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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

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