Rob Smyth's Blog, page 109

July 4, 2020

Manchester United 5-2 Bournemouth: Premier League – as it happened

The teenager Mason Greenwood scored two sizzling goals as United came from behind to hammer Bournemouth in a thrilling game at Old Trafford

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Next up

4.57pm BST

Peep peep! United move up to fourth, at least for the next few hours, after a thrilling win over Bournemouth. Mason Greenwood scored two sizzling goals, while Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford both grabbed their 20th of the season. After seven years of post-Fergie misery, United might finally be going places. Bournemouth, alas, are going down.

4.55pm BST

90+5 min Ramsdale makes yet another save, leaping to his left to tip Fred’s shot over the bar.

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90+2 min Ramsdale makes another save, falling to his left to push away Fernandes’s long-range shot.

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90+2 min Pogba’s curling free-kick is punched away by the flying Ramsdale. Good save.

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90+1 min Gosling fouls James 25 yards from goal. Mata, Fernandes and Pogba are over the ball.

4.50pm BST

90 min Five minutes of added time.

4.49pm BST

89 min A wildly entertaining match is finally starting to peter out.

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84 min And now Ighalo misses an excellent chance, clipping the ball wide of the far post after running onto Fernandes’ through pass. He should have scored.

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83 min Ramsdale makes a fine block from Shaw, who poked the ball towards goal after pulling down Pogba’s lovely crossfield pass.

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81 min Kelly lunges to make a vital last-ditch tackle on James just outside the area.

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80 min United make their final changes: Mata and Ighalo replace Rashford and Martial.

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80 min A lovely deep cross from James is muffed by Rashford beyond the far post. I think Martial got in his way.

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79 min Martial wriggles away from Kelly, who recovers excellently to block Martial’s shot at the expense of a corner. It’s cleared by Rico.

4.39pm BST

78 min Rashford’s low cross flashes across the area, just in front of Martial (who was offside) and James (who wasn’t). In the other Premier League game, Jamie Vardy has scored his 100th Premier League goal to put Leicester 2-0 up against Crystal Palace.

4.37pm BST

77 min Jack Stacey comes on for Bournemouth, replacing Adam Smith.

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75 min Another change: Dan James replaces the remarkable Mason Greenwood.

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74 min The corner is sliced towards his own goal by King, and Ramsdale dances across his line to make a comfortable save.

4.33pm BST

73 min After some lovely, quick build-up play, Martial’s shot deflects wide off Ake.

4.30pm BST

70 min A replay of the Fernandes goal suggests that Matic’s heel was offside, and he was close to Ramsdale’s eyeline so I’m surprised it wasn’t disallowed. I don’t really understand the laws of football any more.

4.29pm BST

69 min The last time United scored six in a league game was the 8-2 win over Arsenal in August 2011.

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68 min “Somewhat ironically, I was just mumbling to myself the other day that the only goals that won’t be VAR-checked (and enjoyed with full elan) will be from free kicks,” says Matthew Richman. “How I do appreciate being corrected.”

4.26pm BST

66 min Three changes for Bournemouth. Harry Wilson, Dan Gosling and Philip Billing replace Stanislas, Solanke and Lewis Cook. And Manchester United have brought Fred on for Nemanja Matic.

4.26pm BST

66 min: Rashford has a goal disallowed for offside. It’ll be checked. It was a great move from United, which ended with Rashford sliding in Wan-Bissaka’s cross. It’s extremely close, but his knee was just offside.

4.21pm BST

61 min Ramsdale probably shouldn’t have been beaten on that side. In his defence, Fernandes absolutely smashed it.

4.21pm BST

GOAL GIVEN! Bournemouth thought Matic was offside when Fernandes took the free-kick. VAR decided not.

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Another brilliant goal! Fernandes whipped the free-kick over the wall and into the far corner, but it’s being checked by VAR.

4.19pm BST

58 min Kelly fouls Martial just outside the area. Pogba and Fernandes are over the ball.

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58 min A vicious long-range shot from Pogba is blocked by Ake.

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55 min VAR checked for offside against Rashford in the build-up. It was very tight but the goal stands.

4.15pm BST

This kid is a star. That’s his 15th goal of the season, and it was unstoppable. Matic found him with his back to goal on the edge of the D. He turned and veered to the right, away from Rico, before blistering a rising drive back across goal. It went through the fingers of the leaping Ramsdale and into the top corner. Greenwood has beaten Ramsdale for pace on both his goals, once with his left foot and once with the right.

4.14pm BST

What a goal!

4.12pm BST

51 min: Danjuma has a goal disallowed for offside! Bournemouth are all over United at the moment. They broke three on three, with Danjuma beating de Gea with a nonchalant toepoke. But he was offside when King put him through on goal.

4.11pm BST

50 min That was a shambolic start to the second half by United. Maguire’s sloppy pass eventually led to Danjuma hitting the post; then Matic played an equally loose pass towards Bailly that he had to control with his shoulder/arm.

4.10pm BST

Joshua King scores emphatically, sidefooting the penalty into the corner at pace. de Gea went the right way but couldn’t get there.

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49 min: Penalty given! That’s the right decision.

4.08pm BST

What a start to the second half. This is all a bit of a mess, and VAR are checking whether a) it came off Bailly’s shoulder or the arm and b) whether it was inside the area. Both are very close. I’m not sure there’s enough evidence to overturn the original decision, so I think the penalty decision will stand.

4.07pm BST

47 min: Danjuma hits the post! And now Bournemouth have a penalty for handball by Bailly!

4.05pm BST

46 min Peep peep! United begin the second half in driving rain. Eric Bailly has replaced Victor Lindelof at half-time, while Arnaut Danjuma is on for the injured David Brooks for Bournemouth.

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Half-time reading

3.51pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester United started sluggishly and went behind to a fine goal from Junior Stanislas, but their response was emphatic. Mason Greenwood added another ruthless finish to his portfolio, Marcus Rashford scored from the penalty spot and Anthony Martial wafted a beauty into the top corner.

3.48pm BST

Anthony Martial gets his 20th goal of the season, and it’s a beauty. United moved the ball patiently from side to side, looking for an opening. Eventually Fernandes found Martial on the left, just outside the area. Shaw made a good overlapping run to distract the defence, which allowed Martial to zip infield and curl a quite glorious shot into the far top corner. Brilliant.

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Pick that out!

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45 min Three minutes of added time.

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42 min The corner is headed way by Rashford.

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41 min King teases Lindelof and wins a corner for Bournemouth.

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40 min Bournemouth have been bright on the break, so they aren’t out of this game yet.

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38 min “Bloody Adam Smith,” says Ian Copestake. “He should stick to a being a Scottish economist, philosopher, and author as well as a moral philosopher, a pioneer of political economy, and a key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment, known as ‘The Father of Economics’’ or ‘’The Father of Capitalism.’ The [redacted].”

3.37pm BST

36 min: Brooks has a goal disallowed! It came after a couple of dodgy passes, first by de Gea and then Maguire, but Solanke was offside in the build-up.

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It’s Rashford, not Fernandes, who takes the penalty - and he scores, sliding it into the bottom-right corner. Ramsdale went the right way but couldn’t quite get there.

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PENALTY TO UNITED! The corner leads to a scramble in the Bournemouth area and a clear handball from Adam Smith.

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32 min Rashford’s fierce long-range shot hits Ake and deflects wide.

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31 min Lerma is booked for a foul on Martial.

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Rashford, on the right, cut the ball back to Fernandes on the edge of the area. He played a fine square pass that took four defenders out of the game and found Greenwood. His first touch was immaculate, pushing the ball into space so that he could lash it through Ramsdale with his second. That’s Greenwood’s 14th goal of the season, and he’s still only 18. He is quite something, probably the best young English finisher we’ve seen since Robbie Fowler.

3.29pm BST

Mason Greenwood rifles Manchester United level!

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28 min Bournemouth look dangerous going forward, Stanislas in particular. It’s a really intriguing game.

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26 min After a fine move from United, Wan-Bissaka’s low cross is cleared by Kelly inside the six-yard box.

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26 min Lots of United pressure, though Bournemouth are defending really well at the moment.

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23 min Stanislas wallops a bouncing ball over the bar from long range. He’s made a very confident start.

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21 min Fernandes’s corner clears everyone and comes to Shaw on the edge of the area. His shot is blocked by Brooks. Moments later, Pogba drives an angled pass to Rashford, who heads the ball back across the area towards Greenwood. Ramsdale flies from his line to dive at Greenwood’s feet and knock the ball off him for a goalkick. Good goalkeeping.

3.20pm BST

20 min “A penny,” says Ian Copestake, “for Roy Keane’s thoughts.”

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19 min: Good save from Ramsdale! Rashford curled the free-kick over the wall towards the far corner, and Ramsdale dived to his right to palm it behind.

3.19pm BST

18 min Pogba is fouled by King 25 yards from goal, slightly to the right of centre. Fernandes is over it.

3.17pm BST

That was a lovely bit of skill from Junior Stanislas. His first shot was blocked by Maguire, with the ball rebounding towards the byline. Stanislas drew Maguire in, nutmegged him impudently and whipped a shot past de Gea from a very tight angle. He probably shouldn’t have beaten de Gea at the near post but the nutmeg was brilliant.

3.16pm BST

Oh I say!

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13 min This is a good spell for United, with Bournemouth struggling to get out.

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10 min: Fernandes misses an excellent chance! United should be ahead. Rashford, just inside his own half, curled a superb pass over the Bournemouth defence to release Fernandes, who took the shot first time from the edge of the area. He lobbed it over the outrushing Ramsdale, but his touch was a bit heavy and it also cleared the crossbar.

3.08pm BST

8 min “You all make too much of people making perch references (is there no free play of signifiers anymore?),” says Ian Copestake. “For instance, some Liverpool fans enjoy the fact that when Fergie spluttered it out he nevertheless did so by referring to ‘their’ perch.”

3.07pm BST

7 min Matic turns into trouble just outside the United area. Solanke nicks the ball off him and moves into the area, but Matic recovers to make a good tackle.

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6 min Bournemouth haven’t just come for a 0-0; they are pushing plenty of players forward when they break.

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4 min Nothing to report as yet. United have made a dominant start.

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1 min Peep peep! Bournemouth, in their sky blue change strip, kick off from right to left.

2.59pm BST

“Fergie said that perch thing off-handedly in the early noughties,” says Digvijay Yadav. “That a lot of Liverpool people have brought it up straight away tells you how much it irked them and how long they have been holding it inside them. Like an English cricket fan waiting to snipe at the Aussies during the 90s.”

The interesting thing is that Fergie didn’t really knock them off their perch at all; George Graham and Arsenal did, with a bit of help from Steve Coppell and perhaps Graeme Souness. But he did clamber atop the vacant perch and do a silly little jig for the next two decades.

2.50pm BST

Pre-match music

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In other news deparment

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“Hey Rob,” says J.R. in Illinois. “So are you excited for Superspeader Saturday or what? Will you be done working in time to go out for a couple yards later? Or maybe you were able to get to the pub when it opened at 6am to suck down a few pints before work? Well, over here in the U.S. of ‘Murica every day is Superspreader Day and yesterday our genius president got the holiday weekend off to a flying start with a lovely get together in the hopes of further dividing the country with the added bonus of likely increasing the spread of a deadly pandemic.”

This year has been a particularly absurd series of the Truman Show.

2.20pm BST

Pre-match reading

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“From back atop our perch I feel generous enough to give Man Utd fans a tip,” says Ian Copestake. “With Bruno Fernandes in your team you have a great opportunity to do a chant to the tune of “Danny Nedelko” by Idles.”

How many times: LIVERPOOL ARE NOT BACK ON THEIR PERCH!!!!! (Yet.)

2.12pm BST

Bournemouth have never won at Old Trafford, not even back in the days when they were Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic. That isn’t a completely bad thing, though. An unlikely and historic win today would be a fine way to start a great escape.

2.04pm BST

The story about Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes being doubtful after a collision in training was a hoax; both start in an unchanged United side. Bournemouth bring in Diego Rico, Lewis Cook and Junior Stanislas for Steve Cook, Philip Billing and Arnaut Danjuma.

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

10.46am BST

On 22 January, Manchester United lost 2-0 at home to Burnley. It was their fourth defeat in seven leagues games, and there was a P45 with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name on it. Since then, their record is all competitions is outstanding: P15 W11 D4 L0 F38 A4. It’s their longest unbeaten run in three and a half years, and the mood around the club is as positive as it has been since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

There’s one big reason for that. Bruno Fernandes has had the most profound impact of any United signing since Eric Cantona in 1992. It’s not just his goals and assists, either: with his infectious standards, he has dragged all the other players closer to his level. He may also drag them into the Champions League. A win over Bournemouth today would move United above Chelsea, who play Watford tonight, and keep them within range of third-placed Leicester.

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Published on July 04, 2020 09:09

July 1, 2020

Bournemouth 1-4 Newcastle United: Premier League – as it happened

The brilliant Allan Saint-Maximin made three goals as Newcastle produced a superb attacking performance to thump struggling Bournemouth

8.30pm BST

We’ll leave you with Ben Fisher’s report from the Vitality Stadium. Thanks for reading!

7.58pm BST

Still want more? Yeah you do.

7.54pm BST

Peep peep! It looks like Bournemouth’s five-year stay in the Premier League is coming to an end. They were thrashed by an impressive Newcastle, who scored some delightful goals and could have won by more. It was a dreadful night for Eddie Howe’s team. They didn’t throw the towel in, and they deserved credit for that in the circumstances, but their confidence is shot to pieces.

7.52pm BST

Bournemouth score with their first attempt on target. A long free-kick was headed over Dubravka by the backpedalling Ake, and Gosling forced it in from a couple of yards.

7.50pm BST

90+2 min Nearly a fifth for Newcastle. Carroll plays a one-two with Shelvey and rakes a fierce shot that is palmed behind by the diving Ramsdale.

7.49pm BST

90 min Five minutes of added time. Harry Wilson’s long-range shot is headed over the bar. Bournemouth are playing with plenty of pride, still searching urgently for a consolation goal.

7.48pm BST

88 min “In my previous email I spelled the word “favorite” correctly but I see it has been printed incorrectly for me on my behalf,” says J.R. in Illinois. “Now I’m going to look like a stupid jerk poseur to all my fellow ‘Muricans. We’ve got plenty of problems over here but one of the great things about us is that we can all agree on how to spell “favorite” properly. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the bedrock principles of our society. You’ll be hearing from my attorney.”

Now you’ve misspelt lawyer!

7.45pm BST

86 min Newcastle have taken 10 points from their last four league games, either side of lockdown, including consecutive away wins for the first time since March 2017 (I think).

7.42pm BST

84 min Stanislas’s deflected shot spins a few yards wide. From the resulting corner, King heads over from eight yards after a header across goal by Cook. It was a sharp chance, with almost no reaction time.

7.38pm BST

80 min Chris Mepham is on for Steve Cook.

7.37pm BST

79 min Oh my days! Lazaro hits the bar with a storming long-range effort, struck this time with his right foot, and Hayden puts the rebound high and wide of an open goal. That is a very special miss.

7.36pm BST

78 min VAR checked for offside but the goal stands.

7.36pm BST

What a night for Newcastle! That was another classy goal, and completes a crushing victory. Shelvey put Lazaro through with a nice angled pass, and he clipped the ball confidently over the outrushing Ramsdale.

7.34pm BST

75 min We’re having technical problems, but you haven’t missed much apart from a load of substitutions.

Newcastle Yedlin and Hayden for Manquillo and Joelinton.

7.27pm BST

69 min Fernandez is okay.

7.27pm BST

68 min Fernandez is down after being caught in the face by King’s arm. I don’t think it was an elbow - it certainly wasn’t as bad as Jordan Ayew’s the other night - and VAR isn’t getting involved.

7.23pm BST

66 min “Delighted to see Saint-Maximim taken off,” says Paul Sheppard. “Great player, great performance, sadly.”

He’s so much fun, that’s what I like most about him.

7.22pm BST

64 min Bournemouth’s next game is at Old Trafford on Saturday. Newcastle are at home to West Ham the following day.

7.20pm BST

62 min Two changes for Bournemouth as well. Junior Stanislas and Harry Wilson are on for Arnaut Danjuma and David Brooks.

7.20pm BST

61 min Two changes for Newcastle: Valentino Lazaro and Andy Carroll replace Dwight Gayle and the brilliant Allan Saint-Maximin.

7.18pm BST

60 min: Brooks hits the bar! He is one Bournemouth player whose head hasn’t dropped and that was a lovely effort, curled over Dubravka and onto the crossbar from 20 yards.

7.17pm BST

60 min I’m so pleased for Steve Bruce, who was the subject of some disgraceful ridicule earlier in the season. First he stabilised Newcastle defensively; now he has got them playing some lovely attacking football.

7.16pm BST

A crisp square pass from Saint-Maximin found Almiron 30 yards from goal. He set off on an angled run, straight at the heart of the defence, before pushing the ball away from Ake and clipping it back across Ramsdale into the top corner. That was lovely.

7.15pm BST

That’s another majestic goal!

7.14pm BST

55 min Saint-Maximin goes on a sensational 60-yard run, starting at the edge of his own area, before finding Almiron. He’s tackled and the danger passes for Bournemouth, but it was another example of Saint-Maximin’s wildcard ability. There aren’t many more entertaining players in the entire Premier League.

7.10pm BST

52 min Saint-Maximin’s low drive from 25 yards is pushed away by the diving Ramsdale. He is a brilliant player, Saint-Maximin.

7.06pm BST

47 min “On the subject of mascot mismatches,” begins Jonathan Denness, “I think Hornets v Bees is more brutal.”

Are they mascots or nicknames? Or both? I’ll level with you: I didn’t pass my GCSE in mascot studies.

7.06pm BST

46 min: King has a goal disallowed for Bournemouth! That would have been the perfect start. Solanke’s deflected shot swirled away from Dubravka and hit the post. King put the rebound away, but he was comfortably offside when Solanke had the original shot.

7.04pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Newcastle begin the second half. Lewis Cook has replaced Philip Billing for Bournemouth.

6.50pm BST

Half-time reading

6.48pm BST

“Painful to watch as a Cherries fan, making a team with a league-low possession ratio look like world beaters,” says Paul Sheppard. “Taxis for Smith, Lerma, Billing and Solanke please. At least give Surridge a chance up front ffs. And, yeah, I would happily relegate the bottom five.”

6.48pm BST

All things move toward their end. After five joyous years in the Premier League, Bournemouth are going down*.

* Unless they score at least two and ideally three goals in the second-half.

6.47pm BST

45+2 min Ake is booked for a foul on Almiron.

6.46pm BST

45 min Cook drives a crossfield pass straight out of play. Bournemouth are unrecognisable from the team that punched so admirably above their weight for four seasons.

6.42pm BST

42 min “Hey Rob, I’m here,” says J.R. in Illinois. “I’m here. This game is one of my favourite mascot matchup mismatches. I mean it really doesn’t get much more one-sided than Magpies v Cherries, does it?”

6.42pm BST

41 min Danjuma smashes the free-kick over the bar.

6.41pm BST

41 min King is fouled in the D by Manquillo. This is a decent chance for Bournemouth, with Billing, Danjuma and Brooks over the ball.

6.40pm BST

39 min King turns smartly away from Shelvey in the area. Then he tries to nutmeg Manquillo, who keeps his legs closed to goal-saving effect.

6.37pm BST

36 min Bournemouth are struggling to get a kick, and in the last 10 minutes they have had only 26 per cent of the possession. Newcastle have been brilliant.

6.34pm BST

33 min Sean Longstaff has pulled something, a hamstring I think, and is leaving the field. That’s such a shame because he was playing beautifully. Miguel Almiron replaces him.

6.33pm BST

32 min There have been some very unlikely escapes in the Premier League era, so nothing is impossible, but Bournemouth look for all money like they are going down.

6.32pm BST

That was just brilliant from Newcastle. Newcastle kept the ball for the best part of a minute before Saint-Maximin decided to cut to the chase. He beat Smith with ease on the left, got to the byline and screwed the ball towards Longstaff, 10 yards from goal. He smashed it into the roof of the net with his left foot. The build-up was good, the run from Saint-Maximin delightful, and the finish from Longstaff emphatic.

6.31pm BST

What a marvellous goal!

6.29pm BST

27 min “Hi Rob,” says Jonathan Seyghal. “Does anybody want or deserve to stay up?! How about we start a petition to let Watford, West Ham, Bournemouth and Villa all go down... and let Norwich stay up out of sympathy for that FA Cup knock-out?”

Maybe everything should be based on how many points a team gets. More than 76 and you’re champions, even if they are three of you; fewer than 38 and you’re down. What could possi- oh.

6.25pm BST

25 min Time for the drinks break. Bournemouth have improved slightly after a dreadful start, but Newcastle are the better side.

6.23pm BST

23 min Kelly is booked for inflicting pain on Sean Longstaff.

6.23pm BST

21 min The resulting free-kick is clipped in by Brooks and headed away by Lascelles. Smith nods it back into the area, where Solankie hooks a half-volley wide on the stretch. He was only seven yards from goal but it was a very difficult ball to control as it came over his shoulder.

6.21pm BST

20 min David Brooks is starting to see more of the ball, which is usually a good sign for Bournemouth. He beats Manquillo with a lovely bit of skill near the byline, prompting Manquillo to drag him to the floor.

6.19pm BST

18 min There’s been a second goal at Goodison Park. Let Paul Doyle be your human vidiprinter.

6.18pm BST

17 min Danjuma wins a corner on the left for Bournemouth. He takes it himself ... and swings it straight out of play on the far side.

6.16pm BST

16 min Anyone out there?

6.16pm BST

15 min Sean Longstaff drags a shot on the turn well wide from 20 yards. Newcastle are much the better side at the moment.

6.15pm BST

14 min Bournemouth look flat, as they have in most of their games since November. It’s strange to see a team that have been so vibrant, and added so much to the Premier League in the last five years, in such a funk. If they lose tonight, I think they’re down.

6.13pm BST

12 min There’s been a goal in the match at Goodison Park. You won’t believe the score!

6.11pm BST

10 min It would be going too far to say Newcastle have a swagger, but there is certainly a spring in their step. They look really confident and relaxed in possession.

6.09pm BST

8 min A half-chance for Bournemouth to equalise. Danjuma scurries down the left, cuts back and tees up Billing on the edge of the area. He sidefoots a poor effort that goes high and wide.

6.07pm BST

The goal came from a dreadful mistake by Jefferson Lerma. He miscontrolled a simple ball just outside the Bournemouth area and was tackled by Sean Longstaff. Saint-Maximin screwed the loose ball into the area to find Gayle, who finished decisively into the far corner. That was a good finish, especially given his miserable miss against Manchester City on Sunday.

6.06pm BST

What a shocking start for Bournemouth.

6.04pm BST

3 min Lots of Newcastle possession in the first few minutes. A long ball forward almost falls for Gayle in the area, but Ramsdale is quick off his line to claim.

6.01pm BST

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

5.59pm BST

The players are out on the field, all looking businesslike. Newcastle are sporting their orange change strip.

5.17pm BST

Some pre-match reading

5.06pm BST

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

Newcastle (4-3-3) Dubravka; Krafth, Fernandez, Lascelles, Manquillo; S Longstaff, Shelvey, Bentaleb; Saint-Maximin, Gayle, Joelinton.
Substitutes: Darlow, Schar, Yedlin, Rose, Ritchie, Hayden, Lazaro, Almiron, Carroll.

5.03pm BST

Good evening. Bournemouth will hope that this match acts as a bookend. Their season started to go wrong in the return fixture, a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in November. Bournemouth were seventh going into that game; now they are 18th and in all sorts. They have picked up only one point in their last six games, having hinted at a revival with consecutive wins in late January and early February, and have lost 15 of their last 20 games. In any currency, that’s relegation form.

The fact their opponents are safe should be in Bournemouth’s favour, though we thought the same before their last home game, a chastening 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. With an extremely tough run-in, they need points at their earliest inconvenience. This really is a mustn’t-lose game.

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Published on July 01, 2020 11:58

Luton Town's Manager Idol – podcast

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

In this episode: Primetime TV would prove the inspiration for one of the most shambolic managerial appointments in football history.

How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know

Read the text version here

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Published on July 01, 2020 00:06

June 30, 2020

Barcelona 2-2 Atlético Madrid: La Liga – as it happened

Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal, but Saul Niguez equalised twice from the penalty spot to further damage Barcelona’s title chances

10.58pm BST

It’s another bad night for Barcelona, who have drawn three of their lost four games. Real Madrid are in control of the title race as a result, and will go four points clear if they beat Getafe on Thursday. Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal - not counting the Rakuten Cup - but Saul Niguez equalised twice from the penalty spot to give Atletico a point they probably deserved.

10.57pm BST

Peep peep!

10.56pm BST

90+4 min Lemar is booked for violating Ansu Fati on the left wing. This is Barcelona’s last chance.

10.55pm BST

90+3 min So nearly a winner for Atletico! A long ball found Lemar in the area; he was forced wide by ter Stegen and turned the ball back into the middle, where it was booted clear by a Barcelona defender. An Atletico player, Joao Felix I think, was waiting to score the winner.

10.53pm BST

90+1 min Thomas slashes a shot just wide from 25 yards. This game still feels very open.

10.53pm BST

90 min Four minutes.

10.53pm BST

90 min A change for Barcelona: Vidal is replaced by Antoine Griezmann, who finally gets on the field against his former club.

10.51pm BST

89 min Semedo’s high, hanging cross is headed wide by Ansu Fati, who fouled Arias in the process.

10.51pm BST

89 min Barcelona really, really, really need a goal right now.

10.50pm BST

88 min Thomas and Saul are such an impressive, indefatigable central-midfield pair. You and I could play centre-back behind them and still keep a few clean sheets.

10.49pm BST

87 min Morata’s hopeful shot from the left side of the area is blocked by Semedo.

10.48pm BST

86 min Luis Suarez is still on the pitch, it says here. He’s been shocking, and we all know what happens next.

10.47pm BST

84 min Substitutions galore. First Atletico: Vitolo and Lemar replace Correa and the superb Carrasco, who was fouled for both penalties. Barcelona bring on Ansu Fati for Busquets.

10.46pm BST

83 min Lodi’s cross is brilliantly headed away by Lengelt, under considerable pressure from Morata at the near post.

10.43pm BST

81 min Messi’s inswinging free-kick is headed on and over the bar by Busquets in front of the near post. It was a difficult chance, a speculative flick-on as much as anything.

10.42pm BST

80 min Carrasco is booked for a foul on Messi, or maybe for the dissent that followed it. I’m not sure it was a foul.

10.39pm BST

77 min Morata replaces Diego Costa, who has had a busy night.

10.39pm BST

76 min Drinks break.

10.39pm BST

75 min A brilliant cross from Jordi Alba is headed wide from five yards by Vidal. It was a majestic late run into the area from Vidal, but he was at full stretch and in mid-air when he made contact with the ball. It skimmed off his head and went wide of the far post. Diego Costa is booked for hoofing Puig in the build-up.

10.35pm BST

73 min Joao Felix’s well-struck shot from the left edge of the area is comfortably held by ter Stegen.

10.35pm BST

72 min Messi plays an excellent through ball towards Vidal, who gets caught in two minds and is tackled just outside the area. This match reeks of a glorious late winner from Messi.

10.33pm BST

71 min A fine effort from Vidal, who crashes a curling shot just wide from inside the D. It was set up by Semedo, who surged into the area and cut the ball back at the perfect pace for Vidal to hit first time.

10.32pm BST

69 min A change for Atletico: Joao Felix replaces the slightly disappointing Llorente.

10.31pm BST

69 min Pique appeals for a penalty after a challenge from behind by Gimenez. There wasn’t enough in it, though it was clumsy from Gimenez.

10.30pm BST

68 min Riqui Puig has had a fine game in midfield. He has a lovely lightness of touch to go with his youthful exuberance and work rate.

10.29pm BST

67 min What a strange game. We’ve had three penalties, four if you include the retake, and a unique own goal from Diego Costa.

10.27pm BST

65 min Vidal is lucky not to be booked for a lunging foul on Diego Costa.

10.25pm BST

63 min Ivan Rakitic is replaced by Sergi Roberto.

10.25pm BST

Saul scores his second penalty! He went the same way, low to the right - but this time ter Stegen went the right way and probably should have saved it. It slithered through his hands and in off the post.

10.24pm BST

61 min: PENALTY TO ATLETICO! It’s the third penalty of the game. Semedo fouled Carrasco, though I’m not sure he meant it. Semedo kneed Carrasco’s trailing leg onto his standing leg, which knocked him off balance and gave the referee little choice.

10.23pm BST

61 min Messi is booked for kicking the ball away after the referee penalised him for a challenge on Lodi.

10.21pm BST

58 min Puig makes a superb off-the-ball run into the Atletico area. Messi almost picks him up with a delicious pass from the right wing, but it’s just too heavy and Puig can’t control it on the stretch.

10.19pm BST

56 min: Chance for Costa! That was so much better from Atletico. Arias played a give-and-go with Llorente on the right and drove an excellent cross towards Diego Costa. He towered over Vidal and planted a downward header just wide of the far post.

10.18pm BST

55 min Griezmann and Ansu Fati are warming up. If Fati replaces Luis Suarez, Twitter will eat itself.

10.16pm BST

54 min Barcelona have dominated the start of the second half. In the circumstances, this would be an excellent win. Despite all their problems, all the fiascos of the season, they could end up winning La Liga and the Champions League.

10.15pm BST

53 min “A cursory Google search revealed that Teddy Sheringham is the Premier League’s oldest goal scorer at 40 years and 266 days, for West Ham in December 2006,” says Matt Burtz. “There’s hope for me yet!”

Depends how many yards you can run in your head.

10.13pm BST

51 min Felipe, who has had an abysmal couple of minutes, is harshly booked for a sliding collision with Busquets.

10.13pm BST

51 min Hang on, he’s scored 700 goals!

10.12pm BST

That was a delightful penalty, kissed softly into the net as Oblak dived to the left.

10.12pm BST

Lionel Messi scores the 700th goal of his career with the jauntiest of Panenkas!

10.11pm BST

48 min: PENALTY TO BARCELONA! Felipe kicks the bottom of Semedo’s foot just inside the area, and the referee gives a penalty. I think it was a foul.

10.09pm BST

47 min “Rob, apparently the Pjanic-Arthur swap is a deal to make the books look good, as the always excellent Swiss Ramble explains,” says Alberto Tobias. “Barcelona already did something similar last year when they swapped goalkeepers with Valencia (Cilessen for Neto).”

Thanks, that’s interesting.

10.07pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Barcelona begin the second half.

9.59pm BST

If it stays like this, Barcelona will be a point behind Real Madrid having played a game more. Madrid also have the head-to-head advantage.

9.56pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Matt Burtz. “Re: the Barcelona players in their 30s, I take your point, but as a man who is a month away from turning 39, please let me cling to the notion that I’m still plausibly young enough to be playing professional sports.”

Matt, there’s good news and bad news.

9.55pm BST

Half-time reading

9.54pm BST

“What has happened to Jordi Alba?” says Charles Antaki. “He used to be a guaranteed source of runs and crosses from the left, and he’s been invisible in recent Barça games. Not that things are happening much on the right with Semedo; has the new(ish) manager turned his back on the currently fashionable wing-backery?”

Strange, isn’t it, especially given his link-up with Messi. And Barcelona are playing a diamond midfield tonight, which usually requires the full-backs to do 90 minutes of shuttle runs.

9.51pm BST

Peep peep! That was an enjoyable half of football, and the scoreline is about right. Diego Costa had a desperate five minutes, scoring a comedy own goal and having a penalty saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. But VAR spotted that ter Stegen was off his line, and Saul scored from the retake. Messi had been a menace at one end, Carrasco - who won the penalty - a big threat at the other. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

9.49pm BST

45+3 min Carrasco charges at the backpedalling Barcelona defence and drives a fierce low shot that is blocked. The ball rebounds off Costa, possibly hitting his elbow, and is put behind for a corner. Thankfully for Barcelona and VAR protocol, nothing comes of the corner.

9.47pm BST

45+1 min “Do we talk enough about Messi’s passing?” says Stephen Carr. “It’s consistently, utterly brilliant.”

It feels like it has been recognised appropriately in the last couple of years, even if it is still sometimes overshadowed by his finishing and dribbling.

9.46pm BST

45 min Four added minutes.

9.43pm BST

42 min Messi’s deflected free-kick is slapped over the bar by Oblak, who had to change direction at the last minute. In the end it was a really good save.

9.42pm BST

41 min Puig produces a lovely bit of skill to beat Partey, who responds by booting him up in the air 30 yards from goal. He’s lucky not to be booked for that. Messi may yet inflict an alternative punishment.

9.41pm BST

40 min Seven of this Barcelona starting XI are in their thirties. That’s all kinds of wrong.

9.40pm BST

39 min The young midfielder Riqui Puig has had a decent half, but that aside Messi has had very little support.

9.39pm BST

38 min “Suarez is playing?” sniffs Paul Fitzgerald.

He hasn’t been at his best.

9.36pm BST

35 min Saul is booked for a cynical foul on Messi, who has been a one-man attack for much of this half.

9.34pm BST

33 min A chance for Atletico. A low cross from the right, from Arias I think, found Llorente in space 10 yards from goal. He miscontrolled the ball, and Correa behind him couldn’t take the ball in his stride. Llorente’s was the big chance.

9.31pm BST

31 min Time for a drinks break.

9.30pm BST

30 min Messi sidefoots well wide from the edge of the box, an unusually poor effort.

9.29pm BST

28 min Messi beats the sliding Lodi with a delicious, disdainful scoop. This is a decent spell of pressure for Barcelona, with Atletico camped in their half for the first time in the match.

9.27pm BST

26 min Messi has looked really sharp so far.

9.24pm BST

24 min This is an excellent game, in no small part because of Atletico’s attacking intent.

9.23pm BST

22 min A spectacular effort from Messi, whose extravagant curler from the right edge of the box goes this far wide of the far post. In fact I think it brushed the outside of the post.

9.21pm BST

21 min “What are your thoughts on the Arthur/Pjanic swap deal?” says Kishalay Banerjee. “It didn’t look like Arthur underperformed enough to be exchanged for Pjanic, who himself is 30, and arguably, not a clear improvement either.”

I don’t see enough of Barcelona to comment with anything resembling authority, but I’ve liked Arthur whenever I’ve seen him. The swap is even harder to fathom given the average age of the Barcelona squad.

9.20pm BST

20 min Just to recap:

9.19pm BST

Saul scores, dragging a calm penalty into the bottom-right corner. ter Stegen went the wrong way.

9.18pm BST

18 min Pique has been booked for dissent.

9.18pm BST

17 min Ten Barcelona players are surrounding the referee. It looks like Saul is going to take the second penalty. This is chaos.

9.17pm BST

ter Stegen moved before the kick was taken, and VAR intervened.

9.17pm BST

Oh, Diego. It was a poor penalty, hit fiercely but nowhere near the corner. ter Stegen dived to his left to block. But hang on, VAR has ordered it to be retaken!

9.16pm BST

Carrasco stormed into the box from the left before cutting back inside Vidal, who dangled a leg and brought him down.

9.15pm BST

15 min: Penalty to Atletico! It was a clear foul, Vidal on Carrasco.

9.14pm BST

Messi’s inswinging corner beat Busquets and Thomas at the near post. Just behind them was Diego Costa, who ducked as if to head it away before realising it had dipped too much. He was unable to adjust his feet in time, and the ball hit the inside of his right thigh before deflecting behind his standing leg and past Oblak.

9.12pm BST

Barcelona take the lead from the corner, and it was a masterful finish from Diego Costa!

9.12pm BST

11 min Free-kick to Barcelona on the right wing. Messi hammers it towards the near post, trying to catch Oblak out, and Diego Costa puts it behind for a corner. From which...

9.10pm BST

9 min Lodi’s sharp cutback almost finds Llorente eight yards from goal. Atletico have definitely come to play.

9.09pm BST

8 min Rakitic steals the ball off Thomas and rifles a low drive that is pushed away by the diving Oblak. Good save.

9.07pm BST

6 min: So close from Carrasco! Atletico almost take the lead. Carrasco’s wicked inswinging free-kick from the left beats everyone and bounces this far wide of the far post. Both Gimenez and Diego Costa almost got something on it six yards from goal; had they done so they would surely have scored.

9.06pm BST

5 min It looks like Barcelona are playing with a diamond midfield, though Rakitic has started much deeper on the left than Vidal on the right. Riqui Puig is playing behind Messi and Suarez.

9.04pm BST

3 min Lodi’s excellent deep cross from the left is poked behind by Alba, just in front of Llorente. The referee gives a goalkick. It was great defending from Alba, who had to stretch round Llorente to get to the ball.

9.02pm BST

3 min “Well done the Guardian photo editor!” says Charles Antaki, punching the air with a manic look in his eye. “Finally an appropriate use is found for the square-chunk Barça kit: nostalgia-inducement for lovers of Sprinter-train seat fabrics, 1985-1995. When new. The spilt coffee, bum-wear and general decrepitude tended to fade them pretty quickly.”

That timeline is a bit generous. I’m sure I sat on one last year.

9.02pm BST

2 min After a good break from the youngster Riqui Puig, Suarez shoots straight at Oblak from 20 yards.

9.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Atletico, in red and white stripes, kick off from right to left. Barcelona are in red and blue.

8.59pm BST

The players emerge on a warm evening at the Nou Camp: 25 degrees, 83 per cent humidity, pressure 1013 mb.

8.15pm BST

Alternative live action

8.14pm BST

Pre-match reading

8.06pm BST

Barcelona (possible 4-3-3) ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Puig; Messi, Suarez, Vidal.
Substitutes: Neto, Pena, Arthur, Braithwaite, Sergi Roberto, Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Griezmann, Collado, Ansu Fati, Araujo, Monchu.

Atletico Madrid (possible 4-4-2) Oblak; Arias, Felipe, Gimenez, Renan Lodi; Carrasco, Saul, Thomas, Correa; Llorente, Diego Costa.
Substitutes: Adan, Joao Felix, Lemar, Morata, Herrera, Saponjic, Vitolo, Hermoso, Trippier, Garcia, Sanchez, Sendra.

5.39pm BST

Feels like end times, doesn’t it? Not just for civilised society, but also Barcelona Football Club. If they don’t liven up quicksmart, they will finish a season without a trophy for the first time since the dark days of 2007-08. Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez are 33, Sergio Busquets turns 32 next month, Quique Setien is a walking P45 and there has been enough infighting to make Albert Square seem like idyll itself.

They could still finish the season as champions of Spain and Europe, so it’s not the end of the world just yet, but they have an uncomfortably good view from the precipice. That view will get even better if they fail to beat an Atletico Madrid side who have been in superb form since lockdown.

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Published on June 30, 2020 14:58

The Spin | England can only profit from using Mark Wood in the long run

Durham quick has improved with a longer run-up and, handled carefully, can be a thrilling and vital fixture in the team

Statistics, like alcohol, should be used responsibly. Before you lay down quantitative truths to the world, you need to consider context, sample size … all the old favourites. We all know this, yet most struggle to adhere to it. Some manipulate statistics to present alternative truths, also known in some cultures as bare-faced lies.

Others, such as the Spin, occasionally get giddy with a love of cricket and start to run wild, politely telling the more sensible voices in their head where to stick their admittedly well-meaning concerns about the legitimacy of the sample size.

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Published on June 30, 2020 03:00

June 29, 2020

Crystal Palace 0-1 Burnley: Premier League – as it happened

Burnley moved up to eighth in the table after Ben Mee’s flying header gave them an excellent victory at Selhurst Park

9.51pm BST

Peep peep! Burnley move up to eighth in the table after an admirable, unyielding performance at Selhurst Park. Their captain Ben Mee scored the winner with a flying header, helped by a goalkeeping error from Vicente Guaita, and Burnley withstood a late barrage from a Palace side who didn’t really get going until the last 15 minutes.

9.48pm BST

90+2 min Cahill’s flicked header is straight at Pope, who crouches to save comfortably. Palace have been terrific in the last 15 minutes and you couldn’t begrudge them an equaliser.

9.48pm BST

90+1 min Another nervy moment for Pope. A cross from the left was punched away unconvincingly, only as far as van Aanholt on the edge of the area. His shot was saved by Pope, and then another follow-up shot was blocked by a defender.

9.47pm BST

90+1 min Four added minutes.

9.47pm BST

90+1 min van Aanholt’s corner is missed by Pope, who is relieved to see a defender behind him head the ball away.

9.46pm BST

90 min McArthur’s excellent inswinging cross is headed behind by the backpedalling Mee, with Dann waiting behind him.

9.45pm BST

88 min Ayew darts promisingly between Bardsley and McNeil on the left edge of the area, only to blast his shot out for a throw-in.

9.43pm BST

87 min “When my dad was a panel beater in the 70s, he worked on a football scout’s car,” says Gary Naylor. “He asked him what he looked for in a player. The scout replied that once you got beyond Sunday football, there wasn’t much difference in the vast majority of players - except the ones with potential can do it more quickly. This has felt like a Hackney Marshes match on fastforward.”

9.42pm BST

85 min Westwood’s angled free-kick is headed down by Tarkoski and half-volleyed into orbit by Brownhill, 15 yards from goal. It was a tricky ball to hit, although leaning back so much didn’t help Brownhill control the shot.

9.40pm BST

84 min Burnley have parked the bus, which is an understandable if risky tactic. Palace are having all of the ball now.

9.39pm BST

83 min “Amazon have gone a bit heavy with the crowd noise,” says Stephen Carr. “Close your eyes and you’d think you were at the Istanbul derby.”

Wait until Palace equalise. You’ll be at El Monumental then.

9.39pm BST

82 min Zaha’s driven cross-shot takes a deflection and spins over the bar.

9.38pm BST

80 min “Go on Joel, make that run!” barks one of the Palace coaching staff. This is a decent spell for Palce, probably their best of the match in terms of sustained pressure. McArthur’s cross from the left is chested down by Ayew, but his touch is too heavy and it runs through to Pope.

9.36pm BST

79 min: Chance for Palace! Ayew runs at Mee, who concedes a corner with a lunging tackle. van Aanholt takes the corner short to Zaha, whose clipped cross is headed over from eight yards by Milivojevic. That, by a distance, was Palace’s best chance of the match.

9.35pm BST

78 min Zaha has moved to the right wing as a result of that substitution. He was ineffective on the left, where Bardsley and Brownhill doubled up on him.

9.34pm BST

77 min Townsend tries a speculative shot from 25 yards. It’s a decent effort but flies over the bar; Pope had it covered. That’s Townsend’s last touch - he has been replaced by Max Meyer.

9.32pm BST

74 min Zaha gets away from Long and moves into the area, where Tarkowski comes across to poke the ball behind for a corner. Good defending, that. The corner comes to nothing.

9.28pm BST

71 min The corner is only half cleared. Townsend moves the ball wide to McArthur, whose dangerous low cross is shanked behind for another corner by Pieters. Nothing comes of it.

9.27pm BST

70 min Zaha wins a corner on the left. He has had very little joy against Bardsley and Brownhill. Before the corner is taken, Cork is replaced by Kevin Long.

9.26pm BST

69 min Cork limps off to be replaced by ... nobody. Burnley are playing with 10 men while they assess whether Cork can continue.

9.25pm BST

68 min “Not sure how you’re watching this, Rob, but your update about the goal came around a minute or so before it was shown on Amazon Prime,” says Colin Stevens. “Longest digital delay ever.”

Ach, apologies. I’m also watching it on Amazon, so we must have very good wi-fi in Orkney.

9.24pm BST

67 min Cork is down, and in considerable pain, after twisting his ankle while winning the ball in midfield.

9.22pm BST

65 min Burnley deserve to be ahead, even if the goal was very avoidable for Palace’s point of view.

9.20pm BST

Westwood curled a flat free-kick into the area, where the captain Mee launched himself in front of McCarthy and powered a header towards goal from 15 yards. Guaita seemed to have it covered as he dived to the left, but it went through him and into the net off the post. That’s a goalkeeping error.

9.18pm BST

Ben Mee gives Burnley the lead with a long-range header!

9.17pm BST

61 min There’s a fair bit of needle developing. McCarthy is booked for a foul on McNeil, who is accused of diving by Cahill.

9.16pm BST

60 min Milivojevic’s free-kick is headed away by Taylor. It was smart thinking, though: he noticed that Pope was a fair way right of centre, to cover the clip over the wall, so instead he went to the far side.

9.15pm BST

58 min Tarkowski is booked for a clumsy foul on Ayew just outside the area.

9.14pm BST

56 min “Looked a definite red to me,” says Will Morgan. “Ayew took a look at him then swung the arm. Bizarre, that.”

I suppose he might argue he was trying to fend Brownhill off rather than clout him in the snout, but I agree he’s pretty fortunate. The more you see it, the luckier he looks.

9.12pm BST

55 min Townsend cuts inside from the left and has a shot blocked. At the other end, McNeil’s errant cross-shot goes straight through to Guaita. The game is much livelier now.

9.11pm BST

54 min: Chance for Cahill! I told you he was a good finisher, a-hem. A set-piece wasn’t cleared properly by Burnley and led to Palace’s best chance of the match. Ayew dragged the ball back to Cahill, who sidefooted tamely through to Pope from 15 yards. He usually hammers those.

9.08pm BST

51 min: No red card for Ayew. That’s interesting. It could have gone either way, I suppose, but I think he’s a bit fortunate by modern standards of what constitutes violent conduct.

9.06pm BST

50 min I think he’ll be sent off here.

9.06pm BST

49 min It was a forearm into the face rather than an elbow, and it’s being considered by VAR.

9.05pm BST

49 min Brownhill goes down holding his face after being fended off by Ayew, who could be in trouble here.

9.02pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Palace begin the second half having made an early substitution. James McCarthy is on for Cheikou Kouyate.

8.53pm BST

“I’m a huge fan of the Champion/McCoist link-up,” says Stephen Carr. “So much so that I’m crowdfunding a banter-heavy remake of ‘The Persuaders!’ with Jon as Sir Brett Sinclair (Roger Moore) and Ally as Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis). It’s a ratings smash waiting to happen.”

I’ve never seen an episode of The Persuaders! in my life, but you can count on my dollar. I reckon they could pull off a modern variation on Minder as well.

8.47pm BST

Peep peep! Burnley have been impressive, with Dwight McNeil influential in the No10 role, but they have missed a few half-chances and thus the score is 0-0.

8.46pm BST

44 min “No reflection on the game, just its socio-political-gammon context,” says Ian Copestake. “Anyway, I am proofreading a book on Animal Studies, so have other fish to fry.”

8.43pm BST

42 min: Chance for Burnley! Cahill plays a dreadful pass, straight to Westwood on the right wing. He curls in a terrific cross towards Vydra, forcing Guaita to fly from his line and push the ball away. It comes to Pieters, following up 12 yards from goal, but he loses his balance and his shot dribbles through to Guaita.

8.42pm BST

41 min McNeil is still only 20. He is a serious prospect.

8.40pm BST

39 min McNeil goes on another lovely run, beating three players before Ayew gets a foot in. Jon Champion compares his dribbling style to that of Chris Waddle, which is, in the parlance of our time, an excellent shout.

8.38pm BST

38 min Here’s Ian Copestake. “I imagine many onlookers have been taking Burt Lancaster’s advice to ‘watch the skies, MacIntyre’.”

It hasn’t been that bad, has it? Or have been lulled into a false sense of entertainment by the infectious Champion/McCoist commentary?

8.36pm BST

36 min Ward’s brilliant, booming cross from the right is headed wide by McArthur at the far post. At first it looked like a bad miss, but replays suggest Bardsley got a slight touch on the ball just before it reached McArthur.

8.34pm BST

34 min “Might not be one for the purists, but one of the most entertaining parts of football is watching players be wildly over-ambitious,” says Matt Dony. “As that ball dropped, you just knew that Cahill had no choice but to go for the volley. But you also just knew it was going well, well wide of the mark. The artificial crowd noise needs a ‘sarcastic cheer’ option.”

I know what you mean, and we’ve all had a DON’T SHOOT, VINNY moment as we watch a defender charge towards a loose ball with entirely misplaced optimism, but I wouldn’t necessarily put Cahill in that bracket. He’s a terrific finisher for a centre-back.

8.32pm BST

32 min A decent, dipping strike from Ayew, 30 yards from goal. Pope dives to his right to take the ball comfortably.

8.31pm BST

30 min Although he has missed probably the two best chances, McNeil has been pretty impressive in the No10 role. He has so much class, and I love the way he beats a man through sleight of hip.

8.29pm BST

29 min “What’s going on here Rob?” says Justin Kavanagh. “This is the quickest paced game I’ve seen since the restart. Don’t they know it’s summer in south London? I need a lie down.”

8.28pm BST

28 min After good play from Brownhill, McNeil’s snapshot is blocked by a Palace defender, Dann I think.

8.28pm BST

26 min “Jon Champion and Ally McCoist have a unique style, don’t they?” says Gary Naylor, referring to the Amazon Prime commentary team. “They sell the game without selling it, eschewing the somewhat desperate efforts of some commentators to SUPER SUNDAY every match, they have something of cricket’s relaxed approach, smuggling a touch of lyricism into the language too. They won’t be to all tastes, but I’d be happy to listen to them commentate on the warm-ups.”

The same. They were fantastic during the last World Cup and have a lovely unforced rapport.

8.23pm BST

23 min The corner is played short to Zaha, just inside the area on the left. He stands up a deep cross to Cahill, who blasts a volley over the bar from 15 yards. And that’s drinks.

8.22pm BST

22 min At the other end, McArthur’s corner is put behind by Tarkowski.

8.22pm BST

20 min Milivojevic gives the ball to McNeil, 70 yards from goal. He swerves elegantly away from Milivojevic’s attempted recovery tackle and runs 50 yards before shooting too close to Guaita from the edge of the D. It was a nice run though, and a lovely bit of skill to beat Milivojevic.

8.21pm BST

19 min Westwood’s wicked, inswinging corner from the left is booted off the line by van Aanholt at the far post. His clearance hits Dann in the face and ricochets towards the other corner, where it’s shovelled clear by Ward. The loose ball comes to McNeil, who rifles just over the bar from a tight angle.

8.18pm BST

17 min McNeil stabs a pass out to Brownhill, whose excellent cross is headed away by Dann with Cork waiting behind him. Good defending.

8.15pm BST

15 min Townsend sprays an excellent crossfield pass to Zaha on the left. He cuts into the area but runs into traffic and is dispossessed by Westwood.

8.13pm BST

13 min ... but he clips this one over the bar.

8.13pm BST

12 min Palace are starting to come into the game. After a patient build-up, McCarthur is fouled 22 yards from goal by Bardsley. This is close the position from which Milivojevic scored at Bournemouth.

8.10pm BST

9 min Ayew’s cutback just evades the stretching McArthur in the area. Tarkowski almost runs the loose ball straight to van Aanholt, but makes up for it with an important challenge.

8.07pm BST

7 min Taylor gets round the back on the left and drives a dangerous cross that is headed away by Cahill. It’s been a really confident start from Burnley, who are playing like the home side.

8.03pm BST

3 min Some good early possession for Burnley, albeit in deep positions.

8.01pm BST

2 min “11 May 1979,” begins Peter Richards. “I was at Selhurst Park witnessing football passion. Jus’ sayin.”

And a belting goal as well. For those who haven’t seen it, the story of that Palace team is brilliantly told in the BT Sport documentary Team of the Eighties.

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Burnley, in their green change strip, kick off from right to left. Palace are in red and blue stripes.

7.58pm BST

The players emerge on a cool, cloudy evening in south London. There are no fans but Glad All Over is blaring out of the tannoy.

7.43pm BST

“Hey Rob,” says J.R. in Illinois. “I just wanted to warn you, in case you weren’t aware, that Simon Hooper couldn’t referee his way out of a paper bag. He botched his first Premier League match (8 August 2015) so badly that he didn’t get another Premier League assignment until 31 January 2018.”

I’m sensing rancour.

7.12pm BST

Alternative live action department

7.08pm BST

Jay Rodriguez has failed a fitness test, so it looks like Burnley will play with Dwight McNeil as a No10. They are only able to name seven substitutes, and two of them are keepers.

Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1) Guaita; Ward, Dann, Cahill, van Aanholt; Milivojevic; Townsend, Kouyate, McArthur, Zaha; Ayew.
Substitutes: Hennessey, Sakho, Tavares, Woods, Mitchell, Meyer, McCarthy, Riedewald, Perrick.

2.01pm BST

Hello and welcome to the battle of the overachievers. By rights, and certainly by net spend, Crystal Palace and Burnley should be in a relegation battle. But they both sit comfortably in mid-table, having already reached the magic 40-point mark, and are only three points off a potential Europa League place. A win for either side would move them up to eighth, behind Tottenham Hotspur only on goal difference.

Palace had won four in a row before Liverpool duffed them up at Anfield last week. Burnley have lost only once since January, an even more emphatic defeat at the Etihad a week ago. Apart from one heavy defeat apiece, both teams have been in terrific form. There was even a bit of recognition for Sean Dyche when he was named Premier League Manager of the Month in February.

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Published on June 29, 2020 13:52

June 28, 2020

Newcastle v Manchester City: FA Cup quarter-final – live!

City will face Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals after a dominant performance at St James’ Park, with Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling getting the goals

8.48pm BST

8.22pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester City will play Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals after a dominant performance at St James’ Park. Newcastle were outplayed throughout, though the substitute Dwight Gayle missed a great chance to equalise in the 66th minute. Raheem Sterling went down the other end and made it 2-0 moments later, and that was that.

8.19pm BST

90+1 min Three minutes of added time. Joelinton is booked for hurting Otamendi.

8.18pm BST

90 min The game is over, but City are still relentlessly hunting another goal. When they play like this they are pretty awesome.

8.13pm BST

85 min Another brilliant cross from Mendy flies through the six-yard box.

8.09pm BST

82 min City are cruising to victory. Newcastle played well for the first 20 minutes of the second half, but Sterling’s goal finished them off.

8.06pm BST

79 min Another Newcastle change: Matty Longstaff replaces Isaac Hayden.

8.04pm BST

76 min Foden misses a good chance, clipping a shot wide after a good break from Sterling.

8.02pm BST

74 min That second goal has knocked the life out of Newcastle. Steve Bruce tries to revive them with another double change: DeAndre Yedlin and Valentino Lazaro replace Saint-Maximin, who didn’t have his best game, and Rose.

7.58pm BST

70 min Another double change for City: Rodri and Joao Cancelo replace Walker and De Bruyne.

7.58pm BST

70 min Drinks break.

7.57pm BST

Raheem Sterling has put City into the semi-finals with a fine goal. It started with Laporte, who whistled a brilliant crossfield pass to Foden on the halfway line. He roamed forward and found Sterling 25 yards from goal. Mendy made a great run on the outside, and Sterling used him by not using him. Instead he zipped infield, past Manquillo and Joelinton, and curled a low shot into the far corner. That’s a lovely goal.

7.56pm BST

It should be 1-1; instead it’s 2-0!

7.55pm BST

66 min: What a chance for Gayle! Newcastle should be level. Otamendi played a lazy pass straight to Saint-Maximin, just outside the area on the right. He charged past his man and drove a low cross that Gayle, eight yards out, spanked over the bar. He should have scored.

7.52pm BST

64 min And a double change for Newcastle: Joelinton and Dwight Gayle replace Andy Carroll and Miguel Almiron.

7.51pm BST

64 min A double change for City: Bernardo Silva and Phil Fodren replace David Silva and Riyad Mahrez.

7.51pm BST

63 min: Great defending from Rose! Mendy’s left-wing cross is chested down by Jesus, who is about to shoot when Rose stretches to make a vital interception.

7.49pm BST

61 min Carroll is booked for a late challenge on Laporte.

7.46pm BST

58 min Manquillo’s cross is volleyed away by Otamendi.

7.45pm BST

57 min It’s a better game now. City are still well on top but Newcastle are looking more threatening when they have the ball.

7.44pm BST

55 min Saint-Maximin, who was anonymous in the first half, is seeing more of the ball. He runs at Walker and hits a cross that beats everyone in the middle.

7.41pm BST

53 min Mahrez, 25 yards out, turns and swishes a spectacular rising drive just over the bar.

7.38pm BST

50 min Newcastle have been more aggressive since half-time, trying to win the ball higher up the pitch than they did in the first half.

7.34pm BST

47 min Newcastle have switched to a back four, with Schar now playing as a holding midfielder.

7.33pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Newcastle begin the second half.

7.31pm BST

And the draw is...

7.29pm BST

The draw for the semi-finals is being made during half-time of this match.

7.18pm BST

Peep peep! Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty has given City a thoroughly deserved lead. They have been outrageously dominant, even by their standards.

7.17pm BST

45+2 min Silva’s outswinging corner is headed this far wide by the backpedalling Laporte. Darlow didn’t move.

7.15pm BST

45 min Sean Longstaff shoots wide from 25 yards. The last few minutes have been a bit more encouraging for Newcastle.

7.14pm BST

44 min “Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “Do you think Schar just got tired of all the tracking, the holding shape, the lack of possession - with the (as t’were) Guardiolaness of it all? Usually a defender kicks Mahrez or Sterling up the bum or something, but it amounts to the same thing.”

Yes, absolutely. It was brainless defending, probably because his brain had been reduced to mush.

7.12pm BST

42 min Newcastle have a bit of possession for the time in the match, but Saint-Maximin drifts offside.

7.10pm BST

40 min This is honestly one of the most one-sided halves of football I have ever seen. City have played with savage purpose.

7.07pm BST

De Bruyne sends Darlow the wrong way. That’s his third successful penalty since he took over the role.

7.06pm BST

36 min That was such a needless penalty to give away. The City players didn’t even appeal but it was definitely a push.

7.06pm BST

35 min Schar pushes Jesus over in the area, the eejit, and City have a penalty.

7.04pm BST

34 min A lovely first-time pass from David Silva releases Sterling on the left side of the box. His attempted cutback is well blocked by the outrushing Darlow. This is comically one-sided.

7.02pm BST

33 min “Which team would you rather face in the semis?” says Digvijay Yadav. “And why Arsenal?”

7.02pm BST

32 min De Bruyne’s cross flashes past the head of Jesus in front of goal, though I think he was offside.

6.59pm BST

30 min “Perhaps I underestimate City,” says Ian Copestake, “but how difficult can it be for Newcastle to get up one of the wings high enough to launch a cross in for big Andy to wardrobe it towards goal?”

6.59pm BST

29 min It’s still 0-0. How is it still 0-0?

6.58pm BST

28 min “Rob,” says the Rev FB. “This game resembles Andorra v England, with one side sat deep with limited to no ambition. Still, I’m sure it’s cheering up the nation.”

6.57pm BST

27 min Newcastle have completed 15 passes in the game. City are about to go past 200.

6.56pm BST

25 min Sterling’s shot on the turn is beaten away by Darlow, and then Mendy leathers a low cross that flashes past everyone in the six-yard box. Time for a drinks break. Newcastle sure need one.

6.54pm BST

24 min: Good save by Darlow! Mahrez’s long-range hits a defender and deflects to Sterling, whose close-range shot is blocked by Darlow. Moments later, De Bruyne’s long-range shot hits Longstaff and deflects wide.

6.52pm BST

22 min Newcastle can’t get out of their half. It’s so one-sided.

6.51pm BST

20 min Longstaff overhits the free-kick. Goalkick to City.

6.50pm BST

20 min Otamendi foulds Carroll 30 yards from goal, a stupid piece of defending that gives Newcastle a set-piece opportunity.

6.49pm BST

19 min A lovely effort from Mahrez, who curls just wide of the far post from 25 yards. Darlow wouldn’t have got to it.

6.48pm BST

18 min City have had 85 per cent of the possession.

6.48pm BST

17 min Walker picks up a loose ball on the right wing and smashes a low cross towards the far post. The ball hits the heel of Jesus and flies just wide. He was slow to react, possibly because he thought Silva in front of him would score.

6.46pm BST

16 min At the other end De Bruyne’s long-range shot has the sting taken out of it by Sean Longstaff, and the ball loops through to the keeper Darlow.

6.44pm BST

14 min Carroll’s long-range shot takes a deflection and is comfortably held by Bravo.

6.42pm BST

12 min: Chance for Mahrez! De Bruyne’s low pass found its way through to Silva on the left edge of the penalty area. He played a square pass to tee up Mahrez, who whipped a curling shot over the bar. For a player of his class, that was a decent chance.

6.41pm BST

11 min Mendy thrashes a hopeful shot well wide of the near post.

6.40pm BST

10 min Jesus wins a corner for City, who are very dominant. It’s played short and worked across the field to Mahrez, whose shot from the edge of the area is blocked.

6.39pm BST

9 min City are playing an unusual 4-2-1-3 formation, with De Bruyne alongside Gundogan and David Silva a bit further forward.

6.35pm BST

5 min It’s all City at the moment. Saint-Maximin provides a bit of respite with a jaunty pirouette past two City players that allows Newcastle to beat the press for the first time.

6.33pm BST

4 min Laporte is okay to continue.

6.32pm BST

3 min Laporte is down after a clash of heads with Carroll.

6.31pm BST

2 min ... and Otamendi heads it over at the near post.

6.31pm BST

1 min A fast start from City, who win the first corner after 40 seconds. Mahrez will take it...

6.30pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Manchester City kick off from left to right. They are in their ice-lolly away strip; Newcastle are wearing black-and-white stripes.

6.27pm BST

The teams are out, and it’s time for the last FA Cup quarter-final. Let us have it.

6.06pm BST

Pre-match reading

5.46pm BST

Leicester 0-1 Chelsea Ross Barkley’s goal has put Chelsea into the semi-finals.

5.33pm BST

Andy Carroll starts a match for the first time this year, replacing Joelinton up front. He’ll be trying to unsettle Claudio Bravo, who starts in goal for City.

Newcastle (3-4-2-1) Darlow; Schar, Lascelles, Fernandez; Manquillo, Hayden, S Longstaff, Rose; Saint-Maximin, Almiron; Carroll.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Shelvey, Joelinton, Gayle, Muto, Krafth, Yedlin, Lazaro, M Longstaff.

12.28pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Newcastle’s first FA Cup quarter-final in 14 years. After beating Rochdale, Oxford and West Brom in the earlier rounds, they are now playing at the competition’s highest difficulty level: Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side will be in the mood to make Newcastle pay for Liverpool winning the league. Despite the pathetic defence of their league title, City could still end the season with three major trophies, so these aren’t exactly end times at the Etihad.

Newcastle drew 2-2 with City in the league and are in excellent form themselves, so they will feel they have a great chance of blowing the competition wide open. The match will be decided tonight, with extra-time and penalties if necessary. The winners will join Manchester United, Arsenal and

either Leicester or
Chelsea in the last four.

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Published on June 28, 2020 12:22

Sheffield United 1-2 Arsenal: FA Cup quarter-final – as it happened

The substitute Dani Ceballos scored a dramatic injury-time winner to shatter Sheffield United and put Arsenal through to the FA Cup semi-finals

3.24pm BST

3.01pm BST

2.59pm BST

Peep peep! Arsenal are into the semi-finals of the FA Cup after a hard-fought victory at Bramall Lane. Dani Ceballos scored a dramatic injury-time goal at a time when Sheffield United looked the likelier winners, and Mikel Arteta’s side will join Manchester United in the last four.

2.55pm BST

90+3 min An Arsenal change: Sokratis replaces Pepe.

2.55pm BST

Sheffield United have been mugged. Arsenal broke threee on three before Pepe was well tackled by Stevens in the area. Ceballos picked up the loose ball, danced past Stevens and slid the ball under Henderson from a tight angle. That wasn’t great keeping from Henderson, who left a pretty big gap at the near post.

2.54pm BST

And now it looks like Arsenal have won it!

2.53pm BST

90 min United are pushing for a winner now. After a corner is half cleared, Billy Sharp’s low shot is saved excellently at the near post by Martinez.

2.51pm BST

Robinson hurled the ball into the box from the left. Kolasinac hoofed it straight at Mustafi, a laughable piece of defending, and the ball rebounded perfectly for McGoldrick to volley in from four yards.

2.50pm BST

Sheffield United equalise from a long throw!

2.49pm BST

86 min Pepe leads an Arsenal break and finds Nketiah in the box. He tries to cut back inside Egan, who makes a good tackle.

2.47pm BST

84 min Sheffield United have had their moments in the second half, but they have really struggled to put Arsenal under sustained pressure.

2.46pm BST

82 min Henderson’s long kick almost breaks for McBurnie, who is about to shoot when Mustafi pokes the ball away.

2.43pm BST

80 min Tierney’s driven cross just evades Pepe at the near post.

2.41pm BST

78 min A corner to Sheffield United on the left. Norwood curls it towards the far post, where Robinson heads over under pressure.

2.38pm BST

76 min Billy Sharp replaces Chris Basham for Sheffield United.

2.38pm BST

75 min Robinson is booked for a cynical foul on Nketiah.

2.35pm BST

72 min United have some good attacking options on the bench, including Lys Mousset, Billy Sharp and Richairo Zivkovic. Now might be the time to introduce them.

2.32pm BST

69 min Time for a drinks break.

2.32pm BST

69 min A cracking long-range shot from Xhaka is well blocked by Robinson.

2.31pm BST

68 min Robinson’s long throw causes more chaos in the Arsenal area. Eventually Berge’s cross on the turn is kicked away at the near post.

2.29pm BST

67 min A double change for Arsenal. Dani Ceballos and Eddie Nketiah replace Willock and Lacazette.

2.29pm BST

66 min As in so many games since lockdown, the second half has been much more enjoyable.

2.25pm BST

62 min A Sheffield United change: Kieron Freeman replaces George Baldock.

2.25pm BST

62 min At the other end, Tierney’s deflected shot ricochets around the area before being lumped clear.

2.25pm BST

61 min Stevens overhits a through pass to McBurnie, which allows Martinez to come over his line and make an important interception.

2.24pm BST

60 min: Basham misses a sitter! This is so much better from Sheffield United, and they should be level. Robinson, on the left, curled a glorious deep cross towards Basham, who somehow headed wide from six yards.

2.22pm BST

58 min: Sheffield United have another goal disallowed! Norwood’s brilliant free-kick from the right found McGoldrick, whose close-range shot was superbly saved by Martinez. Egan headed the rebound into the newt but the flag had rightly gone up against McGoldrick.

2.20pm BST

56 min Dean Henderson’s wind-assisted goal kick almost goes in at the other end! It bounced just inside the penalty area and landed on the roof of the net with Martinez backpedalling frantically.

2.18pm BST

54 min Holding comes on for David Luiz.

2.17pm BST

53 min David Luiz is down with an injury. I’m not sure what the problem is but he’s going to be replaced by Rob Holding.

2.14pm BST

51 min Fleck drags a speculative cross-shot well wide from 20 yards. But it’s been a livelier start to the second half from Sheffield United.

2.11pm BST

48 min Robinson’s long, flat throw is headed on by McBurnie and saved comfortably by Martinez.

2.08pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Sheffield United begin the second half.

1.53pm BST

Half-time reading

1.53pm BST

Peep peep! Arsenal deservedly lead a muted Sheffield United thanks to Nicolas Pepe’s penalty. It wasn’t a great half of football, with a lack of quality and intensity from United in particular. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

1.49pm BST

45+4 min Tierney is down after a clash of heads with Baldock. I think he’s fine.

1.48pm BST

45+2 min Pepe’s free-kick from the left hits the unsighted David Luiz on the shoulder and flies well wide.

1.47pm BST

45+1 min “Hi,” says Berth Sundin. “Any news as to why Özil does not play today?”

He’s fit but didn’t travel with the squad. I assume he’ll leave the club at the end of the season. Don’t be surprised if he moves to Spurs.

1.46pm BST

45 min Seven minutes of added time. Ambassador...

1.46pm BST

45 min: Good chance for Pepe! That could have been 2-0. Arsenal moved the ball smoothly from back to front before Willock found Tierney in space on the left. He cut the ball back towards the edge of the area, where Pepe ran round the ball and curled a low shot just wide. He should have done better.

1.45pm BST

44 min A decent effort from Norwood, whose swept shot from 20 yards is well held by the falling Martinez.

1.44pm BST

44 min We’re all friends here, so let us speak frankly. This hasn’t been a great half of football.

1.44pm BST

43 min Maitland-Niles’ fiercely driven cross is pushed up in the air by Henderson. It drops to Saka, who misses his kick, and then Tierney’s 25-yard shot drifts wide.

1.41pm BST

42 min David Luizwatch: he’s been fine.

1.40pm BST

40 min In fact the referee didn’t give Sheffield United a free-kick, he just stopped play because of the collision.

1.39pm BST

39 min Both players are back on their feet, though Willock looks very groggy.

1.38pm BST

37 min Willock and McBurnie collide just outside the Arsenal area. Both are flat on their back and look badly winded. The referee has given a free-kick to United, which looks a bit generous.

1.35pm BST

35 min Lundstram is extremely tough but he is clearly in a lot of pain. Sander Berge has come on to replace him.

1.33pm BST

33 min Arsenal are playing some decent stuff now, and Sheffield United are hanging on a little bit.

1.32pm BST

32 min Lundstram is feeling his shoulder after falling awkwardly. I’m not sure he’ll be able to continue.

1.31pm BST

31 min Fleck is booked for a foul on Lacazette.

1.30pm BST

29 min: Good save from Henderson! Pepe almost gets his second. Lacazette teed him up with a simple square pass, 20 yards from goal, and Pepe rifled a low drive that was palmed behind by the diving Henderson.

1.29pm BST

29 min Fleck’s long-range shot is blocked on the edge of the area.

1.27pm BST

26 min Time for a drinks break. The consensus is that Basham did foul Lacazette, even if it was a relatively innocuous tackle. It was a brave decision from the referee Paul Tierney, because nobody really appealed.

1.26pm BST

Pepe scores! It was a decent penalty, dragged low to the right. Henderson went the right way but couldn’t reach it.

1.25pm BST

25 min Pepe is going to take the penalty...

1.24pm BST

23 min: Penalty to Arsenal! Basham has been penalised for a tackle from behind on Lacazette just inside the area. It looks a bit soft but there was some contact and I don’t think it will be overturned by VAR.

1.23pm BST

22 min Willock’s corner goes straight to Fleck at the near post. I’ve no idea what he was trying there.

1.22pm BST

22 min Pepe gets round the back and crosses to the near post, where the stretching Robinson concedes a corner.

1.21pm BST

20 min Honestly, nothing.

1.20pm BST

19 min I don’t know what to say. Nothing is happening.

1.16pm BST

15 min Arsenal’s build-up play is so ponderous. United look sharper on the counter-attack.

1.13pm BST

13 min Robinson’s very long throw skims off the head of Mustafi at the near post and just evades the stretching McGoldrick in front of goal. Sheffield United look very dangerous from set pieces.

1.13pm BST

12 min Arsenal have had 70 per cent of the possession, though they’ve done bugger all with it as yet.

1.10pm BST

Norwood’s corner was headed back across goal by McBurnie and nodded in from a yard by Lundstram. But replays showed he was definitely offside, and VAR Man intervened accordingly.

1.09pm BST

John Lundstram gices Sheffield United the lead! Hang on, I think he’s offside.

1.08pm BST

8 min McGoldrick makes a good run down the left and pulls the ball back to Robinson, whose shot deflects wide off Xhaka.

1.07pm BST

6 min Egan’s backpass is a bit short, forcing Henderson to run outside his area to hoof clear.

1.03pm BST

3 min A slow start to the game. Norwood’s free-kick from the right whistles past everyone and out for a goalkick.

1.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Arsenal, in their yellow away strip, kick off from left to right. Sheffield United are in red and white.

12.56pm BST

“Sheffield United and Arsenal in the FA Cup?” muses Matt Dony. “Has anyone mentioned Seaman’s save from Peschisolido, yet? Very different times for both clubs, back then. Looking back, Arsenal had a truly amazing squad in those days. And Jeremie Aliadiere.”

Seventeen years, man! Phil Jagielka was involved in that game as well.

12.53pm BST

“Arteta may have a plan, but it looks at times more like the endless twisting of the kaleidoscope until something attractive appears,” says Charles Antaki. “Symmetry, colour, sparkle.. not the obvious current characteristics of Arsenal lineups. Hon. mention though to Bukayo Saka, of course, as a bit of light in the murk.”

He is wonderful. For an 18-year-old, his vision and decision-making are eerily good. Where would you play him? In a very good team I would definitely put him at left-back, but wonder if Arsenal are better off with him on the wing while they develop a team.

12.36pm BST

Pre-match reading

12.09pm BST

Sheffield United’s team is pretty much as expected. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is only on the bench for Arsenal, while Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil aren’t in the squad.

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

11.36am BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Sheffield United and Arsenal at Bramall Lane. Two weeks ago, United would have been favourites for this game. But they have been surprisingly poor since lockdown and Arsenal, empowered by a good win at Southampton in the week, will fancy their chances of reaching their first domestic semi-final of the post-Wenger era.

There’s approximately 0.00 per cent chance of United playing as poorly as they did at St James’ Park and Old Trafford, though, so this match is very hard to call. The two teams are separated by only one point in the league as well.

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Published on June 28, 2020 07:02

June 26, 2020

Liverpool are crowned Premier League champions – live reaction!

Reds end 30-year wait | Klopp hails ‘incredible moment’Barney Ronay: Red machine at peak of its powerGet in touch! Email Scott or send us your thoughts

9.30am BST

This isn’t just about Liverpool. What about their vanquished rivals Manchester City, whose attempt to join the ranks of Huddersfield Town, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United as three-peat title-winners unravelled in the grand style? Jacob Steinberg has been looking into that, and here’s his verdict.

9.20am BST

Speaking of goals, here’s how Liverpool have spread them out this season:

17: Mohamed Salah
15: Sadio Mane
8: Roberto Firmino
4: Virgil van Dijk
3: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Divock Origi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Georginio Wijnaldum
2: Fabinho, James Milner, own goals
1: Naby Keita, Adam Lallana, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, Xherdan Shaqiri

9.16am BST

A message from Liverpool’s leading goalscorer this season ...

Yes. It feels THAT good. I want to thank all our supporters watching us from all corners of the world. You made this possible for us and I hope we can keep bringing you the joy you deserve. now they’re gonna believe us pic.twitter.com/bqkXM1Fjpj

9.10am BST

♫ ♯ Thank you for the days, those endless days, those sacred days you gave me / I’m thinking of the days, I won’t forget a single day, believe me ♯ ♫ Less than ten years ago, this was happening. Never give up hope, kids. There’s always hope.

9.00am BST

Jordan Henderson has become the first Liverpool captain since Alan Hansen to lead his team to the championship. He’s been struggling to take it all in. Here’s what he told Liverpool’s official website:

It’s hard to describe, to be honest. But after the final whistle it was just an amazing feeling, especially to spend it with all the lads and the staff.
To finally get over the line is a relief but also an amazing feeling. It’s a unique feeling and one that I’m very proud of.
I’ve been so honoured to be part of this football club right from the first moment that I came and to go on the journey to be with this manager, this group of players, these fans - it’s been so special.
But we’ll enjoy this, we’ll celebrate, but then I know in the next few days they’ll be straight onto the next game, which is City, and finishing the season off as well as we can.
We want to win every game and we want to finish off with the highest points record we can and give everything we’ve got and then we’ll go into next season and we’ll want even more.
There were numerous games where I felt there were big results and big performances in certain stages of the season. But at the same time I never got carried away after a win or a performance - it was literally ‘job done, let’s pick it up next game and go again and keep doing that until we get to this point’.
You never know what is going to happen in football.

8.50am BST

Liverpool have passed up some chances to win the Premier League before, of course. Think back to 1996-97, 2002-03 and last season. But none were as bitter as 2013-14. Let’s not rake over old coals, suffice to say that an old friend is very happy this morning.

Congratulations to all @liverpoolfc on winning the premier league . Incredible achievement from a fantastic squad of top players . Lead by a world class manager and coaching team also a special mention for the backing from FSG . And lastly and most importantly the fans who have waited 30 years . ❤️ let the party begin

8.35am BST

It was 30 years ago today ... give or take a couple of months. Here’s how the Observer reported on Liverpool’s slightly fortuitous deal-sealing victory over QPR at the business end of the 1989-90 season. Thanks to Jason Rodrigues for doing the digging. Aston Villa fans may enjoy the final paragraph, a harbinger of things to come.

8.27am BST

Player ratings. Our man on Merseyside, Andy Hunter, has run the rule over Liverpool’s first title-winning squad since the days of

Mike Marsh, Nick Tanner and David Burrows
Ian Rush, John Barnes and Alan Hansen. Here’s his verdict ... and he hasn’t gone in two-footed on Dejan Lovren, we’re all about spreading the love today.

8.18am BST

Now’s as good a moment as any for some cheap triumphalism. As Mohamed Salah said the other day, it’s Liverpool’s time. So here’s a not-particularly-comprehensive list of most major trophies won by English clubs.

48: Liverpool
45: Manchester United
30: Arsenal

8.11am BST

Good morning Liverpool fans.

8.04am BST

And I will bid you farewell and hand over to my colleague in London, Scott Murray, with a few of the newspaper headlines Liverpool fans will be waking up to this morning (quite possibly with sore heads).

CORONAVIRUS CHAOS ON THE BEACHES dominates most of the front pages, but “Kop Idols” is the headline in the Express, while the Daily Star goes for “On Klopp of the World”. “Kop Kings” is in the Metro, while “The wait is over” appears in the Mirror. The back page of this esteemed publication goes with the headline from Barney Ronay’s excellent piece: A sporting machine at the peak of it power. Which you can read here.

7.33am BST

We’ve heard how police have warned of the Covid-19 risks associated with large gatherings such as the one seen around Anfield last night. Here are some more details of where other celebrations were going on, courtesy of Reuters:

The celebrations took over the city centre, with the Cunard Building, by the Pier Head, lit up in red for the night. Elsewhere, St Luke’s Church, known locally as the bombed-out church, became a focal point for fans to congregate, let off fireworks and go through their repertoire of songs. Cars were kept out of the area by police but supporters around the city blared their horns in jubilation.

6.57am BST

I don’t think we’ve covered off the thoughts of these former players yet, so here they are.

Luis Garcia: “... What a fantastic achievement. Congrats to all the players, staff and board member. I’m not forgetting the supporters. Enjoy the moment, it’s been a long time but finally is here!!”

6.32am BST

This just in from my colleague, Martin Farrer, on the large numbers of fans who gathered at Anfield last night which prompted warnings from police concerned about people flouting social-distancing rules.

Merseyside police Asst Chief Cons Rob Carden said the region had been “disproportionately affected” by the coronavirus pandemic and its residents had a responsibility to prevent further cases.

5.55am BST

More reaction, if you can handle it, and perhaps some insight into why this team is so far ahead of others (Papa Klopp).

Andy Robertson: “As a squad we’re so close. We love coming in to training every single day. If somebody is having a bad game, we dig them out of a hole and we stick together on the pitch, we stick together off the pitch – that’s why this squad is so special. I love being a part of it.

5.28am BST

A “completely overwhelmed” Klopp has spoken of the countdown to the final whistle at Stamford Bridge, while watching on from afar. “In that moment it was a pure explosion... then pure... I cannot describe it. It was a really nice moment.”

5.15am BST

If this moment in history doesn’t call for peace and love from one of the Fab Four, I don’t know what does.

Congratulations Liverpool number one I send you peace and love. ✌️☮️ pic.twitter.com/RESqHTbWl1

5.04am BST

Praise is flowing as freely as a bloated Mersey on a rainy day, and as you’d expect it’s a bit of a love-in. Several Liverpool greats have been queuing up to heap praise on Klopp’s side with Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness and Mark Lawrenson all acknowledging the job Klopp has done.

Dalglish oversaw the club’s last triumph 30 years ago said he would never have expected to have waiting so long for another. “If you would have said that, you would have been arrested and sectioned,” Dalglish told BT Sport. “Sometimes things happen, but certainly the last two years and since Juergen has come in it’s been very positive. He’s been fantastic and epitomises everything Liverpool stand for, he appreciates and respects everyone that works at the club.

4.45am BST

You know what they say, “red sky in the morning, Liverpool won the title the night before”.

Eerie sky outside the BBC this morning. pic.twitter.com/Sa0oYK5Ou1

4.39am BST

More from Klopp now, courtesy of the club’s official website: the German has dedicated the victory to fans, and picked out several former players and managers. This is why he is loved by Liverpool fans, he gets the club.

“My message is: it’s for you out there ... I hope you feel it. It’s for so many people. Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness spoke to me ... they were very positive. That’s nice but it’s thanks to them because this club is built on what they did. It’s built ... on [Bill] Shankly, [Bob] Paisley and [Joe] Fagan and all the others, but on these players... Steven Gerrard – this club’s built on, in the last 20 years, on Stevie’s legs. He had to carry all the pressure. He did that exceptionally.

4.12am BST

Thanks Bryan in New York. The baton is now passed across to Sydney for continued coverage of this story, which has thoroughly global significance.

For now though, let’s just enjoy some of the reaction on the streets of Liverpool, while trying to forget there’s still a pandemic raging for just a moment.

3.58am BST

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was at a loss for words on Thursday when prompted to express the feeling of ending the club’s three-decade hoodoo.

“I could never in words describe the feeling of winning the Premier League, just like I couldn’t describe winning the Champions League,” the 30-year-old midfielder told the club’s website. “It’s a unique feeling and one that, again, I’m very proud of. I’ve been so honoured to be part of this football club right from the first moment that I came and to go on the journey to be with this manager, this group of players, these fans – it’s been so special. But we’ll enjoy this, we’ll celebrate, but then I know in the next few days they’ll be straight onto the next game, which is City, and finishing the season off as well as we can.

3.31am BST

Thousands of Liverpool supporters descended on Anfield Road on Thursday night to revel in the club’s first top-flight title in three decades. While the celebrations were roundly peaceful, the social distancing guidelines in response to the coronavirus pandemic were in many cases all but ignored.

That prompted the following statement from assistant chief constable Rob Carden of Merseyside Police early Friday morning:

I would like to congratulate Liverpool FC on deservedly winning the Premier League title, and thank the thousands of Liverpool fans across Merseyside who celebrated at home, as they have for the previous games played behind closed doors.

The overwhelming majority of fans have recognised the fact that now is not the time to gather together to celebrate, and chose to mark the event safely. They are a credit to this city.

3.09am BST

My colleague Andy Hunter has followed up his match report with a sidebar on Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who became overcome with emotion in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s long-awaited 19th top-flight title.

“It’s much more than I ever thought would be possible,” the 53-year-old said. “Becoming champion with this club is absolutely incredible.”

Klopp and his players gathered at Formby Hall golf club, not far from the German’s home on Merseyside, to watch Chelsea’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge and erupted in celebration on the final whistle. The scenes were recreated across Merseyside where, despite appeals from police, thousands of fans congregated outside Anfield and road blocks were set up around the stadium. Fireworks and car horns could be heard.

“What can I say? It’s an incredible moment,” Klopp said in an interview with Sky. “I couldn’t be more proud of my coaching staff and all the people in Liverpool since we came in. It’s been a really exciting ride since the first day and it is not over yet. We watched it all together with the boys and it looks like there are still a good few more years left in their legs. It’s more than I ever dreamed of.

2.46am BST

Champions of England, champions of Europe and champions of the world. The latter of which includes such far-flung locales as New Zealand, from where reader Catherine Downes writes in to say: “My husband Maciek playing the Liverpool anthem as we celebrate!”

Congratulations to the best team in the world (according to my wife who knows) on winning the league! I’m playing my Suhr Classic through a Kemperprofiler with Michael Britt Dumbleamp amp. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was originally penned by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The full version is on my IGTV channel. Champions! My latest album AWA available on: Spotify https://spoti.fi/35yd85h . Apple Music https://apple.co/37Dm4b0 . I-tunes music https://apple.co/39MKT68 #liverpool #liverpoolfc #jazz #guitar #champions #football #jazzguitar #surhguitars #surhcustom #anfield #PL #premierleague #teamklopp #klopp #covers #rodgersandhammerstein @liverpoolfc @liverpool @jurgenklopp10 @merseyradio @rnzmusic @radionewzealand @bbcmerseysport @suhrcustom @bbc_introducing_merseyside @5livesport #dumbleamp

2.14am BST

NBA superstar LeBron James, the 35-year-old centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers who obtained a 2% stake in Fenway Sports Group back in 2011, was among the first to congratulate Liverpool on today’s long-awaited Premier League title.

PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET’S GO @LFC #YNWA♥️

1.40am BST

The sun is just going down in New York but Reds throughout the city are raging on into the night. Typically the center of the party would be the 11th Street Pub in the East Village, which is the headquarters of the Liverpool FC Supporter’s Club of NYC, in addition to the six other bars across the city LFCNY works with to accommodate overflow crowd. But the coronavirus pandemic mostly left the group’s 750-strong membership, which Wells estimates are half Americans and half expats, watching today’s match separately while keeping in touch via Zoom and WhatsApp.

“Due to Covid most people watched at home, but a few of our bars with outdoor space were able to host small crowds,” LFCNY president Justin Wells tells the Guardian. “We’re planning some sort of party at 11th Street when it’s safe.”

Champions. That’s it. That’s the tweet.

1.05am BST

Liverpool’s dominant season in chart form:

1.00am BST

It’s 1am in the UK, and I suspect/hope the Liverpool players are very, very drunk. I’m going to hand over to Bryan Armen Graham in the US. Thanks for your company and emails on an iconic date in English football history. In 1990, you’d have got seriously long odds on Liverpool winning their next title on 25 June 2020.

12.51am BST

You’ll all have your favourite memory of the season. There were many more spectacular moments, but I still think this second goal exemplifies the exhilarating brilliance and leadpipe cruelty of this Liverpool side.

12.47am BST

A bit more from the wires

Steven Gerrard hailed Liverpool’s “incredible achievement” in being crowned champions for the first time in the Premier League era.

12.43am BST

From the news wires

Liverpool and Manchester City have set the benchmark for the rest of the Premier League to follow, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said after masterminding the 2-1 win over City that handed the Reds their first league title in 30 years on Thursday.

12.38am BST

I’ve been thinking a lot about two people tonight, my colleagues Gregg Bakowski and Scott Murray. Two of the finer blokes and journalists you’ll ever meet, who had to put up with me luxuriating in Manchester United’s title wins of the 2000s, so it’s lovely to see Gregg’s name pop up in my inbox:

This is Klopp’s title Rob. He’s made good players into incredible ones and I don’t think they would be so effective under another manager in a different system. His impact at the club has been immense. With apologies to talented people at Guardian Towers, I’d love him to be my boss.

12.32am BST

12.31am BST

A reminder that, though comments aren’t open on this blog, you can have your say below the line on Barney Ronay’s brilliant tribute to the champions.

12.29am BST

12.27am BST

Huge congrats to everyone at @LFC on winning the @premierleague. Unbelievable squad, magnificent manager, great staff but above all my sincere congrats to every single LFC supporter. You've been waiting so long and finally that desired trophy is yours. Very well deserved#YNWA pic.twitter.com/hf6DzX6fOP

12.26am BST

“Hey Rob,” says Tony Barr. “Moved to England from Glasgow in 1977 when my dad needed a job. Who else was I going to support but the new team of my boyhood hero? Things were easy and fun for many years, but Heysel and Hillsborough proved an uncomfortable background to my coming of age.
“I don’t need to tell you about the intervening 30 years, but I will say that it’s not just the fact we’ve won the league, but the manner in which it’s been done that moves me to write. The character of the manager and the team and their perfect relationship with their home city is something you can’t manufacture. Not least of all the stories that make up the success. That Andy Robertson retweet never fails to get me filling up. “I’ve got plenty to do tomorrow but I’m not done reading and watching the highlights yet.” Yeah, that’s a very good point. The background of the players is interesting, and the clubs from which they were signed: Southampton, Roma, Schalke, Newcastle, Monaco, Charlton, Hull, Hoffenheim, Lille, Stoke, Leipzig. They became superstars together. I’m no Liverpool fan but you’d have to be a bit odd not to find them thoroughly admirable.

12.17am BST

“I used to live Liverpool’s victories from the late seventies through the eighties with my brother and it defined our childhood,” says Ian Copestake. “But life brings amazing changes and I am glad this comes in a different time because it is just as sweet and I have so many other people to share it with including the best Guardian MBMers and MBMees!”

We should all meet up sometime. I’ll be on the Kerguelen Islands for the next few years if you’re passing that way.

12.08am BST

In the 13 years up to May 2019, Liverpool won only one trophy, the Carling Cup or whatever it was called in 2011-12.

In the last 13 months, they’ve won the Champions League, the Super Club, the World Club Cup and now the Premier League.

12.04am BST

“Hi Rob,” says Chris Kempshall. “So I was only six years old in 1990. I understood the nature/existence of football and having watched a Liverpool game previously and been amazed by John Barnes (my hero before I understood heroes) I was a fan, but I didn’t really understand. I watched the VHS of the 89/90 season to death but going through the school years as Liverpool withered away was not a great deal of fun.

“Looking back on it tonight, it’s amazing just how long it all feels. We’ve had more complete collapses and rebuilds than title challenges. After the 2013/14 season I did genuinely wonder if it was ever going to happen. Tonight is, therefore, something I’ve basically waited my whole life for. Those 30 years did not fly by...”

12.02am BST

Interlude

12.00am BST

life at this age is rubbish with no money #needajob

11.56pm BST

Tell the world…

We are Liverpool, champions of England. pic.twitter.com/altgWn1Wda

11.55pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “I don’t know anything about Rockstar by Dababy ft. Roddy Ricch but this is the tune that I’ll remember this day by.”

11.54pm BST

Liverpool FC have climbed onto the walls around Anfield and there are three on the roof of The Park pub as celebrations continue on the streets around the stadium pic.twitter.com/De615qT6TC

11.53pm BST

Andy Hunter has a round-up of the reaction to Liverpool’s triumph, including Jurgen Klopp’s emotional interview

11.49pm BST

“I was nineteen back in 1990: fresh-faced and carefree,” says Madge Stapleton. “Never did l think l’d have to wait thirty years to see success again. I have fifteen red shirts (and one yellow David James one) to remind me of the heartache and the near misses and the absolute despair at times. None of it matters now. Klopp is crying, Virg is dancing and I’m nineteen (19!) again.”

And Jack Charlton’s Ireland are in the World Cup quarter-finals!

11.48pm BST

Liverpool clinched the title because of Manchester City’s eighth league defeat of the season. That’s a scandal for a team of their quality, and Pep Guardiola surely won’t let it happen next season.

11.45pm BST

“It’s mad how few near misses we’ve had over 30 years,” says Niall Mullen. “1990-91, when we started like a train, is often forgotten, I guess because it happened before modern football. But between losing at home to Coventry in 1997 and Andrei Arshavin scoring four in 2009 we never really got close. 2014 was a bit of an aberration, like the time the beautiful girl goes out with you for a few months before coming to her senses. It’s almost an achievement to have been out of contention for so long.”

11.43pm BST

There’s a bit of a police presence at Anfield, though it doesn’t sound like they are doing much. That particular horse has long since done one.

11.38pm BST

The evening’s burning question has finally been answered

“Got the crisps,” says Ian Copestake.

11.30pm BST

Here’s Barney Ronay on Liverpool’s title triumph

Make no mistake, this was an annihilation. Liverpool didn’t just outrun the rest of the field. From late summer into spring they seemed to be operating to a different set of physical laws, marching the Premier League around in a headlock, ruffling its hair, flicking its ears.

11.26pm BST

“I wonder,” says Simon McMahon, “if anyone will remember that Rockstar by Dababy ft. Roddy Ricch was No.1 this week when Liverpool win the league again in 2050...”

11.26pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Jan Krcmar. “I’m ‘celebrating’ at home in Prague, while my wife and kids are asleep. I had plans to travel to Liverpool for the original title parade and I waited so ridiculously long to actually book the plane tickets, because I thought I would jinx it. I originally said, I’d buy the tickets after the City game, then after the Leicester game and I waited until the end of January to buy them and then... oh, well. Sorry, I now have to go and wake up our six-year-old son and tell him the news.”

11.24pm BST

This is Liverpool’s Premier League record since the start of last season (spoiler: it’s astonishing)

P69 W58 D9 L2 F159 A43 Pts 183

11.21pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Paul Spencer. “I’ve been a Liverpool fan since the ‘74 season. I’ve seen a lot, good and bad, but this one hits me in the soul. I was doing a pretty good ‘stoic old man’ impression until Jurgen started crying, but that left me sobbing like a baby. It’s mid-afternoon on the west coast of America (home now, at least for a while). I’m going to step out and lose my mind now. I may be gone for some time.”

11.20pm BST

I’m just catching up with Jurgen Klopp’s interview on Sky Sports. Bless him, he couldn’t control the tears and ended up walking away.

It’s such a big moment, I’m completely overwhelmed. I never would have thought I would feel like this. I had no idea. It’s just... sorry, gentlemen, I am sealed, all the best.

11.12pm BST

The near misses of the last 30 years don’t matter any more. David James’ PlayStation odyssey; Rafa Benitez’s presentation; Steven Gerrard’s slip. They’re all part of the backstory now.

11.10pm BST

“Hello Rob,” says Samuel Hewetson. “I’m not an ardent football fan, but am cheering along with the loudest of them tonight. My grandfather Richard lived and breathed Liverpool FC. He watched every match, every season, religiously. Since 1990 he had been hoping for today’s win. Sadly he passed away last year, and never got to witness the club being crowned champions again. This is a huge cathartic moment for our family; we can now celebrate for him.”

11.09pm BST

There’s a helluva party going on at Anfield, with thousands of fans congregating outside the ground. It’s like Bournemouth beach over there.

11.07pm BST

The Liverpool squad celebrating!!! pic.twitter.com/5zNKiqt0j2

11.03pm BST

“Evening, Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “I haven’t dared do anything except dip in fleetingly to the MBM tonight, the last week, this season actually, for fear of jinxing. The likes of Matt Dony are more resilient than me. Being old enough to name Steve Heighway as my first hero as a nipper, it’s been so long this truly started to seem like the impossible dream.

“There will be a lot written tonight, and in the coming days, about Klopp, and rightly so. But FSG deserve praise as well. They haven’t got everything right, even quite recently, but they’ve been able to admit when they’ve made mistakes and put them right, and crucially they had a plan that was always centred around recruiting Klopp, they’ve put the infrastructure and the funds in place to back him, and remembering the night I found myself chatting to fellow Reds BTL on some obscure regional paper site in the States as Hicks and Gillett made a last desperate attempt to keep hold of the club, tonight seemed like an impossible dream back then.

11.01pm BST

“It’s been more than a 30-year wait for me,” says Robert Tyler. “Liverpool have been my team since 1971, when four-year-old me felt sorry for them when Charlie George scored in the FA CUp Final. I got to enjoy a few years of triumphs, but we moved to the States in the summer of 77 and I’ve been here ever since. Without the internet and no coverage of football in the USA, I completely missed out on the glory of the 80s, including the last title in the 90s. So this is my first league title in 43 years. Not sure how to even process this.”

I wouldn’t bother trying, at least not for the first week.

10.56pm BST

“Hey Rob,” says Oskar Kostecki. “Tearing up at work in NYC right now. So proud of the whole team for the quality, focus and dedication shown these past few seasons. The never-say-die attitude and the refusal to give up is truly inspirational. Special shout-out to Andy Robertson, who for me is such an embodiment of this team, and so happy for all his achievements these past few years!”

10.54pm BST

10.53pm BST

And here’s Jordan Henderson...

“Who’s having that, by the way... Am I on live? [Where are you all, then?] We’re not in the house. I don’t think I can give the location in case loads of people turn up. [I could swear that’s Barnard Castle in the background.] It’s an amazing feeling, you know. I haven’t wanted to speak about it for a long time. You keep trying to get us to talk about but I didn’t want to. Now we’ve finally done it and it’s an amazing feeling.

10.47pm BST

Here’s Virgil van Dijk, the man whose signing made it all possible

“Unbelievable. What a season so far. Incredible, incredible, to be part of this group of players. I’m very proud to call myself a Premier League winner. I don’t watch too many games but tonight’s felt like it was taking ages. I haven’t been that nervous in a while. We’re all proud of each other; I can’t really describe the feeling.”

10.43pm BST

From the news wires

“Liverpool’s principal owner John W Henry paid tribute to the team’s ‘magnificent achievement’.

10.42pm BST

“I’m enjoying tonight with a bottle of whisky,” says Matt Dony, “and I will continue to do so until one of us is drunk. By the other one. (Joke c/o John Finnemore.) All jokes aside, this is magnificent. Realistically, other titles could potentially come, but this season seems unrepeatable. The team have been better than any of us could have imagined. Everything has come together. Pick any adjective, and it’s still an understatement.

“Klopp could not have fit in better. It’s a cliche that some people just ‘get’ clubs, but something about the Klopp/Liverpool connection just seems magical. Every player has contributed. It’s an amazing time to be a Liverpool fan. We’ve had some troughs to get to this peak, but my word, what a peak. Seven games to spare. Seven games out of 38. It barely makes sense. Nothing makes sense anymore. Staggered.”

10.40pm BST

Still no Jurgen Klopp, but here’s Pep Guardiola

“Big congratulations to Liverpool for this great season and the title they won. We have a lot to play for this season but of course we will try to be close to Liverpool next season. We were not consistent like the previous season. They had incredible focus and played every game like it was the last game. In the beginning we didn’t play that way. We cannot forget that we are second in the league so we are still better than a lot of teams.”

10.37pm BST

Jurgen Klopp is on BT Sport... and his sound isn’t working! Ach.

10.36pm BST

Here’s a special video on how Jurgen Klopp turned Liverpool into the best team in the world - and England.

10.35pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Gerry Scott. “When was the last time the Championship was won by such a fun team? Even Pep’s City in their pomp attract something closer than awe than affection. Whatever this Liverpool team goes on to I think they will be remembered fondly by a lot of people.”

Plenty will prefer City, but I know exactly what you mean. They remind me the most, especially in their tempo and defiant spirit, of a team that probably shouldn’t be mentioned on a Liverpool celebration blog.

10.35pm BST

10.30pm BST

“Hi Rob!” says Annabelle Garnett. “We did it. I am just so proud and happy with their emphatic win. I am sitting here in my lounge in New Zealand wondering how inappropriate it would be to have a drink at 9.30 in the morning. Go Liverpool. Here’s to you, from over here.”

Given the experiences of the average New Zealand sports fan in the last 12 months, I reckon you’ve earned a special brunch.

10.29pm BST

Thanks for all your emails. There’s a lot going on,

and my flight to the Kerguelen Islands leaves in 20 minutes,
but I’ll try to publish a few of them. You can also have your say below the line on Andy Hunter’s news story.

10.28pm BST

WE’RE PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!! pic.twitter.com/qX7Duxoslm

10.28pm BST

More from Sir Kenny Dalglish and his phone

“The dressing-room is the same PING! as it was [in 1990]. There’s no arrogance, there’s no Jack-the-lads. They’re all very humane lads. You hear stories about them going in for petrol and paying PING! PING! for everybody’s petrol in the station. They buy people food. They seem to be very PING! human beings, and by the way, as well as being successful, it makes them good lads.

10.27pm BST

And here’s Jonathan Liew’s report from Stamford Bridge.

10.23pm BST

1901, 1906, 1922, 1923, 1947, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2020

Here’s the great Scott Murray on Liverpool’s second last title victory.

10.19pm BST

Sir Kenny Dalglish is speaking on BT Sport, and his phone is pinging every two seconds.

“If you’d said it would be 30 years, you’d have been arrested and sectioned. Since Jurgen’s come in, it’s been very positive all the way through. He epitomises everything that Liverpool Football Club stands for. It’s not just a one-off because last year they came within a point of it. By the way, onwards and upwards. I think we’ve got a lot more happy days to look forward to as long as Jurgen’s there.

2.35pm BST

First Europe, then the world and now the final frontier: England. Liverpool’s path to global domination may look a bit haphazard, but this is exactly the way it should be. The Premier League was always the one they wanted the most. It’s been an inevitability since 4.43pm on 10 November 2019, when Mo Salah’s exhilarating goal put them 2-0 up at home to Manchester City, and now it’s official: Liverpool are champions of England!

The circumstances are a bit weird, there’s no point denying it. But while Covid-19 may dilute the euphoria of the moment, it doesn’t diminish the achievement one little bit. Two years ago Liverpool finished fourth, 25 points behind Manchester City, and were just another team reduced to domestic irrelevance by Pep Guardiola. But unlike the others, and even though they had three decades of history on their back, Liverpool accepted the challenge of a City side that looked unconquerable.

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Published on June 26, 2020 01:30

June 25, 2020

Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Willian’s second-half penalty after Fernandinho’s red card for handball sealed the title for Liverpool and boosted Chelsea’s top-four hopes

12.49am BST

10.26pm BST

We’ll leave you with Jonathan Liew’s report:

10.10pm BST

10.09pm BST

Full time: Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City That’s it! A vital win for Chelsea, and an even bigger one for Liverpool. They have won the title in record time, with an outrageous seven games to spare. Turns out not even Covid-19 could stop them.

Well, I’d love to stop and chat but I’m off

to the Kerguelen Islands for a few years
to look after our Liverpool celebration blog. They’re the champions of England, and they are entirely magnificent.

10.06pm BST

90+3 min Ederson makes a terrific save from Pedro, flying to his left to fingertip a curling shot past hte post.

10.04pm BST

90+1 min A double change for Chelsea. Pedro and Billy Gilmour replace Mason Mount and the excellent Christian Pulisic.

10.03pm BST

90 min After thirty years and three months, Liverpool have another six minutes to wait.

10.01pm BST

87 min “I’m about to see Liverpool win the title for the first time in 30 years,” says Philip Riston. “I’m going to savour the next ten minutes!”

Surely it’s time for someone to mention that wonderful scene in Out of Sight; that exquisite little window between knowing something euphoric is about to happen and actually experiencing it.

9.59pm BST

86 min A corner to City, who are still attacking as if they mean it, bless them. It’s half clear to Sterling, who rakes a poor pass behind for a goalkick.

9.58pm BST

85 min “In the Cure’s Pictures of You, number 48 on that fateful week, Robert Smith celebrates his former lover who ‘finally found all [her] courage to let it all go’,” says Phil Podolsky. “That’s what City should do. Give up. That’s what life if all about, fellas. Giving up.”

You’ve been watching Fight Club on loop again haven’t you.

9.57pm BST

84 min Azpilicueta’s cross drifts teasingly along the six-yard box. City know it’s over.

9.56pm BST

83 min “That Top 40 from 1990 is practically the tracklist of Now 17 (if you were to promote Orbital’s ‘Chime’ by about 35 places), which is the best pop compilation ever released,” says Ed. “NB. By ‘ever’, I mean - with typical millennial solipsism - ‘since I started listening to pop music’, obvs. There might have been some good ones in the 60s.”

9.54pm BST

81 min “Ok,” says Matt Dony. “Winning the title following a cynical action from a Guardiola player could be a pretty sweet ‘moment’.”

I hope you’re not working tomorrow.

9.54pm BST

80 min This will be City’s eighth league defeat of the season, which is a scandal for a team of their quality. It also makes Liverpool’s points total even more remarkable, because they could have declared in January and still won the league.

9.51pm BST

79 min That’s a big goal for Chelsea, never mind Liverpool. As things stand they are five points clear of Manchester United in fifth, and only a point behind Leicester.

9.51pm BST

Willian slams the penalty high into the net!

9.50pm BST

77 min Fernandinho knew it was coming. And now Liverpool know it is coming in the next 20 minutes.

9.49pm BST

76 min: What the hell just happened?! Fernandino clears off the line twice from first Pulisic and then Abraham, an astonishing piece of defending. But Chelsea are convinced the second one was with his hand, and replays confirm that it was. This will be a penalty and a red card. LIVERPOOL ARE CHAMPIONS!

9.48pm BST

74 min “Hi Rob,” says Paul Ewart. “How are your plans to retreat to a remote tropical island going.”

The bloody Kerguelen Islands have shut the borders because of Covid, haven’t they?

9.47pm BST

73 min A change apiece. City have brought on Nicolas Otamendi for Aymeric Laporte; Chelsea have replaced Ross Barkley with Mateo Kovacic.

9.45pm BST

72 min “I looked at the Top 40 from 1990, Rob and I must admit Bizz Nizz didn’t ring any bells with me so I took a listen,” says Ben Mimmack. “It gave me a fairly aggressive Proustian moment. And now I feel old.”

9.45pm BST

71 min: Walker clears off the line! What a magnificent block from Kyle Walker! Pulisic ran through on goal, having had far too much pace for the last man Fernandinho. He moved smoothly round Ederson and slid the ball towards the open net, but Walker stormed back and slid in to clear it off the line. I thought it might be over the line but Stuart Attwell’s watch didn’t do the necessary. Replays showed it was definitely still on the line.

9.43pm BST

70 min Chelsea are again starting to look dangerous on the counter-attack. I can’t see this game finishing 1-1.

9.43pm BST

68 min Drinks break.

9.41pm BST

67 min A City corner bounces past everyone in the middle and comes to Sterling beyond the far post. He moves back onto his right foot and shapes a gorgeous curling shot that beats Kepa and drifts this far wide of the far post.

9.40pm BST

66 min “There are some absolute bangers in that top 40 from April 1990,” says Patrick Crumlish. “Dub Be Good To Me a personal favourite. One of the first songs to really stick in my little brain (I was 12 at the time). Though if I never hear Birdhouse In My Soul again, I will be eternally grateful. Grating.”

Ach, I love that song. Thanks for ruining my entire youth.

9.39pm BST

65 min No red card for Rudiger. It’s the right decision, I think; it was just an accidental follow-through. De Bruyne is fine.

9.38pm BST

64 min De Bruyne is down after being caught by Rudiger, who cleared the ball and then followed through with his studs into De Bruyne’s shin. At the right speed that could be perceived as reckless, and VAR are having a look at it.

9.36pm BST

62 min: Mount misses a great chance! Chelsea should be ahead. Ederson’s shoddy pass went straight to Mount, 25 yards from goal. He surged into the area, through on goal, but sliced the ball into the side netting with his left foot.

9.35pm BST

62 min A Chelsea substitution: Tammy Abraham on, Olivier Giroud off.

9.32pm BST

59 min City have woken up with a vengeance. They were listless for 50 minutes but now they are playing with desperate urgency. Pep Guardiola has made his third substitution, with Oleksandr Zinchenko replacing Mendy at left-back.

9.31pm BST

57 min: Sterling hits the post! City have come to life. That was a thrilling counter-attack from a Chelsea corner, with three one-touch passes slicing the defence open. Eventually Gabriel Jesus angled a fine through pass to Sterling, who clipped the ball over the outrushing Kepa and onto the face of the near post.

9.29pm BST

Is there a more watchable footballer in the world? (Clue: no.) De Bruyne hit the free-kick near the valve so that it wobbled and dipped viciously before landing in the top corner. Kepa had no idea what was going on.

9.28pm BST

Kevin De Bruyne equalises with a majestic free-kick!

9.27pm BST

55 min Kante fouls Mahrez 25 yards from goal. Before the free-kick is taken, City make a double change: David Silva and Gabriel Jesus replaces Bernardo Silva and Rodri. Pep is going for it.

9.26pm BST

54 min “Can’t be with my son Thomas to watch this match as he lives in France,” says Helen Edgar. “As Liverpool supporters we are united through your live commentary... from a distance!”

I always wanted to be Cilla Black.

9.26pm BST

53 min De Bruyne hoofs a cross straight out of play. City have been rubbish since going behind.

9.25pm BST

52 min Mendy’s shot from 25 yards goes 520 yards over the bar.

9.24pm BST

52 min City are really missing Sergio Aguero (injured) and Gabriel Jesus (only fit enough for the bench). It’s been a masterclass in sterile domination.

9.23pm BST

51 min“Ian Copestake hasn’t thought this through,” says James Debens. “I’m sitting here in a nappy with Deliveroo on speed-dial and the dog tethered to the treadmill. Think on, Ian. It’s been THIRTY YEARS, man.”

How many times: TWENTY-NINE AND A BIT.

9.23pm BST

50 min Christensen is okay to continue.

9.22pm BST

49 min “I guess no-one knows anything but do you think Pep will stick around next season?” says Niall Mullen. “He doesn’t look like he enjoys it at the best of times but this season he’s really been chewing a wasp.”

I think he’ll stay, but it wouldn’t be a JFK moment if he quit.

9.20pm BST

48 min Mendy’s fierce shot knocks Christensen off his feet, and there’s a break in play while he receives treatment.

9.19pm BST

47 min “As a Manchester United fan, this result is several shades of upsetting,” says Ian Bland, “so I’ve flicked around and realised that the BBC have stuck Radiohead’s 1997 Glastonbury set on the iPlayer, and will opt for that over the second half. If I’m going to feel miserable anyway, I might as well do it with a side order of transcendence.”

9.18pm BST

46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half.

9.08pm BST

“Liverpool supporter here,” says Marie Meyer. “Having the long wait ended by a lengthy passage of City doing pretty patterns then conceding a goal from another episode of comedy defending suits me fine.”

They look like they don’t truly fancy playing Liverpool with the title still at stake, which surprises me.

9.06pm BST

“Chelsea might not have had that ‘Aguero moment’,” says Julian Menz, “but we’ll always have Lampard’s 2-0 against Bolton. The moment I knew it was really true. The moment I got a bit overexcited and was asked to leave the pub, never suspecting that the bloke next to us would be interviewing me for a job the following Monday. The moral? Liverpool fans, it will be sweet, you will probably drink too much, no matter where or how it happens. Enjoy!”

9.05pm BST

Half-time reading

9.04pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester City need to score at least twice in the second half of Liverpool will be champions. Christian Pulisic’s 36th-minute goal, created ingeniously by Benjamin Mendy, gave Chelsea the lead against the run of play. City struggled to create chances, despite dominating possession throughout, and the use of Bernardo Silva as a false nine hasn’t been a success.

9.00pm BST

45+1 min “Alonso already on a booking,” says Chimdindu Ndukwe. “That is a red card waiting to happen especially with Mahrez on his side. A sub needs to happen soon.”

8.59pm BST

45 min Loads of City possession, as has been the case through the half. But Chelsea have been tactically smart, defending very deep and rationing their counter-attacks. The scoreline doesn’t particularly flatter them.

8.58pm BST

44 min “I’ve been a Liverpool fan for 44 years,” says Siobhán. “We’ve already been robbed of the genuine celebration of winning this season with fans in the stands and so on, so I’d at least like to see them win it live in a match so we can see the players celebrate at the whistle.”

It’ll be interesting to see what the players do if they win it tonight. I’ve lost track of the guidelines on bubbles, but presumably some of them can sup Victory Liquor together? Or maybe they could just all meet at Bournemouth beach.

8.58pm BST

43 min Mendy’s excellent low cross flashes across the six-yard box.

8.57pm BST

40 min In case you’ve been socially distancing from the world in the past 24 hours, Manchester City need to win this game or Liverpool will be champions.

8.54pm BST

39 min “Mate, I have a dilemma,” says Ian Copestake. “I need to head out to the shops or else repeat today’s below par crab pasta pappardelle arrabbiata. I also need crisps. But Liverpool might be champions by the time I get back and I will have missed the chance to mark the moment when the wait ended and the new wait began.”

Where’s the nearest shop, in a different continent? There’s still 50 minutes to play plus half-time plus stoppages plus drinks breaks, man!

8.53pm BST

38 min De Bruyne takes the free-kick short to the unmarked Mahrez, who smashes it over the bar from 15 yards. That was a decent chance.

8.53pm BST

38 min Alonso is booked for pulling back Mahrez just outside the area.

8.52pm BST

It was abysmal defending from City. De Bruyne’s free-kick from the right was headed towards the halfway line, where Mendy and Gundogan were waiting. They’re still waiting. They left the ball to each other, which allowed to Pulisic to nick possession and surge past Mendy’s impetuous challenge. That took him through on goal, and he curled the ball calmly into the bottom corner.

8.51pm BST

Chelsea take the lead on the break!

8.49pm BST

33 min: Good save from Ederson! Willian’s dipping corner from the left was headed towards goal by Christensen, who pulled away from Laporte in the six-yard box, and Ederson dived to his right to make an instinctive save.

8.48pm BST

32 min Chelsea are starting to look more dangerous on the counter-attack, and just created two chances in the same attack. First Barkley’s low cross evaded Pulisic at the near post, then Barkley’s shot was blocked by Fernandinho.

8.45pm BST

30 min “Tequila Sunrise, Rob?” says Gary Naylor of City’s kit. “More like Pulisic.”

Now that’s what I call a pun.

8.44pm BST

29 min Frank Lampard will be pleased with Chelsea’s defending in the first half an hour. For all City’s possession, their only chances came from a set-piece and a Kepa balls-up.

8.43pm BST

28 min “I trust nobody will refer to ‘thirty years of hurt’,” says Andrew. “The last time Liverpool were champions was on 6th May 1991, when Arsenal won the title. So 29-and-a-bit years. By the same reasoning, the Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds lyric would be better as ‘26 years of hurt’.”

I bet you’re fun at socially distanced parties. (And yes, I had exactly the same thought.) It’s about time pedantry was formally classified as a health conditions. It’s not easy, you know.

8.43pm BST

27 min Alonso’s cross from the left isn’t properly cleared by Laporte, who can only poke it straight to Barkley. His fierce left-footed shot deflects behind off Fernandinho.

8.40pm BST

25 min “Matt Dony has diamond shoes?” ponders Sarah Rothwell. “As a Liverpool supporter, I think the debate of how best to win the league is a luxury of having such a sizeable lead. Last season, we’d have taken it whatever way we could get it (and I’m pretty sure I spent most Man City matches optimistically giving their defence the long-distance evil eye).”

The only slight downside to winning your first title for 30 years with a record seven games to spare after a relentless series of awesome victories is that there isn’t a Sergio Aguero/Michael Thomas/Steve Bruce moment. But frankly, who cares. Chelsea didn’t have a moment like that when they won their first title in 50 years, and they just about survived.

8.38pm BST

23 min Drinks break.

8.36pm BST

22 min City’s attacking play has been slightly ponderous by their standards, though that’s probably due to the heat. They have still been much the better side.

8.35pm BST

20 min It’s still all City. If it carries on like this, Chelsea will need their five substitutes.

8.34pm BST

18 min: Good save from Kepa! Mahrez’s free-kick from the left is headed towards goal by Fernandinho, in front of the near post, and Kepa tips it over acrobatically over the bar.

8.32pm BST

15 min Kepa passes the ball straight to Mahrez, who heads it straight back to Bernardo Silva in the area. He does brilliantly to control the ball on the chest and lob it over his own head, away from Kante. He manages to poke the ball past Kepa, but Rudiger senses the danger and is able to run the ball clear from inside the six-yard box.

8.30pm BST

15 min “Poetic and show-off victories are all for the romantic,” says Krish. “I see a realist in Klopp and he would happily settle the league issue tonight and leave the pub on Wednesday next.”

Agreed.

8.28pm BST

13 min At the other end, Willian’s low cross towards Mount is put behind at the near post by the stretching Gundogan. The resulting corner is cleared as far as Mount, who volleys it onto Fulham Palace Road.

8.28pm BST

12 min De Bruyne floats a sweet pass over the defence towards Bernardo Silva, whose backheader across goal is claimed by Arrizabalaga.

8.27pm BST

12 min Sterling cushions a volley infield for Mendy, who tries to burst between two defenders in the area and wins a corner. It’s headed away by Kante. City must have had at least 75 per cent of the possession.

8.26pm BST

11 min “Hi Rob,” says Tim Woods. “I am a Liverpool fan, and genuinely don’t care when or how we win it. It’s been 30 [THIRTY] years.”

Look at the top 40 when they were last champions. There are some cracking songs in there, and I’d forgotten all about Pat and Mick.

8.24pm BST

8 min City have started really well. Mendy fizzes a low cross that is kicked away by Arrizabalaga at the near post, even though there were no City players near him.

8.21pm BST

7 min “NBC calls the City kit tequila sunrise,” says Mary Waltz. “I call it cynical corporate greed but taste is subjective.”

8.21pm BST

6 min Bernardo Silva’s scuffed snapshot dribbles through to Arrizabalaga.

8.20pm BST

5 min Gundogan wins the first corner for City, who have started with impressive authority. Giroud clears at the near post.

8.19pm BST

4 min “As a Liverpool fan,” says Stephen Carr, “I wish Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea tonight. Or Man City actually.”

8.18pm BST

3 min Lots of early possession for City. These conditions are not ideal for chasing the ball all night.

8.17pm BST

2 min “Ahoy hoy, Rob,” says Matt Dony. “It probably won’t surprise you enormously, but this email isn’t about the teams playing tonight. Before the Great Break, I was scared. I was worried. I was terrified by the thought of everything going wrong and City pipping Liverpool to the title. During the break, I had a word with myself, decided I was being an idiot, and made my peace with the fact that it really can’t go wrong from here. (It can’t!!) I need to enjoy what’s left of this season.

“As such, I’m now torn. Obviously, a Chelsea win (or draw) gets everything done and dusted, and helps towards what should be a record-breaking margin. But, on the other hand, I really want to actually see Liverpool win it. It’d be better to have one of Liverpool’s results deliver the title, rather than Chelsea’s. Of course, as far as dilemmas go, it’s all a bit ‘diamond shoes are too tight’, but I’m just not used to being in this position. Who do I support tonight? Help!”

8.16pm BST

2 min City are playing a typical 4-1-2-3, but with Bernardo Silva as a false nine. Sterling is on the left with Mahrez on the right.

8.15pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Chelsea, in blue, kick off from right to left.

8.13pm BST

The players emerge on a sweltering evening in west London. In a nod to the weather conditions, Manchester City are wearing their ice-lolly kit.

8.07pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “So let’s assume Man City win their next two games. Who do Liverpool play next? I’m hoping Bournemouth away, capacity 50,000 crowd at the beach, everybody happy. What could go wrong?”

Arf. It’s Aston Villa at home, on the weekend the pubs reopen.

8.04pm BST

“Good evening from sunny Sweden,” says Julian Menz. “Chelsea will also be looking to make a statement looking forward to next season. City aren’t quite the unstoppable force they were, and Chelsea have done well to be in pole-position for 4th. The club is showing serious intent, and I can see next season being a lot tighter at the top (United will also be more of a threat).

“Plus, forgetting City’s probable ban, finishing ahead of United and Wolves isn’t the only option for Chelsea to qualify for the CL. Leicester look catchable, and I doubt Chelsea will be playing for the draw tonight.”

8.02pm BST

The 6pm have finished

7.42pm BST

“Having seen plenty of City since life reemerged, it has been interesting to see what approach works best,” writes Ian Copestake. “Roll up in a ball and rock back and forth, or stand behind a wall and say you are gonna get your mates on them? I am hoping at least Chelsea will already have some of their mates to hand and be standing in front of the wall looking nawty.”

You’re excited about Liverpool winning the title, then.

7.39pm BST

Pre-match reading and listening

7.22pm BST

The in-form Phil Foden has picked up an injury and is not in the City squad. There are a lot of right-sided players in their starting XI. We’ve listed it as the typical 4-1-2-3 but I have a hunch Pep Guardiola will play with De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva as false nines, a tactic that worked so well at Old Trafford and the Bernabeu earlier in the year.

Chelsea (4-1-2-3) Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso; Kane; Barkley, Mount; Willian, Giroud, Pulisic.
Substitutes: Caballero, Zouma, James, Gilmour, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic, Pedro, Abraham.

11.44am BST

Hello. Chelsea and Manchester City have been the champions in five of the last six Premier League seasons, and tonight they are involved in another potential title decider. But it has the square root of bugger all to do with them. This is all about Liverpool, who will become champions of England for the first time since 1990 should City fail to win at Stamford Bridge.

City are going to finish second in the league whatever happens, and have a theoretically more important game at Newcastle in the FA Cup on Sunday. But they would love to land the first punch of the 2020-21 title race by delaying Liverpool’s coronation tonight and then beating them at the Etihad next week.

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Published on June 25, 2020 14:26

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