Rob Smyth's Blog, page 78

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

Cameron Carter-Vickers scored the winner as Celtic recovered from a torrid start to beat Rangers and move six points clear at the top of the table

“Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Alex Ferguson was the last manager to lead a club other than Celtic or Rangers to the Scottish title, with Aberdeen in 1885. Or maybe it was 1985, and just feels longer. Just another indication of his genius I suppose. The chances of somebody ‘doing a Leicester’ in Scotland are less than zero I’m afraid. Even ‘doing a Brentford’ and giving the big boys a bloody nose on their own patch once in a while seems increasingly unlikely for most teams. Anyway, lots of goals and red cards please.”

Yes please.

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Burnley 0-2 Manchester City, Chelsea 1-4 Brentford: clockwatch – as it happened

The champions won easily at Turf Moor, while Christian Eriksen scored again as Brentford came from behind to win gloriously at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea v Brentford team news

Brighton v Norwich team news

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Manchester United 3-1 Everton: Women’s Super League – as it happened

Alessia Russo scored two superb headers as United came from behind to beat Everton on an historic day at Old Trafford

The players emerge to rapturous applause, and the familiar sound of the Stone Roses. It’s a beautiful spring day in Manchester.

A reminder of the teams

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West Indies v England: third Test, day three – as it happened

Joshua Da Silva’s century and Kyle Mayers’ five-for left England facing a humiliating defeat in Grenada

91st over: West Indies 245-9 (Da Silva 65, Seales 0) It was another good over from Mahmood, featuring a fine yorker, which Roach was ready for, going right back to pat it away.

“My prediction,” said Mark Slater, before the fall of Roach. “Two quick wickets in the first half hour, and Leach opens the second innings with Lees. He retires upon hitting fifty, so he can get back in just before lunch tomorrow for the last wicket and see what the pitch is doing.”

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West Indies v England: third Test, day two – as it happened

Chris Woakes took three wickets to reduce West Indies to 95-6, but Joshua Da Silva’s unbeaten half-century helped them recover to 232-8 at the close

1st over: West Indies 0-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 0) Plenty of swing for Woakes, although largely drifting well wide and not tempting Brathwaite, who does consider a prod at a straighter one to close a maiden first over.

Chris Woakes has the new ball in hand. Let’s go ...

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Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona: La Liga – as it happened

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Xavi’s resurgent Barcelona hammered the leaders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu

In other rivalry news

The players are ready for action. It’s a pleasantly cool night in Madrid, and things are about to get lively.

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Southampton 1-4 Manchester City: FA Cup quarter-final – as it happened

Manchester City are into another FA Cup semi-final after overwhelming a game Southampton side in the last half hour at St Mary’s

“Given City’s reluctance to pay the £150m that would by all accounts have prised Kane away from Spurs it is nonsense to suggest they would pay double that for a 21-year-old who doesn’t actually suit the Guardiola style,” says Rick Harris. “There was a brief period last year when I thought the Solskjaer connection might bring him to Old Trafford, but I reckon Bayern will see him as the natural successor to Lewandowski and for a player comfortable in the Bundesliga that would be the more obvious destination for Haaland.”

Isn’t £300m the total package rather than the fee? I have no idea where he’ll end up, though I’d be loath to rule City out.

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Huddersfield 0-3 Bournemouth, Napoli 2-1 Udinese: football clockwatch – as it happened

Bournemouth flexed their muscles in the Championship’s big game, while Napoli came from behind to keep the pressure on AC Milan

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal still lead at Villa Park with just over 20 minutes remaining. You can follow that game with Simon Burnton.

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West Indies v England: second Test, day two – as it happened

Ben Stokes hit six sixes in a spectacular innings of 120 before the debutant Matt Fisher struck with his second ball in Test cricket

92 overs: England 246-3 (Root 121, Stokes 0) Another dab from Root brings Stokes onto strike. The big fella is watchful, happy to let Holder reel off the dots.

“Hi James”

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Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

Manchester City were the winners of a classic game in which Chelsea came from 2-0 down and Mo Salah and Mateo Kovacic scored extraordinary goals

“Benching Lukaku for an extremely important match for complaining to the press seems petulant to me,” says Zach Neeley. “If I was one of his teammates, I would be very frustrated that he wasn’t just fined and the best team put out. (Benching may be an American term that makes less sense when a place on the bench is something of value.)”

Well, there’s a decent argument that leaving him out improves the team, given his atrocious big-game record, but he’s not even on the bench so it’s clearly a punishment. I think it’s the right decision; that interview was preposterous. If you just fine him it’s likely to be the thin end of the wedge, and Chelsea managers are vulnerable enough to player power at the best of times.

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