two (some way to go I know), there’s no incentive for Morgan to sit one out and let Moeen lead or Rashid to step down and let Liam Livingstone bowl. Disappointing.” This is true. As with all leagues, it’s not just about having to play the good teams, but when you have to play them. For now England will just want to bank as many points as they can lay their greedy mitts on.

3.46pm BST

24th over: Ireland 83-7 (Campher 26, McBrine 2) Rashid’s doing good work here, getting some smart turn. And Vince’s near-miss (see 10th over) has got Richard Noble reminiscing. “That’s actually not all that bad,” he avers. “I faced the same rolling ball, kneeling to field it in classic pose at the Toronto Cricket Club while fielding at deep third man in front of the club patio. There I was next to multiple polite folk quaffing champers and masticating gently upon prawn sandwiches. The ball popped up ... not at my face ... but ‘whither a gentleman wishes a hard ball not’. There was much swearing. There are photos apparently on the web.”

3.43pm BST

23rd over: Ireland 81-7 (Campher 25, McBrine 1) A single each off Moeen.

3.41pm BST

22nd over: Ireland 79-7 (Campher 24, McBrine 0) Singh comes in, seems desperate to get off strike as quickly as possible, is beaten by a beauty, hits one straight to Morgan at short cover, and the next time he gets bat on ball he just starts running.

3.38pm BST

God that’s painful. Singh works the ball to point, calls for a run and sets off; Campher tells him not to be so silly; Banton returns it to Bairstow and Singh is out by miles.

3.36pm BST

The partnership is broken! O’Brien tries to lift the ball over deep extra cover and, um, doesn’t.

3.33pm BST

21st over: Ireland 79-5 (O’Brien 22, Campher 24) Moeen comes on, and the 50 partnership comes up.

Overs 1-10: 37-5
Overs 11-20: 39-0

Keep going lads!#ENGvIRE SCORE: https://t.co/qWGUbXsCRk #BackingGreen ☘️ pic.twitter.com/P2BgEkQPN0

3.30pm BST

20th over: Ireland 76-5 (O’Brien 20, Campher 23) A Rashid maiden; Campher misses a sweep and Bairstow whips off the bails, but the batsman’s back foot is grounded. “It’s nice to see David Willey make a successful return to the one-day side,” writes David Wall. “He must have been pretty devastated to be left out of the World Cup squad after being a regular and important member of the starting XI for much of the previous four years. At least in his public messages he seemed to take it well, just offering his support to those that did get picked, but it must have stung. Hopefully he’ll be part of the next T20 World Cup squad at least. Plus it’s nice to see a (former) Northamptonshire player at international level, they’re a rare bunch in recent years.”

3.29pm BST

19th over: Ireland 76-5 (O’Brien 20, Campher 23) Three singles and a wide, courtesy of a bouncer that overbounced.

3.27pm BST

18th over: Ireland 72-5 (O’Brien 18, Campher 20) It’s now looking like the benign batting track that Balbirnie thought it was when he decided he would like to bat on it as soon as possible. Of course he wouldn’t have thought he’d be batting on it as soon as he was, but that early-innings wicket avalanche is feeling increasingly distant.

3.22pm BST

17th over: Ireland 70-5 (O’Brien 18, Campher 20) “I was looking at England’s top ODI bowling performances and was astonished by how many of the top ten were made up of medium-paced dibbly-dobbly not-quite all-rounders. I wonder if Willey is going to join that list today,” ponders Tom van der Gucht. “Please don’t tell Willey or Collingwood that I described them in such a way... Or Flintoff...” Here’s a list of England’s ODI five-fers. It’s good to see the Guardian’s very own Vic Marks on there.

3.18pm BST

16th over: Ireland 69-5 (O’Brien 17, Campher 20) Campher miscues a cut, and cries of “catch it!” die as it lands wide of Moeen and runs away for four.

David Willey has found just 0.28 degrees of swing so far in this match - he's never found so little swing in the opening 20 overs of an ODI. #ENGvIRE

3.12pm BST

15th over: Ireland 60-5 (O’Brien 13, Campher 15) The players have a drink. Finally Ireland have a partnership of sorts, a pair who look minded to stay around and eat up some balls. It still looks likely to be a choice between losing fast and losing slow for Ireland, mind.

3.07pm BST

14th over: Ireland 56-5 (O’Brien 11, Campher 13) Gah! Rashid rips a googly through O’Brien, just past leg stump, past Bairstow and away for four byes. That was a beauty, but less impressive is the rank full toss with which the over ends. O’Brien wallops it into the covers and gets a couple.

3.04pm BST

13th over: Ireland 48-5 (O’Brien 7, Campher 13) Tom Curran comes on, and Campher pulls a short ball past point for a tasty four.

3.00pm BST

12th over: Ireland 41-5 (O’Brien 5, Campher 8) The ball goes past Campher and into Bairstow’s gloves. He appeals, but the umpire doesn’t like it and there’s no review, and just as well as snicko shows the ball missed bat and flicked pad.

2.57pm BST

11th over: Ireland 41-5 (O’Brien 5, Campher 8) “I’m starting to think maybe England have enough bowlers after all...” says Matt Dony, as Willey comes to the end of his sixth over. They’re about to try a different one, in the shape of Adil Rashid.

2.52pm BST

10th over: Ireland 37-5 (O’Brien 2, Campher 7) The ball is rolling harmlessly towards Vince at cover when it hits a bump and suddenly jumps towards his face. Happily he reacts before his nose is wiped out. Talking of cover, Campher hits the last ball of the over past him for a lovely four.

2.48pm BST

9th over: Ireland 33-5 (O’Brien 2, Campher 3) O’Brien top-edges off the shoulder of the bat, but the ball lands safe. Campher gets off the mark with a fine shot through the covers. “If this is all over within an hour, as looks likely, is there any chance of them staging an impromptu 20:20 match to finish off the afternoon?” wonders Peter Gluckstein.

2.44pm BST

8th over: Ireland 29-5 (O’Brien 1, Campher 0) With all of these wickets clattering all over the place we’ve hardly had time to talk about cheesecakes, which seems a pity. It’s only National Cheesecake Day once a year, after all. “I was moved to write because you mentioned that today is National Cheesecake Day, so I checked,” writes John Starbuck. “It is National Cheesecake Day but only if your nation is the USA. On which topic, note that 1st August is Lammas Day (halfway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox), when people should bake their own loaves, as a signifier of the harvest.” I’m not much of a fan of cheesecake, to be honest, and ordinarily wouldn’t give it the time of day, let alone an entire 24 hours.

2.40pm BST

7th over: Ireland 28-5 (O’Brien 0, Campher 0) It is stating the bleeding obvious to say that Ireland need someone to stick around for a while, and since I started writing that sentence when they were only three down the need has become significantly more desperate. Curtis Campher, their other debutant, comes in and successfully negotiates the hat-trick ball. Willey has four wickets for 12 runs from his four overs, this one a double wicket maiden.

So happy for @david_willey

Early collapses have been a frustratingly common thing for Ireland of late. Since the start of 2019, they've been at least three down within the first 10 overs on five occasions - though this is the first time they've been four down by this stage since 2016.#ENGvIRE

2.37pm BST

Three reds and he’s gone! The ball pitched just in line - another couple of centimetres to the right and he’d have been saved - before straightening and it would have sent leg stump cartwheeling!

2.34pm BST

A loud lbw shout, a shake of the head from the umpire, but England want to check!

2.32pm BST

Another one bites the dust! Delany’s diverting cameo is over after he picks out backward point, where Banton makes a pretty hard catch look pretty easy.

2.30pm BST

6th over: Ireland 28-3 (Delany 22, O’Brien 0) Mahmood’s second over, the fourth of the game, went for 13 runs as Delany tucked in. Here’s a wicket maiden.

2.28pm BST

Tector, itching to get off the mark, edges down and into the stumps!

2.24pm BST

5th over: Ireland 28-2 (Delany 22, Tector 0) Delany is purring now, and he pumps Willey down the ground, straight as an arrow, for another four, before planting the next past point for more of the same. He’s faced 14 balls so far for his 22.

2.20pm BST

4th over: Ireland 20-2 (Delany 14, Tector 0) The day’s first boundary comes off the edge of Delany’s bat, which flies wide of a diving second slip. The second comes next ball, which is dispatched over square leg, and the next ball brings another, driven through the covers!

2.16pm BST

3rd over: Ireland 7-2 (Delany 1, Tector 0) In comes Harry Tector, Ireland’s 20-year-old batting tyro. Eoin Morgan has of course met him before.

You never know who’s behind you @Eoin16 @harry_tector https://t.co/tM5IOahfvy pic.twitter.com/nYerqHZlFb

2.12pm BST

Edged and gone! Willey angles the ball across the batsman, who attempts a drive but feathers a nick.

2.11pm BST

2nd over: Ireland 7-1 (Balbirnie 3, Delany 1) Saqib Mahmood slings down a set. One bonus ball from a delivery that slides down leg, and a single for each batsman. It is such a glorious day to be at the cricket, which only makes the whole no-spectator thing a bit more painful.

2.06pm BST

1st over: Ireland 4-1 (Balbirnie 2, Delany 0) Stirling only has four balls at the crease, and in that period completely fluffs two shots. The first skews off his bat, along the ground and through midwicket for a couple, the second floats straight to the England captain.

“‘England currently have international cricket scheduled on 21 of the next 33 days’,” quotes Craig Keeley. “That is possibly the most beautiful sentence ever uttered in the English language.”

2.03pm BST

Paul Stirling miscues a shot straight to Morgan at midwicket, who takes the easiest of catches!

2.00pm BST

The bell has been rung. The ball is in the hands of David Willey. Let’s watch cricket!

1.57pm BST

The players are ready to take the field, and action is but a couple of minutes away.

1.54pm BST

“This England team looks a bowler short,” writes Kevin Longshore. “Who would be the sixth bowler if need be?” I’ve no idea, it looks a bowler short to me. James Vince is an occasional bowler?

1.49pm BST

“I’m very excited. And, generally, as an Ireland fan it’s best to get the excitement in early, as we saw in the test last year. Before the start is often even better,” says Michael Keane. “Presumably Ireland could play their home games against England in Bready and Stormont so there’s no quarantining required? Ditto if they play Scotland. Are Scotland in it? Why not a lockdown tri-series!!! I’m over excited now.”

Scotland are not in it - it’s the 12 Test-playing nations plus the Netherlands. Scotland will get a chance to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in a final 10-team qualifying competition sometime in 2022, which will include the bottom five nations from the Super League and from which two teams will qualify.

1.43pm BST

Apparently it’s national cheesecake day. I know it’s not strictly relevant, but I thought you might want to know.

1.35pm BST

Here are the two teams in Twitter form:

We've won the toss and will bowl! #ENGvIRE

England have won the toss and we're going to be having a bat!

Here's our XI for the first ODI.#ENGvIRE | #BackingGreen ☘️ pic.twitter.com/U23nAWByOZ

1.35pm BST

The coin has been tossed, and Eoin Morgan has chosen to bowl. Andrew Balbirnie says he would have chosen to bat anyway.

Morgan says Jo Denly came down with an unspecified injury in training yesterday, and he and Reece Topley are both out of the team. Someone else is also out of the team, but Morgan’s microphone keeps failing so we don’t get to hear who it is.

1.28pm BST

“Points for rain? Could Ireland play all their games at home please?” they will play half of them there, so that’s a start. There’ll be no rain points today, mind - it’s absolutely glorious in Southampton.

1.24pm BST

Sorry about the radio silence, Sky have been reshowing last year’s World Cup final (again) and it just never gets less compelling.

12.45pm BST

After the famine, the feast. England’s Test series against West Indies only ended a couple of days ago and now the blink-and-you-miss-it ODI series against Ireland gets under way. It’ll all be over in three games and five days, leaving about 12 hours before the next Test series against Pakistan kicks off, at the end of which there’ll be three T20s, the entire business coming to an end in one month and two days. England currently have international cricket scheduled on 21 of the next 33 days. If rain holds off and all the Tests go long, there could be international cricket played in England in a little over 20% of all hours between now and September.

Listen, I’m not complaining. Cricket beats no cricket, and this series is actually meaningful, being as it is the start of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League™, which is an extra-long, mildly complex qualifying competition for the 2023 World Cup. Ten points for a win, five for a tie/no result/abandonment (yes, you get points for it raining), none for a defeat, tot it all up in a couple of years (see the ICC’s Q&A here).

It is now established that Test cricket works better than most expected behind closed doors. On Thursday there is the opportunity to gauge whether the white-ball game, usually a much noisier one, can produce a worthwhile spectacle.

At the Ageas Bowl, England play the first of three 50-over matches against Ireland in their first outing on home turf since winning the World Cup, so they have to step out without fanfare. Not that the captain, Eoin Morgan, seems too bothered by that. “Given the context of the last five months, I’m just delighted that we’re back playing again and that we have cricket back on TV. I’m extremely grateful to Ireland for agreeing to play.”

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Published on July 30, 2020 11:52

July 28, 2020

The 1985 English Super Cup – podcast

In this episode: after English clubs were banned from Europe in 1985, the Football League created a consolation competition for them.

Read the text version here.

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Published on July 28, 2020 21:00

July 27, 2020

Premier League 2019-20 review: signings of the season

Welcome to theguardian.com review of the 2019-20 Premier League season. We have nominated some contenders for this category but this is just to get the discussion going: offer your suggestions below the line …

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Published on July 27, 2020 03:30

July 26, 2020

Juventus beat Sampdoria to seal ninth straight Serie A title – as it happened

The inevitable Cristiano Ronaldo scored a beauty and made the second as Juventus sealed their ninth consecutive title with a 2-0 win over Sampdoria

10.46pm BST

10.44pm BST

Peep peep! Juventus are champions of Italy for the 35th time, and for the ninth consecutive season. They won’t reach 90 points, as they have in the last four seasons, but they are the still best team in Italy and they have seen off some fine opposition in Inter, Atalanta and Lazio. It’s a first league title for their coach Maurizio Sarri, and a 492nd major honour for Cristiano Ronaldo. Thanks for your company and emails, goodnight!

10.41pm BST

90+2 min Juventus almost grab a third. First Rabiot’s header is saved by Audero, and then Bonucci’s shot is spectacularly cleared off the line by Yoshida.

10.39pm BST

Cristiano Ronaldo thunders the penalty off the crossbar. It doesn’t matter for Juventus but it does for Ronaldo - a goal there would have moved him to within two of Ciro Immobile in the race for the Capocannoniere.

10.38pm BST

PENALTY TO JUVE! Depaoli hacks Alex Sandro just inside the area, a clear penalty. Depaoli is booked.

10.36pm BST

86 min Yet another headed chance for Sampdoria. Augello’s deep cross from the left is headed a few yards wide by Gabbiadini. That wasn’t as easy as some of the earlier chances because there was no pace on the cross.

10.35pm BST

86 min Rabiot is booked for hoofing the ball away in frustration after being penalised for a foul.

10.32pm BST

82 min Sampdoria appeal for a handball in the Juventus area. The referee isn’t interested and Juventus break two on two. Ronaldo slides a penetrative square pass to set up Higuain, who sidefoots tamely wide of goal.

10.31pm BST

80 min Sampdoria almost score with a training-ground routine of their own. Ramirez, just outside the area on the left, cuts a free-kick back sharply to Quagliarella, whose first-time shot deflects just wide of the near post.

10.29pm BST

80 min Cuadrado is booked for fouling Leris.

10.28pm BST

78 min de Ligt limps off to be replaced by Daniele Rugani. And Rodrigo Bentancur replaces the excellent Pjanic.

10.27pm BST

77 min Sampdoria are down to 10 men. Morten Thorsby overruns the ball, ploughs through Pjanic and receives a second yellow card. There were no complaints.

10.26pm BST

75 min The substitute Gabbiadini almost scores immediately from Depaoli’s excellent cutback, but de Ligt slides across to block his first-time shot. Sampdoria have been really impressive tonight.

10.23pm BST

73 min “Juventus are going to be champions of Italy for the ninth time in a row,” says Ruth Purdue. “Really healthy that, well done everyone.”

Well, there is that. Bayern have also won eight in a row in Germany, and PSG seven of the last eight in France.

10.23pm BST

72 min Time for the drinks break. Sampdoria bring on Manolo Gabbiadini for Jankto.

10.22pm BST

71 min: Fine save by Szczesny! Sampdoria have had some great opportunites tonight. Leris curled over a superb cross from the right to find Quagliarella, whose thumping header was pushed away by the flying Szczesny. It was a really good save, but Quagliarella shouldn’t have given him a chance. His header was nowhere near the corner.

10.18pm BST

Juventus are going to be champions of Italy for the ninth time in a row. The second goal, which surely seals victory tonight, came on the break. Ronaldo cut inside and belted a low shot that was spilled by Audero, and the substitute Bernardeschi was first on the scene to poke the loose ball into the net. That’s his first goal in Serie A since September 2018.

10.16pm BST

It’s there!

10.15pm BST

65 min Jankto is booked for pulling back Cuadrado.

10.11pm BST

61 min: Good save from Audero! Rabiot steals the ball off Linetty and makes another of those imperious surges at a backpedalling defence. Eventually he eases the ball to his right to find Ronaldo, whose fierce shot is beaten away at the near post by Audero.

10.10pm BST

60 min Ronaldo has a shot bblocked by Depaoli.

10.07pm BST

57 min Ramirez heads straight at Szczesny from Depaoli’s flat cross. That was another decent opportunity.

10.05pm BST

55 min For a team with nothing to play for, Sampdoria have been quite brilliant.

10.04pm BST

54 min: Great chance for Tonelli! Samp really should be level. Ramirez’s outswinging corner from the left was met emphatically by the leaping Tonelli, whose downward header went this far wide of the far post. Having beaten de Ligt to the ball, he probably should have scored.

10.03pm BST

52 min The last time Juventus failed to win Serie A was in 2010-11, when they suffered a farcical new-year collapse of seven defeats in 11 games.

10.01pm BST

51 min: Chance for Samp! Augello’s fine cross from the left was missed by the leaping Ramirez but dropped nicely for Leris, whose instinctive half-volley went just wide of the near post.

10.00pm BST

50 min Juventus have made a strong start to the season. A superb, dipping free-kick from Pjanic on the right just evades both Ronaldo and Higuain at the far post.

9.55pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Juventus begin the second half.

9.39pm BST

Half-time reading

9.38pm BST

That was a classic training-ground goal. The free-kick was 20 yards out, a long way to the right of centre. Pjanic dummied to shoot and instead angled a sharp pass across the area to Ronaldo, who ran round the ball and smacked it first time into the bottom corner. That’s a cracking goal.

9.37pm BST

One-nil!

9.36pm BST

45+6 min Tonelli is booked for pulling back Rabiot, who had made another powerful run through midfield. He’s been very impressive tonight.

9.34pm BST

45+4 min Bernardeschi clips the free-kick over the wall and over the bar.

9.33pm BST

45+2 min After a snappy, one-touch move from Juventus, Rabiot is tripped on the edge of the area by Thorsby. The free-kick is a fair way to the right of centre, so not ideal for a right-footer. Thorsby has been booked.

9.31pm BST

45+1 min There will be six minutes of added time because of all the injuries.

9.30pm BST

45 min Pjanic is booked for a tactical foul on Ramirez.

9.30pm BST

44 min That’s more like it from Juventus. Pjanic and Ronaldo combine to find Bernardeschi, whose fierce rising drive from 20 yards is beaten away by Audero.

9.26pm BST

41 min Ronaldo, who has looked in a foul mood all night, cuts inside from the left and drives over the bar from long range.

9.25pm BST

40 min The third substitution of the first half - Gonzalo Higuain is on for the injured Paulo Dybala. It looks like a thigh injury.

9.24pm BST

39 min At the other end, Cuadrado spanks a loose ball into orbit from the edge of the area.

9.24pm BST

38 min: Chance for Quagliarella! Sampdoria could easily be ahead. Jankto got behind Cuadrado on the left, moved into the area and picked out Quagriella 10 yards from goal with a precise cutback. His first-time shot was pretty tame, though, and Szczesny plunged to his left to make a comfortable save.

9.23pm BST

37 min “Ciro Immobile! has made me smile this evening,” says Ruth Purdue. “Enjoy.”

Wow...what a finish from Ciro Immobile!

That's No. 33 for the Serie A season and another big goal in the Capocannoniere race pic.twitter.com/0iEKkDS41h

9.21pm BST

36 min Alex Sandro’s cross from the left flashes right across the Sampdoria area.

9.21pm BST

35 min Quagliarella hits a good rising drive from 25 yards that is comfortably saved to his left by Szczesny.

9.19pm BST

34 min Bernardeschi tries to take matters into his own hands with a chest-volley from the edge of the box. It dribbles well wide.

9.17pm BST

31 min Juventus haven’t got going at all, though Sampdoria deserve credit for how effectively they have harassed them.

9.15pm BST

28 min Ramirez is having his head bandaged. But Danilo is coming off to be replaced by Federico Bernardeschi. From Danilo’s body language, I think he wanted to carry on and was overruled by the physio.

9.11pm BST

25 min While Danilo is treated, the players take a drinks break.

9.10pm BST

24 min A grim clash of heads between Danilo and Ramirez. Danilo looks really unsteady on his feet and I’m not sure he’ll be able to continue.

9.08pm BST

23 min Chabot was injured in that challenge with Ronaldo and is going off. Mehdi Leris replaces him.

9.06pm BST

20 min Ronaldo’s header is saved by the legs of Audero, though he had been penalised for climbing all over Chabot at the far post. He was very unhappy with the decision, but it looked like a foul.

9.04pm BST

19 min I don’t know whether Sampdoria can keep this up for 90 minutes. For the time being, though, they are making life uncomfortable for Juve.

9.00pm BST

15 min The corner is half cleared to Linetty, whose volley is blocked.

9.00pm BST

15 min The under pressure de Ligt’s attempted pass to Szczesny goes behind for a corner. Sampdoria have been pretty aggressive in their pressing and tackling, and Claudio Ranieri will be really pleased with the first 15 minutes.

8.59pm BST

13 min “Wearing a mask has got to really inhibit the number of cigarettes Sarri can suck down,” says J.R. in Illinois. “I suppose he can still just chew the butts beneath his mask to get his nicotine fix.”

Where there’s an addiction, there’s a way.

8.56pm BST

10 min Rabiot steals the ball in midfield and leads a four-on-two break, only to grossly overhit his pass to Ronaldo. He is unable to control it properly and that allows Chabot to make an important tackle.

8.53pm BST

8 min Sampdoria look quite spritely going forward; they certainly haven’t come for a 0-0.

8.51pm BST

5 min Ronaldo slices miles wide after a good knockback from Matuidi. It wouldn’t have counted as Matuidi was offside when he ran onto Dybala’s lofted pass.

8.50pm BST

4 min: Chance for Sampdoria! Augello swings in a nice cross from the left towards Ramirez, whose downward header from 10 yards is too close to Szczesny. That was a chance.

8.48pm BST

2 min Ronaldo storms into the area and is about to shoot when Tonelli appears on his blind side to make a vital tackle.

8.45pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Sampdoria, in their classic blue strip, kick off from right to left. Juve are in black and white halves.

8.45pm BST

The coaches Maurizio Sarri and Claudio Ranieri, combined age 129, smile warmly as they greet each other. I think Sarri was smiling, anyway; he has a mask on so I can’t be sure. But his body language suggested he was very happy to see our Claudio.

8.29pm BST

“How good has Ramsey been this season?” says Andrew Hurley, and that’s not a rhetorical question. “I haven’t followed closely but he seems to have been in and out of the team.”

I haven’t seen much of Juventus this season either. It’s probably fair to say the move hasn’t quite worked as he’d hoped, apart from the payslips. I think he’s only started 11 Serie A games.

8.28pm BST

Some pre-match reading

7.50pm BST

Juventus (4-3-3) Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, de Ligt, Alex Sandro; Rabiot, Pjanic, Matuidi; Cuadrado, Dybala, Ronaldo.
Substitutes: Ramsey, Higuain, Rugani, Demiral, Bentancur, Pinsoglio, Bernardeschi, Olivieri, Muratore, Zanimacchia, Buffon.

Sampdoria (3-5-2) Audero; Chabot, Yoshida, Tonelli; Depaoli, Linetty, Jankto, Thorsby, Augello; Ramirez, Quagliarella.
Substitutes: Bonazzoli, Askildsen, La Gumina, Maroni, Seculin, Gabbiadini, Ferrari, Leris, Murru, Falcone, Rocha.

6.40pm BST

Let’s try that one again. Juventus missed the chance to win their ninth consecutive league title when they lost at Udinese, but they have three more chances to get the victory they need. The first is at home to Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria, who had been in terrific form until they lost the Genoa derby on Wednesday.

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Published on July 26, 2020 14:46

Leicester 0-2 Manchester United: Solskjær's side finish third – as it happened

Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard meant that Leicester finished fifth, behind United and Chelsea in the Champions League race

10.57pm BST

6.23pm BST

That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Dave Hytner’s match report. Thanks for your company and emails from around the globe. Goodnight!

6.20pm BST

Here’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

“It’s a wonderful achievement from the boys. The game wasn’t a classic but it doesn’t matter really. It’s been like a mini-tournament since the restart, and it shows: we’re a bit tired, leggy, and I think everyone can see we’re not the same as we were early on. But we had to go for it, and now they’ve done it.

6.16pm BST

6.14pm BST

Here’s Harry Maguire

“As a club, we expect to be in the Champions League. We always had great faith in ourselves. At the start of the season we were far too inconsistent, dropping silly points. We’ve been a lot better of late, and to come from an unpromising position shows great character.

6.04pm BST

Manchester United lost 2-0 at home to Burnley on 22 January, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was apparently a walking P45. Then they signed Bruno Fernandes, and they are unbeaten in the Premier League ever since: P14 W9 D5 L0 F29 A7. They are still light years away from Liverpool. But they have come a fair way since 22 January, and even further since they lost at home to relegated Cardiff on the last day of last season. If they can sign a few good players in the summer - Grealish, Upamecano, Partey, Sancho, Beckenbauer, Netzer, Royston Keane and Royston Race - they will be in with a shout next season.

5.58pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester United are back in the Champions League. It was a day when the result mattered far more than the performance, and that’s probably a good thing because United were miles from their midsummer best.

One of their worst players, the weary Bruno Fernandes, still had the personality to score a nerveless second-half penalty that gave them a vital cushion. Jesse Lingard sealed the victory with an open goal in injury time, his first goal since 1974, and his team-mates could not have been more thrilled for hin.

5.57pm BST

Kasper Schmeichel dawdled on the ball and was robbed by Lingard, who gleefully tapped the ball into the empty net. It’s his first Premier League goal since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game as part-time manager in December 2018.

5.56pm BST

Astonishing things always happen on the last day of the season: Agueroooooooooo, Oldham’s great escape in 1993, Newcastle 5-1 Spurs in 2016 and all that. But this surely tops the lot: Jesse Lingard has scored a goal.

5.54pm BST

90+6 min Leicester are now without their entire first-choice back four.

5.53pm BST

90+5 min I’m sure Evans will apologise to McTominay after the game. Truly, I don’t think he’s that sort of player. But it was a disgraceful tackle.

5.52pm BST

He has been given a straight red for a poor tackle on Scott McTominay. My first thought was that it was a second yellow but Martin Atkinson brought the red card out straight away. Replays show why - it was a scandalous tackle, a potential legbreaker. Evans knew it and walked straight off the field.

5.51pm BST

90+4 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “So Matt Dony is in ‘a friends garden’, is he? Next he’ll be telling us he’s a devilishly handsome twenty-something who paints, plays the piano, has two degrees, does part time modelling, and looks after sick animals in his spare time. Like me.”

Dundee isn’t it?

5.51pm BST

90+3 min Evans is penalised for fouling Maguire as they jump for Gray’s free-kick.

5.50pm BST

90+2 min Williams is booked for fouling Gray, who has been excellent since coming on as substitute. Kasper Schmeichel has come forward for the free-kick.

5.49pm BST

90+1 min Five minutes of added time.

5.48pm BST

90 min Pogba is booked for delaying a Leicester free-kick.

5.47pm BST

90 min Leicester are running out of time. It’s been a miserable end to the season for them, but it shouldn’t disguise how well they have done. Nor we should forget they are without three of their usual back four and James Maddison today.

5.46pm BST

87 min Scott McTominay has replaced Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United, and Leicester have brought on George Hirst for Luke Thomas.

5.43pm BST

85 min The corner is headed away by Maguire. When the ball is tossed back in, Evans is penalised for fouling Pogba, who ends up carrying him on his back at the far post.

5.42pm BST

84 min Gray’s free-kick hits the top of the wall and goes behind for a corner.

5.42pm BST

84 min Maguire fouls Vardy 25 yards from goal, slightly to the left of centre. Gray wasn’t booked a moment ago; Matic was for a foul in the build up.

5.41pm BST

83 min They almost got one of those goals through Demarai Gray. He cut inside from the right and drove a good low shot that nicked off Maguire and whistled just wide of the far post. The referee gave a goalkick, and I think Gray was booked for his protests.

5.40pm BST

82 min United are happy to pass down the clock down. A reminder that Chelsea 2-0 up against Wolves, so Leicester need two goals.

5.38pm BST

80 min It’s not over, this.

5.37pm BST

79 min: What a chance for Wes Morgan! Thomas’s cross found him in an absurd amount of space on the penalty spot, but his attempted volley connected only with the freshest Leicester air. Moments later, Vardy heads onto the roof of the net from a right-wing cross. That wasn’t much of a chance; Morgan’s was.

5.36pm BST

78 min “Can we talk about Fernandes’s penalty style?” says Matthew Richman. “It’s been beautifully predictable: watch the keeper move, roll it into the other corner. Le Tissier, Cantona, Hazard all had the same approach and I don’t think I ever saw them miss five between them.”

It’s also more extravagant than those three, with the skip beforehand, which increases the potential embarrassment if you miss.

5.35pm BST

77 min United make their first change. Jesse Lingard replaces Mason Greenwood, who has worked hard on the right wing without having any opportunities to bust the net from 20 yards.

5.33pm BST

75 min: Chance for Barnes! A low cross from the right takes a couple of deflection and drops in no-man’s land on the six-yard line. Barnes gets there first and hits a shot on the turn, but it’s a meek effort that goes straight into de Gea’s grasp.

5.33pm BST

74 min Evans was booked the penalty incident, so Martin Atkinson must have decided it was his foul. It’s the right answer but with the wrong working.

5.31pm BST

73 min Leicester make a triple change before kicking off. Dennis Praet, Demarai Gray and Harvey Barnes replacing Tielemans, Albrighton and Choudhury.

5.29pm BST

72 min Time for the drinks break.

5.29pm BST

It was a really cool penalty from Fernandes. Schmeichel danced left and right but Fernandes still did his little jump and then send Schmeichel the wrong way.

5.28pm BST

United are in front!

5.27pm BST

PENALTY GIVEN! Bruno Fernandes will take it.

5.27pm BST

Evans definitely got the ball but Morgan fouled Martial a split-second before that, so the penalty should stand.

5.27pm BST

PENALTY TO MANCHESTER UNITED! Evans has been penalised for a lunging tackle on Martial. I think Evans got the ball, on reflection, but Martial may have been fouled first by Morgan. It’s a tough one for VAR to overturn, certainly, as I can’t see a clear and obvious error.

5.25pm BST

68 min “Wales, reporting in,” says Matt Dony. “Socially distanced in a friends’ garden, with beer and pizza. Not exotic. Keeping it real.”

5.25pm BST

67 min Bruno Fernandes muffs a relatively straightforward pass to put Rashford through on goal. Fernandes has been really poor today; I’m sure it’s fatigue.

5.23pm BST

65 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “This match has Vardy winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time written all over it.”

With a VAR controversy, probably.

5.22pm BST

64 min If United do lose, and whether it’s fair or not, they will be slaughtered for their passive performance.

5.21pm BST

63 min United look like they have unconsciously settled for 0-0. Lindelof is booked for a needless lunge at Vardy.

5.20pm BST

62 min To the relief of all at PGMOL, the corner comes to nothing.

5.19pm BST

61 min Thomas’s angles a cross towards Tielemans, who mistimes a difficult volley onto his standing foot and behind. The referee gives a corner. We’ll hear plenty about that if it leads to a £50m goal...

5.18pm BST

60 min: Vardy hits the bar! Tielemans curled a flat free-kick towards the near post, where Vardy twisted his neck to help the ball on towards the far post. It looped over everyone and dropped onto the angle of post and bar.

5.17pm BST

59 min Greenwood commits a needless foul on Perez, 20 yards from goal on the left wing. Tielemans will take the free-kick...

5.16pm BST

58 min Leicester’s first change: Ayoze Perez replaces Kelechi Iheanacho.

5.16pm BST

58 min Greenwood slips a through pass to Martial, and Schmeichel hares from his line to claim the ball just in front of Martial. That was superb goalkeeping.

5.14pm BST

56 min United calm things down by keeping the ball for a minute or so.

It’s all a bit ponderous, mind.

5.13pm BST

55 min Both teams have had only one shot on target in the match.

5.11pm BST

53 min In other news, it is hooning it down at the King Power Stadium.

5.10pm BST

52 min Another good near-post clearance from Lindelof from an Albrighton cross. In terms of sustained possession, Leicester are having their best spell of the match.

5.10pm BST

52 min “You have a reader in Stockholm,” says Brian Cloughley. “I was surprised to find a bouncer at the sports bar this afternoon, and couldn’t understand why entry depended on what team I supported. Turns out it’s a Stockholm derby today (AIK v Djurgården) so there’s little chance of finding a TV showing the English football. I’ve had to settle for outrageously priced beers at a sunny waterside bar with the MBM for company. Keep up the good work!”

5.09pm BST

51 min The pace of the game has increased since half-time. There still isn’t much quality, though. Leicester miss James Maddison and United miss Bruno Fernandes, who looks mentally shattered.

5.07pm BST

49 min “I’m a fortysomething woman in Ireland, does that count,? says Lisa C. “No relation to Mel.”

5.07pm BST

48 min Albrighton plays a one-two with Iheanacho, surges into the area and slides a low cross towards Vardy. Lindelof, perfectly placed at the near post, puts it behind for a corner.

5.05pm BST

47 min Matic slices the Leicester defence open with a superb pass to Martial, who moves into the area and is denied by an exemplary last-ditch tackle from Justin. Great defending.

5.04pm BST

47 min “‘It’s all a bit ponderous from United’,” says Michael Meagher in Cádiz, quoting one of my first-half entries. “A survey of the post-Ferguson years. Now available in ebook format.”

5.03pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Leicester begin the second half.

5.01pm BST

Olivier Giroud put Chelsea 2-0 up against Wolves just before half-time. That means one of these teams will end the season in fifth place. This is the table as things stand.

4.59pm BST

Thanks for all your emails. There isn’t time to publish them all but it seems we have readers in Bergen, Panamá, a cabin in the woods of British Columbia, Valence, Doha, “a face-meltingly hot Rome”, Canadian Shield, Sharjah, New Mexico, Nauru island, the Catalan Pyrenee, Stockholm, Kolkata, Murcia, California, Lund, NYC, Siem Reap in Cambodia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Quentin la Poterie, the top of the Canadian Rockies, on a boat between Germany and Denmark – and, most importantly of all, Nottinghamshire.

4.50pm BST

Peep peep! That was such a nervous, cagey half of football. Leicester will be slightly the happier side, I reckon, for the same reasons that George Graham was content with a 0-0 half-time scoreline at Anfield in 1989. And Leicester only need one goal. See you in 10 minutes to see whether they can get it.

4.48pm BST

45+3 min Chelsea have taken the lead against Wolves through a delicious Mason Mount free-kick. That means this game is almost certainly a Champions League decider.

4.47pm BST

45+2 min Fernandes’s corner is headed away but only as far as Rashford, whose vicious half-volley from a tight angle is beaten away by Schmeichel. Good save.

4.46pm BST

45+1 min Three minutes of added time. Pogba and Fernandes combine nicely in a tight area to find Martial, whose deflected shot on the turn spins behind for a corner.

4.45pm BST

45 min “Hello Rob,” says Neil Carter. “£50 million on a full back who cannot pass the ball. Am I missing something? Rashford doesn’t look fit to me either, Ighalo to come on second half and move Martial to the left.”

I think Rashford’s been quite lively. I agree about Wan-Bissaka but a) people can improve (see Gary Neville) and b) he is a quite brilliant defender. I’d be tempted to try him at centre back when the opportunity arises, though I’d worry about some of those last-ditch tackles.

4.44pm BST

44 min As things stand United are going into the Champions League, but I reckon Leicester will be happier with how this half has gone.

4.43pm BST

43 min “Hi Rob,” says Graeme Thorn. “Just to counterbalance all these exotic places people are following the MBM from, I can tell you that I am a fortysomething single man from the shires (Nottinghamshire, to be precise).”

And now I am at peace with my world.

4.42pm BST

42 min: And now a chance for Rashford! Pogba’s clipped ball forward spins wickedly on the edge of the area, wrongfooting Justin in the process. The ball comes to Rashford, who dummies Justin superbly but then sidefoots high and wide. It was a bit too close for his body for that type of shot.

4.41pm BST

41 min: Chance for Vardy! Thomas breaks down the left and clips a good cross to the near post. Vardy gets in front of Lindelof but mistimes his attempted shot and the ball rolls to safety. It bounces up slightly awkwardly but Vardy will still feel he should have scored.

4.39pm BST

40 min “Following this dribble of a game on Miyako island, under the stars on a balmy night,” says Richardo Tunaley. No tourists. Do I win five minutes of decent football? (However unlikely with this particular game) Stay safe everyone!”

4.39pm BST

39 min There’s nothing to report. Not a thing. Both teams have been so guarded.

4.36pm BST

37 min “Following from Alabama, in the US, which is almost completely opposite in direction and climate from 40,000 feet above Norway,” says Dennis Madsen.

4.36pm BST

36 min It’s all a bit ponderous from United, and Leicester are coming into the game more and more.

4.35pm BST

35 min “Following on Interstate 29 - North of Kansas City, Missouri,” says Andy Waddington. “Luckily I’m a passenger in the car.”

That’s not in the shires either!

4.35pm BST

34 min Iheanacho breaks forward, waits for support and finds Tielemans in the D. He controls the ball and tries a gentle sidefoot - “more of a putt, really” as Martin Tyler puts in on Sky - that goes just wide of the far post. De Gea had it covered, though it was hit so softly that I’m surprised he didn’t have time to pick it up.

4.33pm BST

32 min: Bruno Fernandes has a goal disallowed for offside. It was the right decision, he was a few yards offside. It was nice goal, though: a clip over the top from Pogba, which Fernandes took on the chest before half-volleying past Schmeichel.

4.30pm BST

30 min Bruno Fernandes hasn’t been in the game as much as United would like either. He played one lovely reverse cross/pass towards Williams just before that Iheanacho chance. That aside he has been relatively peripheral.

4.28pm BST

28 min Leicester haven’t been able to get Vardy one against one with Lindelof as much as they would like. I can remember only two instances so far, one that led to a cross and one where Lindelof defended well.

4.28pm BST

27 min “Following your live feed from the equator!” says Freaderic Tan. “Singapore here!”

Crikey. I always assumed we had a readership of around 10, all single fortysomething men from the shires.

4.27pm BST

26 min Time for the drinks break.

4.25pm BST

24 min Iheanacho leads a three-on-two break, all the way to the edge of the United area. He picks the wrong option and hits a meek right-footed shot that slithers away from de Gea, who then blocks Vardy’s follow-up shot. The second one wouldn’t have counted because Vardy was offside. De Gea was very unhappy with Vardy’s follow through after the shot, which led to him kicking de Gea in the chest. I’m not sure Vardy did anything wrong.

4.23pm BST

24 min I’d love to see Roy Keane’s coupon right now.

4.22pm BST

23 min “Following your commentary from 40,000 ft above Norway,” says Osama Hanif.

Blimey, that is definitely a first for the Guardian MBM. Safe travels!

4.22pm BST

22 min Both sides look really nervous with and without the ball.

4.21pm BST

20 min Maguire lets the ball run under his foot, just inside the area, and is fortunate that Matic is behind him. Iheanacho would have been in on goal otherwise.

4.20pm BST

19 min Is there anyone reading who doesn’t want to know the other Premier League scores? If so, speak now or forever hold your peace. Either way, I’ll have to give updates from the Chelsea game (it’s still 0-0) as it is linked with this one, but if you prefer I won’t mention the other matches.

4.18pm BST

18 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “That Maguire tackle on Iheanacho (9 min.) looked like a tribute to Paul Scholes.”

It reminded me of that Francis Begbie tackle at the start of Trainspotting, which is basically the same thing. (NB: Clip contains adult language/themes)

4.17pm BST

17 min Thomas’s cross bounces all the way across to his fellow right-back Albrighton. He moves the ball away from Williams and screws a shot wide of the near post. The angle was pretty tight.

4.15pm BST

15 min If you don’t want to know the other Premier League scores, don’t click this.

4.15pm BST

14 min Matic plays a miserable pass on the edge of his own area, straight to Iheanacho. He finds Tielemans, who invites Ndidi to shoot first time from 25 yards. His rising drive whistles a few yards over the bar.

4.13pm BST

13 min It’s cagey stuff out there. United are dominating possession but their passing has been a bit safe.

4.12pm BST

11 min Rashford, just inside the Leicester half on the left, floats a long ball over Evans to find Greenwood near the penalty spot. He has to take the header first time, on the stretch, and loops it over the bar. It was a lovely run and pass though.

4.10pm BST

9 min Maguire is booked for taking a shortcut through Iheanacho on the halfway line. Leicester are starting to come into the game. We’ve now seen a replay of that penalty appeal - I’d like to see it again to be sure, but I think Pogba pulled his leg away just before Iheanacho fell over.

4.08pm BST

8 min Iheananacho goes over in the area after a slightly absent-minded challenge from Pogba. Martin Atkinson isn’t interested.

4.07pm BST

7 min Williams plays a one-two with Rashford, moves into the area and is well tackled by Ndidi.

4.06pm BST

6 min It’s still all United, though everything has been in front of the Leicester defence.

4.05pm BST

5 min Martial plays a one-two with Matic on the left and wins the first corner. Fernandes curls it deep and Thomas heads clear.

4.03pm BST

3 min United have started like the home team, with most of the game taking place in Leicester’s half. Leicester won’t mind that, especially with Vardy’s pace. They’ve won bigger prizes than a Champions League place playing on the counter-attack.

4.02pm BST

2 min Greenwood plays an excellent pass to Pogba, who eases it behind the defence towards Martial. He is just offside.

4.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! United kick off from right to left.

3.59pm BST

This is it, then. Twelve months of football comes down to one match. Annnnd it’s etc.

3.58pm BST

“If United win the Europa League, both sides will end up going through regardless of today’s result,” says John Delaney. “Is that correct or have I got all this wrong?

I think that if Leicester finish fifth and United win the Europa League, they would still most out. The only way England will get a fifth Champions League place is if United (or Wolves) win the Europa League and finish outside the top four. I think.

3.33pm BST

“Afternoon, Rob,” says Digvijay Yadav. “Do you remember during the last Cricket WC (I am sure you’ll remember it for the rest of your life) when England briefly floundered and looked like they might crash out of the competition prompting you to label them as ‘Bilateral Bullies’? That’s me with this United team if they lose. Boys. Just. Get. The. Job. Done.”

Remember it? I barely slept for five nights between the defeat to Australia and the win over India. It’s an interesting comparison, though I don’t really see it myself. I suppose one consolation for United, if they do lose today, is that they can still qualify through the Europa League. I have a feeling Leicester will win 2-1 (Vardy 2).

3.17pm BST

Pre-match reading

3.06pm BST

Leicester make three changes from the team that lost heavily at Spurs a week ago: Marc Albrighton, Hamza Choudhury and Kelechi Iheanacho replace Ryan Bennett, Ayoze Perez and Harvey Barnes. It looks like James Justin will play as the right-sided centre-back, with Marc Albrighton at wing-back.

Luke Shaw hasn’t made it, so Brandon Williams stays at left-back for United. They make one change: Aaron Wan-Bissaka replaces Timothy Fosu-Mensah at right-back.

3.02pm BST

Leicester City (3-4-1-2) Schmeichel; Justin, Morgan, Evans; Albrighton, Choudhury, Ndidi, Thomas; Tielemans; Iheanacho, Vardy.
Substitutes: Ward, Bennett, Gray, Barnes, James, Mendy, Praet, Perez, Hirst.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1) de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Pogba, Matic; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.
Substitutes: Romero, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Mata, Lingard, Fred, James, McTominay, Ighalo.

12.43pm BST

Hello. After barely 18 months in charge, Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have taken Leicester and Manchester United to a Champions League final. Sure, if you really want to nitpick, it’s a final to decide who plays in the Champions League rather than who wins it. But it’s still progress for both clubs.

There is a small chance they will both qualify, but that’s only if they draw and Wolves win at Stamford Bridge. The likelihood is that this will be a straight shootout. United have the draw but they also have the pressure, having reeled Leicester in since they were 14 points behind at the start of February. Leicester arguably have nothing to lose, because most people think they’ve already lost the Champions League place that seemed a sure thing in the winter.

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Published on July 26, 2020 10:20

July 22, 2020

Championship: West Brom promoted, Barnsley stay up with win at Brentford – as it happened

A night of unimaginable drama ended with West Brom in the Premier League, Swansea in the playoffs - and Barnsley and Luton still in the Championship

10.05pm BST

Sheesh, what a night. Truly, there ain’t no finale like a Championship finale. Thanks for your company and emails tonight. Congraulations to those of you who support West Brom, Swansea, Barnsley and Luton in particular. Commiserations to fans of Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Wigan and Charlton. See you for the playoffs!

9.56pm BST

The Barnsley manager Gerhard Struber is being interviewed. He’s so choked that he can barely get the words out.

“This is so… it’s the best feeling right now… [long pause] I have so big heart for my boys… sorry, at the moment I have no words … we worked so hard for this, the last few months, and always believing that we can stay in the league. Now it’s reality. I am so happy, I am so proud of my boys. We will have a big party.

9.48pm BST

9.41pm BST

And here’s Nick Ames’ report from Griffin Park, where Brentford missed out on the Premier League and Barnsley swerved a trip to League One in injury time.

9.38pm BST

“Told you,” says Lee Smith.

Ach, commiserations. As Daniel Harris puts it: Hell, bloody football.

9.37pm BST

“O swell,” says Brentford fan Tony Cross. “Now for the play-offs where we have such a good record it’ll be fine (cough). Congratulations to West Brom.”

9.36pm BST

“As a Swansea fan I let out a strangled sort of groan when that fourth goal went in,” says Craig Foley. “My wife is now giving me a very strange look.”

I shudder to think what noise you made when Stoke’s fourth goal went in.

9.35pm BST

Here’s Ben Fisher’s match report from the Hawthorns, where West Brom bought a ticket to the promised land.

9.35pm BST

The playoffs

9.33pm BST

9.32pm BST

There are joyous scenes at the Hawthorns, with Slaven Bilic hugging and high-fiving everything that moves. It’s wonderful for West Brom, who belong in the top flight, but you have to feel for Brentford. Had they won either of their last two matches, they would have been promoted to the Premier League. They picked the worst possible time to have a mini-blip.

9.31pm BST

Peep peep! That’s the end of an impossibly dramatic night of football. This is what it all means.

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

9.29pm BST

Full time: Luton 3-2 Blackburn Luton have completed their most famous escape since the days of Raddy Antic and David Pleat. The returning Nathan Jones has pulled off a miracle.

9.28pm BST

I’ve never done crack cocaine, but I don’t think I’ll bother now. It can’t be as good as a last-day Championship clockwatch.

9.28pm BST

Full time: Brentford 1-2 Barnsley A stunning win for Barnsley has kept them in the Championship.

9.27pm BST

Full time: West Brom 2-2 QPR

9.27pm BST

Full time: Wigan 1-1 Fulham

9.26pm BST

Swansea have reached the playoffs in the most amazing circumstances.

9.26pm BST

GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-4 Stoke (Da Costa 90+6)

Forest’s astonishing collapse is complete. Swansea are in the playoffs!

9.24pm BST

Full time: Cardiff 3-0 Hull

Hull are relegated to League One.

9.24pm BST

GOAL! Birmingham 1-3 Derby (Sibley 90+1)

9.23pm BST

As things stand

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

9.23pm BST

GOAL! Sheff Wed 1-2 Middlesbrough (Assombalonga 90+5)

9.22pm BST

West Brom 2-2 QPR Slaven Bilic is dancing on hot coals on the touchline, telling his team to keep the ball because a draw is good enough.

9.21pm BST

Full time: Leeds 4-0 Charlton

9.21pm BST

GOAL! Birmingham 1-2 Derby (Whittaker 87)

9.21pm BST

An incredible twist at Griffin Park! Clark Odour has tapped into an open net to give Barnsley the lead for the second time in the match. Barnsley are staying up and Charlton are going down!

9.19pm BST

Reading 1-4 Swansea That is astonishing. Swansea are ahead of Forest on goals scored. There has been a five-goal swing in only 25 minutes.

9.18pm BST

SWANSEA ARE INTO THE PLAYOFF PLACES!

9.17pm BST

Wigan 1-1 Fulham Kal Naismith’s free-kick flashes just over the bar. Wigan need a goal or they are going down (pending an appeal against their 12-point deduction).

9.15pm BST

“As an eternally pessimistic Brentford fan, this is a fresh kind of hell,” says Tony Cross. “But, if you’d told me we’d finish third at the start of the season or when we were 11 points behind WBA I’d have bitten your handoff. Now it almost feels disappointing.”

Almost?!

9.15pm BST

Brentford 1-1 Barnsley A draw is useless to both sides, so lord knows what will happen in the last few minutes.

9.13pm BST

As things stand (I think)

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

9.12pm BST

GOAL! Cardiff 3-0 Hull (Ward 83) Cardiff are in the playoffs.

9.12pm BST

And now Forest have only a one-goal cushion! Liam Cullen’s half-volley has put Swansea two goals ahead at Reading; if they get one more, they will leapfrog Forest and secure a playoff place.

9.11pm BST

The latest scores with a few minutes remaining

9.10pm BST

GOAL! Millwall 4-1 Huddersfield (Bodvarsson 79)

9.10pm BST

Brentford 1-1 Barnsley Ollie Watkins has missed a big chance for Brentford, fresh-airing a volley after great play from Said Benrahma. Even by the standards of the Championship, this is bonkers.

9.09pm BST

GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-3 Stoke (Gregory 78) Oh my days, it’s getting very tight now. Forest have a two-goal cushion in sixth place.

9.09pm BST

Brentford 1-1 Barnsley “I would love to see the Bees mixing it with the elite Rob,” writes Vincent Jennings. “hHpe it happens.”

It would be such a brilliant story - and we might even see Jack Nicholson at a Premier League game.

9.07pm BST

BREAKING NEWS: WHAT DAY IS THIS?

9.06pm BST

GOAL! Luton 3-2 Blackburn (Gallagher 75) Luton aren’t safe just yet. Sam Gallagher has brought Blackburn back into the match with a classy flick over Simon Sluga.

9.05pm BST

As things stand

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

9.04pm BST

GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-2 Stoke (McClean 73)

James McClean has tapped Stoke ahead at the City Ground. Forest are now level on points with seventh-placed Swansea, but it needs a three-goal swing for them to be overtaken.

9.04pm BST

That Brentford equaliser means that, as it stands, Charlton are safe.

9.03pm BST

West Brom 2-2 QPR Joe Lumley has made a fine stop from Filip Krovinovic.

9.02pm BST

It’s on! A spectacular finish from Josh Dasilva has put Brentford level - and possibly within one goal of the Premier League!

9.01pm BST

It’s still all up for grabs. Fulham could yet sneak into the Premier League if they score a winner at Wigan and QPR do likewise at the Hawthorns.

9.00pm BST

Drinks break This is how things stand.

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

8.59pm BST

“Will you stop jinxing the Hatters!” pleads Kevin Goddard. “I’m still not convinced. If you know the number of a good heart surgeon let me know...”

There was a great stat from this game on Sky a moment ago. Luton have had one shot on target, and they lead 3-1.

8.57pm BST

Brentford 0-1 Barnsley Brentford have been really poor, according to Clinton Morrison on Sky. This will haunt them for a long time if they don’t go up via the playoffs. It’s not nice to say, but it looks like they’ve bottled it.

8.55pm BST

The latest scores

8.55pm BST

GOAL! Leeds 4-0 Charlton (Shackleton 66) Goal difference is irrelevant for Charlton, who need a Brentford goal against Barnsley. Leeds have played some stunning football tonight.

8.54pm BST

GOAL! Reading 1-2 Swansea (Routledge 66) Wayne Routledge has given Swansea a sniff of a playoff place with a stunning volleyed lob, but they still need snookers.

8.53pm BST

GOAL! Millwall 3-1 Huddersfield (Skalak 63)

8.53pm BST

GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-1 Stoke (Figueiredo 61) That should be enough for Forest to secure a playoff place. Tobias Figueiredo has headed them level from a corner, and they now have a three-point, five-goal cushion in sixth place.

8.52pm BST

Another twist at the top: a majestic finish from Eberechi Eze has brought QPR level and given Brentford fresh hope. If they score twice against Barnsley and this stays 2-2, Brentford will go up.

8.50pm BST

GOAL! Birmingham 1-1 Derby (Sunjic 56)

8.50pm BST

GOAL! Luton 3-1 Blackburn (Collins 60 pen) James Collins has slammed a penalty into the net to put Luton two ahead. Their great escape is surely complete.

8.48pm BST

The main focus is now at the bottom. Charlton are being well beaten at Leeds, but they know that a Brentford equaliser against Barnsley would keep them up.

8.47pm BST

West Brom 2-1 QPR Callum Robinson has missed a glorious chance to seal promotion for West Brom, sliding wide from 15 yards after being put through on goal. West Brom look fairly safe at the moment, though - it needs a QPR equaliser and two Brentford goals for them to be overtaken.

8.45pm BST

This is how things stand the noo

Promoted Leeds, West Brom

8.42pm BST

The latest scores

8.41pm BST

GOAL! Leeds 3-0 Charlton (Roberts 51) Tyler Roberts has sealed victory for the champions with a simple header from Pablo Hernandez’s corner. Charlton need a helping hand from Brentford and Fulham if they are to stay up.

8.40pm BST

West Brom are closing in on the Premier League! Grady Diangana wriggles away from a couple of defenders on the left and curls in a superb low cross that gives Callum Robinson a tap-in.

8.39pm BST

GOAL! Wigan 1-1 Fulham (Kebano 49) Neeskens Kebano has equalised for Fulham with a lovely free-kick. That means, as things stand, Wigan are going down and Barnsley are staying up.

8.37pm BST

GOAL! Bristol City 1-1 Preston (Diedhiou 48) And this is the other meaningless game. Famara Diedhiou has scored from four yards to equalise for Bristol City.

8.37pm BST

GOAL! Millwall 2-1 Huddersfield (Cooper 47) This is one of the meaningless games. Jake Cooper has put Millwall back in front with a header from a corner.

8.36pm BST

West Brom 1-1 QPR “Hey Rob,” says J.R. in Illinois. “I’m pretty confident in the Baggies’ chances after watching that first half. QPR’s defense (or defence if you insist) looks like a sack of crap. If the Baggies don’t win this it will be solely of their own doing.”

8.35pm BST

Peep peep! The second halves are under way.

8.21pm BST

Peep peep! It’s half-time in all the Championship. As things stand:

8.20pm BST

West Brom 1-1 QPR ... Callum Robinson has missed a good chance for West Brom, volleying wide from 15 yards.

8.19pm BST

Brentford 0-1 Barnsley Bryan Mbuemo has had a shot pushed on the post by the Barnsley keeper Joe Walton. Meanwhile...

8.17pm BST

West Brom 1-1 QPR Callum Robinson has had a goal disallowed for a Spandex-tight offside decision.

8.16pm BST

This is the as-it-stands table. Don’t forget Wigan will have 12 points deducted at the final whistle.

8.15pm BST

West Brom are level! Callum Robinson finds Grady Diangana, who cracks the ball through the legs of Joe Lumley.

8.14pm BST

GOAL! Reading 1-1 Swansea (Puscas 43 pen) So much for Swansea’s goal difference: George Puscas has belted Reading level from the penalty spot. That’s a vital goal for Nottingham Forest.

8.13pm BST

And now West Brom are back in the promotion places! Callum Styles has spanked Barnsley into the lead at Griffin Park, a goal that could help keep them up. As it stands they are still in the bottom three on goal difference.

8.11pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Lee Smith. “I think we can dispense with the Yeovil jokes now please. You’ll be able to replace them with Stoke jokes soon enough. Oh, and please don’t mention Neil Warnock and Sheffield United.”

8.11pm BST

Reading 0-1 Swansea Reading are down to 10 men: Yakou Meite has been invited to do one. That gives Swansea a great chance of boosting their goal difference and potentially overtaking Nottm Forest in the playoff places.

8.08pm BST

As things stand

8.08pm BST

GOAL! Millwall 1-1 Huddersfield (Grant 36)

8.07pm BST

GOAL! Luton 2-1 Blackburn (Johnson own goal 35) Luton are staying up in a blaze of own goals. Bradley Johnson has diverted a corner into his own net to give them the lead at Kenilworth Road, and David Pleat is getting ready to do a dance on the pitch.

8.06pm BST

QPR have taken the lead at the Hawthorns. Ryan Manning’s low drive from 20 yards has sneaked into the bottom corner - and that means, as things stand, Brentford are going up!

8.05pm BST

GOAL! Cardiff 2-0 Hull (Morrison 34)

Cardiff are in the playoffs, Hull are in League One. Sean Morrison has headed in from a corner to give Cardiff a two-goal lead.

8.04pm BST

GOAL! Wigan 1-0 Fulham (Moore 32) A big goal for Wigan. Kieffer Moore’s close-range header has put them ahead against Fulham, a goal that takes them out of the relegation places and drops Charlton into the malodorous stuff.

8.03pm BST

Brentford 0-0 Barnsley Brentford have made a nervous start, it says here. Said Benrahma has just had their first decent attempt at goal, a stinging low shot that was palmed away by Jack Walton.

8.02pm BST

“Forest fan here,” says Simon Frank. “I’ve decided to go and clean out the basement instead of bothering with the next 80 minutes of unbearable tension.”

Come on, man, you’re not playing Yeovil.

8.01pm BST

Leeds 2-0 Charlton Charlton are going to lose, so they are relying on results elsewhere to step up. My head is starting to hurt with all the permutations, and it’s not even half-time.

8.00pm BST

GOAL! Leeds 2-0 Charlton (Dallas 28) Leeds have been majestic. Stuart Dallas plays a lovely one-two with Pablo Hernandez and pokes an insouciant finish past Dillon Phillips.

7.58pm BST

GOAL! Luton 1-1 Blackburn (Carter own goal 28) Luton have equalised through an unlikely own goal from Hayden Carter! As it stands they are above Wigan and Charlton.

7.56pm BST

Drinks break At the moment West Brom are going up and Barnsley, Hull and Wigan (or Luton) are going down.

7.54pm BST

GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Middlesbrough (McNair 22) Paddy McNair has brought Boro level from close range after a mistake from Barry Bannan.

7.52pm BST

GOAL! Nottm Forest 0-1 Stoke (Batth 19) But Forest aren’t there just yet. Danny Batth has put Stoke ahead at the City Ground with a close-range header from a short corner. Forestr are still in the playoff places - but only on goal difference.

7.51pm BST

GOAL! Cardiff 1-0 Hull (Hoilett 20) Any nerves that Cardiff had have been settled by Junior Hoilett’s smart finish. They should be good for a playoff place now.

7.49pm BST

“It’s been fun having MBMs back (a small way to pretend that things are normal, rather than a chaotic maelstrom of wretchedness), but is this the first proper Clockwatch in this brave new world?” asks Matt Dony. “Feeling confident you still have the ability to follow so many games? I’m assuming those early goals are useful looseners. Couple of slower balls, giving you chance to get your eye in and get settled.”

It’s just like riding a bike! I never learned how to do that either.

7.48pm BST

GOAL! Reading 0-1 Swansea (Brewster 17) Swansea must win tonight to have any chance of making the play-offs, and Liverpool loanee Rhian Brewster has given them the lead with a vicious, wobbling long-range strike.

7.47pm BST

GOAL! Bristol City 0-1 Preston (Maguire 16) A cool finish from Sean Maguire has given Preston the lead in the dead rubber at Ashton Gate.

7.46pm BST

West Brom 0-0 QPR It’s still goalless at the Hawthorns, though West Brom are starting to dominate.

7.44pm BST

GOAL! Leeds 1-0 Charlton (White 13)

The champions have taken the lead through a stunning goal by Ben White, a spectacular chest-volley from the edge of the area.

7.43pm BST

As it stands Luton or Wigan, Barnsley and Hull are down, West Brom are up, Forest and Cardiff are in the playoffs.

7.42pm BST

GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Middlesbrough (Murphy 10) Jacob Murphy gives Wednesday the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the area. Boro could still be relegated tonight.

7.40pm BST

GOAL! Luton 0-1 Blackburn (Armstrong 10) An early blow for Luton - Adam Armstrong has put Blackburn ahead from close range.

7.37pm BST

GOAL! Birmingham 0-1 Derby (Shinnie 6) Derby have taken an early lead at St Andrew’s. A feeble clearance from Marc Roberts went straight to Graeme Shinnie, who drilled it into the bottom corner from 18 yards. Good finish.

7.36pm BST

Wigan 0-0 Fulham Aleksandar Mitrovic has missed an excellent early chance for Fulham, walloping into orbit from 10 yards after a nice move down the left.

7.35pm BST

GOAL! Millwall 1-0 Huddersfield (Mahoney 4)

The first goal of the night comes in one of the games that (almost certainly) doesn’t matter: Connor Mahoney has put Millwall ahead against Huddersfield with a low left-footed shot from 12 yards.

7.29pm BST

Right, this is it - after

nine
12 months of toil, it all comes down to the next 90 minutes. (And the legal cases that will probably follow, but let’s not dwell on those tonight.)

7.20pm BST

That’s all the team news I think. I’m off to pour some coffee onto my face in the hope it’ll get me through the next couple of hours. See you in ten minutes for the kick off.

7.16pm BST

Birmingham City v Derby County team news

Birmingham Camp, Colin, Dean, Roberts, Pedersen, Crowley, Sunjic, Gary Gardner, Bela, Bellingham, Jutkiewicz.
Subs: Harding, Kieftenbeld, Trueman, Fernandez, Hogan, Bajrami, Boyd-Munce, Burke, Reid.

7.15pm BST

Millwall v Huddersfield Town team news

Millwall: Bialkowski, Brown, Hutchinson, Murray Wallace, Cooper, Ferguson, Williams, Thompson, Molumby, Mahoney, Smith.
Subs: Bradshaw, Steele, Leonard, Bodvarsson, Skalak, Burey, Mitchell, Muller, Tiensia.

7.15pm BST

“Why are Huddersfield considered safe?” says Matt Burtz. “Let’s say they lose to stay on 51 points. If Middlesbrough and Birmingham win, they’re each on 53. If Charlton and Luton both win, they’re level with Huddersfield on 51 points. Yes, there’s a 14-goal margin to Huddersfield’s advantage in goal difference between them and Luton, but stranger things have happened. What am I missing here? Is it the possible Wigan deduction?”

It’s the 14-goal swing to Luton, at least in my head. I suppose stranger things have happened, but I can’t think of many.

7.13pm BST

“Hey Rob,” says J. R. in Illinois. “Definitely not bricking it for the Baggies here in Illinois. Sure, I wouldn’t be surprised if they start off a bit tentatively but I think the advantage of being acclimated to playing in the altitude of the highest ground in the football league will allow them to eventually emerge victorious over the dreaded Queens Park Raisins. What to make of that lineup? Is that a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1? Not sure I understand starting Robinson instead of either Robson-Kanu or Austin. I miss Salomon Rondon. West Brom may have won the league if he was still around.”

It could be a 4-2-3-1 with Krovinovic behind Robinson, but who knows. You’re welcome!

7.09pm BST

“Evening Rob, evening everyone,” says Matt Turland. “Forest fan here and I can’t shake the feeling that they’re going to slip up massively. Can easily see them losing to Stoke and then watch Swansea pump Reading to overhaul the GD. And I don’t know why it’s concerning me so much because even if they do make the playoffs, there is little to no chance of them not continuing their stellar history in playoffs. I’ve still not shaken off the Yeovil debacle.”

I watched that game with a Forest fan in Quinn’s in Camden. I can still picture the abject horror on his coupon when the fifth went in.

7.05pm BST

Pre-match listening

7.03pm BST

Nottingham Forest v Stoke City team news

Nottm Forest Smith, Tobias Figueiredo, Worrall, Cash, Yates, Sow, Watson, Yuri Ribeiro, Ameobi, Grabban, Lolley.
Subs: Nuno Da Costa, Bostock, Jenkinson, Dawson, Tiago Silva, Walker, Johnson, Shelvey, Mighten.

6.59pm BST

Reading v Swansea City team news

Reading Rafael Cabral, Gunter, Morrison, Miazga, Richards, Moore, Meite, Rinomhota, Swift, Olise, Puscas.
Subs: Walker, Obita, McCleary, Boye, Felipe Araruna, Blackett, Masika, Adam, Osho.

6.59pm BST

Leeds United v Charlton Athletic team news

Leeds Meslier, Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas, Struijk, Harrison, Hernandez, Klich, Alioski, Bamford.
Subs: Douglas, Poveda-Ocampo, Roberts, Miazek, Davis, Bogusz, Shackleton, Stevens, Casey.

6.58pm BST

Luton Town v Blackburn Rovers team news

Luton Sluga, Bree, Bradley, Carter-Vickers, Cranie, Mpanzu, Rea, Berry, Lee, Collins, Cornick.
Subs: Pearson, McManaman, Hylton, Shinnie, Moncur, LuaLua, Butterfield, Kioso, Shea.

6.57pm BST

Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough team news

Sheff Wed Wildsmith, Iorfa, Lees, Palmer, Murphy, Shaw, Bannan, Lee, Harris, Nuhiu, Wickham.
Subs: Rhodes, Pelupessy, Reach, Luongo, Odubajo, Dawson, Hunt, Da Cruz, Windass.

6.56pm BST

Wigan Athletic v Fulham team news

Wigan Marshall, Byrne, Kipre, Balogun, Robinson, Williams, Morsy, Naismith, Dowell, Lowe, Moore.
Subs: Evans, Massey, Pearce, Garner, Roberts, Jones, Mihai Dobre, Mlakar, Gelhardt.

6.55pm BST

Cardiff City v Hull City team news

Cardiff Smithies, Bacuna, Morrison, Nelson, Bennett, Pack, Ralls, Mendez-Laing, Tomlin, Hoilett, Glatzel.
Subs: Etheridge, Sanderson, Flint, Vaulks, Murphy, Paterson, Bamba, Ward, Smith.

6.53pm BST

West Bromwich Albion v Queens Park Rangers team news

West Brom Johnstone, Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea, Sawyers, Livermore, Matheus Pereira, Krovinovic, Diangana, Robinson.
Subs: Robson-Kanu, Phillips, Brunt, Grosicki, Townsend, Austin, Harper, Bond, Hegazi.

6.52pm BST

Bristol City v Preston North End team news

Bristol City Bentley, Vyner, Williams, Kalas, Pereira, Weimann, Nagy, Paterson, Dasilva, Wells, Diedhiou.
Subs: O’Dowda, Watkins, Eliasson, Rowe, Benkovic, Wollacott, Afobe, Massengo, Palmer.

6.50pm BST

Brentford v Barnsley team news

Brentford Raya, Dalsgaard, Jansson, Pinnock, Henry, Marcondes, Norgaard, Da Silva, Mbeumo, Watkins, Benrahma.
Subs: Canos, Jensen, Valencia, Dervisoglu, Jeanvier, Fosu, Baptiste, Daniels,
Roerslev Rasmussen.

6.41pm BST

Automatic promotion

There is a three-way fight for the second automatic promotion spot. West Brom will secure it with victory over QPR at the Hawthorns. Should they draw, Brentford would leap to second with a home win against Barnsley. A draw would also be enough if West Brom were to lose. Fulham could still go up automatically if they win at Wigan, West Brom lose and Brentford fail to win.

5.30pm BST

There’s nothing quite like the last day of the Championship season – a brain overload of permutations, goalflashes, as-it-stands tables, hope, despair, delirium, heartbreak and Chris Kamara. This year it’s even more complicated than usual, given the possibility that the season will conclude in the courts, and this could be the most noggin-melting denouement to a season since Romania’s Divizia C Serie VIII in 1983-84. You should click on that last link; you’ll not regret it.

Over the next three hours, we’ll be compromising our sanity to keep you abreast of the latest developments in the race for promotion/the play-offs/to avoid relegation.

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Published on July 22, 2020 14:07

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