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Brighton 0-1 Arsenal, West Brom 0-5 Leeds and more – as it happened

Arsenal carved out a victory at Brighton, while Leeds condemned Sam Allardyce to his worst home defeat as a manager

8.12pm GMT

8.00pm GMT

The classified check.

7.55pm GMT

A huge result for Burnley, who are beginning to disentangle themselves from bother at the bottom. They rise above Brighton into 16th, five points clear of the drop zone. The Blades look a beaten docket right now.

7.53pm GMT

So much for Arsenal getting dragged into a relegation battle. Not a banner evening for Big Sam.

7.52pm GMT

Sam Allardyce walks off with a face on. Marcelo Bielsa has a passionate chat with Sammy Lee. It could have been ten.

7.50pm GMT

The scoreline tells the whole story. One of those.

7.48pm GMT

Saka, sitting in the stands at the Amex, looks pretty happy and relaxed now. Not least because he’s been named man of the match. All signs suggest there’s no serious damage to his ankle.

7.44pm GMT

Down at St Mary’s, Benrahma pokes an effort goalwards amid a scramble from six yards. McCarthy smothers at close range. Saints aren’t offering much up the other end. This one looks like ending goalless, having been a non-event pretty much from the get-go. Can anyone launch a smash and grab?

7.42pm GMT

Leeds have long been home and hosed, yet they still come at West Brom with extreme prejudice. Bamford sends a screamer over the bar from 12 yards. A couple of corners. Harrison whips a cross in from the right that somehow eludes four burgundy shirts. They are relentless.

7.38pm GMT

Saka, who set up Lacazette’s goal with his right-wing cross, does indeed have to go off. But he’s able to do so under his own steam, and doesn’t look in too much pain as he walks off the pitch.

7.34pm GMT

A worry for Arsenal at the Amex, where Saka has picked up an ankle injury and is rolling around on the turf in genuine distress. Hopefully that’s just the sting of impact and nothing more serious. Speaking of which ...

Talk about putting your body (and head) on the line

Don’t worry Che Adams is up and running again#PLonPrime #SOUWHU pic.twitter.com/GSW1OCzThg

7.32pm GMT

It’s not even news any more. Another glorious goal for Leeds United. Raphinha glides in gracefully from the right, reaches the edge of the D, and swishes a curler of great beauty into the top left. As things stand, this will be Sam Allardyce’s heaviest home defeat in the league. Forty-eight hours since the much-heralded tactical masterclass of Anfield, such a long time in football.

7.27pm GMT

FULL TIME: Birmingham City 0-4 Derby County. This was all over after the hosts suffered a two-minute defensive meltdown midway through the first half. Wayne Rooney strolls off like the proverbial cat, premium dairy product dripping off its whiskers. The Rams charge out of the relegation zone, leapfrogging rivals Nottingham Forest into 20th spot. Birmingham slip behind Coventry on goal difference, down to 18th.

7.23pm GMT

Mikel Arteta sends Lacazette on for Martinelli. A whole 36 seconds later, the sub sweeps a low right-wing cross fiercely into the bottom right from 12 yards. What an introduction!

7.22pm GMT

Brighton come back at Arsenal. Veltman bursts into the box down the right and creams a shot towards the bottom-right corner. Leno refuses to be beaten at his near post. And then ...

7.20pm GMT

Leeds continue to entertain at the Hawthorns. Meslier nearly gives a goal away by attempting to thread a pass through a thicket of players in his own six-yard box, then a few of his pals go up the other end, drawing pretty first-time triangles right to left, before the move breaks down with one elaborate flick too many. Who truthfully cares, though? Art for art’s sake, an aesthete’s delight. West Brom have no answer to this.

7.14pm GMT

There will be a fifth Premier League match tonight, kicking off at 8pm. The team news for that one is in. Rob Smyth - co-presenter of the new United Rewind podcast - is all over it.

7.11pm GMT

Aubameyang’s near miss appears to have given Arsenal a much-needed boost of confidence. Martinelli sashays in from the left and nearly plants an outrageous curler into the top right. It’s high and wide, but not by very much at all. Lovely stuff. They should get Charles Antaki (19.05) to do all of their half-time team-talks.

7.09pm GMT

GOAL! Birmingham City 0-4 Derby County (Knight 77). In the Championship, Derby continue to pile the misery on Blues. Kamil Jozwiak curls deep from the right. Jason Knight springs clear at the far post and meets the dropping ball to knock home.

7.07pm GMT

So having said that, Arsenal immediately launch their best attack of the evening so far. Saka makes good down the left and whips low towards the near post. Aubameyang opens his body and sidefoots towards the bottom left. Sanchez sticks out a foot to deny Arsenal’s first shot on target. Fine move, fine save, though Aubameyang should surely have scored.

7.05pm GMT

The four Premier League matches have restarted. It’s not long before Arsenal are faffing around in defence, and there’s a VAR check for a possible foul on Dunk, who is at the centre of a penalty-box brouhaha. Not sure what they’re looking for. It’s VAR, there’s no point trying to second-guess them. Anyway, nothing doing, but it’s not a confident start to the half by the Gunners, who have been skewered by Charles Antaki thus: “Apparently the mark of a top footballer is that time seems to slow down when they’re in control of the ball. In that case Arsenal’s midfield is a work of genius, inasmuch as time seems to be not so much standing still as going backwards when they’re in possession.” Ow.

6.58pm GMT

While we enjoy our half-time oranges, here’s Mary Waltz with a paean to Leeds United. “What to watch? Watch Arsenal or watch Leeds? I picked Leeds. It has been a glorious example of blitzkrieg offensive attack. It’s already 4-0 and at this rate seven or eight is a real possibility. Leeds are so relentless, Klopp should be embarrassed that Liverpool couldn’t do more. Poor Big Sam. Bielsa is basically showing him his era has passed into history.”

While everyone’s up on Leeds, please let me recommend a new definitive history of the club so damn enjoyable it’s almost as though the pages turn themselves: The Biography of Leeds United by Rob Bagchi, formerly of this parish. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll never before have seen a youthful Jack Charlton described as looking “like a Postcard Records bass player”. Has there been a better sports book all year? No.

6.51pm GMT

With half-an-hour remaining, it’s still 3-0 to Derby in the big midlands stramash. Meanwhile here’s some half-time Premier League analysis from Graeme Thorn: “I think Jurgen Klopp’s thoughts (18.37) are summed up by the first sentence of your update at 18.44: ‘That’s four shots on target and four goals.’ Liverpool managed one in the whole first half when West Brom couldn’t get out of their half, and not very many more after that.”

6.48pm GMT

6.47pm GMT

While Leeds are running rampant, Brighton, Arsenal, Southampton and West Ham are doing not very much. “The WBA v Leeds game is also a clash between ex-managers of England and Argentina, don’t forget,” begins Justin Kavanagh. “I think Big Sam might just want to lay back and think of England.” Probably best not to think too much more about that punchline.

6.44pm GMT

That’s four shots on target and four goals for Leeds. What a team they are. Mind you, West Brom have been beyond shambolic so far. Their magnificent efforts at Anfield the other night appear to have come at something of a cost. Oh Sam!

6.41pm GMT

This is way too easy. A long ball down the Leeds right. Bamford slips it inside for Rodrigo, who hammers towards the bottom right from the edge of the box. The ball takes a huge deflection off the unfortunate O’Shea, but when you attack relentlessly like this, you make your own luck!

6.37pm GMT

Another sensational goal! Harrison glides in from the left. He one-twos with Bamford on the edge of the box, before lifting an unstoppable shot into the top left! What a performance this is by Leeds! Penny for the thoughts of Sam Allardyce right now. Come to that, penny for the thoughts of Jurgen Klopp!

6.35pm GMT

A corner from the right. Up goes the Burnley captain Mee, to crash a header into the top left. Seconds after Brewster had one cleared off the line, too. It tends to go like that when you’re down.

6.33pm GMT

A ball swung into the mixer from the right. Bamford goes up. The ball’s half cleared. Alioski, racing in from the left, meets it first time and creams a rising diagonal shot into the top right. Once again, Johnstone had no chance, but this one was something special. Faint praise, I guess, but you’ll not see a better goal if you wait around for the rest of the year.

6.31pm GMT

So close to an opener between Burnley and Sheffield United at Turf Moor! Brewster and McGoldrick combine reasonably cutely down the left to force a corner for the visitors. From the set piece, Brewster heads goalwards from six yards. He doesn’t really catch it properly, but take nothing away from Brownhill, who takes guard on the line and stops the ball from crossing it with his shoulder. United want a penalty but they’re not getting it.

6.27pm GMT

Brighton are beginning to ask Arsenal a few questions. A corner, swung in from the right and dealt with - just about - by Bellerin with Jahanbakhsh lurking. Leno then juggles a backpass on his thighs before clearing with Mac Allister heaving into view, absurd levels of grace under pressure. Arsenal by contrast haven’t managed an effort on goal, on or off target.

6.21pm GMT

It’s half-time in the Championship at St Andrew’s, where Derby lead hosts Birmingham 3-0. Derby could have scored one or two more; Blues are lucky to have nil. Meanwhile a few miles away at the Hawthorns: “Marcelo Bielsa is such a genius at getting buy-in that he’s even got West Brom players finishing off the moves - 12 vs 10 overload.” Put your hands together for Gary Naylor, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all week. Try the balti pie.

6.17pm GMT

Not a great deal going on at the Amex between Brighton and Arsenal. Ditto Turf Moor in the big relegation six-pointer. Saints are dominating West Ham, however. They’ve already had a very aesthetically pleasing goal chalked off, and are refusing to let their visitors get out of their final third. An opener for Southampton seems just a matter of time.

6.14pm GMT

Big Sam’s still sulking. Shoulders hunched, chin on chest, arms tightly folded, ears emitting hot (albeit environmentally friendly) fuel.

6.12pm GMT

Sam Allardyce slams back into his seat in disgust, as his side concede an absurd goal. His defence snuff out a Leeds attack. Sawyers looks to play upfield, but decides to check and plays back blind towards Johnstone in goal. Except Johnstone isn’t in his goal, he’s inexplicably gone walkabout to the left of his six-yard box. In goes the ball, and gnash-gnash-gnash goes Big Sam’s jaw, the chewing gum in his mouth taking one hell of a pounding. A preposterous own-goal.

6.08pm GMT

Southampton 0-0 West Ham. Ings dances his way through the middle of the West Ham defence and slams the ball into the bottom-left corner. It’s a glorious goal ... or it would have been, had VAR not fingered an offside player earlier in the build-up. To be fair, the man was well off, but shame, shame, shame Ings’ sensational effort cannot stand.

6.05pm GMT

Southampton 0-0 West Ham. An early opportunity on the south coast as well. Romeu slips Adams free down the inside-left channel, but the striker dribbles a tame effort straight at Fabianski from six yards. Adams might have been offside, but that’s a poor miss even so.

6.04pm GMT

Burnley 0-0 Sheffield United. A very early chance at Turf Moor. Barnes has the ball at his feet on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He surely has to score, but Ramsdale makes himself big and saves.

6.00pm GMT

Speaking of the Premier League, here comes everyone. They’ll be kicking off at the Amex, Turf Moor, St Mary’s and the Hawthorns any moment now!

5.58pm GMT

GOAL! Birmingham City 0-3 Derby County (Kazim-Richards 25). Another corner, another Blues farce. The ball’s whipped in from the right. Some bagatelle in the six-yard box. Etheridge all over the shop again. Colin Kazim-Richards pokes home from a yard or so, and for a second it looked like Rooney was going to break into a little jig. Good luck Premier League living up to this blistering start in the Championship!

5.54pm GMT

Turns out West Brom are making a change tonight after all. Kieran Gibbs has tweaked something in the warm-up, and has his place in the starting XI taken by Lee Peltier. Does the Big Sam honeymoon end like this?

5.50pm GMT

GOAL! Birmingham City 0-2 Derby County (Shinnie 17 pen). Graeme Shinnie becomes Derby’s joint top scorer this season with, eh, his second goal of the campaign. It’s blasted into the top-right corner from the penalty spot, after Harlee Dean slid in recklessly on Louis Sibley, who was going nowhere. Rooney was seething on the touchline a couple of minutes ago; now he’s all smiles.

5.48pm GMT

GOAL! Birmingham City 0-1 Derby County (Bielik 15). An early-ish goal at St Andrews, and a much-needed one for Wayne Rooney’s struggling side. Neil Etheridge fumbles a simple catch from a corner, and Krystian Bielik pokes home.

5.42pm GMT

Some good news at last for Sean Dyche. He’s spent most of the season so far bemoaning the lack of coin in the Turf Moor kitty. But look! Cavalry’s a-comin’! Could be an interesting January transfer window for the Clarets. File under: timely boost.

5.25pm GMT

WBA v Leeds. No changes by either side, in the wake of West Brom’s heroic point at Anfield and United’s win over Burnley. If it ain’t broke, fixture pile-up schmixture pile-up, etc.

5.23pm GMT

Burnley v Sheffield United. The Blades are only able to name seven substitutes after “a number of positive coronavirus tests” at the club. However the starting XI is unaffected in the main: just the one change from the home defeat to Everton, with Oliver Burke replaced up front by Lys Mousset. Burnley also make just the solitary change, after losing at Leeds: Robbie Brady replaces Josh Benson.

5.21pm GMT

Southampton v West Ham: Ralph Hasenhuttl will be following this one at home, almost certainly an exercise in futility given the average performance of an Amazon Prime stream, as one of his family members has tested positive for Covid-19. He has made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Fulham: in come Moussa Djenepo, Oriol Romeu and Danny Ings; out go Shane Long, Stuart Armstrong and Ibrahima Diallo. The Hammers make five changes to the side that drew 2-2 at home with Brighton: Fabian Balbuena, Vladimir Coufal, Ben Johnson, Mark Noble and Jarrod Bowen make way for Craig Dawson, Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko, Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals.

5.11pm GMT

Brighton v Arsenal: Arsenal make one change to the team named for the 3-1 victory over Chelsea. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replaces Alexandre Lacazette. But it’s six changes for Brighton from the side that drew 2-2 at West Ham: Bernardo, Joel Veltman, Alexis Mac Allister, Pascal Gross, Davy Propper and Alireza Jahanbakhsh replace Ben White, Adam Lallana, Solly March, Leandro Trossard, Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck.

5.06pm GMT

Brighton & Hove Albion: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Veltman, Bissouma, Propper, Bernardo, Gross, Mac Allister, Jahanbakhsh.
Subs: White, Connolly, Maupay, Trossard, Welbeck, March, Steele, Zeqiri, Molumby.
Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Pablo Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Smith-Rowe, Martinelli, Aubameyang.
Subs: Ceballos, Lacazette, Runarsson, Maitland-Niles, Cedric, Pepe, Mustafi, Willock, Nketiah.

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brady, Brownhill, Westwood, Pieters, Wood, Barnes.
Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Stephens, Norris, Bardsley, Long, Dunne, Mancini, Benson, Mumbongo.
Sheffield United: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Baldock, Ampadu, Osborn, Stevens, McGoldrick, Mousset, Brewster.
Subs: Fleck, Lowe, Burke, Norwood, Bogle, Verrips, Bryan.

11.44am GMT

It’s another chilly winter’s evening, but the hot festive fixtures just keep on coming! Here are the 6pm kick-offs in the Premier League:

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