Rob Smyth's Blog, page 107

July 21, 2020

How the white football was dismissed as an unwanted fad – podcast

In this episode: the white ball was widely disliked during trials in 1927 and one manufacturer declared it ‘practically impossible to make’. It would take another 24 years for the Football League to give it the go-ahead

Read the text version here.

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Published on July 21, 2020 21:00

July 20, 2020

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

Richarlison’s majestic header gave Everton a fine victory at Bramall Lane - and all but ended the home side’s chances of qualifying for the Europa League

9.32pm BST

8.06pm BST

7.57pm BST

It has finished Brighton 0-0 Newcastle at the Amex Stadium, which means Brighton have officially avoided relegation.

7.56pm BST

That’s a terrific win for Everton, who played with courage and skill, especially in the second half. Richarlison won it with a majestic header straight after the break, and a determined Everton defence kept Sheffield United at arm’s length for the rest of the game.

The teenage centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite had an outstanding full debut, and I don’t think Jordan Pickford had a save to make. The upshot is that Sheffield United need snookers – or two Wolves defeats - to have any chance of qualifying for the Europa League.

7.54pm BST

Peep peep! McGoldrick shoots high over the bar with the last kick of the match, having slipped in the act of shooting. Everton win for the first time in five games.

7.52pm BST

90+3 min Gordon twists away from O’Connell on the left of the box, declines the opportunity to dive but then picks the wrong option with a low ball across the face of goal to nobody.

7.50pm BST

90+2 min Another header away from Branthwaite, and then a break in play after Baldock’s cross hits Digne in the face and sends him flying.

7.49pm BST

90+1 min Four minutes of added time. A long cross from the left is headed away by Branthwaite.

7.49pm BST

90 min “Branthwaite, cool as ice, handles that 1v1, gets the ball, takes his time, clears,” says Mary Waltz. “That’s outstanding for an young man.”

He’s been extremely impressive. Sheffield United (A) can be a miserable experience for any centre half, never mind a teenage debutant, yet he has played beautifully.

7.48pm BST

89 min Richarlison is booked for kicking the ball away.

7.46pm BST

88 min Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had a good game in the No10 position and looks absolutely shattered, is replaced by Seamus Coleman.

7.46pm BST

Brighton 0-0 Newcastle Andy Carroll has just headed wide from five yards.

7.45pm BST

86 min John Fleck has played a number of classy passes since coming on as substitute. That’s another player Scotland have found. It’s going to happen, isn’t it? They’re going to

win the World Cup!
qualify for a major tournament again.

7.44pm BST

85 min Zivkovic and Fleck combine to find Stevens, whose flat cross is headed over by the other full-back Baldock. It was a difficult chance because of the angle of and lack of pace on the cross.

7.43pm BST

84 min And Everton bring on Anthony Gordon for Theo Walcott

7.43pm BST

83 min Richairo Zivkovic replaces Basham, which means United have switched to a back four.

7.40pm BST

82 min “Not done and dusted quite yet, but credit to Sigurdsson, who has been very good today and delivered a peach of a free kick,” says Matt Burtz. “And Gomes’ ball control and distribution have been excellent.”

They’ve been good haven’t they, especially in the second half. It isn’t a huge change but I prefer this 4-2-3-1 to the usual 4-4-2.

7.39pm BST

81 min A good effort from Andre Gomes, who drives just wide from long range. Henderson had it covered.

7.39pm BST

80 min Super play from Everton. Sigurdsson flicks the ball behind his standing leg to Calvert-Lewin, who clips a first-time pass to put Walcott through on the right of the area. He slides a low cross towards Calvert-Lewin, who is eased away from the ball by Baldock.

7.37pm BST

79 min Actually it wasn’t an elbow, it was a hand-off to the face.

7.36pm BST

78 min Calvert-Lewin, who has put himself about all night, is booked for elbowing Stevens in the coupon as they wrestled for a high ball.

7.35pm BST

77 min Fleck opens his body and slides a nice through pass to Sharp, who miscontrols the ball on the edge of the area. That was a chance.

7.35pm BST

76 min Sheffield United have pinned Everton back in their half in the last few minutes.

7.30pm BST

71 min Pickford makes a mess of Fleck’s corner, but the referee decides he was fouled by Sharp. It was probably a foul, though there wasn’t much in it.

7.29pm BST

70 min Sheffield United haven’t had a shot on target, which reflects well on Branthwaite in particular. I wouldn’t fancy playing centre back against Sheffield United at 28, never mind 18.

7.27pm BST

69 min John Lundstram has replace Oliver Norwood.

7.26pm BST

67 min It’s still Brighton 0-0 Newcastle.

7.26pm BST

67 min Walcott lures Stevens in and then zips away from him, into the area. Alas, his cutback is well behind Richarlison. Time for the drinks break.

7.25pm BST

67 min Nothing much to report. Everton are keeping United at arms length, which is not the easiest thing to do at Bramall Lane. Branthwaite has had a terrific game.

7.21pm BST

63 min Now Egan visits the canvas after a zesty shove from Calvert-Lewin. It’s been a muscular game.

7.20pm BST

62 min Andre Gomes is down after meeting Billy Sharp for the first time. “He’s just been hit there with 34 years of experience,” deadpans Ally McCoist on Amazon Prime.

7.18pm BST

60 min A double change for Sheffield United: John Fleck and Billy Sharp replace McBurnie and Osborn.

7.17pm BST

58 min A good save from Henderson, who claws away Calvert-Lewin’s deflected shot as he falls to his right. Everton have been excellent since half-time.

7.14pm BST

55 min Basham’s dangerous cross from the right isn’t properly cleared by Keane, who tries to flick the ball away and ends up dropping it into the space in front of goal. Happily for him, Pickford is first on the scene and falls on the loose ball.

7.12pm BST

53 min O’Connell threads an excellent pass down the side of the defence to Stevens, whose cross on the turn hs booted away by Keane.

7.09pm BST

49 min McGoldrick spanks a shot from 12 yards that is excellently blocked by the youngster Branthwaite. This match haas come to life.

7.08pm BST

49 min Everton break through Gomes, who sprays a fine pass to Walcott on the right. He drives a low cross towards Calvert-Lewin that is cut out at the near post by Egan, and Henderson beats Richarlison to the loose ball.

7.08pm BST

48 min United almost respond straight away. Baldock’s cross is pulled down on the chest by Stevens, whose hooked shot is blocked by Sidibe.

7.07pm BST

That was a fine header from Richarlison. Sigurdsson, in a deep, narrow position on the right, curled a fast, flat free-kick towards the near post. Richarlison got in front of his man, 12 yards from goal, and twisted his neck to power an accomplished header into the far corner. Henderson, at full stretch, got fingers to it but could only help it on its way.

7.05pm BST

And Everton take the lead in the first minute of the second half!

7.04pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Everton begin the second half.

7.00pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “The world looked very different when I was at Goodison for the reverse fixture, 303 days ago. Is that the longest gap between a home and away match up in English football history? I guess it must be, but there might be a wrinkle in the mists of time. (Or the record might go tomorrow.)”

That’s one for the Knowledge.

6.50pm BST

Half-time listening

6.50pm BST

Peep peep! That was not the most entertaining half of football we’ll ever see, or even the 4,123,195,951 most entertaining. Dominic Calvert-Lewin smacked the post just before half-time, and that was about it. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

(It’s also Brighton 0-0 Newcastle at the Amex Stadium.)

6.48pm BST

45+2 min Norwood has been booked for a lunging tackle on Richarlison. He got the ball and then followed through into Richarlison’s ankle. The referee took a while before blowing for a free-kick.

6.47pm BST

45+1 min Osborn’s snapshot has the sting taken out of it by Sidibe’s block, and the ball loops gently into Pickford’s loving arms.

6.46pm BST

45+1 min Two minutes of added time.

6.45pm BST

45 min “Everton are doing a decent job of breaking through United’s high press but they don’t take advantage of having four or five United players behind them,” says Mary Waltz. “They can’t seem to connect on their final passes.”

6.45pm BST

43 min: Calvert-Lewin hits the post! That was the closest we’ve come to a goal. Sigurdsson’s corner was flapped away by Henderson and retrieved by Walcott on the right wing. He stood up a terrific cross to the far post, where Calvert-Lewin towered over Berge and thumped a header off the post from six yards.

6.42pm BST

41 min Basham’s lofted cross-shot is pawed away by the leaping Pickford. It wasn’t going in, though Pickford was right to take no chance.

6.39pm BST

39 min A bit better from Everton. Calvert-Lewin and Sigurdsson combine to find Richardson on the left side of the area. He tries to run Basham and is well tackled.

6.38pm BST

37 min There’s been one shot in the match so far, and that was off target.

6.36pm BST

35 min Another corner to United, their fourth of the game. It feels like their 14th. Davies heads this as far as Stevens, 30 yards out. He lets the ball bounce, watches the ball carefully onto his left foot ... and bullets it out of the ground.

6.34pm BST

33 min Davies is booked for taking a shortcut through Oli McBurnie.

6.33pm BST

33 min It’s still Brighton 0-0 Newcastle, and I get the impression the scoreline flatters both teams.

6.31pm BST

31 min Osborn is very lucky not to be booked for a cynical foul on Walcott.

6.30pm BST

30 min Richarlison is down again, this time after Berge accidentally clouted him in the head. He’s fine to continue.

6.29pm BST

29 min Branthwaite, an 18-year-old making his full debut for Everton in a key position at centre-half, has done very well so far against the intimidating pair of McBurnie and McGoldrick. He was born, incidentally, three days before the 2002 World Cup final. How old do you feel now?

6.25pm BST

25 min Time for the drinks break.

6.25pm BST

24 min Andre Gomes, on the right wing near the halfway line, flips a delicious first-time pass around the defence to find Calvert-Lewin. The ball bounces up slightly awkwardly, though, and Calvert-Lewin’s touch with his chest is too heavy. That was a chance.

6.24pm BST

22 min “This game is a very interesting one,” says Stephen Pilling. “Sheff Utd play very exciting football, and the new Everton manager tries to do the same.”

Yes, it’s noticeable that Branthwaite, in particular, has been trying to play the ball out from the back. It’s going to be fascinating to see how Ancelotti does next season. As one of our readers pointed out last week, he usually takes over teams that are, for want of a better phrase, oven-ready. This Everton team aren’t even microwaveable.

6.21pm BST

20 min A good move from Everton. Walcott plays a give-and-go with Sigurdsson and drives a low shot from a tight angle that flashes across the face of goal.

6.19pm BST

18 min A good spell for possession for Everton, who have survived the first onslaught. Richarlison cracks in a good cross that is belted away by Egan.

6.15pm BST

14 min Another corner to United. Norwood’s big inswinger beats everyone, including the flailing Pickford, and curls just wide of the far post.

6.13pm BST

13 min A corner to Sheffield United, who have dominated the early part of the game. Norwood swings it in and Keane heads away with authority.

6.11pm BST

10 min Sheffield United are starting to pin Everton in their half. One way or another, a few of the Everton players will be sore in the morning.

6.09pm BST

7 min Lots of hustle and bustle from Sheffield United, who appear to have received an appreciable brollocking from Chris Wilder for the lack of aggression in their performance at Leicester.

6.05pm BST

4 min Digne yelps and falls over after a challenge from McBurnie, who walks away from the scene like Dirty Harry. It was a poor challenge - he missed an aggressive attempted block tackle and followed through into Digne’s ankle. Wayne Rooney used to go into challenges like that. McBurnie should have been booked.

6.03pm BST

4 min Everton’s formation is actually a 4-2-3-1, with Richarlison on the left and Sigurdsson behind Calvert-Lewin.

6.03pm BST

3 min Richarlison is down after a block tackle with Berge, who followed through to stand on his right foot. He should be able to run it off.

6.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Sheffield United kick off from right to left on a sunny evening in Sheffield.

6.00pm BST

Some pre-match reading

5.56pm BST

“How come there’s no MBM for the Newcastle game?” says Robert Lin. “Is there no interest whatsoever?”

Resources, I guess, and there is more riding on this game. But I have it on the background and will mention any goals or mind-altering runs from Allan Saint-Maximin.

5.55pm BST

“Every mention of the phrase ‘I like the cut of your/his jib’ automatically makes me think of this,” says Matt Burtz. “Also, like you, I was being a bit facetious. I would keep Holgate, Keane, Coleman, Mina and Kean. I don’t think Davies is quite good enough, and even though I think Sigurdsson has all the tools, he may be past his prime, and the effort just isn’t there. I don’t hate Walcott either, but that’s a low bar.”

Part of the problem is that the squad has too many happy losers: good players, but also good-time Charlies. They would probably thrive in a tougher dressing-room, and discover qualities they didn’t know they had, but you need to replace some of them for that change to happen.

5.50pm BST

There will be a lot of attention on the Sheffield United keeper Dean Henderson, especially after David de Gea’s shocker last night. He’s also up against Jordan Pickford, whose England shirt he’d quite like to nick.

5.47pm BST

“Hello Rob!” says Stephen Carr. “Sigurdsson’s selection is an interesting one. Interesting because you’d assume Ancelotti has seen him play.”

Wasn’t he the Premier League’s assist king a couple of years ago? Strange player, who regularly flits between the sublime and the inconspicuous.

5.40pm BST

“I liked the cut of Branthwaite’s jib last week against Villa,” says J. R. in Illinois. “I’ma keep an eye on him.”

Yes, he makes his full Premier League debut tonight, having impressed allcomers when he came on as an early sub against Villa.

5.37pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Matt Burtz. “Everton fan here. I don’t disagree that they need eight new players, I just want to see if we agree on the ones to keep. I say it’s Digne, Richarlison, and Calvert-Lewin. I would also keep Pickford because I don’t think he’s *quite* as erratic as he’s made out to be, and I’m not sure who else they can get for the position. Gomes hasn’t really recovered fully from his injury, and Gordon shows promise. The rest can probably go in the bin.”

I wasn’t being totally serious, but they do need few. I agree with all the players you suggested. I’d certainly keep Coleman, Holgate, Keane and Davies at the club.

5.04pm BST

Sheffield United (3-5-2) Henderson; Basham, Egan, O’Connell; Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Osborn, Stevens; McBurnie, McGoldrick.
Substitutes: Moore, Jagielka, K Freeman, Robinson, Fleck, Lundstram, Clarke, Sharp, Zivkovic.

Everton (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Sidibe, Keane, Branthwaite, Digne; Davies, Andre Gomes; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Calvert-Lewin.
Substitutes: Stekelenburg, Joao Virginia, Baines, Coleman, Iwobi, Baningime, Bernard, Gordon, Simms.

3.03pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Sheffield United v Everton from Bramall Lane. The last week of the season is no time for stylish intros or purple prose, so let’s proceed straight to the bit where we tell you what each team needs.

Sheffield United need to win their last two games, realistically, to have any chance of playing European football next season. They will qualify for the Europa League if they finish in the top six, or if they finish seventh and Chelsea win the FA Cup. Here’s the league table.

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Published on July 20, 2020 11:57

July 19, 2020

Manchester United 1-3 Chelsea: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened

David de Gea had a shocker and Harry Maguire scored an own goal as an impressive Chelsea hammered United to set up a final against Arsenal

10.50pm BST

A bad one for De Gea.

10.50pm BST

A good day for Lampard.

8.29pm BST

8.21pm BST

And here’s Frank Lampard

“I can’t ask for any more than that – maybe a couple more goals – and that’s surprising when you play against a team of their quality. More than that, it was the work ethic of the performance. It was the first time we’ve played three at the back for a while. The early parts of the game we were on top, and when they changed the system I thought we were even better. The wing-backs, Jorginho, Kovacic, Giroud... I could list the entire team. I’m very proud of the performance.”

8.17pm BST

And here’s Mason Mount

“You always want to turn up in big games and I thought we did that today. It’s always kinda difficult when you play against a team who have beaten you three times already this season, but we came into the game with that extra motivation. Maybe I had a little bot of fortune with my goal but I was obviously very happy because it gave us a bit of room to express ourselves.”

8.11pm BST

Here’s Olivier Giroud

“I said to my boys in the dressing-room that I would love to win another FA Cup; it would be my fifth one. It’ll be special for me to play against Arsenal. We are very happy with the team performance today - it’s a while since we’ve played three at the back. We won the game by putting them under pressure with good pressing, and after we scored the second goal we dictated the game. I’m very happy at Chelsea - I’m a Blue and I just want to win more trophies.”

8.05pm BST

Peep peep! Chelsea will play Arsenal in the FA Cup final after a thumping win over Manchester United. It was a triumph for Frank Lampard, whose switch to a back three worked perfectly. A subdued United never looked like recovering from two quickfire goals either side of half-time, the second after a shocking mistake by David de Gea. Chelsea, especially Giroud, Mount and Kovacic, were terrific. United, Bruno Fernandes aside, were crap.

8.04pm BST

90+5 min Hudson-Odoi misses a good chance to make it 4-1, rifling over the bar from 12 yards. after an excellent run.

8.00pm BST

90+2 min Those two goals either side of half-time, the first in the 56th minute and the second in the 46th, killed this game.

7.59pm BST

90+1 min Pedro replaces Mason Mount.

7.59pm BST

90 min Six minutes of added time.

7.57pm BST

89 min The irrepressible Fernandes flicks a fine pass over the defence that almost finds Ighalo. Caballero charges from his line to get there first.

7.57pm BST

89 min Chelsea are passing the clock down.

7.55pm BST

86 min A Chelsea change - the splendid Kovacic is replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

7.54pm BST

86 min That was United’s 19th penalty of the season.

7.54pm BST

Bruno Fernandes gives United a soupcon of hope with an accomplished penalty, jumping on the spot and sending Caballero the wrong way.

7.53pm BST

PENALTY TO UNITED! Hudson-Odoi fouls Martial, and Mike Dean does the necessary. It was a clear penalty.

7.53pm BST

84 min Chelsea v Arsenal will be a cracking FA Cup final. Chelsea thrashed Arsenal in the Europa League final a year ago, but Arsenal have won both FA Cup finals between the sides: Ray Parlour’s match in 2002 and the 2-1 win three years ago.

7.51pm BST

83 min “I’m quietly fascinated by the animated advertising boards on the steps between blocks of seating,” says Matt Dony. “I’m assuming they can’t be used when the stadium is in normal use and full of fans. Have they been created especially for this scenario? Did someone decide that huge banners covering the seats wasn’t enough, and so they needed to squeeze in a few more square feet of marketing space? Bill Hicks was right about people in advertising, wasn’t he?”

7.48pm BST

80 min And now a double change for Chelsea: Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi replace Willian and Giroud. Both were superb with and without the ball.

7.48pm BST

79 min Matic misses a good chance, heading Fernandes’s deep corner into the ground and up over the bar.

7.47pm BST

79 min More substitutions for United: Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Odion Ighalo replace Rashford and Wan-Bissaka.

7.45pm BST

76 min Kovacic has quietly had a terrific game in midfield for Chelsea, who have really done a number on United. Frank Lampard’s decision to switch to a back three had worked perfectly.

7.44pm BST

A Harry Maguire own goal has sealed a thumping victory for Chelsea. When a corner was half cleared, Alonso flashed a low cross that was turned into his own net by Maguire at the near post. I thought Rudiger had scored but replays showed it was Maguire’s touch.

7.42pm BST

It’s a rout!

7.42pm BST

72 min Bruno Fernandes is the only United player whose head hasn’t dropped. This has been a chastening afternoon for them.

7.39pm BST

71 min Pogba overruns the ball, fouls Kovacic and is booked. United aren’t at the races; Chelsea have been much the better side.

7.39pm BST

70 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “A Manchester derby FA Cup final would have been nice for this neutral. Is it true that United and City have never met in a cup final? Even Dundee United and Dundee have done that. At least a Chelsea/Arsenal match up will cut down on travelling for both sets of fans.”

That’s right, unless you count the Premier League final in April 2012.

7.36pm BST

67 min Time for the drinks break.

7.34pm BST

65 min: Chance for United! Fernandes’ big, inswinging corner is headed just wide by Maguire. Caballero came for the ball and was nowhere near it, but the under-pressure Maguire couldn’t steer his header into the empty net.

7.33pm BST

64 min Both players are okay to continue.

7.32pm BST

63 min There’s another clash of heads, this time between Rudiger and Greenwood.

7.31pm BST

62 min Chelsea are cruising. United are having more of the ball but there’s no conviction in their passing, and Chelsea look the likelier scorers on the break.

7.31pm BST

61 min “All the discussion about depth and formation and such, while probably meaningful on the margins, overlooks the simple answer for the difference between the two teams today - Chelsea were given two extra days to rest and prepare for this match than United,” says Jonathan Francis.

7.30pm BST

60 min “While I agree De Gea hasn’t been nowhere near as good for the last season as he was for a very long time, as a United fan it’s impossible to forget he was the one consistent beacon of light at Old Trafford in the age of Moyes, van Gaal and Mourinho,” says Sanchit Sabhlok. “If nothing else, Ole should maybe give him another season. He’s a 29-year-old goalkeeper for christ sake!”

7.27pm BST

58 min de Gea makes a good save, leaping to his left to slap Giroud’s deflected shot away from goal. Chelsea look very dangerous on the counter-attack.

7.26pm BST

57 min Mount misses a decent chance, whipping a shot over the bar from 18 yards after excellent play by Willian and Giroud.

7.24pm BST

56 min Fernandes plays the free-kick short to Wan-Bissaka. He crosses beyond the far post to Maguire, whose header is comfortably held by Caballero.

7.24pm BST

55 min James is shoved over by Rudiger just outside the area on the right. Before the free-kick is taken, Pogba and Greenwood replace Fred and Daniel James.

7.22pm BST

54 min Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood are about to come on.

7.22pm BST

54 min United are having their best spell of the game, though that’s mainly because Chelsea are now protecting a lead.

7.21pm BST

53 min Fernandes sprays a brilliant long pass over the defence to Rashford, who shoots just wide of the far post from a tight angle. I’m not sure it would have counted anyway - I think the ball touched his arm as he controlled it.

7.19pm BST

51 min Mount’s low cross is miscontrolled at the near post by Giroud. Chelsea could run away with this.

7.18pm BST

50 min “It’s been great watching United progress from constipated plodders to scything musketeers via the successful integration, or reboot, of Fernandes, Maguire, Wan Bissaka, Greenwood, Martial, Shaw and Pogba of late,” says Patrick Treacy. “But realistically I feel they are a distance behind Chelsea, who may not have as good a first XI, but have stronger and more suitable options on their bench, have bought well and early for next year and have room for improvement via a tactical upgrade. I think three players is the minimum United will need to reassert themselves as a force - more like two summer transfer windows imho.”

I don’t think either team have a chance of challenging Liverpool for the title next season. I agree about Chelsea’s depth, though United have the better starting XI for mine.

7.17pm BST

49 min I’d imagine we’ll see Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba very soon.

7.17pm BST

48 min “Like I said earlier...the formation was wrong, far too negative,” says Neil Carter. “Ironic really that Chelsea score after our best moments of the first half with Tony in the pitch. Greenwood to score the winner!”

7.16pm BST

47 min I bet Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wishes he had stuck with his usual FA Cup keeper, Sergio Romero.

7.16pm BST

That’s a dreadful mistake. Williams played a really loose square pass that was picked up by Mount, 35 yards from goal. He ran to the edge of the D and drove a routine low shot that somehow went through the fingers of the diving de Gea.

7.15pm BST

This is definitely a howler from David de Gea - and from Brandon Williams.

7.14pm BST

46 min Chelsea begin the second half. No news on Eric Bailly, who presumably has been taken to hospital.

7.12pm BST

“Much has been said (by far cleverer people than me) about De Gea, but he’s a real conundrum,” says Matt Dony. “It wasn’t a case of him having a bit of a purple patch a few years ago. He was genuinely, inarguably one of the very best goalkeepers in the world. He seemed to pull off amazing saves regularly. During a period where United had the worst bunch of defenders they’d had for years, he made them respectable. It wasn’t even that long ago, was it? These days, he’s a liability. Ok, maybe that’s an exaggeration, he still makes some good saves, but the ball goes through him far, far too often. On balance, he’s now an adequate keeper. No more, no less. I don’t understand the change. I can’t think of many other sportspeople who have gone from being consistently so incredible for a few years to consistently so average for a few years. Does Ole stick or twist before next season? Surely he has to twist...”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a keeper with better reactions than de Gea, so I’d be loath to sell him unless I was nigh-on certain he was past his best. He’s 29, which is young for a keeper, but he also started as a teenager. My hunch is he’ll never get back to his 2012-18 level. But how can you be sure?

7.09pm BST

“A quick look at Project Restart shows Man Utd having a game on average every 3.3 days,” says Ben O’Connell. “That’s not counting the possible final of the FA Cup or any Europa League games. That’s an incredible amount of game time in a short period of time after a gap longer than most off seasons with no preseason. Add to that a shallow squad and you’re likely to get decreasing standard of play.”

7.04pm BST

“De Gea is not elite with the ball at his feet and never sweeps up,” says Digvijay Yadav. “His redeeming quality - pulling off ridiculous saves - has waned considerably. And now he’s on a massive wage. Oh well.”

It’s hard to fathom, isn’t it? For four or five years he was astoundingly good. Maybe he never got over that slightly miserable 2018 World Cup.

7.02pm BST

I can’t decide whether de Gea was at fault for the goal or not. Giroud was only six yards out so his reaction time was almost nonexistent, but having got a hand to the ball he probably should have saved it. I think he pushed it onto his leg and back over the line, in which case he was a little unlucky.

7.00pm BST

Half-time reading

7.00pm BST

Peep peep! That was a strange, subdued first half, but Chelsea were the better side and probably deserve to be ahead.

6.58pm BST

Azpilicueta played a give and go with Willian down the right and curled a fast cross to the near post. Giroud got away from the sleepy Lindelof and flicked a neat shot with the outside of the left foot that went through de Gea and into the net.

6.57pm BST

Olivier Giroud scores in the 56th minute!

6.57pm BST

45+11 min Bruno Fernandes suddenly reverses a brilliant pass through the Chelsea defence, but the alert Caballero gets to the ball just before James.

6.55pm BST

45+9 min We’re in the 54th minute of the first half. What day is this?

6.54pm BST

45+8 min United appeal for a penalty when Martial goes down after a clumsy challenge from Zouma. VAR decides Mike Dean didn’t make a clear and obvious error. It was definitely a foul - Martial got to the bouncing ball first and Zouma booted his leg - but I reckon it was just outside the area, so maybe that’s why VAR didn’t intervene.

6.53pm BST

45+8 min Five minutes of added time were scheduled but I’d imagine it will 11 or 12.

6.52pm BST

45+7 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Tim. “City unarguably have strength in depth up front and in midfield, but it’s fair to say they didn’t cope marvellously well with Laporte’s injury this season.”

Yeah but wait until this summer, when they buy Koulibaly, Upamecano, Skriniar, Maldini, Beckenbauer and Baresi.

6.52pm BST

45+6 min Bailly is being wheeled down the tunnel and play will resume.

6.51pm BST

45+5 min Bailly is being moved very slowly onto a stretcher. The BBC commentator Steve Wilson said that Bailly had a delayed reaction to the clash of heads with Maguire, which is worrying.

6.49pm BST

45+3 min Bailly is now lying on his back near the touchline. He is in a neck brace and a stretcher is being prepared. Play has been stopped because Bailly is being treated right by the touchline.

6.48pm BST

45+1 min Bailly is on his feet, but he’s clearly concussed and is going to come off. Martial replaces him, so I imagine United will switch to the usual 4-2-3-1: de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Fred, Matic; James, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.

6.46pm BST

45 min While Maguire has his head bandaged, Anthony Martial is getting ready to come on for Eric Bailly.

6.45pm BST

44 min Maguire is sitting up while his eye is stitched. He looks okay but Bailly is probably concussed; he’s clashed heads twice in the space of three minutes.

6.44pm BST

42 min Now Bailly has clashed heads with Maguire, who has a bit of blood coming from his right eye. Both players look very groggy. If United do have to make a change, they might take the opportunity to switch to a back four.

6.42pm BST

41 min Zouma and Bailly are okay to continue.

6.42pm BST

40 min “United resting Pogba, Martial and Greenwood has exposed the lack of quality in the squad,” says Stephen Carr. “Same with Liverpool if any of the front three are missing (and god forbid van Dijk gets injured). Only City have genuine strength in depth - a squad which we now know was assembled using only entirely legitimate means.”

You say that about Liverpool, but one of the most astonishing things about that 4-0 win over Barcelona is that they were without Salah and Firmino for the whole game and Robertson for the second half. I agree that it’s not sustainable over a longer period though.

6.40pm BST

39 min Mount’s deflected cross from the left is headed over by the diving Zouma at the near post. It was a half chance at most. Zouma and Bailly clashed heads as they dived for the ball, and both are still down.

6.39pm BST

38 min “I blame the pace of this game on two things,” says Matthew Richman. “One, the way United set up with five across the back; two, the congestion of this schedule. Fernandes especially has been a presence in both boxes I think every game since the restart. The man needs a rest.”

Yeah, that’s going to be a big problem at the start of next season (!) as well, especially for teams who go deep in the Champions League/Europa League.

6.37pm BST

37 min Rashford’s free-kick hits the wall.

6.37pm BST

36 min Kovacic fouls Fernandes 35 yards from goal, to the right of centre...

6.35pm BST

33 min Mount’s long-range shot is comfortably held by de Gea. It was a shot on target, though, and I think that’s enough to move this game from ‘stinker’ to ‘mediocre’ on the anygoodometer.

6.34pm BST

32 min Fernandes hammers the corner hard and low towards Matic, arriving late in the box, but the ball is just too far in front of him. Chelsea broke broke three on three, only for Willian to overhit his cross.

6.32pm BST

32 min Fernandes’s free-kick is tipped over by Caballero. It was fairly central and thus a comfortable save.

6.31pm BST

31 min Fred is fouled 25 yards from goal by Kovacic, just to the left of centre. That was a silly tackle, and this is a chance for United. It’s probably more suited to Fernandes than Rashford, who scored from further out against Chelsea in the League Cup.

6.30pm BST

30 min United are enjoying their first sustained spell of possession since the first few minutes.

6.29pm BST

29 min United have been very poor in possession. They have some good attacking options on the bench: Greenwood, Pogba, Martial. At this rate they’ll need them.

6.27pm BST

27 min Maguire fouls Giroud on the left wing. Mount overhits the free-kick. This could be a long night.

6.26pm BST

25 min Fernandes is fine to continue.

6.26pm BST

24 min Bruno Fernandes is down after being studded in the phallus by Azpilicueta, who was trying to reach a bouncing ball to stop a United counter-attack. It’s a good time for the drinks break.

6.23pm BST

23 min Willian’s corner is overhit. As a piece of entertainment, this game stinks.

6.23pm BST

22 min Mount’s shot hits Maguire and goes behind for the first corner of the match.

6.20pm BST

20 min Pass pass pass pass. It’s all Chelsea.

6.19pm BST

18 min Chelsea continue to dominate possession, although they haven’t got behind the United defence yet.

6.17pm BST

15 min: Chance for Alonso! Azpilicueta, in a narrow position to the right of centre, floated a lovely cross to the far post. It went over the head of Wan-Bissaka and reached Alonso, who thumped a header over the bar from six yards. He might have done better, though it was difficult for him to get over the top of the ball.

6.15pm BST

14 min United move the ball nicely from right to left before Williams is dispossessed by James. It’s like a bloody chess match out there!

6.12pm BST

12 min Chelsea are having more of the ball, though that isn’t always a good thing in these games. It’s still very cagey.

6.11pm BST

10 min A fierce, swirling long-range strike from James is punched away by de Gea.

6.10pm BST

8 min “Let me tell you what I think would be a good week for United,” says Digvijay Yadav. “Win today, pump West Ham to make the Leicester game redundant and qualify for CL proper by finishing third. Don’t think I am asking for much.”

6.08pm BST

7 min It’s all very cagey at the moment. Both teams have plenty of knowledge of and respect for each other.

6.04pm BST

3 min A slow start, nothing to report except that Brandon Williams has a black eye after that clash of heads against Southampton.

6.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! United, in red, kick off from right to left. Blue is the colour for Chelsea.

6.00pm BST

The players emerge on a cloudy evening in north London. This really is a biggie.

5.38pm BST

It’s already been a good day for these two sides, because Spurs are hammering Leicester.

5.25pm BST

Pre-match reading

5.18pm BST

“Not happy with the defensive set up just announced by Solskjaer,” says Neil Carter. “Essentially seven defensive players on the pitch! It’s clear where his priorities lie for the run in.”

And quite right too, in my opinion. Also, the 3-4-1-2 worked very well in the league at Stamford Bridge (and also against Liverpool and Manchester City). I think it’s an understandable team selection, particularly in view of the schedule.

5.01pm BST

Both manager have made multiple changes, and it looks like both have switched to a back three. United used that system successfully when they won at Stamford Bridge in the league in February.

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

4.05pm BST

Hello and welcome to the final part of the catchily titled Manchester United v Chelsea FA Cup Business End Quadrilogy. They met in the quarter-finals in 2017, the final in 2018 and the fifth round in 2019. Now they will complete the set by playing each other in the semi-finals.

It’s a fascinating match for all kinds of reasons: United could beat Chelsea for the fourth time this season, both clubs are rebuilding under a club legend and are two steps away from a first trophy, they are in a simultaneous battle to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. And, best of all, there’s been just a hint of needle in the build-up. One way or another, this should be fine Sunday evening entertainment.

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Published on July 19, 2020 12:22

Bournemouth 0-2 Southampton: Premier League – as it happened

Danny Ings and Che Adams scored the goals as an excellent Southampton left Bournemouth on the brink of relegation

3.59pm BST

3.57pm BST

Peep peep! Bournemouth are on the brink of relegation after a chastening defeat. Their effort was beyond reproach, but they were outclassed by an excellent Southampton. Bournemouth can still stay up, but they need a lot of results to go their way.

3.56pm BST

Bertrand and Obafemi combine to find Adams, who moves the ball smartly away from Rico and rattles it past Ramsdale. That’s an important moment because goal difference will be a factor if Bournemouth are to stay up.

3.55pm BST

It’s all over now.

3.53pm BST

90+6 min I bet VAR is good at parties.

3.53pm BST

Callum Wilson was offside. He didn’t touch the ball, but he did challenge McCarthy and was thus interfering with play.

3.52pm BST

There’s a VAR check for offside against Callum Wilson

Kelly’s long throw was flicked on by Surridge and fumbled by McCarthy under pressure from Callum Wilson. It came back to Surridge, who slid it under McCarthy from a tight angle. I think this will be disallowed.

3.51pm BST

Sam Surridge has equalised!

3.50pm BST

90+3 min Michael Obafemi replaces the goalscorer Danny Ings.

3.50pm BST

90+3 min Ward-Prowse is booked for a tactical foul on Surridge.

3.49pm BST

90+2 min “Southampton’s excellent Austrian manager should definitely get more credit than he does,” says Phil Podolsky, “although he can facilitate this by adopting a last name non-German speakers can pronounce.”

3.48pm BST

90+1 min There are five minutes of added time. There’s a break in play while Bertrand is treated; he went down just before Harry Wilson’s shot, having been caught by Callum Wilson’s elbow.

3.48pm BST

90 min: Good save! McCarthy makes an excellent stop from Harry Wilson, plunging to his right to palm the ball behind.

3.45pm BST

88 min Bournemouth’s formation is essentially 3-2-5.

3.44pm BST

87 min At the other end, Hojbjerg has a shot blocked. Bournemouth bring on Dan Gosling for Philip Billing.

3.44pm BST

86 min Rico swings the resulting corner towards the far post, where Steve Cook heads down and straight at McCarthy. That was another decent chance.

3.43pm BST

85 min: Great defending from Vestergaard! Callum Wilson played a through pass towards Surridge on the edge of the area. Vestergaard diverted it towards Solanke, who drilled a low shot from eight yards that was brilliantly blocked by the recovering Vestergaard.

3.42pm BST

85 min Another save from Ramsdale. That was more comfortable, with Adams shooting straight at him from 15 yards.

3.40pm BST

82 min: Fine save by Ramsdale! That could have finished Bournemouth off. Redmond was found in all sorts of space on the edge of the area, but Ramsdale flew from his line to block the shot.

3.39pm BST

82 min Sam Surridge replaces Lerma for Bournemouth.

3.39pm BST

81 min: Chance for Callum Wilson! Billing moved down the left and clipped a flat cross back towards Wilson, who flicked his header wide. It was a difficult chance because he was a fair way in front of the near post.

3.37pm BST

80 min Redmond slips in Adams, who is in the act of shooting when Billing appears on his blindside to concede a corner. Excellent defending.

3.36pm BST

79 min Rico’s outswinging corner is headed across goal and behind by Lerma. I think he jumped under the ball, which is why it went so far off target.

3.35pm BST

78 min Lewis Cook is booked for a foul on Adams.

3.34pm BST

77 min Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg replaces Romeu in the Southampton midfield.

3.33pm BST

76 min Stacey wins a corner for Bournemouth. Rico swings it in, McCarthy punches it clear. A game of head tennis ensues, after which Solanke drags a cross-shot that is saved by the legs of McCarthy.

3.30pm BST

73 min Rico’s free-kick from the left is confidently claimed by McCarthy. He’s been good on set-pieces today, very authoritative.

3.27pm BST

70 min Armstrong shapes a curler well wide from the edge of the area.

3.25pm BST

68 min Bournemouth bring on two England internationals, Dominic Solanke and Lewis Cook, for Josh King and Junior Stanislas. And that’s drinks.

3.24pm BST

66 min: Harry Wilson misses a good chance! That was better from Bournemouth. King held off Vestergaard and slipped a pass across the edge of the area to the unmarked Wilson. He tried to curl it first time into the far corner but hit a tame effort too close to McCarthy.

3.22pm BST

66 min A change for Southampton: Che Adams replaces Shane Long.

3.20pm BST

64 min Bournemouth are running out of time. They can barely get out of their half at the moment.

3.19pm BST

63 min Southampton continue to dominate, despite the blow of that missed penalty. They’re a very impressive team.

3.18pm BST

61 min “I’m finding the Pearson sacking hard to process, Rob,” says Mac Millings. “I know Watford have the manager-merry-go-round reputation, but even by those standards, this is shocking to me. A season and a half ago, we were around seventh in the league, and on a cup run for the ages, and when other fans questioned the way the Pozzo family ran things, we could point at the results of a club punching above their weight. But now, I think there’s a level of despair among us Watford fans. The Pozzo model has little margin for error, and a policy of buying rough diamonds to sell on, rather than buying to fit first-team needs, runs the risk of producing what we currently have - a lot of good midfielders (notably Doucoure, Capoue, and Will Hughes), but a shaky defence and no goals. I fear that, if Watford go down, we’ll struggle in the Championship, too.”

Modern football has the same moral compass as Donald Trump.

3.17pm BST

Ings stopped in his run-up and then hit an unconvincing penalty that was saved by Ramsdale as he dived to his left. I must say, I didn’t see that coming: I’d already typed GOAL! Bournemouth 0-2 Southampton (Ings 59 pen).

3.16pm BST

59 min Bournemouth have a lifeline!

3.14pm BST

PENALTY GIVEN! Wilson had his arms above his head when Romeu’s header hit his hand. His back was turned, and it certainly wasn’t deliberate, but he was in an unnatural position.

3.13pm BST

57 min This will be a penalty.

3.13pm BST

56 min Southampton appeal for a penalty when Romeu’s penalty hits a Bournemouth defender, Harry Wilson I think. VAR are checking it.

3.13pm BST

55 min Ward-Prowse’s left-footed daisycutter from 25 yards is palmed behind at full stretch by Ramsdale. That’s another good save.

3.11pm BST

54 min For all their endeavour, Bournemouth haven’t looked like scoring.

3.09pm BST

52 min This is the league table since Nigel Pearson took over as Watford manager. A sackable offence, I’m sure you’ll agree.

3.08pm BST

51 min Stanislas slides a good pass through to Callum Wilson, and McCarthy dives at his feet to make an excellent save.

3.07pm BST

49 min Armstrong batters a long-range shot that hits Cook and goes behind for a corner. Bournemouth are hanging on.

3.05pm BST

49 min Southampton have made an excellent start to the second half. If they go 2-0 up, Bournemouth will be in all sorts.

3.04pm BST

47 min Ings curls a terrific shot just wide from the edge of the D. Billing is booked for a foul on Romeu in the build-up.

3.02pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Bournemouth begin the second half having made one change: Harry Wilson replaces the unusually quiet David Brooks.

2.48pm BST

Danny Ings’ terrific goal means that Bournemouth need another second-half comeback if they maintain a realistic chance of staying up. It’s been a sweaty game of few clear chances; Bournemouth have played okay, but okay won’t keep them up.

2.46pm BST

45+2 min As for this game, nothing much is happening. That goal has winded Bournemouth.

2.46pm BST

45+1 min A reminder that Watford had nine toes in the Championship when Pearson took over in December.

2.45pm BST

45 min Hang on, Nigel Pearson hasn’t officially been sacked yet.

2.44pm BST

WHAT THE ACTUAL?

2.43pm BST

43 min That’s Ings’ 21st league goal of a remarkable season.

2.42pm BST

That was such a precise finish from Ings. Southampton worked the ball nicely from right to left, with Ings receiving the ball from Redmond on the left side of the box. He cut infield on his right foot, away from Stacey, and cracked a low shot from 18 yards that beat the diving Ramsdale and sneaked in the bottom right corner. Terrific finish.

2.41pm BST

Danny Ings eases Bournemouth towards the Championship with an excellent goal!

2.39pm BST

39 min Ward-Prowse’s corner is headed away to Redmond in the D. He hits a sweet volley but it’s straight at Ramsdale.

2.37pm BST

37 min Bournemouth could do with more from Brooks, who has been unusually quiet on the right wing.

2.34pm BST

34 min Vestergaard is booked for taking a shortcut through Callum Wilson.

2.34pm BST

34 min Long finds Redmond on the left side of the box. He tries to cut inside and shoot but is crowded out.

2.30pm BST

30 min: Brilliant defending from Walker-Peters! King ran 50 yards down the right, and moved into the area before sliding a low cross towards Wilson in the six-yard box. Walker-Peters, stretching towards his own goal, not only intercepted the cross but also managed to avoid putting it into his own net. He diverted it back past the near post, allowing Vestergaard to complete the clearance.

2.29pm BST

29 min That was the first shot on target in the match.

2.28pm BST

28 min Ward-Prowse misses an excellent chance, heading straight at Ramsdale from Romeu’s angled cross. He probably should have scored.

2.27pm BST

25 min Stanislas wins a corner down the left and takes it himself. There’s a bit of a scramble in the area before Redmond runs the ball clear.

2.22pm BST

22 min Time for a drinks break.

2.19pm BST

20 min Bournemouth have been unusually direct so far, clipping the ball into the channels at every opportunity. It’s an interesting game.

2.17pm BST

16 min Ward-Prowse shapes an excellent through pass to Redmond, and Ramsdale dives at his feet to push the ball away. Excellent goalkeeping. At the other end, Stanislas’s through pass just evades the stretching King in the area.

2.13pm BST

13 min No, no penalty, there was nothing in it. King just lost his balance.

2.12pm BST

12 min Bournemouth appeal for a penalty when King goes over after a struggle with Stephens. It’ll be checked by VAR, and it’s a pretty good shout.

2.12pm BST

12 min Armstrong, on the right wing near the halfway line, plays an imaginative through ball that is just too far in front of Long.

2.11pm BST

10 min Rico’s corner leads to a scramble in the area. Eventually Kelly hits a clever shot on the turn that deflects just wide of the near post. This is a good spell for Bournemouth. Moments later, Wilson heads over the bar from eight yards. It was a good chance, from Stanislas’s floated cross, but Wilson couldn’t generate any power. Or any accuracy.

2.09pm BST

8 min A superb cross from Rico bounces right across the face of goal, just in front of a flat-footed Callum Wilson.

2.07pm BST

7 min Rico blooters well wide from long range.

2.06pm BST

7 min Bournemouth win their first corner. Rico’s inswinger is headed away by Vestergaard.

2.05pm BST

5 min Southampton have made a confident start, as you’d expect given their recent away form.

2.02pm BST

2 min Ward-Prowse’s corner is headed away by Billing. Southampton keep the ball alive and appeal for a penalty when Bertrand’s shot hits the arm of Kelly. We haven’t seen a replay but VAR hasn’t intervwned.

2.01pm BST

1 min Ings wins a corner after 29 seconds. Ward-Prowse will take it.

2.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Southampton, in their white change strip, kick off from left to right. Bournemouth are in red and black.

1.57pm BST

The players emerge on an overcast afternoon in Bournemouth. Southampton look relaxed, Bournemouth serious.

1.53pm BST

Only a few minutes until the kick off. A win today would also give Bournemouth their first league double over Southampton. Normally that would be a big talking point; today, at least for Bournemouth, bragging rights are a secondary consideration.

1.03pm BST

Bournemouth (4-4-2) Ramsdale; Stacey, S Cook, Kelly, Rico; Brooks, Billing, Lerma, Stanislas; C Wilson, King.
Substitutes: Boruc, Simpson, Gosling, Surman, L Cook, H Wilson, Solanke, Danjuma, Surridge.

Southampton (4-4-2) McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Stevens, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Redmond; Long, Ings.
Substitutes: Gunn, Valery, Vokins, Smallbone, Hojbjerg, Danso, Ferry, Adams, Obafemi.

10.48am BST

Hello. Bournemouth have won and lost eight of their last 11 Premier League games. But the timing and manner of that victory, the surreal 4-1 thrashing of Leicester a week ago, has given them genuine hope of avoiding relegation. They almost nicked a point at Manchester City in the week, and if they win their last two games – Southampton at home today, Everton away next Sunday – they could well stay up.

That’s because Watford, who are three points above Bournemouth, have two very tough games remaining: an aggrieved City at home on Tuesday, a confident Arsenal away on Sunday.

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Published on July 19, 2020 08:03

July 18, 2020

England v West Indies: second Test, day three – as it didn't happen

Heavy rain in Manchester meant no play was possible on a day when England announced that Jofra Archer would be available for the third Test

4.53pm BST

That’s all for today’s blog. Thanks for your company today; please join Tanya and Adam for coverage of day four. I’ll leave you with Vic Marks’ piece on why Ben Stokes could yet outdo Lord Beefy. Bye!

4.34pm BST

A reminder of the earlier news that Jofra Archer is available for selection for the third Test...

4.08pm BST

It’s been on the cards since approximately 11.00am. The forecast is much better for the next two days, though, so England still have a decent chance of squaring the series.

4.05pm BST

“Having seen Viv’s 56-ball century and Lara’s 375 eight years later, I put Viv ahead,” says Adam Roberts. “But I have a blind spot where IVA Richards is concerned. I was pleased to see Gary Naylor’s email about OT in 1981 as I thought as Botham walked off that the light looked terrible (see how bright the lights on the scoreboard were). Two other thoughts - we are so spoiled these days with TV coverage, and nice to see the old pavilion before it was desecrated.”

4.03pm BST

“Headingley does have an on-site hotel, called Headingley Lodge, but it’s only got 36 rooms and no restaurant,” says Romeo. “They do a room service breakfast. It’s what you see at midwicket when the bowling’s from the Rugby Stand end, so opposite the Western Terrace.”

3.46pm BST

“The dirty little secret of those of us were there on the Saturday of the Old Trafford Test in 1981 is that we barely saw it,” says Gary Naylor. “The ground was never the easiest at which to sight the ball and the clouds were so Caspar David Friedrich dark that the ball was impossible to follow as His Royal Beefness hooked and drove. ‘Where’s that gone?’ is always nice to hear when your side is batting.”

Unless you’re talking about the off stump.

3.42pm BST

In defence of Tav

“I am having the occasional glance here from Melbourne to see if there is any play,” writes Rocket Rocket. “And I have seen people having a go at Chris Tavare. Right then.

3.36pm BST

“Hi Rob, are you ever not doing an MBM?” says Yas. “I’m fairly sure Headingley has an on-site hotel, though it could be adjacent.”

Ah yes, you’re right. In lieu of a clue, I must refer you all to the ECB’s independent Host Venue Panel (HVP).

3.32pm BST

Ian Botham, Old Trafford, 1981

“Yeah,” says Adrian Riley (see 2.56pm), “we got to see his first-innings golden duck.”

3.25pm BST

It’s still raining in Manchester. I don’t think I’m betraying state secrets to suggest there will be no play today. We’re just waiting for a play to be officially abandoned for the day.

3.24pm BST

Meanwhile, in South Africa...

#bbccricket pic.twitter.com/R3UkxULd60

3.22pm BST

“King Viv and The Prince of Port of Spain?” muses Gary Naylor. “It’s hard to separate them. Viv was psychologically more dominant, 21 players and millions of spectators bent to his will; Brian was more pure batting genius, each ball a mere invitation for him to hit it where he pleased.”

It’s also hard to compare them because of the teams in which they played. Would Viv’s dominant strut have survived a decade in a crap team? What would Lara have averaged in the 1980s West Indies side? That said, based on everything I’ve seen and read, I’d put Viv ahead by a Mike Gatting nose.

2.56pm BST

“I saw Chris Tavare bat almost all of the first day of the Old Trafford Test v Australia in 1981,” writes Adrian Riley. “He got 69 off 193 balls. The biggest cheer of the day was when he was out just before the close. Disappointed to have missed his second innings effort, 78 off 289. But England won so I guess it was worth it.”

His second innings was definitely worth watching – it included a free Lord Beefy masterpiece.

2.52pm BST

On the subject of the 1938 Old Trafford Test (see 12.59pm), Clive Pullinger has sent this still from Hitchcock’s A Lady Vanishes.

2.49pm BST

Sky are filling some time by replaying an old interview/masterclass with Brian Lara. There are so many brilliant attacking batsmen these days that it’s easy to forget how special Lara was; I just missed peak Viv, so he is the greatest batting genius I’ve seen.

2.45pm BST

Here’s Dave Rogers on the all important subject of Dom Sibley.

There was a young cricketer called Sibley

Who inspired lots of lyrics quite glibly.

2.44pm BST

“I remember being livid that they should EVER play Test matches at Old Trafford after the rain-interrupted Ashes Test in 2005,” says Niall Mullen. “Funnily, I didn’t feel the same way about Cardiff four years later.”

You’re still claiming the 2005 Ashes actually happened, then?

2.43pm BST

Another way to fill a rain delay is to brazenly plug everything you’ve ever done. With that in mind,

have you read my 12,000-word feature on Paul Strang’s Kent career?
Robin Smith’s autobiography is released in paperback next week.

2.38pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Romeo. “The whole thing is possible only because of the on-site hotels. Pakistan play two matches at the Bowl and one at OT, so they each get three, which seems fair enough.”

Yep, agreed. I’m pretty sure those are the only two Test grounds in England with hotels.

2.28pm BST

“I’m catching up with the day’s OBO from here in the USA,” says Brian. “I have to say that it seems a little unfair of Wisden to have the one list for slow scoring which apparently combines the batsmen who were playing an innings under ‘normal’ circumstances with those who were just trying to stay there to save a match. Surely an enormous difference?”

An enormous difference, yes, but also a subjective one. I’m not sure you can or should make that distinction in a factual list.

2.18pm BST

@TimdeLisle Talk on Guardian Sport of Chris Tavare in the Dom Sibley speed debate reminds me of something - the fan wandering on to the pitch carrying a chair (to win a bet amongst friends) when Tavare was boring everyone to death against India. That lad was @angusstatto

And here’s the proof.

2.14pm BST

“To compare Sibley with his slow-scoring counterparts, can we find out how many balls each faced, how many were dots and therefore how many scoring strokes were made to reach 100?” asks John Bains. “Sibley faced 372 balls, but probably scored his runs from around 70 strokes (he only hit five fours).”

Alas, CricViz was not around in the days of Bailey and Boycott. That said, I do like the idea of a boundary-laden, 372-ball hundred.

2.09pm BST

“I’ve spent the last two days in my garden in Kent in near 30-degrees sunshine, perplexed by the weather situation in Manchester,” says Ross. “Given that no fans can attend anyway, would it not have made sense to host all the games in the south to limit the weather risk? And I was raised further north than Manchester before I get accused of southern bias...”

I failed my biosecurity GCSE, so don’t quote me on this, but I think they wanted to play the Tests at grounds that had hotels on site. I assume it would have been impossible to prepare three different pitches at the Ageas Bowl (I failed my chemistry GCSE, so don’t quote me on that either). And I’m not sure the weather is that different up north, is it? Only 17.4 overs were possible on the first day of the first Test.

1.58pm BST

“Was that sausage Cummings fined and warned about his future conduct for his hill-based eye-test?” asks Ian Copestake. “Of course not. I hope Beefy brings that up in the other Lords.”

We all know what Beefy thinks about the system.

1.47pm BST

If you’re in urgent need of live sport, Brentford could be two games away from the Premier League.

1.41pm BST

“During rain delays in the 1980s we played indoor cricket in the tiny, narrow hall in our wee council house,” says Paul McGrory. “ Size 2 bat, tennis ball and the Yellow Pages for stumps. Four runs for hitting the radiator, on the stairs for six. My brother - seven at the time - and myself (five) still have to listen to my Dad crow about his unbeaten 300 one long, long afternoon.”

1.39pm BST

“Waking up (in Utah) to the news that it’s raining at Old Trafford was pure joy,” says David Farrelly. “Things feel normal for the first time in ages. Probably this feeling will not last, but the whiff of times past was rather pleasant. Nostalgia, who dares speak thy name!”

1.17pm BST

“‘Botham will be at home wearing ermine and spouting the same reactionary guff as those around him,’” begins Paul Roome, quoting Max Harrison’s email at 12.28pm. “Exhibit A your honour...”

1.14pm BST

The weather forecast is better for later, but only from about 9pm. Sunset is 9.26pm, it says here, so there’s no reason we can’t squeeze a few overs in.

1.08pm BST

In other news, Lord Beefy hasn’t offered such a dead bat since he blocked the last six balls of the NatWest Trophy semi-final in 1983.

1.03pm BST

Here’s more from Ali Martin on that Jofra story

1.02pm BST

Breaking news: Jofra Archer will be available for the third Test

The ECB have announced that Jofra* will be available for selection for the third Test, which starts next Friday. He has been fined and warned for taking an alternative route from Southampton to Manchester.

12.59pm BST

Our old friend, and father of the OBO, has discovered what looks like the great lost episode of Coronation Street

Feels topical... https://t.co/DEZtMOcEez

12.49pm BST

@TimdeLisle - In regards Sibley’s slow scoring. Is it not a factor that the wicket was very difficult to score on and that time was and is the only way to accumulate. If 40 off 79 balls was the next highest then that should give his knock ultimate perspective

12.48pm BST

@TimdeLisle My 3 pennorth about Beefy...he’s a crushing boor but he’s also the nation’s Champion Cricketer. Imo.

12.47pm BST

Thanks Tim, afternoon everyone. There’s no prospect of play in the next few hours, but at least YouTube is weatherproof. Dennis Lillee is 71 today, and here he is taking 8 for 29 against a World XI.

12.40pm BST

There’s no news, which is bad news. It’s still raining, raining in my heart. Time for me to take a break and let Rob Smyth entertain you. See you later, when there may yet be some action. In the meantime, thanks for your company and your views on Lord Botham of Brexit and the future Sir Dom Sibley, the 21st century’s answer to Sir Geoffrey Boycott. If you weren’t with us at 11:49, do check out the limerick about Sibley from the pen of Anonymous.

12.34pm BST

A few lines in defence of Chris Tavare. “I must take my guard to defend Tavare who, sadly, will be remembered as one of the great blockers,” says Richard Davies. “It wasn’t always so. At school and for Kent he always batted at number three where he was a splendid hard hitter. I saw him get a ton at Canterbury in a Sunday league game against Gloucestershire. The attack was led by Mike Procter who described Tav’s innings as one of the best he had seen. He only moved to the top of the England order during one of our regular opener crises with instructions, I would guess, to get in and stay there.”

12.32pm BST

Here’s Geoff Wignall, picking up on Ian Forth’s question (11:38). “I’d suggest that cricket in England was in tune with its times from about 1864 to 1906.” Magisterial. “Those dates represent respectively the legalisation of overarm bowling and the publication of George Beldam’s photographic book on bowling (the one on batting was a year earlier).” Of course it was. “They also coincide almost exactly with WG Grace’s first class career. As a marker of how things have changed, the universally-acclaimed WG had a Test average of 32 + a smidgen and 39 in first class cricket. Admittedly the latter might have been compromised a little by his playing until 60. I suppose better pitches, batting gloves and sightscreens made a difference. As for Lord Ironbottom: only in a world beyond parody. So why be surprised?”

12.28pm BST

“Making Botham an unelected peer?” says Max Harrison, with a snort. “Perfect ruddy-faced idiocy. Botham will be at home wearing ermine and spouting the same reactionary guff as those around him.” Well yes, some of them, but isn’t that a bit harsh on the Lords? They may be unelected but they seem pretty good at telling the Government what it doesn’t want to hear.

Meanwhile, the clips of kids practising their skills have reached a slightly more promising surface: a lush green back garden belonging to Sir Alastair Cook. One of his kids, in a magnificent act of rebellion, is seen hitting a straight drive in the air.

12.20pm BST

If you’ve got Sky TV, do switch it on as they’re showing clips of junior cricketers making the best of some less than promising surfaces. One is an off-spinner, who must be about nine, practising on a strip of tarmac which has a more pronounced slope than Lord’s. With two chalk crosses to aim for, he hits one and clips the outside of off stump (umpire’s call, I suspect). Another is a very small batsman, who stands in front of the garage door to face the bowling of his father. He hits the ball on the up, down the street, forcing Dad to go and fetch it. “Shot!” says one of the commentators. That kid is three. Life may never be so good again.

12.15pm BST

Here’s Ian Copestake again, responding to Phil Withall’s dismissal of Beefy (11:32). “I hope Phil Withall resists the siren call of cancellation when considering Botham’s batting and bowling (though I feel his pain),” says Copestake. “Even as a kid I recall a hot 1980s summer day having the Maxi car radio on, following some now regular Botham miracle and no longer being surprised by it.” Aaahh, the Maxi.

12.03pm BST

Meanwhile, it’s still raining – steadily, relentlessly, as if the gods are paying their own tribute to Sibley.

11.57am BST

Back to that Beef. “At some time in the future,” John Starbuck reckons, “we’ll be looking back to this moment and asking what was going on out there when IT Botham was ennobled. Makes you think the coronavirus pandemic won’t be the only marker for the bad old days.”

11.49am BST

Yesterday Dom Sibley inspired some outstanding song lyrics from the OBO Massive. Today he inspires a limerick, sent in by David Griffiths, and written by a friend of his who prefers to remain anonymous.

There was a young batsman called Sibley

11.47am BST

Back on slow scoring, here’s Ian Copestake. “That Wisden link was a mixed blessing,” he says, “as it was busier with adverts than the Daily Mail online. I was also saddened not to see Chris Tavare make on the list. Perhaps he just never made a century.”

He made two, but they weren’t all that obdurate by his high standards – his highest score, 149 in Delhi in 1981-82, was made at the frankly frisky strike rate of 49 per hundred balls. Three of Tavare’s four longest innings were not centuries, led by a score of 89 at Perth – usually a fast-scoring surface – which occupied a magnificent seven and three-quarter hours. The true Test tortoise goes so slowly that he doesn’t give himself time to reach a hundred.

11.38am BST

Ian Forth has been pondering cricket’s relationship with the zeitgeist. “I was struck that Geoff Boycott was dropped for slow scoring in 1967, the summer of psychedelia, Sergeant Pepper, The Velvet Underground’s first album and so on. There’s a sense in which football is sometimes a barometer of the times – Posh and Spice, fanzines, merchandise, etc. But who was England fielding at the end of the sixties? Cowdrey, Milburn, Edrich, Boycott, Illingworth. Not men who experimented with dropping acid between Test matches, as far as we know. Has there ever been a time when cricket felt in tune with the times, or is its role in fact to remain an obdurate and welcome antidote?” That’s a great question.

My impression is that the Sixties did arrive on cricket’s shores, but not till the Seventies. I started watching Tests in 1972, when Dennis Lillee was wearing flared whites and vast sideburns. The revolution finally turned up five years later, in the form of World Series Cricket. This dear old game gets there in the end.

11.32am BST

An opinion on Lord Beefy comes in from Phil Withall. “Not overly impressed with IT Botham getting a peerage,” he mutters. “RGD Willis played a far more important role in the 81 win.” Discuss! “In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that Botham once played football for Scunthorpe and was mildly amusing on a speaking tour with Viv Richards in the mid to late 90s, I’d dismiss him from my sporting memory.” Really? “He transformed himself from an affable oddball to a hyperbolic, cut-price Farage. Which is, I assume, how one gets a peerage these days.”

11.27am BST

Stat of the day so far comes from Nasser Hussain, who knows a bit about batting ugly. “87 times England played and missed in that innings,” he points out. “And 38 times they edged it.” Those false shots, or air shots, accounted for 13 per cent of the deliveries they received. “One in seven or eight!” says Nasser’s inner nerd. In other words, they had a huge slice of luck. That total of 469 could easily have been another 200 all out.

11.08am BST

“It’s a good job,” says Peter Metcalfe, “slow-scoring hero Sibley did not get an unbeaten double ton. Sir Geoffrey did that in 1967 and was promptly dropped, to the selectors’ eternal shame. He then went on to score a double hundred for Yorkshire, adding ‘I have no further comment’. I still have not got over it.” I’m not old enough to remember it, but when I heard about it I thought, what a brave move by the selectors. Different strokes for different folks! And no strokes at all for some folks.

11.04am BST

If Sibley is seventh in the list of England’s century-making slowcoaches, who else is up there with him? Mike Atherton, mostly, as this list from Wisden shows.

11.02am BST

If you’re joining us for the start, I’m afraid it’s been delayed. The covers are on, steady rain is falling, and Manchester is doing a Manchester. The most realistic hope seems to be that the players might be on and off during the evening session.

10.55am BST

An email! From Andrew Brooks, who has worked out what Beefy should call himself as he prepares to put on the ermine. “Lord Botham Wicket-Taker,” he says, “abbreviated to LBW.”

10.50am BST

The big talking-point yesterday was Dom Sibley’s tempo, as he compiled the seventh-slowest hundred for England in 143 years of Tests. Was his obduracy just what the doctor ordered, or was he too one-paced, given the need to win and the weather forecast? In today’s Guardian, there’s a lovely piece about Sibley by Andy Bull. In a perfect world, you would go out and buy the paper – the Saturday package, which is superb, is in danger of being dismantled by the cold wind of coronavirus economics. But if you’d rather read it online, it’s here. And if you just want a taste, try this: “In one innings, Sibley faced more deliveries than five of his recent predecessors did in their entire careers as opening batsmen.”

10.31am BST

Cricket is the lead story today in The Times – on the front page, not the back. “Botham given peerage,” says the headline, “as reward for Brexit loyalty.” What?! Lord Beefy?! It’s hard to know whether to laugh, cry or raise a watery, socially distanced cheer. Brexit is no longer the will of the people, if it ever was.

Botham was a wonderful cricketer who lit up the sports world from 1977 to 1985. But even some of his many fans may have mixed feelings about this. It’s the wrong reason for giving him another honour to add to the knighthood he collected in 2007. The right reason would be his charity work, which has been phenomenal. He was the Captain Tom of the Eighties.

10.18am BST

Morning everyone and welcome to the third day of the – uh-oh. It’s raining. And the forecast is grim until at least teatime. This is the first of three consecutive Tests in Manchester, which would not be Manchester if it allowed all three to take place under blue skies.

One of the OBO’s writers, Tanya Aldred, lives about a mile from Old Trafford, so I rang her a few minutes ago for the latest. “It’s definitely raining, I can see it in the puddles in the garden,” she said. “But it’s not sheeting, it’s kind of steady. It doesn’t feel completely set in. The grey has a touch of light to it.” Spoken like a true adopted northerner.

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Published on July 18, 2020 08:53

July 16, 2020

Real Madrid win La Liga title after beating Villarreal – as it happened

The superb Karim Benzema scored twice as Real sealed their 34th La Liga with a 2-1 win over Villarreal - their tenth straight victory

10.07pm BST

That’s it for tonight’s blog, though we’ll have a match report shortly. Thanks for your company - goodnight!

10.02pm BST

Full time: Barcelona 1-2 Osasuna

Mes que un shower.

10.00pm BST

Real Madrid have won the title for the time since 2017. Barcelona have been a mess but that’s not Real’s problem, and nobody can argue with a run of ten straight wins since lockdown. That sort of form brooks no argument: Real are deserved champions of Spain, and they’re still in the Champions League...

9.58pm BST

Full time: Real Madrid 2-1 Villarreal Peep peep!

9.58pm BST

Oh I say.

9.58pm BST

The ball hit Benzema’s arm in the build-up.

9.57pm BST

Marco Asensio has sealed Real’s 34th title. It was made superbly by Vinicius, who charged into the area, beatr his man with a lovely turn and slid the ball across to give Asensio an open goal. But here comes VAR...

9.56pm BST

REAL MADRID ARE CHAMPIONS!

9.55pm BST

90+2 min: What a chance for Villarreal! Ontiveros’s wobbling free-kick is punched away by Courtois, who then makes a brilliant save to keep Real ahead! He could only punch Ontiveros’s dangerous, bouncing cross as far as Bruno, who steered it straight back towards goal. Courtois adjusted his feet to make a fine save with his legs. The ball rebounded to Iborra, who somehow put it wide from six yards!

9.53pm BST

90+1 min Vinicius is penalised for handball 30 yards from goal...

9.52pm BST

90 min Real are almost home, though there will be six minutes of added time.

9.49pm BST

87 min Chakla misses a good chance, volleying over the bar from 12 yards after a scramble at a corner. This is threatening to go all Raul Tamudo on Real.

9.48pm BST

86 min It’s still Barcelona 1-1 Osasuna, but Osasuna are down to ten men.

9.47pm BST

85 min A triple change for Real: Isco, Fede Valverde and Lucas Vazquez replace Carvajal, Modric and Kroos.

9.46pm BST

It’s not over yet. The substitute Vicentre Iborra brings Villarreal back into the match - and Barcelona back into the title race - with an immense header from Mario’s right-wing cross. He was 15 yards out and strained every sinew to hang in the air and loop a header into the far corner.

9.44pm BST

82 min A Villarreal change: Anguissa off, Manu Trigueros on.

9.44pm BST

81 min Kroos hits the underside of the bar with a rasping long-range drive, and Asensio heads the rebound too close to Asenjo.

9.42pm BST

80 min Vinicius moves into the area and hits a shot that is well blocked by Chakla.

9.41pm BST

79 min “Come on Matt Dony!” says Simon Frank. “Whilst I’ll admit that Barcelona have disappeared up their own backsides of late, there simply isn’t a club side in any sport that is smugger than Real Madrid - a club, lest we forget, that in their centenary year a decade or so ago insisted to Fifa that no club side anywhere in the world be allowed to play a fixture on their 100th birthday.”

9.40pm BST

78 min Time for the drinks break.

9.39pm BST

Benzema drags an excellent penalty into the bottom-left corner. That was all very strange - and Villarreal are still arguing that it shouldn’t have been retaken - but the upshot is that Real Madrid are champions of Spain for the 34th time!

9.38pm BST

PENALTY FARCE! Oh this is too good. Ramos rolled his studs over the ball at the penalty, allowing Benzema to run on and score. But Benzema encroached, so it will be taken again, this time by Benzema.

9.35pm BST

73 min Ramos nicks the ball on the halfway line, lumbers all the way to the penalty area and falls over under Chakla’s challenge. I’m not sure that should be a penalty, but it is.

9.33pm BST

70 min “Hi Rob,” says David Correia, “I agree with Kari’s comments about Zidane. He made football look easy, so we shouldn’t be surprised he did the same for managing.”

Wait until he headbutts Pep Guardiola in the chest at the Etihad next month.

9.32pm BST

69 min Courtois continues. I don’t know enough about concussion or concussion protocols to pass judgement, but it’s a bit of a surprise because he took quite a whack from Quintilla.

9.29pm BST

68 min Courtois charges to the edge of the area to make a fine interception from Quintilla, who accidentally knees Courtois in the head in the process. There’s a break in play while Courtois is treated.

9.28pm BST

66 min I suppose a dullish 1-0 win, with a goal from Benzema, would be an appropriate way for Real to win the title. They have conceded only 22 goals in 36 and a half matches.

9.25pm BST

Our Lionel has equalised at the Camp Nou. A reminder that Barcelona need to win tonight or Real will win the title whatever happens in this game.

9.24pm BST

63 min Ontiveros belts a free-kick over the bar from 25 yards. A double change for Villarreal: Vicente Iborra and Santi Cazorla replace Morlanes and Gomez.

9.24pm BST

62 min A double change for Madrid: Hazard and Rodrygo are replaced by Marco Asensio and Vinicius Junior.

9.23pm BST

61 min Modric is booked for what looked a good tackle on Ontiveros. I thought Modric had been booked earlier, but it seems that yellow card went to Carvajal for dissent.

9.22pm BST

60 min Mendy charges thrillingly between Gomez and Mario, only to cross too close to Asenjo.

9.21pm BST

60 min Real have the game under control, even if it is less one-sided than in the first half.

9.18pm BST

57 min “I’ve had a substantial soft-spot for Madrid since McManaman’s days there, and like most right-thinking football fans, I found the Galacticos era hilariously entertaining,” says Matt Dony. “And then, even though it’s all gone a bit sour, there was Bale. A quiet lad from Cardiff hoovering up European Cups. I also despise Barcelona, and the smug sanctimony that seems to accompany everything they do. Mes Que Un Club? No, thank you. Long story short, this has already been a pretty good season. Madrid bearing Barca to the title would be an unexpected bonus. Hala Madrid!”

9.18pm BST

56 min The good news for Barcelona is that they’ve finally had a shot on target against Osasuna. The bad news is they’re still losing 1-0.

9.17pm BST

55 min “Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “I think the difficulties Zidane has with being properly rated as a manager is that he makes top-level management look absurdly easy. He has the air of someone who just turns up five minutes before kickoff and tells his players to go out there and have fun. Of course the failures of genuinely good managers with the same group of players disproves that, but Zidane still has that air about him.”

That’s a very astute observation.

9.16pm BST

54 min Modric is booked for fouling Ontiveros.

9.16pm BST

54 min: Good save from Asenjo! Modric waved a beautiful pass done the inside-right channel to Carvajal, who cut back inside two Villarreal defenders and hit a left-footed shot from eight yards that was beaten away by Asenjo.

9.15pm BST

53 min Given the stakes, this has been a slightly bloodless match. I suppose that will change if Villarreal equalise and Madrid need to push for a winner.

9.11pm BST

49 min Villarreal have made a more positive start to the second half. Morlanes flips a dangerous pass over the Madrid defence that just runs away from Moreno.

9.07pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Real begin the second half.

9.06pm BST

Villarreal have made a double substitution at half-time: Bruno Soriano and Javier Ontiveros are on for Ruben Pena and Samuel Chukwueze.

8.47pm BST

Peep peep! Real are 45 minutes away from the title thanks to Karim Benzema’s goal. They controlled the first half against a defensive Villarreal, albeit without creating many chances. With Barcelona losing at home to Osasuna, it will need a three-goal swing - two at the Camp Nou, one at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium - to stop Real winning the league tonight.

8.43pm BST

44 min Modric plays a great pass out inside Quintilla for Rodrygo, who drives a low cross into the six-yard box that is booted away by Chakla at the far post.

8.41pm BST

41 min As things stand, Real are seven points clear of Barcelona with one game remaining.

8.39pm BST

39 min A rare Villarreal attack. Chukwueze’s cross is blocked, and the whole thing peters out.

8.37pm BST

38 min Kroos’s corner is headed away by Mario.

8.36pm BST

37 min Rodrygo plays a one-two with Modric and stands up a cross that is headed behind by Chakla.

8.36pm BST

37 min It’s still all Madrid. Villarreal have some good attacking options on the bench, so I guess they just want to get to half-time only 1-0 down.

8.35pm BST

35 min “Benzema,” says Stephen Carr, “might just be the most underrated footballer on the planet.”

I wouldn’t throw you out of an online chatroom for expression that opinion.

8.34pm BST

34 min It’s still Barcelona 0-1 Osasuna. Barcelona have had 77 per cent of the possession and no shots on target.

8.34pm BST

32 min “Hi Rob,” says Gerry Scott. “It will never happen of course but I think Barca need to sell Messi. Not only is he the only asset they have who will bring in enough money for a wider rebuilt, but any such rebuild is going to founder whilst he’s there.”

He’s 33 now, so do you think they would get that much for him? I know Real Madrid got a huge fee for a 33-year-old Ronaldo, but he’s clearly going to play at the top level until he’s 142.

8.31pm BST

31 min Time for the drinks break.

8.30pm BST

A risky pass into midfield by Chakla was nicked by Casemiro and picked up by Modric, 40 yards from goal. Villarreal were suddenly exposed, and Modric moved into the space before playing a simple angled pass to put Benzema through on goal. He drove a first-time shot through the legs of Asenjo from 10 yards. That’s his 20th goal of the season.

8.28pm BST

The big man gives Real the lead!

8.28pm BST

28 min If Real do make a Horlicks of this, their final match is at Leganes on Sunday.

8.26pm BST

26 min Real keep moving the ball left and right in pursuit of an opening. Nothing doing at the moment.

8.22pm BST

22 min Villarreal have been solid defensively in the first quarter. Despite all their possession, Real haven’t created much.

8.18pm BST

19 min Hazard scoots away from Chakla, who pulls him back and is booked.

8.17pm BST

As Stephen Carr was saying... Barcelona are behind at home to Osasuna. If they don’t win tonight, Madrid will be champions regardless of what happens in this game.

8.16pm BST

18 min “Good evening Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “Real and Barca are both teams at the end of their respective cycles and need significant overhauls but the former seem better equipped to move forward - Barca are an absolute mess of a club at the moment.”

They surely are. Where do you even start with that rebuild?

8.16pm BST

17 min The resulting corner is headed over at the near post by Varane.

8.16pm BST

16 min Modric whistles a shot from 25 yards that is palmed behind by the diving Asenjo. It was a fairly comfortable save.

8.14pm BST

15 min Casemiro clips an angled pass over the defence to Benzema, who hooks a volley wide of the far post. It was a difficult chance from a very tight angle, and replays suggest it was a cross rather than a shot.

8.12pm BST

12 min Casemiro runs onto a loose ball, 30 yards from goal, and bullets it into orbit.

8.10pm BST

10 min It’s all Real Madrid so far. Villarreal have parked the submarine, with two banks of four shuffling from side to side. (We thought their formation would be 5-4-1 but it’s actually 4-4-2.)

8.08pm BST

8 min It’s Barcelona 0-0 Osasuna, though Barca have had 88 per cent of the possession so far.

8.07pm BST

7 min It’s been a relaxed start from Real. Benzema finds Modric in space on the right. He looks up and hammers a cross that is stabbed towards goal by Benzema and saved comfortably by Asenjo.

8.05pm BST

4 min Carvajal’s lob is claimed by the backpedalling Asenjo.

8.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Villarreal, in yellow, kick off from right to left. Madrid are in white.

7.50pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Mark Childs. “Can’t believe that in my head I just compared Zidane with Big Ron, but that was my first thought in response to your point about Zidane being underrated... Don’t you think some of the lack of respect for Zidane is because they’ve lacked ‘remorseless consistency’? I don’t watch them enough to know, but my sense is that Real have enough great players to win any game and a ‘great’ manager would have them win more games? Also, that when they win it is due to great individual performances of players rather than patterns of play from a great coach?”

I know what you mean, but what are Liverpool’s patterns of play? What were Manchester United’s in 1999? I’m not sure this Madrid squad is particularly good, either, which is why this season has been so impressive. I agree about Big Ron, mind.

7.44pm BST

What is going on Italy, I hear you ask.

7.36pm BST

Barcelona are also playing tonight, at home to Osasuna. If they fail to win, Real will be champions even if they lose 147-0 to Villarreal.

7.32pm BST

Stat attack (one stat).

22 - @realmadriden have won (22 level with Barcelona) the joint most games and scored (82) the most goals against Villarreal in #LaLiga. Preview. pic.twitter.com/K1d2p9p0b3

7.00pm BST

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos; Rodrygo, Benzema, Hazard.
Substitutes: Areola, Militão, Nacho, Bale, Valverde, Lucas Vázquez, Jović, Asensio, Brahim, Isco, Mariano, Vinicius Júnior.

Villarreal (5-4-1): Asenjo; Pena, Mario, Chakla, Pau Torres, Quintillà; Chukwueze, Anguissa, Morlanes, Moi Gómez; Gerard Moreno.
Substitutes: Andres Fernandez, Albion, Cazorla, Iborra, Trigueros, Alberto Moreno, Bruno, Ontiveros, Andrei, Lozano, Alex, Fer Nino

5.59pm BST

Real Madrid are the only team in world football who could turn their nose up at winning a domestic title. They have been defined by the European Cup for so long that La Liga often feels like an afterthought. But since lockdown it has been their world entire: they have won nine games in a row, displaying the kind of remorseless consistency of a Bayern Munich or a Liverpool. A tenth win tonight, at home to Villarreal, would clinch a 34th La Liga title.

It would also be only their third in the last 12 seasons. They’ve won the Champions League more often in that time, a confusing statgasm that reflects the unique identity of the club. The Champions League will be harder to win this year, given their 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in the first leg of their last-16 match, but a lot has changed since then and it would silly to rule them out. Especially with Zinedine Zidane in charge.

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Published on July 16, 2020 14:02

July 14, 2020

Dundee United's glory years under Jim McLean – part two of two

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: the concluding part of a feature-length story about Jim McLean, the tactical genius, bully, visionary and ‘absolute bampot’ behind Dundee United’s unimaginable success in the 1980s

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Published on July 14, 2020 21:00

July 13, 2020

Manchester United 2-2 Southampton: Premier League – as it happened

United stayed fifth after Michael Obafemi’s 96th-minute equaliser earned Southampton a deserved point in a terrific game at Old Trafford

10.58pm BST

10.09pm BST

United probably won’t be impressed that Obafemi came on as substitute for Romeu, who should have been sent off in the first half. Maybe all these VAR cock-ups even out over the season, who knows. Southampton were very good, though, and I hope the Romeu incident doesn’t overshadow that.

10.01pm BST

Manchester United stay in fifth place after a frustrating draw against an impressive Southampton. A ravenous Anthony Martial turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead during a pulsating first half, but United sat on that lead after the break and were punished when the substitute Michael Obafemi scored an injury-time equaliser.

9.59pm BST

Peep peep!

9.57pm BST

90+7 min You can’t really begrudge Southampton their equaliser. They’ve been the better team in the second half.

9.56pm BST

It was a superb ball in from the left by Ward-Prowse. Bednarek flicked it on at the near post and Obafemi forced it over the line from a yard.

9.56pm BST

And it leads to an equaliser!

9.55pm BST

90+6 min Redmond wins a corner for Southampton...

9.53pm BST

90+4 min There will be five minutes of added time. I’m not sure whether that includes the stoppage for the Williams injury or not.

9.52pm BST

90+3 min Williams walks slowly off the field and is accompanied down the tunnel. United are down to 10 men and Fred has gone to left back.

9.52pm BST

90+3 min “Nothing says United are back more than United being outplayed at home by a 12th-placed team and the fans and MBM saying ‘great game, great game’,” says Arthur Tee.

9.51pm BST

90+2 min Walker-Peters is on his feet but Williams is still being treated. He’s sitting up and is conscious, if groggy.

9.50pm BST

90+1 min Williams has a gashed head and I doubt he’ll be able to continue. Both teams have used their three substitution blocks.

9.49pm BST

90 min A clash of heads between Williams and Walker-Peters leads to a break in play.

9.49pm BST

89 min They’re a pestilent team, Southampton, and I say that with love. They never give opponents a minute’s peace.

9.47pm BST

88 min Redmond’s cross is headed away by the stooping Matic. United are hanging on a wee bit.

9.46pm BST

87 min Southampton bring on Michael Obafemi for Oriol Romeu.

9.46pm BST

86 min: Good save from de Gea! Chris Kavanagh played a good advantage, allowing Redmond to zip past Matic and smack a shot across goal that was punched over the bar by the flying de Gea. It was a camera-friendly save, but a good one nonetheless.

9.44pm BST

85 min “Agree, Rob, great game,” says Simon McMahon. “And great MBM too. No stereotypes here of course, but hope all your other readers are steaming too. It is Monday night after all.”

9.44pm BST

84 min A double change for United: Dan James and Scott McTominay replace Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes. United’s revised midfield - Matic, Fred, McTominay - is a reflection of how threatening Southampton have been.

9.42pm BST

83 min Ward-Prowse is fouled on the edge of the area by Fred. The referee waves play on. But it’s another reminder of Southampton’s threat; they’ve been the better team in the second half.

9.41pm BST

82 min Long’s header is comfortably saved by de Gea. He was moving away from goal so couldn’t really generate any power.

9.41pm BST

81 min “This probably requires an entirely separate blog, but what do you think happened with LVG?” says Mark Hooper. “Off the back of the brilliant Netherlands World Cup performances, a blinding pre-season where they were racking up baseball scores if not cricket scores - and all of a sudden he started moaning about not having players good enough for his system, culminating in the night of the long knives after a cup defeat where he sacked half of their promising academy players …? Was he right? Was he past it? I still can’t get my head around it!”

Not a clue. I know a few United fans who loathe him, much more than Moyes and Mourinho. I didn’t really watch much football in his two years at United, which makes me one of the lucky ones.

9.40pm BST

80 min Martial shoots over from the edge of the box after a terrific 60-yard run that was three parts skill, one part luck.

9.38pm BST

78 min I’ve just realised I’ve hardly mentioned Mason Greenwood. He’s had a very quiet game, and his main contribution so far has been to receive Oriol Romeu’s studs on his ankle.

9.36pm BST

76 min Whatever the result, Southampton have been impressive tonight. They look very well coached - and also, for a team with nothing much to play for, extremely motivated.

9.34pm BST

75 min Shaw limps off to be replaced by Brandon Williams.

9.33pm BST

74 min Smallbone’s dangerous low cross is put behind by Lindelof in the six-yard box. That was good defending, because Shane Long was waiting behind him to score.

9.33pm BST

74 min “Hi Rob,” says Sean Revill. “I think Martial’s debut season showed that he could be great, even playing in a late LVG team that was averse to chance creation. Then he was up & down under Mourinho, likely as he never really had the manager’s backing and was made to compete with Rashford for a place. I do remember he was in incredible form in the winter of the 17/18 season under Mourinho, before he was bombed out of the team to make room for Sanchez. That worked out well, didn’t it?”

He played up front quite a lot under van Gaal as well, didn’t he?

9.32pm BST

73 min Luke Shaw has twisted his right ankle while putting a cross in. He’s struggling here.

9.30pm BST

70 min Southampton use the drinks break to bring on Will Smallbone for Stuart Armstrong.

9.30pm BST

69 min Rashford beat Walker-Peters at the start of the move with a delicious, Neymaresque piece of skill. He had the ball glued to his right foot as he dragged it to the left and then, in the same movement, knocked it through Walker-Peters’ legs.

9.28pm BST

68 min: Great defending from Bertrand! That was almost a glorious goal from United. Rashford cut infield from the left, played a lovely one-two with Martial and hit a shot from six yards that was brilliantly blocked by Bertrand.

9.23pm BST

64 min Fred comes on to replace Paul Pogba, a reflection of how relatively vulnerable United have been in midfield. And Southampton bring on Shane Long for Che Adams.

9.22pm BST

63 min This is a good spell for Southampton. Walker-Peters, on the right of the area, drives a fine low cross that goes through Maguire’s legs and across the six-yard box.

9.21pm BST

62 min “Right or wrong: that if Martial was being managed by a Klopp or even a Pochettino, no-one would be hesitating to cite that as the reason for his improvement?” says Geoff Wignall. “It could just be that he now has a better manager than hitherto.”

Geoff, I’m afraid you’ve made the basic error of giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer credit for something.

9.21pm BST

61 min The game is still very open, and so the next goal feels huge. You might even go so far as to say it will make it 3-1 or 2-2.

9.18pm BST

57 min “Just saying no one questions De Gea’s work-rate when he welcomes in soft goals with open arms,” says Lewis Atkins. “Maybe the reason Martial wasn’t scoring like this before is that the others around him weren’t good enough.”

That’s definitely a big part of it. But so is his change in attitude, at least in my opinion.

9.15pm BST

56 min An excellent effort from Rashford, who crunches a dipping shot into the side-netting from 25 yards. McCarthy was scrambling across his line and probably had it covered. Walker-Peters was booked for handball in the build-up.

9.13pm BST

54 min “With all this focus on Martial,” says Ian Copestake, “I wonder if Ings will continue to show what resurgence really means.”

Don’t call it a comeback.

9.13pm BST

53 min Stephens is booked for hoofing Fernandes as if he was an old sock, and has the effrontery to accuse Fernandes of diving.

9.12pm BST

52 min Ings bulldozes through Lindelof in the area and hits a snapshot that is very well blocked by a United defender. At the other end, Rashford is put through on the left side of the area, but Bednarek blocks his attempted pass to Martial.

9.10pm BST

51 min Stephens is back on.

9.10pm BST

51 min Stephens is down after being landed on by Marcus Rashford. He’s limping to the sideline for more treatment.

9.08pm BST

50 min “This whole ‘Martial resurgence’ thing is nonsense,” says Lewis Atkins. “He’s always been an extremely talented, hard-working and determined athlete, the reason his runs are paying off more in this run is that Rashford isn’t the only player supporting him. He’s got Fernandes, and now Pogba, to feed him, with Wan-Bissaka as well. The only one ‘key’ to Martial’s recent performances has been himself.”

He’s always been hard-working and determined? I agree it’s not a resurgence because, despite his obvious talent, he’s never been this good before.

9.08pm BST

49 min Redmond, found in space by Ward-Prowse, drives not far wide from inside the D.

9.05pm BST

47 min “Stuart Armstrong is an exceptional player and I’m surprised a bigger club hasn’t yet taken a chance on him,” says Simon McMahon. “He’s the midfield equivalent of Andy Robertson, who he played at Tannadice with, where he was in the first team at 16. United let them both go for a combined fee of less than £5 million, which was good money for us, but if a top six club has a spare £20 million then they won’t regret spending it on Stretch. Unless they’ve got 5 times that for Pogba ...”

9.05pm BST

46 min Peep peep! United begin the second half.

8.52pm BST

What’s (Not) Eating Anthony Martial?

“I think Fernandes is the key to Martial’s resurgence,” says Kevin Simons. “I vividly recall Fernandes chatting with Martial after they had both been subbed in a game which United won, and Martial was laughing his head off. Anthony Martial, happy? Laughing?? Scary prospect.”

8.51pm BST

Half-time reading

8.50pm BST

Peep peep! That was a fine 48 minutes of entertainment. Stuart Armstrong gave Southampton a deserved lead, and then the elemental force known as Anthony Martial took over: he made the equaliser for Marcus Rashford and belted United in front a couple of minutes later.

8.47pm BST

45+2 min Ward-Prowse’s cross is headed away by Lindelof, only as far as Redmond on the edge of the area. He declines the shot and tries to play in Adams, who is tackled well by Lindelof. Southampton remain a threat.

8.46pm BST

45+1 min Three minutes of added time.

8.46pm BST

45 min “Hi Rob,” says Rajiv. “I think the bigger and more important question of where de Gea would finish on a podium is if it’s between himself, Romero and Henderson?

That’s so disrespectful to Lee Grant. Is he still at the club?

8.45pm BST

44 min That bit of ankle-biting aside, it’s been a quiet end to the first half. Ward-Prowse has just been booked for a wrestling manouevre on Bruno Fernandes.

8.44pm BST

43 min Team VAR are looking at a tackle by Romeu on Greenwood. “Do I not like that” says Gary Neville. It wasn’t great, studs into the ankle after the ball had gone, but Team VAR decides it’s not a clear and obvious error. I think he’s a wee bit lucky, though I can understand the argument that it looks worse in slow motion.

8.43pm BST

42 min “This Man Utd starting XI is exciting,” says Kritin Syal. “But what beyond that? Bailly doesn’t convince at CB, there’s nobody else who can spray passes like Pogba, Fernandes is the only attacking midfielder worth his salt. And is James good enough to stand in for any of the front three?”

I agree. It’s inevitable that people will get carried away, but United are nowhere near ready to challenge for the league just yet. Still, this beats watching them lose at home to relegated Cardiff.

8.42pm BST

41 min A nice move from United ends when Fernandes and Martial get in each other’s way in the area.

8.40pm BST

40 min “It’s annoying when reality gets in the way of a good joke,” says Matt Dony. “I checked the score as I walked out of the shop, and saw Southampton were ahead. Great. On the short drive gone, thought, ‘Ah, maybe the red shirts are hard to see against the stadium seating. Maybe change them at halftime?’ Classic Bantz! Then, pulled up outside the house, checked the score again, and it confirmed all of our fears. United are getting good again. And they’ve ruined my joke. Annoying.”

8.40pm BST

39 min Shaw’s cross skims off the head of a Southampton defender and reaches the unmarked Wan-Bissaka beyond the far post. His touch is a bit heavy, though, and that allows Bednarek to clear.

8.39pm BST

38 min A quiet spell in the game, the equivalent of two fighters taking a round off.

8.38pm BST

36 min “Rob, I have a theory,” says Mary Waltz. “Pre Bruno and Pogba redux Martial and Rashford felt forced to create their chances from midfield to the box. They get premium service today and this let’s their talents bloom.”

Yes, that’s definitely part of it. Fernandes has improved the entire team with his quality and standards. And morale – individual and collective – is as high as it has been in Martial’s time at the club, which has to be a big factor.

8.35pm BST

35 min Despite a bit of a battering in the last 15 minutes, Southampton still look dangerous when they attack. It’s been a very enjoyable game actually.

8.35pm BST

34 min “de Gea absolutely was the best for a good few years - worth at least 12 points a season,” says Stephen Carr. “But now - would he even get on the podium when we talk about top keepers?”

No, he’d be nowhere near, though surely that’s down to his mistakes/loss of confidence rather than his sweeper-keeping? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a desirable skill, I just don’t think it’s essential for 98 per cent of teams.

8.34pm BST

33 min Martial gets a bit carried away, walloping high and wide with his left foot after a lovely flick from Pogba.

8.31pm BST

30 min “Martial has always struck me as someone who deals with a great deal of anxiety on the pitch,” says Barry Bryan. “I’m speculating, of course, but I wonder if empty stadiums allow him to be more aggressive, expressive, etc.”

It’s possible, though he was playing pretty well before lockdown. The aggression is interesting – he is starting to look like a killer, which I never thought we’d see. Perhaps Solskjaer has unleashed the beast. We’ve all got one.

8.29pm BST

28 min United are flying now. Fernandes’s classy lay-off finds Pogba, whose fierce shot from 25 yards is palmed away by the sprawling McCarthy.

8.29pm BST

26 min “De Gea - like Lloris - is reluctant to move beyond the penalty spot,” says Stephen Carr. “I’m not sure you can be a top team without your keeper playing a more active role.”

I know what you mean, but he was still the best keeper in the world for three or four years, no?

8.26pm BST

24 min Time for the drinks break. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves a lot of credit for backing Martial ahead of Lukaku as his centre-forward, a move for which he was savaged during a difficult start to the season.

8.25pm BST

That was merciless stuff from Martial, as if he had a five-second limit to score from the moment he received the ball. Fernandes played a simple ball to find him on the left wing, and he only had one thing in mind. He charged straight at Walker-Peters, zipped infield and rammed a rising drive past McCarthy. When did Martial become such a ruthless assassin?

8.24pm BST

What on earth has happened to Anthony Martial?

8.23pm BST

22 min That was a superb bit of play from Martial: the control, awareness and weight of touch to Rashford.

8.23pm BST

Pogba, on the right, curled in a flat cross that was brilliantly controlled with his back to goal by Martial. He fell over, possibly because of a foul by Stephens, but was alert enough to stretch and divert the ball further across the area to Rashford. He finished the job with a crisp left-footed shot into the far corner.

8.21pm BST

United equalise with a really good goal.

8.20pm BST

19 min Pogba is robbed again, this time near the halfway line by Adams. He moves into space but then overhits a through pass towards Ings.

8.18pm BST

16 min: Rashford has a goal disallowed for offside! It was the right decision. It was also lovely play from Shaw, who played a give-and-go with Martial, surged forward and curled a terrific pass around the defence. Rashford finished it first time but the flag went up and replays confirmed he was just offside.

8.15pm BST

14 min Redmond’s cutback is booted away by Lindelof, just in front of Adams in the six-yard box. It’s all Southampton.

8.14pm BST

13 min Southampton deserve their lead, and United look a bit rattled.

8.14pm BST

It stemmed from a mistake by Pogba, who was robbed by Ings 30 yards from goal. Redmond picked up the loose ball, ran into the area and lifted a superb ball to find Armstrong in space at the far post. He took it down calmly and slapped a half-volley past de Gea from close range.

8.13pm BST

Stuart Armstrong gives Southampton the lead!

8.12pm BST

11 min Armstrong deftly cushions a dropping ball on the edge of the area and hits a low shot that is comfortably saved by de Gea.

8.12pm BST

10 min: Superb save from McCarthy! Ward-Prowse allowed Bednarek’s pass to run under his foot, and Martial nicked the ball before running through on goal, Demba Ba-style. He reached the edge of the area and tried to place a shot past McCarthy, who spread himself as wide as possible and blocked the shot with his left hand.

8.10pm BST

10 min “Hi Rob,” says Kishalay Banerjee. “If Sancho does come in, does he replace Greenwood? I can’t see Solskjaer benching Rashford, but neither is it very fair on Greenwood. Or does he bench Martial, and move Rashford to the centre?”

He’d give them more options. As nice as this current run is, they can’t keep playing the same XI, and the back up isn’t great.

8.10pm BST

9 min It’s been a really confident start from Southampton, with and without the ball.

8.08pm BST

7 min Ings plays in the underlapping Bertrand, whose driven cross is held at the near post by de Gea.

8.07pm BST

6 min Nothing much to report. Southampton are working hard defensively and, as Gary Neville observes, are very good at squeezing the game in one area of the field when they don’t have the ball.

8.04pm BST

3 min “Three players,” says Digvijay Yadav, “that you think can propel United to the title.”

Mane, van Dijk and Alisson. But of the realistic targets, Sancho, Upamecano and Thomas Partey. You?

8.04pm BST

2 min Pogba curls a brilliant long pass down the line to Fernandes, who is well challenge by Bednarek.

8.01pm BST

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

7.57pm BST

The players emerge on an overcast evening in Manchester. It will be a largely dry and cloudy night with easing winds. The odd shower may develop overnight, especially towards dawn. Feeling mild where cloudy, however skies will be clearer across Cumbria and parts Lancashire, with rural spots turning chilly. Minimum temperature 6 °C.

7.56pm BST

Another memory from this fixture - an astonishing and cruelly futile save from Paul Jones.

7.53pm BST

“I think Ferguson would have loved to develop Giggs into a central forward around that time,” writes Womancraft Publishing. “But, although his pace was dangerous, he never became a particularly good finisher.”

I never really got the impression that Ferguson wanted him to be a regular centre-forward, though he liked him in that position for centre games, particularly away from home – Deportivo in 01-02, for example, when he terrorised the best team in the Europe at the time (and then missed some great chances, which was your point).

7.51pm BST

“Thanks for the 1993 clip,” says Nick Shaw. A few trite observations: 1) How knackered Pallister always looked any time the camera was on him. Is Maguire the new Pallister? 2) Cantona’s vision and flair looking like a taste of a different type of football. 3) The slowness of Le Tiss compared with Giggs in that early foul. But what a talent.”

That’s a good point about Cantona. The first foreign player in English football who had that impact on me was Anders Limpar, though he turned out to be a half-season wonder.

7.45pm BST

Southampton have quietly had a very good season. They lost eight of their first 12, including the 9-0 against Leicester, but turned it round admirably and are now comfortable in mid-table. The win at Leicester in the return game was, for mine, the performance of the season.

7.30pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Parameswaran. “What happened in that match on 20th February 1993? Did United beat Saints?”

No, but Ryan Giggs did.

7.29pm BST

Pre-match listening

7.03pm BST

Both teams are unchanged, United for the fifth league game in a row. I’d have to check to be sure, but I think the last time that happened was also against Southampton on 20 February 1993.

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

5.34pm BST

A man called Sir Alex Ferguson used to manage Manchester United. You know this, I know this, but most of all Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows this. Ferguson’s achievements will harass his successors like black dog, at least until one of them wins the league. But comparisons with Fergie’s time needn’t always be so odious. By achieving something for the first time since he retired, the current team can send a message that they are going in the right direction – that they are, in Paul Pogba’s words, a “proper team”.

In December 2018, in Solskjaer’s first match as caretaker manager, United scored five in the league for the first time since Ferguson’s final game. They won the next seven matches, too, before regressing towards the mean with a vengeance. The feelgood mood of yikesitisreallythatlongago has returned in the last few weeks, and if United avoid defeat tonigh they will extend their unbeaten run to 18 games. That would be their longest run since - you got it, hotshot - Ferguson’s last season.

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Published on July 13, 2020 14:09

July 12, 2020

Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened

Toby Alderweireld scored a late winner as a tactically astute Spurs came from behind to beat Arsenal in Jose Mourinho’s first North London derby

6.41pm BST

Here’s Jose Mourinho

“I think the game was close. It was more tactical than anything. Mikel has found a way for them to play, and they have improved, so we felt that we should adapt slightly to them. I think we did it very well. We controlled Tierney and Bellerin, and even in the first period of the second half when they had more of the ball, we were quite comfortable in that situation. And then we found our chances.

6.30pm BST

6.25pm BST

That’s a big win for Spurs and Mourinho, and they fully deserved it. They did a number on Arsenal in the second half, luring them in and picking them off on the counter-attack. Arsenal wil be really frustrated because they looked superior for large parts of the game. But that was a crafty performance from Spurs - not quite a Mourinho masterclass™ of old, but a tactical triumph nonetheless.

6.23pm BST

Peep peep! Spurs have come from behind to win Jose Mourinho’s first North London derby - and move above Arsenal in the table.

6.22pm BST

90+3 min A timewasting substitution. Erik Lamela on, the outstanding Son off.

6.21pm BST

90+2 min There’s another save from Martinez, albeit a comfortable one from Kane’s optimistic shot.

6.20pm BST

90+2 min This would be a deserved win for Spurs. For all Arsenal’s possession and promise, Emi Martinez has had a lot more to do than Hugo Lloris.

6.19pm BST

90+1 min Four minutes of added time.

6.18pm BST

90 min Saka is booked for throwing the ball away. Arsenal look beaten.

6.16pm BST

88 min “Arteta’s remedial hypnosis of Mustafi wore off some time in the second half and he’s back in the present,” says Charles Antaki. “Worse - 2018.”

6.16pm BST

87 min Son leads a Spurs counter-attack, running 60 yards before his shot is blocked by David Luiz.

6.15pm BST

86 min Bergwijn is booked for a cynical foul on Willock.

6.14pm BST

86 min Aurier wins a corner off Saka. Spurs have been much the better team since the drinks break.

6.13pm BST

84 min A triple change for Arsenal: Cedric, Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock replace Tierney, Kolasinac and Bellerin.

6.12pm BST

84 min Oliver Skipp replaces Lo Celso in the Spurs midfield.

6.12pm BST

83 min Martinez makes yet another fine save to deny Kane, plunging to his left to block a sidefooted shot. The loose ball eventually falls to Lo Celso, whose sizzling shot just clears the bar.

6.11pm BST

83 min Spurs make a change, with Steven Bergwijn replacing the excellent Lucas Moura.

6.11pm BST

82 min Son curled the corner towards the near post, where Alderweireld got above Tierney and flicked a good header past Martinez. That’s a huge goal for Spurs and Jose Mourinho.

6.10pm BST

Tottenham score from the corner!

6.10pm BST

81 min: Another good save from Martinez! Lucas Moura, who has had a fine game, slid a lovely pass infield towards Kane, who ran behind Mustafi and clipped a first-time shot towards goal. Martinez was quickly off his line to block.

6.08pm BST

79 min Aubameyang’s curling half-volley from 15 yards is tipped round by the diving Lloris. That was a lovely first-time effort after Bellerin’s blocked shot was deflected across the area, and a decent save as well.

6.04pm BST

76 min Winks, who should have been booked earlier, is actually booked for pulling back Lacazette.

6.03pm BST

74 min Spurs are starting to look more dangerous on the counter-attack. Lucas Moura breaks into space down the left and crosses just in front of Son.

6.02pm BST

73 min Matt Dony wins the email of the match award.

“...and, as David Luiz walks away from the Emirates, having spent the last 90 minutes convincing everyone that he was a small player in the seedy underworld of Defending, he slowly loses his limp, thus subtly revealing himself to be the mastermind behind ALL appalling defending all along. Leaving everyone else to deal with the repercussions, he gets away safely. And signs yet another lucrative contract.”

6.00pm BST

70 min: Martinez saves from Son! A long clearance was collected by Kane on the left wing. He skinned Mustafi, who committed himself too early, moved into the area and poked the ball towards the late-arriving Son. It looked a certain goal, with Son only eight yards out, but Martinez threw himself at the ball and smothered Son’s shot. Actually I’m not even sure it was a shot; I think Son tried to dummy Martinez and run the ball into the net. Either way, it was superb goalkeeping.

5.58pm BST

70 min An Arsenal substitution. Bukayo Saka comes on to replace Nicolas Pepe.

5.56pm BST

68 min Time for the drinks break. The second half has been a bit of a non-event.

5.53pm BST

65 min Arsenal continue to dominate, though Spurs aren’t exactly on the ropes. The pace of the game is fairly slow, presumably because of the heat.

5.49pm BST

61 min Pepe is booked for a foul on Lucas Moura.

5.49pm BST

60 min “Spoilers,” says Martin McKeefry. “Arsenal defensive mayhem imminent. Also Bruce Willis is a ghost.”

5.48pm BST

59 min: Aubameyang hits the post! That was so close. There was a bit of a scramble 25 yards from goal before Lacazette picked up the loose ball and angled a nice pass to Aubameyang. He took it in his stride and smacked a left-footed shot that beat Lloris and thumped off the near post. I think the ball took a slight touch off Aubameyang’s standing foot before he shot, without which it would have gone on target.

5.45pm BST

57 min Aurier’s cross-shot is blocked by Kolasinac.

5.44pm BST

55 min Mustafi’s speculative, looping overhead kick from the edge of the area is comfortably saved by the backpedalling Lloris. Arsenal have been well on top since half-time.

5.42pm BST

54 min Xhaka plays a terrific angled pass into the area to find Bellerin, whose slightly heavy first touch allows Lucas Moura to get back and put the ball behind for a corner.

5.41pm BST

52 min When Ceballos’s free-kick is half cleared, Kolasinac hits a snapshot wide under pressure from Winks.

5.40pm BST

51 min Winks is somehow not booked for deliberately pulling back Ceballos.

5.38pm BST

50 min Lucas Moura runs at Mustafi in the area, shifts the ball onto his left foot that is excellently blocked by Mustafi.

5.36pm BST

49 min Plenty of Arsenal possession at the start of the second half.

5.34pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Arsenal begin the second half.

5.34pm BST

“Please can you not tell us what’s happening in the blimmin’ cricket when we’re looking at a football blog????!” says Jack. “I was looking forward to watching the cricket highlights on the BBC for the first time in about a gazillion years later, and now you’ve just gone and basically ruined it! PS. This email is significantly more restrained than it ought to be.”

It’s her head in the box btw.

5.19pm BST

Half-time reading

5.18pm BST

Peep peep! The scoreline is about right after an enjoyable if imperfect half of football. Alexandre Lacazette and Son scored well-taken goals - Lacazette’s was a screamer - although both stemmed from defensive mistakes. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

Meantime, West Indies are closing in on an immense victory at the Ageas Bowl.

5.17pm BST

45+2 min Davies is booked for a foul on Pepe.

5.15pm BST

45 min Lacazette is booked for fouling Lo Celso.

5.14pm BST

44 min Spurs win a corner on the left. Son curls it in and Mustafi heads clear.

5.12pm BST

42 min Pepe’s low shot from 16 yards is comfortably held by Lloris.

5.10pm BST

40 min Aubameyang’s excellent, wobbling free-kick flashes just wide of the far post. Lloris’s desperate dive across goal betrayed how close it was.

5.09pm BST

39 min Davies fouls Pepe 25 yards from goal slightly to the left of centre.

5.07pm BST

37 min A quiet spell in the game.

5.04pm BST

34 min Aurier is booked for pulling back Lacazette.

5.02pm BST

32 min Pepe runs at the defence and shapes a left-footed curler that drifts a few yards wide of the far post. Lloris had it covered.

5.02pm BST

31 min: Davies hits the bar! That was a spectacular attempt. He was miles out, at least 30 yards and a fair way to the left of centre, but he hit a vicious shot that clattered off the crossbar. Replays confirm that Martinez got a slight touch on the shot as he leapt to his right. That is a seriously good save.

5.01pm BST

30 min Corner to Spurs on the right. Lo Celso swings it in and Mustafi heads away.

4.59pm BST

28 min “Everyone, as always, should be watching Ben Stokes instead,” says Mac Millings.

I’d much prefer to be doing this tbf.

4.58pm BST

27 min “And somewhere in the Great TV Panel in the Sky, Jack Charlton is effin’ and blindin’ about why defenders today have to faff about at the back, when there are vast empty stands to clear ball into,” says Justin Kavanagh. “The daft buggers!”

It’s an immutable truth that an attacker cannot score from row Z. And they can’t score if the ball’s in row Z either.

4.55pm BST

24 min Time for a drinks break.

4.52pm BST

21 min Aurier’s cross isn’t cleared properly by Mustafi and almost falls for Sissoko on the six-yard line. It’s a good game, this.

4.51pm BST

21 min In other news, Lo Celso was apparently booked for that incident with Dani Ceballos just before Lacazette’s goal.

4.51pm BST

Kolasinac played a hideous pass towards David Luiz, who was wrongfooted and beaten to the ball by Son. He moved away from David Luiz, drew Martinez and chipped the ball gently over him with his left foot. It was a cool finish from Son, and a desperate mistake by Kolasinac.

4.49pm BST

Whatever Aurier can do, Sead Kolasinac can do better.

4.48pm BST

That was a savage strike from Lacazette. It came from a slight mistake by Serge Aurier, who overran the ball and then lost a 50/50 with Xhaka. The ball ran to Lacazette, 25 yards from goal, and he lashed a rising drive past the diving Lloris.

4.47pm BST

Pick that out.

4.46pm BST

15 min There’s a VAR check against Lo Celso after an off-the-ball incident with Dani Ceballos. There was nothing much in it. Lo Celso puts his arm on Ceballos’s chest to block him, and Ceballos went down as if maimed.

4.44pm BST

13 min: Chance for Arsenal! Bellerin scoots down the right, holds off Winks and crosses low towards Aubameyang near the penalty spot. He makes a mess of a relatively straightforward volley and the ball runs onto Tierney, who rifles it well wide of the far post.

4.41pm BST

10 min: Good save from Martinez! Lucas Moura wandered infield from the left and flipped a superb pass around David Luiz to put Kane through on goal. He tried to cushion a lob over Martinez, who was close enough to stretch and make an excellent block. That was very good goalkeeping, not just the save but also the anticipation.

4.39pm BST

9 min The corner is headed miles over by Mustafi at the near post.

4.38pm BST

8 min At the other end, Tierney’s cross is headed behind by Alderweireld, who did very well to get in front of Lacazette at the near post.

4.37pm BST

7 min Sissoko’s cross is well claimed by the stretching Martinez. He’s kept goal with impressive authority since replacing the injured Bernd Leno.

4.36pm BST

6 min It’s been a decent start from Spurs, who have had most of the ball and look reasonably sharp.

4.34pm BST

3 min Arsenal have made a sloppy start at the back. Martinez plays a loose pass towards David Luiz that is nicked by Son. His cross is headed away.

4.33pm BST

2 min Spurs are playing 4-4-2. Son and Kane are up front with Lucas Moura is on the left wing and Sissoko slightly tucked in on the other side.

4.31pm BST

17 secs Lucas Moura has an early pop from 25 yards, and Martinez flies to his left to make a camera-friendly save. It was comfortable enough.

4.30pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Harry Winks kicks off the first North London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

4.26pm BST

The players emerge on a lovely, sunny afternoon in north London - perfect cricket weather.

4.19pm BST

Aston Villa 2-0 Crystal Palace was the final score at Villa Park, which gives Villa a soupçon of hope that they might avoid relegation.

4.13pm BST

“Among the many things to like about Arteta’s reign so far is the apparently miraculous redemption of Shkodran Mustafi,” says Charles Antaki. “Perhaps Arteta has used some kind of mesmerism to take him back to 2014 and winning the World Cup, something that Mustafi himself seemed to have completely forgotten, along with the skills that went with it.”

3.43pm BST

There’s a bit of a surprise in the Arsenal team, with Bukayo Saka only on the bench. That aside, the two teams are pretty much as expected.

Tottenham (4-4-2) Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies; Sissoko, Winks, Lo Celso, Lucas Moura; Kane, Son.
Substitutes: Gazzaniga, Vertonghen, Tanganga, Lamela, Sessegnon, Ndombele, Fernandes, Skipp, Bergwijn.

3.38pm BST

Hello. Arsenal and Spurs are only a point apart in the Premier League table, but the mood around the clubs could barely be more different. Arsenal are high on Bukayo Saka and four wins and a draw in the last five games; Spurs, whether they deserve it or not, have regained their old status as a renewable source of banter.

Much of the negativity around the club comes from the media, which loves a Jose Mourinho bad-news story, and Spurs have been desperately unlucky with VAR in the last few weeks. But Mourinho doesn’t help himself at times, and the contrast with the demeanour, style of play and – at this stage - results of Mauricio Pochettino does not flatter him. On match days, Mourinho displays the kind of joie de vivre and enthusiasm last seen when Livia Soprano was given a new CD player.

3.26pm BST

Rob will be here shortly. While you wait, have a read of Jonathan Wilson on Spurs and what is going wrong for Mourinho.

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Published on July 12, 2020 10:41

Wolves 3-0 Everton: Premier League – as it happened

Daniel Podence made an impressive full debut as Wolves returned to form with a thumping win over a dismal Everton

5.30pm BST

Read Nick Ames’ match report right here:

1.55pm BST

That was the first of four live Premier League games today. John Brewin is on duty for the second.

1.53pm BST

Peep peep! That was a thumping victory for Wolves, who had too much energy, ability and nous for a dismal Everton. Daniel Podence made a terrific full debut and won the penalty that led to Raul Jimenez’s opening goal on the stroke of half-time. Leander Dendoncker headed the second straight after the break, and Pedro Neto sealed the win from Ruben Neves’s glorious pass. Wolves move back to sixth and look good for a Europa League place, maybe more.

1.49pm BST

90 min Four minutes.

1.48pm BST

89 min “‘Though they will get a sixth [substitution] if the match goes to extra-time’,” says David Sweet, quoting my earlier comment. “Would be unusual: apart from Wolves’ lead, I was not aware that extra time was a feature of PL games!”

My point exactly.

1.48pm BST

89 min Jonny is back on. As you were.

1.47pm BST

88 min Jonny has gone off injured. Wolves have used their three blocks of substitutions, so they will play the last few minutes with 10 men.

1.46pm BST

86 min: Traore hits the bar! It was an open goal and he should have scored. Rui Patricio volleyed a long pass to Jota, who beat Davies with ease and crossed low to Traore, eight yards out. He opened his body and somehow steered it onto the top of the crossbar.

1.45pm BST

86 min Wolves could still sneak into the Champions League, especially if they win their last game at Chelsea.

1.43pm BST

84 min I was wrong about Digne; he isn’t tireless. He now has cramp, having charged up and down the left wing all half.

1.41pm BST

83 min “Rob, that was cruel,” says Mary Waltz. “That picture of ol’ Sam Allardyce sent shivers down my spine. I could not take a season of park-the-bus, route-one football.”

1.40pm BST

81 min Everton have had lots of the ball in the last 20-25 minutes, though Wolves don’t mind that as they are very comfortable playing on the counter-attack.

1.38pm BST

79 min “Everton and Spurs have fallen for the same folly,” says Digvijay Yadav. “Gilded CVs.”

1.37pm BST

78 min Another Wolves change: Joao Moutinho replaces Raul Jimenez.

1.36pm BST

76 min The tireless Digne crosses to Calvert-Lewin, whose towering header is comfortably saved by Rui Patricio. Digne is a fine player, isn’t he.

1.35pm BST

75 min “Ancelotti is not a motivator, nor is he the builder of a team,” says Stephen Carr. “His skill lies in bringing the very best out of already established, top-class teams. It won’t work out for him at Everton - he’s not what they need now.”

I can read between the lines.

1.34pm BST

The goal was gloriously made by Ruben Neves, who drove a stunning crossfield pass from the right touchline. Jota pulled away from Keane and Coleman, took the ball down on his chest and rapped it past Pickford at the near post.

1.33pm BST

Diogo Jota seals an emphatic victory for Wolves.

1.32pm BST

73 min Everton have been much better in the last 10 minutes. Bernard and Keane combine to find Digne, who thrikes a shot just wide of the far post. I think he was offside, though it wasn’t given on the field.

1.29pm BST

70 min Adama Traore replaces the impressive full debutant Daniel Podence.

1.28pm BST

68 min Time for the drinks break.

1.27pm BST

67 min Digne’s cross is miscontrolled by Iwobi but falls nicely for Sigurdsson, whose first-time shot from the edge of the box deflects behind for a corner. That was a fine block by Neves.

1.26pm BST

66 min “Hi Rob,” says Paul Wynne. “The extent of how poor Everton are is far from inexplicable. They have played decreasingly good football since Roberto Martinez’s first season (13-14) and the players have become increasingly rubbish.”

They still have plenty of decent players. But it’s the listlessness that I really can’t fathom.

1.24pm BST

65 min A superb long pass from Neves puts Jota through on goal, with an age to decide what to do. Too much time, in fact: he gets caught in about 12 minds, almost falls over his own feet and stabs a shot that is well blocked by Pickford.

1.23pm BST

64 min Coleman’s stooping header deflects wide off Saiss.

1.23pm BST

63 min Everton make their fifth and final substitution, though they will get a sixth if the match goes to extra-time. Moise Kean replaces Richarlison.

1.22pm BST

62 min How Jordan Pickford is still England’s first-choice keeper ahead of Nick Pope is beyond me.

1.21pm BST

61 min Jordan Pickford avoids humiliation by a few centimetres. Podence’s shot slithered straight through his hands and rolled across the goalline, but Pickford was just able to scramble across and grab it before it had completely crossed the line.

1.18pm BST

59 min Everton have been almost inexplicably poor.

1.17pm BST

58 min Keane is booked for going through the back of Raul Jimenez.

1.15pm BST

56 min The injured Neto is replaced by Diogo Jota. And Everton make two more changes: Alex Iwobi and Bernard replace Walcott and Gordon.

1.15pm BST

55 min “‘Best League In The World’, Rob,” says Matt Dony. “Ah well, at least you’re not missing an absolute rollicking day’s Test cricket. Oh, that’s right. Did you lose a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to Mr Harris?”

I sure lost something.

1.13pm BST

54 min Pedro Neto is down and looks in a bit of trouble. He slaps the ground in pain and/or frustration as the physio pokes around his ankle.

1.08pm BST

48 min You have to feel for the young substitute Branthwaite, who also gave away the free-kick that led to the goal. Still, he’s a fair way from a Woodgate.

1.06pm BST

Neto’s dipping, inswinging free-kick from the right dropped onto the head of Dendoncker, who got in front of the substitute Branthwaite and flicked an accomplished header into the corner.

1.06pm BST

Wolves scored in the 47th minute, and now they’ve scored in the 46th!

1.04pm BST

Everton have made a half-time substitution. The teenage defender Jarrad Branthwaite comes on for his debut, replacing Leighton Baines. I suspect that means Everton will go back to 4-4-2, with Branthwaite and Keane in the middle.

12.52pm BST

“Everton fan in California,” apologises Mary Waltz. “I got up at 3.45am expecting something worthwhile. My third cup of coffee is the only thing keeping me awake.”

12.52pm BST

That was a fairly soft penalty, not dissimilar to the dodgy one that Manchester United got at Villa in the week. The difference is that I think Digne kicked the underside of Podence’s foot, so it was probably the right decision. It certainly wasn’t a clear and obvious error.

12.51pm BST

Half-time reading

12.49pm BST

It’s been a dog of a game, redeemed only by a few memorable bits of skill by the full debutant Daniel Podence, the best of which led to Raul Jimenez’s goal a moment ago.

12.48pm BST

Jimenez scores with aplomb, sending Pickford the wrong way and sidefooting the ball gently to the left.

12.47pm BST

45+1 min: PENALTY TO WOLVES! Well I never. Podence loses Baines and Gordon on the right with a brilliant and/or fortunate piece of skill. Then he does a Zidane pirouette away from Digne and is fouled.

12.46pm BST

45 min There will be two added minutes, though it’ll feel like about 200.

12.45pm BST

44 min Make it stop. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes.

12.42pm BST

42 min I feel bad saying this, given my football career peaked when I was made captain of a primary school B team, but this game is muck.

12.41pm BST

40 min “Not a thought on this match so far, but you never know,” says Paul. “I think the people in charge of VAR are missing an unprecedented opportunity to test decisions and also supply more clarity. As there are no fans, the pressure on the ref has been reduced and the opportunity for him to take his time and if necessary use the pitch-side monitor has been made easier.

“It would have made sense at the backend of the season, where so much is at stake, to subject all major decisions to scrutiny and not hide behind the ‘clear and obvious’ line of argument , which at the moment really just means the referee in his subjective view of the match, if convinced of his decision, is never to be corrected by a more impartial and objective view from the outside It’s like going to an appeals court to get a miscarriage of justice, knowing that the judge’s pronouncement will not be overturned.”

12.39pm BST

38 min An even better cross from the left by Neto is fumbled by Pickford, who is happy to see the ball fall kindly for Keane to clear.

12.36pm BST

36 min Neto runs at Walcott and puts in a good deep cross that is headed away by Digne. Wolves are slowly taking control of the game.

12.32pm BST

31 min Seamus Coleman replaces Yerry Mina. He’ll play as the right-sided centre-back, with Keane moving into the middle.

12.30pm BST

29 min Mina is down with what looks like a thigh muscle injury. Everton don’t have many central-defensive options on the bench: the teenager Jarrad Branthwaite and maybe Seamus Coleman.

12.29pm BST

27 min Brilliant play from Jimenez, who plays an impromptu game of keepy-uppy on the edge of the box before hitting an overhead kick that is saved down to his right by Pickford. That was vaguely reminiscent of this spectacular goal from Manuel Negrete.

12.27pm BST

26 min The lively Podence gets a lucky ricochet off Walcott and belts a low shot that is turned round at the near post by Pickford. Good save.

12.26pm BST

25 min: Fine tackle from Digne! Podence sliced the defence open with a quite brilliant angled through pass inside Digne, who recovered brilliantly to make a desperate last-ditch tackle on Neto.

12.24pm BST

In other news Jofra Bloody Archer.

12.22pm BST

22 min Time for the drinks break. The build-up play from both sides has been far too slow. On the plus side, it’ll all be over soon enough.

12.20pm BST

19 min Digne is booked for pulling back Neto.

12.17pm BST

17 min A decent ball from Walcott flashes across the face of goal.

12.15pm BST

14 min It’s not been the greatest start, I won’t lie to you.

12.13pm BST

12 min Wolves win a corner on the left. Neto plays it short to Podence, whose return ball goes straight out of play for a goalkick. Nice one.

12.08pm BST

7 min Doherty plays a nice one-two with Dendoncker and moves infield, away from Sigurdsson. He runs to within 25 yards of goal before mishitting a shot well wide.

12.07pm BST

7 min Plenty of possession for Wolves, though most of it has been in deeper positions.

12.04pm BST

3 min Saiss slides a good pass down the inside-left channel to Podence. He tries to steer it first time past Pickford but doesn’t connect properly and Pickford stretches to his left to save. At the other end, Calvert-Lewin’s low shot from a tight angle is comfortably held by the sprawling Rui Patricio.

12.02pm BST

2 min Lucas Digne is playing as the left-sided centre-back for Everton, with Leighton Baines and Theo Walcott as wing-backs.

12.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Everton, in blue, kick off from left to right. Wolves are in the old gold.

11.50am BST

Alternative entertainment

11.34am BST

Pre-match reading

11.08am BST

Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-2-1) Rui Patricio; Boly, Coady, Saiss; Doherty, Neves, Dendoncker, Jonny; Neto, Podence; Jimenez.
Substitutes: Ruddy, Vinagre, Kilman, Buur, Jordao, Gibbs-White, Jota, Moutinho, Traore.

Everton (3-5-2) Pickford; Mina, Keane, Digne; Walcott, Sigurdsson, Davies, Gordon, Baines; Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.
Substitutes: Stekelenburg, Virginia, Sidibe, Coleman, Branthwaite, Iwobi, Baningime, Bernard, Kean.

10.32am BST

Hello. Eight days ago, Wolves were eyeing a Champions League place. Now they are in danger of missing out on the Europa League. Back-to-back defeats, to Europa rivals Arsenal and Sheffield United, have left them in a vulnerable position. A Champions League place is not completely out of question, especially with Chelsea and Leicester’s erratic form, but another season in the Europa League is a more realistic ambition.

A win today over Everton would restore a bit of order and move Wolves back up to sixth. It’s not an easy game, as Everton are pretty unpredictable – excellent in beating Leicester one minute, offensively listless in losing to Spurs the next. For Carlo Ancelotti, these matches are useful preparation for the 2020-21 season - the one in which Wolves hope to be playing in Europe again.

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Published on July 12, 2020 06:03

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