Rob Smyth's Blog, page 116

February 29, 2020

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

Jordan Ayew scored the only goal to give Crystal Palace a hard-fought victory in the M23 derby - and leave Brighton in a relegation dogfight

2.39pm GMT

That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Ed Aarons’ report from the Amex Stadium. Bye!

2.36pm GMT

Grahan Potter speaks “It’s a sore one for us. We did a lot well in the game, made chances and were the better team before they scored. That’s football; you have to put the ball in the net. I feel for the boys. We have to dust ourselves down and focus on what we’ve done well.”

2.24pm GMT

There’s more relegation action to come at 3pm, with Bournemouth, Southampton and West Ham all in action. Join Scott Murray for all the latest news.

2.22pm GMT

Peep peep! Palace move up to 12th – and, more importantly, 12 points clear of the bottom three – with a hard-fought victory in the M23 derby. Jordan Ayew scored the only goal with 20 minutes remaining. Palace are surely safe now. Brighton, who have some very tough games coming up, are in a rare old relegation dogfight.

2.21pm GMT

90+3 min: Zaha misses an open goal! That was a comedy of errors. Tosun ran clear from inside his own half, all the way to the edge of the Brighton penalty area. He tried to go round Guaita but overran the ball absurdly. Zaha, who was alongside him all the way, kept running and poked the ball against the outside of the post from a tight angle.

2.20pm GMT

90+2 min Brighton appeal for a penalty when van Aanholt tackles Alzate in the area. At first it looked a good challenge, but on reflection I’m not sure he got the ball. VAR isn’t interested anyway. I’d like to see that again.

2.18pm GMT

90+1 min ... and Tosun will head it away at the near post. Poor delivery.

2.18pm GMT

90+1 min Corner to Brighton on the left. Mooy will take it...

2.18pm GMT

90 min Three added minutes.

2.16pm GMT

89 min A weak 20-yard shot from Jahanbakhsh goes well wide.

2.14pm GMT

87 min Palace break two against two. Benteke tries to play it through to Zaha, who is matched for speed by Burn. That’s Benteke’s last contribution: he is replaced by Cenk Tosun.

2.14pm GMT

86 min Brighton are struggling to put Palace under any pressure. They’ve been poor since going behind.

2.11pm GMT

84 min van Aanholt’s corner is cleared at the near post.

2.10pm GMT

83 min van Aanholt combines well with Ayew to win a corner for Palace. That leads to another corner, this time on the right...

2.09pm GMT

82 min Brighton make their final change, with the Colombian international Steven Alzate replacing Yves Bissouma.

2.08pm GMT

80 min The underlapping Burn wins a corner for Brighton. Mooy’s corner leads to a game of head tennis until Propper’s excellent volley from the edge of the area is blocked. Then Mooy’s long-range curler is headed behindby van Aanholt. I think it was going wide anyway. The second corner comes to nothing.

2.06pm GMT

79 min “Not strictly speaking a football question, Rob,” writes Adrian Delatouche, “but has anyone tried oat yoghurt?”

Not now mate I’m drinking a cow.

2.05pm GMT

78 min Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Martin Montoya for Brighton.

2.04pm GMT

76 min If Brighton lose this, they are in trouble. Their next seven league games are Wolves (A), Arsenal (H), Leicester (A), Man Utd (H), Norwich (A), Liverpool (H) and Man City (H).

2.02pm GMT

72 min Benteke has played admirably today. He’s in awful form, certainly in front of goal, and a lot of players hide from the ball in that situation. Yet he has wanted it all the time, even after that ugly early miss, and his courage has been rewarded.

1.59pm GMT

Well I never. A long goalkick was collected by Benteke, who moseyed infield from the left wing and played a superb reverse pass to put Ayew clear on the left side of the area. He opened his body and slid a low first-time shot that went through Ryan and into the net.

1.57pm GMT

Palace have stolen the lead on the break!

1.57pm GMT

70 min Mooy’s deflected shot from 25 yards is easily saved by Guaita.

1.56pm GMT

69 min Maupay turns neatly inside Ward on the left of the area - but then he shoots straight at Guaita. There have been a lot of buts in today’s MBM: good play but crap finish, that sort of thing.

1.53pm GMT

66 min That’s March’s last touch: Glenn Murray, 97, has come on to replace him. He knows how to score a goal.

1.53pm GMT

65 min March nutmegs van Aanholt and slides a low cross into the area. It’s intercepted by the sliding Riedewald - but the ball comes back to March, who takes it down and spanks a half-volley over the bar.

1.52pm GMT

64 min Anyone out there?

1.51pm GMT

63 min A dodgy backpass from March goes straight to Benteke, whose toepoke is blocked at close range by Ryan. It wasn’t the most confident attempt, though Ryan narrowed the angle well.

1.50pm GMT

63 min “Full disclosure, however, sounds like an excellent thriller,” says Ian Copestake. “Perhaps one not with Liam Neeson.”

1.49pm GMT

62 min This is a decent spell for Brighton. Mooy finds a rare bit of space, 25 yards from goal, but drags a low shot wide of the near post.

1.47pm GMT

59 min: Chance for Palace! van Aanholt’s corner from the right is headed wide by Benteke at the near post. He did well to get above the defenders on the six-yard line but mistimed his connection completely. In many ways that was a better chance than the volley in the first half.

1.46pm GMT

1.45pm GMT

57 min Montoya is booked for running over Zaha.

1.44pm GMT

55 min: Maupay misses another chance! Riedewald’s sliding tackle on Mooy accidentally diverted the ball over Cahill and into the path of Maupay, 13 yards from goal. The ball sat up beautifully for him to lash first time towards goal, but he hit it straight at Guaita.

1.40pm GMT

53 min Trossard’s imaginative curler from the left edge of the area drifts just wide of the far post, with Guaita scrambling across his line. He looks a very classy footballer. Brighton, who started very nervously, have been the better side for the last half hour or so.

1.39pm GMT

51 min The hail has stopped, by the way, and the sun is out again. Maupay runs at the Palace defence, reaching the edge of the area before being challenged. The ball ricochets to Trossard, whose first touch is poor.

1.36pm GMT

48 min: Maupay clears off the line ... for Palace! Mooy’s corner from the left was thumped towards goal by the head of Dunk on the six-yard line. Guaita was beaten but the ball hit Maupay on the line, flattening him in the process.

1.35pm GMT

47 min Mooy turns on the halfway line and clips a good ball over the top to Maupay. He takes too long waiting for the ball to drop, however, and Dann gets back to put the ball behind for a corner.

1.33pm GMT

46 min Peep peep! Brighton begin the second half. Palace have made a change, with Jairo Riedewald replacing the injured James McCarthy.

1.31pm GMT

“A day that only rolls around once every four years?” says Matt Dony. “Sounds perfect for a Benteke goal...”

But it’s not 23 April?

1.22pm GMT

“You may not have seen any goals yet but I have,” says J.R. “That’s because I’m watching Hull v Leeds. Not only did I see a goal but I saw Luke Ayling do the Kevin Nolan chicken dance. Here in the U.S., ESPN shows several games a week from the non-VAR leagues. I was looking at the schedule for tomorrow and at 5:55 AM they have listed ‘Coventry Town v Sunderland’. Oh, ESPN! At least they’re trying, I guess.”

1.21pm GMT

Half-time reading

1.18pm GMT

Peep peep! Both sides missed good chances in a fairly scruffy half, the most notable event of which was Wilfried Zaha’s run-in with the Brighton substitite Ezequiel Schelotto. The first half started in sunshine; it has ended amid a hailstorm. See you in 15 minutes for more weather news.

1.15pm GMT

45 min Lovely play from Benteke, who dances past a couple of players on the left side of the box and cracks a shot that is very well blocked by Webster. McCarthy’s deep corner is met by Cahill, whose heads hit the back of Burn.

1.13pm GMT

43 min March shoots straight at Guaita from long range.

If only it wasn't a leap year, maybe March would have scored? Apologies

1.10pm GMT

39 min While Webster is treated, the substitute Schelotto starts sledging Zaha, who asks the referee what’s what. When the corner is taken, Gary Cahill’s downward header at the far post bounces just over the bar. At first it looked like a bad miss - he was only six yards out - but he had to clamber over a defender to get to the ball, which is why his header went straight into the ground.

1.08pm GMT

36 min Zaha goes on a weaving run and hits a shot that is blocked. Just before that, Webster jumped into Benteke’s elbow, prompting a VAR review. Benteke is cleared by VAR. I don’t think he did much wrong there, even though Webster is now being treated for a burst mooth.

1.06pm GMT

35 min: March misses a great chance! It was a lovely move from Brighton. Maupay received a pass on the halfway line, turned and played a fine angled pass to Trossard on the left. He flicked a beautiful low cross with the outside of the right foot to find the unmarked March at the far post, but he pulled his first-time shot into the side netting. He should have scored.

1.03pm GMT

33 min Benteke is booked for a late challenge on Dunk.

1.03pm GMT

33 min March cuts infield from the right and hits a low shot that is comfortably saved at the near post by the sprawling Guaita.

1.01pm GMT

32 min Brighton continue to dominate possession, but it’s all a little slow and sterile. The pitch doesn’t help.

1.00pm GMT

30 min Schelotto kicked the ball at Zaha, that’s why he was booked. Zaha spat in the general direction of the Brighton subs, though the replays don’t show how close they were. Presumably not very close, or he’d have been in trouble. His body language was fairly provocative, mind you.

12.59pm GMT

29 min Zaha is booed as he goes on a long, winding run down the left. Propper dispossesses him to great cheers.

12.58pm GMT

27 min Hello! Zaha is getting involved with one of the Brighton substitutes, Schelotto. I’m not sure what happened there, although replays showed Zaha spitting and putting his hands to his ears in front of the Brighton fans. Schelotto is booked, Zaha is not.

12.56pm GMT

26 min Full disclosure: this isn’t a thriller.

12.53pm GMT

23 min Another Mooy corner leads to a bit of a scramble in the Palace six-yard box. Eventually Dunk’s looping header - which I’m pretty sure was going just wide anyway - is headed clear by the leaping van Aanholt.

12.51pm GMT

21 min This is a much better spell for Brighton, who have Palace pinned back in their half.

12.49pm GMT

19 min Mooy’s corner from the left leads to a scramble in the six-yard box, with Guaita eventually flapping the ball away from the stretching Dunk. Moments later, March’s driven cross-shot is comfortably held by the diving Guaita.

12.48pm GMT

18 min Brighton win their first corner. March’s inswinger from the right is nutted away at the near post by Benteke. Brighton win the ball back through Montoya, whose tackle on the halfway line turns into a good pass to Maupay on the left of the area. He sidefoots a disguised shot to the near post, where Guaita gets down to palm the ball away.

12.44pm GMT

14 min There are a few nerves around the ground, and Palace look the more relaxed, purposeful side.

12.42pm GMT

12 min Brighton have have two thirds of the possession so far; Palace have had three thirds of the chances.

12.41pm GMT

10 min: Another chance for Palace! Cahill’s angled free-kick from the halfway line was won in the air emphatically by Benteke on the edge of the area. He headed it down to Kouyate, whose close-range poke was blocked by Ryan.

12.40pm GMT

9 min Zaha has his first run at Burn, who does well to stay with him and make an important interception.

12.38pm GMT

7 min There have been a few strong tackles in midfield, from Brighton in particular, though nothing excessive. Yet.

12.36pm GMT

4 min: Benteke misses an excellent chance! McArthur moves confidently through midfield and clips a fine pass over the top. Benteke gets behind the defence, watches the ball all the way ... and then shins it miles wide. The home fans loved that. In his defence, it was an awkward ball to volley as it came over his shoulder, but that was still a bit of blooper gold.

12.33pm GMT

4 min Maupay has the first shot on goal, a scuffed drive on the turn from just inside the area. It dribbles wide of the near pst.

12.33pm GMT

3 min In fact, the pitch looks terrible by modern standards, really uneven and slow.

12.32pm GMT

2 min You’d expect Brighton to dominate possession, and the match has started that way. The pitch doesn’t look in perfect condition, mind.

12.31pm GMT

1 min Peep peep! We’re underway. Brighton are in blue and white stripes; Palace are wearing their black away strip.

12.30pm GMT

“The police are out in force at the Amex today, mostly standing around and blocking routes as we all try to get to the stadium,” writes my colleague Steph Fincham. “You might remember they claimed to find knives and knuckledusters on Palace fans a couple of years ago, though later admitted they were lying. Anyway, the sun is shining.”

I love unlikely rivalries. Gillingham v Swindon was all we ever used to talk about at school.

12.14pm GMT

‘A display of uncontrolled manic aggression’

This, from Simon Burnton, is a cracking read on the origins of the Brighton/Palace rivalry.

12.12pm GMT

The return fixture at Selhurst Park, just before Christmas, ended 1-1. Wilfried Zaha was on one that night, as he often is against Brighton.

11.55am GMT

Pre-match reading

11.33am GMT

Brighton (4-2-3-1) Ryan; Montoya, Dunk, Webster, Burn; Propper, Bissouma; Trossard, Mooy, March; Maupay.
Substitutes: Button, Schelotto, Stephens, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, Murray, Alzate.

Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1) Guaita; Ward, Dann, Cahill, van Aanholt; McCarthy; Ayew, Kouyate, McArthur, Zaha; Benteke.
Substitutes: Hennessey, Kelly, Milivojevic, Meyer, Townsend, Riedewald, Tosun.

10.57am GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Brighton v Crystal Palace from the Amex Stadium. These two have developed an unlikely rivalry in the last 44 years, one fuelled fuelled by boiling coffee, loose change, loose talk and even looser bowels (it was the coach driver, by the way).

A fixture that was dormant for a long time has been revived in the last decade by Brighton’s improvement. There was the in/famous Championship play-off semi-final of 2013, won by Palace. Brighton were eventually promoted to the Premier League four years later, which has meant regular top-flight meetings between the teams for the first time since Crystal Palace’s Team of the Eighties were relegated in 1981. (By the way, if you haven’t seen the BT Sport documentary on that team, it’s massively enjoyable.)

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Published on February 29, 2020 06:28

February 27, 2020

Europa League clockwatch: Arsenal and Celtic crash out – as it happened

Youssef El Arabi’s 119th-minute goal stunned the Emirates, Celtic were picked off by Copenhagen and Manchester United thrashed Club Brugge

12.42am GMT

10.57pm GMT

That’s it for our Europa League clockwatch. Thanks for your company on a busy and dramatic night. I’ll leave you with a report of Arsenal’s shocking defeat at the Emirates.

10.37pm GMT

The draw for the last 16 will take place tomorrow. This is the line-up:

10.34pm GMT

The Olympiacos players are running wild, and quite right too. It’s a desperate night for Arsenal, who looked to be comfortable after their 1-0 win in Greece last week. Football, eh.

Disaster at the death for Arsenal!

El Arabi ghosts in at the back post to tuck home with seconds remaining!

The Gunners are OUT on away goals. pic.twitter.com/6JHBoja8mC

10.33pm GMT

Arsenal are out of the Europa League! Aubameyang missed an absolute sitter with the last kick of the tie, somehow clipping a loose ball wide from eight yards. That’s extraordinary.

10.30pm GMT

120 min There will be two minutes of added time.

10.30pm GMT

Amazing stuff. The goal came from a needlessly conceded corner, for which the Olympiacos keeper Jose Sa came forward. It was half cleared and tossed back into the area, where El Arabi got the wrong side of Sokratis to poke the ball past Leno. It was a superb ball in from the right by Masouras and a good finish, though Sokratis was more than a little dopey in his defending and David Luiz had his hand up for a non-existent offside.

10.29pm GMT

Olympiacos have done it!!!

10.28pm GMT

“I’m sure Arsenal fans won’t need reminding,” says Simon McMahon, “that they last won a European trophy the year before The Bends was released.”

And when this little festival of yearning was No1.

10.25pm GMT

115 min: Arsenal 1-1 Olympiacos (agg: 2-1) Now Olympiacos must score or they are out. If they do score, they will be ahead on away goals. But they look shattered.

10.23pm GMT

Pick that out! Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang puts Arsenal ahead on aggregate with a spectcular scissor-kick! Ozil’s cross was headed up in the air, and Aubameyang got into a position for an elegant and emphatic scissor kick that flew past Jose Sa.

10.20pm GMT

Martinelli is on. I forgot to say that. Saka continues to deliver some beautiful crosses from the left, the latest of which leads to a bit of a scramble in the Olympiacos area.

10.18pm GMT

108 min: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1): Masouras hits the top of the bar! It was a brilliant effort, curled towards the far corner from the edge of the box.

10.17pm GMT

Arsenal’s last penalty shootout in this competition was that miserable night in Copenhagen 20 years ago.

Related: Arsenal pay the penalty

10.15pm GMT

“I am also in California,” says Zach Neeley, “but this match is making me interested in something stronger than apple cider.”

10.12pm GMT

Celtic 1-3 Copenhagen (agg: 2-4) It was a stinker of a night for Celtic. Ewan Murray was there.

10.11pm GMT

Half time in extra time: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Oh, Arsenal.

10.09pm GMT

“Here in California, Martinelli is the name of a renowned brand of non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider,” says Peter Oh. “When your reader mentioned the name, I immediately felt the urge for a glass of bubbly, golden, crisp perfection. Neither shaken nor stirred.”

10.08pm GMT

104 min: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) A good chance for Olympiacos! The substitute Bruno Gaspar was through on goal, just inside the area, but splattered a half-volley high and wide.

10.07pm GMT

103 min: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Mustafi limps off to be replaced by Sokratis.

10.07pm GMT

Manchester United 5-0 Club Brugge Here’s more on a comfortable night for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.

10.06pm GMT

“Sevilla have been one of the most interesting stories of the season, for me,” says Sebastian Wood. “Sold all of their big-name players over the summer, made 15 signings including the disgraced former Real Madrid and Spain manager, and this year are better than ever.”

And their history in this competition is a definite advantage, even with a whole new squad.

10.04pm GMT

99 min Arsenal appeal for handball in the area when Aubameyang’s shot hits a defender. It did hit his arm, but his body position was natural and he didn’t move towards the ball.

10.02pm GMT

“Someone asked for Martinelli,” says Ian Copestake. “Shaken or stirred?”

10.01pm GMT

96 min: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Lots of Arsenal pressure at the start of extra time, though no real chances. Olympiacos would take penalties; they look shattered.

10.00pm GMT

“As the ties currently stand - and if we assume that Conte will be prioritizing title challenge higher than the EL - are Manchester United now the front-runners to win the competition?” asks Doremus Schafer.

There are some good teams left in it, including Sevilla, Roma, Shakhtar, Leverkusen (who looked great tonight), Wolves and possibly Arsenal. If Marcus Rashford was fit I’d make United favourites; without him, I’m not so sure. I’d go for Inter, Leverkusen or Sevilla.

9.56pm GMT

“Martinelli please,” says Zach Neeley. “That is all.”

9.55pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Extra time is under way at the Emirates. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, not when Arsenal won the first leg away from home.

9.54pm GMT

Arsenal’s match is the only one going to extra-time. The rest have finished, and these are the final scores.

9.52pm GMT

GOAL! Man Utd 5-0 Club Brugge (agg: 6-1, Fred 90+3) It’s a very, very good night when Fred scores twice.

9.50pm GMT

Full time: Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) It’s going to extra time.

9.49pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Mustafi makes a vital interception in the last minute of injury time! Without his sliding tackle, El Arabi would have had a simple chance from six yards.

9.48pm GMT

NO GOAL! Sevilla 0-0 CFR Cluj (agg: 1-1) Cluj’s goal has been VARed, so as things stand Sevilla are going through on away goals.

9.47pm GMT

It’s all over for Celtic. Dame N’Doye stumbles straight through the defence and finishes calmly past Forster.

9.46pm GMT

GOAL! Sevilla 0-1 CFR Cluj (agg: 1-2; Paun-Alexandru 87) The shock is on in Seville as well.

9.44pm GMT

A savage blow at Celtic Park! The overlapping Pep Biel coolly nutmegs Fraser Forster to put Copenhagen ahead - and now Celtic need two more.

9.42pm GMT

Latest scores

9.42pm GMT

Odsonne Edouard brings the house down with the laziest of Panenkas!

9.41pm GMT

G OAL! Man Utd 4-0 Club Brugge (agg: 5-1, Fred 82)

9.40pm GMT

PENALTY TO CELTIC! It was given by VAR, after a slightly weird handball by Ragnar Sigurdsson.

9.34pm GMT

Celtic 0-1 Copenhagen Celtic, whose need for a goal is even more urgent than Arsenal’s, are also having their best spell of the half.

9.33pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos Arsenal are starting to put Olympiacos under extreme pressure. Nicolas Pepe has just forced a good save from Jose Sa, with Alexandre Lacazette heading wide moments later. He should have scored.

9.32pm GMT

9.30pm GMT

Celtic 0-1 Copenhagen (agg: 1-2) Griffiths almost scores straight away, but the Copenhagen keeper Karl-Johan Johnsson makes a terrific block from close range.

9.29pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 3-3 Shakhtar Donetsk (agg: 4-5, Patrick 71) Alan Patrick has given Shakhtar a two-goal cushion in Portugal.

9.29pm GMT

Celtic 0-1 Copenhagen (agg: 1-2) Leigh Griffiths has come on for Celtic, replacing Mohamed Elyounoussi. Celtic have 20 minutes to save the tie.

9.27pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiakos Arsenal are living dangerously. A brilliant cross from the impressive left-back Tsimikas just evades El Arabi, who was a couple of yards away from having a simple tap-in.

9.26pm GMT

It’s now Ajax 2-1 Getafe (agg: 2-3), with Getafe’s Mathis Olivera scoring an own goal. Ajax need two more to go through.

9.25pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) It’s still pretty even at the Emirates, with Arsenal struggling to create anything of note.

9.23pm GMT

“About the coronavirus situation in Lyon, national authorities have not decided to close the France-Italy border nor cancel any public event, which included the match,” says Alexandre Chesneau. “Instead, they prioritized informing the public in the stadium about the situation, and also banned people coming from Italian cities suffering from the outbreak from coming to the match. So I guess the discrepancy is due to the French authorities’ handling of the situation (that being said, local authorities weren’t thrilled with the perspective of hundreds of Italians from a region near the outbreak coming to town, but they can’t cancel a public event like this on their own).”

It’s quite an interesting debate. When does the risk of transmission become sufficient to cancel a sporting event, or even a Marilyn Manson concert?

9.20pm GMT

Celtic 0-1 Copenhagen (agg: 1-2) There’s a febrile atmosphere at Celtic Park, where Copenhagen are having an excellent spell. This was supposed to be a comfortable night for Celtic; it has turned into anything but.

9.19pm GMT

“I don’t care about other sports,” says Ben Aitkenhead. “They are not the same and comparisons are flawed. Technology works for objective decisions that can be made instantly (eg goal-line technology). But it is awful in all sports where decisions are subjective. And the process of review inevitably delays emotional responses - by definition - which destroys atmosphere. Bin it.”

Amen. It’ll never happen, though.

9.17pm GMT

Latest scores

9.14pm GMT

Arsenal 0-1 Olympiacos (agg: 1-1) Leno makes an excellent save from Tsimikas, who went on a glory run and lifted a dangerous shot from the edge of the area. If Arsenal concede again they will be in serious schtuck.

9.13pm GMT

Uh-oh. A desperate mistake from Jozo Simunovic allows the substitute Michael Santos to give Copenhagen the lead at Celtic Park.

9.12pm GMT

“The reason for empty stadiums in Milan, while allowing the Juve game to go ahead,” says Abdul Basit, “is because Milan is in the Lombardy region which is where all the outbreaks are currently linked to, with Lombardy having half of all Italian cases. Turin is not in that region.”

9.11pm GMT

“It’s fairly clear that Arteta has made an impact, and Arsenal do look generally better than they did before his appointment,” wrote Matt Dony. “But really, any team that can field Aubameyang, Lacazette, Pepe and Ozil in attack (and Luiz in defence!) should be a lot more entertaining to watch.”

9.11pm GMT

Arsenal have a problem. The unmarked Papa Abou Cisse scores a simple header from a corner to bring Olympiacos level on aggregate at the Emirates. As things stand, the match is going to extra-time.

9.08pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 3-2 Shakhtar Donetsk (Stepanenko 49) As I was saying. Taras Stepanenko has brought Shakhtar level on aggregate - and ahead of away goals - in a humdinger at the Estadio da Luz.

9.07pm GMT

“Genuine question,” begins Tim Smith. “So, Inter playing at home in empty stadium. IRFU six nations Ireland Vs Italy already cancelled. I get the abundance of caution, but last night Juventus played in Lyon. Presumably some away fans made the trip? Just wondering if there is any consistency here?”

I don’t know enough about it to comment, really. But based on my vague understanding of human history, it wouldn’t be entirely without precedent for some important people to be making it up as they go along.

9.06pm GMT

“Memory,” is the subject of Simon McMahon’s email. “The Bends was released 25 years ago next month, Rob. 25 years, though!!!”

See, now that really does feel like it was 25 years ago, at least.

9.06pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 3-1 Shakhtar Donetsk (Silva 47) Rafa Silva puts Benfica ahead in the tie, though Shakhtar only need a 3-2 defeat to go through on away goals.

9.02pm GMT

Peep peep! The second halves are underway.

9.01pm GMT

In case you missed the early games, these were the results:

8.52pm GMT

“Evening Rob,” says Michael George. “As a fan of the NFL and baseball, which have had ‘VAR’ for years, football needs to make a choice. Either do away with Stockley Park (aka le Parc de la Stockley on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), or the referee reviewing le Parc’s decisions. To have both is ridiculous and time consuming!”

There is a third choice.

8.50pm GMT

Peep peep! It’s half-time in the late games, and these are the scores.

8.49pm GMT

GOAL! Internazionale 2-1 Ludogorets (Lukaku 45, agg: 4-1) A freak goal puts Internazionale 4-1 up on aggregate. Romelu Lukaku’s stooping header is saved by the keeper, but the ball rebounds back off his noggin and loops gently in the net.

8.47pm GMT

Ighalo has his goal

First United start, first United goal ✅

That ball from Fernandes pic.twitter.com/ElJVo3A6lU

8.46pm GMT

“Evening Rob,” says Patrick O’Brien. “The commentator on BT mentioned earlier that Bruno Fernandes has five goals for Spirting in this seasons Uefa cup. When did they sack off the cup-tied rules?”

They changed it recently, last year I think. But knowing how the memory of a fortysomething works, that probably means it was changed in the early 2000s.

8.42pm GMT

This tie is done and done. Scott McTominay returns to the side with a goal, sidefooting confidently into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

8.41pm GMT

Arsenal 0-0 Olympiacos Alexandre Lacazette has had a goal disallowed for offside against Saka in the build-up. Shame as it was another lovely, clean assist from Saka, a fast, low cross that gave Lacazette an open goal.

8.40pm GMT

Ajax 1-1 Getafe (agg: 1-3) Getafe have hit the post and bar in quick succession. Ajax are having a lot of the ball but they need another three goals, at least.

8.37pm GMT

“Mate im trying to find the arsenal score but youve got a fixation on manure,” says Kevin Baker. “I dont give a fuck about man utd where’s the arsenal score please?”

0-0 mate.

8.37pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 2-1 Shakhtar (agg: 3-3, Ruben 37) The tie is level on aggregate after an excellent downward header from Ruben Dias.

8.36pm GMT

Odion Ighalo scores on his full debut! It was a simple finish after good play from Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata, and Nigeria will be a very happy place right now.

8.34pm GMT

Latest scores

8.33pm GMT

Celtic 0-0 Copenhagen (agg: 1-1) Celtic have been excellent so far and should be ahead. A 0-0 draw is good enough for them to go through, mind.

8.32pm GMT

GOAL! Internazionale 1-1 Ludogorets (agg: 3-1, Biraghi 31) Christian Eriksen finds the overlapping Biraghi, whose deflected shot beats the keeper at the near post.

8.30pm GMT

Oh no!

It's a good job Wolves are comfortably through on aggregate...

Pedro Neto has just missed a sitter! pic.twitter.com/j9OFKrPIcO

8.30pm GMT

What's going on here!?

A great save from defender Simon Deli, who is duly shown a red card... ‍♂️

United score the subsequent penalty! pic.twitter.com/ktcFbeWGqA

8.29pm GMT

8.28pm GMT

GOAL! Inter 0-1 Ludogorets (agg: 2-1, Oliveira-Souza 27) That’s silenced the home crowd, etc, etc.

8.26pm GMT

The new Old Trafford hero, Bruno Fernandes, gives United the lead with another impressively cocksure penalty. Brugge are also down to 10 men: Simon Deli was sent off for handling a goalbound shot from Daniel James.

8.25pm GMT

Full time: Basaksehir 4-1 Sporting (agg: 5-4) A famous victory for Basaksehir!

8.25pm GMT

There are some VAR fun and games at Old Trafford. Tumaini Carayol will tell you more.

8.21pm GMT

GOAL! Basaksehir 4-1 Sporting (agg: 5-4, Visca 119 pen) Edin Visca smashes a penalty into the roof of the net to put Basaksehir ahead!

8.15pm GMT

Basaksehir 3-1 Sporting (agg: 4-4) The tie is nine minutes from penalties.

8.14pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 1-1 Shakhtar (Junior Moraes 12, agg: 2-3) A vital away goal for Shakhtar, with Junior Moraes scrambling the ball over the line. He knew very little about it, if that, as he slid towards a low cross with a couple of defenders. I doubt he’ll care though.

8.12pm GMT

GOAL! Ajax 1-1 Getafe (Danilo 11, agg: 1-3) One down, three to go. The young Brazilian Danilo scores an open goal to give Ajax a snifter of hope against Getafe.

8.10pm GMT

GOAL! Benfica 1-0 Shakhtar (Pizzi 9, agg: 2-2) Benfica are level on aggregate. Pizzi has given them the lead with a nice goal, steering the ball sweetly into the far corner from just inside the box.

8.08pm GMT

Internazionale 0-0 Ludogorets (agg: 2-0) Romelu Lukaku has missed a one-on-one for Inter, who are playing behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.

8.06pm GMT

GOAL! Ajax 0-1 Getafe (agg: 0-3, Mata 6) An important early goal in Amsterdam. Jaime Mata has put Getafe three up on aggregate, and with an away goal as well. Ajax are in all sorts.

8.03pm GMT

Peep peep! The evening games are under way. Don’t forget you can follow Man Utd v Club Brugge with Tumaini Carayol.

8.00pm GMT

Basaksehir 3-1 Sporting (agg: 4-4) Ten minutes gone in extra time. As things stand, it’s going to penalties.

7.59pm GMT

“I am going to print this MBM,” says Mystic Peter Van, “and next time I’m talking football with my mates, I’ll shove it in their faces and say, ‘Yes, but have YOU ever been proven right on a Guardian MBM?’ And so, at the request of no-one, here are my guesses for the late games:

7.54pm GMT

7.53pm GMT

“Think Neto showed his inexperience there,” said Phil Russell. “Jota would have taken the contact, got the keeper sent off and had an outfield player in goal for the free kick.”

7.52pm GMT

The later games will kick off in the next few minutes. And here they are:

7.51pm GMT

That’s it for the early games, apart from Basaksehir v Sporting Lisbon. These are the latest/final scores:

7.49pm GMT

Peep peep! Wolves reach the last 16 in Europe for the first time since 1971-72. In the long-term, however, the match will probably be remembered for a very special miss by Pedro Neto.

Oh no!

It's a good job Wolves are comfortably through on aggregate...

Pedro Neto has just missed a sitter! pic.twitter.com/j9OFKrPIcO

7.48pm GMT

Full time: Basaksehir 3-1 Sporting (agg: 4-4) The match goes to extra-time, though Robinho - yep, him, yep he’s 36 now - almost won it with the last kick of the game. His swirling long-range drive whistled just over the bar.

7.47pm GMT

Roma, Wolfsburg and LASK are all through to the last 16. Wolves, Basel and Leverkusen are about to join them.

7.46pm GMT

Jonathan Callari complets a consolation hat-trick with a good downward header. Wolves will be a bit annoyed to lose on the night, but the main thing is that they are through to the last 16.

7.44pm GMT

GOAL! Basaksehir 3-1 Sporting (agg: 4-4; Visca 90+2) Edin Visca has taken the match to extra-time!

7.42pm GMT

Espanyol 2-2 Wolves Pedro Neto has just missed an open goal from 20 yards. He went round the keeper and calmly sidefooted the ball wide. That registers very high on the Rosenthalometer, and I suspect the clip will be going viral this same night.

7.38pm GMT

Espanyol 2-2 Wolves Early days, but Daniel Podence could be yet another triumph for the Wolves scouting department. He’s had a terrific game.

7.35pm GMT

Espanyol 2-2 Wolves Watching Wolves in the last 16 is going to be so much fun. Imagine the atmosphere at Molineux.

7.34pm GMT

Wolves equalise on the night, with Matt Doherty scoring an open goal after good work from the lively Daniel Podence.

7.33pm GMT

Gent 1-1 Roma It hasn’t been an easy night for Roma - they scored from their only shot on target - but Gent are starting to run out of hope, ot to mention time.

7.27pm GMT

These are the latest scores. Most of the ties look settled, though Basaksehir v Sporting Lisbon is poised pretty nicely. And Gent are still pushing enthusiastically for the two goals they need to Roma.

7.23pm GMT

Wolfsburg are now 3-0 ahead against Malmo, 5-1 on aggregate.

7.22pm GMT

GOAL! Porto 1-3 Leverkusen (agg: 2-5, Marega 67) Two in a minute for Peter Van! Porto get a consolation goal, just as he predicted, with a cracking header from Moussa Marega.

7.21pm GMT

GOAL! Istanbul Basaksehir 2-1 Sporting Lisbon (agg: 3-4, Vietto 68) Peter Van strikes again! Fulham alumnus Luciano Vietto has put Sporting Lisbon back in front on aggregate against the Turkish league leaders.

7.20pm GMT

Espanyol 2-1 Wolves (agg: 2-5) There’s a bit of huff and puff from Espanyol. But they still need four goals to go through and, well, no.

7.19pm GMT

GOAL! Malmo 0-2 Wolfsburg (agg 1-4; Gerhardt 65) It’s a stroll in Sweden for Wolfsburg. Yannick Gerhardt has put them 4-1 ahead on aggregate.

7.16pm GMT

“Dear Rob,” says Peter Van. “Thanks for acknowledging my very modest and very temporary success in predicting Gent to do well tonight vs. Roma. I’m not actually watching that game (Porto - Leverkusen is what’s on TV here). Based on that, here are some second half predictions:

7.14pm GMT

This is a rout. The brilliant Kai Havertz, who made the first two goals, scores the third on the break.

7.13pm GMT

Latest scores

7.12pm GMT

A bit more team news

Tonight's team news...

@LacazetteAlex leads the line
@Aubameyang7 also starts
@BukayoSaka87 named in starting XI

#UEL

#UEL team news! ⚪

The Hoops' line-up for @FCKobenhavn... #CELCOP pic.twitter.com/Zqw38r7ufc

7.11pm GMT

Thanks Niall. Meanwhile, Jonathan Calleri’s relaxed penalty has put Espanyol ahead on the night against Wolves. They only need four more.

7.09pm GMT

It’s game over in Porto, where Leverkusen now lead 2-0, and 4-1 on aggregate. Kerem Demirbay is the man on the scoresheet. Leverkusen can be formidable opponents when they’re on their game – the British teams who progress will hope to avoid them.

And speaking of formidable, it’s time to hand you back to Rob Smyth, who will guide you through the rest of this continental buffet.

7.05pm GMT

Daniel Podence almost puts Wolves ahead on the night, cutting inside but firing just over the bar. In Austria, Margo Raguz has scored a second for LASK Linz, who lead AZ Alkmaar 3-1 on aggregate in the Capital Letters Derby.

7.03pm GMT

Here’s how to follow Manchester United v Club Brugge:

7.01pm GMT

The players are heading back out for the second half in Barcelona, and everywhere else for that matter. Danijel Aleksic scored an absolutely belting free kick just before the break to give Istanbul Basaksehir a 2-0 lead over Sporting:

Brilliance from Aleksic!

Wonderful free-kick that leaves the keeper rooted pic.twitter.com/3QdABbpSvI

6.58pm GMT

With Frankfurt’s game at Salzburg put back until Friday because of a storm, Eintracht fans have headed en masse to watch an ice hockey game instead. They’re watching Red Bull’s hockey team against Klagenfurt, and backing the away side:

Heute keine Europa League in Salzburg? Egal! 1000 #SGE-Fans unterstützen heute beim Eishockey Klagenfurt gegen Red Bull. #SALSGE pic.twitter.com/JbcdrsvYcs

6.54pm GMT

Remember when West Ham drew Romania’s Astra Giurgiu twice in Europa League qualifying – and got knocked out both times? Well, it’s been pretty much downhill ever since for the Hammers – and now they’re battling the dreaded drop:

6.51pm GMT

Arsenal, Celtic and Manchester United are all in action at 8pm (GMT), with Odion Ighalo set for his first United start at home to Club Brugge. Rob will be keeping tabs on that one, but you can also join Tumaini Carayol in a separate MBM:

TEAM NEWS

First #MUFC start for @IghaloJude
First start since Boxing Day for @McTominay10
Seven changes from the first leg#UEL

6.49pm GMT

Thanks, Rob. Some serious pre-season friendly vibes about Espanyol v Wolves, now the visitors have that away goal. It’s also looking very good for Leverkusen, Basel and Wolfsburg. Tie of the night so far is in Istanbul, where Basaksehir lead Sporting on away goals.

6.45pm GMT

Peep peep! It’s half time in the seven early games, and these are the scores.

6.42pm GMT

GOAL! Istanbul Basaksehir 2-0 Sporting Lisbon (agg: 3-3, Aleksic 45) Danijel Aleksic has brought Basaksehir level on aggregate - and they are ahead on away goals.

6.40pm GMT

GOAL! Malmo 0-1 Wolfsburg (agg: 1-3; Brekalo 42)

6.40pm GMT

GOAL! LASK 1-0 AZ Alkmaar (agg: 2-1; Raguz 44 pen)

6.36pm GMT

GOAL! Basel 1-0 APOEL (agg: 4-0; F Frei 38 pen) Basel will be in the last 16.

6.34pm GMT

Porto 0-1 Leverkusen (agg: 1-3) Leverkusen have been a class above Porto in the first 37 minutes 44 seconds.

6.33pm GMT

Latest scores

6.32pm GMT

“Hi Rob,” says Matt Burtz. “This email may only be applicable to approximately two people, but Americans with a cable subscription can watch some Europa League games through Univision’s streaming service. Yes, it’s in Spanish, but it’s better than nothing, and you get to hear the classic ‘GOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL’ or some variation thereof.”

Will it explain Brexit though?

6.30pm GMT

Istanbul Basaksheir 1-0 Sporting Lisbon (agg: 2-3) Our old friend Martin Skrtel has put the Super Lig leaders Basaksehir in front against Sporting Lisbon.

6.29pm GMT

A hammer blow to Gent, and a vital away goal for Roma. Justin Kluivert makes a good run infield, onto Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s nice through pass, and finished confidently.

6.24pm GMT

Peter Van predicted it! Jonathan David has given Gent the lead with a goal of unobtrusive call. There must have been at least 20 passes in the build-up. Eventually Roman Bezus put in a brilliant cross from the right, and David pulled off his man to steer an accomplished half-volley past Pau Lopez. Delightful stuff.

6.20pm GMT

Adama Traore, back in his birthplace of Barcelona, scores at the second attempt to put Wolves 5-1 ahead on aggregate. They also have an away goal, which means Espanyol need at least five more to go through.

6.15pm GMT

Latest scores

6.13pm GMT

A-hem, as I was saying. Jonathan Calleri gives Espanyol the lead with a crisp finish at the near post from Pedrosa’s low cross.

6.12pm GMT

Espanyol 0-0 Wolves No sign of an imminent nightmare for Wolves. Rui Patricio has just made a terrific save, though yer man was offside.

6.11pm GMT

“I’ll be relying solely on your MBMing skills today as they no longer show Europa League games on TV here and I’m too cheap to pay to watch them,” says J. R. in Illinois. “Ah well. I guess I’ll just continue reading this book explaining why y’all Brexited yourselves even though I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand. Maybe if these games are uneventful and you’re looking for material you could try explaining it to me.”

No.

6.09pm GMT

Leverkusen go 3-1 ahead on aggregate. As in the first leg, Lucas Alario had a goal disallowed for offside on the field and then given by VAR. It was a calm, accomplished finish at the end of a neat move, and Leverkusen are well on course for the last 16.

6.03pm GMT

Espanyol 0-0 Wolves Nothing much to report after six minutes, though Espanyol have been lively enough. The RCDE Stadium looks a quarter full at best.

5.58pm GMT

Peep peep! The seven early games have started.

These are the latest scores.

5.56pm GMT

“Dear Rob,” says Peter Van. “I fully agree that tonight’s top matchup is Porto - Leverkusen. But I’d keep an eye on Gent-Roma too. I saw Gent demolish Wolfsburg in the group stages and I was impressed, I think they might turn it around against a hot-and-cold Roma team. And they feature striker Jonathan David, sure to be a recurring feature in your Rumour Mill column.

“On a different note - do you share the (very, very wrong) opinion as most of your colleagues in the English media, according to whom the Europa Vase is a waste of time, useful only as an alternative path to the Big Megabucks League?”

5.47pm GMT

“Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “After Rangers and Man City STORMED it on the continent last night, it’d be good to see more British teams making a STATEMENT tonight. It’s all part of the Brexit dividend, innit? If we ignore what happened to Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, of course.”

I love that Britain (well, England) is even being shown up by Europe when it comes to VAR.

5.28pm GMT

Some pre-match reading (and listening)

5.03pm GMT

Team news

Wolves, who are 4-0 up from the first leg, have picked a weakened side to face Espanyol. They’ll regret that if they lose 12-0.

STARTING XI |

11 d'Abelardo! ⚪️#Volem | #EspanyoldeBarcelona | #RCDE | #UEL pic.twitter.com/hD73nXEkGM

Here is how Wolves line up for tonight's @EuropaLeague round of 32 second leg against @RCDEspanyol.

A first start for our number ten, Daniel Podence! #ESPWOL

pic.twitter.com/FRTyoUNmbA

5.01pm GMT

There’s a decent chance that there will be five British clubs in the last 16. Wolves and Arsenal should progress comfortably - should - while Celtic and Manchester United are favourites after managing score draws away to Copenhagen and Club Brugge respectively. The match of the night is probably in Portugal, where FC Porto start 2-1 down to Bayer Leverkusen.

4.59pm GMT

And these are the 8pm games (9pm CET)

4.57pm GMT

These are the 5.55pm kick-offs (6.55pm CET; first leg scores in brackets)

4.44pm GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Europa League last 32, phase B, part deux, second leg ties. Rangers have already qualified for the next round, so there are 15 more places up for grabs. The kick-offs are staggered as usual, with seven at 5.55pm UK time and seven more at 8pm.

A gold star for the first person who shouted at their screen: “Hang on, 7+7 does NOT equal 15! Do you get paid for this? ‘The world’s leading liberal voice’? Liberal maths more like lol.”

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Published on February 27, 2020 14:45

The Fiver | Two emphatic fingers in the direction of anyone connected with Uefa

The Fiver has always loved post-coital awkwardness. OK, OK, The Fiver has always loved the idea of post-coital awkwardness. We never did get to experience an abhorgasm, but the idea fascinates us on both a primal and philosophical level. As such, we’ve taken great interest in Manchester City’s Big Cup campaign, which could yet end with a public display of post-coital awkwardness, not to mention an excruciating lack of eye contact, between City and Uefa in Istanbul on 30 May.

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Published on February 27, 2020 08:22

February 19, 2020

Manchester City 2-0 West Ham: Premier League – as it happened

Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne scored in an easy victory for City, who were boosted by the news that Pep Guardiola will stay at the club next season

Read Paul Wilson’s match report Message of defiance dominates as City fans chant for Guardiola

11.25pm GMT

9.53pm GMT

That’s it for tonight’s blog. Thanks for your company - goodnight!

9.51pm GMT

Pep has been chatting about City’s European ban on Sky Sports.

The club believes [the ban] is unfair so we will appeal, and we are going to wait. All we can do is focus on what we do on the pitch. I trust my club 100 per cent, because they explained what happened, so now we are going to wait. We are optimistic that the truth will prevail.

If they don’t sack me, I will stay here, 100 per cent. I want to stay here, more than ever. I said before, I say now, and I will say it until the end of my contract: I want to stay, I want to help the club maintain this level as long as possible. Why should I leave? I love this club. Whatever happens, I will be here next season.

9.34pm GMT

Kevin De Bruyne is chatting on Sky about the European ban

“We were on holiday when the Uefa statement was released. We came back and trained like normal and nothing really changed. It is what it is. I don’t know, as players, what else we can do – we just play football. The club is doing its thing and we trust them. It’s a legal issue so we can’t really say anything.”

9.21pm GMT

Peep peep! An easy victory for City, who cruised in second gear all night. Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne – whose imagination and skill made an otherwise pointless match worthwhile – scored the goals. West Ham were content to leave town without significant damage to their goal difference. Their next game is Liverpool away on Monday; City go to Leicester on Saturday.

9.19pm GMT

90+1 min Four minutes of added time.

9.15pm GMT

89 min Tiki taka tiki taka tiki taka.

9.14pm GMT

87 min Declan Rice has quietly had an excellent game for West Ham. It’s the best I’ve seen him play, in fact.

9.12pm GMT

85 min David Silva limps off with what looks like a hamstring problem. Phil Foden replaces him. He seems quite relaxed, so I think it’s a precaution as much as anything.

9.10pm GMT

84 min Noble shoots high and wide from 30 yards.

9.10pm GMT

82 min West Ham look like a team with goal difference in mind. They aren’t taking any risks to try to get back in the match.

9.07pm GMT

80 min Jarrod Bowen comes on for his West Ham debut, with Robert Snodgrass doing one.

9.06pm GMT

79 min The utterly magnificent Kevin De Bruyne - who made one, scored one and made an otherwise boring match worthwhile - is replaced by Ilkay Gundogan.

9.05pm GMT

77 min De Bruyne flicks another unreal pass over the West Ham defence for Jesus, whose close-range shot is blocked by Fabianski. He could have had a hat-trick tonight. De Bruyne’s pass took seven West Ham players out of the game. West Ham counter-attack through Antonio, who is dispossessed just outside the City area by... De Bruyne.

9.04pm GMT

76 min Kevin De Bruyne, though. There’s never been a player quite like him.

9.01pm GMT

74 min This match was over before it started. Antonio has a rare West Ham shot, blasting high and wide from the edge of the area.

8.57pm GMT

70 min Aguero controls Walker’s low cross on the six-yard line, turns and hits a shot that is blocked by Ogbonna.

8.53pm GMT

67 min “Zabaleta must be wondering which side he is playing for,” says Ian Copestake. “A team put together and housed at great expense and now in danger of a freefall from grace or ANY OTHER FOOTBALL CLUB!”

8.53pm GMT

65 min John Stones replaces Aymeric Laporte.

8.51pm GMT

De Bruyne played a good return pass to Bernardo Silva in the area and kept running. Bernardo twisted back outside Cresswell, at which point De Bruyne called shotgun and slid the loose ball past Fabianski at the near post.

8.49pm GMT

That’ll do.

8.48pm GMT

61 min Bernardo Silva cuts inside from the right and curls a lovely shot that goes just wide of the far post.

8.47pm GMT

60 min Fredericks is able to walk off, in fact, but he looks very groggy and one of the physios is holding his arm to his chest. Zabaleta comes on to a lovely ovation from the home fans.

8.46pm GMT

59 min Fredericks is being moved very slowly onto a stretcher. David Moyes takes the opportunity to give Robert Snodgrass some tactical instructions.

8.45pm GMT

57 min Fredericks falls awkwardly after a sly foul from Rodri, damaging his shoulder in the process. He is going to be replaced by City legend Pablo Zabaleta.

8.44pm GMT

56 min “Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “This afternoon, I saw the five films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Short (Live Action). The best of them started with a five-minute discussion about the relative merits of Lionel Messi and Riyad Mahrez - which wasn’t what I was expecting. PS The Greavsie film is better than the Maradona one.”

8.42pm GMT

54 min Aguero almost makes it 2-0 on the break. He ran around the defence, as he has done so often down the years, and drove the ball wide of the far post from a tight angle.

8.41pm GMT

53 min Rice, who has had a brilliant start to the second half, intercepts De Bruyne’s pass and waves an outside-of-the-foot through pass towards Antonio. Otamendi gets there first to slide the ball out for a throw-in.

8.38pm GMT

50 min A poor ball from Rodri is intercepted by Rice, who runs 60 yards down the right before curling a dangerous cross that is half cleared by Otamendi. Eventually Antonio is penalised for handball, though the chance had gone anyway.

8.34pm GMT

47 min De Bruyne plays an outrageously good pass to Walker, whose low cross is kicked away at the near post by Fabianski.

8.32pm GMT

46 min Peep peep! West Ham begin the second half.

8.18pm GMT

Half-time reading

8.18pm GMT

Peep peep! A subdued Manchester City lead through Rodri’s header. It was a boring half, in truth, with City totally dominant even though they were nowhere near their exhilarating best. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

8.15pm GMT

45 min Masuaku is booked for fouling De Bruyne just outside the area on the right.

8.15pm GMT

44 min Aguero has a shot on the turn blocked by Ogbonna. That was City’s 13th attempt on goal to West Ham’s one.

8.14pm GMT

43 min West Ham’s best attack of the half. Antonio moved out to the right to receive a pass from Rice, looked up and whacked a superb curling cross that flashed across the face of goal.

8.10pm GMT

40 min Meanwhile, a new angle shows that Laporte didn’t touch that ball over the line, so it was definitely Rodri’s goal.

8.10pm GMT

39 min Bernardo Silva cuts inside and crosses towards the near post, where David Silva stabs wide on the stretch. I think Fabianski blocked it, on reflection, but a goalkick was given.

8.08pm GMT

38 min This match is absurdly one-sided, and that’s with City nowhere near their best.

8.07pm GMT

36 min It looks like the goal has been given to Rodri. Strange, as I’m pretty sure Laporte Craigjohnstoned it on the line, but no matter.

8.05pm GMT

34 min “Did the City fans not voice their support for their downtrodden brothers,” says Ian Copestake. “Or perhaps a plaintive rendition by older supporters of ‘Hello darkness my old friend’.”

8.01pm GMT

All that pretty passing, and City take the lead with a simple corner. De Bruyne clipped it to the near post, where the unmarked Rodri leapt to flick the ball across goal and into the net. West Ham had nobody on the far post. The ball was going in anyway but Laporte made sure, and I suspect it will eventually go down as his goal.

7.59pm GMT

29 min Mendy’s mishit cross is punched behind at the near post by Fabianski. City are nowhere near their best. They’ll still win 5-0, probably, but it’s been a subdued performance so far.

7.56pm GMT

26 min City have had 77 per cent of the possession.

7.56pm GMT

25 min I think 3-5-1-1 was a generous interpretation of West Ham’s formation. It’s 5-4-1, basically, and it is working pretty well.

7.53pm GMT

22 min Nothing comes of that West Ham corner. Meanwhile, replays show that a) Aguero was almost certainly onside and b) Ogbonna fouled him, and felt him up for that matter, so it should have been a penalty to City.

7.52pm GMT

21 min West Ham break forward in numbers for the first time in the match, and Fredericks wins a corner.

7.51pm GMT

20 min City appeal for a penalty when Aguero appears to be pulled back in the area. I think the flag had already gone up for offside, and there’s no sign of VAR getting involved.

7.48pm GMT

18 min City haven’t been at their best, even though they should be 2-0 up. Their passing has been slow by their standards.

7.46pm GMT

15 min “West Ham’s ‘dignity’, Rob?” sniffs Matt Dony. “Jazz-mag funding, least practical place to play football since 1914 (but with none of the heartwarming humanity), a consistently hilarious player recruitment policy, banning a fan for wearing a t-shirt they didn’t like, and Karren Brady. Bit late with that stable door, there.”

7.45pm GMT

14 min: Jesus misses another great chance! He was put through by De Bruyne but faffed unnecessarily, 10 yards from goal, and that allowed Cresswell to come from behind to make two vital blocks. West Ham thought Jesus was offside; he wasn’t.

7.44pm GMT

13 min De Bruyne rifles a low, long-range strike that is kicked away by Fabianski. He was going the wrong way, so it may have taken a deflection.

7.41pm GMT

11 min West Ham cross the halfway line.

7.39pm GMT

8 min De Bruyne eases a pass into Aguero in the D. He controls the ball and then, out of nothing, flicks an imaginative effort with the outside of the foot that goes just wide.

7.37pm GMT

6 min Jesus misses an excellent chance. He was put through on goal by a beautiful pass from David Silva and decided to go round Fabianski rather than shoot. That allowed Fredericks to nip in and poke the ball behind for a corner.

7.33pm GMT

3 min City have made a dominant start, as you’d expect.

7.31pm GMT

2 min “Dear Rob,” says Mac Millings. “As a sympathetic, entirely neutral, Watford-born observer, I sincerely hope West Ham’s goal difference doesn’t take an absolute shoeing this evening.”

7.30pm GMT

1 min Peep peep! City kick off from left to right. There are a surprising number of empty seats at the Etihad.

7.24pm GMT

Pre-match music

7.21pm GMT

It’s almost time for action. I fear for West Ham’s dignity tonight, not to mention their goal difference.

7.07pm GMT

Pep Guardiola speaks

“After the game, we can talk about whatever you want… There was an impact on the players [when the ban was announced], but only for a few hours. We support the club 100 per cent. [Has it been harder to lift the players?] The players are exceptional professionals.”

6.54pm GMT

Alternative association football action

6.50pm GMT

Pre-match reading

6.33pm GMT

Manchester City (4-3-3) Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Mendy; De Bruyne, Rodri, D Silva; B Silva, Aguero, Jesus.
Substitutes: Bravo, Stones, Cancelo, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden.

West Ham (3-5-1-1) Fabianski; Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Fredericks, Noble, Rice, Soucek, Masuaku; Snodgrass; Antonio.
Substitutes: Randolph, Balbuena, Zabaleta, Felipe Anderson, Lanzini, Bowen, Haller.

5.38pm GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the rearranged Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United. We’re all friends here, most of us anyway, so let us speak frankly: there will be more attention on Pep Guardiola’s pre- and post-match interview than the actual football. The match is largely meaningless to City, who are going to finish second or third this season regardless. West Ham need every point they can get, though, and a draw tonight would move them out of the relegation zone.

It’ll be interesting to see what mood City are in. There’s a fair chance they will take our their FFP frustrations on West Ham, and maybe even exceed the 5-0 victory at the London Stadium on the opening weekend of the season. But they could also be subdued and lacking in motivation, in which case West Ham might nick something. We’ll soon find out.

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Published on February 19, 2020 13:53

February 17, 2020

Chelsea 0-2 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire scored superb headers to give United victory in a match that included yet more VAR controversy

11.52pm GMT

Lampard wanted Maguire sent off ...

11.06pm GMT

Jonathan Liew on Bruno Fernandes ...

10.05pm GMT

That’s all for me - I’ll leave you with Jacob Steinberg’s report from Samford Bridge. Night!

9.55pm GMT

Peep peep! That’s an excellent victory for Manchester United, who have beaten Chelsea three times this season by a combined score of 8-1. Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire scored superb headers, although the post-match talk will doubtless be about VARZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Chelsea had two goals disallowed, while Maguire should have been sent off in the first half for studding Michy Batshuayi in a very personal space.

9.52pm GMT

90+3 min: Ighalo misses a great chance to score! Fred put him through with a nice short pass, and Ighalo poked an instinctive shot that was blocked by the outrushing Caballero. He probably should have scored.

9.51pm GMT

90+2 min Diogo Dalot replaces Bruno Fernandes, who had another encouraging game and made the second goal.

9.50pm GMT

90+1 min Odion Ighalo comes on to make his Manchester United debut in place of Anthony Martial, who scored a lovely opening goal. There will be five added minutes.

9.49pm GMT

90 min “If you look back at the moment they froze the play for the VAR on Giroud’s goal (the first shot showing the cross), that blurry thing representing the ball was well on its way off the foot of the crosser,” says Mike Greville. “Just too late. Just saying. He probably was not offside when the ball was struck. Cue indignation at ‘factual’ decisions.”

Yes, I’ve thought this all along – I don’t trust the accuracy at all, especially not when there are so many moving parts.

9.49pm GMT

89 min Mount hits the post with an ingenious free-kick! Everyone expected a cross from an inside-right position, but Mount hammered it low and hard towards the near post. De Gea scrambled across and hit the post himself, just after the ball. He looks groggy and needs treatment.

9.47pm GMT

88 min A Chelsea corner pinballs around the area. Eventually Reece James’s low shot is deflected behind for another corner. This one is headed away by Bailly.

9.46pm GMT

87 min I’m not the biggest fan of Luke Shaw but he’s had a really good game as the left-sided centre-back.

9.45pm GMT

85 min A win would take United up to seventh, three points behind Chelsea in fourth. The game is petering out; all connected with Chelsea look thoroughly VARed off.

9.43pm GMT

84 min “Haha lolz Varchestvar Varnited?!” says Niall Mullen.

9.41pm GMT

83 min Azpilicueta looks like he wants to hurt someone. His head went about 20 minutes ago.

9.40pm GMT

82 min “Do you think if the refs took the rule from rugby - any backchat about decisions and the decision reverses or it goes forward by 10 yards - would work in football?” asks Ruth Purdue. “Taylor is getting a lot of abuse for every call, as per usual.”

Didn’t they try that in the early 2000s? Everyone just ignored it and it was scrapped after a few years.

9.38pm GMT

80 min A Manchester United change: Andreas Pereira replaces Daniel James.

9.38pm GMT

79 min Wan-Bissaka is booked for an altercation with Azpilicueta. I’m not sure why only one of them was booked, but anyway.

9.37pm GMT

Oh dear. It was a superb diving header from Giroud, but his foot was fractionally offside.

9.36pm GMT

Olivier Giroud brings Chelsea back into the game with a lovely goal (VAR permitting).

9.35pm GMT

76 min Williams is booked for a foul on Willian.

9.34pm GMT

75 min Fernandes goes down holding his face after wearing a straight arm from Giroud. Welcome to England! Kovacic is also struggling, and Chelsea have used all three subs.

9.32pm GMT

73 min A lovely flick from Giroud finds Kovacic, who scoots into the area and looks certain to score until Bailly appears from nowhere to make a spectacular block. That was brilliant defending.

9.29pm GMT

71 min Fernandes’s set-pieces have been good tonight. He hits them with so much pace.

9.29pm GMT

70 min Maguire’s dangerous header across goal, from Fernandes’s booming free-kick, is nutted behind by Azpilicueta. Martial was waiting behind him to score.

9.27pm GMT

68 min Olivier Giroud replaces Michy Batshuayi, who had a bit of a nightmare.

9.26pm GMT

68 min “Hi Rob,” says Bobby Moore. “One of football’s great delights is watching two of your rivals kick each other to bits. Throw in floodlights, some VAR shenanigans, and a can or two, and you’ve got yourself a lovely evening.”

Here’s some post-match entertainment for you.

9.26pm GMT

It was made by Bruno Fernandes, who bulleted a corner from the left towards the penalty spot. Maguire arrived late, got in front of Rudiger and planted an emphatic downward header into the net. He shouldn’t be on the field, but that was a brilliant header.

9.24pm GMT

Harry Maguire doubles United’s lead with a superb header!

9.23pm GMT

64 min ... and Fernandes whips it off the post! It was a superb effort, curled around the wall, and it thumped off the bottom of the near post. Caballero may have it covered but it was a lovely strike.

9.22pm GMT

64 min The free-kick is almost on the right edge of the area. Fred and Fernandes are over it...

9.22pm GMT

63 min Pedro dithers on the edge of his own area, is robbed by Fred and pulls him down. It was definitely outside the area.

9.19pm GMT

60 min The ever impressive Reece James wins a corner for Chelsea. Nothing comes on this one.

9.18pm GMT

58 min Zouma leads with his studs while tackling Martial, who goes over in a heap. Fred then gets involved and is booked, as is Zouma for the original tackle.

9.16pm GMT

56 min Azpilicueta definitely pushed Williams. But there’s a good argument that Fred eased Azpilicueta into Williams in the first place. It could have gone either way, but when you add it to the Maguire incident Chelsea have good reason to be hacked off.

9.15pm GMT

Zouma volleyed a right-wing corner smartly into the net. But the goal has been disallowed for a push by Azpilicueta on Williams.

9.14pm GMT

Kurt Zouma equalises from a corner! It’s going to be checked by VAR though.

9.13pm GMT

54 min Mount’s shot is pushed onto the post by de Gea, though the whistle had gone for handball by Batshuayi.

9.10pm GMT

51 min Bailly, who has had a very encouraging game on his return, steps in to win the ball and start another United attack. Eventually Shaw overruns the ball and is dispossessed by Pedro.

9.10pm GMT

50 min “Does Martial deserve a bit more patience to develop into a really consistent centre forward?” says David Wall. “He’s still relatively young and although he has been at United a while now he seemed pretty much ostracised during the last year or so of Mourinho’s time there (in spirit if not in body, never getting a consistent run after Sanchez arrived). And now he’s being asked to play as a proper centre forward rather than a wide attacking player coming in from the left, where he played most of his games before this season. True, that’s where he says he wants to play, but it still takes a while to really develop in a new-ish position, as shown by the way Henry was far from the deadly striker he became when first arriving at Arsenal.”

That’s true, but Henry had pretty much cracked it after three or four months, and he was a couple of years younger. Martial has the ability and intelligence to improve as a centre-forward - tonight’s goal is an example of that - but I’m not sure he’ll ever have the attitude or temperament to be a great player. That said, United are not really in a position to sell players like Martial.

9.09pm GMT

47 min Rudiger is booked for a cynical foul on Fernandes.

9.05pm GMT

46 min Chelsea begin the second half. Christensen is being checked for concussion, which makes you wonder why he was allowed back on the field. I have no idea how these things work.

9.04pm GMT

Chelsea have made a half-time substitution, with Kurt Zouma on for the injured Andreas Christensen.

8.57pm GMT

The replays of the Maguire incident suggest he was exceedingly lucky to avoid a red card. At first I thought you could at least argue it was a reflex action, but the replays are pretty damning. He studded Batshuayi in the business area!

8.51pm GMT

Half-time reading

8.50pm GMT

Peep peep! Manchester United lead through Anthony Martial’s classy header. It’s been a slightly odd game - full of enthusiasm and good intentions but without much quality in the final third. Martial’s goal was the only shot on target from either side. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

8.49pm GMT

45+4 min Batshuayi misses another chance, driving tamely wide of the far post after a good through pass from Pedro. It was a pretty tight angle, in his defence, but the shot was painfully lacking in conviction.

8.47pm GMT

45+1 min That was the first shot on target in the match.

8.46pm GMT

That’s another one for Martial’s YouTube compilation. Wan-Bissaka made the goal, twisting Willian one way and then the other before crossing to the near post. Martial got above Christensen, who had just come back on the field, and flicked an accomplished header into the far corner. Nobody ever doubted his class, and that was another demonstration.

8.45pm GMT

Anthony Martial gives United the lead with a masterful finish.

8.44pm GMT

44 min There’s a break in play while Christensen receives treatment for a bloody nose. He’ll be fine.

8.41pm GMT

41 min There’s another example. Chelsea move the ball smoothly from right to left, only for the overlaaping Azpilicueta to hit his cross straight at Wan-Bissaka.

8.41pm GMT

39 min This match has flattered to deceive. There have been lots of promising attacks from both teams, and precisely no shots on target. Abraham and Rashford are having good games.

8.37pm GMT

37 min A half chance for Martial. He played a nice one-two with Fernandes on the left, moved into the area and drove a low, left-footed shot that went a few yards wide of the far post.

8.36pm GMT

36 min It was just outside the area, so VAR can’t get involved. Replays suggest it was a clear foul.

8.35pm GMT

35 min Willian is booked for diving. I thought he was fouled by Fernandes, right on the edge of - and possibly inside - the area. This will be checked.

8.35pm GMT

33 min “To me, Martial is a YouTube great in the making,” says Vibanshu Bisht. “As in, 10 years down the line, his 10 min highlights clip would make great viewing, making United fans who never saw him play 90 minutes think he was the greatest. A bit like what Berbatov is now.”

That’s a really good comparison, certainly in terms of temperament and flattery to deceive. Unlike Berbatov, though, I can’t imagine Martial in Eyes Wide Shut.

8.31pm GMT

31 min A corner is cleared to Bruno Fernandes, who rakes a shot well wide from 30 yards.

8.31pm GMT

31 min Williams surges down the left and plays a dangerous low cross towards James that is kicked behind by Kovacic. There still hasn’t been a shot on target.

8.30pm GMT

30 min “I do like Luke Shaw and I do feel that Mourinho broke him really as a player,” says Rachel Clifton. “But he does always look a touch like someone woke him up three minutes before kick-off.”

I’ve never understood the fuss about Shaw, really. He’s in terrible shape and I’ve never seen much evidence that he is anything more than a decent full-back.

8.29pm GMT

28 min “If Chelsea do not win, Liverpool will have qualified for the Champions League even if City are reinstated,” writes my colleague Philip Cornwall. “It would be impossible for both Chelsea and Spurs to finish ahead of the leaders, given they meet on Saturday. Both would kick off needing to win all their final 12 games to match or overhaul Liverpool’s 76 points, if that game kicks off with Spurs on 40 and Chelsea on 41 or 42 - and only one of them can win that match.”

Yes, but what have they actually won?

8.27pm GMT

26 min Batshuayi misses a sitter! It was beautifully set up: Pedro slid a penetrative pass down the inside-left channel to Mount, who looked up and picked out Batshuayi with a precise cutback pass. He made a mess of a simple chance, steering just wide from 12 yards with his left foot.

8.24pm GMT

24 min “Evening Rob,” says Niall Mullen. “As a seasoned United watcher can you tell me is Martial really good or just alright? Everything about him screams elite attacking player but his record is unspectacular. He’s also 24 now so he should be approaching his peak years.”

He’s the kind of player you’d be scared to sell, because he could be a superstar, but I suspect he’ll always be a bit too easygoing to fulfil his potential. It’d be interesting to see what he’d be like under a great man-manager/motivator like Klopp.

8.23pm GMT

23 min Chelsea miss a good opportunity when Willian’s cutback is just behind Batshuayi on the six-yard line. A better ball would have given him an open goal.

8.22pm GMT

22 min Maguire survives a VAR check for a red card. He was pushed over by Batshuayi, and fell into the Chelsea dugout. As he did so he left his legs in the air and ended up gently studding Batshuayi in the thigh. It’s hard to be certain of intent, I suppose, but I’m pretty sure he knew what he was doing.

8.21pm GMT

21 min A promising break from United ends when Martial whacks a shot that is blocked by Rudiger.

8.17pm GMT

18 min Pedro pulls Wan-Bissaka over, gets away with it and hits a dangerous low cross that is cleared by Shaw.

8.16pm GMT

16 min “Hi Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “Quite a lot of pointless running about isn’t there?”

Hang on, how did you get into the office?

8.14pm GMT

United fans singing: 'This is how it feels to be City, this is how it feels to be small, this is how it feels when your passport's back in the drawer.' #mufc #mcfc

8.12pm GMT

13 min Mason Mount replaces Kante.

8.12pm GMT

12 min Fernandes and Fred combine really nicely on the edge of the area before Fred’s drive is blocked by Rudiger.

8.11pm GMT

11 min Kante walks off slowly - “not the most sorry sight if you’re a Manchester United fan,” says Gary Neville on Sky - and will be replaced as soon as Mason Mount is ready.

8.10pm GMT

10 min Kante is receiving treatment, and it doesn’t look good. He’s not in any obvious pain but it looks like a muscle problem and I don’t think he’ll be able to continue.

8.09pm GMT

8 min It’s been a breezy, attacking start to the game, with Chelsea in particular looking good. Willian runs at Williams just inside the area, makes some space with a stepover and drives a left-footed shot that goes a few yards wide of the far post.

8.07pm GMT

7 min “Hi Rob,” says Matt Pearson. “Chelsea fan here. Given that both our goalkeepers teeter pretty evenly on the axis of unspectacular and gaffe-prone, do you think Frank has kept Kepa on the bench just because he knows what a nightmare it would be to try and sub him off? Or does this spell the beginning of the end for the £72 million sometime-shot-stopper?”

I don’t say this with any authority, as I’m not in any of Frank Lampard’s WhatsApp groups, but I suspect that at this stage it’s no more or less than a kick up the trousers. From afar, it feels like Chelsea have more pressing requirements than a new goalkeeper.

8.06pm GMT

6 min A fine effort from Reece James flies just wide. He controlled a cross on the chest on the edge of the area, moved the ball onto his right foot and drove a low shot that took a slight touch off Brandon Williams and rolled just wide of the far post.

8.03pm GMT

4 min United are playing 3-4-1-2, as expected. Chelsea’s formation is 4-3-3, also as expected, but with Pedro on the left and Willian on the right.

8.03pm GMT

3 min Bailly is robbed by Pedro, spraking the first Chelsea attack. Matic ends it with a decent interception.

8.00pm GMT

2 min “You once mentioned my name almost 10 years ago, when I was reading an MBM in the British Library instead of writing an essay,” says Chris Ioannou. “I asked politely and you accommodated. See, Rob is one of the good ones... also, have you really been writing MBMs for that long?”

No, you’re confusing me with the other Rob Smyth. Such a shame what happened to him.

8.00pm GMT

1 min Peep peep! Manchester United kick off from left to right. They are in red; Chelsea are in blue.

7.59pm GMT

“Thanks for sharing the Harry Gregg obituary,” says Ryan Grubb. “One hell of a life lived there. I can only imagine how much everyone, everywhere rooted for that team in the FA Cup run in 58. Really puts our habits as modern supporters in perspective. Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got some clouds to yell at.”

7.47pm GMT

“Hi Rob,” says John Ryan. “What’s your prediction for tonight? Can see both sides scoring.”

I fancy Chelsea to win fairly convincingly, maybe 2-0, although both teams are so unpredictable that anything could happen. United have looked bereft in attack without Marcus Rashford, though Bruno Fernandes should improve that side of their play.

7.45pm GMT

“As a Watford fan, I want to see Odion Ighalo do well (except against the Hornets on Sunday),” says Mac Millings. “And as a dreadful puns fan, I want to see him named in an all-time Cinema XI:

7.41pm GMT

“If I simply say ‘Hi Rob’ to Rob Smyth, am I likely to get a mention?” asks Graham Moger. “We will see... and could indicate the extent of interest, or otherwise, in tonight’s game. Or simply how polite and accommodating Rob is?”

Oh, I’m one of the good guys. This has been established over a number of years, but it never hurts to gratuitously advertise my inherent magnificence.

7.33pm GMT

“A win for United will get them closer to magic number of 40 points and eliminate any relegation fears,” says Mary Waltz. “How the mighty have fallen.”

They haven’t fallen that far, at least not yet.

7.29pm GMT

Pre-match soundtrack

7.22pm GMT

“Man Utd drew away to Liverpool at Old Trafford?” sniffs Alec Smith.

They played like the away side that day. That’s not a criticism; they did it brilliantly.

7.15pm GMT

Pre-match reading

7.11pm GMT

Harry Gregg died yesterday at the age 0f 87. He was a hero in ways that shame our silly modern lives, and it’s telling that most tributes dwelt even more on his character than his enormous football ability.

Related: Harry Gregg obituary

7.05pm GMT

There’s no recall in the Chelsea goal for Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Willy Caballero keeping his place. Tammy Abraham is injured so Michy Batshuayi starts up front.

Eric Bailly plays for the first time since Manchester United’s match against Chelsea at Old Trafford in April. Odion Ighalo is on the bench.

5.29pm GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Roy Keane v Jamie Carr… sorry, of Chelsea v Manchester United from Stamford Bridge. It’s a pretty big game, this, in the race for fourth/fifth/whichever place will ensure a share of next season’s Champions League coin.

Chelsea are fourth at the moment, a point ahead of Spurs in fifth and six ahead of United in ninth, but their home form has been dodgy for most of the season. Southampton are the only other Premier League team to have picked up more points away than at home, and Chelsea failed to beat 10-man Arsenal in their last game at Stamford Bridge. What started as a slight tactical problem is in danger of becoming a mental block. This would be a very good time to get over it: in the next nine days they host Manchester United, Spurs and Bayern Munich.

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Published on February 17, 2020 14:05

The Fiver | Assuming the rules of FFP only applied to nouveau pauvre clubs

The Fiver doesn’t really do empathy. A largely inadequate teatime email, devoted exclusively to the satisfaction of our grubby urges, we usually couldn’t care less about anyone or anything else. You may have discerned as much from our increasingly half-ar$ed, will-this-do, is-it-do-1-o’clock-yet output. So imagine our surprise when we found ourselves feeling both empathy and sympathy for Manchester City over the weekend!

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Published on February 17, 2020 07:56

February 16, 2020

Arsenal 4-0 Newcastle: Premier League – as it happened

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s brilliant header sparked a devastating performance from Arsenal, who blew Newcastle away in the second half

6.52pm GMT

That’s it from me. Thanks for your company, goodnight!

6.46pm GMT

In other news...

6.25pm GMT

Peep peep! That was an excellent second-half performance from Arsenal, whose increased intensity and quality was too much for Newcastle. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring with a quite superb header in the 54th minute, and the match was all but over when Pepe made it 2-0 three minutes later. The scoreline was given a slightly flattering sheen by late goals from Mesut Ozil and a delighted Alexandre Lacazette.

6.24pm GMT

90+5 min That goal meant so much to Lacazette, who celebrated like it was his first. He actually screwed the shot onto his standing foot, from where it ricocheted into the top corner, not that he’ll care.

6.23pm GMT

It’s four! Lacazette gets his first goal in 10 games, miskicking Pepe’s pass into the top corner, and the Arsenal players cavort by the corner flag.

6.19pm GMT

90+2 min This win moves Arsenal up to tenth - but they are only six points behind Spurs in fifth. It’s not beyond the realms, is it.

6.18pm GMT

90+1 min Six minutes of added time. Ozil leaves to a very warm ovation and an embrace from Mikel Arteta. Joe Willock replaces him.

6.17pm GMT

Mesut Ozil seals a comfortable win for Arsenal, cushioning a close-range volley through Dubravka from a speculative cross by Lacazette. It was a goalkeeping error.

6.13pm GMT

86 min Ritchie’s outswinging corner is headed back towards goal by Lascelles and claimed by Leno. Arsenal break through Saka, whose stirring run ends with low cross that is just too far in front of Lacazette.

6.12pm GMT

85 min Alexandre Lacazette replaces the full debutant Eddie Nketiah, who gets a warm round of applause from the home fans. He worked very hard - if anything he was overeager at times - and hit the bar early in the second half.

6.11pm GMT

84 min Arsenal’s next game is away to Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday. They then play Everton at home a week today. Newcastle’s next match is away to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

6.09pm GMT

83 min Ciaran Clark is unable to continue. Fabian Schar replaces him.

6.08pm GMT

82 min Lucas Torreira comes on for Arsenal in place of Dani Ceballos, who had a decent game on his return to the side.

6.07pm GMT

80 min Saka overruns the ball and ploughs through Clark, with both players ending up in a heap on the edge of the area. Saka is booked.

6.06pm GMT

79 min Saint-Maximin is only 22. If his decision making improves, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t, he will become a brilliant player.

6.03pm GMT

76 min “Lacazette wouldn’t be human,” says Charles Antaki, “if he wasn’t thinking of Nketiah he Hasn’t Done Enough.”

There’s a Smiths lyric in that.

6.03pm GMT

75 min: Saint-Maximin hits the post! That was a brilliant effort from Newcastle’s most dangerous player. He picked up a loose ball 30 yards from goal, beat Bellerin with strength and Mustafi with skill before curling a lovely shot that flashed past the diving Leno and smacked off the far post.

6.00pm GMT

74 min Newcastle make a double change, with Matt Ritchie and Isaac Hayden replacing Valentino Lazaro and Federico Fernandez.

5.58pm GMT

72 min There’s a break in play while Xhaka receives treatment. He injured himself while blocking a long-range shot from Sean Longstaff.

5.57pm GMT

70 min Two-nil is a dangerous lead, according to the never-ending book of football cliches, but Arsenal look very comfortable right now.

5.53pm GMT

67 min Aubameyang’s teasing chipped cross, intended for Nketiah, bounces off the top of the crossbar and behind for a goalkick.

5.52pm GMT

65 min “I prefer to say such things after the two goals - how can Arteta play Nketiah, a not even really promising striker, push Auba wide and leave Martinelli on the bench?” sniffs Hurley. As for Ceballos... One final groan - Saka, who is a wonderfully promising player, does all the work for the goal, and Pepe runs off to pose for the cameras. You remember the United and Arsenal players from 98/99, right?!”

5.50pm GMT

63 min: Clark misses a terrific chance! After a long spell of Newcastle possession, Saint-Maximin ran at Bellerin and found Clark eight yards from goal. He took a touch and scuffed a shot that hit David Luiz and deflected just wide of the far post. I don’t think the original shot was going in anyway.

5.47pm GMT

60 min Arsenal were abysmal for much of the first half. Since half-time, and I suspect an appreciable brollocking from Mikel Arteta, they have been electric.

5.46pm GMT

59 min Another good chance for Arsenal. Pepe is fouled on the edge of the area but the ball runs through to Nketiah, with Lee Mason playing a good advantage. Nketiah declines the opportunitiy of a first-time shot, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, and is dispossessed.

5.44pm GMT

The goal was made beautifully by the young left-back Saka. He nutmegged Lazaro on the left wing, moved into the area and crossed low towards Mustafi and Pepe, who were both in space near the penalty spot. Pepe got there first to slide a first-time shot past Dubravka.

5.43pm GMT

Two in three minutes!

5.42pm GMT

Arsenal have been excellent since half-time and now they lead. Ozil and Ceballos worked the ball across the field to Pepe on the right. He came back inside and lofted a high, hanging cross to the far post, where Aubameyang got between two defenders and planted a superb header across Dubravka. There was no pace at all on the cross, so he had to concentrate on both power and placement. He managed both with aplomb.

5.40pm GMT

It’s been coming.

5.37pm GMT

50 min: Nketiah hits the bar! That’s the closest either side has come to taking the lead. Ozil played a nice reverse pass to Pepe, who teased Clark and cut the ball back sharply to the edge of the six-yard box. Nketiah had to stretch slightly away from goal, however, which is why he belted his volley off the top of the crossbar rather than into the net.

5.35pm GMT

50 min It’s been a decent start to the second half from Arsenal, with Newcastle pinned back in their own half.

5.33pm GMT

47 min Ceballos clips a nice pass over the top for Aubameyang, who hooks the bouncing ball wide of the far post. It was a half chance at best.

5.32pm GMT

47 min “Mark Lawrenson said that Almiron ‘looks like a player’,” says Ian Copestake, “but I do think he looks more like Dr Seuss’s Cat in a Hat.”

5.31pm GMT

46 min Peep peep! Newcastle begin the second half.

5.18pm GMT

Half-time reading

5.17pm GMT

Peep peep! Newcastle will be the happier team at half-time. They dominated the first half an hour and, though Arsenal improved after an abysmal start, most of Martin Dubravka’s work was straightforward. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

5.15pm GMT

45 min One added minute.

5.13pm GMT

43 min Saint-Maximin reminds Arsenal of his threat with a scintillating 50-yard run down the left. Eventually he beats Bellerin and slides the ball right across the six-yard area. He should have gone for goal as he had nobody in support.

5.11pm GMT

41 min Pepe’s free-kick is tipped over acrobatically by Dubravka - an eyecatching but relatively straightforward. The corner brings a chance for Mustafi, whose shot is headed off the line by Joelinton.

5.10pm GMT

41 min “Arsenal started the 2007-08 season with three DMs - Diarra, Flamini and Gilberto - and they were all gone within 18 months,” says Norrie Hernon. “We haven’t replaced them, or been the same since. 2008 was the last anywhere near complete Arsenal side.”

Yes, I’d agree with that (though for a month or so in the spring of 2010 I thought you were going to win the league). It’s just that I suspect many people think Arsenal never recovered from selling Vieira and then Henry, and forget how good that 2007-08 team was before the Birmingham match derailed them.

5.09pm GMT

40 min Aubameyang’s deflected long-range shot just clears the crossbar. Arsenal have been so much better in the last 10 minutes.

5.06pm GMT

37 min Ozil plays a good pass to Nketiah, whose snapshot from 16 yards is a bit too close to Dubravka. It was a confident effort, though.

5.04pm GMT

35 min This is a better spell for Arsenal, who have started to pass the ball to each other with something resembling regularity.

5.04pm GMT

34 min Pepe’s inswinging cross is headed away from goal by Nketiah, who mistimed his jump 12 yards from goal. It was a difficult chance anyway.

5.02pm GMT

32 min Ozil waves an insouciant pass with the outside of the foot to find Aubameyang on the left. He moves infield, shifts the ball away from Fernandez and hits a fairly tame low shot that is comfortably saved by Dubravka at the near post.

5.01pm GMT

30 min Saint-Maximin does really well to release the overlapping Rose, whose cutback towards Joelinton is cleared by David Luiz. Saint-Maximin is a serious talent.

5.00pm GMT

29 min An excellent inswinging corner from Pepe skims the head of Mustafi at the near post and hits David Luiz on the edge of the six-yard box. He would have needed supernatural reactions to do anything with that.

4.58pm GMT

28 min Here’s Ian Copestake. “I pray the VAR gods will be kind to you today, my son, and not see you headbutting the confessional.”

I’m zen. VAR anger is so 2019.

4.55pm GMT

25 min Almiron goes on a dangerous run from the halfway line to the edge of the Arsenal area. He looks round, realises he has no company except five Arsenal players, and dives. No foul.

4.54pm GMT

25 min Arsenal have been absolutely swearword slangword.

4.54pm GMT

24 min Another good break from Newcastle. The impressive Saint-Maximin finds the overlapping Bentaleb, whose low cross is too close to Leno.

4.52pm GMT

22 min “God, this is depressing,” says Norrie Hernon. “When you say ‘Arsenal haven’t got going at all’, do you mean a) this game b) this season c) since 2008 or d) existentially?”

2008, you say. Interesting. Very ... interesting.

4.51pm GMT

21 min An imaginative effort from Saka, curled towards the far top corner from the edge of the area, drifts a few yards wide.

4.49pm GMT

20 min Sean Longstaff belts the free-kick miles over the bar.

4.49pm GMT

19 min The lively Saint-Maximin is fouled 30 yards from goal by Ceballos. Newcastle have been much the better team in the first 20 minutes.

4.47pm GMT

18 min Lazaro has been extremely impressive on his full debut.

4.45pm GMT

15 min Saint-Maximin beats Ceballos with ease on the left of the area and cuts the ball back for Joelinton, who shoots just wide at the near post. The ball was slightly behind him, otherwise I think he’d have scored.

4.44pm GMT

14 min Leno makes a good save. Newcastle tried the old Beckham/Scholes corner, with Lazaro driving it to the edge of the D for Longstaff to volley. He didn’t get hold of it but it took a big deflection, forcing Leno to scramble across his line and push it behind for a corner.

4.42pm GMT

12 min Arsenal haven’t got going at all.

4.38pm GMT

9 min It’s been a bright start from Newcastle, with Lazaro looking lively at right wing-back. Xhaka is booked for pulling him back off the ball.

4.36pm GMT

6 min Saint-Maximin is fouled just outside the area by Xhaka. The referee waves play on.

4.35pm GMT

5 min A good break from Newcastle. Joelinton runs at Mustafi down the left and hammers a cross that is controlled by Lazaro beyond the far post. He dances between two defenders and is about to shoot when Aubameyang stabs the ball behind for a corner.

4.33pm GMT

3 min Bellerin wins an early corner for Arsenal. It’s curled in by Pepe and volleyed clear at the near post.

4.30pm GMT

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

4.28pm GMT

The players emerge from the tunnel. It’s a beautiful afternoon in north London. Little brisk.

4.25pm GMT

“Bellerin has been looking more than a bit tentative since coming back - I blame the haircut,” says Charles Antaki. “Is it time, Rob, for a Joy of Six on footballers who have lost potency along with long locks? Bellerin, Fellaini, er, Gullit .. Samson …. I’m sure you can think of the remainder.”

KENNY SAMSON ROFL?!?!?!?!?!?!

4.17pm GMT

“Well,” says Patrick van IJzendoorn, “at least Portadown managed to score.”

My favourite part of this clubt is the windmill celebration. Yep, you the man.

3.59pm GMT

“All to play for,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Love the match programme cover with a vintage photo of Lee Dixon and Paul Gascoigne, back in the days when you didn’t want too much starch in your shorts, or hair. Play up, play up!”

3.57pm GMT

Pre-match entertainment

3.57pm GMT

Pre-match reading

3.34pm GMT

Eddie Nketiah makes his full Premier League debut for Arsenal, while Dani Ceballos plays in the league for the first time since the start of November. The wing-backs Danny Rose and Valentino Lazaro make their first starts since moving to Newcastle on loan.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, David Luiz, Saka; Ceballos, Xhaka; Pepe, Ozil, Aubameyang; Nketiah.
Substitutes: Martinez, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Willock, Martinelli, Lacazette.

2.00pm GMT

Hello. When Arsenal won at Newcastle on the opening weekend of the season, you would have got exceedingly long odds on this return fixture being a mid-table clash. A combination of Arsenal taking the season off and Steve Bruce producing a minor miracle means that only goal difference separates the two teams, who sit in 11th and 12th.

Arsenal are threatening to make progress under Mikel Arteta, even though results have been mediocre. While they are a medium-term project, Newcastle’s limitations - and a grotesque injury list - have given them little choice but to live hand to mouth all season. They have done it brilliantly, even if results have sometimes been better than performances.

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Published on February 16, 2020 10:52

Aberdeen 1-2 Celtic: Scottish Premiership – as it happened

Kristoffer Ajer’s excellent late goal gave Celtic a hard-fought victory at a gusty Pittodrie

Read our match report

3.11pm GMT

That’s it for today’s blog; I’ll leave you with a match report from Pittodrie. Thanks for your company - bye!

1.52pm GMT

Still want more? Bet you do.

1.50pm GMT

Peep peep! Celtic go 13 points clear with a seriously hard-fought win at a gusty Pittodrie. It’s harsh on Aberdeen, who were on the front foot for most of the game, but Celtic showed their superior class with an excellent winning goal from Kristoffer Ajer. In the circumstances it’s a quite brilliant win for Celtic, the sort that makes a team think they are going to be champions.

1.48pm GMT

90+1 min Three minutes of added time.

1.47pm GMT

90+1 min Although the scoreline is flattering, Celtic have been much better since Neil Lennon switched to a back four early in the second half.

1.46pm GMT

90 min That second goal has flattened Aberdeen, who are struggling to rouse themselves to push for an equaliser. Celtic have had their best spell of the match since going ahead.

1.45pm GMT

87 min: What a miss from Edouard! That should have been a third for Celtic. Forrest’s cross came to Edouard in the six-yard box; he missed his first attempt at a shot and then hoofed his second straight at the feet of Lewis, who had already dived in an attempt to block the first shot that Edouard muffed. All Edouard had to do was lift the ball over the keeper’s legs.

1.42pm GMT

86 min Bitton is booked for an off-the-ball shove on Cosgrove.

1.41pm GMT

84 min I should also give credit to Odsonne Edouard, who started the move for the goal with a superb bit of control and a backheel to Callum McGregor.

1.39pm GMT

83 min Sam Cosgrove replaces Funso Ojo for Aberdeen.

1.39pm GMT

It’s been such a difficult afternoon for Celtic, but they won’t care if the score stays like this. The goal was made by Forrest, who scurried infield from the left and played an excellent angled pass to find Ajer in space on the right side of the area. He controlled the ball, looked up and sidefooted an emphatic shot over the left shoulder of the outrushing Lewis. That was a belting finish.

1.37pm GMT

Celtic have mugged Aberdeen!

1.35pm GMT

79 min Tom Rogic replaces Olivier Ntcham.

1.35pm GMT

78 min Main was right behind McKenna, and would have had a much easier chance. McKenna didn’t realise.

1.33pm GMT

77 min McGinn’s inswinging cross from the left is headed on at the near post by Considine, but McKenna can’t get any power in his header at goal and Forster makes an easy save.

1.33pm GMT

75 min For the umpteenth time this afternoon, Jullienm complains after being manhandled by Main. Aberdeen win a corner, which is punched away by Forster.

1.31pm GMT

74 min: Fine save by Lewis! Celtic almost take the lead against the run of play. The left-back Hayes plays a one-two with Edouard, scurries into the area and smacks a shot that is well blocked by the outrushing Lewis. He could have cut it back to the unmarked Ntcham but only had eyes for a goal against his old club.

1.30pm GMT

73 min It’s been a really unpleasant afternoon for the Celtic defenders, who have been buffetted by the front pair of Curtis Main and Storm Dennis.

1.28pm GMT

71 min McGinn’s brilliant cross is headed up in the air by Bitton in his own six-yard box. It swirls around and is eventually shovelled behind, less than convincingly, by Forster.

1.26pm GMT

70 min If it stays like this, Celtic will be 11 points clear of Rangers having played two games more. Rangers play at home to Livingston at 3pm.

1.25pm GMT

69 min The stretching Jullien makes a terrific tackle on McGinn in his own penalty area.

1.23pm GMT

67 min An Aberdeen change: Craig Bryson replaces Matty Kennedy.

1.23pm GMT

67 min To the great delight of the Aberdeen fans, an abysmal cross from Hayes goes straight out of play.

1.21pm GMT

65 min Celtic have had a bit more of the ball since bringing on Christie, though they still look miles off their exhilarating best.

1.20pm GMT

64 min “Hard to see both Edouard and Griffiths not scoring for a second successive match,” says Simon McMahon. “Mind you, if it can happen to Lawrence Shankland…”

1.19pm GMT

63 min Jullien is booked for a tackle from behind on Main. He got the ball but the referee decided he went through Main to get to it.

1.18pm GMT

61 min Brown and Main are starting to rub each other up the wrong way, which could make the next few minutes particularly entertaining.

1.16pm GMT

59 min Celtic have switched to the old 4-3-3 formation, with Ajer at right-back, Christie wide right and Forrest on the left.

1.14pm GMT

58 min Celtic make an early change, with Leigh Griffiths replaced by Ryan Christie. Griffiths has had a frustrating afternoon.

1.12pm GMT

56 min Main’s harmless long-range shot is comfortably held by Forster. For all Aberdeen’s superiority, he hasn’t had a huge amount of work to do.

1.09pm GMT

53 min Scott Brown maintains his popularity levels at Pittodrie by running into McGinn and sending him to the floor.

1.07pm GMT

51 min After a sustained spell of Aberdeen pressure, Bitton does well to usher Kennedy out of play. But Celtic are really struggling to get on the ball.

1.04pm GMT

49 min Aberdeen continue to harass Celtic, with and without the ball. They’ve been terrific today.

1.01pm GMT

46 min Peep peep! Aberdeen begin the second half.

12.48pm GMT

Half-time reading

12.47pm GMT

Peep peep! Celtic’s winning run is under threat. They haven’t settled at a windy Pittodrie, and Aberdeen fully deserved Ash Taylor’s emphatic equaliser. Callum McGregor gave Celtic an early lead, but the Aberdeen keeper Joe Lewis has had the square root of bugger all to do since then. See you in 15 minutes for the second half.

12.46pm GMT

45 min Ash Taylor is booked for taking a shortcut through the back of Edouard. Having seen the replay, that was a fair enough challenge from Jullien - he leaned in with his arm rather than using his hands to push Main out of the way.

12.45pm GMT

45 min Main goes over in the area after a shove from behind by Jullien. No penalty is given, but that looked clumsy at best.

12.44pm GMT

44 min Griffiths gives away a silly free-kick and then gets himself booked for dissent.

12.42pm GMT

42 min A free-kick is headed away as far as McGinn, 25 yards from goal. He launches into a volley but it’s miles off target and hits one of his teammates before going behind.

12.39pm GMT

39 min McLennan is booked for diving in the Celtic area. And quite right too; it was a risible bit of simulation.

12.38pm GMT

38 min A stinging long-range shot from Ojo is beaten away by Forster. It was a comfortable enough save, and he probably would have tried to catch it but for the wind.

12.36pm GMT

37 min Bitton shoots from 25 yards. Goalkick to Aberdeen.

12.36pm GMT

36 min Some lovely sleight of shoulder from Forrest, who beats Kennedy without touching the ball and then clips a dangerous ball that bounces right across the six-yard line.

12.34pm GMT

35 min Ntcham flicks a dangerous through pass towards Griffiths, who is beaten to the ball by McKenna. Good defending.

12.32pm GMT

33 min Nothing comes of the corner. Not a thing.

12.32pm GMT

32 min A snapvolley from Main hits Jullien and goes behind for a corner. This is an excellent spell for Aberdeen.

12.31pm GMT

32 min ... nowt happens.

12.31pm GMT

31 min McGinn is fouled on the left wing by Forrest. Ferguson wanders over to take the free-kick. From which...

12.29pm GMT

29 min Celtic have been nowhere near their best so far. I don’t know whether it’s the conditions or just one of those first half hours.

12.27pm GMT

It was a really good finish from the big centre-half Ash Taylor. A nothing cross from the right somehow bounced through to him in space at the far post. He took the ball down on the chest and rifled a half-volley past Forster from 10 yards.

12.26pm GMT

I told you Aberdeen didn’t look like scoring!

12.25pm GMT

25 min Former Aberdeen player Jonny Hayes replaces Greg Taylor, and is booed onto the field.

12.24pm GMT

24 min There’s a break in play while Greg Taylor receives treatment. He’s struggling and is going to come off.

12.22pm GMT

23 min As if to prove the point, Main shoots miles over the bar from distance.

12.22pm GMT

22 min Main, Aberdeen’s lone striker, is doing a lot of grunt work in the channels, and has linked play neatly as well. There’s a lot to like about Aberdeen, but they don’t really look like scoring.

12.19pm GMT

20 min A decent cross from Ferguson flashes right across the Celtic area. Aberdeen have played some nice stuff but, as so often this season, are lacking penetration.

12.18pm GMT

19 min “Very important question,” says Jim Crane. “Where would you place Scott Brown in the pantheon of modern sporting irritants (the Nause Scale, if you will)? I always feel he’d have fit in well with the turn of the century Australian Test team; part of a superior and dominant side, but constantly on the wind-up anyway because (‘Scorpion and Frog’-like) it’s just in his nature.”

I’m not sure where he fits on the scale, but I can’t get enough of his comedy masculinity. He’s the gift that keeps on niggling.

12.15pm GMT

15 min The scoreline is a bit harsh on Aberdeen, who have been the better team. Ferguson plays a one-two with Main and is flattened by Jullien, just outside the area on the right. McGinn’s free-kick drifts harmlessly across the penalty box.

12.14pm GMT

12 min Aberdeen were unhappy that Griffiths eased McKenna off the ball in the build up to the goal. It was a subjective decision that could have gone either way, although it would have been a softish free-kick.

12.11pm GMT

11 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Bonus Scottish football, and VAR- free, too. You’re welcome!”

12.11pm GMT

Griffiths surged down the inside-left channel and squared the ball to Edouard in the area. He teed up Forrest, whose shot was slapped away by the diving Lewis. The rebound fell perfectly for McGregor, who steered it into the net with not inconsiderable glee.

12.10pm GMT

Celtic pinch the lead with their first decent attack!

12.06pm GMT

7 min Aberdeen are starting to cause a few problems with crosses, particularly from the right. But the match hasn’t really settled down.

12.04pm GMT

5 min It’s been a scruffy start, with both teams trying to get used to the swirling wind.

12.02pm GMT

2 min Logan’s right-wing cross bounces around the Celtic area for a while before Considine heads off target from the edge of the area. Celtic break quickly and Ntcham drives well wide from 20 yards.

12.00pm GMT

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

11.57am GMT

Stormwatch It’s very windy at Pittodrie; it’s also sunny and dry. Scott Brown has his top on.

11.29am GMT

The Celts are here!

#ABECEL #SPFL pic.twitter.com/n1PAmamCBo

11.09am GMT

Aberdeen (4-1-4-1) Lewis; Logan, Taylor, McKenna, Considine; Ojo; McLennan, Ferguson, McGinn, Kennedy; Main.
Substitutes: Cerny, Hernandez, Campbell, McGeouch, Bryson, Anderson, Cosgrove

Celtic (3-4-1-2) Forster; Bitton, Jullien, Ajer; Forrest, Brown, McGregor, Taylor; Ntcham; Griffiths, Edouard.
Substitutes: Bain, Frimpong, Hayes, Rogic, Christie, Elyounoussi, Bayo.

9.16am GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Aberdeen v Celtic from Pittodrie. It looks like the match has survived Storm Dennis, so Celtic have the chance to go 13 points at the top - even if it’s only for a few hours. Rangers’ game at home to Livingston, which was postponed yesterday, kicks off at 3pm.

There were only two points between the teams when Rangers won at Celtic Park at the end of December. Since then Celtic have won all six league games, belting 22 goals in the process, and appear of a mind to run away with the title.

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Published on February 16, 2020 07:11

February 15, 2020

Barcelona 2-1 Getafe, Manchester City latest: football clockwatch – as it happened

Barcelona moved level on points with Real Madrid, RB Leipzig went top of the Bundesliga and Leeds grabbed a vital victory against Bristol City

5.16pm GMT

That’s it for today’s Clockwatch. Thanks for your company and emails - please join Scott Murray for Norwich v Liverpool.

5.06pm GMT

Still want more? Bet you do.

5.01pm GMT

League Two The leaders Swindon did not play - their match was postponed - and Exeter moved level on points with a dramatic 3-2 win at Macclesfield. Plymouth came from behind to beat Crewe 2-1 in the battle of the promotion contenders.

4.59pm GMT

League One Rotherham stay top despite a frustrating 2-2 draw at home to AFC Wimbledon. Coventry move up to second, level on points and with a game in hand, after a 2-0 win at Southampton.

4.58pm GMT

Championship Leeds were the only team in the top seven to win today. Fulham were hammered 3-0 at home by the bottom club Barnsley.

4.56pm GMT

Full time: Birmingham 1-1 Brentford

4.56pm GMT

Full time: Barcelona 2-1 Getafe It was a bit tense towards the end, but Barcelona held on to move level on points with the leaders Real Madrid.

4.55pm GMT

Full time: Leeds 1-0 Bristol City A big win for Leeds, only their second this year. Luke Ayling scored the only goal, though Leeds had enough chances to win by three or four.

4.51pm GMT

Kwesi Appiah has pinched a point for AFC Wimbledon.

4.47pm GMT

Barcelona 2-1 Getafe

@mterstegen1 just made four saves on the same shot!

4.43pm GMT

The League One leaders have come from 1-0 down at half-time to lead. They have been brilliant in the second half.

4.41pm GMT

It’s now Fulham 0-3 Barnsley, with Cauley Woodrow getting his second. Sensational stuff!

4.40pm GMT

Championship Leeds are still the only team in the top seven who are ahead. The shock of the day is at Craven Cottage, where the bottom club Barnsley lead Fulham 2-0. The scoreline doesn’t flatter them.

4.35pm GMT

Fleetwood are back in front, deservedly so according to the man on Sky Sports.

4.32pm GMT

Plymouth have come from behind to lead in the big League Two game.

4.30pm GMT

Angel has brought Getafe back into the match at the Nou Camp with a lovely goal.

4.30pm GMT

Championship QPR, who were 2-0 at home to Stoke, now lead 3-2. Bright Osayi-Samuel has put them ahead with a cracking goal.

4.29pm GMT

League One Doncaster’s Cameron John has scored his second own goal of the afternoon at Priestfield. Gillingham lead 2-1, and John is one away from a very rare hat-trick.

4.27pm GMT

Bundesliga The five 2.30pm games have finished, with Leipzig’s victory moving them to the top of the table. These are the final scores:

4.24pm GMT

Karim Bellarabi has won it for Leverkusen!

4.21pm GMT

League Two It’s Plymouth 1-1 Crewe, with Luke Jephcott equalising for the home side.

4.20pm GMT

League One Matt Crooks has scored a deserved equaliser for Rotherham at home to AFC Wimbledon, while Callum O’Hare has put Coventry ahead at Southend.

4.15pm GMT

Marius Bulter scores a dramatic late equaliser for Union Berlin!

4.14pm GMT

Dan Butler equalises for Peterborough in the big League One match.

4.13pm GMT

Championship Fulham are now trailing 2-0 at home to Barnsley, with Jacob Brown scoring early in the second half.

4.12pm GMT

One-nil!

4.12pm GMT

It’s there!

4.08pm GMT

Serie A There was one early game in Italy, where Lecce beat the bottom club SPAL 2-1.

4.05pm GMT

Bundesliga RB Leipzig are 3-0 up and cruising to victory at home to Werder Bremen. They will go two points clear of Bayern Munich, who play at FC Koln tomorrow.

3.59pm GMT

League One As things stand, with Rotherham losing and Fleetwood winning, only five points separate the top eight. Now that’s a competitive league.

3.54pm GMT

Bundesliga The match between Union Berlin and Leverkusen was suspended for a couple of minutes because of some pyrotechnics in the away end. Play has resumed now.

Leverkusen end early in the second half at Union Berlin. Not appreciated by the home fans. Especially not the fireworks over the pitch. pic.twitter.com/3THyH3W586

3.46pm GMT

These are the latest scores in our featured games (all 3pm kick-offs unless stated):

Championship

3.42pm GMT

It’s turning into a comfortable afternoon for Barcelona. For all their problems, they could be top of the league tonight.

3.39pm GMT

Championship There have been four goals in 12 minutes at Loftus Road. Stoke were 2-0 up against QPR; it’s now 2-2.

3.39pm GMT

Antoine Griezmann, set up by Messi, puts Barcelona ahead with a classy finish.

3.36pm GMT

Nordi Mukiele has wrapped up for the points for RB Leipzig, who will wake up tomorrow morning as the Bundesliga leaders.

3.33pm GMT

The League One leaders are behind. It was a fine goal from Max Sanders, on loan from Brighton.

3.32pm GMT

It’s been a good day for Leeds so far. They are winning at home to Bristol City and Fulham are 1-0 down at home to Barnsley. In fact, as of this precise moment, Leeds and Blackburn are the only teams in the top 15 of the Championship who are leading.

3.28pm GMT

Oh no he hasn’t. VAR has struck again.

3.27pm GMT

Oh my. Allan Nyom, erstwhile West Brom full-back, has given Getafe the lead at the Nou Camp!

3.20pm GMT

That didn’t take long. Ethan Pinnock heads Brentford level, four minutes after they went behind at Birmingham.

3.18pm GMT

Luke Ayling gives Leeds a deserved lead in the big game at Elland Road.

3.16pm GMT

Lukas Jutkiewicz has given the home side the lead against fourth-placed Brentford.

3.12pm GMT

It looks like Leipzig are going top of the Bundesliga. Patrik Schick has doubled their lead with a header from Dani Olmo’s excellent corner.

3.06pm GMT

A few early goals to report

3.00pm GMT

Peep peep! The 3pm games are under way. Let us have some.

2.54pm GMT

Kai Havertz has just scored his 50th @Bundesliga_EN goal. At the age of 20 years and 249 days.

Only Julian Draxler (20 years, 232 days) and Christian Pulisic (20 years, 235 days) have reached that milestone at a younger age.

2.53pm GMT

The in-form Kai Havertz has equalised for Leverkusen.

2.49pm GMT

Leipzig, who will go top of the Bundesliga if they win today, are ahead. The right-back Lukas Klostermann got the goal, tapping home from close range after a free-kick from the right was knocked back across the area.

2.41pm GMT

2.38pm GMT

A bad start for title-chasing Bayer Leverkusen, who have gone behind to a stonking goal from Christian Gentner.

2.33pm GMT

A pulsating finish at the Hawthorns, where West Brom had a goal disallowed for a dubious offside in the last minute of injury time. West Brom go seven points clear at the top, but it’s Forest who are celebrating.

2.32pm GMT

Premier League: Southampton 1-2 Burnley Matej Vydra’s storming goal gave Burnley an excellent victory at St Mary’s. As a result they move into the top ten, ahead of Arsenal among others.

2.28pm GMT

Matty Cash has equalised for Forest in injury time! It was their first shot on target in the whole match (their first equaliser was an own goal) - and it was a screamer from Matty Cash, a spectacular rising drive into the far corner.

2.08pm GMT

League Two Swindon v Scunthorpe has been called off, just over an hour before the scheduled kick off.

Today's game has been postponed.

In the interests of supporter safety, club officials have made the decision to call today's game off as it became clear that the club could not guarantee the welfare of those in attendance, as the weather deteriorated throughout the day. #STFC pic.twitter.com/QfUARFxrDW

2.03pm GMT

Tobias Figueiredo’s unfortunate own goal has given West Brom the lead at the Hawthorns. It’s a controversial goal, because Forest’s Sammy Ameobi was clearly fouled in the build-up.

2.01pm GMT

Premier League There’s been a third goal in the match between Southampton and Burnley. Can you resist this little bit of clickbait? Can you now? Oh.

1.46pm GMT

⚠️ GAME OFF: #RangersFC can confirm today’s Scottish Premiership match against Livingston has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

1.39pm GMT

On the subject of that there Europe, Manchester City’s European ban is front-page news.

1.38pm GMT

La Liga There’s a really big game in Spain: 2nd v 3rd, also known as Barcelona v Getafe. A win would put Barcelona level on points with the leaders Real Madrid, who play at home to Celta Vigo tomorrow night.

1.36pm GMT

Bundesliga RB Leipzig will go top, at least for 24 hours, if they win at home to Werder Bremen. The leaders Bayern visit FC Koln tomorrow.

1.36pm GMT

Premier League It’s also 1-1 in the lunchtime match between Southampton and Burnley. Scott Murray is on Danny Ingswatch.

1.35pm GMT

Championship There’s a helluva promotion race developing, with only three points separating Leeds in second and Bristol City in seventh. And, as if by magic, they meet at Elland Road today.

The leaders West Brom, who started the day six points clear, are at home to Nottingham Forest in the early game; it’s 1-1 at half-time.

1.21pm GMT

Hello and welcome to another bumper Clockwatch. There are no 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League but there’s plenty going on in Scotland, Spain and Germany, not to mention the usual festival of unpredictability in the Football League.

Storm Dennis hasn’t claimed too many games – just Rochdale v Tranmere in the EFL - so there’s a bumper fixture list. We’re going to focus on a few games, a grudging acknowledgement of the limitations of having only two hands, but you can see a full list of today’s matches here.

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Published on February 15, 2020 09:16

February 14, 2020

Wolves 0-0 Leicester: Premier League – as it happened

Willy Boly had a goal disallowed by VAR and Hamza Choudhury was sent off as Wolves and Leicester played out their second goalless draw of the season

10.06pm GMT

9.59pm GMT

9.58pm GMT

Conor Coady speaks “I thought we were fantastic and we should have won the game. It’s a point, we move on and we keep going. I don’t really wanna speak about [VAR] too much – I don’t think the referee knows what’s going on, we don’t know what’s going on. Did you think it was offside? Look, I don’t really want to talk about it because it doesn’t really get you anywhere.”

9.56pm GMT

Another goalless draw between Wolves and Leicester, then. Wolves will feel they should have won the match – Willy Boly was VARed, Raul Jimenez missed a great chance and Leicester played the last 15 minutes with 10 men after Hamza Choudhury was sent off.

9.54pm GMT

Peep peep!

9.54pm GMT

90+5 min Another chance for Wolves, with Soyuncu making a superb block to divert Jimenez’s shot over the bar. He’s been excellent.

9.53pm GMT

90+4 min Traore almost wins it for Wolves! He ran at Chilwell, who hasn’t a clue how to handle him, before cutting inside and hitting a fierce left-footed shot that was beatan away at the near post. by Schmeichel.

9.51pm GMT

90+3 min Wes Morgan replaces Harvey Barnes for Leicester.

9.51pm GMT

90+2 min A Leicester free-kick is headed clear to the edge of the area, where Praet’s stinging shot is blocked.

9.49pm GMT

90+1 min Five minutes of added time.

9.49pm GMT

90 min: What a chance for Jimenez! Moutinho’s corner from the left found him completely unmarked at the far post, eight yards out, but he planted a downward header just wide. That was the best chance of the match.

9.47pm GMT

89 min Matt Doherty’s noggin is bleeding again. Wolves have used all three subs so he is being patched up on the touchline.

9.46pm GMT

88 min Chilwell is booked for pulling down Traore, who was about to scoot away from him down the right.

9.45pm GMT

86 min The return match, on the opening weekend of the season, ended 0-0 as well.

9.44pm GMT

85 min Moutinho moves neatly away from Praet before shooting well wide from 25 yards.

9.41pm GMT

83 min “Unsurprising red cards,” is the subject of Matt Dony’s email. “Has anyone tried to suggest Choudhury is ‘not that sort of player’?”

I think even Choudhury’s mother would agree that he is emphatically that sort of player.

9.40pm GMT

82 min Joao Moutinho replaces Ruben Neves.

9.40pm GMT

81 min Coady drives a good pass out to Traore, who teases Chilwell and stands up a cross that is headed over from 12 yards by Jimenez. It was a decent chance, though there was no pace on the ball.

9.36pm GMT

78 min Wolves make another change, with Diogo Jota replaced by the new signing Daniel Podence.

9.35pm GMT

76 min Leicester are down to 10 men. Choudhury, booked earlier in the half, slips over and deliberately brings down Dendoncker to stop a Wolves break. It was a clear yellow card.

9.33pm GMT

75 min Leicester make another change, with Dennis Praet replacing Youri Tielemans.

9.32pm GMT

75 min “I wonder,” says Ian Copestake, “how much Traore can bench?”

At least three Bobby Bacalas is the word on the street.

9.31pm GMT

73 min Traore has three runs at Chilwell in quick succession, winning a corner with the third. Nothing comes of it.

9.29pm GMT

71 min Traore’s introduction has changed the mood, which had been a bit flat after that VAR business.

9.28pm GMT

70 min Here’s Paul Hobson. “As I now know you can be offside from a corner, then why doesn’t the defending team line up all their players near the half-way line when defending a corner, as any opposing team player in front of them will be offside?”

Because you can’t be offside from a corner. He was offside from the return pass, having taken the corner himself.

9.26pm GMT

68 min Leicester make their first change, with Marc Albrighton replacing the largely anonymous Ayoze Perez.

9.24pm GMT

66 min Barnes’ snapshot is crucially blocked by Coady. Wolves break through Traore, who overhits his pass to Jimenez.

9.22pm GMT

64 min Pedro Neto is replaced by the exhilarating hunk of masculinity named Adama Traore

9.20pm GMT

62 min Jimenez stands up a dangerous cross to the far post, where Tielemans does superbly to get in front of Dendoncker and head clear. That was an admirable piece of defending.

9.19pm GMT

60 min Maddison swerves past Saiss in the area before bouncing off the defender and going over. Mike Dean decides there wasn’t enough contact for a penalty, and Team VAR agree.

9.16pm GMT

59 min “Happy VAR-entine’s Day?” hoots Simon McMahon. “Wolves are in gold, Leicester are blue. Was it offside? We don’t have a clue.”

9.16pm GMT

58 min Tielemans’ long-range shot bounces up into the loving embrace of Rui Patricio. Leicester are looking really dangerous now though.

9.15pm GMT

57 min “Always SO thrown by these Friday night games, though it is a nice way to ease into a holiday weekend…” says Rachel Clifton. “I am so sorry your professional life seems to be 90 per cent VAR bitching ;)”

VAR and a smiley in the same sentence. Modern life was made for people like me.

9.13pm GMT

55 min Leicester have been more incisive since half-time. Barnes breaks away from Dendoncker, who pulls him back and is booked.

9.12pm GMT

54 min “If that offside had been given at the time by the assistant, we would all have looked at the replay and agreed it was a great decision,” says Joe Matthews. “I don’t see why it’s an outrageous decision because it’s given by VAR and most people don’t understand the rules.”

9.11pm GMT

52 min Saiss’s free-kick hits the wall.

9.10pm GMT

51 min Choudhury is booked for fouling Jimenez on the edge of the D. He got the ball, so Mike Dean must have decided that he came through Jimenez to do so.

9.09pm GMT

50 min Ricardo Pereira almost scores a brilliant goal. He beat Jonny all ends up with a lovely trick, shifted the ball to the side of Coady and then blasted it wide from a narrow angle.

9.08pm GMT

"So nobody knows!?" ‍♂️

Conor Coady was left with questions at the break for Mike Dean...

Does VAR need to change in its current form? pic.twitter.com/7dm5yZedVg

9.07pm GMT

49 min Doherty’s head is bleeding again. While he is treated, Perez has a close-range shot smothered by a couple of defenders.

9.06pm GMT

47 min To clear up some of the mud: it was Neto, who took the corner, who was offside when the ball was returned to him by Jota. You can’t be offside from a corner. At least I don’t think you can. I don’t know nuthin’ any more. I’m like King Midas in reverse.

9.04pm GMT

46 min The second half begins. Not sure anyone cares now.

8.58pm GMT

I should stress that it was the correct decision, in accordance with the laws. You can be offside even if the ball is played backwards.

8.56pm GMT

“Love is blind, they say,” says Justin Kavanagh. “And so were old-fashioned referees. Now football is blinded by technology and pedantic decision-makers sitting in front of screens. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

I can’t be bothered. It’s so boring.

8.50pm GMT

The players are booed off the field, a response to the latest VAR incident. Conor Coady is talking to Mike Dean, asking why it was offside even though the ball went backwards. He’s fuming.

8.47pm GMT

45+2 min Ruben Neves is booked for dissent.

8.46pm GMT

Jota was offside from the short corner, apparently. He took the original corner and his heel was ahead of the last defender when the ball was returned to him, even though the ball was played backwards.

8.45pm GMT

VAR are checking for lord knows what.

8.44pm GMT

Wolves take the lead on the stroke of half-time! It came from a short corner on the right. A very deep cross was headed back across goal by Doherty, and Boly got in front of Tielemans to head past Schmeichel from four yards.

8.43pm GMT

42 min Jimenez misses an even better chance! Jonny’s deflected cross found him in space at the far post, six yards from goal, but he mistimed his header back across goal and well wide. He’s normally lethal in situations like that.

8.42pm GMT

41 min Pedro Neto misses a good chance! He did really well to pick the pocket of Choudhury, who was given a dodgy pass by the keeper Schmeichel, but then rushed his shot and sliced the ball miles wide.

8.39pm GMT

40 min Yep, Doherty is back on the field.

8.38pm GMT

39 min Doherty gets to his feet and accepts Maddison’s apology. I think he’s going to continue.

8.37pm GMT

36 min Maddison is booked for kicking Doherty in the head. It was accidental, a blind kick at a high ball, and he apologised immediately. Doherty is struggling - he is lying on his side, with a lot of blood coming from the top of his head. He looks pretty groggy as well.

8.35pm GMT

35 min “With Man City banned from the Champions League,” says John, “does that mean the fifth-placed team in the Premier League get a spot?”

In theory, yes, though it hasn’t been confirmed. That said, I’d expect City to play in next year’s competition - I doubt their appeal will be heard before the start of the season.

8.33pm GMT

34 min Chilwell’s cross is headed away by Coady. Vardy, who was lurking, has had no joy so far. I think he’s only touched the ball a couple of times.

8.29pm GMT

29 min Wing-backs of the Wolves unite: Doherty moves down the right and crosses towards the penalty spot, where Jonny gets in front of Ricardo Pereira and flicks a header over the bar.

8.28pm GMT

29 min Leicester’s slightly sterile domination continues. It’s all very pretty and accomplished, but there’s been no penetration in open play.

8.26pm GMT

26 min ... and he smashes it into the wall.

8.25pm GMT

26 min Jimenez wins a free-kick 30 yards from goal after an essentially harmless challenge from Tielemans. Ruben Neves will hit this...

8.24pm GMT

24 min Leicester’s first chance. Maddison’s deep free-kick from the right is headed straight at the keeper by Soyuncu. He might have been unsighted by Chilwell jumping in front of him, but it was still a good opportunity.

8.22pm GMT

23 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Like a lot of men, I’m spending Valentine’s Day with the love of my life. I can’t ever remember feeling like this about anyone. It’s so intense I’m getting emotional just typing this. I don’t say it often enough, but I love you. And of course once Dundee United - Alloa is over, I’ll go home to Mrs McMahon. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

8.21pm GMT

21 min Wolves look the more dangerous team, despite their limited possession. Leicester haven’t really got behind the defence.

8.18pm GMT

17 min Jota wins a corner for Wolves. Neto drives it deep towards Dendoncker, whose header from 15 yards drifts just wide of the far post. Schmeichel had it covered.

8.15pm GMT

15 min After a sluggish start, Wolves have come to life. It’s a good game now, a contrast in both formation and style.

8.12pm GMT

12 min Leicester break dangerously from the resulting Wolves corner. Tielemans has good options to his left but tries to go alone and is crowded out.

8.11pm GMT

11 min Schmeichel makes a fine save from Diogo Jota! The chance came after a scintillating sprint down the right by Pedro Neto. He was tackled just inside the area by Soyuncu but picked up the loose ball and slid an angled pass to Diogo Jota, whose crisp low shot was kicked behind by the stretching Schmeichel.

8.09pm GMT

9 min Tielemans’ deflected long-range shot is beaten away by the diving Rui Patricio. It was a comfortable enough save once he scrambled across his line, but it’s a reflection of Leicester’s dominant start.

8.06pm GMT

7 min Leicester continue to dominate possession, though so far everything has been in front of the Wolves defence.

8.04pm GMT

4 min Coady’s long free-kick from the halfway line is headed on by Boly on the edge of the area, and Schmeichel comes from his line to grab the ball in front of Dendoncker.

8.02pm GMT

3 min It’s been a confident start from Leicester, with some smooth passing and movement. You’d expect them to dominate possession; Wolves won’t mind that.

8.00pm GMT

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

7.57pm GMT

When it comes to atmosphere, Molineux is one of the more old-fashioned Premier League grounds. People cheer and everything, and there’s plenty of noise as the teams emerge from the tunnel. Molineux by night is a beautiful place.

7.37pm GMT

“An early email to an MBM on Valentine’s tells you all you need to know about tonight’s plans for romance,” weeps Ian Copestake.

7.25pm GMT

Pre-match reading

7.07pm GMT

Here’s more on the news that Pep Guardiola’s agent will be working the weekend after all.

7.05pm GMT

Adama Traore is only on the Wolves bench, presumably with next week’s Europa League match against Espanyol in mind. Joao Moutinho is also a substitute, with Leander Dendoncker replacing him. That aside, both teams are as expected.

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

6.01pm GMT

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Wolves v Leicester from Molineux. These are two of the best teams outside the Big Six (not to be confused with the actual top six), with so much desirable attacking talent on both sides: Adama Traore, James Maddison, the still underrated Raul Jimenez, Youri Tielemans, Diogo Jota, Harvey Barnes and more.

Both teams have been in iffy form of late, but what’s past is prologue and all that. A win for Leicester would lift them to second; victory for Wolves would move them from ninth to sixth. With the news that Manchester City have been banned from Uefa competitions for the next two seasons, a Champions League place suddenly feels attainable.

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Published on February 14, 2020 13:59

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