Rob Smyth's Blog, page 145

April 29, 2018

Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened

Arsene Wenger’s final trip to Old Trafford as Arsenal manager ended in defeat after Marouane Fellaini’s injury-time header gave United the points

Read Daniel Taylor’s match report Wenger praises ‘classy’ gesture from Manchester United Old foe’s presence a reminder that Wenger’s glory days are past

6.55pm BST

That’s about it for today’s blog. Thanks for your company and emails, bye!

6.55pm BST

Here’s Arsene Wenger “It was a very positive performance and overall it reflects our season away from home. We looked a little tired in the last 20 minutes. It’s good to see the young players having the courage to play in this atmosphere. It was a very nice reception – it was classy. I have come here for a long, long time and next year somebody else will sit on the bench and they will get a very hostile reception!”

6.48pm BST

Here’s Daniel Taylor’s report from Old Trafford

6.46pm BST

Here’s Jose Mourinho “A draw wouldn’t have been unfair. They played well; the two young centre-backs did very, very well. We had a few more chances but that’s normal. We changed our approach in the second half, we had more width and we used Marouane to give us more presence in the box. I knew they were going to drop deep, and without Lukaku I felt we needed a presence in the air. I knew we would create problems that way.”

6.42pm BST

We’ll have Danny Taylor’s match report shortly, and I’m expecting reaction from Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho in our Whatsapp group.

6.38pm BST

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the Man of the Match “We’re disappointed and unhappy to concede so late. You live and learn from these experiences and it was great to be out there. The manager trusts the young players and we tried to show what we could do. I’m happy playing midfield and I guess I delivered. The manager is like a father figure to me and it’s brilliant having someone like that.”

6.37pm BST

United need four points from the last three games to be certain of finishing second. Those games are Brighton (A), West Ham (A) and Watford (H)

6.34pm BST

That was a brilliant substitution from Jose Mourinho, even though he won’t get much credit for it. Arsenal struggled to handle Fellaini and he was by far the biggest three in the last 10 minutes.

6.33pm BST

Paul Pogba speaks! “I feel very good. We played well, we had lots of chances. The perfect season would have been the league – we didn’t manage that, but we want to finish second and win the FA Cup.”

6.32pm BST

Marouane Fellaini speaks! “The manager told me to get into the box. I know my quality, I know that if the ball comes in the box I can be dangerous. It was a good ball, I tried to flick it, and it’s a goal.”

6.27pm BST

Russell Richardson points out that Fellaini’s goal confirms United’s place in the top four, and thus ensures they will be eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League next season.

6.25pm BST

“I thought it about time you had a comment from an old fart,” says Terry Woods, selflessly offering his services. “My memory takes me back to 1966-67, my Gooner debut season. Utd were the visitors at a packed Highbury evening game, there was I at the grand age of 11 stood at the front of the old West stand witnessing a 1-1 draw, United wearing an all white strip, in those days our shirts were an exact match: red shirt, white collar and cuffs. The North bank to my left was in good voice, the Clock end to my right was open to the night sky. There started my love affair with THE Arsenal.”

6.24pm BST

That win should ensure United finish the season in second place. They could end with 86 points, a title-winning total in some cultures.

6.21pm BST

Peep peep! Arsene Wenger’s last trip to Old Trafford ends in another painful defeat. It doesn’t come close to the misery of 2001, 2004 or 2011, but it will still smart because Arsenal’s young side played well and deserved a draw.

6.19pm BST

Fellaini was under pressure and facing away from goal when Young’s cross reached him. He tried to guide it towards goal with the back of his appreciable noggin, and it took a deflection off the challenging Xhaka before drifting away from Ospina.

6.18pm BST

One last bit of Old Trafford heartbreak for Arsene Wenger. Young’s inswinging cross is backheaded into the net by Fellaini, and United have stolen two extra points.

6.17pm BST

90 min Four added minutes.

6.16pm BST

89 min Rashford has a goal disallowed for offside. Fellaini headed Martial’s cross against the post, from where it rebounded off Rashford and into the net. He was clearly offside when Fellaini headed the ball and there are no complaints.

6.15pm BST

88 min “Very few players take shots from distance these days,” says Arthur Tee. “Teams are too concerned with possession and protecting the ball. United in particular create very few chances, relatively, but they are almost always gilt-edged.”

6.14pm BST

87 min Willock tries to slip a pass through for Welbeck, and Smalling does well to poke the ball back to De Gea.

6.13pm BST

87 min The match is petering out. Martial tries to run Bellerin, who defends solidly.

6.11pm BST

85 min Pogba, surrounded by Arsenal defenders in the area, backheels the ball into his own standing leg and away from danger.

6.10pm BST

84 min Why doesn’t Paul Pogba shoot from long range any more?

6.10pm BST

83 min The lively Young lifts a deep cross beyond the far post, where Valencia arrives late and volleys the ball into orbit.

6.09pm BST

82 min Young’s terrific cross almost finds the head of Fellaini, who appeals for a penalty after a bit of a wrestle with Mavropanos. I don’t think it was a foul.

6.08pm BST

81 min United are dominating the match without looking like they are going to score. It feels like an end-of-season friendly.

6.07pm BST

80 min “My favourite Arsenal/United memory was back in 2001,” says Xavier Pillai. “It was my first game ever at Highbury and I was 7. Two Fabien Barthez mistakes and the song ‘Give it to Barthez’ rang around the ground. After the match, we went to the side entrance on Avenell road and we continued to sing. We caught the United players coming out to their coach and there with his head nestled in Paul Scholes’ shoulder and with a few tears dripping from his eyes was Fabian Barthez. They rushed him on to the coach and there began my love affair with the Arsenal. A close second was being in the Emirates for that Henry header.”

6.06pm BST

79 min United win three corners in quick succession, and waste all of them.

6.04pm BST

78 min Talking of strangling, this picture gets more wonderful by the year.

6.03pm BST

77 min “Brian McClair strangling Winterburn has to be a favourite,” says Adam Hirst. “It got a bigger cheer at OT than most goals. Not the penalty or the Battle of OT matches, but obviously related.”

6.02pm BST

76 min Arsenal make their final change: the goalscorer Henrikh Mkhitaryan is replaced by Joe Willock.

6.02pm BST

76 min Ospina bumps into Fellaini and staggers around for a few seconds before falling over. He looks in a fair bit of pain, and Petr Cech is warming up just in case.

6.00pm BST

73 min It hasn’t really happened for Rashford since he came on. He looks rusty, which is probably because he is rusty.

5.59pm BST

72 min In-form goalgetter Chris Smalling misses a good chance, fresh-airing an attempted sidefoot from Martial’s low cross.

5.58pm BST

71 min Martial lifts a dangerous cross towards Fellaini, who is poised to apply noggin to ball when Mavropanos heads behind for a corner. Fine defending. He’s had a quietly impressive debut.

5.56pm BST

69 min Fellaini is robbed by Welbeck, who thrashes a shot towards goal from 25 yards. It’s well struck but too close to De Gea, who saves comfortably.

5.55pm BST

68 min United were so good against Spurs last weekend but this has been a pedestrian performance. It’s hard to fathom why they are quite so inconsistent.

5.52pm BST

66 min Martial enlivens the crowd by slaloming past three defenders, only to overhit a pass to Fellaini.

5.50pm BST

64 min Substitutions galore. For Arsenal, Danny Welbeck and Nacho Monreal replace Reiss Nelson and Sead Kolasinac. For United, Anthony Martial and Marouane Fellaini replace Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard.

5.49pm BST

62 min Lingard plays a nice one-two with Pogba and has a shot blocked. This is much better from United.

5.48pm BST

61 min “As I’ve lived overseas since 1991, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wenger’s Arsenal live,” says Adam Roberts. “I do have a vivid memory of taking my son to OT in 2001. A strange day - Craig Bellamy and John Hartson were really good for Coventry and Andy Goram was in goal for United. I was high up in the Peak District with son asleep in the car when I heard that Arsenal had lost 0-3 to Middlesbrough who had one shot on target and United had won the league.

“Live, two very clear memories of Highbury, both times standing in the Clock End. 1983 - United go 4-0 up in the League Cup semi 1st leg. And secondly, the FA Cup 1988 in a perfect position to see Chocky’s penalty sailing into the North Bank. The joy of the penalty award turning to ashes in our disbelieving mouths and Winterburn giving McClair loads, the beginning of much nastiness to follow over the years.”

5.46pm BST

59 min United are playing with a bit more urgency since the affront of Arsenal’s equaliser. It’s still not the most compelling game of association football, however.

5.42pm BST

55 min Mkhitaryan tries for his second, whacking a shot over the bar from the edge of the box. Arsenal look the likelier scores at the moment.

5.40pm BST

53 min Sanchez plays a fine pass to Valencia, whose cross eventually reaches Ashley Young. He hits a half-volley that is deflected behind for a corner.

5.38pm BST

Mkhitaryan equalises against his old club! It came from a United mistake, with Herrera and Matic leaving the ball to each other in midfield. Xhaka nicked it off them and played it to Mkhitaryan, who moved into the D and drove a low shot that went through the legs of Lindelof and into the net. It wasn’t the cleanest strike but De Gea was unsighted and it drifted into the corner.

5.37pm BST

51 min “I come from a younger generation of fans who never really got to experience the rivalry in its pomp,” says Abhu Tyagi. “Yet it was those battles of those early 2000s that ignited my interest in football. My best friend as a five-year old was British and he was a United supporter who hated Arsenal. As a five-year old is wont to do, I started doing the exact same thing. Since then, I loved every moment of it; Ronaldo and Rooney running amok in 2009, that counter-attack in 2010, 8-2, RVP’s goal but perhaps my most vivid memory is more recent: the abject 3-0 defeat in 2015, where for the first time in a long time, United lost to Arsenal in a meaningful Premier League game. I saw my childhood crumbling to dust, as I received message after message from Arsenal fans, all too keen to gloat. Perhaps the worst moment (and there were many) of the LVG era.”

5.37pm BST

50 min Marcus Rashford replaces Lukaku, who is hobbling off the field. It looks like a knock rather than something that might keep him out of the FA Cup final, but you never know with these things.

5.36pm BST

50 min Lukaku is down after a strong but fair tackle from Mavropanos. I think he needs to come off.

5.35pm BST

49 min “Is it fair to single out any one Arsenal player as an example of stasis, or worse?” says Charles Antaki. “Probably not. But if you wanted to, Kolasinac is a decent candidate for the familiar trope of declining expectations. He started out as a terrific lump of muscular, marauding attacking wing-backery, and now, on today’s basis at least, he’s become just a terrific lump. But as with the game as a whole, it’s hard to care at the moment.”

5.34pm BST

48 min Maitland-Niles makes a surging run into the United area, only to mishit a left-footed shot that takes a double deflection and bounces through to De Gea. It was a lovely run though.

5.34pm BST

47 min Crikey, what a statistic this is from the folks on Sky Sports. United have led at half-time in 268 Premier League games at Old Trafford. They’ve won 253, drawn 15 and lost none.

5.32pm BST

47 min “The 2-4 at Highbury in 2005 is my favourite,” says Liam Moseley. “Arsenal were at the end of a cycle; United were at the beginning of theirs. Neither side were anywhere near winning the league yet the game so was intense and full of hatred for one another that it made a compelling and thrilling encounter. There hasn’t been a game like it in the Premier League since.”

Yeah, what I like about that game is that it meant absolutely nothing and absolutely everything. Chelsea were also going to win the league, but by then Arsenal and United loathed each other so much that context was irrelevant. It was just wonderful.

5.32pm BST

46 min Peep peep! United begin the second half of this

pulsating
match.

5.26pm BST

Half-time email

“Hi Rob,” says Ted Lee. “I had to staff a computer fair the day of the 1999 semi-final replay, so I couldn’t watch the game. There were no smartphones back then, limited internet connectivity where I was, and it was still a time where to watch the I had to drive 40 minutes at 6 a.m. on a Saturday to find a sports bar carrying Setanta. But the FA Cup game was being televised, so I recorded it at home and it wasn’t too hard to avoid the result. I turned on the TV before rewinding my VCR, and the TV tuner was on the station it was recording and in that odd way you hear the TV’s audio for a couple of seconds before the video came on, I heard what was unmistakably Ferguson’s voice say ‘We got out of jail.’ I muted the TV to not hear any more and very much enjoyed the next two hours.”

5.16pm BST

Peep peep! United lead through Paul Pogba’s goal in a subdued match. Arsenal’s reserves have played some nice stuff and probably deserve to be level.

5.14pm BST

45 min “I still love the 6-2 in the Rumbelows Cup,” says Anthony Perrin. “Wallace and Sharpe on the rampage. United were around 25 years without the league and Arsenal had been exchanging league titles. It made be break the tab on my VHS so it couldn’t be recorded over. That was a massive commitment in the early Nineties.”

I got the worst mark of my life in an exam the next day, having been far too giddy to do any last-minute revision, or care less about the exam itself. I’d like to say I was also giddy about Thatcher resigning that day, but that would be a bald-faced one.

5.14pm BST

44 min A cross from the right is headed wide from 12 yards by the flying Nelson. It was a decent enough effort. There wasn’t much pace on the ball so he had a lot of work to do, and he couldn’t do it.

5.11pm BST

41 min Young’s mishit cross from the left smacks off the outside of the near post!

5.10pm BST

40 min Xhaka, already booked, is penalised for handball. Kevin Friend decides not to give him a second yellow, presumably because it was a misjudgement rather than a cynical handball.

5.09pm BST

39 min “Surprised you have got this far without anyone mentioning the 1979 Cup Final yet,” says Nicholas Porritt. “A vivid childhood memory made more memorable because there was so little live football back then. At that time Arsenal really were vile, barely above Leeds United in the popularity stakes and encapsulated perfectly by the Willie Young foul the following year. That Man Utd team was typical of the post-Busby, pre-Fergie United: stylish, expensive, but ultimately unreliable and disappointing. The Jaguar of the Football League. You couldn’t help falling in love with them.”

Dave Sexton’s United stylish, really? It was before my time, but I’ve read one or two alternative appraisals.

5.08pm BST

38 min A bit of pinball in the Arsenal area ends with a shot from Lukaku that deflects off Bellerin and is easily saved by Ospina.

5.07pm BST

37 min Back in the year 2018, Arsenal are having an excellent spell. As Martin Tyler says on Sky, an equaliser wouldn’t be undeserved.

5.06pm BST

GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal (Wiltord 57) Arsenal are surely going to be champions now! Sylvain Wiltord has continued their record of scoring in every game and taken them to the brink of glory. Ljungberg, inevitably, was involved. He ran through a woolly challenge from Blanc and hit a shot that was pushed away by Barthez. It came to Wiltord, who slid it nonchalantly into the net with his left foot!

5.05pm BST

36 min Aubameyang misses an excellent chance, heading weakly at De Gea from 10 yards after a good cross from Bellerin.

5.05pm BST

34 min Has anyone trademarked the phrase “end-of-season feel”?

5.01pm BST

31 min “Mkhitaryan so far looks like he never left,” says Adam Roberts. “Some nice touches but rubbish at crucial points.”

4.59pm BST

30 min After a decent United break, Lingard’s long-range shot is blocked by the trailing leg of Chambers. He should have played in Valencia on the right.

4.57pm BST

27 min Maitland-Niles clips a quick pass into the area for Aubameyang, who can’t make room for a shot. Arsenal have played some lively stuff going forward.

4.55pm BST

26 min Arsenal have two unsuccessful penalty appeals in 20 seconds. The first was a Mkhitaryan dive, the second was a tackle by Sanchez on Maitland-Niles. I don’t think it was a penalty.

4.54pm BST

25 min Pogba’s free-kick hits the wall and deflects to Sanchez, who is offside.

4.54pm BST

24 min Xhaka is booked for a foul on Lingard 25 yards from goal. Pogba will want a piece of this.

4.53pm BST

23 min “One of the saddest things is that if you’d told someone 10 years ago that there’d be an Arsenal-United game in late April, with no impact on the title race, with neither team anywhere near winning the title, no one would have believed you,” says AB Parker. “This game has a look of a preseason friendly at the moment. With the team we’ve put out, United should be battering us.”

4.52pm BST

21 min “One of my least favourite footballing games in history has to be Arsenal 1-2 United in Nov 2014, in which Arsenal had about 300 shots on goal and United had one,” says Jordan Pickering. “One shot on goal and they came away with a 2-1 victory. It so encapsulates what it means to be an Arsenal supporter.”

4.50pm BST

20 min Mkhitaryan almost equalises after a fine move. Bellerin crossed low to Maitland-Niles, who flicked a dainty backheel to Mkhitaryan on the edge of the box. He took a touch and drove a low shot just wide of the far post.

4.48pm BST

19 min “My favourite Arsenal/United moment is more down to circumstance than any actual investment in the rivalry,” says Matt Dony. “I’m a Liverpool fan, who also harbours a fairly intense dislike of Wenger and Arsenal (but my word, do I respect him!) Anyway, May 2002, I spent a Monday night watching Bob Dylan in Cardiff CIA (followed by drinking in a hotel bar being bored by Ebdon’s slow slow victory, but that’s another story). I spent the next few days staying at a friend’s house, the smuggest United fan I know, still on a giddy, Dylan-induced high. I did not particularly want Arsenal to win the league that fateful Wednesday, but the fact that I got to enjoy my friend’s disappointment, anger, and dejection at Wiltord’s goal was a wonderful thing, having spent the previous few years having to tolerate his pride in Fergie’s success. Ah, magical memories. The future’s yours, the past is mine.”

I didn’t find that game too distressing, weirdly. The title was gone. Losing to Leverkusen on away goals the week before; now that was pain.

4.47pm BST

17 min Sanchez’s header was actually diverted onto the post by Bellerin, an heroic and entirely futile intervention.

4.47pm BST

United take the lead. Lukaku’s brilliant chipped cross was headed against the post by the flying Sanchez, and Pogba followed up to volley home from six yards.

4.44pm BST

15 min Matic sprays a superb crossfield pass to Valencia, whose good cross is headed away by Chambers. United are having a lot of the game now.

4.43pm BST

14 min “The defining match was 28 November 1992,” says Paul Hayes. “United had signed Cantona two days before and I was still reeling with shock. He was brilliant.and, let’s be honest, very tough. (He had even got me grudgingly admiring Leeds.) My father had brought me up on stories of the toughness of United players able to boss the opposition with skill and also physicality – Edwards and Stiles being his favourites. That steel had been developing – remember the United vs Arsenal brawl two seasons earlier, defining in the way that United began to compete in every aspect while not quite gelling.

“But that’s not this story. In the end, Cantona wasn’t in team to face Arsenal. Instead Giggs was brilliant on the right wing and Lee Sharpe was quick on the lift and Hughes was bolshie, aggressive and bundled in an ugly goal bettering Adams after Giggs and then Sharpe had bettered Winterburn and Dixon, I think. The second half was dour, fractured and attritional but United clung on for a win this time. When I spoke with my father that evening I told him that United would win the league because they’re bloody tough physically and mentally and with Cantona in the team they’d have the flair to beat anyone.”

4.42pm BST

12 min United are slowly starting to dominate possession, though the game is still fairly flat.

4.39pm BST

10 min “Hello Rob,” says Russell George. “My most vivid memory of United-Arsenal was probably the brawl in 1990. I was 16 at the time, sitting in the main stand at Old Trafford so had a pretty good view of it all. The crowd reaction that day was positively feral, both exhilarating and frankly pretty scary. If only OT had a little bit more of that I’d probably try and go a bit more. I also remember watching Grandstand when we were losing in the cup match in 88. The reporter was doing an update when we got the late penalty so they stayed with it. When McClair hit it over I was absolutely distraught. Still, there have been more happy times than sad. After we beat them 4-1 in the Michael Knighton game in 1989 I wrote a full-length report which I sent to Patrick Barclay at the Independent. I really wanted to be a football reporter at the time, and Patrick was gracious enough to ring me up one Sunday morning to say how much he liked my writing.”

4.39pm BST

8 min Smalling pokes a pass towards Lingard, in space on the right of the box. He drills a low cross-shot that is kicked away from inside his own six-yard box by Chambers.

4.37pm BST

7 min “Hi Rob,” says Brad McMillan. “As a United fan, it was a blessing that my best mate from school supported Arsenal. During that period, 1996-2005 (age 15-24 for us both), we were almost inseparable, and there’s no way either of us would have enjoyed it as much without the other. For both of us, Utd v Arsenal means growing up: girls, (not fast) cars and alcohol. The rest of the time was obviously squandered. Anyway, when I look back, my most prominent memories are Utd losing, specifically the Old Trafford defeats in 1998 and 2002. The next, possibly my favourite, is the feeling of incredulity when John O’Shea chipped in at Highbury I’m 2005. Keane-Vieira in the tunnel would have meant nothing without that cherry. Also, it now feels like the very last blow of that era - and Utd won, even if the league was Chelsea’s by then.”

4.37pm BST

6 min United have started slowly, as they wont to do. Arsenal look much more sprightly, particularly the returning Mkhitaryan.

4.34pm BST

5 min “This may be common knowledge,” says Doremus Schafer, “but I only just now realized that Bergkamp’s saved penalty strictly speaking should have been retaken for encroachment by Paul Scholes.”

That’s a good spot. Can you imagine if David Elleray had ordered a retake? Roy Keane would have been straight out of his early bath to administer advice.

4.34pm BST

4 min Matic’s mishit volley falls nicely for Pogba 10 yards out. He spins around, takes aim ... and shanks the ball well wide of the near post with his left foot.

4.33pm BST

3 min It’s been a decent start from Young Arsenal, with lots of possession in the United half.

4.31pm BST

2 min “Arsenal’s late win in 2007 over perhaps Ferguson’s greatest ever side (with the bonus addition of Henrik Larsson) always sticks in my mind, not so much for the quality of the football, which was probably excellent, but for Henry’s late headed winner,” says Matt Loten. “I’m sure he scored one or two others with his noggin over the years, but I struggle to recall any, and at such a crucial moment. Bit like Messi in the 2009 Champions League final.”

That was the same game when he celebrated in Gary Neville’s face, wasn’t it?

4.30pm BST

1 min Arsenal get the match under way.

4.30pm BST

Sir Alex Ferguson has presented Arsene Wenger with a special memento on behalf of United. Jose Mourinho is in the mix as well. It’s a love-in! It’s an unlikely, moving scene, and a lovely touch from Ferguson. They’ve come a long way from the days when Wenger said he would “never talk about that man again”.

4.27pm BST

The players emerge from the tunnel. Arsene Wenger follows them, and is applauded down the touchline by the United fans.

4.24pm BST

There will be no Champions League final for Manchester City - their former player Lucy Bronze scored the winning goal against them for Lyon in the semi-final second leg.

4.15pm BST

“Some great memories,” says Yoxall. “The 4-1 on the opening day 89/90 was great; we just didn’t expect it. The 99 cup game, the game at Highbury when RVN netted, and the tide turned in the title race, the superb counter in the Champions League and the 8-2. Plus all the various “battles”! But on a personal note, my son’s first game was the 2-1 where Arsene was sent to the stand but had nowhere to go. You never forget your first time! I’m sure we’ll give him a respectful reception today.”

4.13pm BST

One for the Arsenal fans “How differently does Wenger’s legacy play if Keane doesn’t do his knee at Elland Road in 1997?” says Harvey Auzorst. “Without that half of the first double you’re looking at one FA Cup in his first five years, and the idea of Wenger changing everything seems a bit flimsy.”

They might have won it anyway but it’s an interesting point. There are so many ifs in the rivalry: the Treble and the Invincible season wouldn’t have happened had Bergkamp and Van Nistelrooy scored last-minute penalties.

3.58pm BST

There are a few minutes remaining at the London Stadium, where West Ham are playing the champions Manchester City. You won’t believe the score!

3.47pm BST

At its furious peak, the United/Arsenal rivalry brought out the Danny Dyer in almost all of us. I had to be held back at least twice. What are your favourite memories of that rivalry? It doesn’t have to be from that glorious period between 1996 and 2005. It could be before (Whiteside v Rocastle, Winterburn v McClair), or after (the late sting at Highbury in 2007, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring from a different postcode in 2009).

Or it could just be 14 April 1999, the greatest game in English football history. Were you on the pitch? Were you the fan whose fag breath is one of David Beckham’s most vivid memories of that night? If you have any good tales or memories, email them in. I promise that, when I brazenly nick them for the book I’m writing on this very subject, I’ll give you a credit.

3.38pm BST

Pre-match reading

3.35pm BST

Arsene Wenger has picked a deluxe Carling Cup team, with eight changes from the side that drew with Atletico Madrid on Thursday night: David Ospina, Hector Bellerin and Granit Xhaka are the survivors.

Manchester United (4-3-3) De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Young; Herrera, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Sanchez.
Substitutes: Pereira, Rojo, Mata, Fellaini, McTominay, Martial, Rashford.

11.46am BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Arsene Wenger Day in Manchester, where a sexagenarian Frenchman says an emotional goodbye to two erstwhile nemeses: Old Trafford, the place for which he created a new word, and Jose Mourinho. Nostalgia will be rife before the game starts, with memories turning to those Homeric battles between United and Arsenal from 1996-2005.

Since then, United v Arsenal has become a common-or-garden big game. Today could barely even be described as that, as there is nothing much riding on it. The two teams will almost certainly finish in their current positions of second and sixth, and Arsenal have a trip to Madrid on Thursday to consider. It’s a kind of testimonial for the glory years. And by heaven, what years they were.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 29, 2018 10:55

Celtic 5-0 Rangers: Scottish Premiership – as it happened

Odsonne Edouard scored twice as Celtic sealed their 49th Scottish title by demolishing Rangers on a famous afternoon in Glasgow

Rodgers: Celtic should have scored seven against Rangers Match report Celtic seal Scottish Premiership title with rampage

2.17pm BST

The Celtic players have gone back to the dressing-room, where Brendan Rodgers is embracing them one by one. Scott Brown has his top off and has requested the temperature be set to -11C.

The Celtic players will celebrate emphatically tonight. Thanks for your company and emails, congratulations to all you Celtic fans. Bye!

2.14pm BST

Scott Brown speaks!

“We won it in style. It was all about us and how we performed today. We were outstanding, we scored five great goals. This will live with everyone for the rest of their lives.”

2.08pm BST

And if you just need one more hit of football, Nick Ames is following West Ham v Manchester City. You won’t believe the score!

2.07pm BST

Here’s Ewan Murray’s live report from Celtic Park

2.06pm BST

Brendan Rodgers apeaks!

“I was very proud of the team. To play with that intensity and aggression, with all the emotional pressure of the day, was really pleasing. I thought we were outstanding; we could have had more goals. It’s a great day for the supporters. It’s very important that we keep winning trophies and we’ve done that.”

2.05pm BST

Scott Brown is conducting the party

2.01pm BST

The celebrations are relatively low key, a reflection of how familiar this has become. Celtic are so superior that they are probably going to end a slightly underwhelming season by doing the domestic treble.

2.00pm BST

The Celtic players have all put on their celebratory Se7en T-shirts, sponsored by Dafabet, and are coming back on the field for a photoshoot. Se7en starring Scott Brown? Now that’s a remake I’d watch.

1.57pm BST

This is how to celebrate winning the league

1.51pm BST

Celtic were wonderful, and passed Rangers to death in an exhilarating first hour. The game became the background to a party after that. The feeling of winning the title is familiar to these players, but winning it in these circumstances is a helluva twist on an old story.

1.49pm BST

Full time: Celtic 5-0 Rangers Sunday 29 April 2018 can go directly into Celtic folklore. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. But do collect yet another Scottish title, the seventh in a row!

1.48pm BST

90+1 min Morelos, already booked, leaves one on Craig Gordon. The referee decides not to send him off, which is probably fair enough.

1.48pm BST

90 min Two minutes.

1.46pm BST

89 min After a mistake by Ajer, Candeias slaps a bouncing ball just wide of the far post.

1.45pm BST

88 min Celtic are passing down the clock. This would be their biggest ever league win over Rangers. And on today of all days.

1.44pm BST

87 min This will sound ridiculous ... but Rangers have down fairly well since it went to 5-0. They could easily have thrown it in completely.

1.42pm BST

85 min Hendry is booked for a foul on Murphy.

1.42pm BST

84 min “Brendan was briefly a favourite for the Arsenal job,” says Gerry Scott. “I know he’s not going to get it and the Arsenal fans wouldn’t stand for it but is it so unrealistic that he could be considered for a top job in England in the future? Chelsea, maybe, given his past connections? Or are we now in a world where you only get one chance and if you don’t take it you are exiled to the outer darkness?”

I think we’re close to that state, definitely, which is pathetic and sad. He should get another big job in England, but I don’t think he will.

1.40pm BST

83 min Tavernier’s big, deep cross is headed wide by the under pressure Morelos.

1.38pm BST

80 min Griffiths misses a great chance to make it 6-0. He ran onto Ajer’s excellent headed through pass, worked the ball onto his left foot - and then sliced it over the bar.

1.37pm BST

79 min The Celtic fans are going through their greatest hits. Griffiths’ deep corner is headed over at the far post by Hendry. That was a decent chance.

1.35pm BST

78 min Holt is booked for a late tackle on Tierney.

1.34pm BST

76 min Morelos has a gratuitous kick at Boyata, which prompts a bit of aggro from players on both sides. Morelos is booked.

1.32pm BST

75 min Odsonne Edouard’s work is done - he’s replaced by Leigh Griffiths. He scored twice, made another, and generally ran Rangers ragged.

1.31pm BST

74 min Celtic are still pushing for a sixth but there isn’t quite the same focus they had earlier in the game, particularly when they scored four in 12 minutes either side of half-time.

1.28pm BST

71 min Rangers make a change - Docherty on, Dorrans off. And so do Celtic: Lustig off, Hendry on.

1.25pm BST

69 min Once upon a time, Neville Southall was Man of the Match for Wales away to the Netherlands. They lost 7-1. Alnwick is in similar territory today - he has already made seven saves, many of them excellent.

1.24pm BST

68 min “Just to point out - Martin O’Neill had a good record when he arrived in Scotland,” says Chris Rumley. “The manager Celtic had appointed for the previous season was... a legendary Liverpool player with no managerial experience.”

Yup, I know he had a good record - that was the point I was making.

1.24pm BST

67 min Celtic make a change, with Tom Rogic replaced by Scott Sinclair.

1.22pm BST

65 min Alnwick makes a brilliant double save from Rogic! The second, when he spread himself like Spider-Man, was outstanding.

1.21pm BST

64 min “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “There’s still 25 minutes to go. If Rangers can get one ... it might finish 8-1.”

1.20pm BST

64 min McCrorie is booked for a foul on Edouard.

1.20pm BST

63 min “I was once part of an under-15s team that lost a cup tie 21-0,” says Phil Reilly. “This game is bringing back dark memories for me.”

At least they didn’t have social media when you were in the under-15s, eh.

1.19pm BST

62 min Rangers are still attacking with intent, despite everything. Morelos takes Tavernier’s pass nicely on his chest and moves through on goal. His first-time shot is blocked by a combination of Boyata and Gordon.

1.18pm BST

61 min Tierney’s precise ball from the left finds Forrest, whose first-time shot is excellently saved by Alnwick. Celtic have had so much joy with low balls in from the left today. I was going to call them crosses but most of them, particulartly from the superb Tierney, have been passes.

1.16pm BST

59 min Ntcham almost makes it 6-0 with a swooshing volley that is beaten away by the flying Alnwick.

1.15pm BST

58 min I suspect what will please Brendan Rodgers is not just the scoreline but the way it has been achieved. Celtic have played lovely football today, with such clean, progessive passing and excellent movement on and off the ball.

1.15pm BST

57 min “Love, love, LOVE Celtic,” says Christine Magee. “A true team - if only we had decent opposition.”

Be very careful what you wish for. Rangers fans probably felt the same before Martin O’Neill arrived in Glasgow.

1.14pm BST

56 min Rangers almost get a non-consolation goal with a stinging shot from Windass that rattles off the outside of the post. It’s his last kick of the game - Alfredo Morelos has come to replace him.

1.12pm BST

55 min It would be wrong to call this a humiliation. It is much, much worse than that.

1.11pm BST

54 min This now equals the biggest league win in Old Firm history, and there are still 36 minutes left. This could be 10!

1.10pm BST

Oh my goodness. Celtic are brutalising Rangers. Edouard beats Tavernier with contemptuous ease on the left of the box and cuts the ball into the six-yard box, where McGregor sweeps it into the net.

1.09pm BST

52 min A chance for Rangers. A short corner is played into the box and flicked on by Windass. Cummings pushes it towards goal and Gordon makes a comfortable save to his right.

1.07pm BST

50 min The biggest win in league matches was in 1894, when Rangers beat Celtic 5-0. This is an incredible chance for Celtic to seal the title with the biggest win in Old Firm history.

1.06pm BST

49 min Celtic’s biggest win over Rangers, since you asked, is 7-1 in the League Cup in 1957. But they have never beaten Rangers by five goals in the league.

1.05pm BST

48 min Oh, Rangers.

1.05pm BST

That didn’t take long. McGregor’s shot is well saved by Alnwick, but he’s too slow to get back in his goal and Rogic scores easily from inside the D.

1.02pm BST

46 min Rangers kick off for the first time in this second half.

1.01pm BST

Half-time pluggery

Related: Sign up to The Fiver email

1.00pm BST

Half-time entertainment

12.57pm BST

Meanwhile...

“Hello Rob,” says Phil West. “What with almost every league in Europe having a runaway leader/champion it should be great here in Turkey that our title race is going to the wire.

12.49pm BST

Celtic are going to seal their seventh consecutive title in legendary style. They slaughtered Rangers in that first half, and any scoreline is possible now.

12.47pm BST

Forrest picked up a loose ball on the right and zipped away from Cummings. When he reached the edge of the area he zig-zagged thrillingly between Murphy and Halliday before driving a ferocious low shot into the far corner from a tight angle. The defending wasn’t great but Forrest’s footwork and finishing were wonderful.

12.45pm BST

Oh my word. What a goal!

12.44pm BST

44 min “Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I think Rangers would probably be better off signing Gerrard/Lampard/Vieira/Maradona as players rather than managers?”

What formation you using for those? Diamond midfield? Double pivote?

12.43pm BST

43 min Celtic Park has turned into a bouncy castle. What an atmosphere!

12.43pm BST

Edouard gets his second! It was an emphatic solo goal at the end of a simple Celtic break. Forrest surged past the halfway line and shoved the ball forward to Edouard, who was one against one with Martin. He twisted one way and then the other before ramming a low shot into the far corner from 12 yards. Celtic are going to be champions - on today of all days.

12.39pm BST

38 min Another sniff of Eau de Goal for Rangers! Candeias plays a fine pass in behind the negligent Ajer for Windass, who gallops into the area from the right. Windass looks up, realises there’s little on and plays a generic cutback that is cleared by a Celtic defender.

12.38pm BST

37 min Celtic have taken control of the game again. Rangers are working like beasts, but they have really struggled to keep the ball bar that good five-minute period either side of Holt’s chance.

12.35pm BST

35 min McGregor’s free-kick is cleared via the noggin of Windass.

12.35pm BST

34 min Rogic nicks the ball off Murphy, who fouls him in frustration. Free-kick to Celtic on the right wing...

12.33pm BST

33 min Lustig’s mishit shot drifts across goal, fractionally in front of Edouard, who would have had an open goal. Then Ntcham’s shot is blocked.

12.32pm BST

32 min This is Rangers’ best spell, which is to say the match is pretty even. Murphy is playing nicely on the left wing.

12.31pm BST

31 min Lampard is an excellent pundit though.

12.30pm BST

30 min “Personally I’d prefer Lampard,” says Ryan Dunne of the Rangers job. “Perhaps we could have both, a la Evans/Houllier?”

After watching England try to assemble a midfield throughout the 2000s, Gerrard/Lampard: The Management Years does not exactly fill me with happy thoughts.

12.28pm BST

27 min Fine save from Gordon! Rangers created that chance out of nothing. Murphy played a beautiful through pass to Holt, who stretched to steer a low shot towards the far corner. Gordon got down to his left to make a superb save, and Tierney completed the job by booting the ball away from an open goal.

12.27pm BST

26 min Rangers’ gameplan is simple:

pray like never before
keep it at 1-0 until at least the 60th minute, then play on any Celtic nerves.

12.26pm BST

25 min Rangers work the ball smartly from right to left for Murphy, whose shot from the edge of the box is blocked. It deflects back off the referee and out of play, which means a fortunate corner for Rangers. No need for outrage at the laws of football: Celtic clear the corner.

12.24pm BST

24 min Rogic plays a lovely pass out to McGregor, who scoots into the area and skims a low cross towards Edouard. McCrorie makes a crucial interception.

12.22pm BST

22 min If Celtic get a second soon, this could be a tennis score. It’s been a glorious performance so far.

12.21pm BST

21 min Halliday again gets a round of applause from the Celtic fans when he takes a throw-in. Great stuff.

12.20pm BST

20 min Jason Cummings is a candidate for a red card. He’s already been booked and looks like his noggin is about to go.

12.18pm BST

18 min McGregor curls a shot over the bar from 25 yards. Rangers are being battered just now.

12.17pm BST

17 min This has been a blistering start from Celtic. Another break ends with McGregor finding Forrest, whose shot is blocked.

12.15pm BST

The goal was made superbly by Tierney, who beat Candeias with sleight of hip on the left and passed a lovely ball into the six-yard area. Edouard got in front of Dorrans and poked it into the net.

12.14pm BST

Edouard took the right option that time!

12.14pm BST

13 min Edouard makes a mess of a promising Celtic break. He had a through ball on to Rogic but tried to go alone and hit a shot that was deflected over the bar.

12.13pm BST

12 min Halliday collects the ball for a throw-in and gets a round of applause from the Celtic fans. Arf.

12.11pm BST

11 min Cummings hasn’t seen the ball, so he settles for the next best thing with a crunching reducer on Tierney. He’s booked.

12.08pm BST

8 min McGregor’s near-post corner is flicked over the bar by Lustig. It wasn’t much of a chance.

12.08pm BST

8 min Rangers can’t get out of their quarter, never mind their half. Celtic are playing some slick, penetrative stuff and have already had four or five corners.

12.06pm BST

6 min It’s all Celtic so far. Rangers need to survive this period or it could get messy. McGregor’s shot is blocked and rebounds to Ntcham, who shapes a curler towards the far corner. Alnwick dives smartly to his left to push it behind. He’s made two important saves already.

12.04pm BST

3 min McGregor’s corner is flapped away unconvincingly by Alnwick and drops to Ntcham on the edge of the area. He roasts a half-volley towards goal, and Alnwick dives sharply to his right to redeem the original error with a smart save.

12.02pm BST

2 min The keeper Alnwick charges out of his area to head a long ball away from danger. Celtic have made a fast start.

12.00pm BST

1 min The home team kick off amid a party atmosphere at Celtic Park.

11.46am BST

Here’s the SPFL table before kick-off. Celtic are going to win their seventh title in a row. But there is a bit of a bright side for Rangers: just imagine the party when they win their next title, especially if it stops Celtic claiming nine or ten in a row.

11.24am BST

An email! “What do you think of the fact Gerrard is apparently about to become Rangers manager?” says Gerry Scott. “Maybe its wishful thinking given I’m a Celtic fan but I suspect it is going to go very, very wrong for all concerned.”

There’s certainly the potential for the highest farce. I think it’s a worthwhiule gamble for Rangers, because with his personality and contacts he could do great things. It’s a big risk for Gerrard, though, especially in the current climate.

10.55am BST

Moussa Dembele has not recovered from injury, so Odsonne Edouard starts up front for Celtic. Andy Halliday, who has such a nightmare at Hampden Park a fortnight ago, starts for Rangers in place of the injured Declan John.

Celtic (4-2-3-1) Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Ajer, Tierney; Brown, Ntcham; Forrest, Rogic, McGregor; Edouard.
Substitutes: Bain, Simunovic, Kouassi, Sinclair, Roberts, Griffiths.

8.55am BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Celtic v Rangers from Celtic Park. In this week’s edition of Fresh Hell, Rangers go into the match knowing a defeat will confirm Celtic as champions. Even the fixture list, it seems, has got it in for poor old Rangers these days.

It’s only a fortnight since Celtic butchered Rangers 4-0 in the Scottish Cup semi-final, and they are strong favourites today. Rangers do at least have the draw – they know that result would delay Celtic’s title party. And if they can beat their oldest rivals in the league for the first time since 2012, it’ll almost feel like a victory!

1.30pm BST

Rob will be here shortly. In the meantime you can enjoy this fine ode to Scottish football by Lawrence Donegan …

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 29, 2018 06:17

April 24, 2018

Football quiz: Liverpool in Europe

Today’s questions have got a big night ahead of them

Jürgen Klopp: ‘I have this helping syndrome. I care about people’

Against which French team did Liverpool famously overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in 1991-92?

Metz

Lille

Auxerre

Paris Saint-Germain

Who were Liverpool's opponents on their return to Europe in 1991-92?

FC Swarovski Tirol

Kuusysi Lahti

Metz

Genoa

When did Liverpool reach their first European final?

1966

1969

1973

1977

Liverpool qualified from the second group stage of the Champions League in 2001-02. How many of their six group games did they win?

One

Three

Four

Six

Who did Liverpool beat in the semi-finals en route to winning their first European Cup in 1977?

Saint-Etienne

Trabzonspor

FC Zurich

Barcelona

Who was the only Liverpool player to miss in the penalty shootout against Roma in the 1984 European Cup final?

Phil Neal

Ian Rush

Steve Nicol

Graeme Souness

Who were the first side to win a European game at Anfield?

Juventus

Internazionale

Ferencvaros

Catania

Who scored Liverpool's goals in the 3-1 victory over St Etienne in the second leg of the quarter-final at Anfield en route to winning the European Cup in 1977?

John Toshack, Ray Kennedy, David Fairclough

Kevin Keegan, Ray Kennedy, David Fairclough

Steve Heighway, Tommy Smith, David Fairclough

Kevin Keegan, Joey Jones, David Fairclough

How many men were sent off for Alavés in the 2001 Uefa Cup final?

None

One

Two

Three

Excluding the Super Cup, how many European trophies have Liverpool won?

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

10 and above.

You're the champion of Europe!

9 and above.

Brilliant performance. You're almost a champion.

8 and above.

Well done. You could make it to the final

7 and above.

Good performance that. Very controlled display

6 and above.

Not bad. You could still make it through to the next round

5 and above.

Rank average

4 and above.

You'll need some comeback in the second leg

3 and above.

That's got to hurt

2 and above.

Oh dear!

1 and above.

Oof!

0 and above.

Ouch!

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 24, 2018 03:52

April 22, 2018

Juventus 0-1 Napoli: Serie A – as it happened

Kalidou Koulibaly’s immense last-minute header gave Napoli a famous victory and moved them to within a point of the champions Juventus

9.54pm BST

9.45pm BST

That’s it for tonight’s coverage. We’ll have a match report on the website shortly, and Paolo Bandini’s usual piece tomorrow. Thanks for your company, goodnight.

9.41pm BST

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! ⚽️

Napoli have done it! A late, late winner from Kalidou Koulibaly has kept their Serie A dream alive!

Incredible scenes in Turin! pic.twitter.com/tcekE3772x

9.40pm BST

Here’s the updated Serie A table. It’s still in Juventus’s hands, but two of their last four games are away to Inter and Roma.

9.39pm BST

Napoli’s players are celebrating like they’ve won the biggest game of their life. Which is exactly what most of them have done. Many of their fans are in tears of joy. It was a game that promised much and delivered very little - until that unforgettable late twist. Calcio? Bloody hell.

9.38pm BST

Napoli move to within one point of Juventus with a famous victory at the Allianz Stadium. It looked like Juventus had broken their spirit with a defensive masterclass, only for the superb Kalidou Koulibaly to win the match with a mighty header in the final minute.

9.35pm BST

90+1 min There will be three minutes of added time. Koulibaly has been brilliant all night and that was a monstrous header.

9.34pm BST

Callejon hit an outswinging corner from the right towards the penalty spot, where Koulibaly got the run on Benatia before leaping to thump an immense downward header past Buffon! What a header!

9.33pm BST

Napoli have scored in the last minute!!

9.33pm BST

89 min Insigne’s inswinging cross beats everyone at the near post and is palmed away by Buffon, diving to his left. That would have sneaked in the corner.

9.30pm BST

86 min Napoli look shattered. For the first time in the match they are struggling to keep the ball, and Juventus are happy to play out the last few minutes.

9.27pm BST

83 min Zielinski’s wobbling long-range strike is pushed away by Buffon, who decides to take no chances. Napoli have increasingly been restricted to shooting from distance.

9.26pm BST

82 min A moronic foul by Callejon on Pjanic gives Juventus a free-kick 40 yards from goal. The title is getting away from Napoli, who look frustrated and tired. Pjanic’s free-kick clears everyone and goes a few yards wide of the far post.

9.25pm BST

81 min Milik eyes the top corner from 30 yards. Goalkick to Juventus. Napoli look like they have had their optimism slowly broken by the Juventus defence.

9.23pm BST

80 min Napoli make their final substitution: Allan off, Marco Rog on.

9.21pm BST

77 min Insigne leads a Napoli break and plays the ball into Milik. He tries to slide a return pass through to Insigne and it’s intercepted by Benatia. Fine defending yet again. It’s been a masterclass from Juventus.

9.19pm BST

75 min This match sometimes feels like the same bit of footage on loop, with Napoli probing patiently before eventually running into the brick wall that is Juventus’s defence.

9.16pm BST

73 min Callejon’s superb volley is excellently saved by Buffon, though it wouldn’t have counted as he’d been wrongly flagged offside.

9.15pm BST

71 min Juventus make their last change, with Mandzukic replacing Douglas Costa. The match is apparently drifting towards a 0-0 draw that would make Juventus strong favourites for the title.

9.12pm BST

68 min Insigne, picked out nicely by Mario Rui, pings a long-range shot that is comfortably patted down by Buffon.

9.11pm BST

68 min Napoli are running out of time. At the moment it’s stalemate.

9.10pm BST

66 min Another Napoli change - Zielinski replaces Hamsik.

9.07pm BST

63 min Juventus are defending so well. Napoli are struggling to create anything of note despite having all of the ball.

9.06pm BST

62 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Thrilling and tense Sunday night Serie A title deciding MBMs are all well and good, but they’re not exactly World Championship snooker on the red button, are they?”

Remember when the ‘red button’ was as exotic, mysterious and exciting as, er, Friends Reunited?

9.04pm BST

60 min Napoli’s first change: Milik replaces Mertens.

9.03pm BST

59 min The second half is following the same pattern as the first - lots of neat possession from Napoli matched by formidable defending from Juventus.

9.01pm BST

57 min Douglas Costa zips past Hysaj in the box, but Jorginho comes round to make a vital interception.

8.59pm BST

55 min Hamsik’s deep, curling cross clears Asamoah and is volleyed over on the run by Callejon. It was a tricky chance.

8.58pm BST

54 min Cuadrado’s shot is blocked by Koulibaly, who is having a fine game.

8.56pm BST

52 min Nice play from Napoli. Insigne plays a good short pass down the inside-left channel to Hamsik, who whistles a first-time shot into the side netting at the near post. Buffon had it covered.

8.52pm BST

49 min A slow start to the second half. Napoli have some good options on the bench, notably Arkadiusz Milik; we’ll surely see him if it stays like this.

8.49pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Juventus begin the second half.

8.49pm BST

Juventus have made a half-time change, with Juan Cuadrado replacing Paulo Dybala.

8.43pm BST

Here’s the Serie A table as things stand. Napoli wouldn’t be out of it - Juventus still have to go to Inter and Roma - but realistically they probably need to win tonight.

8.33pm BST

That was a fascinating 45 minutes, even if there weren’t many clear chances. Pjanic’s deflected free-kick hit the post for Juventus; Insigne and Hamsik put decent opportunities wide for Napoli. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.

8.29pm BST

43 min Napoli are playing some lovely, eye-catching football. But if I was a Napoli fan, I would fear this happening in the second half.

8.26pm BST

40 min Napoli have played like the home side for most of the half, though Juventus won’t really mind that. The problem for both sides - Napoli with lots of possession, Juve on the counter - has been a lack of penetration.

8.23pm BST

38 min Insigne has a goal disallowed for offside! It was the right decision, though it was also a lovely first-time finish.

8.20pm BST

33 min Napoli continue to play the slicker football, though they have yet to really test Buffon. It’s a fascinating match.

8.18pm BST

31 min It’s going off! It started when Insigne put the ball out so that Douglas Costa could receive treatment. When play resumed, Khedira didn’t give the ball back to Napoli but lobbed it into touch near the corner flag, sparking a full and frank exchange of views from the players on both sides. It soon petered out.

8.15pm BST

30 min Douglas Costa goes down holding his face after a hand-off from Insigne. Nothing to see here.

8.12pm BST

27 min Pjanic is booked for clattering Mario Rui.

8.11pm BST

26 min This is a terrific spell for Napoli, who are playing with such confidence in possession.

8.10pm BST

24 min Hamsik misses a great chance! Mario Rui slid a lovely pass down the side of the defence to find Hamsik, who made an in-to-out run to create the opportunity - but then dragged a left-footed shot wide of the far post from a tight angle.

8.09pm BST

23 min The first quarter has flown past. Napoli have been slightly the better side but there’s very little in it.

8.08pm BST

23 min “Speaking of 2001, Napoli’s crest is very Netscape Navigator,” says Matt Dony. “At the time, popular and cutting edge, but since rendered redundant and left to fade into obscurity. Apropos of nothing, how did AC Milan get on yesterday?”

8.07pm BST

21 min Napoli work the ball beautifully from right to left for the overlapping Mario Rui. He overhits his cross but it almost sneaks into the net, with Buffon leaping desperately to tip it over.

8.05pm BST

19 min Mertens’ long-range shot is comfortably saved by Buffon.

8.04pm BST

18 min There’s a furious pace to this game, with an intensity level to match. It’s tremendous stuff.

8.03pm BST

17 min From the corner, Higuain’s acrobatic volley goes straight down into the ground and bounces ominously towards the far post, where it’s headed behind for another corner. I think it was going wide but the Napoli defender played it safe.

8.02pm BST

17 min The free-kick is 20 yards from goal, a fair way to the left of centre. Pjanic’s sidefooted effort hits the wall, wrongfoots Reina and clatters the outside of the far post!

8.01pm BST

16 min Raul Albiol is booked for fouling Higuain just outside the area. This won’t end 11v11, will it.

8.00pm BST

15 min “Been a long long time since I’ve been as excited about a game where I support neither side!” says Nick Parmenter.

Same here. Serie A title deciders are fantastic.

8.00pm BST

14 min After a torrid start, Juventus are starting to have an even share of the game.

7.59pm BST

13 min A rare Juventus attack brings their first corner. It’s a superb inswinger towards Howedes, whose towering header hits the head of the challenging Mario Rui and flies over the bar. The referee gives a goal-kick.

7.57pm BST

11 min Chiellini can’t continue and is replaced by Stephan Lichtsteiner. Howedes will from right-back move to centre-back.

7.56pm BST

10 min Benatia is booked for a foul on Mertens, who was running onto a through pass. It wasn’t quite a clear goalscoring opportunity because of the covering Chiellini; that probably saved Benatia from a red card. Asamoah was also booked for a foul earlier in the move.

7.53pm BST

7 min Chiellini injured himself trying to block that early shot from Insigne. That’s desperate news for Juventus. He’s going to try to continue but it might not be for long.

7.52pm BST

6 min Chiellini is struggling with injury. I’m not sure what happened but he’s clearly got a problem.

7.51pm BST

5 min Napoli are pressing Juventus high up the pitch, as you’d expect. This has been a really confident, authoritative start from them.

7.49pm BST

4 min “Why do the players have a red mark on their faces?” asks Rohit.

Apparently it is in support of a campaign against domestic violence.

7.49pm BST

3 min Napoli have made a fast, aggressive start and are having a lot of the ball.

7.47pm BST

1 min Insigne misses a great chance after 56 seconds! Hamsik’s cutback from the left took a deflection and deviated into the bath of Insigne, who shinned it wide of the far post from 10 yards. It did bounce a little awkwardly but it was still a big opportunity.

7.46pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Napoli get the match under way. They are in blue; Juventus are wearing black and white.

7.44pm BST

The players are ready for action. There’s a glorious atmosphere at the Allianz Stadium.

7.35pm BST

Dries Mertens and Marek Hamsik start for Napoli, which is not to all tastes.

I hope Sarri knows what he's doing, but I'm afraid this is exactly the starting lineup Allegri was hoping for. But we'll see. #JuveNapoli #FNS

7.13pm BST

Respect “Maurizio Sarri just set the tone,” says Rav Gopal of Napoli’s manager. “Here’s a video of him giving Juventini the finger.”

7.08pm BST

Juventus (4-3-3) Buffon; Howedes, Benatia, Chiellini, Asamoah; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Douglas Costa, Higuain, Dybala.
Substitutes: Subs: Szczesny, Pinsoglio, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Rugani, Alex Sandro, Bentancur, Bernardeschi, Cuadrado, Mandzukic.

Napoli (4-3-3) Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne.
Substitutes: Rafael, Sepe, Maggio, Chiriches, Tonelli, Milic, Zielinski, Rog, Machach, Diawara, Ounas, Milik.

5.43pm BST

Anyone who lived through 2001 will never forget one thing: that there ain’t no party like an S Club Party. And by the same token, there ain’t no title decider like a Serie A title decider. Down the years, such fixtures have ached with importance, drama, brilliance and controversy. When it comes to summit six-pointers, Italians definitely do it better.

If we get all four of those tonight, we’ll remember the match forever. Four is the operative number – that’s how many games are left after tonight, and the points advantage that Juventus have over Napoli. But if Napoli win tonight all bets are off, especially as Juve still have to play Inter and Roma away.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 22, 2018 13:42

Chelsea 2-0 Southampton: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened

An extraordinary slalom from Olivier Giroud and a header from the substitute Alvaro Morata put Chelsea into another FA Cup final

5.25pm BST

Dominic Fifield’s match report has landed, so I shall leave you with that. Thanks for your company today, bye!

5.24pm BST

Antonio Conte speaks! “To reach two FA Cup finals in a row is not easy. I’m pleased for our fans, who deserve this win the most. Now it’s important to try to finish the league season as strongly as possible and then to think about the final.”

5.21pm BST

Mark Hughes speaks! “We’re disappointed. The response to conceding so early in the second half was very good. We didn’t get any luck. Their keeper made a glaring mistake [for the disallowed goal]. I would have thought that was a clear example of where VAR should be used. There was a clear handball as well by Giroud. They didn’t refer that either. So we feel a little bit hard done by. But we were up against great quality and conceding the first goal made it difficult.”

5.10pm BST

The general conclusion is that Mr Laws is not a football man, and that’s why Southampton’s goal was disallowed.

5.08pm BST

Re: the disallowed goal, Graham Poll says that goalkeepers are protected by the laws if their feet are off the ground in the six-yard box. In essence, you can’t touch them.

4.57pm BST

Olivier Giroud on his slalom solo goal “My second passion is actually skiing! I just tried to dribble a little bit and I had a bit of luck, but that’s what I wanted to do. I’m very pleased for the team as we’ve done a great job. Wembley is like my garden and I love to play here.”

4.57pm BST

Eden Hazard speaks! “We fully deserved to win. I thought we played a very good game, especially second half, and created a lot of chances. At half-time the manager just told us to keep the ball and to play our game. We scored beautiful goals, especially Olivier. Now we go to the final.”

4.54pm BST

There’s a lot of talk about Southampton’s goal that never was, with Austin penalised for a foul on Caballero when the score was 1-0. Graham Poll on BT Sport thought it was a clear foul in accordance with the laws of the game. But what do the laws know?

4.52pm BST

In other news, you will not believe the score at the Etihad.

4.51pm BST

Peep peep! Chelsea are through to yet another FA Cup final on 19 May, where they will meet Jose Mourinho and Manchester United. That’ll have a dignified build up. They were the better team at Wembley, with Eden Hazard at his mesmeric best, but Southampton also had chances in a very entertaining second half. Olivier Giroud scored an extraordinary solo goal 28 seconds after half-time, with the substitute Alvaro Morata sealing it late on.

Do stay with us for some post-match reaction.

4.46pm BST

90+1 min There will be five minutes of added sweat and toil.

4.45pm BST

89 min This is over. Southampton know it. Chelsea know it. Even educated fleas know it.

4.42pm BST

87 min The tireless Austin swings a snapshot over the bar.

4.41pm BST

86 min McCarthy makes an excellent save from Morata, who could have had a hat-trick in the six minutes he’s been on the field.

4.39pm BST

84 min It’s all happening! Austin hits the post at one end, and then Morata’s shot is cleared off the line by Hoedt!

4.38pm BST

83 min So much for striker stereotypes: Giroud scored a Morata goal and Morata has now scored a Giroud goal.

4.37pm BST

Chelsea will play Manchester United in the FA Cup final. The substitute Morata makes an instant impact, heading into the net from Azpilicueta’s cross. They have been such a deadly combination this season.

4.35pm BST

80 min A loose ball breaks to Auston just inside the area, but his volley is too close to Caballero. Chelsea make their last change, with Alvaro Morata replacing the goalscorer Olivier Romarioud.

4.34pm BST

79 min “I like Giroud, but I’ve never quite been able to figure him out,” says Matt Dony. “He’s always been very willing to go for the spectacular, but it often goes awry. When it comes off, though, he can look magnificent. Is he a fantastic player, who sadly doesn’t consistently hit the heights? Or does he just attempt enough ‘Wow’ moments that some are bound to work out, law of averages and all that. He definitely does rock the classic film-star good looks, though.”

4.34pm BST

78 min Another Southampton change: Manolo Gabbiadini replaces Bednarek. Southampton are going for it.

4.33pm BST

77 min More great play from Hazard, who makes space on the right before driving a low cross into the area. Cedric’s attempted clearance hits Yoshida and loops just over the bar.

4.31pm BST

76 min Another Chelsea change: Fabregas off, Pedro on.

4.31pm BST

75 min Graham Poll, on BT Sport, says it was a clear foul by Austin on Caballero. So there you go.

4.29pm BST

74 min McCarthy leaps to make a cracking save from Hazard’s fierce rising shot. I can’t keep up with this.

4.29pm BST

73 min Caballero almost drops the ball into his own net, though a foul had been given against Austin so it wouldn’t have counted. I’m not sure it was a foul - and it might have been over the line as well. Oh VAR where art thou?

4.28pm BST

72 min How did Caballero save that?! Redmond belted a low right-footed shot from 25 yards that seemed to have squirmed under the keeper, but it ended up going for a corner. I have no idea what happened there. It was like an optical illusion.

4.27pm BST

72 min Hazard has been comically good today.

4.26pm BST

71 min Hazard does a Rabona cross. Yoshida heads it away.

4.26pm BST

70 min This is Southampton’s best spell of the match. It might just be that necessity is the mother of invention; or it might be that Tadic is on the pitch.

4.24pm BST

68 min Southampton appeal for handball and a penalty when Austin’s flashing header hits Giroud. All they get is a corner. It did hit Giroud’s arm, which was away from his body, and I’m surprised VAR wasn’t used there. The case for Giroud is that he was only a couple of yards away from Austin, but his arm was in an unnatural position and it was worth another look.

4.22pm BST

66 min Tadic plays a good pass out to Bertrand, who gets to the byline but overhits his cross. That was a better move from Southampton.

4.20pm BST

65 min Hoedt is booked for a lunge at Hazard.

4.19pm BST

64 min Chelsea make a change to beef up their midfield. A disappointed Willian is replaced by Bakayoko, and walks straight down the tunnel in a huff.

4.18pm BST

63 min Southampton make a double change: Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond replace Shane Long and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

4.17pm BST

62 min Long goes over in the box after a slight shove from Cahill. I don’t think it was a penalty but it was a bit risky from Cahill.

4.14pm BST

59 min Giroud looks okay to continue, and has a chance to play Willian through on goal. His pass is blocked.

4.14pm BST

58 min That goal from Giroud is so good. I’ve never seen a goal quite like it, though there was a touch of Romario in the way he sat everyone down.

4.12pm BST

57 min Romeu, already booked, crunches Giroud, who goes down in a lot of pain. It was a fair tackle but he caught Giroud’s ankle in his follow through. Giroud is really struggling.

4.10pm BST

55 min Lemina is booked for a foul on - you got it, stud - Hazard.

4.10pm BST

54 min Long misses a great chance to equalise! Austin’s lovely dummy allowed him to run through on goal, but his touch around Caballero was comically heavy and went straight out for a goalkick.

4.05pm BST

50 min Romeu is booked for a foul on Hazard.

4.04pm BST

48 min Southampton appeal for a penalty when Long goes down after a good tackle from Fabregas. No need for VAR. Chelsea break superbly and Hazard whips a lovely curling shot just wide of the far post.

4.03pm BST

It was a fantastic goal. Giroud was found in the area by Hazard and showed brilliant skill to slalom through as defenders slid all around him. He just walked past the lot of them, and the keeper McCarthy, before poking the ball into the net as he fell over. By that stage an army of Southampton defenders were also on the floor, stripped or their dignity and their clean sheet. “It’s like the Grand National,” says Glenn Hoddle on BT Sport, who calls the goal “a chicane”. That was a ridiculous demonstration of skill and composure in a space the size of a phonebox. Honestly, that was the best goal Romario never scored.

4.02pm BST

Giroud scores after 28 seconds of the second half!

4.01pm BST

46 min “Daft team that Hughes put out,” says Steve Hoare. “Relies too much on the wing backs for creation. We have JWP, Davis, Boufal, Redmond, Tadic... surely one of them has to play?”

I suppose he is trying to stay in the game for as long as possible and let human nature take over in the final quarter. But I would have at least one of them in the team. There’s so much talent in that squad; I can’t believe they are going down.

4.01pm BST

46 min Peep peep. Chelsea begin the second half.

3.57pm BST

Half-time chit-chat “It doesn’t seem that VAR so far is being used for outrageously blatantly bad decisions; there doesn’t seem to be the concept or equivalent of the ‘Umpire’s Call’ in cricket,” says Adam Roberts. “The ‘wobbly line’ offside decision (Mata’s goal) is particularly good example. Even after several viewings, ‘experts’ still disagreed. A perfect time for an umpire’s call ruling.”

It’s almost like it hasn’t been thought through properly. The commentator Arlo White suggested thickening the offside line to create that element of ‘umpire’s call’. I like that idea.

3.47pm BST

Half-time business

Related: Sign up to The Fiver email

3.45pm BST

Chelsea have been much the better team, without creating many clear chances. See you in 10 minutes for the second half of this football festival.

3.44pm BST

44 min The match is sleepwalking towards half-time. It’s been a half to remember, but only if you are into mental self-harm.

3.43pm BST

43 min “I almost miss the violent stylings of West Brom’s Hegazi amid all ths dazzling Chelsea running about with the ball stuff,” says Ian Copestake. “His delivery of a punch so weak that it could have been passed off as a sign of affection shows how out of touch the modern footballer has become from the days of hard Ron ‘hard’ Harris, etc.”

3.41pm BST

41 min Yoshida is booked for a foul on Giroud.

3.40pm BST

39 min A chance for Giroud. He made a complete mess of an attempted flying volley from Fabregas’s cross, but the ball bounced straight up in the air and he was able to launch into another acrobatic volley. This time he connected well and it flew just wide.

3.38pm BST

38 min With the square root of bugger all happening on the pitch, this is probably an opportune time to remind you that, if necessary, the match will go to extra-time and penalties.

3.34pm BST

34 min Southampton have the look of a team who are waiting to be put out of their misery. They need to change something because this system isn’t working. I’d be tempted to get Tadic on at half-time.

3.33pm BST

33 min Willian’s corner from the left is flicked on at the near post by Azpilicueta and flashes right across the face of goal.

3.32pm BST

32 min “Teams’ substitutes’ benches seem to have taken on the look of a dock in a court, filled with those suspected of various misdemeanours and publicly awaiting their fate,” says Ian Copestake. “I’d be unsurprised if Jimmy McNulty was seen hovering in the background of the Chelsea bench.”

The Wire is a bit of an old reference point, grandad. I’ve moved on to Homicide: Life on the Street.

3.31pm BST

31 min A fierce long-range shot from Willian smacks Cedric in the face, after which he visits the canvas. He seems fine.

3.30pm BST

30 min Chelsea work the ball across the field to Azpilicueta, whose long-range shot deflects behind for a corner.

3.29pm BST

29 min “Is VAR being used in this game?” says Edouard. “I hope so, because I want to talk about VAR today. For some time now I’ve been frustrated that no one has considered a “challenge” system for video replay akin to tennis. I would adapt it like this: each team has one “challenge” per game (or even per tournament). If a challenge is issued, we go to video replay. If the challenge is correct, decision overturned, and the team keep their right to challenge. If it turns out they were wrong to challenge, they lose their right to challenge from then on. The idea being, of course, to incentivise teams to only complain about clear-cut mistakes and keeping video replay to a minimum. Who would have the final say on when to issue a challenge is the tricky part (team captain ? Manager? etc.)

Yes, it is being used today. The system you suggest works well in cricket but that and tennis are more stop-start than football. I’m not sure it would work in football. Basically, the whole needs more thought before it is used in top-level football, because somebody is going to chin a referee at the World Cup.

3.27pm BST

27 min “MBMs two days running?” says Adam Roberts. “Have you upset someone?”

Only myself.

3.26pm BST

26 min Hazard plays a one-two with Fabregas, scoots past Bednarek and slams a cutback towards Giroud at the near post. He can’t react quickly enough, under pressure from a defender, and shins it wide. It wasn’t much of a chance but it was lovely play from Hazard.

3.24pm BST

25 min Southampton have their first shot, a long-range effort from Lemina that is comfortably saved by Caballero.

3.24pm BST

24 min There’s a lack of creativity in the Southampton team, with Tadic on the bench, and their passing so far has had little purpose.

3.22pm BST

22 min A very quiet period in the game.

3.18pm BST

19 min Southampton have done well to survive that early battering and will hope to start feeling their way into the game. Hazard and Willian, buzzing behind Giroud, do look very dangerous though.

3.16pm BST

17 min Southampton enjoy a couple of minutes’ grace in the Chelsea half.

3.14pm BST

14 min Willian clips the free-kick onto the roof of the net. McCarthy had it covered.

3.13pm BST

13 min Kante is fouled just outside the area by Bednarek. Southampton are under relenteless pressure and this free-kick is in a perfect position for Willian...

3.12pm BST

12 min Fabregas’s low cross finds Hazard, who takes the ball in his stride and is about to score from close range when Yoshida slides in to make a fantastic tackle.

3.11pm BST

11 min Southampton are struggling to get out of their half. The pace of the game is relatively slow, perhaps because of the heat, though it speeds up whenever Hazard gets the ball.

3.09pm BST

9 min “No BT Sport in my TV package, so I’m relying on you to provide news of a comprehensive victory,” says Matt Loten. “It’s very important to me, as a Portsmouth fan, that Southampton don’t one-up our glorious run to the 2010 FA Cup final whilst also getting relegated from the Premier League. Besides, cup finals are so often a let-down, so surely at the very least we need the guaranteed entertainment of an irate Mourinho trying to pull out Conte’s hair plugs on the sidelines after a Giroud header secures Chelsea a scruffy 1-0 win in extra time?”

3.08pm BST

8 min Chelsea look really sharp, Hazard in particular.

3.07pm BST

7 min Willian hits the woodwork for the 487th time this season. Hazard surged at the heart of the defence and pushed a good ball to Willian on the right of the box. He moved the ball onto his left foot and whipped a shot that beat McCarthy before clanging off the top of the bar.

3.05pm BST

5 min Hazard spins neatly away from Lemina 25 yards from goal and hits a scorching rising drive with his left foot that whistles past the angle of post and bar. Great effort.

3.03pm BST

4 min “Hi Rob,” says Steve. “With all the talk about how the Champions League is a holy grail, don’t you think that offering a Champions League spot to the FA Cup winner, instead of fourth place, would restore interest in the competition. Somehow to me it seems more appropriate for someone who actually won something to get into the champions league instead of a fourth-place team...”

I’d bring back the Cup Winners’ Cup, so I’m probably not the best person to ask. But yeah, why not? Sod it.

3.02pm BST

3 min Hojbjerg plays a one-two with Long and is tracked excellently by Kante.

3.00pm BST

2 min “I understand why Giroud has started but he clearly does his best work as a Plan B as opposed to being a Plan A,” says Shivam. “Also not a fan of “cup goalkeepers” starting in semi-finals. You play your best team - no loyalties.“

I agree with both points, particularly the first. Football is in the dark ages when it comes to using substitutes.

3.00pm BST

1 min Southampton kick off from left to right. They are in red-and-white Rank Xerox; Chelsea are in blue.

2.54pm BST

The players are in the tunnel, ready for action. It’s soccer o’clock!

2.47pm BST

Mark Hughes speaks! This competition wasreally good for me as a player, so I suppose I tap into those memories when I speak to the guys. It’s a chance for them to make their mark – they’ve got to embrace it. If we can play like we did last week and cut out a few mistakes, we think we can go very, very close.”

2.47pm BST

Antonio Conte speaks! “We must be focussed on this game. We did very well to come back against Southampton last weekend, but this competition is unpredictable and we must pay attention today.”

2.34pm BST

It’s a busy day in the Premier League. Stoke lead Burnley 1-0, while Jacob Steinberg is enjoying a thriller between Arsenal and West Ham.

2.21pm BST

Team news There are no real surprises in the Chelsea team, with Olivier Giroud picked ahead of the woebegone Alvaro Morata. Southampton have switched from 3-4-2-1 to 3-5-2, with Charlie Austin up front alongside Shane Long.

2.17pm BST

Pre-match reading

2.04pm BST

Chelsea (3-4-2-1) Caballero; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Rudiger; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Emerson; Willian, Hazard; Giroud.
Substitutes: Eduardo, Christensen, Zappacosta, Bakayoko, Barkley, Pedro, Morata.

Southampton (3-5-2) McCarthy; Hoedt, Yoshida, Bednarek; Cédric, Romeu, Lemina, Højbjerg, Bertrand; Austin, Long.
Substitutes: Forster, McQueen, Tadić, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Gabbiadini, Carrillo.

11.01am BST

Hello. Chelsea have been stuck in their own version of Groundhog Day – win title, lose plot, sack manager, repeat – but Antonio Conte could provide a variation on that theme by winning the FA Cup on his way out.

We know Conte is going to leave this summer. But winning a trophy would put a pleasant, alternative spin on second-season syndrome – especially as it would involve beating his nemesis Jose Mourinho at Wembley.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 22, 2018 09:25

April 21, 2018

Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened

Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera scored as United came from behind to deservedly win an excellent semi-final at Wembley

7.27pm BST

Here’s Simon Burnton’s report from Wembley, which is my cue to drift off into the night. Thanks for your company and emails, bye!

7.25pm BST

We’ll have a live match report from Wembley shortly. No more post-match interviews I’m afraid: the BBC coverage ended abruptly so that they can squeeze in Pointless Celebrities. I can MBM that if you like.

7.17pm BST

Jose Mourinho is one game away from his third trophy in two seasons at United manager. It hasn’t been smooth but he sure knows how to win trophies, something he’ll remind everyone of in the build-up to the final. Prizes make points.

7.15pm BST

It’s another to add to Spurs’ list of what-ifs. They started beautifully but faded after Sanchez’s equaliser. Harry Kane barely had a kick and Dele Alli was quiet apart from his goal. They are such a likeable side but they are running out of time to win a trophy before the time starts to break up.

7.13pm BST

The United players speak!

Ander Herrera “Really happy for the goal, for the victory. We are getting used to being in finals, which is good because that’s what this club is about. The centre-backs did an amazing job.

7.12pm BST

That’s a huge result for United after a difficult week. Their star players, Pogba and Sanchez, were superb, and their much maligned defence controlled Spurs brilliantly in the second half. It was a really good game.

7.10pm BST

Manchester United will play Chelsea or Southampton in the FA Cup final! They started wretchedly but fully deserved to win an excellent match. Spurs have now lost their last eight FA Cup semi-finals.

7.09pm BST

90+6 min Marouane Fellaini replaces the man of the match Alexis Sanchez.

7.08pm BST

90+5 min Pogba flips a long pass into space for Lukaku, who is just beaten to the ball 40 yards from goal by Vorm. At the other end Smalling holds off Kane to win a goalkick, and is almost chestbumped by Jones.

7.06pm BST

90+4 min Nemanja Matic is down with cramp, so there’s another delay.

7.06pm BST

90+3 min Alexis Sanchez looks an absolute state, which is a reflection of the obscene effort he has put in all game. He’s been brilliant.

7.05pm BST

90+2 min Lukaku makes a great interception and sets Rashford clear, one against one with Dier. Rashford moves into the area, dummies to shoot but then loses the ball to Dier. He was a bit indecisive there, though it was good defending.

7.03pm BST

90+1 min There will be five minutes of added soccer.

7.03pm BST

90 min Herrera is booked for some foul or other. Spurs are running out of time. Lamela’s clip over the top is volleyed up in the air by the stretching Davinson Sanchez and De Gea makes a comfortable claim.

7.02pm BST

89 min Lamela’s curling free-kick is headed over from six yards by Wanyama. It was just behind him and so he couldn’t steer it on target.

7.01pm BST

88 min Vertonghen slips past Alexis Sanchez, who pulls him back. Free-kick to Spurs on the left wing...

7.00pm BST

87 min Lucas Moura spanks a desperate long-range shot well wide. United’s defence have been Spurs at arms length throughout the second half; it’s been a seriously good performance.

6.59pm BST

86 min Spurs make their last change, with Erik Lamela replacing Son.

6.59pm BST

85 min Rashford is booked for diving. He hurdled Davinson Sanchez’s tackle and fell over as he landed. It’s hard to say for certain whether it was a dive or whether the leap left him off balance.

6.57pm BST

84 min “I heard the opinion this week that Pogba is better with Herrera in the team,” says Adam Roberts. “It’s certainly true today; they’ve both been great.”

The balance looks so much better when they both play. That 4-3-3 should surely be the default formation next season.

6.56pm BST

83 min Eriksen’s tame low shot from distance is easily saved by De Gea.

6.56pm BST

83 min “My perception of practitioners of ‘the dark arts’ is entirely coloured by how creative the player is,” says Phil Podolsky. “ For someone like Deco, cheating was part of his credentials as Professor of Cunning at Oxford University, that also included being incredibly artful with the ball at his feet, so it’s qualitatively different from someone like Materazzi.”

6.55pm BST

82 min Another United change: Marcus Rashford replaces Jesse Lingard, who has put in his usual shift.

6.54pm BST

81 min United have controlled the game very well in the second half. There hasn’t been a lot between the teams but United have been just a bit better in all areas. Dier, meanwhile, is booked for plunging his studs into Lingard’s achilles.

6.53pm BST

80 min United make their first change: Antonio Valencia, who has cramp, is replaced by Matteo Darmian.

6.51pm BST

78 min Victor Wanyama replaces Mousa Dembele for Spurs.

6.51pm BST

77 min Valencia, who has already been booked, fouls Alli on the left wing. Spurs ask for him to be sent off but Anthony Taylor doesn’t oblige. Valencia made it look clumsy, which probably saved him.

6.49pm BST

76 min At the moment United look pretty comfortable. I can’t remember De Gea making a save since half-time.

6.48pm BST

75 min Pogba’s stinging shot from 20 yards is palmed behind by the flying Vorm. I think it was going wide anyway but it was a good strike.

6.47pm BST

73 min Eriksen, Spurs’ best player, hits a surprise left-footed shot from 25 yards that just misses the far post and sends a water bottle flying behind the goal. De Gea was happy to let it go, which showed exceptional judgement of where his off stump was.

6.46pm BST

72 min Pogba plays a lovely, subtle through pass to Lukaku, who charges from right to left and hits a rising shot from a tight angle that is comfortably patted down by Vorm. Pogba has had a superb game.

6.45pm BST

72 min Ashley Young is booked for timewasting.

6.44pm BST

71 min “Kane not looking remotely fit today!” says Nick Parmenter. “Almost like playing with 10 men.”

6.43pm BST

70 min Spurs have moved Dier into the back four, with Vertonghen at left-back.

6.43pm BST

69 min A challenge by Dembele on Alexis Sanchez leads to a full and frank exchange of views by the players on both sides. He put his arm across Sanchez’s face but I don’t think it was a deliberate elbow and there’s no card.

6.41pm BST

68 min Spurs make their first change, with Lucas Moura replacing Ben Davies.

6.38pm BST

65 min Pogba angles a fine pass over the top to Lukaku, who is one against one with Vertonghen in the inside-right channel. He comes infield onto his left foot and drives a low shot just wide of the near post. Vorm had it covered.

6.36pm BST

63 min I’m not sure about Vorm’s positioning on the goal but it was a really crisp connection from Herrera.

6.36pm BST

United take the lead! Alexis Sanchez’s pass was miscontrolled by Lukaku on the edge of the area but fell nicely for Herrera, who charged onto the scene and whistled a low first-time shot under Vorm from 15 yards. That’s a nice finish.

6.32pm BST

59 min After a slow start, the second half is warming up nicely.

6.31pm BST

58 min Alli plays a sweet first-time pass through to Kane in the area. He works the ball onto his left foot and hits a shot that deflected behind off Smalling. Good defending.

6.30pm BST

57 min Trippier lobs a good pass infield to Eriksen, who belts a superb cross that flashes across the face of goal.

6.29pm BST

56 min Herrera’s sharp cutback finds Lingard, who mis-hits a first-time shot from 12 yards. That was a decent chance.

6.28pm BST

56 min The game is much less open than it was in the first half. I suspect both managers spent half-time telling their teams to stop playing silly buggers.

6.27pm BST

55 min “I know that, in many ways, he’s a wonderful footballer,” begins Adam Roberts, “but Dele Alli is a ****, isn’t he?”

I think he’s great. I love ball players with a snide side - Alli, Bergkamp, Van Persie and the rest.

6.26pm BST

54 min “Lukaku is invisible and slow at it,” says Geertjan Wielenga. “Bring on Rashford.”

6.26pm BST

53 min Alexis Sanchez scoops a pass into the area towards Lingard, who goes over after a slight nudge from Vertonghen. It probably wasn’t enough to warrant a penalty.

6.25pm BST

52 min It’s been a quiet, scruffy start to the second half.

6.24pm BST

51 min “One of the Fox commentators just said that Spurs have to win something because when they concede they go flat,” says Ron Stack. “I take this to mean that they lose confidence, and too easily let games slip away. At first blush that seems a facile comment, but the more I think about it the more sense it makes. What do you think?”

I think that’s a bit harsh. They’ve had some brilliant comebacks under Pochettino. But there is a slightly mysterious psychological barrier that can affect them in big games. Winning any trophy, even the Anglo-Scottish Cup, would help.

6.23pm BST

50 min Alli gives the ball away to Lingard, compounds the error with a naughty tackle and is booked.

6.20pm BST

47 min “Ander Herrera just has one of those faces, doesn’t he?” says Scott Oliver. “He’s the sneering school bully in the American high school comedy-drama, the dutiful young Lieutenant-Colonel diligently doing the dirty work for a newly installed Latin American military junta, the snitch, the pr1ck in the pub. Thus the perfect Mourinho foot soldier, in many ways.”

I prefer to accentuate the positive. Look at the damage he’s doing to national stereotypes.

6.18pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Spurs begin the second half.

6.09pm BST

Half-time chit chat “I don’t know if you’re seeing the same thing, but on the international feed we keep getting shots of a fan, presumably a Spurs supporter given he’s surrounded by others wearing white, dressed in a bright red t-shirt that says ‘ARTHRITIS RESEARCH’,” says Jerry Parks. “Despite the quality of this game I am strangely preoccupied with this fellow: did he not realize the opposing team wears, is famed for, their red shirts? Is arthritis of all ailments really the most pressing area for medical research? Is this all a stealth marketing campaign of some sort?”

Never mind that. What I want to know is: who is Jim Ramsey?

6.08pm BST

Half-time pluggery

Related: Sign up to The Fiver email

6.03pm BST

That was an excellent 45 minutes. Spurs started the half well and took the lead through Dele Alli; United ended the half well after equalising through Alexis Sanchez. The scoreline is fair, and the second half should be a belter.

6.02pm BST

45+2 min Dier’s long-range shot takes a deflection and rattles off the post! De Gea didn’t even move. It was a sweet strike from Dier and took a touch off the rump of Smalling before arrowing towards the bottom corner. Happily for United, it hit the outside of the post.

5.59pm BST

44 min Pogba hits a big curling shot from 25 yards that is tipped wide by the diving Vorm. It was a relatively comfortable save.

5.58pm BST

43 min Lukaku, found by Alexis Sanchez, hoofs a low shot from 20 yards that is blocked by Davies. He looked a bit cumbersome, as he has for much of the half. All United’s threat has been through Pogba and Sanchez.

5.58pm BST

42 min United break through Pogba, who plays a fine angled pass to Herrera just outside the box on the right. He slips in the act of crossing but the ball still almost sneaks through to Alexis Sanchez, with Davinson Sanchez making an important clearance. Herrera is then lucky not to be booked for a deliberate play-breaking foul on Vertonghen.

5.56pm BST

42 min Eriksen clips a nice pass into space for Son, who overruns it slightly but still manages to win a corner off Smalling. Eriksen swings into the warm bosom of De Gea.

5.55pm BST

41 min Possessionwatch: Manchester United 50-50 Tottenham Hotspur. It’s been a Spandex-tight first half.

5.54pm BST

39 min Kane tries unsuccessfully to lob De Gea from inside his own half. Know your limits, Harry; you’re not Charlie Adam.

5.52pm BST

37 min A beautiful pass over the top by Eriksen is volleyed into orbit by Son. No matter, he was miles offside.

5.50pm BST

36 min Son is fouled down the right by Pogba, who for some reason starts applauding. Bit weird. Eriksen’s free kick is unusually poor and cleared by Young.

5.49pm BST

34 min Eriksen dummies to shoot and plays it wide to Tripper in loads of space on the right edge of the box. His first touch isn’t great and by the time he gets the cross in United have enough men around to clear.

5.48pm BST

33 min Kane is fouled 30 yards from goal by Herrera...

5.47pm BST

31 min Alexis Sanchez and Pogba, who keeps pulling to the left, are threatening to overrun Trippier. Pogba has been superb in the last 10 minutes.

5.44pm BST

30 min The game has been much more even since United equalised. In fact, it’s turning into a potential classic.

5.43pm BST

28 min Son is booked for a hack at Alexis Sanchez.

5.42pm BST

27 min Another chance for United! Lukaku’s cross finds Lingard on the six-yard line, but he mistimes his jump and heads the ball straight up in the air.

5.41pm BST

27 min Valencia is booked for a bad tackle on Alli. It was two-footed, so some referees might have sent him off, though I think it looked worse in slow motion.

5.41pm BST

26 min As with Eriksen’s ball for Alli’s goal, it was as much a pass as a cross by Pogba. It was majestic.

5.40pm BST

United equalise with a fine goal! Pogba, at fault for the first goal, made this one brilliantly. He muscled Dembele off the ball on the left wing, moved infield and coaxed the most magnificent curling cross towards the far post. Sanchez got between Davies and Vertonghen to steer an excellent header back across goal. That’s his sixth goal in five FA Cup games at Wembley.

5.35pm BST

21 min United are in danger of being swamped before half-time. They started pretty well but have been all over the show since the goal.

5.34pm BST

19 min Eriksen, who is having a blinder, combines with Kane to release Son on the left. He’s one on one with the last man Valencia, who does very well to stay on his feet and block Son’s shot.

5.33pm BST

18 min The look on Mourinho’s coupon is absolutely murderous.

5.33pm BST

17 min Another chance for Spurs! Alli plays a fine pass into Kane, who eschews the shot and instead tees up Eriksen 15 yards out. He screws a bobbling shot fractionally wide of the far post. De Gea wouldn’t have got to it had it been on target.

5.32pm BST

17 min This is an excellent spell for Spurs, whose passing has a lovely rhythm to it. Son’s fierce low cross to the near post is brilliantly intercepted by Phil Jones, who just managed to get in front of Alli. Had he not done so it would have been 2-0. Mourinho is already waving furiously at his players.

5.29pm BST

14 min Son’s deep cross from the left just evades the stretching Kane in front of goal. That was almost 2-0.

5.29pm BST

14 min Trippier nutmegs Pogba, to the delight of the Spurs fans. Their team look really sharp with the ball, if not quite so good without it. It’s a very open game.

5.27pm BST

12 min Lingard appeals for a penalty when the ball bounces off the arm of Davinson Sanchez. He wasn’t even looking at the ball so I don’t think you could say it was deliberate.

5.27pm BST

12 min United’s defending was pretty poor for the goal. Young went AWOL and Pogba couldn’t be bothered to chase back after Eriksen.

5.26pm BST

Spurs take the lead with a simple goal. Eriksen runs onto a long punt down the right by Sanchez and swings a terrific low pass/cross to the far post. It bounces up perfectly for Alli, who arrives late and steers it into the empty net.

5.24pm BST

10 min Lukaku misses a good chance, heading Matic’s cross over from 10 yards. He had pulled onto Davies, who had no chance of beating him in the air, but the header was a poor one.

5.22pm BST

7 min Herrera’s superb pass down the inside-right channel finds Lingard, who picks the wrong option and has his cross put behind for a corner by Vertonghen.

5.20pm BST

5 min Now United win their first corner, with Trippier heading Herrera’s corner behind. This has been a really bright start to the game. Sanchez’s corner from the left is cleared at the near post by Dembele.

5.18pm BST

4 min That was a sore one for Sanchez, with Tripper plunging his studs into the left achilles. I’m not sure how deliberate it was; I do know it looked bloody painful. Sanchez seems fine now though.

5.17pm BST

3 min Sanchez is down injured, holding his left leg. Spurs play on; they have started really confidently.

5.16pm BST

1 min Kane wins a corner after 20 seconds with a deflected long-range shot. Davies’s outswinger is half cleared to Eriksen, who slides a lovely ball into Son in the area. His low cross is blocked by Valencia and goes behind for another corner. This one comes to nothing.

5.15pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Manchester United get the match under way, kicking from the right to left on the television screen.

5.11pm BST

The players are in the tunnel. Let’s watch some association football.

5.08pm BST

Hereeeeee’s Jose “The game against Spurs started 1-0 in the league (when United conceded after 11 seconds). I hope this starts 0-0 and we can go from there.”

5.03pm BST

Mauricio Pochettino speaks! “We are going to play an amazing final (sic), with the possibility of going through to the final. Michel Vorm deserves to play. We are fully confident in him. I don’t think we have a home advantage - we are in a different changing-room and the support will be 50/50.”

4.58pm BST

“Let’s see if I have this straight,” says J. R. “Mr. Lewis admits that Mourinho doesn’t know his best team or formation and has a crap record in the transfer market and this adds up to the conclusion that “Mourinho has done well”? (And he didn’t even mention Mourinho’s capability to make great players terrible. Maybe that’s implied.) I can’t imagine United playing any worse with the squad they’ve got.”

They are above the media darlings Spurs and Liverpool in the league and won trophies last season; hence the doing of well.

4.57pm BST

The 3pm games are coming to a close around the country. You can get the latest with John Brewin.

4.55pm BST

Podcast plug Nessun Dorma, the podcast devoted to 1980s and 1990s football, returns this Tuesday with a special episode about Manchester United’s first title under Sir Alex Ferguson. You can subscribe here, if that’s what you want to do.

4.50pm BST

A Man Utd fan on Wembley way has seized the mic from the Jesus preacher who stands in that place every week and is singing ooh ah Cantona into it. Weirdly disturbing scene

4.45pm BST

When Spurs reach an FA Cup semi-final, we are contractually obliged to link to this clip of Gazza at his glorious best.

4.32pm BST

An email!

“Afternoon Rob,” says Jonny Lewis. “Mourinho has done well and improved us, but realistically, he won’t do more than two more seasons at United - max. Does he have it in him to make the leap to city’s level in that time? Also, will he want to hang around and watch Guardiola clean up?

4.29pm BST

Manchester United have some extremely happy FA Cup semi-final memories - not least the greatest game I’ve ever seen, against Arsenal in 1999. That, and much else, is revisited in a superb documentary to be be broadcast on Monday night. I was lucky to see a preview, and it is gold.

4.23pm BST

There are no surprises in either side. Michel Vorm, who has started every FA Cup match this season for Spurs, comes in for Hugo Lloris. United’s team is as expected, even if plenty would have preferred to see big-game specialist Marcus Rashford and/or Anthony Martial in the starting XI.

4.17pm BST

Manchester United (4-3-3) De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Young; Herrera, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Sanchez.
Substitutes: Rashford, J Pereira, Darmian, Lindelof, Fellaini, Mata, Martial.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1) Vorm; Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Eriksen, Alli, Son; Kane.
Substitutes: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Wanyama, Sissoko, Lamela, Lucas.

2.48pm BST

Now this, my dear friends, is an FA Cup semi-final. Two of the three most successful teams in the competition’s history, both desperate to win a trophy for different reasons, each with contrasting public perceptions and styles.

In a sense this is the dreamer versus the winner. Spurs, for all their charming football under Mauricio Pochettino, haven’t won a trophy since 2008. United won two last year, and their results have improved enormously under Jose Mourinho. But their style of play - and their strange propensity to have an absolute shocker every few weeks – has left Mourinho on the back foot for most of the season, waving his CV in everyone’s face.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 21, 2018 11:27

West Brom 2-2 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

Danny Ings scored his first goal since 2015, but Liverpool were pegged back by two late goals at the Hawthorns

Match report

2.49pm BST

That’s about it for our new MBM afterparty. One last bit of business: Macclesfield Town have been promoted back to the Football League. Please join John Brewin for this afternoon’s matches, and I’ll be back for the FA Cup semi-final at 5.15pm. See you then.

2.47pm BST

Jurgen Klopp is not a happy man “We controlled the game pretty well. They only really had opportunities from set pieces. They were blocking the goalkeeper the whole game on corners – I know everyone likes that in this country but it makes like quite difficult for the goalie. I heard the second goal was not a foul. I don’t know why [Hegazi punched Ings]. You need a bit of … not help, just the right decisions, and then we win here 3-0 or 3-1.

“It was a difficult game as the pitch got drier and drier – they obviously decided not to water it at half-time. I was not happy with the pitch. You’ve never played football obviously because it makes a massive difference if you want to pass the ball. If you’re like West Brom and you play the ball constantly in the air you don’t need a wet pitch. I’m not in the mood to talk about positive things but tomorrow I’ll tell Danny how good it was to see him score.”

2.39pm BST

West Brom 2-2 Liverpool Stuart James’ match report from the Hawthorns has dropped - and here it is.

2.38pm BST

Steve McMahon, who is in the Sky studio, is unhappy about a few things: zonal marking, Lorus Karius, Jurgen Klopp not picking his first-choice back four, West Brom’s effort. I’m looking forward to The Debate featuring Steve McMahon and Ian Wright.

2.35pm BST

Liverpool weren’t happy with the award of the free-kick for the second goal. It looked a fair decision on the replays. That said, Liverpool should have had a penalty at 1-0 for a foul on Ings.

2.31pm BST

The goalscorer Jake Livermore speaks “It’s a shame we’re running out of time as we’ve started to get a bit of belief and confidence in the last few games. All we can do is keep fighting and see what happens. It’s not for the want of trying. Confidence is a massive thing and we’ve thrown away a lot of points from winning positions.”

2.28pm BST

The team news is in for the 3pm games up and down the country. John Brewin, who can name every starting XI in Premier League history, is following those matches - so you don’t have to!

2.27pm BST

Here’s the updated Premier League table. Liverpool aren’t guaranteed a top-four place but they shouldn’t have any problems.

2.25pm BST

In case you’ve just woken up in a pool of your own drool, it finished 2-2 at the Hawthorns. Danny Ings scored early on for Liverpool, his first goal since 2015, and the inevitable Mo Salah put them 2-0 up in the second half. That seemed to be that, but West Brom scored twice from set pieces to earn a point. Jake Livermore and Salomon Rondon got the goals, and they might even have snatched an absurd win.

2.23pm BST

Jurgen Klopp does not look particularly happy with life. He’s having a chat with Ragnar Klavan about something or other. It doesn’t really matter, as Liverpool are going to finish in the top four and, most importantly, they didn’t get any injuries ahead of the Roma game.

West Brom showed plenty of character to continue their impressive mini-run. They are going down with a belated fight, and could at least sneak off the bottom of the table before the end of the season.

2.20pm BST

Peep peep!

2.20pm BST

90+3 min Burke, found by Evans on the edge of the box, slashes at fresh air. Liverpool, who were cruising 15 minutes ago, are now hanging on for a draw.

2.18pm BST

90+3 min Milner slaps a shot over the bar from 20 yards.

2.18pm BST

90+2 min A superb defensive header from Van Dijk saves Liverpool, with Phillips about to get on the end of Rondon’s cross.

2.17pm BST

90+2 min There will be four minutes of added time. Brunt’s long throw is headed on by Livermore and collected by Karius.

2.16pm BST

90+1 min West Brom are going down, but this has been a stirring little run under Darren Moore: three games, five points, no defeats.

2.15pm BST

90 min Karius was again in no man’s land for that goal. His shot-stopping can be excellent but he is a joke on set pieces.

2.15pm BST

89 min West Brom bring on Hal Robson-Kanu for Jay Rodriguez.

2.14pm BST

Oh me, oh my. It’s 2-2! Brunt whips in a brilliant free-kick from the left, and Rondon gets in front of Lovren at the near post to stoop and head past Karius!

2.13pm BST

86 min A great chance for West Brom to equalise! Lovren’s weak backheader is straight into the path of Rondon, whose attempted lob is excellently saved by the advancing Karius.

2.12pm BST

85 min Liverpool are playing with a back five now, which is inviting a bit of pressure. Oxlade-Chamberlain leads a break and hits a big, deep cross beyond the far post. Firmino tries to guide a header back across Foster but can’t quite get around the ball and it drifts safely across the six-yard line.

2.09pm BST

83 min Liverpool make their final change, with Dejan Lovren replacing Mo Salah.

2.08pm BST

82 min Liverpool have responded well to that goal, with three minutes of almost uninterrupted possession.

2.06pm BST

West Brom score from the corner. Brunt’s booming, deep inswinger was helped back into the six-yard area by Rodriguez. Dawson’s shot was blocked by Karius but Livermore turned it in from close range.

2.04pm BST

78 min Brunt waves a lovely pass over the top with the outside of his left foot. Phillips gets there first and cushions a volley back to Rodriguez, who is about to shoot when Klavan appears to concede a corner.

2.02pm BST

76 min Another West Brom change: Oliver Burke replaces Kieran Gibbs.

2.00pm BST

75 min That was Salah’s 41st goal of the season and his 31st in the league. For a wide forward, that’s ridiculous.

1.59pm BST

74 min Oxlade-Chamberlain will surely start at the World Cup. He is playing beautifully at the moment.

1.58pm BST

The Mo-ssiah gets his obligatory goal. He’s been a bit wasteful today but that was beautifully taken. Oxlade-Chamberlain put him through with a gorgeous reverse pass, and Salah took a touch before dinking the ball gently over the advancing Foster. Lovely goal.

1.57pm BST

71 min A West Brom change: Jonny Evans replaces James McClean, with Kieran Gibbs moving into McClean’s stead.

1.56pm BST

70 min Dawson’s acrobatic volley bounces around the area and eventually through to Karius. Liverpool have dealt well, if a touch desperately, with West Brom’s set pieces.

1.55pm BST

69 min Moreno is booked for an inept hack at Phillips, who has the beating of him.

1.54pm BST

69 min “Rob, I’m working on my reaction,” says Charles Antaki. “Not sure about what, but thanks for the advance notice. Like many people I guess I’m all over the place, and that’s just about Arsène, so a bit of rumination first is a good idea. [Many minutes later] Nope, it’s not working. Can I come back to you early next season?”

Always.

1.53pm BST

68 min Nyom plays a despicable pass straight to Salah, who runs into the area before messing up a fancy flick towards Firmino.

1.53pm BST

67 min A win would take Liverpool to within a point of second-placed Manchester United, having played a game more.

1.51pm BST

66 min Liverpool make a double substitution: Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replace the goalscorer Danny Ings and and Sadio Mane.

1.50pm BST

64 min After a decent start to the second half by West Brom, Liverpool are again in control of the game.

1.48pm BST

63 min Salah runs at the heart of the defence, used Mane by not using him and then hits a low shot is blocked by Nyom.

1.47pm BST

61 min “Just tuned in,” says Scott Oliver. “Pitch looks slow. Which may explain why WBA are looking to sit back against Liverpool’s pace, hoping it may turn later... What season is this?”

Shomer shabbos?

1.45pm BST

59 min Phillips rampages into the area from the right, a superb run that ends with an attempted cutback to Rodriguez. The angle isn’t great and Van Dijk clears for a corner.

1.42pm BST

56 min Ings is penalised for fouling Hegazi. The two of them fall on the floor, at which points Hegazi punches Ings in the stomach! That was really odd. It wasn’t a proper punch, but he should have been sent off.

1.41pm BST

53 min West Brom are playing with greater intensity in the second half, which will please Steve McMahon.

1.40pm BST

52 min Foster’s long free-kick bounces all the way through to Rondon in the area. Karius flies out and dives forward dramatically to push the ball partially away from Rondon. That leaves Karius out of the game and ahead of the ball, but it falls kindly for Liverpool and Klavan lumps it clear.

1.37pm BST

52 min The only reason I can think for Stuart Attwell not giving Liverpool a penalty is that Ings was not in possession of the ball. But that has nothing to do with anything, really.

1.36pm BST

51 min “Fine words from Steve McMahon on Sky,” says Richard South. “Even though he doesn’t advocate just kicking people, he thinks West Brom should just kick Liverpool a bit more. That’s the kind of tactical insight that earns you the big bucks.”

1.35pm BST

50 min McClean screws a shot well wide from 20 yards.

1.34pm BST

48 min Salah plays a slick give and go with Mane, bursts into the box ... and then leaves the ball behind. I’m not sure what happened then because it looked like he was about to score.

1.34pm BST

47 min Liverpool appeal for a penalty when Dawson blocks Ings in the box. Ings was nowhere near the ball but that doesn’t really matter and Dawson certainly tripped him. The only debate is whether it was obstruction, and therefore an indirect free-kick, or a foul. It looked like the latter.

1.32pm BST

47 min “Has Gary Naylor seen/heard Tim Minchin’s Groundhog Day?” asks Matt Dony. “Sondheim had planned to write it, but decided that the film couldn’t be improved upon. So big respect to Minchin for effectively saying, ‘Hold my drink, Stephen. I’ll get it sorted.’ I have Hamilton tickets for July, and I am very, very excited. Almost as excited as I am by the prospect of Salah tearing past Real Madrid in Kiev...”

1.31pm BST

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

1.27pm BST

Sign! Sign! Sign!

Related: Sign up to The Fiver email

1.26pm BST

We’re going to extend today’s MBM to take in a bit of post-match reaction, so please do stick around after the final whistle. Think of it as an MBM afterparty, with the sex and drugs replaced by hardcore soccer chat.

1.16pm BST

A bit of half-time reading

1.16pm BST

Peep peep! A sleepy half of football comes to an end. Liverpool lead through Danny Ings’ first goal since 2015; he also had a great chance to make it 2-0. West Brom have had their moments, though Liverpool have generally been in control.

1.15pm BST

44 min “Hi Rob,” says Steven Ferriday. “Re: the manager rumble. Moore is a good shout, but I think Dyche would ultimately prevail using the Mountain’s finishing move on Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. Conte would bring a big knife and complain it isn’t sharp enough.”

1.12pm BST

42 min Salah scurries into the area again. Gibbs’ desperate tackle diverts the ball to Ings, whose close-range shot is superbly blocked by the outrushing Foster. If Ings had his time again he’d lift it over Foster. It was a really good save, though.

1.11pm BST

42 min “Hodgson for me too, Rob,” says Elliot Wilson. “Like Toby Ziegler in the West Wing, he’d fight nasty with a sock full of pennies in his clenched fist.”

I’ve just started watching the West Wing. I suppose I can’t really complain about plotspoiling a program that has been on TV for 19 years.

1.11pm BST

41 min Liverpool have switched off a bit in the last 10 minutes. It feels like they have a few gears available if they need them.

1.08pm BST

38 min “If we’re talking Ritchie Partridge,” says Paul Neilan, “give the man his full title: ‘Ritchie Partridge AM R/L £190K’. Obscenely, the same price as Stephen Halliday (Full title: ‘Stephen Halliday AM/FC £190K’.)”

At what age do you think it becomes unacceptable to reinstall Championship Manager 2001/02. I’M ASKING FOR AN EFFING FRIEND OKAY.

1.08pm BST

37 min West Brom’s best chance. Livermore swings a high, deep cross from the right that comes to McClean at a tight angle beyond the far post. He volleys it back across goal and just wide of the far post, with the stretching Rodriguez unable to turn it into the net. I’m not sure whether that was a cross or a shot from McClean but either way it was a good effort.

1.06pm BST

36 min A good spell for West Brom, who win four corners in quick succession. The second of those, taken by Phillips, flashes right across the line of goal with Karius out of the game.

1.01pm BST

31 min “If all the current managers had to fight,” says JR in Illinois, “I would take Darren Moore.”

Hodgson for me, Clive.

12.59pm BST

29 min Rondon is very lucky not to booked for a crunching tackle on Ings.

12.58pm BST

28 min West Brom haven’t been able to land anything on Liverpool’s weakened defence. Van Dijk, as usual, is playing the game with a resting heart rate. I think he’s magnificent.

12.55pm BST

26 min ... and Salah curls a nice free-kick just wide of the near post. Foster had it covered, I think.

12.55pm BST

25 min Milner is playing so well. He flips a classy pass over the top for Salah, who turns Hegazi and is pulled back. Liverpool have a free-kick 25 yards from goal, to the right of centre...

12.54pm BST

24 min Liverpool are having so much possession. Milner’s cross from the right is headed over from 10 yards by Ings, who saw it late as it came over Hegazi’s head.

12.52pm BST

22 min Rodriguez plays a nice reverse pass infield for Phillips, who works the ball onto his left foot but drives tamely at Karius. It was a half chance at best.

12.50pm BST

20 min Milner has been really lively in midfield. Mane also looks sharp; after a dodgy few months he is bang in form.

12.48pm BST

18 min Brunt spanks a long-range half-volley into orbit with his weaker right foot.

12.46pm BST

17 min “Very disappointing to see Klopp is not giving fringe players like Ritchie Partridge, Conor Coady, Ings, Aspas, or even Macheda a go,” says Paul Griffin. “Reluctantly concluding that, like Pep at Citeh, The Big German has taken Liverpool as far as he can.”

I agree. In fact, I’m starting to wonder whether football has taken football as far as it can.

12.46pm BST

16 min Phillips’ terrific cross is headed behind for a corner by Gomez. Brunt drives a deep corner to Dawson, who nods it into the six-yard box. Karius punches clear but a couple of West Brom players were offside anyway.

12.44pm BST

15 min Nyom is a bit lucky not to be booked for a lunge at Milner.

12.43pm BST

13 min Salah goes on another Messi-like run at the West Brom defence, who look terrified every time he gets the ball. Eventually Hegazi’s attempted clearance hits Salah and runs out for a goalkick.

12.41pm BST

11 min Salah scurries away from Hegazi on the right side of the box and whips a shot that loops just over the bar after a deflection off Livermore.

12.40pm BST

11 min Van Dijk is limping. He landed a bit awkwardly in the process of tackling Rondon. I don’t think it’s anything serious though.

12.39pm BST

10 min “Salad Days is just about my favourite musical (well, until I see Hamilton in three weeks, six days and five hours time),” says Gary Naylor. “The plot concerns a magic piano that compels everyone to dance (and there’s a spaceship too, natch). It’s all very different to Klopp’s Heavy Metal Football, but actually fits the way his front three have danced through defences this season - salad days indeed.”

12.39pm BST

9 min Liverpool are swaggering around the Hawthorns like they own the place. They are so damn hot right now.

12.37pm BST

6 min That was a really uplifting moment. Ings closed his eyes and screwed his face up as he tried to take it all in. All that rehab, all those bloody weights and squat thrusts and ice baths and misery... they were all worth it.

12.34pm BST

Danny Ings gets his first goal since October 2015! He’s almost in tears of joy. It came from a short corner that was worked nicely by Mane and Milner. Mane’s low cross was stopped by Wijnaldum and rammed in from eight yards by Ings.

12.32pm BST

2 min “Stuck at work on a day like this and in the midst of a breakup, but will be keeping track of the match,” says James Cookson. “I really REALLY want Ings to get on the scoresheet. The lad deserves it.”

He sure does. His last goal was in Brendan Rodgers’ final game, wasn’t it? I have no idea where players get the strength to come back from long-term injury. I’d disappear into a slough of booze and Deliveroo.

12.30pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Liverpool get the match under way on a lovely spring afternoon at the Hawthorns.

12.26pm BST

The players are in the tunnel, which means it’s nearly business o’clock. My prediction, since you didn’t ask, is West Brom 1-4 Liverpool.

12.24pm BST

“Salad days?” writes Patrick. “Salah days surely?”

Arf, very good. I’ll be stealing that one!

12.17pm BST

West Brom are unchanged from the team that won at Old Trafford. Liverpool, with Roma in mind, make five changes: Firmino, Lovren, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Oxlade-Chamberlain are all rested.

12.03pm BST

An email! “Salad days they are but a lot of us (older) Liverpool fans are waiting for the worm to pop out of the tomato,” says Niall Mullen. “The David James against Coventry, the Federico effing Macheda, the Gerrard sli... I can’t even say it. Our previous relative success has always felt like a one off, built on sand & unable to withstand any misfortune. I’d love to see us back this season up without, metaphorically speaking, buying Rickie Lambert again.”

11.55am BST

Pre-match reading

11.31am BST

West Brom (4-4-2) Foster; Nyom, Dawson, Hegazi, Gibbs; Phillips, Livermore, Brunt, McClean; Rondon, Rodriguez.
Substitutes: Myhill, Evans, Yacob, Burke, Krychowiak, Field, Robson-Kanu.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Karius; Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Moreno; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Salah, Ings, Mane.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Lovren, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robertson, Solanke, Alexander-Arnold.

12.48am BST

Hello. Bliss it is in this dawn to be alive, but to be a Liverpool fan must be very heaven. These are salad days for Jurgen Klopp’s team, whose intrepid Champions League campaign continues against Roma at Anfield on Tuesday. That puts today’s visit to West Brom in a slightly underwhelming context, but the word on the street is that Klopp will pick a very strong side. Liverpool will want to extend the feelgood mood of recent weeks.

West Brom had an unlikely hit of happiness last weekened, when they won at Old Trafford. They also knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup at Anfield in January, a result that boggles the mind a little more each week. Their relegation is unlikely to be confirmed this weekend, but they will be put out of their misery soon enough.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 21, 2018 06:49

April 19, 2018

When Arsène Wenger and Alex Ferguson fought bitterly to be top dog | Rob Smyth

The Battle of Old Trafford, Pizzagate and that FA Cup replay are recalled in a riveting documentary about the feud between Arsenal’s and Manchester United’s managers

The Premier League is the richest league in the world but money cannot buy hate. English football is crying out for an immense, sprawling rivalry between two great teams. There have been some interesting conflicts in recent times but nothing close to the epic nine-year war between Arsenal and Manchester United from 1996 to 2005.

It’s the rift that keeps on giving. Five years after ITV’s memorable Keane & Vieira: Best of Enemies, Channel 5 is to broadcast a documentary on the broader rivalry between the sides, and especially the managers. Fergie v Wenger: The Feud (Monday 10pm) is an exhilarating hour of time travel that includes interviews with more than a dozen players, coaches and journalists – and a series of clips that instantly evoke the nuclear intensity of the time.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 19, 2018 01:50

April 17, 2018

World Cup stunning moments: Dennis Bergkamp's wonder goal | Rob Smyth

On 4 July 1998 the forward took three divine touches, scored the perfect goal and sent the Netherlands into the semi-finals

Bobby Moore never got a bathmat wet in his life. Mike Summerbee, who sometimes shared a room with Moore on England trips, said he was “the only man who could have a bath and get out dry”. Moore would flick the water off one leg, dry that with a towel and then step out on to the dry leg, before continuing the process with the rest of his body. Moore’s routine will come as no surprise to those who watched his immaculate, pristine defending. Nor will the fact that he brought such meticulousness to his wardrobe, where jumpers were hung up in order from dark to light. “It was,” says his first wife Tina in Bobby Moore: By The Person Who Knew Him Best, “almost an aesthetic pleasure to open the wardrobe.”

The fastidiousness demonstrated by Moore is one of the sub-genres of perfectionism within football. There’s also the impossible, self-torturing expectations of perfectionist-winners such as Soren Lerby and Roy Keane, whose business face should be the subject of a modernist painting entitled simply: ‘Standards’. Other significant manifestations include the perfection-making practice of forces of nurture like Peter Shilton or Cristiano Ronaldo, Spain’s obsessive-compulsive tiki-taka and Pep Guardiola’s need for control, and the artistic leanings of players like Eric Cantona and Dimitar Berbatov.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 17, 2018 01:59

Football transfer rumours: Manchester United to sell Paul Pogba?

Today’s tittle-tattle knows where you live

José Mourinho is mad as hell and he’s not gonna take it any more. Manchester United’s pitiful defeat at home to West Brom was the straw that broke the special camel’s back and, according to various gossipmongers, he will be open to offers for almost all his first-team squad this summer.

Only a handful of players are guaranteed to be at United next season. Reports suggest Mourinho might be willing to sell Paul Pogba. Whose hair will certain white middle-class men complain about if he goes? Other players potentially up for grabs include Marcus Rashford, Eric Bailly, Anthony Martial and, most shocking of all, Luke Shaw.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on April 17, 2018 00:40

← Previous 1 2 … 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 … 204 205 Next →

Rob Smyth's Blog

Rob Smyth's profile
4 followers

Rob Smyth isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but they do have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from their feed.