Rob Smyth's Blog, page 90

May 15, 2021

Rangers go unbeaten, Southampton 3-1 Fulham and more: clockwatch – as it happened

Steven Gerrard’s side crushed Aberdeen 4-0 to join the Invincibles, while Nathan Tella and Fabio Carvalho scored their first senior goals

4.55pm BST

That’s it for an eventful clockwatch. A match report from St Mary’s will appear here shortly, as if by magic. And you can follow the FA Cup bloody final with Scott Murray, the noo. Thanks for your company and emails, goodnight!

4.51pm BST

Peep peep! Goals from Che Adams, Nathan Tella and Theo Walcott give Southampton a comfortable win at St Mary’s. The teenager Fabio Carvalho, making his full debut, scored for Fulham.

4.45pm BST

Southampton 3-1 Fulham A few minutes left at St Mary’s. If it stays like this, Southampton will above Crystal Palace into 13th, at least until tomorrow lunchtime.

4.40pm BST

Another goal from a Southampton substitute. Theo Walcott has sealed victory (probably), running onto Tella’s smart backheel to strike a deflected shot that loops over Areola.

4.34pm BST

The team news is in for the FA Cup final, which kicks off at 5.15pm. James Maddison has been left on the Leicester bench.

4.33pm BST

About that Fulham cutting edge. The teenager Fabio Carvalho, making his full debut, has slammed the ball in off the underside of the bar to bring Fulham back into the match.

4.32pm BST

The final scores in our featured games (except Southampton v Fulham, which has just over 15 minutes remaining)

Premier League

4.30pm BST

Southampton 2-0 Fulham The home side are cruising to victory at St Mary’s. It’s been a typical Fulham performance - plenty of pretty football, no cutting edge.

4.28pm BST

The Bundesliga relegation battle

Augsburg and Hertha Berlin are safe, so it will come down to three teams next Sunday. One will stay up, one will go down and one will go into a relegation playoff.

4.25pm BST

Peeep peep! A brilliant win for Augsburg, who have ensured they will play in the Bundesliga next season.

4.24pm BST

Full time: Schalke 4-3 Frankfurt Peep peep! A disastrous day for Frankfurt, who now need a minor miracle to qualify for the Champions League.

4.24pm BST

Full time: Hertha Berlin 0-0 Cologne It has finished goalless in Berlin. That means Hertha are safe, and while Cologne stay in the automatic relegation places, they have the bottom club Schalke at home next week. If they win that they could leapfrog Bremen and/or Bielefeld.

4.22pm BST

Full times: Bielefeld 1-1 Hoffenheim; Freiburg 2-2 Bayern Peep peep! That’s a vital point for Arminia Bielefeld, which moves them out of the relegation places.

4.21pm BST

Augsburg will be playing in the Bundesliga next season! Daniel Caligiuri’s penalty has put them 2-0 up against relegation rivals Bremen, who are now in serious trouble.

4.19pm BST

Nathan Tella gets his first goal in senior football! He’s only been on the field a couple of minutes. It was an excellent move from Southampton, who have stepped it up in the second half. Armstrong and Minamino combined nicely to find Walker-Peters on the right. He slid a superb low cross to the far post, where Tella swept the ball past Areola from seven yards.

4.16pm BST

Schalke 4-3 Frankfurt Schalke still lead in the game of the day. It would be some twist if they gave their great rivals Dortmund the opportunity to clinch a Champions League place at Mainz tomorrow. Before today Schalke had won only two league games all season.

4.14pm BST

Southampton 1-0 Fulham Southampton are in control at St Mary’s. It’s only 1-0 but they have been much the better team in the second half.

4.10pm BST

Freiburg have equalised for the second time, this time through Christian Gunter. There’s nothing much riding on it for Freiburg except pride, good old male pride.

4.07pm BST

Here’s the Bundesliga table as things stand. Bremen - who have spent more time in the Bundesliga than any other team, including Bayern - could be facing another relegation play-off, or worse.

4.05pm BST

“Even if Frankfurt lose they are still the away bankers,” says Ian Copestake. “That one goes out to all who know that Frankfurt is the main financial hub of Germany. Try the pork loin.”

4.03pm BST

Andre Silva’s second goal has given Eintracht Frankfurt a snifter of hope against the bottom club. But even a draw isn’t much good to them.

4.02pm BST

“Spare a thought for the Torino coach,” says Kelvin. Lost 7-0 to AC Milan midweek after resting players for today’s game versus Spezia. The result? A 4-1 defeat.”

4.01pm BST

Spezia 4-1 Torino was the score in the other Serie A game. That means Spezia will enjoy a second season in Serie A. They are safe; Torino are anything but.

3.58pm BST

The latest scores in our featured games

Premier League

3.57pm BST

3.53pm BST

Oh, Frankfurt.

3.53pm BST

Peep peep! Atalanta have qualified for the Champions League with a game to spare, though they were given a scare by Genoa. It was a madcap game: Atalanta led 3-0 and then 4-1 but ended the game hanging on desperately.

3.49pm BST

Half time: Southampton 1-0 Fulham

Peep peep! Che Adams’ goal has put Southampton ahead against relegated Fulham. It was a low-key first half, between two teams with little to play for, and I still don’t know what else to tell you.

3.48pm BST

Schalke lead again! Frankfurt are making an almighty mess of what looked like an away banker.

3.47pm BST

A huge goal for Augsburg! A corner led to a game of head tennis, and eventually Rani Khedira dragged the ball into the net from close range. If it stays like this, Augsburg will be safe. I think.

3.45pm BST

“Christian Gross leaving Bremen’s game early? Think he’ll take the tube home?” chuckles Matt ‘Living In The 90’s’ Dony.

3.44pm BST

Oh my. Eldor Shomurodov has scored his second, finishing expertly after being put through by Goran Pandev, and Atalanta are in danger of blowing a 4-1 lead.

3.42pm BST

Leroy Sane has put the champions back in front at Freiburg.

3.42pm BST

Frankfurt took the lead against Schalke, but only for a minute. Meanwhile...

3.41pm BST

It’s ten-a-side in Augsburg, where Bremen’s Christian Gross has been given a second yellow card. That could change everything at the bottom of the table - Bremen were unable to score despite having a man advantage for over half an hour, and now they’ve lost that advantage.

3.36pm BST

Southampton 1-0 Fulham Ward-Prowse’s free-kick is punched away by Areola, diving to his right.

3.34pm BST

Southampton take the lead!

The hosts have been dangerous from set pieces all season.

Watch on Sky Sports PL
Follow #SOUFUL here: https://t.co/zGgiTAWgf1
Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/MD9Xs5hgiq

3.33pm BST

Peep peep! The second halves are under way in Germany. Peep peep!

3.29pm BST

“You could tell us,” says Ian Copestake, “that Minamino will indeed form a Premiership-winning midfield partnership with Naby Keita next season.”

Red Bull Salzburg are joining the Premiership? People are still calling it the Premiership?

3.28pm BST

Che Adams gives Southampton the lead, pinging the ball over Areola from four yards after a wicked free-kick from James Ward-Prowse.

3.27pm BST

Southampton 0-0 Fulham It’s hooning down at St Mary’s, which if nothing else is bad news for Scott Parker’s cardigan.

3.26pm BST

Another quiet night at the library for Atalanta. We’ve had six goals now, with Goran Pandev sweeping home a penalty to give Genoa a sniff of an unlikely draw.

3.25pm BST

“Mr Hirst (3.14pm), consider this horrible thought,” says Mary Waltz. “Now that it will do no good, think of the pain of Fulham having an offensive explosion. As an Everton fan mourning my squad’s lost opportunity, my mind goes to these dark places.”

‘Offensive explosion’ is my new favourite phrase.

3.23pm BST

Southampton 0-0 Fulham There have beenm no shots on target in the first 22 minutes at St Mary’s, and I don’t know what else to tell you.

3.18pm BST

It’s half-time in the Bundesliga games, and it’s as you were at the bottom of the table. These are the scores in our featured matches.

3.14pm BST

“I think Mr Arthur (3.03pm) has gone beyond the bounds of acceptable sarcasm,” says Richard Hirst. “(Either that or he’s been asleep all season.)”

3.11pm BST

The substitute Mario Pasilic, who has only been on four minutes, has scored Atalanta’s fourth. It was a cool finish, similiar to Jermain Defoe’s at Ibrox in the way he dummied a couple of defenders before slapping the ball intop the net.

3.10pm BST

The latest scores in our featured games

Premier League

3.08pm BST

GOAL! Genoa 1-3 Atalanta (Shomurodov 49) Eldor Shomurodov has got one back for the home side.

3.08pm BST

Southampton 0-0 Fulham Nothing to report at St Mary’s, though Fulham have started quite brightly.

3.07pm BST

The FA Cup final kicks off at 5.15pm. You can follow the build up, team news and the rest with Scott Murray.

3.06pm BST

Ach, now this really is a shame

3.05pm BST

“Proper football(ing ignorance) question here,” says Ian Copestake. “Has Bielsa committed himself to Leeds next season? Not that I’m thinking Gerrard could fill his boots if not.”

Not yet, though all reports suggest he’s staying, and journalism is always correct and truthful.

3.03pm BST

“In each of the last three PL fixtures, the away team has scored four goals,” says Ric Arthur. “Over to you, Fulham!”

3.02pm BST

Andre Silva has headed Frankfurt level. Realistically, they need a win today if they are going to qualify for the Champions League.

3.00pm BST

An immediate equaliser for Freiburg. Meanwhile...

3.00pm BST

Robert Lewandowski scores! He equals Gerd Müller’s Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a season. He lifts up a message on his shirt before the Bayern players then line up and make a guard of honour for Lewandowski to run through. pic.twitter.com/znIt6R5kkv

2.58pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Richard Hirst. “I should be excited by Burnley losing 4-0, but we blew it on Monday (oh yes, and the other 387 times this season). And you look at the ‘strike force’ we’ve put out today - what is Scott playing at? We might as well at least try to go out with a bang rather than a series of diminishing whimpers. Ah well, roll on Stoke.”

I’m quite excited to see Fabio Carvalho on his full debut.

2.57pm BST

A landmark goal for Robert Lewandowski! That’s his 40th of the league season, equalling the record set by the astonishing Gerd Muller in 1971-72.

2.55pm BST

A storming free-kick from Andreas Voglsammer has brought Bielefeld level. It’s getting very tight at the bottom.

2.53pm BST

Half time: Genoa 0-3 Atalanta

A comfortable afternoon for Atalanta in Genoa. In the other Serie A game, Spezia lead Torino 2-0.

2.50pm BST

Atalanta are at it again: Robin Gosens has put them 3-0 up at half-time. That’s their 89th goal in Serie A this season.

2.48pm BST

Frankfurt’s Champions League hopes are fading apace. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has put the bottom club Schalke ahead, tapping in after his penalty was saved.

2.46pm BST

Red card: Augsburg 0-0 Bremen The home side are down to 10 men! Ruben Vargas has been sent off after 15 minutes after booting somebody off the ball. Utterly stupid. To complete a less than distinguished performance, he complained bitterly about the decision and then wept as he left the field.

2.42pm BST

Genoa 0-2 Atalanta While I was away Atalanta scored a second through Ruslan Malinovsky. It looks like they will be playing Champions League football again next season.

2.41pm BST

An early blow for relegation-threatened Bielfeld. Here’s the table as things stand.

2.29pm BST

I’m going to take a quick coffee break before Southampton v Fulham, but you can get all the latest scores here. And some more news …

2.29pm BST

2.26pm BST

Marcelo Bielsa, football adores you.

2.25pm BST

“Some invincibles are more invincible than others,” says Ian Copestake. “Wenger’s shower drew twice as many games and only won 26. Cancel them.”

This is Sir Alex Ferguson’s genius - he was cancelling people even before cancel culture was a thing. “Arsenal accumulated most points last season so they won the title fairly enough,” said the old boy in 2004, “but they didn’t display championship form. They had too many draws.”

2.23pm BST

A tame end to a desperate season for Celtic, who finish 25 points behind the champions. Their total of 77 points is their lowest since 1999-2000, when they were truly atrocious.

2.20pm BST

Steven Gerrard gently fistbumps the Aberdeen staff and then strolls onto the field, a gentle smile breaking out before he embraces his players. Whatever he achieves in his coaching career, and you suspect it will be plenty, he’ll do well to top this. It’s a lovely scene, missing only 50,000 disciples, and even Alfredo Morelos is threatening to break into a smile. He hasn’t quite managed it yet, but he’s doing his best.

2.18pm BST

You win some, you draw some: Rangers have joined the list of football invincibles!

P38 W32 D6 L0 F92 A13 Pts 102.

2.16pm BST

A lovely finish from the substitute Jermain Defoe, who dummies two defenders in the area and slaps the ball past Joe Lewis. Steven Gerrard punches the air in the delight and then smiles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen his teeth before, which definitely sets him apart from Brendan Rodgers. If he can’t smile today, he never will: to win the league would have been more than enough, but to go unbeaten and get 102 points is astounding.

2.13pm BST

Absolute class from Atalanta, lovely move which is finished by Duvan Zapata (0-1). La Dea closing on a UCL place. Zapata' 15th in Serie A & his side move to 87 #GenoaAtalanta #Genoa #Atalanta #SerieA #SerieATIM

2.11pm BST

An early goal at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. I’ve no idea what happened because I’m watching the Rangers game, but I do know Duvan Zapata scored the goal for Atalanta. You’re welcome!

2.10pm BST

God bless Marcelo Bielsa.

2.09pm BST

Rangers 3-0 Aberdeen There are seven minutes left at Ibrox, where Rangers are having the time of their lives.

2.06pm BST

Southampton v Fulham team news

Southampton (4-4-2) McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Vestergaard, Stephens, Salisu; Minamino, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Redmond; Ings, Adams.
Substitutes: Forster, Ramsay, Djenepo, Diallo, Ferry, Tella, Obafemi, Walcott, N’Lundulu.

2.01pm BST

It’s still Hibernian 0-0 Celtic. If it stays like that, Celtic will finish 25 (T-W-Etc) points behind Rangers.

1.58pm BST

“It is a little known fact that Steven Gerrard’s managerial career is geared around following then erasing all of Brendan Rodgers’ achievements,” says Ian Copestake. “And all because he was benched for that 2014 Real Madrid match.”

What’s really impressive is that his subconscious knew about the plan even before the Madrid game, and made him do the slip so that he wouldn’t have a Rodgers Premier League title to erase.

1.49pm BST

Jack Harrison has scored a second for Leeds, but WHO GOT THE ASSIST FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE MAN. Find out with John Brewin.

1.48pm BST

A goal was coming - but it has arrived at the other end. Ianis Hagi did well to intercept a pass forward and poke the ball through to Roofe, who curled it emphatically past Lewis with his left foot. That was ruthless from Rangers, wno barely had a kick in the first 14 minutes of the second half.

1.44pm BST

Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen And now Lewis Ferguson has missed an open goal! Aberdeen have been brilliant in the first ten minutes of the second half and could easily be level. Hornby was played through on goal in the inside-left channel. He drew McGregor and then squared the ball to Ferguson, who slammed it off the underside of the bar from seven yards. That’s a shocking miss.

1.36pm BST

Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen Fraser Hornby has just missed a great chance to get Aberdeen back in the match, volleying wide on the stretch from four yards. Aberdeen have made a really lively start to the second half.

1.28pm BST

Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen As expected, Rangers have been too hot for Aberdeen to handle at Ibrox. They took the lead after five minutes thanks to a farcical own goal from the keeper Joe Lewis, and Kemar Roofe got the second from close range.

There’s a mass party going on outside Ibrox, which hasn’t thrilled everybody.

Large crowds of Rangers fans have gathered in Glasgow ahead of their team’s Scottish Premiership match against Aberdeen at Ibrox. Police have told them to disperse.https://t.co/sulLI1aQ8F pic.twitter.com/671SUAmN89

11.38am BST

Hello. The Rangers team of 2020-21 are already immortal; in the next hour, they should become Invincibles. Steven Gerrard’s team are 2-0 up at home to Aberdeen, and barring a second-half fiasco they will become the first Rangers side since 1899 to stay unbeaten throughout a league season. It would be a helluva way to complete their nine-year ascent from rock bottom.

Rangers v Aberdeen, which kicked off at 12.30pm, is one of the highlights of a clockwatch that is almost entirely England-free. There are a couple of Premier League games, though both Burnley v Leeds and Southampton v Fulham are only really of interest to the partisan and the Fantasy League addicts. There’s nothing much riding on either.

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Published on May 15, 2021 08:55

May 10, 2021

The Fiver | Our dream of Big Sam Allardyce completing his greatest escape

The Fiver’s dream has died. No, not the one about living life to the max, though that has been on its last legs since the nineties. We’re talking about our dream of Big Sam Allardyce completing his greatest escape. It was a specific yet heartwarming fantasy, which involved West Brom avoiding relegation after a 0-0 draw with Liverpool that included no corners, no shots on target at either end and few visible signs of human life. The entertainment came after the game, when Big Sam celebrated another miracle by draining a pint of white wine in one hit in front of the Sky Sports cameras, before answering the first question of his interview with an unashamed, borderline homoerotic belch in the face of a bemused Geoff Shreeves. That dream died on Sunday night when West Brom were officially relegated after a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Brondby coach Niels Fredriksen possibly about to become the biggest meme in the game pic.twitter.com/qmIVCWZa5y

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Published on May 10, 2021 07:56

May 2, 2021

Manchester United v Liverpool postponed after Old Trafford protests – as it happened

Manchester United fans broke into Old Trafford and invaded the pitch, causing the game to be called off

Full report: match called off after protests

9.28pm BST

8.15pm BST

Jonathan Liew’s analysis:

8.06pm BST

And here are our main pieces:

7.41pm BST

That’s it from a momentous day, something unseen in Premier League history, the postponement of the grandest fixture in English football. And the delaying of Manchester City’s title.

Key points

7.21pm BST

A reminder of Roy Keane’s words on Sky Sports, words that must have sent the director’s earpiece into overdrive.

The United fans have had enough and they’re doing it because they love the club It’s not just as a result of what’s happened the last two weeks with the Super League...it’s been building for a number of years. They’ve come to the end and feel enough is enough. It’s a huge statement for the game to be called off. There’s been a build-up in tension, whether it be about ticketing, poor communication, things going on in the background. The leadership of the club has not been good enough. When they look at the owners, they feel it’s just about making money. The United fans have looked at the Glazers and thought enough is enough. They’re doing it because they love the club. Some people won’t agree with it, but sometimes you have to put a marker down for people to take notice. This will go out all over the world and hopefully the owners of Manchester United will sit up and take note. These fans are deadly serious and this is just the start of it from United fans - I can guarantee you.

7.15pm BST

Steve, a Liverpool fans in Liverpool, says: “If today’s riot had have happened at Millwall/Chelsea or, god forbid...Anfield – the reporting (sic) would have been 180 degrees different. By the way – any news on the Liverpool team? Sky were camped outside the vastly overrated Lowry weeping for their team inside. They never showed the slightest interest in Liverpool FC. Disgusting bias dominating English football, on and off the field, for the last 40 years.”

Point made, Steve. See a couple of posts below on the whereabouts of the Liverpool team.

7.12pm BST

Geoffrey emails in: “Amazing that better security was not arranged. First fixture since the ESL announcement. Always a tie with the potential for crowd problems. The pubs are now sort of open. The Chelsea demo emerged from nowhere but they were warned by this. Liverpool had more to lose, needing to win just about every game. United will cruise to second and CL qualification. United fans will not have wanted to lose today and see the title awarded to City. I think these issues still weigh on the hooligan element. I suppose if the Glazers can’t afford to paint the stadium, they might not be able to afford security!”

7.08pm BST

Greater Manchester Police have released a statement, saying two officers have been injured and that they will pursue those responsible for those acts, criminal damage and trespassing.

Officers were aware of a protest planned to take place in Old Trafford today (Sunday 2 May) and were working closely alongside partners to ensure those that attended were kept safe whilst enabling their right to peaceful protest.

Early this afternoon, groups of protestors began to gather at Old Trafford and separately at The Lowry Hotel, Salford where the United players were staying. By late afternoon around 200 protestors had gathered outside the Lowry and over 1,000 at Old Trafford.

7.06pm BST

Footage of Jamie Carragher when the United fans invade the Old Trafford is on heavy rotation on Sky Sports. He looks perturbed to say the least, his eyes running all over the place. And as a Liverpool legend, he was more than likely to somewhat worried.

7.02pm BST

And the same goes for Liverpool’s team coach, which has now been allowed to leave and is heading back towards the M62.

6.57pm BST

News from the Lowry Hotel in Salford: the players have finally been allowed to leave. Mission accomplished with the game being called off, it appears the fans staging a blockade outside the hotel have dispersed.

6.55pm BST

Oliver Dungey emails in: “There’s always a hardcore minority who ruin it for the rest of us. They might have had some valid points but they’ve gone too far and ruined it with their irresponsible actions. I for one hope they are dealt with severely: a so-called ‘legislative bomb’ that will make sure these owners never be able to dismantle the world of football as we all enjoy it today. You can’t let these ruffians get away with it.”

6.53pm BST

Christoffer Herberts emails in. “The fans are protesting against an owners who for a long time had the largest salary bill in the Premier League, and paid absurd amounts of money for players like Harry Maguire and Paul Pogba. Man Uniteds self-entitled fans are part of the problem, not the solution. To glorify the fact that they today put other people at risk and interrupted the schedule shows that the media need to think about its role as well.”

Those who committed criminal acts may well have to pay the consequences but the sentiment of direct action appears valid. In the current circumstances people are living in, there has been a powerlessness, and this was a taking back of the power no matter how brief that may prove. That’s the situation that gave rise to the events of today. It might be said that launching the Super League during Covid lockdowns was premeditated, but it appears the owners and authorities did not anticipate how hard fans would kick back.

The hope, of course, is that nobody was hurt too seriously. The Premier League show will go on though perhaps a little more cautiously.

6.40pm BST

One thing to say is that this happened when a social media boycott is taking place, with still only a few journalists and media breaking the embargo that runs until midnight tomorrow. Without such noises off, there was a certain purity to the events, with some of those responsible getting their message out there via Twitter and little dissent against them. Though there was always Graeme Souness. Micah Richards also sat on the fence, though Sky’s broadcast included plenty of supportive words for the protestors from Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane. Some afternoon’s work for David Jones as anchorman.

6.34pm BST

Good evening. What else can be said other than that Manchester United and attendant authorities cannot say they were not warned? The Super League idea triggered forces the owners thought they had no reason to answer to. They thought wrong, though such the game’s authorities are almost certain to kick back against what happened.

6.28pm BST

We’ve hit one million page views, which is faintly absurd but kind of uplifting. I think. My eyes are starting to go, so I’m going to hand over to John Brewin to continue this blog - you can email him at john.brewin.casual@theguardian.com. Thanks for your company and emails on another surreal day in a hella surreal season. Night.

6.25pm BST

It’s also been a good day for the Old Trafford Retirement Community

6.25pm BST

If you want to follow some actual football, Simon Burnton is your man.

6.24pm BST

“900,000+ views!” says Nigel Moore. “Shows you it’s not really football that draws in the crowd!”

I’m humbled that somebody has finally recognised the magnetism of my digital persona.

6.23pm BST

6.21pm BST

“The madness of the security breach before Manchester United v LFC tainted the art of peaceful protest, and achieved absolutely nothing,” says Nichole Graham. “As a former football steward (for Queens Park Rangers) I was worried about the staff stuck in the middle of that.”

It’s interesting that there is no consensus, which is slightly unusual in an age of groupthink. The emails we’ve received, hundreds of them now, are probably about 60/40 in favour of the protest. But even within that there are differences on each side – some condone everything, others qualify it by condemning the danger to stewards, some just want to laugh at videos of scallies wandering round Old Trafford swigging cans of Red Stripe. Even the Sky Sports team covered the full range of responses.

6.15pm BST

Page views update: 959,111. I think the highest is 2.5m, or something like that, for Croatia v England in 2018. But this must be a record for a game that didn’t happen.

6.14pm BST

It’s pretty odd that United were so unprepared for a protest that has been flagged for weeks. I should stress this isn’t a conspiracy theory; I’m very confident it was just complacency and incompetence. Still odd though.

6.12pm BST

“As the teams were officially announced an hour or so before the scheduled kick off, it should now be mandatory for the fixture to be fulfilled today in a local recreation area or any kind of open space that can be bagged at short notice,” says Derek Walmsley. “As anyone who has double booked a five-a-side pitch at their local sports centre will know, things can get nasty if you have to tell a keyed-up bunch of lads to change out of their kit and make their way back home.

“Therefore, they should use their local knowledge to find somewhere to play a scratch game, with a quick safety inspection to ensure that astroturf boots will work alright on asphalt/concrete/wasteland.”

6.12pm BST

“Has anyone given any thought,” begins Neil Iversen, “as to how this postponement will affect fantasy football leagues and teams across the country?”

Trust me, with Fernandes and Salah in my team and a fairly slender lead to protect in the Smyth family league, I’ve thought about little else since the original excitement wore off.

6.10pm BST

We normally get around 100,000 page views for a football liveblog. This one is on 935,400.

6.07pm BST

These are each team’s remaining fixtures

Man Utd Roma (6 May), Villa (9 May), Leicester (12 May), Fulham (19 May), Wolves (23 May), probable Europa League final (26 May)

6.03pm BST

The fallout from this is going to be fascinating. Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville are still passionately defending the protests, whereas the presenter Dave Jones keeps highlighting the bits that “went too far”. A hell of a lot is being left unsaid on both sides.

5.55pm BST

There are plenty of rumours being discussed on Sky. Graeme Souness is speculating that something else has happened that we don’t know about; Roy Keane says he has heard stories of cars being turned over outside the Lowry.

Souness has now said a flare and beercan were thrown at the Sky gantry. “We’re all skirting round it - let’s be honest, someone threw a flare up to this stage today. If that hit one of us we’d be lying in a hospital bed, permanently scarred. That ain’t a laughing matter.”

5.50pm BST

The discussions on Sky is really interesting, not least because Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have been encouraged on a number of occasions to criticise the protest, and they haven’t.

5.48pm BST

“Neville and Keane v Souness and Carra for a game of Wembley Doubles,” says Richard Preston. “Winner gets the points for their team.”

5.46pm BST

And here’s the Premier League statement

“Following the security breach at Old Trafford, the Manchester United vs. Liverpool game has been postponed. This is a collective decision from the police, both clubs, the Premier League and local authorities.

“The security and safety of everyone at Old Trafford remains of paramount importance. We understand and respect the strength of feeling but condemn all acts of violence, criminal damage and trespass, especially given the associated COVID-19 breaches. Fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification.

“We sympathise with the police and stewards who had to deal with a dangerous situation that should have no place in football. The rearrangement of the fixture will be communicated in due course.”

5.44pm BST

Manchester United’s official statement

“Following discussion between the Police, the Premier League, Trafford Council and the clubs, our match against Liverpool has been postponed due to safety and security considerations around the protest today. Discussions will now take place with the Premier League on a revised date for the fixture.

5.36pm BST

No word yet on when it will be played.

5.35pm BST

The Premier League, police and the two clubs are meeting now to decide when the game should go ahead.

5.33pm BST

“The uncertainty surrounding the adjusted kickoff time is wreaking havoc with my beer and chips planning,” hics Paul Pooley.

5.33pm BST

Thanks Will, hello again.

5.30pm BST

Rob Smyth is back, which is great news for all of you.

5.26pm BST

The fans also took a ball onto the pitch, so they at least got to live out a lifelong dream of playing on the hallowed turf.

5.21pm BST

The Glazers do not seem too keen on selling the club, so this process might be dragged out for a while. They might give this concept a bit of a shrug.

5.16pm BST

Mark Ogden on 5Live says he was told it would take 90 minutes to clean the ‘red zone’ within Old Trafford. This could take a while.

5.11pm BST

There was a heavy police presence at Old Trafford earlier.

5.09pm BST

It’s already the top story on 5Live news. One of the most recent callers believes writing a letter to the Glazers would have been a better idea.

5.06pm BST

The turf is deserted at Old Trafford and the warm up nets are on the pitch. However, there is no news of whether the match will go ahead today (or any other day).

5.02pm BST

Some individuals did get into the players’ tunnel at Old Trafford so the Premier League’s Covid compliance officer will have to be content that the requisite areas have been disinfected and are safe for the match to take place today.

5.01pm BST

I’m going to take a quick break, before I have an accident at my desk. Will Unwin will keep you updated for the next 20 minutes or so, cheers.

5.00pm BST

“I have to say I was disgusted at Graeme Souness’s ill-informed pro-Glazer stance on Sky,” says Steve in Cork. “He said they improved the stadium. They haven’t. The last improvements were made after the Glazers took over but were planned and approved before that. Since then the stadium has been falling apart. When you see it up close it’s rotten and disgusting.

“As for players, the Glazers haven’t put any of their own money in. They haven’t invested anything. The club has bought and sold players based on money it’s earned but when you look at when United have actually spent big money since Ferguson left, it’s only happened when United were outside the Champions League places. The Glazers are happy to sanction some spending to maintain Champions League football and keep the money rolling in but that’s it. It’s all about the illusion of success for the Glazers. They’re happy to do the bare minimum while they bleed the club dry.”

4.55pm BST

“I was looking forward to a decent game of football this afternoon,” says Pádraig McAuliffe. “However, I’m delighted to see the protests. In modern society, politics is broken and attention spans are short. Things like #MeToo, Windrush, #OscarsSoWhite etc show that change only comes with persistent protest. Football isn’t as important as these things, but it needs reform. Each and every reminder of this is welcome. Measured, rolling protest is the only way forward - a reckoning must be forced.

4.55pm BST

Our Gary has suggested the game could be played tomorrow afternoon, and points out there are issues around nutrition and preparation if the kick-off is delayed. Roy Keane says, if it was him, he’d rather play. If it was him.

4.50pm BST

There has just been an announcement at Old Trafford that the stadium is now secure. Still no kick-off time though.

4.50pm BST

Apparently the match ball and one of the corner flags are on a tour of central Manchester. It’s lovely that, even amid such a furious protest, somebody has found time to pay homage to the travelling gnome from Amelie.

4.48pm BST

Thanks again for your emails. I’m trying and failing to keep up with them all. I’ve received about five times as many today as I would during a normal game. I’m not sure what the moral of this particularly story is.

4.46pm BST

4.43pm BST

If the ground has been cleared, as Sky are suggesting, there are three potential barriers to the match being played:

1. Getting the teams out of their hotels

4.42pm BST

“Regarding the decision to go ahead or not, Rob,” says Ian Copestake, “do you think this will involve VAR?”

Look, I can see the funny side of most things, but you’ve crossed a line there. A badly drawn line at that.

4.38pm BST

There are some exceedingly arresting photos in this

4.36pm BST

In the interest of balance department

“Emails are dominated by the XXX supporters who don’t care about the large numbers of football lovers who don’t give a damn about ‘cold nights in Swansea’,” says Jazi Zilber. “I just spoke with a friend. For him internationals and any game before the CL semis aren’t worth watching. The closed club was wrong. But a Super League with most games being watchable, competitive and with players whose names you know is a brilliant concept!”

4.34pm BST

It’s worth repeating that NBC are saying there has been a breach of the Covid bubble (4.10pm). If true, it means the game has to be postponed. Technically. I’ve a feeling we haven’t heard the last of this, because the Premier League are reportedly denying that any supporters went into the dressing-rooms.

4.31pm BST

Peep peep! The game should have been kicking off right now. It may still be played, as the police have managed to clear the forecourt at Old Trafford. But the teams are still at their team hotels.

4.28pm BST

“It seems any protest these days is a dirty protest,” says Ian Copestake. “While I am sad to be spared seeing us beat Utd only to lose the next three games, I support the right of middle fingers to be raised to the man.”

<Hastings> Or woman <Hastings>

4.26pm BST

Whatever the strength of feeling about the Glazers - or, indeed, anything - breaking into a venue, going onto property when not allowed is illegal and completely counter-productive to the very sentiment behind the protest. And, the bottom line, is this will have repercussions...

4.26pm BST

Gary Neville is off on another spectacular one about the European Super League. This-is a million times better than the match would have been.

“I think it would be the right thing to do for the Glazers to sell. Whether they will is another matter. I’ve seen the 50+1 protests - I don’t think that’s implementable in English football, as great as it potentially would be. What I do think is achievable in English football at this time if that every fan in this country - whether it’s an EFL club or a National League club that’s struggling abnd dying like you wouldn’t believe, whether it’s grassroots facilities in the community and you can’t afford to keep your pitches in a good state, whether you’re the 14 Premier League clubs outside the top six - you really know that you’re in danger from those six.

4.18pm BST

The stadium has been put into another lockdown, a steward has just told the media outside Old Trafford.

4.16pm BST

Official Premier League update

“After the security breach at Old Trafford we can confirm the Manchester United v Liverpool match will not kick-off at 16:30 BST.

The safety of everyone at Old Trafford is paramount.

At present there is no revised kick-off time. We will update accordingly.”

4.13pm BST

Thanks for all your emails, which I’m doing my best to sift through. It’s really interesting that, after the initial, instinctive condemnation, there is more and more support for the protests. Gary Neville is off on one again about the Glazers and Florentino Perez.

4.12pm BST

Roy Keane’s verdict

“I have sympathy with the fans, 100 per cent. It’s a tipping point for them. It was peaceful. One or two bottles were thrown and a couple of flares - I think that was towards Jamie to be fair - but they’ve had enough. Enough’s enough. United have some of the best fans in the world and we’ve seen today that they’ve come to the end with the ownership.”

4.10pm BST

Possible Covid breach

This is interesting from Chris Metzler.

4.10pm BST

And here’s Jamie Carragher

“It’s been a peaceful protest in the stadium, I’m not sure about outside. They’re very unhappy at how they’ve been treated, and how the Glazers have taken money out of the club. It’s heightened by what’s happening with the Super League. Yes, we want to see a game of football, and we don’t want any trouble, but I can’t stand here and have a go at Manchester United supporters. My own supporters at Liverpool were doing things 10 or 15 years ago to get Hicks and Gillett out of the club. Whether it will happen with the Glazers, who knows, but as long as it’s peaceful I won’t have a go at any Man Utd fans.”

4.06pm BST

Gary Neville is choosing his words very carefully on Sky Sports

“This is the consequence of the owners of Manchester United’s actions two weeks ago. There’s a general distrust and dislike of the owners, but people weren’t protesting before this happened. Generally, the Glazer family along with a number of other owners of football clubs in this country were conniving and scheming behind everyone’s back to walk away with the crown jewels. Today we’ve seen people protest at that.”

4.04pm BST

Sky Sports are saying the protest have been “largely peaceful”. There are various videos doing the rounds, including one of a civilian scoring at the Stretford End with an inelegant free-kick. It’s interesting that the majority of emails so far, about three in every five I’d say, have been in favour of the protest.

4.00pm BST

“I’m hoping for some Adrian Chiles/Roy Keane-style chit chat on the Man U blog,” writes my colleague John Windmill. “Exactly when does heavy rain become a downpour??”

When Roy Keane says so?

3.58pm BST

“I understand the fans’ anger, their desire to rid themselves of the cynical corporate influence of their game,” says Mary Waltz. “But unless they plan to carry on this form of protest every week through the rest of this season into the next year it will not change a thing. The Glazers, Kroenkes and Fenway Group owners are pricks of misery who do not care one whit about the public, their opinions.

“They are not used to anyone telling them what to do. They will not sell their teams on the cheap. They will issue anodyne comments, claim that they are sorry for the Super :eague, that they have heard and understand their fans’ complaints, but behind closed doors they will be saying ‘Who do these lowlifes think they are, no one tells me what to do.’”

3.57pm BST

The referee Michael Oliver is in the ground now, looking at a Sky camera with a quizzical expression and moving his thumb up and down. The teams are still at their respective hotels. My instinct is that there is approximately 0.00 per cent chance of the game being played today.

3.56pm BST

Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal is the final score in the first Premier League game of the day, which finished a couple of minutes ago.

3.54pm BST

Here’s more from Jamie Jackson on events in M16

3.53pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says George Wright. “Please spare a thoughts for the social media commentators unable to share their Very Important Opinions on events at Old Trafford during this weekend’s boycotts. And spare a thought for the rest of us when the floodgates open post-boycott...”

It’s killing me. I’ve got a tweet drafted and everything.

3.53pm BST

“Can we have a bit of balance?” says Simon Bradley. “As a United fan, I support fans taking their protest inside the stadium. Protest is meant to be disruptive. We’ve put up with 16 years of dreadful capitalist owners sucking the life out our club. Their decision to stick two fingers up to the fans, and indeed the rest of football, by joining the Super League is the final straw for many. I don’t care if the game is postponed, or even if we have to forfeit. It’s a small price to pay for trying to save our club.”

3.48pm BST

“While I’m inclined to agree with Karine Flores,” says Zach Neeley, “in theory, in reality its the wrong way that usually gets the attention of the powers that be.”

Agreed. Whatever the rights and wrongs, this has been a phenomenally effective protest.

3.48pm BST

“Afternoon Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “Could we use the delay to have a full and frank discussion about VAR? It feels overdue to be honest.”

3.45pm BST

I’ve just had a chilling thought. If the kick-off is heavily delayed, the match could overlap with Line of Duty. I’m clocking off at 8.59pm, even if it’s 4-4 with 20 minutes remaining.

3.44pm BST

“There’s a way to do things,” says Karine Flores, “and storming into Old Trafford and putting the game in jeopardy isn’t the right way!!”

3.43pm BST

What I really want to know is: where is Michael Oliver? What’s a referee supposed to do in a situation like this?

3.41pm BST

The Premier League have confirmed the kick-off will be delayed. They haven’t said when, or if, the match will begin.

3.40pm BST

“Surely if the match is postponed United will simply have to forfeit the game,” says Declan O’Brien. “It’s a complete failure on their behalf to ensure the safety of all those involved. If they do postpone it, it could come after fans are allowed into the stadiums again, thus gaining them an advantage, inconveniencing the opposition and greatly increasing the chances of further fan unrest.”

I hadn’t thought about that. It might end up in the courts, especially if Liverpool qualify for the Champions League ahead of, say, Chelsea.

3.39pm BST

“The media are currently being kept at a distance at the back of the Stretford End while searches continue inside Old Trafford for fans who entered the stadium. No word yet on when, or if, media will be allowed entry. Arrival to the ground was very straightforward and strict security-wise, which raises the question of how so many people were able to get inside the stadium from the opposite corner of Old Trafford.

“There was a small crowd of anti-Glazer protesters at the gates on John Gilbert Way. The gates were locked and opened only for those of us in cars with passes for the game, which were checked at three different security points before you were able to park up. A helicopter is hovering above Old Trafford and, right on cue, the heavens have opened.”

3.38pm BST

“As an American, I’m very impressed by this show of fan intensity, I simply can’t imagine Cowboys fans taking over the stadium before a game because they’re sick of Jerry Jones. I’m curious if it reads any differently there, more complicated because of the history of fan violence that Britain has worked so hard to reduce.”

I’d imagine there are thousands of desperately frustrated people who would like to signal their disapproval via social media.

3.34pm BST

This is a bit weird: they’ve announced the teams an hour before the scheduled kick-off.

Oh, you want to actually know what they are? Fair enough.

3.32pm BST

There are unconfirmed reports of utter bloody chaos. I’d say there’s no chance of this game going ahead.

3.30pm BST

“Given the level of entertainment from recent United/Liverpool games,” says David Wall, “would it be more of an anti-climax if the game went ahead or if it gets called off?”

Heh, very good. If it’s postponed, which looks increasingly inevitable, I wonder when they’ll play it. The only window, as far as I can see, is FA Cup final day.

3.23pm BST

Sky are reporting that the referee Michael Oliver has been turned away from the stadium. I think it’s fair to assume this game won’t be kicking off at 4.30pm.

3.21pm BST

Whether the game goes ahead or not - and the Premier League are confident it will - there are serious questions to be asked regarding security, with the club and Greater Manchester Police hardly appearing to be on top of a situation they should have pre-empted. It should also be noted that last week United’s Carrington training base was also breached by a group of individuals.

3.18pm BST

The Premier League remained hopeful that the match would start on time with police having secured the area of the pitch, as they continued to work on making the outside safe for the teams to arrive. But the press have now just been asked to leave.

3.16pm BST

The Premier League are still saying the game will go ahead at 4.30pm. They say there has been no breach of Covid regulations because nobody has been in the dressing-rooms.

3.12pm BST

Some people are on the pitch, etc

3.07pm BST

Sky Sports are saying that the teams will not leave their hotels until “they are happy that the stadium and its perimeter are secure”. There’s no chance this match is happening, is there.

9.58am BST

I suppose that’s one way to stop City winning the league today. Manchester United v Liverpool, which is scheduled to kick off at 4.30pm, is in doubt after a spectacular anti-Glazer protest at Old Trafford and in the city centre. The Man Utd players are still stuck in the Lowry Hotel, and hundreds of fans managed to get on the Old Trafford pitch. We’ll have more news as it happens. In the meantime, here’s Jamie Jackson’s news story.

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Published on May 02, 2021 11:41

Chelsea 4-1 Bayern Munich (agg: 5-3): Women’s Champions League semi-final – as it happened

Late goals from Pernille Harder and Fran Kirby settled a match of almost unbearable drama and put Chelsea into their first Champions League final

Read Suzanne Wrack’s match report

2.53pm BST

2.44pm BST

That’s it for today’s blog. It’d be great to carry on and bathe in that extraordinary game, but there’s all sorts going on in Manchester so I need to get on that. Suzanne Wrack’s report will appear here shortly - and then, two weeks today, we’ll have live coverage of Chelsea v Barcelona in the Champions League final. Bye!

2.41pm BST

“I tell you, I’ve gonna have a nice sing-song and I’m gonna cry all the way home, because [mouths silently] I’m so fucking happy! [You’re the first female manager to make it to the CL final for 12 years]. I don’t think about that, I just want to win. I love winning, it doesn’t bore me. It was important for English football that we made it. It’s one of the best in the world and us getting to the final shuts up Europe, in terms of what we’re doing in this country. And now we’ve gotta face another tough team: Barcelona. Wow.”

That interview was almost as good as the match itself.

2.38pm BST

“We had to cope with differences. They changed something and then we did. They gave us the counter space, which we got the first goal from. I thought we were terrible at conceding set-pieces. Far too many for my liking. Their goal comes when we don’t have a player on the edge of the box. Whatever, there’s too much technical nonsense that you don’t want to hear about. The team put bodies on the line… and I don’t know any more than that.

“Before the game I played them a video from a UFC star. It was about a minute long and she was talking to herself, saying “I am the best, I am the best.” She won the fight and straight after the fight somebody interviewed her and said, “You were saying to yourself, ‘I am the best’.” And she said, “Yeah but I am the best.” That’s what I said to the players before the game. Someone described us as mentality monsters, and we’re the best, and we’re in this position because we deserve to be.”

2.34pm BST

More from Emma Hayes

“I’m gonna say this to every coach sitting at home. This is thousands of hours, thousands of hours of travelling, thousands of setbacks. I’m so proud of myself that I got to this level through my hard work and determination, and I’m fortunate enough to be working for a football club that I adore, and to work with a set of players that were always in control. I’m glad they were because I never felt I was!”

2.33pm BST

Here’s Emma Hayes

“That last three minutes, watching the ball go back and forth in our box... My tummy, you thought it went in other games, that was the worst moment... and then to watch the ball go to Fran. I was thinking, ‘Go one v one’, I didn’t realise they didn’t have a goalkeeper! Oh. I’m not gonna sit and give you crappy platitudes. I worked my whole life for today, and I’m so fuckin proud of those players.”

2.27pm BST

The bald facts are that Chelsea will play Barcelona in Gothenburg on 16 May. But that doesn’t begin to do justice to a magnificent, wildly emotional game. The last 10 minutes were among the most dramatic and intense that I’ve seen in any sport. And the wonderful moment when Fran Kirby sealed it, and Emma Hayes immediately broke down, will surely launch a thousand memes.

2.24pm BST

Beerensteyn was so close to winning that in the 90th minute. Berger made a brilliant save with her feet, but the ball hit Beerensteyn in the six-yard box and bounced towards goal. Beerensteyn was about to ram it into the net when Eriksson improvised to poke it clear.

2.24pm BST

The Bayern players are broken, Beerensteyn in particular. Emma Hayes is going round the field to commiserate with them all. They gave so much to the game, particularly during an astounding last 10 minutes.

2.23pm BST

Full time: Chelsea 4-1 Bayern (aggregate: 4-3) That was the last kick of an amazing tie. Players on both sides are in tears, as is Emma Hayes. Just before Kirby’s goal, there was a great chance for Bayern when Dallmann’s cross was headed off target by Asseyi, six yards out. It hit Eriksson and went behind for a corner, and the rest is history.

2.22pm BST

With the goalkeeper Benkarth still forward, Chelsea won the ball and Kirby was able to run the ball into the empty net. Emma Hayes immediately broke down in tears, and she’s not the only one. That was an astonishing game of football.

2.21pm BST

CHELSEA ARE IN THE FINAL!

2.20pm BST

90+4 min: Chance for Bayern! And now another corner. This is it.

2.19pm BST

90+3 min Cuthbert wastes some time by the corner flag. Chelsea are 20 seconds away from Gothenburg. Not literally.

2.18pm BST

90+2 min Pernille Harder, who may have scored the winner, is replaced by Drew Spence.

2.18pm BST

90+2 min Even the keeper Benkarth is forward. Chelsea clear, but only for a throw-in. Zadrazil’s cross breaks for Beerensteyn, whose stinging shot is blocked, and then Kirby does brilliantly to draw a foul from Dallmann.

2.17pm BST

90+1 min Three minutes of added time. Berger has just wasted 60 seconds, ostensibly with an injury. She’s okay to continue, and Bayern have another corner.

2.16pm BST

90 min: OFF THE LINE BY ERIKSSON! Oh my goodness! The corner was punched away by Berger, then driven back into the middle. Buhl’s vicious shot was kicked away by Berger, and Beerensteyn’s follow-up was desperately cleared by Eriksson as she fell backwards into the net.

2.15pm BST

89 min Corner to Bayern. This is unreal. That miss will haunt Sam Kerr forever if Chelsea don’t go through.

2.15pm BST

88 min: WHAT A CHANCE FOR KERR! Zadrazil’s dangerous cross is headed away by Eriksson, who has had a mighty game. Chelsea break, and in the blink of an eye Kerr is through on goal. She draws Benkarth, opens her body... and sidefoots it just wide!

2.14pm BST

88 min And now a change for Chelsea: Melanie Leupolz is replaced by Erin Cuthbert.

2.13pm BST

87 min Another change for Bayern: Simone Laudehr replaces Ilestedt.

2.12pm BST

86 min Whatever happens in the next four minutes, this has been a sensational game of football.

2.11pm BST

85 min This is unbearable. Don’t forget that if Bayern score, they will go through on the away goals rule.

2.11pm BST

Charles drove the free-kick flat and hard towards the near post, where Harder arrived late and steered the deftest of headers past Benkarth!

2.10pm BST

Chelsea are six minutes away from the final!

2.09pm BST

83 min Beerensteyn is booked for a studs-up tackle on Carter, just outside the area on the right.

2.09pm BST

82 min Dallmann’s close-range shot is blocked brilliantly by the stretching Eriksson. Dear me, this is so tense.

2.08pm BST

81 min A brilliant break from Chelsea. Harder charges forward and finds Kerr, who looks up and floats the ball towards Kerr at the far post. Wenninger gets back to head behind, yet another vital interception. The resulting corner is headed off target by Kerr, under all sorts of pressure at the near post. It wasn’t really a chance.

2.07pm BST

80 min Buhl has a shot blocked desperately. There isn’t much in it - there hasn’t been throughout the tie - but Bayern look the likelier scorers.

2.04pm BST

78 min Oh my goodness. Leupolz, 45 yards from her own goal, overhits a backpass to Berger and is extremely relieved to see it go just wide of the near post.

2.03pm BST

77 min A brilliant header from Kerr releases Charles on the left. Her first-time cross is hooked away at the near post.

2.02pm BST

76 min Bayern make a double substitution: Carina Wenninger and Viviane Assayi replace Sydney Lohmann and the injured Carolin Simon.

2.00pm BST

74 min Simon is really struggling, and I’ll be very surprised if she can continue. For now Bayern are down to 10.

1.59pm BST

73 min Simon is booked for a foul on Kerr. Both were hurt in the challenge, and Simon is still down. She’s holding her right ankle.

1.56pm BST

69 min Bayern have dominated possession in the second half. I don’t know whether Chelsea are tired or just wary, but at the moment Bayern look the likelier scorers.

1.55pm BST

68 min Beerensteyn runs 30 yards to the edge of the area and hits a stinging shot that is blocked by Bright.

1.54pm BST

67 min Ji lofts a clever first-time pass down the left to Harder. Her cross eventually comes to Ingle, whose shot is blocked. Chelsea keep the ball alive, and moments later Ingle curls a dangerous cross that just evades Kerr (I think) in the middle.

1.52pm BST

67 min Sheesh this is tense. A goal for either team would put them on the brink of their first ever Champions League final.

1.51pm BST

65 min “Hi Rob,” says Ursula. “According to German channel Sport 1, Chelsea didn’t provide proper changing rooms with showers and refuse to provide the correct matchball. Could this be true?”

Well it could, but I haven’t heard anything about it. If true, it’s very weird behaviour.

1.50pm BST

64 min An ingenious flick from Lohmann finds Dallmann, whose cross is kicked away by Bright this time. This is a great spell for Bayern.

1.50pm BST

64 min The resulting corner flashes across the six-yard box and just past the far post. Bayern are so threatening on set-pieces.

1.49pm BST

63 min Eriksson makes a vital near-post interception from Dallmann’s low cross. Beerensteyn was waiting behind her to score.

1.47pm BST

61 min Bayern make their first substitution: Linda Dallmann replaces Lea Schuller, who had a disappointing game and missed a great chance to put Bayern 2-1 ahead in this second leg.

1.45pm BST

59 min Leupolz’s cross is punched nervously behind by Benkarth, who realised a split-second too late that she could have left it. But she makes up for any mistake with a comfortable claim from the corner.

1.44pm BST

58 min Kirby’s ambitious through pass towards Kerr is intercepted by Glas. Moments later, Kirby dances away from a defender on the edge of the area and lifts a cross towards Harder that is headed away at the far post.

1.41pm BST

55 min This is deliciously tense, with both teams unsure whether to stick or twist. A goal for either team would take extra time out of the equation. Schuller’s cross from the right is put behind by the stretching Charles. The corner hits the unsighted Schuller in the face, and there’s a break in play while she gets her bearings.

1.40pm BST

54 min A clever touch from Leupolz almost releases Kirby in the area. Glas does well to get between her and the ball.

1.39pm BST

51 min Thanks to Shaun Williams for pointing out that you can watch the game on YouTube, if you’re in a certain country or know your way round VPNs or whatever they’re called.

1.37pm BST

50 min Chelsea’s first attack of the second half brings a corner when Kerr’s cross hits Simon. Nothing comes of it.

1.35pm BST

49 min It’s all Bayern! Buhr beats Charles and clips a superb cross to the far post, where Carter does brilliantly to get in front of Lohmann and head behind for a corner. That was outstanding defending.

1.34pm BST

47 min Carter is booked for sticking a straight arm into Zadrazil’s face. Bayern have made a very fast start to the second half.

1.31pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Bayern begin the second half. This is it (unless it stays like this, in which case we’ll have extra time).

1.27pm BST

Half-time reading

1.18pm BST

Peep peep! That’s the end of a pulsating half. Fran Kirby’s classy goal put Chelsea ahead, Sarah Zadrazil equalised with a monstrous strike - but then, just before half-time, Ji’s hopeful shot brought the tie level.

1.16pm BST

Ji’s free-kick hit the wall and rebounded back to her, 22 yards out. She instinctively helped it back towards goal, and although it wasn’t the cleanest strike, it bobbled almost apologetically into the far corner. Benkarth must have been unsighted because she barely moved.

1.14pm BST

Ji brings Chelsea level on aggregate!

1.14pm BST

43 min She should be so lucky - turns out she was booked, I just missed it.

1.13pm BST

42 min Ingle sweeps a terrific pass to Kerr, who curls an equally good one across to Kirby. She is taken out 20 yards from goal by Magull, who is lucky not to be booked.

1.11pm BST

40 min Ji’s long-range shot is headed behind by Hegering. It’s end-to-end stuff, as it has been for most of the first half.

1.10pm BST

38 min: Great chance for Bayern! Leupolz is robbed by Beerensteyn in the centre circle. She charges forward and plays in Schuller, who slices wide from 12 yards with her left foot. That was a great opportunity to put Bayern in total control of the tie.

1.09pm BST

37 min I don’t think it was a penalty. Ilestedt did put an arm across Ji as she tried to run onto Charles’ pass, but it looked like Ji slipped.

1.08pm BST

36 min Chelsea appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Ji goes over in the area. The referee wasn’t remotely interested, but I’d like to see that again. If nothing else, Ji’s body language suggested it was a foul. There’s no VAR in the semi-finals.

1.06pm BST

34 min A Bayern corner is floated to the unmarked Buhl on the edge of the area. She makes a mess of an attempted volley, but that was another worrying moment for Chelsea.

1.05pm BST

32 min The away goals rule means that, if Bayern get another, Chelsea are in serious trouble. They would have to score at least four.

1.04pm BST

31 min I’m still reeling from that goal, both the timing - with Chelsea on top - and the manner of it. It was outrageously good.

1.02pm BST

Bayern go back in front on aggregate with an unreal goal from Sarah Zadrazil! A short corner on the left was cleared as far as Zadrazil, 25 yards from goal. She took a touch and then lasered the ball off the underside of the bar and into the net. Berger had no chance.

1.00pm BST

What a goal!

12.59pm BST

28 min Ji has been absolutely brilliant in the first half hour, with and without the ball.

12.58pm BST

27 min Kirby curls tamely wide from the edge of the area. Bayern would have been fuming had that gone in, as they were sure Harder controlled the ball with her arm in the build up. They had a pretty good case.

12.57pm BST

25 min Nothing much to report in the last few minutes, though Chelsea are still marginally on top. They’ve been terrific so far.

12.56pm BST

23 min “Hi Rob,” says Melissa Vásquez. “I’m really grateful for the live coverage of the match, many thanks. When I was growing up this didn’t exist but I look forward to maybe one day having a daughter and her growing up with this professional coverage of the women’s game as the norm.”

We’ve all come a long way.

12.53pm BST

21 min Carter’s corner leads to a hopeful shot from Eriksson that is booted away. Tihs is a really good spell for Chelsea.

12.52pm BST

20 min Leupolz cuts inside from the left and drives a terrific flat cross towards Kerr at the near post. She misses an attempted header - that looked a good chance, albeit a sharp one - and then the off balance Hegering heads not far wide of the far post.

12.51pm BST

The winners of this game will play Barcelona in the final in Gothenburg!

12.50pm BST

19 min A snap volley from Leupolz, 20 yards out, swerves well wide. But both sides look really dangerous going forward.

12.48pm BST

16 min Harder has a long-range shot blocked at the other end. This is great stuff.

12.47pm BST

14 min: Great block from Carter! Schuller receives a throw-in with her back to goal, turns Eriksson superbly near the byline and drags the ball back towards Beerensteyn, eight yards out. She smashes a first-time shot that is crucially blocked by Carter and deflects behind for a corner. I don’t think Berger would have saved that.

12.45pm BST

13 min Kirby almost gets a second with a mishit cross/outrageous chip (delete as appropriate) from a tight angle that drifts past the far post. Moments later, Ingle spanks over from the edge of the area. This is really good stuff from Chelsea.

12.43pm BST

That was a lovely goal, all the work of Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr. Kirby surged through midfield and played an angled pass to Kerr in the inside-left channel. She waited, waited some more and then cut inside Ilestedt before sliding a return pass to Kirby in the area. She took it beautifully in her stride and clipped it coolly over Benkarth with her left foot.

12.42pm BST

Fran Kirby puts Chelsea ahead in the tie!

12.40pm BST

10 min Ji has started very well for Chelsea. Meanwhile, it looks like Carter and Charles have switched to their expected positions, Carter on the right and Charles the left.

12.40pm BST

9 min Harder cuts inside from the left and drives over from 25 yards.

12.39pm BST

8 min Buhl moves infield from the right and finds Simon. Her ball forward is overhit and runs through to Berger.

12.37pm BST

5 min Kirby plays a nice one-two with Kerr but then overhits her through pass to Harder. This is being played at a cracking pace.

12.35pm BST

3 min It’s been a really fast start to the game. At the other end, Buhl twists inside Charles - who is playing at right back today - and has a shot blocked by Ingle.

12.33pm BST

2 min Ji’s cross from the right is taken off Harder’s head at the far post by Ilestedt. That was a vital bit of defending.

12.31pm BST

1 min Peeeeeeeeeep peeeeeeeep! Chelsea, in blue, kick off from left to right. Bayern are wearing red.

12.29pm BST

It’s still 2-1 in Barcelona; 16 minutes left.

12.28pm BST

Here come the players. This is blooming huge.

12.22pm BST

Barcelona 2-1 PSG (agg: 3-2) No goals so far in the second half in Barcelona. PSG have 23 minutes plus added time to get the second away goal they need.

12.19pm BST

The pre-match thoughts of Emma Hayes

“Everyone comes to work for days like this. When you think of the sacrifices everyone has to make, it’s for days like today. It’s been a long week waiting for it though! We’re fresh, that’s the important thing. We had a couple of days off and the players are ready to go. It’s massive to have Magda back - beyond her abilities, it’s her leadership. Every team misses their captain.

11.50am BST

11.47am BST

Half time: Barcelona 2-1 PSG (agg: 3-2)

It’s all up for grabs in the second half.

11.36am BST

Or maybe not! Marie-Antoinette Katoto has got one back almost immediately for PSG, and if they get another they’ll be ahead in the tie on away goals!

11.32am BST

It looks like the winners will be playing Barcelona in the final on 16 May. Lieke Martens has scored her second to put them 3-1 ahead on aggregate.

11.22am BST

A bit of pre-match reading

11.21am BST

Two changes for Chelsea from the first leg: the captain Magda Eriksson and Niamh Charles replace Jonna Andersson and Guro Reiten. Eriksson’s return is a big boost for Chelsea, and should mean Sophie Ingle moves into midfield.

Bayern make one change. The prolific Lea Schuller replaces Simone Laudehr, which should mean a switch to 4-3-3.

11.15am BST

Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Berger; Charles, Bright, Eriksson, Carter; Ji, Ingle; Kirby, Harder, Leupolz; Kerr.
Substitutes: Musovic, Telford, Blundell, England, Reiten, Fleming, Cuthbert, Spence, J Andersson, Fox.

Bayern Munich (4-3-3) Benkarth; Glas, Ilestedt, Hegerin, Simon; Lohmann, Zadrazil, Magull; Buhl, Schuller, Beerensteyn.
Substitutes: Grohs, Lehmann, Boye Sorensen, Corley, Dallmann, Asseyi, Wenninger, Laudehr, Vilhjalmsdottir.

11.09am BST

The other semi-final, between Barcelona and PSG, kicked off at 11am English time and should finish just after this game begins. It’s 1-1 from the first leg, and you can follow it here. As I type, Lieke Martens has put Barcelona 1-0 up with a cracking goal.

9.27am BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Champions League semi-final second leg between Chelsea and Bayern Munich at Kingsmeadow. It’s a measure of Chelsea’s ambition that they could do the domestic treble this season, for the first time in their history, and still spend the summer wondering what might have been. That’s because the one they really want, the one money can’t necessarily buy, is the Champions League.

Chelsea have never reached a final, but this is their third semi in the last four years. And it’s their best opportunity yet to win the thing, mainly because Lyon and Wolfsburg - champions of Europe in nine of the last ten seasons, and the only teams to beat Chelsea in this competition - are out.

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Published on May 02, 2021 06:41

April 29, 2021

Manchester United 6-2 Roma: Europa League semi-final – as it happened

Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani scored two apiece as United came from 2-1 down to demolish Roma in a blistering second half

Read Jamie Jackson’s match report from Old Trafford ‘Job isn’t done’: Solskjær wary of Roma despite 6-2 thrashing Villarreal 2-1 Arsenal: read Sid Lowe’s match report

12.42am BST

10.12pm BST

Jamie Jackson has filed his match report, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!

10.12pm BST

As good as United were in the second half, the penalty decision for their fourth goal was scandalous.

10.09pm BST

#OleOut is still trending on Twitter. This is Humanity ’21.

10.08pm BST

Here’s Paul Pogba, who had another outstanding game

“The result is positive but it’s not finished. We have to stay focussed and play the second leg with the same mentality. In the first half we made two mistakes and they cost us two goals. When we conceded the second one we were a bit all over the place. But we spoke at half-time and we were all motivated for the second half.

10.04pm BST

A great stat from Jake Humphrey on BT Sport The last time to score six in one leg of a European semi-final were Real Madrid in 1964.

10.00pm BST

I shan’t tell you the score in the other semi-final between Villarreal and Arsenal, in case you plan to watch it on delay. But if you want to know who United or Roma might be playing in the final, click here.

9.59pm BST

It’s the QPR fans I feel for

9.56pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester United’s semi-final hoodoo should be over - should - after this crushing and slightly surreal victory. They were 2-1 down at the break but then overwhelmed an injury-hit Roma in the second half. Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani scored two apiece before Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood gave United an unimaginable cushion ahead of the second leg.

9.53pm BST

90 min There will be two minutes of added weirdness.

9.52pm BST

89 min A United substitution: Bruno Fernandes, who had a hand in at least seven of the goals, is replaced by Juan Mata. Poor old Donny van de Beek.

9.50pm BST

Cavani, just inside the Roma half, waved a sumptuous pass across the field with the outside of the foot. Greenwood took it in his stride, moved into the area and hit a low shot that took a slight deflection off the sliding Ibanez and beat Mirante. He got a foot to the ball on the stretch but could only help it into the far corner.

9.49pm BST

S-I-X!

9.48pm BST

85 min Fernandes shoots over from 20 yards. This game has been so ragged. I was going to say that European semi-finals are never this open until I remembered that Roma’s last European semi-final first leg, also in England, ended in a 5-2 defeat.

9.47pm BST

84 min “When Pogba’s good he’s very very good isn’t he?” says Colum Farrelly.

He’s majestic, especially from the left. I suspect he decided, sometime around Christmas, that United were finally a half-decent side so it was worth his while turning up. Since then he’s been terrific.

9.46pm BST

82 min A United change: Nemanja Matic replaces Fred.

9.43pm BST

81 min “I’m not in love with either penalty,” says Matthew Richman, “but I’m noticing how fast VAR checks have been tonight: even Cavani’s first seemed checked as quickly as it had been given, and that seemed tight to me. Is there a change in process being tested?”

The process is much quicker in European games. If this was a Premier League match, they’d still be checking what day it is.

9.42pm BST

80 min Fred shoots wide from 25 yards. Roma have been a mess in the second half, yet they will still fancy their chances if they can get one more tonight.

9.40pm BST

78 min “What is it with football and windows?” muses Ian Copestake. “You’ve got your transfer windows, your substitution windows, and there was even a plan for a league you can only look at from the inside or the outside!”

9.40pm BST

77 min Cavani’s scissor kick is saved by Mirante, though it wouldn’t have counted as he was offside, the end.

9.39pm BST

77 min As things stand, Roma need to win 3-0 next week. As if.

9.39pm BST

76 min Mason Greenwood comes on to replace Marcus Rashford.

9.38pm BST

A short corner on the right was played back to Fernandes just outside the area. He swept an excellent first-time cross towards the six-yard line, where the unmarked Pogba powered a header past Mirante.

9.37pm BST

What on earth.

9.37pm BST

74 min The sliding Ibanez makes a great block to deny Cavani, who was put clear by a glorious first-time pass by Fernandes.

9.34pm BST

72 min That penalty decision gets more ridiculous with every replay.

9.34pm BST

Bruno Fernandes dances round the ball and then smashes it into the net. Mirante went the wrong way, to his left.

9.33pm BST

VAR CHECK: Penalty given! I’m not having that.

9.32pm BST

Shaw played a stunning long pass to Rashford, who headed it into space and crossed low towards Cavani at the near post. He missed an attempted flick behind his front leg and was then taken out by Smalling in his follow through. But the ball had long gone, and that feels extremely harsh.

9.31pm BST

69 min: PENALTY TO UNITED! I have no idea what that was given for.

9.31pm BST

68 min Shaw runs to the edge of the area, literally oozing confidence, and hits a sweet rising drive that is beaten away by Mirante.

9.29pm BST

66 min Roma almost make it 3-3. Mkhitaryan crossed from the left towards Dzeko, whose flicked header was superbly timed but too close to de Gea.

9.27pm BST

That was a mistake from the substitute goalkeeper Mirante. Fernandes stabbed an excellent pass to find Wan-Bissaka in space on the right side of the area. His low shot was pretty tame, but Mirante couldn’t hold it and Cavani, not without glee, helped himself to the rebound.

9.26pm BST

The big man gets another one!

9.24pm BST

61 min Smalling is booked for something or other.

9.24pm BST

60 min: Great chance for Roma! Karsdorp plays a devastating pass to put Pellegrini through on goal. He shapes to shoot but then tries to give the goal to Dzeko on the other side of the area. But Dzeko is on his heels and Maguire eases him away from the ball. Moments later, Smalling spanked a shot well wide.

9.22pm BST

59 min Karsdorp’s dangerous cross is shanked not far wide of his own goal by McTominay. And then...

9.20pm BST

57 min Fred finds Pogba just inside the area on the left. He plays in the underlapping McTominay, whose meek cross-shot is poked away by Ibanez in the six-yard box. That was another vital bit of defending, without which Cavani would have had an open goal. The first chance, for McTominay, was a very good one as well, albeit on his left foot.

9.17pm BST

55 min Fernandes’s dangerous cross, flicked with the outside of the foot, is headed behind by Ibanez. That was a vital interception with Rashford right behind him.

9.17pm BST

@united_writing the “natural” hand position idea doesn’t make sense when a player moves his arms to balance - that is a totally natural part of the game - are players supposed to NOT balance themselves?

9.16pm BST

53 min: Chance for United! Shaw bursts past Karsdorp on the left edge of the area and pulls the ball back to Cavani, who wallops over with his left foot. The ball was slightly behind him but that was still a pretty good chance.

9.14pm BST

51 min Now Pogba is booked for a foul on Mirante.

9.12pm BST

49 min Villar is booked for a poor tackle on Pogba, who is slapping the ground in pain.

9.12pm BST

Cavani was very close to being offside in the build up. I don’t know whether it was checked, but the goal stands.

9.11pm BST

That was another excellent goal. Pogba and Cavani combined to find Fernandes in space, 35 yards from goal. He moved forward and clipped the ball through to Cavani, who opened his body and sidefooted emphatically into the top corner. That was a majestic finish.

9.11pm BST

United are level!

9.10pm BST

47 min de Gea plays a wretched pass, straight at Dzeko on the edge of the area. Luckily the ball bounces off Dzeko to safety. Had he controlled that he would have had a simple chance to make it 3-1. In his defence, it was an awkward ball, and not one he would have been expecting.

9.09pm BST

46 min Apparently Roma can’t make any more changes, because they’ve already used their three substitution windows. If they get another injury, they’ll be down to 10 men, which is absurd.

9.08pm BST

46 min Peep peep! United begin the second half. No changes on either side at half-time, although Roma have already made three because of injury.

8.55pm BST

Half-time reading

This is such a charming story, get it read.

8.54pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester United are in trouble, again, in a semi-final. They took the lead through a delightful goal from Bruno Fernandes - but then it all went wrong, big-time. The superb Lorenzo Pellegrini equalised with a debatable penalty before setting up Edin Dzeko for Roma’s second. It’s been a poor game, in truth, and Roma will care not a jot.

8.51pm BST

45+6 min A corner is headed over from six yards by McTominay, under a lot of pressure from a couple of Roma defenders.

8.51pm BST

45+5 min: Chance for United! Ibanez plays an awful pass straight to Cavani on the edge of the area. His first shot is saved by the outrushing Mirante, and the follow-up is crucially blocked by Smalling. Cavani will feel he should have scored.

8.49pm BST

45+4 min Fred drills a good pass out to Rashford, but his cross is too close to Mirante.

8.48pm BST

45+3 min “Rob,” says Ben Walls, “will players twig there is a better success rate firing balls at opponents arms in the box rather than at the goal? BTW I don’t blame VAR, I blame a weak ref for giving that for Roma.”

Agreed. I’d like to see it again - it looked like he didn’t give it at first, and then panicked when Roma’s players started appealing.

8.47pm BST

45+2 min The obvious United change is Greenwood for one of McFred, with Pogba moving into midfield and Rashford to the left. I’m sure that will happen if the score stays the same.

8.46pm BST

45+1 min There will be five minutes of added time, a consequences of those three Roma injuries.

8.46pm BST

45 min The downside of having Pogba on the left - and he has played well - is that Rashford is less comfortable on the right. United need his electricity, because the rest of the team are fairly one-paced.

8.45pm BST

42 min This has been a really poor game so far. No intensity, not much quality, but apart from that...

8.41pm BST

40 min United are so good away from home that they won’t be panicking yet, but they will want at least a draw tonight. Pogba and Fernandes have swapped places, so Pogba is now the No10.

8.39pm BST

39 min This has been a really strange half: three goals, three injuries and almost nothing else of note. United haven’t got going. Nor have Roma, but they’re ahead.

8.38pm BST

38 min Roma have lost a third player to injury: the left wing-back Leandro Spinazzola has been replaced by Bruno Peres.

8.37pm BST

37 min Smalling does very well to head away Rashford’s dangerous cross.

8.37pm BST

Edin Dzeko has scored against Manchester United at Old Trafford for three different clubs from three different countries in three different competitions.

8.36pm BST

United are in bother now. Mkhitaryan, in the inside-left channel, threaded a lovely pass through the legs of McTominay to find Pellegrini in space in the area. He appeared offside but was being played on by Shaw on the other side of the area. Pellegrini looked up and slid a lovely ball into the six-yard area to give Dzeko an open goal. He almost missed it, in fact - the ball hit his right heel, rebounded off his left shin and rolled into the net.

8.34pm BST

Edin Dzeko gives Roma the lead!

8.33pm BST

32 min Pogba is fouled by Smalling, just outside the area on the left. Fernandes smashes the free-kick into the six-yard box and Cristante heads away at the near post.

8.30pm BST

29 min Spinazzola makes an excellent run infield and finds his fellow wing-back Karsdrop in space. His cross is booted away at the near post by Maguire, an important interception with Dzeko waiting behind him.

8.29pm BST

28 min Pau Lopez is going off. He wanted to continue, until one of the physios told him about discretion and valour. I think he has dislocated his shoulder. Either way, he has been replaced by Antonio Mirante.

8.27pm BST

26 min “VAR should stay but needs to be refined,” says Niall O’Keeffe. “A ref should be allowed to use common sense to adjudicate video evidence. The Pogba handall was so clearly unintentional. These bad decisions happen too often.”

I wouldn’t call at least twice a game, every game, too often.

8.26pm BST

25 min Pogba’s dipping long-range curler is palmed away by Pau Lopez, diving to his left. The ball comes to Wan-Bissaka, whose stinging and possibly off-target follow-up is blocked. Lopez is down injured, in a lot of pain, though I’m not sure what happened. It’s a problem with his left shoulder.

8.25pm BST

24 min Good play from Rashford, who charges infield from the right and finds Fernandes in a crowded penalty area. He can’t quite get the ball out of his feet and drives a tame shot past the far post.

8.23pm BST

23 min Fernandes lifts it over the bar.

8.23pm BST

22 min Ibanez flattens Rashford 25 yards from goal, to the right of centre. In theory this suits a left-footer. But as that left-footer is Fred, I fully expect Fernandes or Rashford to take it.

8.21pm BST

21 min Pogba marches through midfield and curls a long pass to Rashford, who can’t quite control it on the stretch. Apart from that ludicrous penalty, Pogba has been the best player on the pitch so far.

8.20pm BST

19 min Lindelof makes an important interception to stop Mkhitaryan’s through ball reaching Pellegrini.

8.18pm BST

18 min It’s been a strange start to the game. Almost nothing has happened, yet we’ve already had two goals and an injury.

8.17pm BST

Yet again, Bruno Fernandes for Manchester United!

Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani combine to set up the Portuguese playmaker ✨

That's 25 for the season for Bruno!#UEL pic.twitter.com/Nc5rOrQ3sn

8.16pm BST

17 min “That beautiful United goal is why we watch football,” says Colum Farrelly. “That penalty decision is why we might not.”

8.16pm BST

The captain Lorenzo Pellegrini scores emphatically, slapping the penalty into the left corner. David de Gea went the right way but couldn’t get there.

8.14pm BST

This is controversial. Karsdorp’s cross hit the raised arm of Pogba, who was sliding in to challenge near the byline. The referee didn’t give it, then gave it, then went to talk to the assistant referee, then gave it again. I don’t think that would have been a penalty England because it deflected off Pogba’s thigh, and he was only a couple of yards away from Karsdorp. I’ll be honest, I haven’t a clue any more.

8.13pm BST

13 min: PENALTY TO ROMA!

8.12pm BST

11 min “Interesting article on Donny van de Beek,” says Matt Dony. “Was it written as an excuse to use that pun in the last line?”

That’s how I start every piece. I literally write them all backwards. It shows, doesn’t it.

8.11pm BST

The move started with a great run from Pogba, who beat three players in a tight area and laid the ball into Cavani in the D. He angled a perfect first-time pass into the path of Fernandes, who flipped the ball gently over Pau Lopez. That was a great goal.

8.10pm BST

United take the lead with a superb team goal!

8.07pm BST

7 min Veretout’s injury is the only thing that has happened so far.

8.06pm BST

5 min For the second time, Veretout deliberately kicks the ball out of play, this time so that he can leave the field. That’s a pretty cruel blow so early in the semi-final, and je must be doubtful for the second leg as well. Gonzalo Villar comes on to replace him.

8.05pm BST

4 min Veretout is going to try to continue, though he’s not moving particularly well.

8.04pm BST

3 min An early blow for Roma: Jordan Veretout, their goalscoring midfielder, has done his hamstring.

8.01pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Roma, in their white change strip, kick off from right to left.

7.57pm BST

The players stroll into the Manchester night - United’s first, then a Roma team that includes Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The two managers, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Paulo Fonseca, chat amiably as they walk down the touchline.

7.47pm BST

In a surprising development, Donny van de Beek is on the bench

Rob Smyth tries to make sense of Donny van de Beek's lost seasonhttps://t.co/jtWO6KBcic

7.29pm BST

The winners of this tie will meet Villarreal or Arsenal in the final in Gdansk. Barry Glendenning is watching that game.

7.23pm BST

The pre-match thoughts of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

When you get to a semi-final, you’re playing against good opposition so you have to take your chances. We didn’t do that against Sevilla last season. But we’re a year older: more experienced, more confident, fitter, better squad. We’re ready for it.

7.19pm BST

The last meeting between these teams was a Champions League quarter-final in 2007-08. United won 3-0 on aggregate, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored this monstrous header. “It was,” said his teammate Louis Saha, “the moment when I thought he was extraterrestrial.”

7.19pm BST

7.12pm BST

“I’m not sure I quite understand the near hysteria from some about the fact that United have lost a few semi-finals in a row,” says David Wall. “Sure, it’s preferable to win those games but it’s not as though a semi-final in any competition is expected to be a walk over (weren’t two of them against City?). And didn’t Klopp go four or five finals before he won the Champions League with Liverpool? It’s hardly at the stage of Gerulaitis vs Connors yet.”

Surely ‘near hysteria’ is society’s default setting. I know what you mean, but five semi-final defeats in two years would be highly unusual and a bit worrying. Who cares, it’s only football.

7.10pm BST

“That Pedro goal in the 2011 final was really nice,” says Phil Podolsky. “Xavi’s outstanding outside-of-the boot assist preceded by Iniesta’s outside-of-the-boot pre-assist which looks like a routine pass but isn’t entirely!”

I can’t find a video that shows the Iniesta pass, but this has the rest of it.

7.07pm BST

“Oh, for heavens sake Rob,” says Alan Weir. “Don’t quote Bobby Bruce unless you are sure of your facts. Robert the Bruce uttered his legendary quote, not to the troops before Bannockburn but rather whilst hiding in a cave facing utter defeat, about to give up, when the spider’s efforts gave him the impetus to give the cause one more go. There will be no charge for the history lesson.”

I thought he said it twice. THAT’S WHAT IT SAYS ON THE INTERNET.

6.57pm BST

6.51pm BST

No surprises in either XI. David de Gea, demoted to Europa League goalkeeping duties, replaces Dean Henderson, and Marcus Rashford is preferred to the in-form Mason Greenwood on the right. Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both start for Roma.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1) de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Rashford, Fernandes, Pogba; Cavani.
Substitutes: Grant, Henderson, Bailly, Mata, Greenwood, Amad, James, Telles, Matic, Williams, van de Beek, Tuanzebe.

4.04pm BST

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again

Even Robert the Bruce didn’t advocate a fifth attempt. His legendary quote, supposedly delivered to his troops before they routed the English at Bannockburn in 1314, stopped at the fourth try. Tonight and next Thursday, Manchester United will go one better, or maybe that should be one worse. This tie against Roma is their fifth semi-final in the last 15 months; so far they have won none of them.

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Published on April 29, 2021 14:12

The Fiver | Luxuriant Kajagoogoo wigs and proportionate levels of outrage

Manchester City really have gone rogue in this season’s Big Cup. First they spoiled thousands of virtual schadenfreude parties across the country by getting through the Round of Manchester City. And now it looks like they are going to get through the Round of Manchester United as well! Their neighbours may be stuck at the semi-final stage, more of which later, but City’s 2-1 win in Paris makes them strong favourites to reach their first ever Big Cup final … ever!

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Published on April 29, 2021 07:56

April 25, 2021

Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham: Carabao Cup final – as it happened

City full deserved to win their fourth Carabao Cup in a row, with Aymeric Laporte’s late header settling a one-sided final at Wembley

6.39pm BST

That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with our match report from Wembley, and you can chat about the game below the line. Thanks for your company and emails, and congratulations to the City fans. Bye!

6.36pm BST

Here’s Riyad Mahrez

“It was a tough game, we knew it would be. We stayed focussed, we kept dominating and passing the ball, and then we scored. I think we deserved to win today. We get the trophy again and we are very happy. The fans made a massive difference – it’s so good to have them back. Even with 8,000, the atmosphere was amazing.”

6.35pm BST

The official Man of the Match is Riyad Mahrez. He did play well, and a couple of his first touches were pornographic, but I thought Foden and Alderweireld were slightly better.

6.34pm BST

6.33pm BST

Fernandinho, who has now won this competition six times, lifts the Carabao Cup for Manchester City. They’re a sensational team, who have been irresistible since that extraordinary start at Chelsea in the first week of January. Two trophies down, if you include the Premier League, one to go. It’s the one they want the most.

6.29pm BST

The Laporte red card that never was

He should have been booked for a tactical foul on Lucas Moura in the 25th minute. Then he was booked for a tactical foul on the same player in the 45th minute. But <Buncey>let’s get this right</Buncey>, there is no way he would have committed the second foul if he was on a yellow card, so I don’t think it’s right to say he should have been sent off. What we can say is that, had he been booked for the first foul, Lucas Moura would have been away in the second incident and Spurs would have had a three-on-two attack.

6.26pm BST

Here’s the goalscorer Aymeric Laporte, who probably wouldn’t have played had John Stones not been sent off at Villa

“We are so happy to win this title again. It is very special for us because we lost in the FA Cup last weekend. We have been so, so good in the last few months, and we have to keep this rhythm if we want to win more titles. We are so happy to see the supporters here.”

6.24pm BST

LAPORTE HEADS CITY IN FRONT!

Aymeric Laporte beats Sissoko to De Bruyne's cross and nods it home. Will that be the winner?

Watch live now on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/FP1goDrF3J

6.23pm BST

It’s the third major final that Harry Kane has lost with Spurs. You have to feel for him, and for most of the Spurs players - especially Toby Alderweireld, who had a quite outstanding game in defence. He was my player of the match, though you can make an equally good case for giving it to Phil Foden.

6.21pm BST

Pep Guardiola turns to applaud the 2,000 City fans. The players get into a huddle and bounce around. Ilkay Gundogan, a class act, and Phil Foden walk over to console a tearful Spurs player; I’m not sure who it is. It might have been Son, who is in tears.

6.19pm BST

Peep peep! Manchester City win the Carabao Cup for the fourth year in a row, equalling the record set by Liverpool between 1981-84. They had to be patient – the winner from Aymeric Laporte didn’t come until the 82nd minute – but ultimately they were far too good for a limited Spurs.

6.17pm BST

90+1 min Alderweireld makes yet another vital block - this time from Foden, who danced beautifully away from a defender in the area.

6.16pm BST

90+1 min Three minutes of added time. City are keeping the ball with ease.

6.16pm BST

90 min Steven Bergwijn replaces Serge Aurier, who had a fine game... until he buggered it all up with a silly tackle on Raheem Sterling that led to the goal.

6.15pm BST

90 min Spurs are done, they’ve got nothing left, physically or mentally.

6.15pm BST

89 min Foden’s outswinging corner is headed wide by Laporte.

6.14pm BST

88 min The second half has been more even, but overall City fully deserve to win.

6.12pm BST

86 min Reguilon’s low cross is booted away at the near post. City make another change: Bernardo Silva replaces Kevin De Bruyne.

6.11pm BST

85 min Alderweireld makes another brilliant block from De Bruyne, who marauded past a couple of Spurs defenders into the area. Moments later, Dier makes a very good block from Sterling. Those two have been outstanding.

6.10pm BST

84 min A substitution apiece: Rodri for Fernandinho, Dele Alli for Hojbjerg.

6.09pm BST

83 min There’s an argument that both De Bruyne, who made the goal, and Laporte, who scored it, should have been sent off. It’s not a particularly strong one, but I suspect we’ll hear it after the game,

6.09pm BST

All that beautiful football, and City score from a set piece. It was Sissoko who was marking Laporte; he didn’t do a great job of it. Laporte got up first, ahead of Sissoko, and steered the header past Hojbjerg on the line.

6.08pm BST

De Bruyne flips the free-kick in, and Laporte gets in front of his man to head past Lloris from six yards!

6.07pm BST

81 min A silly challenge from Aurier on Sterling gives City a free-kick on the left wing.

6.07pm BST

81 min Phil Foden’s dribbling in tight areas is so accomplished. One such run begins a move that ends when Cancelo’s cross is headed away.

6.06pm BST

80 min Spurs have done extremely well to restrict City to three shots on target. I don’t know whether Jose Mourinho will be proud of or irritated by their defensive excellence.

6.03pm BST

77 min Reguilon tries to run Walker and falls over just outside the area. I thought that was a foul; Paul Tierney didn’t.

6.02pm BST

75 min “Do you get extra pay if the match goes to extra time and pens?” asks Mike MacKenzie. “Silly question, no doubt, given the Man’s tendencies. Maybe you guys need an MBM union?”

We don’t, but sometimes we get an extra biscuit.

6.00pm BST

73 min: Fine save from Lloris! Mahrez slaloms elegantly infield, away from Hojbjerg and then Winks on the edge of the D. That gives him the room to whip a shot towards the bottom corner, and Lloris gets down very smartly to his right to push it away.

5.59pm BST

73 min City won’t be thrilled at the prospect of extra-time, especially with PSG away on Wednesday.

5.58pm BST

72 min Gundogan misses a reasonable opportunity, shinning a volley wide from Sterling’s short cross.

5.57pm BST

71 min Foden’s corner is cleared by the indefatigable Hojbjerg. Mahrez picks up the loose ball and feeds De Bruyne, whose very deep cross is headed straight at Lloris by Fernandinho. The angle was pretty tight, so he couldn’t have done much more.

5.56pm BST

70 min De Bruyne’s cross is headed up and over his own bar by Dier, who has quietly had a very good game.

5.55pm BST

69 min City do have Aguero and Jesus on the bench. For now, Pep is happy with the false strike partnership of Foden and De Bruyne.

5.54pm BST

68 min If this goes to extra time and penalties, it had better finish before Line of Duty.

5.53pm BST

67 min A double change for Spurs: Moussa Sissoko and Gareth Bale replace Lo Celso and the effervescent Lucas Moura.

5.51pm BST

65 min Lucas Moura goes on another charge infield before falling over after a challenge from Fernandinho. Spurs thought it was a foul; Paul Tierney didn’t.

5.50pm BST

65 min It’s still 0-0.

5.50pm BST

63 min Lo Celso plays a superb pass through the lines to find Kane on the halfway line. He runs to the edge of the D and then plays in Hojbjerg to his left. Hojbjerg moves into the area, a long way out of his comfort zone, and then overhits a simple pass to the overlapping Reguilon. The wrong option, poorly executed: he should have had a shot.

5.47pm BST

61 min Mahrez’s floated cross is headed over from close range by the backpedalling Gundogan. That was another tricky chance as he had to scamper backwards and then jump backwards to head it.

5.46pm BST

60 min Aurier is robbed by Sterling, but makes up for his error with a vital touch when Sterling bursts into the area.

5.45pm BST

59 min Fernandinho is booked for a cynical foul on Hojbjerg.

5.43pm BST

58 min Ryan Mason will be much happier with how the second half is going. City are still the more dangerous team but at least Spurs are spending some quality time in the City half.

5.43pm BST

57 min Sterling plays in the underlapping Cancelo, whose cross is too close to Lloris.

5.41pm BST

55 min Sterling opens his body and curls a few yards wide of the far post. That attempt was pretty similar to the goal he scored in the Champions League classic a couple of years ago, except that one went in.

5.40pm BST

54 min But every Spurs attack is a chance for a City counter. Mahrez leads this one, twisting Reguilon inside out in the area before hitting a right-footed shot that is blocked by Dier.

5.39pm BST

53 min Spurs have had more attacks in the first eight minutes of the second half than they did in the first 45.

5.37pm BST

51 min Spurs have made a much brighter start to the second half.

5.35pm BST

48 min City break menacingly from the Spurs corner. De Bruyne cuts inside and shapes to shoot with his left foot, but Lo Celso nips in front of him to poke the ball away. De Bruyne ends up booting Lo Celso instead. Free-kick to Spurs and no punishment for De Bruyne, even though it was not dissimilar to the Balbuena red card yesterday.

5.33pm BST

47 min: Good save from Steffen! Spurs almost take the lead at the start of the second half. Lucas Moura played a simple square pass to Lo Celso, 25 yards from goal. He opened his body and shaped a lovely curling shot towards the far corner. Steffen dived a long way to his right to push it round the post.

5.31pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Spurs begin the second half.

5.30pm BST

“Rather than a final between two top-flight clubs, this feels like David vs Goliath,” says Colum

Farrelly
Fordham. “But we all know how that ended up so perhaps, just conceivably, if Lucas Moura manages to conjure up a miracle or Harry Kane gets to touch the ball in his own half, Spurs could just nick this and Ryan Mason’s fairytale debut would be made.”

5.27pm BST

5.23pm BST

FODEN HITS THE POST

Manchester City are all over Tottenham. Can they take advantage?

Watch live now on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/HrIjSfcJ8s

5.19pm BST

Half-time reading

5.18pm BST

Peep peep! A completely one-sided half ends with the scores level. City have played some exhilarating football and could easily be two or three ahead. Spurs’ only threat has been the direct running of Lucas Moura, but every time he gets up a head of steam he is taken out by a City player.

5.16pm BST

45+1 min Mahrez wanders infield and finds Cancelo, the left-back, on the edge of the area. He curls a shot towards the near post that Lloris pushes behind at full stretch. I’m not certain it was on target but Lloris couldn’t take any chances.

5.15pm BST

45+1 min One minute of added time.

5.15pm BST

45 min Laporte, who should have been booked earlier, is booked this time for another tactical foul on Lucas Moura near the halfway line. That was a vital foul because, had Moura got past him, Spurs would have had a three-on-two.

5.11pm BST

42 min City have had nine shots to Spurs’ one, but so far none of them have been on target.

5.10pm BST

41 min A stunning long pass from De Bruyne, flipped over the head of Dier, just evades the stretching Sterling on the six-yard line.

5.09pm BST

40 min Son earns a breather, also known in some cultures as a corner, for Spurs. Lo Celso’s delivery is poor and De Bruyne clears at the near post.

5.09pm BST

38 min While City have been frightening for most of this first half, I don’t think Lloris has had a save to make. It’s on! (Legal disclaimer: it may not actually be on.)

5.07pm BST

37 min Mahrez has another pop, this time flashing a curler just wide from 25 yards. That was a beautiful effort. Lloris definitely didn’t have that one covered.

5.06pm BST

36 min Riyad Mahrez’s first touch is a thing of rare beauty.

5.06pm BST

35 min Cancelo spanks a crossfield pass to Mahrez, who controls it majestically on the bounce. Then he runs at Reguilon, shifts the ball onto his left foot and hits a booming curler just wide of the far post. I think Lloris had it covered, though I wouldn’t bet my last Rolo on it.

5.03pm BST

33 min Taking the positives, Spurs department: it’s still 0-0.

5.01pm BST

32 min Dias is wrongly penalised for a good tackle on Kane - but having been penalised, he should have been booked. Ryan Mason and Pep Guardiola have an animated but friendly discussion about it on the touchline.

5.01pm BST

30 min: Just wide from Sterling! Fernandinho slides a pass down the inside-left channel towards Foden. It runs away from him and into the area, where Sterling gets to the loose ball just ahead of Lloris. He stabs a first-time shot over Lloris with his left foot, trying to spin it back into the far corner. It’s a clever effort but he doesn’t get enough spin on the ball and it drifts wide of the far post.

4.59pm BST

30 min Spurs keep trying to play through the City press, and keep losing the ball. I don’t know whether they’re brave, foolhardy or both.

4.57pm BST

28 min I wonder what Harry Kane makes of all this. I’m not sure he has touched the ball.

4.56pm BST

27 min Reguilon, who has had a dreadful start to the game, is booked for taking out De Bruyne.

4.56pm BST

26 min: Foden hits the post! City won the ball high up the field after a loose pass from Dier. De Bruyne’s cross from the right was half cleared by Alderweireld, stretching towards his own goal. It fell to Foden, eight yards out, and he smacked a shot that hit Alderweireld and deflected onto the outside of the post!

4.55pm BST

25 min Laporte is exceedingly fortunate not to be booked for a tactical foul on Lucas Moura.

4.53pm BST

23 min De Bruyne smacks the free-kick into the wall.

4.52pm BST

22 min “Hi Rob,” says Stewart Bowling. “As another legacy, and probably legless, fan whatever the result today, who has supported Tottenham since my dad first introduced me to Spurs in the 60s, I agree entirely with Richard Hirst. While I’m glad to have seen some cup wins in the glory days and intermittently over the years, my two most abiding memories are: watching the Champions League final with my wife in New York where we now live, knowing our two daughters (aged 20 and 18) were proudly wearing their Spurs shirts like us at the same time while miles away in Los Angeles and Arles in France, respectively; and taking my younger daughter to the new WHL to watch the game vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Two defeats, but that’s not really what matters to anyone who truly knows and understands the game, whichever team you support.”

4.52pm BST

22 min De Bruyne is fouled 22 yards from goal by Lo Celso. The free-kick is slightly to the left of centre, a great position for De Bruyne or Gundogan.

4.50pm BST

20 min Son’s corner is punched away by Steffen. Spurs regain possession and eventually Alderweireld drives wide from 20 yards.

4.49pm BST

19 min Spurs’ first decent attack. Winks plays a good ball to Aurier, whose excellent deep cross is headed behind for a corner by Dias.

4.48pm BST

18 min City have had 78 per cent of the possession so far.

4.47pm BST

17 min Foden beats Lo Celso with delightful close control and a change of pace before being flattened by Reguilon. That could have been a yellow card.

4.46pm BST

15 min Mahrez’s deep cross is volleyed wide by Sterling. This has been a devastatingly good start from City.

4.45pm BST

14 min: Vital block from Dier! Foden gets to the byline on the left and screws the ball back to Sterling, eight yards from goal. He takes a touch and hits a shot on the turn that is blocked by Dier in the six-yard box. Lloris wouldn’t have saved that.

4.44pm BST

13 min Spurs have barely crossed the halfway line.

4.42pm BST

11 min Corner to City on the right. Mahrez’s overhit inswinger almost catches out Lloris, who backpedals across his line to flap it away.

4.41pm BST

10 min Spurs’ two banks of three are narrow when they don’t have the ball, which means City’s full-backs are always in space. Hojbjerg is having to come across to deal with Cancelo, which means more gaps in the middle.

4.39pm BST

8 min Mahrez’s chipped cross is headed wide at the near post by Sterling, under pressure from Alderweireld. This is looking really ominous for Spurs.

4.39pm BST

7 min Cancelo beats Hojbjerg through sleight of hip and plays the ball down the left to Sterling. He cuts inside Aurier, just inside the area, and then forces a cross towards the near post. Foden gets to the ball first and screws a shot just wide of the near post. It was a half chance at best.

4.37pm BST

6 min City are inevitably dominating possession. They are also pressing Spurs very high up the pitch, attempting to smother them until they can take it no longer.

4.35pm BST

5 min “Should Spurs win, I do hope they send a medal to Jose,” says Matt Dony. “After all, as I’m sure most Spurs fans would agree, he did all the hard work in getting them here...”

4.35pm BST

4 min A dreadful pass from Son goes straight to Sterling, 30 yards from goal. He surges into the area and is tackled crucially by Aurier. It was a risky tackle, from the wrong side, but he got it right.

4.34pm BST

3 min A quiet start, nothing to report except good old tactics.

4.33pm BST

2 min These are the revised formations - City are playing with two false nines in Foden and De Bruyne. I think. It’s not always easy to tell.

Man City (4-2-4-0) Steffen; Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; Fernandinho, Gundogan; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden, Sterling.
Substitutes: Ederson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Zinchenko, Rodri, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy.

4.32pm BST

1 min Spurs have started with Lucas Moura on the right and Giovani Lo Celso in midfield. It looks like Kevin De Bruyne is playing as the false nine for City.

4.31pm BST

1 min Peep peep! City, in their sky blue home shirt, kick off from left to right. Spurs are wearing their dark green change strip.

4.29pm BST

Ryan Mason looks tranquil, if a little self-conscious, on the Spurs bench. If Spurs win today, he’s going straight into folklore.

4.26pm BST

There will be a minute’s silence before the game in memory of the European Super League.

4.25pm BST

The teams stroll into the sunshine. It’s a gorgeous evening at Wembley, and the 8,000 fans are making an admirable noise.

4.18pm BST

Pep’s pre-match thoughts

“Welcome back to the fans. We’re happy to see them, and we’ll try to win. [On his team selection, 72 hours before PSG] It’s always a strong team that we select. Are you saying the guys we play aren’t strong enough?

4.11pm BST

It’s just not football

If you like cricket, and you love Haseeb Hameed, you’ll really love this: he’s just made his second century of the match against Worcestershire.

4.07pm BST

The pre-match thoughts of Ryan Mason

“It would have been hard to imagine this a week ago. That’s football: things happen that you don’t expect. You have to be ready and prepared, and thankfully I have been. It’s been a good, positive week – Wednesday’s win over Southampton was important for us – and we’re looking forward to today.

4.01pm BST

We are really here

It's great to see you back guys!

#ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/lYYnzBQM1N

4.00pm BST

“Now that we’ve lived through Jose and Poch, I think most Spurs fans can agree that the Poch era was a lot more fun,” writes

Daniel Le-
Alex Porritt. “Building something and seeing it grow, a likeable squad and a likeable manager who took us to where we could see the summit, even if we didn’t quite make it. To many, the very essence of Spurrsy. As a Spurs fan, I’d take another six or seven years of that - I’ll even put up with the endless ‘lads, it’s Tottenham’ in the comments section.”

3.49pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says Richard Hirst. “With two of the ‘Big Six’ meeting to decide a trophy I thought I’d share the reflections the past few days have occasioned.
“I first went to see Fulham in 1965, in the old First Division, so I think I qualify as a legacy fan. What the owners, and I suspect, with respect, some of the fans of the big six don’t understand is that following football is not only, or even primarily about success (let alone money). “Since those first days Fulham followed a largely downward trajectory, punctuated by the odd period of comparative success (eg the 1975 FA Cup final), leading to the moment in 1994 when I stood in a car park in Swansea, with my five-year-old daughter in tears, because defeat had consigned us to the lowest division for the first time in our history. Things continued to get worse - we were 91st in the Football League at one point - until fortunes turned around and I celebrated with my 29-year-old daughter at Wembley when we won the 2018 playoff final. (And did I mention that we nearly lost the ground and the club itself in the mid-80s, so we are no strangers to greedy and incompetent owners.) “Winning trophies is not the point. I did not cry when we lost the 1975 Cup final or the 2010 Europa League final (although of course I would have been delighted if we had won): I cried when I saw my team walk out at Wembley and when I stood looking at an empty Hamburg stadium and thought, my team are going to be walking out in a European final in two hours’ time. Something I never imagined could happen was about to become a reality. “If I was the offered the opportunity to go back to 1965 and support a team that was going to win trophies would I do it? Of course not, it’s the dream and the love that count, and sharing them with your 5/29 year old daughter.”

Very nicely put. I think every legacy fan (sic) has had similar moments, even though who support one of the Piggish Six.

3.40pm BST

3.35pm BST

Man City (4-3-3) Steffen; Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Gundogan; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling.
Substitutes: Ederson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Zinchenko, Rodri, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy.

Spurs (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon; Winks, Hojbjerg; Lo Celso, Lucas Moura, Son; Kane.
Substitutes: Hart, Sanchez, Tanganga, Sissoko, Dele, Ndombele, Lamela, Bergwijn, Bale.

3.30pm BST

As do Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling for City. The long list of substitutes includes Gareth Bale, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva.

The boys going into battle!

XI | Steffen, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Fernandinho (C), Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Sterling

SUBS | Ederson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy

⚽️ @HaysWorldwide
#ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/H41AwZZNMp

⚪️ Lloris (C), Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Højbjerg, Winks, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane.#CarabaoCupFinal ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/J88a3Jyehy

3.29pm BST

3.24pm BST

Scorchio department

Today's Wembley weather report! ☀️

#ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klUGiM pic.twitter.com/x5FRYEW6TI

3.23pm BST

We're on our way to Wembley!

#SuitedByBOSS #CarabaoCupFinal ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/ETmhX6IClk

3.15pm BST

Pre-match reading

12.15pm BST

Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, which will be played in front of 8,000 legless fa- sorry, legacy fans at Wembley. The suits may not care for this competition but the players sure do. Especially City’s: they are aiming to win this competition for the fourth time in a row, which would equal Liverpool’s record, and for the sixth time in eight years.

The last time they lost a Carabao Cup game was in October 2016, to a team managed by Jose Mourinho. He should have been there today, dropping passive-aggressive bombs, but he was sacked on Monday when Daniel Levy decided the risk of winning a trophy was too great. As a result, Ryan Mason (age: 29, managerial experience: 1 game) will be up against one of the greatest coaches of all time. It would have been a cracking story had Mourinho won; it’ll be an even better story if Mason does so.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on April 25, 2021 10:39

April 24, 2021

Watford promoted to Premier League, Bayern fail to seal title: clockwatch – as it happened

Ismaila Sarr’s early penalty sent Watford back to the Premier League, while Hull were promoted to the Championship and Bayern were stunned by Mainz

5.27pm BST

5.14pm BST

That’s about it for today’s clockwatch. It’s still Metz 1-1 Paris Saint Germain in Ligue 1; you can follow that game here. And Scott Murray is in position for West Ham v Chelsea in the Premier League. Thanks for your company and emails, and congratulations to supporters of Watford and Hull. Bye!

5.09pm BST

Just a few fans left here at Old Trafford now. There were about a thousand people here at it’s height. Empty beer cans and bottles have been left on the concourse @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/PfW8G3YqmB

5.08pm BST

5.06pm BST

Metz have equalised at the start of the second half. If it stays like this, PSG will be level on points with Lille, but having played a game more.

5.05pm BST

“We might find the ways of the Pozzo family unedifying, but they do work,” says Digvijay Yadav of Watford’s promotion. “Can think of many clubs around the country who’d trade PL football even if it meant putting up with a trigger-happy owner.”

5.04pm BST

“Promotion and relegation isn’t all that, really,” writes Simon McMahon. “Regards, F Perez.”

5.03pm BST

After a frantic, dramatic afternoon, here’s what’s what in the EFL.

Championship

5.00pm BST

Full time: Cardiff 2-1 Wycombe The mathematicians will tell you otherwise, but Wycombe are going back to League One. To their credit, they’ve gone down with a helluva fight.

4.59pm BST

4.58pm BST

“Yeeeeeeesssss!” says Watford supporter Mac Millings. “That’s all I can manage for now.”

Oh to be Mrs Millings tonight.

4.57pm BST

Full time: Middlesbrough 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday Another tale of woe for Wednesday, who are on the brink of relegation to League One.

4.57pm BST

Full time: Lincolon 1-2 Hull City Hull have bounced back at the first attempt!

4.56pm BST

Peterborough are one win away from promotion to the Championship.

4.55pm BST

Lincoln 1-2 Hull Lincoln have hit the post in injury time!

4.54pm BST

Full time: Watford 1-0 Millwall Watford join Norwich in yo-yoing back to the Premier League! Ismaila Sarr’s early penalty was enough to secure victory on a tense afternoon at Vicaragte Road.

4.53pm BST

Cambridge won’t be promoted today, but they have two more chances to get the two points they need.

4.53pm BST

A bad day for Derby, who threw away a half-time lead. But it could have been worse: all the teams below them are losing.

4.52pm BST

Norwich need two points from the last two games to clinch the title.

4.51pm BST

The Super League corpse is twitching

4.48pm BST

“Hold the front page, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Dundee are 2-0 up at Dens against Raith Rovers, meaning they will remain in third place in the Scottish Championship, but be only a point behind the Fifers with one game to play, as the play-off battle heats up. Though the real action takes place tomorrow when Micky Mellon’s Dundee United travel to face Aberdeen in the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup, a tournament the Dens men haven’t won, they won’t need reminding, though I’ll do it anyway, since 1910.”

4.47pm BST

With a few minutes to play, here are the latest scores in our featured games

Premier League

4.46pm BST

GOAL! Sunderland 3-3 Accrington (McConville 85) A delicious free-kick from Sean McConville has brought Accrington level again!

4.46pm BST

Hull are back in front! Mallik Wilks’ nonchalant penalty has made it 2-1, and if it stays like that they will be promoted today.

4.45pm BST

GOAL! Middlesbrough 3-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Watmore 81) A bit of good news for Derby and Wayne Rooney: Sheffield Wednesday, who they play on the last day of the season, have missed a big chance to close the gap.

4.44pm BST

GOAL! Sunderland 3-2 Accrington (Power 83) Max Power resotes Sunderland’s lead at the Stadium of Light.

4.43pm BST

Now then. Lukas Jutwiewicz terrific header, his second of the game, has given Birmingham the lead at Pride Park. An hour ago, Derby looked safe. Not any more.

4.41pm BST

Emi Buendia wraps up victory for Norwich. They won’t clinch the title today, unless Millwall equalise at Watford, but it’s been a good day for them.

4.39pm BST

Watford 1-0 Millwall It’s been a nervy second half at Vicarage Road. But Watford held onto their lead, and now they are 10 minutes away from becoming one of the Small 14 next season.

4.37pm BST

A big blow to Sheffield Wednesday. Josh Coburn has headed Middlesbrough ahead, and as it stands Wednesday will be relegated if Derby get a winner against Birmingha.

4.35pm BST

Get team news from the London Stadium with Scott Murray

4.33pm BST

GOAL! Cardiff 2-1 Wycombe (Moore 71) Kieffer Moore’s second goal of the game leaves Wycombe needing snookers if they are to avoid relegation.

4.33pm BST

Derby 1-1 Birmingham Derby are hanging on for a point at Pride Park. Birmingham have been excellent in the second half, and Alen Halilovic has just hit the post from a very tight angle.

4.32pm BST

Accrington’s equaliser at Sunderland was a gem of an own-goal, a 25-yard header from Luke O’Nien that beat the outrushing keeper Lee Burge.

4.30pm BST

Lyndon Dykes brings QPR back into the match with a tap-in at the far post.

4.30pm BST

GOAL! Sunderland 2-2 Accrington Sunderland have spunked a 2-0 lead at home to Accrington. That means Hull will be promoted today, as things stand.

4.29pm BST

“Did the Will Grigg volcano blow him all the way to Wigan?” asks Chad Saunders.

Acccccccccccch! I knew I’d cock at least one thing up today, and there it is.

4.27pm BST

Hull’s promotion might not be confirmed today after all. In a match they need to win to satisfy the mathematicians, they have been pegged back by an equaliser from Lewis Montsma. This is the League One table as things stand.

4.26pm BST

The latest scores

Premier League

4.25pm BST

Peep peep! There will be no title party for Bayern Munich today. The returning Robert Lewandowski got one back in the 94th minute, but Bayern ran out of time.

4.24pm BST

Bundesliga Dortmund won 2-0 at Wolfsburg despite Jude Bellingham’s red card early in the second half. The Beast scored both goals.

4.22pm BST

Luke Norris has given Stevenage a surprise lead at the Abbey Stadium. Cambridge will be promoted today if they win, but they have played poorly by all accounts and are now behind.

4.21pm BST

A long throw is flicked on towards Lukas Jutkiewicz, who heads in from close range. That’s a big goal for Birmingham - and for Sheffield Wednesday, Wycombe and Rotherham. Here’s the updated Championship table.

4.17pm BST

Moments after that missed penalty, Max Aarons puts Norwich two goals clear. Football, eh. It was a brilliant goal, slammed past Seny Dieng on the volley from a very tight angle.

4.14pm BST

MISSED PENALTY! QPR 0-1 Norwich Penalty-saving expert Tim Krul has saved an admittedly crap penalty from QPR’s Lyndon Dykes. He smashed it straight down the middle and Krul, who had started to fall to his right, saved with his legs.

4.12pm BST

MK Dons 5-0 Swindon Grigg has scored his fourth goal, doubling his tally for the 2020-21 season.

4.10pm BST

Swindon are on the way down to League Two. They’re 4-0 down to MK Dons, with Will Grigg reviving an old song by scoring a hat-trick. Swindon needed at least a draw to have any chance of staying up.

4.06pm BST

An early goal for Kylian Mbappe at Metz. PSG are a point behind Lille in Ligue 1, so Mauricio Pochettino didn’t have the luxury of resting players before their semi-final against Manchester City on Wednesday.

4.05pm BST

Stat of the day (thanks to my colleague Paul Bellsham for digging it out)

Congrats to @JamesMilner on beating my record of @premierleague substitute appearances.
It’s the one they all want!

4.01pm BST

Mainz 2-0 Bayern It looks like Bayern will not clinch the Bundesliga title today. They’re still 2-0 down with 18 minutes remaining in a match they need to win.

3.50pm BST

It’s half time in the 3pm games. These are the latest scores:

Premier League

3.49pm BST

Bundesliga Jude Bellingham has received a second yellow card in Borussia Dortmund’s match at Wolfsburg. With half an hour remaining, Dortmund lead 1-0 through yep him.

3.45pm BST

Joe Jacobson’s penalty has brought Wycombe level at Cardiff. But they’re still going down, as things stand.

3.41pm BST

Championship Sheffield Wednesday have equalised at Middlesbrough through Josh Windass’s penalty. That means, as things stand, they won’t be relegated today.

3.40pm BST

LUHG department

Man United fans are making their voices heard during protests at Old Trafford pic.twitter.com/UN1mDEYCKw

3.38pm BST

Colin Kazim-Richards taps in from five yards to give Derby the lead. That’s a really big goal; as things stand, Wycombe and Sheffield Wednesday are going down today.

3.35pm BST

Xavier Quintilla has given promoted Norwich the lead at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. It was a bad mistake from the QPR keeper Seny Dieng, who made a complete Horlicks over a routine long-range shot. Norwich could clinch the title today, though it’s more likely to happen next weekend.

3.32pm BST

WSL: Aston Villa 2-2 Bristol City

3.28pm BST

“Rob,” says Matt Dony, “is there any truth to the rumours of a breakaway Super MBM? I heard that Naylor and Millings have submitted the paperwork...”

I’m trying to get away from the MBM dungeon, not make it a closed shop from which there’s no escape.

3.26pm BST

The bottom three in the Championship - Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe - all trail. If they lose and Derby win, Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe will be relegated today.

3.21pm BST

Half time: Mainz 2-0 Bayern

Bayern’s latest title party will be on hold unless they score at least three in the second half. Mind you, Bayern were 2-0 down at half-time in the return fixture, and won it 5-2.

3.17pm BST

Metz v PSG team news

#FCMPSG #GrenatChezMoi [ ℂ ]

La composition des Grenats pour la réception du @PSG_inside vous est présentée par ABC Groupe ! pic.twitter.com/QGwUhfy7Zr

Le onze de départ, avec un @kimpembe_3 capitaine #FCMPSG pic.twitter.com/vYI3uPc9Ks

3.15pm BST

The latest scores in our featured games

Premier League

3.14pm BST

League One Charlie Wyke has scored twice for Sunderland, who lead Accrington 2-0 at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland still have an outside chance of automatic promotion, but they need Peterborough to fall in a heap.

3.12pm BST

The brilliant Ismaila Sarr wins and then scores a penalty to put Watford ahead against Millwall. By 5pm, they could be a Premier League side agan.

3.11pm BST

And so, in all probability, are Peterborough.

3.11pm BST

Hull are heading for the Championship...

3.10pm BST

What’s the German for ‘Well I never’?

3.10pm BST

Barnsley 1-0 Rotherham There’s been a fair bit of controversy at Oakwell. Barnsley took the lead in the second minute through Carlton Morris, but there were a couple of buts. It looked like the ball came off his arm rather than his head, as he jumped for the ball with the keeper Viktor Johansson, and he also flattened the keeper in the process. In short, it was probably handball and a foul. Oh, and Johansson has gone off injured, to be replaced by Jamal Blackman.

3.04pm BST

Mainz 1-0 Bayern The home side still lead through Jonathan Burkhardt’s early goal. As things stand, Bayern are still going to win the league, just not today!

2.58pm BST

Watford v Millwall is about to kick off, along with all the other 3pm games. Brentford’s victory at Bournemouth means Watford need to win today to clinch promotion. A draw simply won’t cut it.

2.54pm BST

Bristol Rovers have been relegated to League Two. It’s been on the cards for a while, and a 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth this lunchtime has confirmed it.

2.50pm BST

2.44pm BST

Here’s the updated Premier League table. Liverpool are sixth, but I still think they’ll make the top four. Apart from their next game, at Old Trafford, they have a pretty easy run-in.

2.38pm BST

Well I never. Bayern are behind already in Mainz, with Jonathan Burkardt rifling one through Manuel Neuer.

2.30pm BST

JOE WILLOCK WITH THE LAST KICK OF THE GAME!!

Off the bench to grab a massive goal, and a massive point in the fight against relegation for Newcastle pic.twitter.com/J6nGsq9D9i

2.26pm BST

Peep peep! A terrific win from ten-man Brentford, who move above Bournemouth into third. It’s unlikely to change much, as both teams are heading for the play-offs, but it’ll give Brentford a bit more confidence should they meet again this season.

2.25pm BST

Peep peep! That’s a marvellous result for Newcastle, who are this close to safety. Liverpool are still in the top-four race, but that’s another big blow.

2.24pm BST

This time they have equalised!

2.22pm BST

Cambridge v Stevenage team news

Here's the confirmation of this afternoon's all-important Team News. #CamUTD

TEAM NEWS! Alex Revell names two changes to the eleven.

Smith keeps his place in the team
James-Wildin & Aitchison return
Martin & Hutton drop to the bench#GreaterTogether

2.21pm BST

There’s late drama at Anfield, where Callum Wilson had has a 93rd-minute equaliser ruled out by VAR.

2.20pm BST

Charlton v Peterborough team news

Here's how your Addicks line up at The Valley this afternoon...

⚪ #cafc | https://t.co/f36HsGurv4 pic.twitter.com/E4fbwP3TCG

One change for The Posh this afternoon as Ethan Hamilton comes in for Reece Brown. #pufc pic.twitter.com/xNETaJSzjZ

2.19pm BST

Lincoln v Hull team news

@JorgeGrant18 returns to the Starting XI

Tom Hopper and Liam Bridcutt return to the matchday squad

Here’s how the Tigers line-up for #LINHUL…

Unchanged.
⬛️ Coyle captains the side.#hcafc | #theTigers pic.twitter.com/qdwBAZtZJh

2.18pm BST

Watford v Millwall team news

The Golden Boys make one change...

⬅️ Cathcart
➡️ Femenía@Sportsbetio | #WATMIL pic.twitter.com/Lbye4fkhQZ

Today's line-up...#Millwall

2.18pm BST

QPR v Norwich team news

'!#QPRNOR pic.twitter.com/IfxcKuLwnF

◼ No changes to today's starting line-up! pic.twitter.com/NFREcQS4yN

2.17pm BST

Derby v Birmingham team news

⚪️ ⚫️

Here's how the Rams line up to take on @BCFC this afternoon #DCFCvBCFC

The team to face #DCFC!

Brought to you by @BoyleSports.

2.07pm BST

Ten-man Brentford are ahead at the Vitality Stadium. Bryan Mbuemo dragged the ball in from close range after Ivan Toney’s fierce shot was saved.

1.51pm BST

Liverpool 1-0 Newcastle Just over half an hour to go at Anfield, where Liverpool lead through an actual first-half goal from Mo Salah.

1.48pm BST

Mainz v Bayern Munich team news

Tor machine Robert Lewandowski is back for Bayern, who will be champions if they win today.

1.40pm BST

Bournemouth 0-0 Brentford It’s goalless at the Vitality Stadium with just under 40 minutes remaining. Brentford are down to 10 men, with Pontus Jansson receiving a second yellow card just after half-time. If it stays like that, Watford will need only a draw at home to Fulham to clinch promotion.

1.33pm BST

Well it looks like we might have made it to the business end of this unique season. It’s time to start handing out the prizes, and the P45s. Today, Watford could be promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt, Bayern Munich should win their ninth consecutive Bundesliga. Hull (League One) and Cambridge (League Two) could also be promoted.

There’s a lot going on, and we’ll almost certainly fail to keep abreast of it all. The plan is to focus on these games, all 3pm kick-offs unless stated.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on April 24, 2021 09:14

April 19, 2021

Leeds United 1-1 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened

Diego Llorente’s late header gave Leeds a deserved point in an entertaining game that was overshadowed by talk of the European Super League

10.15pm BST

| "I don't like it and I hope it doesn't happen."

James Milner speaks out against the proposed breakaway European Super League...#MNF pic.twitter.com/NkMmNJhiyA

10.14pm BST

Those interviews with Jurgen Klopp and James Milner were really impressive, and maybe - maybe - we’ll look back on them as an important moment. I’m not confident, but I feel slightly better than I did three hours ago.

Anyway, that’s it for tonight’s blog. Thanks for your company and emails, sorry I didn’t get chance to read them all. Goodnight!

10.11pm BST

“We have to try to be professional and concentrate on the game – that’s all we can do. The first we heard of [the European Super League] was yesterday. Everyone’s got a lot of questions. My personal opinion is that I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen.”

10.06pm BST

Here’s Patrick Bamford

“I felt like we should’ve won. I’m frustrated to be honest but a point against Liverpool is a good point. I’m annoyed with myself that I haven’t scored tonight.

10.00pm BST

Another plug for Sean Ingle’s superb summary of a surreal day.

9.53pm BST

Leeds remain in 10th place and are now level on points with Arsenal. Liverpool stay sixth, two points behind West Ham in fourth.

9.52pm BST

That was a really good game between two high-energy teams. Liverpool were much better in the first half and led through Sadio Mane’s goal. Leeds were equally good after the break and fully deserved Diego Llorente’s late equaliser.

9.49pm BST

90+2 min The substitute Oxlade-Chamberlain misses a good chance to win the game, poking straight at Meslier from 10 yards.

9.47pm BST

90 min There will be four minutes of added time.

9.44pm BST

And they get a reward. Harrison’s superb inswinging corner is headed in from six yards by Llorente; it’s his first goal for Leeds. That was a brilliant ball in from Harrison.

9.43pm BST

86 min Ayling wins a corner for Leeds, who deserve a reward for their second-half dominance.

9.43pm BST

86 min Another Leeds change: Pablo Hernandez replaces Tyler Roberts.

9.42pm BST

85 min Thiago sprays a pass over the top for Salah, who gets away from Llorente but then drags a tame shot wide of the far post. I think he might have been offside, on reflection, though it was still a poor effort.

9.39pm BST

83 min “Whatever people think about the merits of the idea,” says Simon McMahon, “who wouldn’t want to get up at 4am to watch the Liverpool - Man United wildcard fixture to see who plays Real Madrid or Barcelona in the Western Conference championship match ahead of Soccer Bowl I versus some Italian club at the Enormo-Dome in February 2022?”

9.38pm BST

81 min Liverpool bring on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Diogo Jota, who has been threatening but slightly profligate.

9.38pm BST

80 min Meslier plays a dreadful pass, straight to Salah 25 yards from goal. He moves into the area and has a shot that deflects behind for a corner. Alexander-Arnold’s corner pinballs around the area, with Meslier out of his goal. Eventually Jota loops a header towards goal and Meslier scampers back to punch it over the bar.

9.37pm BST

79 min Mateusz Klich comes on for Leeds in place of Alioski.

9.35pm BST

78 min Liverpool break three on two, with Robertson on the ball. He runs 60 yards and then overhits a simple pass through to Jota. Oh dear.

9.35pm BST

77 min Another great chance for Leeds. Poveda-Ocampo slides a square pass to find Roberts unmarked in the area. He takes a touch and rams a shot straight at Alisson from eight yards. Alisson’s positioning was good and the ball thumped into his chest. That was really similar to the chance Paul Pogba had at Anfield earlier in the season.

9.33pm BST

75 min: Bamford hits the bar with a terrific effort. He killed Ayling’s long pass on the run, waited for it to bounce and lobbed it over Alisson from the edge of the area. It just didn’t dip enough and hit the top of the bar before rebounding to safety.

9.31pm BST

73 min This has been a really good game. I thought it might be subdued, in the circumstances, but both teams have played with their their usual intensity.

9.28pm BST

71 min A change for Liverpool: Mo Salah replaces the goalscorer Sadio Mane.

9.26pm BST

69 min Roberts finds Harrison, who slithers away from Milner on the six-yard line and hammers a low shot that is excellently saved with his feet by Alisson.

9.25pm BST

68 min Here’s an excellent summary of the day’s events from Sean Ingle.

9.24pm BST

67 min A change for Leeds: Ian Poveda-Ocampo replaces Helder Costa on the right wing.

9.24pm BST

67 min An excellent free-kick from Phillips flashes across the face of goal.

9.23pm BST

66 min Kabak is booked for a block tackle on Ayling.

9.21pm BST

63 min Here’s more from David Hytner on the T-shirts that wound Liverpool up.

9.19pm BST

62 min Leeds are having a good spell, probably their best of the match. In fact they’ve had 71 per cent of the possession in the second half.

9.18pm BST

61 min “Hi Rob,” says Colin. “It is interesting that everyone from the prime minister down is getting upset about a breakaway league, yet they said nothing about 6,500 migrant workers dying while building facilities for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“6,500 deaths so that a few rich blokes could kick a ball around while other rich blokes make even more money from it, and Qatar get to indulge in a bit of sports washing. Just think how many kids will never see their dads again, how many will grow up in poverty because the breadwinner is dead.

9.18pm BST

60 min A Leeds corner is headed on by Bamford and volleyed over from close range by Costa. I think he was offside anyway.

9.17pm BST

NO PENALTY That’s fair enough - he was actually trying to move his arm out of the way.

9.16pm BST

59 min Leeds appeal for a penalty when a cross hits the arm of Alexander-Arnold. VAR are checking. This is close - it definitely hit his arm, but it was tight to his body.

9.15pm BST

57 min A wicked low cross from Alioski just evades Bamford in the middle. Robertson turns it behind for a corner. That almost leads to a chance when Roberts’ mishit shot is kept in play by Ayling on the byline. He cushions a volley back into the middle and Liverpool clear.

9.13pm BST

56 min It feels like a matter of time before Liverpool get a second goal. They have been intimidatingly good tonight.

9.11pm BST

54 min Robertson’s corner just evades Jota on the six-yard line.

“I don’t care how old he is, one of the great midfield heroes for Leeds these past few seasons has been Pablo Hernandez,” says Mick Byrne. “Why doesn’t he play more often? He’s needed now...”

9.10pm BST

52 min “Surely there are various options to solve this and surely it’s very significant that the UK government will do everything it can to stop this,” says Francis Mead. “We could have the German 51% rule to limit foreign ownership; we could even have a ‘socialist” draft system like the NFL to even up the competitions; and the PL, the FA and the government could lay down regulations that determine that competitions must have open-ended entry and the chance of regulation and promotion. Already players are likely to be banned from the Euros and World Cup - that is not trivial. Things are very far from lost at the moment - it could actually be a good moment for fair reforms.”

It could, but I’d say it’s pretty unlikely.

9.09pm BST

51 min Milner’s dangerous cross is turned just wide by Mane at the near post. In fact Meslier got to it first and pushed the ball against Mane, with the rebound going past the post.

9.06pm BST

49 min Here’s a piece from Andy Hunter on Jurgen Klopp’s comments about the Super League.

9.05pm BST

47 min Firmino’s shot from a tight angle is pushed away by Meslier, falling to his right. The resulting corner is headed over from six yards by Jota. That was a really good chance, a sitter in fact.

9.04pm BST

47 min “Ajax won’t be in the Super League,” writes Sven Schlijper-Karssenberg. “Here’s the official statement by Edwin van der Sar...”

9.03pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Leeds begin the second half.

9.01pm BST

“Be good to know that, if this travesty happens, the Guardian won’t MBM the games,” says David Clarke. “There’s no supposing it’ll make the crooks quake in their loafers, but it would be sad if we all had to boycott you, Rob.”

Funnily enough I was chatting to Paul Doyle about this today. I hope we won’t cover any of it, but we all know how life works.

8.59pm BST

“Truth be told, and I know I am the minority, I do not get the fury,” says Oliver Loksa. “Being a Liverpool supporter, do I feel betrayed? No. Why should I? Because my club wants to play additional games and earn additional money? From a supporter’s point of view, I would understand the fury if they had intended to abandon the PL or CL, but they had not. And if somebody managed to enrage UEFA to this extent, they must be doing something right.”

8.48pm BST

More half-time reading

8.47pm BST

Half-time reading

This is a very good email, pretty much all of which I agree with, especially the part about us all being complicit.

8.46pm BST

Peep peep! A motivated Liverpool are ahead thanks to a goal from Sadio Mane. They’ve been much the better team, really impressive in fact, and could have scored a couple more.

8.43pm BST

44 min “Hi Rob, I hope you’re keeping well,” says Niall Mullen. “I don’t doubt that even a cursory examination of football’s history would quickly put paid to the ideas of the sport as some Corinthian idyll. Nor do I doubt for a second that any of the other teams, Leeds, Everton, West Ham, whoever would have joined the proposed Super League given half a chance. Also I know that all things change and that those things that seemed eternal and monolithic as a child are mere transient bagatelles that only imprint themselves thus on your impressionable mind. This still absolutely effing stinks though.”

Yeah, in more ways than one it’s the fat end of the wedge. I’m probably wrong but I can’t see how this can be resolved satisfactorily.

8.42pm BST

42 min Tyler Roberts sidefoots a first-time shot at goal from the edge of the area. It’s nowhere near the corner and Alisson saves easily.

8.41pm BST

41 min When Liverpool play like this, it becomes very hard to understand their shambles of a season. At the best, and they’ve been pretty close tonight, they are nigh-on unstoppable.

8.40pm BST

40 min Meslier makes a fine save from Jota, who read Llorente’s dodgy backpass and tried to lob it over the keeper.

8.39pm BST

39 min Now Firmino is booked for a super foul on Ayling.

8.38pm BST

38 min Milner slices well wide from 20 yards.

8.37pm BST

38 min If it stays like this Liverpool will move up to fourth, above West Ham on goal difference, for whatever it’s worth.

8.37pm BST

37 min Alioski is booked for legging Mane up. Just before that, Dallas floated a cross to Harrison beyond the far post. He could have volleyed at goal but instead tried to cushion the ball back across to Bamford, and Fabinho nipped in front of him to clear.

8.34pm BST

35 min One other thing about the Super League: look how crap the website is.

8.33pm BST

34 min Alexander-Arnold tiptoes into the area and reverses a pass to Jota, who spanks high and wide from the edge of the area.

8.32pm BST

33 min Liverpool deserve that goal. Whatever their motivation, they’ve been really good.

8.31pm BST

Diogo Jota drove an excellent angled pass to find Alexander-Arnold, who got away from his marker Harrison. Meslier came out to the edge of the area so Alexander-Arnold poked the ball square to give Mane an open goal.

8.30pm BST

Sadio Mane ends his goal drought.

8.27pm BST

27 min Liverpool are still dominant, even though Leeds had the best chance. Robertson’s corner from the left is headed wide by Wijnaldum, ahead of the near post.

8.26pm BST

The YouGov finding that 79% of football fans oppose the European Super League is more or less as you'd expect. What struck me was the *51%* who believe the six English clubs involved should now be kicked out of the Premier League.

8.26pm BST

| Jurgen Klopp speaks about the European Super League...

The #LFC manager explains his thoughts on the breakaway proposals and reveals him and his players were not consulted on the decision.

Watch #MNF live on Sky Sports Premier League now! pic.twitter.com/DLSXeT1Lze

8.25pm BST

25 min Dallas is booked for something or other.

8.24pm BST

25 min “Disagree with Robi Polger on the NFL,” says James Maslen.” In the last 17 years, 13 different teams have won the Superbowl and the only team that one it more than once was the New England Patriots. Hardly predictable. Last year, the team up the road, the Tampa Bay Buc’s came out of nowhere to win it. Perhaps Robi should start watching again.”

8.24pm BST

24 min Bamford misses a good chance to give Leeds the lead. Fabinho played a poor pass straight to Phillips, who slid it through to Bamford. His touch was heavy and that allowed Alisson to block the shot, which ricocheted off Fabinho and just wide of the empty net.

8.22pm BST

23 min “I think blaming Americans for the ESL is a bit cheap,” says Peter Pearson. “American fans I know (and being one myself) love the tradition and history of the game. The ESL is a disgusting soulless cash grab. If the new league moves anywhere, it’s obviously to overseas tax havens, just like the owners’ money. PS: The NFL has loads of issues but at least there’s a draft system to try to keep the league competitive.”

8.21pm BST

21 min A dangerous low cross from Harrison is sliced wide of his own goal by Kabak, under pressure from Bamford. In the end he did pretty well, as that could easily have been an own goal. The corner is headed away by Firmino.

8.20pm BST

20 min “Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Anyone looking for a new club to support is welcome to join me and a few others in following 1984 European Cup semi-finalists Dundee United FC. And as a special introductory offer, we’ve even got a Scottish Cup quarter final against Aberdeen this weekend on free to air telly. Disappointment guaranteed. You’re welcome.”

I think I might just start football again, watching every Match of the Day from January 1980 onwards.

8.19pm BST

19 min Jota cuts inside Ayling in the area and hits a shot that is crucially blocked by Llorente. Liverpool have started extremely well.

8.17pm BST

18 min Firmino shoots straight at Meslier from 25 yards.

8.17pm BST

17 min Costa plays a square pass to Bamford in the D. He starts to turn towards goal and is then well challenged by Thiago.

8.13pm BST

14 min Jota turns Struijk beautifully in the area, and is about to shoot when Alioski makes a vital sliding tackle.

8.12pm BST

13 min Bamford drags Harrison’s free-kick wide of goal from 12 yards. It wouldn’t have counted anyway; he was offside.

8.11pm BST

12 min Here’s more on today’s other big story - Jose Mourinho being invited to do one from Spurs.

8.10pm BST

11 min Leeds haven’t really got going yet. Liverpool, by contrast, look purposeful and confident.

8.09pm BST

10 min “I agree with Mary Waltz (18:59) about the perils of the franchise-ation of football,” says Robi Polgar. “In the US, before a season starts, everyone knows who’s going to be in the playoffs in the four domestic leagues (gridiron football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey); there are seldom any surprises. Games are reduced to ritual, something you experience as rote. I stopped watching American professional sports years ago. I imagine, were I in the UK, I’d gravitate toward my local non-league club and ignore the franchises (though you know they’ll be marketing the hell out whatever pablum they serve).”

8.08pm BST

8 min “I’m all for this Super League business, if only to drive home a few banal truths about what the economic system we live under actually does,” says Phil Podolsky. “Also, can’t wait for clubs to be called things like The Leicester Ligers, The Portsmouth Pangolins, The Barcelona Badgers... C’mon people, let’s breathe in the winds of change.”

8.07pm BST

7 min Liverpool have started excellently. Fabinho, playing centre-back, runs half the length of the pitch before clipping a short cross to Firmino. The ball is slightly behind him and Leeds eventually scramble the ball away.

8.05pm BST

5 min Thiago beats Phillips with a wiggle of the hips and cracks a swirling drive from 25 yards. It’s straight down the middle and Meslier leaps to tip it over, an acrobatic but essentially straightforward save.

8.04pm BST

4 min The intensity of the game is decent, with no sign that the players are subconsciously wondering WHAT’S THE BUGGERING POINT.

8.03pm BST

3 min Firmino runs onto a long, straight pass behind the Leeds defence. Meslier comes a long way off his line but the angle is tight and Firmino mistimes his attempted lob over Meslier.

8.00pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Liverpool begin the first half, kicking from right to left.

8.00pm BST

“I can see Carragher’s point, but the reason that these clubs are breaking away is that they feel there is a market there that is currently being untapped,” says Mick Reynolds. “Far from a lot of people being put off by this league, what’s being forgotten about is the fact that fans in the US, Middle East, and other markets are probably seeing this as a great opportunity, and a chance to possibly have some games or even a franchise in their local area. The Slimy Six and their European Allies are banking on that, hence why “European” has largely been excluded from their branding, the long-term aim would be to expand the league to the likes of America and the Middle East.”

I think he was talking from the perspective of people who grew up with football in the 1970s and 1980s. But I agree with you – I think this breakaway will be a success, at least by their criteria.

7.59pm BST

Right, time for the football. Marcelo Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp embrace warmly, two football geniuses whose opinion on the future of the game matters not a jot.

7.56pm BST

Gary Neville suggests they might cancel the EFL Cup final

“Who cares? They don’t care about English football.Something like that has to be on the table, because they have to know they can’t bully their way through everyone in this country. They are bullying the 14 clubs, the EFL, the FA...”

7.55pm BST

Here’s Ian Wright on Arsenal’s involvement

“I literally can’t believe it when I saw Arsenal’s name come up on the screen as one of the teams. This is the same Arsenal that only a couple of weeks ago was commended for the tribute to David Rocastle. God, the man would be turning in his grave knowing what is going on now. Is this how far we have fallen? That we are getting into competitions because we are not good enough to get into them, so at the detriment of the English game we are getting the seat to the table we have no right to be at.”

7.54pm BST

It’s nearly time for the football. I think I’d rather watch another three hours of Carragher and Neville.

7.50pm BST

“Evening Rob,” says Gary Byrne. “I think the question that really needs answering is: will the European Super League use VAR?”

That made me chuckle. Then I remembered this from Sean Ingle’s exclusive.

The Super League ownership and governance structure is designed to allow us to rapidly adopt and incorporate new ideas into the competition. Whether it’s changes in live match distribution formats, technology-enhanced rule implementation or player development, we can no longer rely on external bodies to drive progress in these areas.

7.49pm BST

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have been quite majestic on Sky Sports, ferociously eloquent for the best part of an hour. Here’s more from Carragher.

I think people are already starting to turn away from football. VAR’s a big part of that. And this will turn away a generation of supporters who grew up loving football. It’ll just become boring, because there’s nothing there. Football can take you to a place that nothing else can. This league will never take you to that place, ever again.

7.45pm BST

“Hi Rob,” says David Wall. “Is there any point Liverpool putting any effort into tonight’s game now? They don’t want to qualify for next year’s Champions League and won’t participate if they do. So why even bother trying to win? The only real gain for them left this year is getting in the top four, which only brings CL qualification and a little extra money. Why not just use it as a training match to give experience to some of their youth players for all the difference it’ll make for their ambitions left for the season.”

I suppose it’s too soon for a gesture like that. I really feel for the Liverpool players. Klopp’s interview confirmed that he and they knew bugger all about it until yesterday. That is scandalous. I can’t see how this has a clean ending, never mind a happy one. This is it, this is armageddon.

7.38pm BST

More from Jurgen Klopp

“We will try to focus on the game. I heard that there are warm-up shirts [made by Leeds, with ‘EARN IT’ on one side and ‘FOOTBALL IS FOR THE FANS’ on the other]. We will not wear them, we cannot. But if somebody thinks they have to remind us that you have to earn the right to play in the Champions League, that’s a joke, a real joke, and it makes me angry. They have put them in our dressing-room. If it was Leeds’ idea, thank you very much. Nobody has to remind us, maybe they should remind themselves.”

7.26pm BST

A plane carrying a banner with #SayNoToEuropeanSuperLeague has been flown over Elland Road.

Listen to The Monday Night Club via @BBCSounds:
https://t.co/5Du5Yi3KXr #MNC #europeansuperleague #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/DOU7qvvdIO

7.25pm BST

“My wife, a teacher, used the word ‘stakeholders’ in an email recently about groups who had attended a conference and I let rip on how it’s a word I detest - business-speak twaddle,” says Phil West. “The owners of the clubs now call themselves ‘stakeholders’, I wonder when ‘fans’ will become ‘secondary stakeholders’. I am just too old.”

7.18pm BST

More from Jurgen Klopp

“I have no issues with the Champions League. I like the competitive aspect of football. I like the fact that West Ham can play in the Champions League next year – I don’t want them to, because we want to qualify, but I like that they have the chance.

7.16pm BST

Here’s Jurgen Klopp

“My feelings about a Super League haven’t changed. I heard about it for the first time yesterday. We’ve got some information, not a lot to be honest. It’s a tough one. People are not happy, I can understand that, but I cannot say a lot more because we were not involved in any processes: not the players, not me. We will have to wait and see how it develops.”

7.15pm BST

One last line from Gary Neville

“This is an attack by six wealthy families on the integrity of our national sport, and it must be stopped.”

7.13pm BST

More from Gary Neville: “The Glazers need to be booted out of this country”

“I feel slightly complicit. I’ve stayed pretty quiet in terms of the Glazer family over the years. I stayed pretty quiet because I thought when the club became a plc, you knew it could be bought. I believe in free market, generally in life, and I’ve always thought: what’s the answers to the Glazers? Who takes them out: Russia, China, state money?

7.10pm BST

And here’s Gary Neville

“I was half hoping they would rethink it because of the backlash. When I woke up and saw the statement, and it had Joel Glazer’s name on it, I thought, ‘Oh. This is a problem. Big problem.’ He doesn’t put his name on anything that man. He’s intelligent, he knows what he wants. He’s parked his weasels and he’s come out. Once he puts his name on it… he’s gonna try and force this through. They went through hell at Manchester United in the early years. They withstood it. They don’t care. They don’t care.

7.06pm BST

The thoughts of Jamie Carragher

“I think supporters up and down the country can stop this, and I think at the forefront of this will be Liverpool, because I’ve seen it before. Football fans: get together, all of us, and stop this. This cannot be allowed to happen.”

7.03pm BST

Leeds (4-1-4-1) Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Alioski; Phillips; Costa, Dallas, Roberts, Harrison; Bamford.
Substitutes: Casilla, Koch, Berardi, Davis, Hernandez, Klich, Shackleton, Poveda-Ocampo, Gelhardt.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Kabak, Robertson; Thiago, Wijnaldum, Milner; Jota, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Adrian, Tsimikas, Davies, R Williams, N Williams, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Salah.

7.00pm BST

Football is for the fans. pic.twitter.com/9oQj2PM6l4

6.59pm BST

The time in the UK is 6.59pm. We’re one minute away from Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville going off on a monumental one, live on Sky Sports.

6.59pm BST

“I stopped a lifetime of supporting the NFL ten years ago,” says Mary Waltz. “Fan protest did nothing. This Super League is simply the imposition of the NFL franchise model onto the Premier League. All their talk about improving the pyramid is complete hogwash. As soon as they have this set up they will eventually leave the PL completely. The whole purpose of this league is to avoid the uncertainty of relegation and replace it with a franchise NFL system. I know the NFL. They don’t care about criticism, they know it will fade. They respect two things. Government and legal actions and regulation.

“I fled to the Premier league as a substitute for the NFL.The NFL ruined American football for me. It is trying to do the same to the PL. Don’t let them do it. Call your MP, no matter how you vote, and tell them they have to stop this. Grassroot protest is lovely, I encourage it, but these brutes don’t care about your hurt feelings. The UK government, along with France and Germany, are the only groups who can stop this.”

6.56pm BST

One thing that does surprise me is that there was so little outrage about Uefa’s Champions League proposals, which involved a partial closing of the shop. Or am I missing something? This is another level of greed and entitlement, I appreciate that.

6.51pm BST

Thanks for all your emails. I’ll try to read them all but it might be tricky. In the spirit of the times, if you lob me 50 quid I can guarantee publication.

6.50pm BST

“At least,” says Ian Copestake, “you won’t be debating VAR.”

If they have the nerve to inflict that on us tonight, I’ll do time. I’ll burn Stockley Park to the ground.

6.36pm BST

We’ve got a couple more new pieces - one from David Baddiel (insert your own Fantasy Football League joke here) and one on the reaction around Europe

6.34pm BST

“Klopp quitting is exactly the scenario I’ve been imagining,” says Matt Dony. “He’s previously dismissed the idea of a breakaway league, so it’s not the world’s biggest stretch. That kind of principled stance would absolutely wipe out any memories of the struggles of this season. I’m terrified of losing him from Liverpool, (and rationally I am fully aware that it’s a tremendously unlikely outcome; nothing more than a sad fan romanticising a horrible situation), but should events unfold like that, I don’t know what could possibly top it.

“In the big picture, it already feels like it’s gone too far. I don’t know how to fix the rifts that have already developed. Maybe there already isn’t a way to fix them. But I’m sad. I’m sad it’s finally come to this. I’m sad that the millions (and millions) of voices of fans aren’t being listened to. I’m sad that football makes itself so hard to love.”

6.29pm BST

This is sensational work from Sean Ingle

6.27pm BST

6.22pm BST

“Good luck for this one Rob, as your email is going to be absolutely chock-a-block,” says Michael Cosgrove. “As for me, a Liverpool fan, all I can say is that if they go through with this I’ll be looking for a new club to support. Two candidates; Newcastle United (soft spot club) and Lincoln City (childhood memories). Or maybe I can support them both? That apart, I’m so looking forward to the interview!”

If Klopp were to quit, live on Sky, half an hour before the match, he would become immortal.

6.12pm BST

The peasants’ revolt

6.01pm BST

If you’ve been at a digital retreat in the Kerguelen Islands this weekend, you’ll have missed the shocking revelation that [redacted] is the big villain in Line of Duty. There was also something about a European Super League, and a Big Six doing unspeakable things to a golden goose. You can read all about that below. Oh, and Jose Mourinho has been sacked.

4.40pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Jurgen Klopp being interviewed at Elland Road. Let’s be honest, that’s why we’re all here. We’re going to stick around for the post-interview entertainment, too, an association football match between Leeds and Liverpool. It’s an important game for Liverpool, who need to finish one of the top four divisions if they are to qualify for next season’s European Super League. Can they do it?

Kick off 8pm for the football, 7pm for the TV coverage, in which Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville demonstrate their full vocal range.

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Published on April 19, 2021 14:06

April 18, 2021

Leicester 1-0 Southampton: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened

The in-form Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal of a cagey game to put Leicester into the FA Cup final for the first time since 1969

8.55pm BST

8.31pm BST

Here’s the exceedingly likeable Kelechi Iheanacho

“We did it together, the team. It’s not a one-man show. I’m happy with the way we stuck together and that I was in the right place at the right time The partnership between Jamie and me is outstanding - he’s got the pace, he’s got everything. He’s a great player and he set up the goal. I think the FA Cup loves me, and I love the FA Cup!

8.25pm BST

Brendan Rodgers, usually so reserved, can’t stop beaming as he embraces his players. This is a lovely reward for the exceptional work he has done in two years at Leicester. The man’s a class act.

8.23pm BST

Peep peep! Leicester are into the FA Cup final for the first time since 1969! The brilliant Kelechi Iheanacho’s second-half goal, his 10th in the last seven games, settled a cagey match at Wembley. There wasn’t much in it – the goal was the only shot on target - but Leicester had just a bit more penetration in attack.

Southampton worked very hard and ran out of puff after about 70 minutes. Leicester will face Chelsea here on 15 May, with the chance to win the competition for the first time in their history.

8.23pm BST

90+4 min Fraser Forster is forward. Ward-Prowse’s free-kick is unusually dreadful, straight into the arms of Schmeichel. And that’s it!

8.22pm BST

90+3 min Vestergaard is now playing centre-forward, and why not. He is fouled by Evans 40 yards from goal. This is Southampton’s last chance...

8.20pm BST

90+2 min Iheanacho beats two defenders on the edge of the area and has a shot blocked by Salisu.

8.19pm BST

90+1 min Bednarek is booked for a poor tackle on Vardy.

8.19pm BST

90 min There will be four minutes of added time. Southampton don’t look like scoring at the moment.

8.15pm BST

87 min Southampton are really struggling to get any attacking momentum. It’s starting to look like Leicester v Chelsea; I wonder who the neutrals would support.

8.13pm BST

85 min And another: Mohamed Salisu comes on for Ryan Bertrand. I guess that means a switch to a back three.

8.13pm BST

84 min Another change for Southampton: Nathan Tella replaces Kyle Walker-Peters.

8.12pm BST

84 min Maddison stabs a classy pass through to Vardy, who is fractionally offside.

8.10pm BST

82 min Southampton had an excellent spell just after going behind, but since then they have struggled to put Leicester under any pressure.

8.08pm BST

79 min Maddison receives possession 25 yards from goal, pushes the ball forward and hits a lovely rising drive that swerves just wide of the far post. That was almost a cracking goal.

8.07pm BST

78 min Vardy again storms past Bednarek on the left. This time he tries to cut back inside, but Bednarek reacts smartly to poke the ball away.

8.06pm BST

77 min: Chance for Leicester! Iheanacho twists away from Ward-Prowse, moves to the edge of the D and plays in Maddison to his left. He lets the ball roll across his body but then lifts it over the bar with his left foot. That was lovely play from Iheanacho, who is more than just a goalscorer. His link play is really tidy.

8.03pm BST

75 min Tielemans goes over after a challenge from Diallo, who has been booked. It looked pretty innocous, though the way Tielemans went down suggested otherwise. Chris Kavanagh is happy that it is just a free-kick.

8.01pm BST

73 min According to our stats, which are sometimes correct, Iheanacho’s goal was the only shot on target in the entire match.

8.01pm BST

73 min Southampton bring on Theo Walcott for Moussa Djenepo

7.58pm BST

70 min For a player whose confidence in front of goal is through the floor, Jamie Vardy has had a terrific game. His movement and hold-up play have been exemplary. He has developed so much as a footballer.

7.57pm BST

69 min Another Leicester change: James Maddison replaces Ayoze Perez.

7.56pm BST

67 min Ings tries to press Schmeichel and is eased to the canvas by Soyuncu. No foul is given, and Soyunucu is a little fortunate, not least because he has already been booked.

7.53pm BST

64 min Armstrong’s cross is headed away to the edge of the area, where Diallo twists his body to crack an excellent shot that swerves just wide of the post. Schmeichel didn’t move.

7.51pm BST

62 min Ndidi loses the ball in a dangerous area to Armstrong, who slides it through to Ings in the area. He doesn’t shoot first time, possibly put off by a potential challenge by Soyuncu on his outside, and then tries a backheel across the six-yard box that is blocked. I’m very surprised he didn’t hit that straight away.

7.49pm BST

61 min Adams has a shot blocked by Evans, then Diallo wafts over from 25 yards.

7.48pm BST

60 min And now a Leicester substitution: Marc Albrighton replaces Ricardo Pereira.

7.47pm BST

59 min A Southampton change: Che Adams replaces Nathan Redmond.

7.46pm BST

58 min Djenepo appeals unsuccessfully for a penalty when his cross hits the arm of Fofana. It was tight to his body and VAR doesn’t intervene.

7.46pm BST

56 min There was a bit of fortune with the goal - Iheanacho’s first shot was going off target, and I’m not sure Vardy was trying to pick him out in the first place. I have a feeling he was looking for Castagne, who was unmarked just inside the area.

7.45pm BST

The goal was made superbly by Vardy, who scorched past Bednarek on the left and moved into the area. He cut the ball back towards the near post, where Iheanacho twisted his body to sidefoot a volley at goal. It was going well wide but hit Vestergaard and rebounded straight to Iheanacho, who finished calmly at the second attempt.

7.43pm BST

Kelechi Iheanacho’s golden run continues!

7.42pm BST

54 min Nothing to report, I’m afraid.

7.40pm BST

52 min The last FA Cup semi-final to go to penalties, since you asked, was Arsenal v Wigan in 2014.

7.38pm BST

50 min Ward-Prowse’s free-kick is headed over by Vestergaard, who jumped a fraction too early as was on the way down when he made contact.

7.37pm BST

49 min Soyuncu is booked for fouling Walker-Peters on the right wing. This is another chance for Ward-Prowse to work his dead-ball magic.

7.36pm BST

48 min Southampton have made a lively start to the second half, pressing more aggressively in the Leicester half.

7.33pm BST

46 min Peep peep! Southampton begin the second half.

7.20pm BST

Half-time reading

7.19pm BST

Peep peep! A cautious first half ends goalless. The out-of-form Jamie Vardy missed a very good chance for Leicester, but there wasn’t too much else to report.

7.18pm BST

45 min One minute of added time.

7.17pm BST

44 min Tielemans’ corner is flicked on by Ndidi, then headed dangerously back across goal by Jonny Evans at the far post. Vardy, Bednarek and Ings all go up for the header, a couple of yards out, and the ball hits somebody before looping onto the roof of the net. I thought Bednarek jammed it against Vardy, but another corner has been given. Tielemans swings this one straight out of play on the far side.

7.15pm BST

43 min Vardy scoots down the left and wins a corner off Walker-Peters. Tielemans strolls across to take it...

7.14pm BST

42 min A half chance for Ndidi, who heads Tielemans’ near-post corner onto the roof of the net.

7.10pm BST

38 min There have been no shots on target so far. That said, it has improved a peedie bit after a really cagey start.

7.07pm BST

36 min The falling Fofana makes a vital headed clearance on the six-yard line, with Djenepo waiting behind him.

7.07pm BST

35 min Ward-Prowse drives a training-ground corner hard and low to the near post, where Bertrand completely mistimes his first-time shot. That was a chance, albeit a sharp one.

7.06pm BST

34 min: Vardy misses a great chance! Leicester should be ahead. Tielemans stole the ball off Diallo on the halfway line and angled a marvellous pass behind Bednarek to put Vardy through on goal. He stabbed the ball slightly away from goal with his left foot, an iffy first touch, and then chipped it wide of the near post as Forster came out. An in-form Vardy would have buried that.

7.04pm BST

33 min This is a decent spell for Southampton, their best of the match so far.

7.03pm BST

32 min Walker-Peters is fouled by Perez, 30 yards from goal in the inside-right channel. Ward-Prowse curls in an excellent free-kick that is headed away well by Ndidi, under considerable pressure from Vestergaard.

7.01pm BST

30 min “I fear,” says Ian Copestake, “that the inspirational videos Herr Hasenhüttl had his players’ eyelids pulled back to watch were previously used to promote euthanasia in Soylent Green.”

7.00pm BST

29 min Ings falls over in the D after a challenge from Ndidi. Chris Kavanagh isn’t interested. I thought it was a dive on first viewing, and still do on second viewing.

6.59pm BST

27 min Perez, in the inside-left channel, plays a wall pass with Vardy and teases a first-time cross that just evades Iheanacho at the far post. That was really good play for Leicester.

6.56pm BST

25 min “Evening Rob,” says Stephen Carr. “You may recall my email earlier this week where I disclosed that within a few hours of opening, my local was crawling with police due to the activities some high-spirited patrons. With this in mind, I went further afield to Cheshire for a walk and a pint. Imagine my disgust to be informed that they’d run out of lager (both draft and bottled) and bitter. In this case, the grass most certainly was not greener. If this isn’t an ominously analogous comment on the recent S*per League developments, then I don’t know what is.”

6.55pm BST

24 min Vardy’s tame shot from the edge of the D dribbles through to Forster.

6.54pm BST

22 min If this goes to extra time and penalties, it’ll flipping intrude upon Line of Duty

6.53pm BST

21 min Ricardo lofts an excellent pass down the left to release Perez. He cuts into the area but then overruns the ball and is tackled by Vestergaard. That was a decent opportunity.

6.52pm BST

20 min Redmond’s deep cross from the right is miscued on the half volley by Ings, well beyond the far post. The angle was prohibitive so I think he was just trying to guide it back into the middle; it was a difficult ball to deal with.

6.50pm BST

18 min See 15 min. It’s not great, at least not yet.

6.46pm BST

15 min Nothing much is happening. Both teams look slightly too conscious of the occasion.

6.44pm BST

12 min Leicester have been the better team so far, though there isn’t a huge amount in it.

6.42pm BST

10 min Schmeichel charges from his area and just beats Ings to Djenepo’s ball over the top. Good goalkeeping, because Ings would have been through.

6.41pm BST

9 min “Good idea, Rob, keep the Super League nonsense out of this blog,” says Matt Dony. “Let’s just spend the time focusing on VAR, instead. Football makes itself so hard to love. 1995 Matt was OBSESSED with the Smashing Pumpkins. I’m genuinely sad that I will never love another album with the teenage intensity that I loved Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. I still enjoy their music, and I could never actively feel negatively towards the band. But Billy Corgan has spent the last 20 years or so making it increasingly difficult. Rationally, I can recognise that he’s a colossal spanner. But I still love him. Football feels like it’s going the same way, sometimes...”

6.37pm BST

7 min Vardy is going to continue. He poked a loose ball away from Diallo, who was a fraction late and planted his studs into the side of Vardy’s leg.

6.37pm BST

6 min Vardy is still down after that tackle from Diallo.

6.36pm BST

4 min An early half chance for Perez, who sidefoots well wide from 15 yards after good play by Tielemans. Diallo is booked for a foul on Vardy in the build up.

6.31pm BST

1 min Peep peep! Leicester, in blue, kick off from right to left. Southampton are in their stylish Peru away strip.

6.27pm BST

It’s a beautiful evening at Wembley, and the players are applauded onto the field by actual, real-life human beings.

6.18pm BST

Francis Benali is one of the BT Sport pundits, which is as good a reason as any to post this old favourite.

6.15pm BST

Anyway, let’s make this MBM a European Super League-free zone. This game is none of their business.

5.36pm BST

Pre-match reading

5.35pm BST

The teams in (probable) formation

Leicester City (3-4-1-2) Schmeichel; Fofana, Evans, Soyuncu; Castagne, Tielemans, Ndidi, Ricardo; Perez; Iheanacho, Vardy.
Substitutes: Ward, Amartey, Thomas, Choudhury, Mendy, Praet, Albrighton, Under, Maddison.

5.31pm BST

Semi-final team news

Brought to you by @eToro

Here's how the Foxes line up for #LeiSou

Our #EmiratesFACup semi-final line-up pic.twitter.com/dXsHg8eeBO

4.26pm BST

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the FA Cup semi-final between Leicester City and Southampton at Wembley. This should have been the most uplifting occasion: a semi-final free of Big Six teams, with none of the usual entitlement and ennui, to be played in front of 4,000 supporters. But this vile European Super League story has darkened the mood.

Leicester are strongish favourites to reach their first FA Cup final since 1969. (Southampton’s last was in 2003.) But their form has dipped since that outstanding quarter-final victory over Manchester United, and they are up against dangerous opponents. Leicester’s 9-0 win at St Mary’s is part of the backstory to this game - but so is Southampton’s outstanding, cathartic 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium three months later. When Southampton are bad, they’re very, very bad. But when they’re good...

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Published on April 18, 2021 12:31

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