Arsenal swatted third-placed Villa aside with a swashbuckling second-half display
3 min: Odegaard tries to release Trossard into the Villa box down the inside-left channel. Clank. Goal kick, so another chance for the home fans to indulge their love of interactive festive theatre.
1 min: Villa work the ball back to their keeper Martinez, formerly of Arsenal. The Argentinian World Cup winner cops the expected abuse. It is pantomime season, to be fair.
Continue reading...An exciting day north and south of the border as title-chasing Arsenal, Manchester City and Celtic all won … but Hearts came a cropper in the Edinburgh derby
In Scotland, Hearts are making a go of things in the derby at Easter Road. Lawrence Shankland pulled one back on 75 minutes. That seemed no more than a consolation, but Cammy Devlin has made it 3-2 on 89 minutes, and there will be six additional minutes. Is an absurd comeback on?
Senegal: Edouard Mendy, Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Jakobs, Idrissa Gueye, Pape Gueye, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Mane, Jackson.
Subs: Diaw, Lamine Camara, Ciss, Dia, Diallo, Diarra, El Hadji Diouf, Yehvann Diouf, Mbaye, Antoine Mendy, Cherif Ndiaye, Sabaly, Pape Sarr, Mamadou Sarr, Seck.
Patrick Dorgu scored a screamer as Manchester United rose to fifth in the Premier League table
The teams are out! It’s a heartwarming festive scene, because whenever these storied old clubs meet, both get to keep on their famous kits. Manchester United in red and black, Newcastle United in black and white. A classic look as everyone trots out to the strains of This Is The One. A poignant chime to the track tonight, Manchester having said farewell to one of United’s biggest fans earlier this week. Go well, Mani.
Our pre-match postbag is positively brimming with festive cheer. “A goal-glut for the ages, eh? Why do I feel like I’m in for the biggest Christmas let-down since I asked my da for the Barcelona Subbuteo team and opened up the box under the tree to find… Burnley? Yours, Scrooge and the Grinch” – Justin Kavanagh
Continue reading...Raúl Jiménez calmly slotted the decisive penalty as Fulham pulled clear of danger and into mid-table comfort
2 min: Hudson-Odoi makes his presence felt up the other end, pulling a cross back for Jesus, whose shot is instantly blocked. Both teams already showing signs of being well up for this!
1 min: The first minute of the game still isn’t up, and Anderson’s clearing header hits Hudson-Odoi on the chest, the ball then rearing up and brushing the arm. A huge shout for a penalty kick. It’s never going to be given.
Continue reading...Viktor Gyökeres thundered home a first-half penalty to ensure Arsenal will be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day
3 min: Gyokeres picks up possession on the centre line and tries to round Keane, hoping to instigate a footrace. Clank! No way past. He goes over, demanding a free kick. He’s not getting one. Meanwhile here’s another, slightly less jittery, Arsenal fan in David Penney: “The only thing that gives me a small amount of confidence is that we have done most of the ‘hard’ away games now. I still expect every away game to be hard though.”
2 min: Everton are on the front foot immediately. Alcaraz has a look down the left but is forced to turn tail. Never mind, there’s still one heck of an atmosphere tonight on the banks of the Mersey, pre-festive cheer, Saturday night, da nee na na na, be my baby, etc.
Continue reading...Two Bukayo Saka crosses forced two own goals as Arsenal somehow found a way to win against committed Wolves
2 min: Doherty skittles Martinelli out on the left. An early free kick for Arsenal. Rice’s delivery is uncharacteristically poor, failing to beat the first man … and that first man is Doherty, who makes good his mistake by clearing.
Arsenal get the ball rolling. They haven’t lost at home yet this season, winning ten from 11. Godspeed, Wolves.
Continue reading...A good night for English clubs in Europe; not so much for Scotland’s representatives
Stuttgart 3-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv. Some bonus content here. No need to thank us! And there really is no need to thank us, because it comes courtesy of our old MBM and Clockwatch pal Kári Tulinius. “Stuttgart looked like they were heading to the most comfortable of home wins when they went 3-0 up after yet another defensive rick by Maccabi, when the normally reliable Alexander Nübel tried to save Roy Revivo’s shot with a hand so weak it seemed like it was made out of cottage cheese. The comedy defending moment still goes to the visitors, though, who let in an opener after a covering defender simply fell on his behind while tracking a high ball, giving Lorenz Assignon all the time in the world to measure the aim on his volley.”
Callum O’Dowda swings a ball in from the left wing. Barnabás Varga heads into the top-right corner from close range. He couldn’t miss, partly because the nearest defender, Emmanuel Fernandez, was the wrong side of the striker, facing upfield, then span around in confusion, making no challenge whatsoever. Comically poor defending.
Continue reading...City came from behind for a deserved win that puts Real coach Xabi Alonso under further pressure
1 min: A fierce old atmosphere in the Bernabéu. It’s Real Madrid in the Champions League after all. It’s Real Madrid versus a Pep team. And then …
Hats off to Erling Haaland, who goes out of his way to say hello to a couple of the tiny mascots and give them a high five. Once he goes off down the line, the little lads embrace each other with excitement, their day made. So sweet. Then City get the ball rolling.
Continue reading...Leeds came from behind twice to deny Liverpool, whose defence imploded once again
1 min: Bradley shields the ball on the right touchline, only to be skittled by Gruev. Szoboszlai swings in the free kick … but it’s not very good. It’s half-cleared by the first man, then Ekitike is caught offside.
A quick blast of the piccolo-fest Marching On Together … then Liverpool get the ball rolling. A fantastic atmosphere.
Continue reading...Diogo Dalot’s well-taken goal looked to have earned Manchester United all three points, until Soungoutou Magassa’s late equaliser denied them
West Ham, resplendent in a blend of grey, beige and cream with a dash of yellow, get the ball rolling. They’re kicking towards the Stretford End in this first half.
The teams are out! Manchester United in their red, white and black, West Ham United in second-choice ecru. According to House & Garden magazine, ecru is “a notoriously finicky colour to define” but they give it a go anyway: it’s “a blend of grey, beige, cream, and a dash of yellow, less creamy than cream, and not eggshell.” So there you have it. We’ll be off in a minute.
Continue reading...Cristian Romero’s late overhead kick salvaged a point for Spurs after Newcastle were awarded a contentious penalty
Tottenham Hotspur kick off. A fine early-evening-pints-fuelled atmosphere at St James’ Park. Spurs are kicking towards the Gallowgate in this first half.
The teams are out! Newcastle in their famous black and white stripes, Spurs in 1982 FA Cup final yellow. A quick blast of the theme from Local Hero and we’ll be away. Howay!
Continue reading...Fulham started fast, helped by a howler from Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario and a mutinous atmosphere among the home support, as the pressure on Thomas Frank intensified
55 seconds: No.
Fulham kick off. Earlier today, Phil Foden scored the fastest goal of the season after 59 seconds for Manchester City against Leeds … only for Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw to beat that mark by four seconds against Everton a couple of hours later. Something’s clearly in the air today, so can anyone better that here?
Continue reading...Vitinha was the star of an eight-goal thriller in Paris, while Liverpool’s abysmal run of form continued as PSV routed them at Anfield
All across the continent, teams line up to hear Zadok the Priest get his usual Uefa-sanctioned kicking. Poor Zadok’s a-cold! All of which is a roundabout way to say that we’ll be off in a minute. Big night coming up.
TNT have a quick word with Thomas Frank before kick-off. “There is one game in front of us, that’s PSG … if you look too much in the past you forget to look forward and do everything you can to perform now … that is all about performing tonight … make sure we compete … are brave … we are playing against a very mobile team … we have to match that … be aggressive … we need mobile, front-footed midfielders … a big night for us … we need to put a fight in.”
Continue reading...Estêvão was the star of the show as Chelsea thoroughly dominated ten-man Barcelona
4 min: … there’s a scramble in the Chelsea box. Fofana chests down on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box and cuts back for Fernandez, who slams home from close range. But the flag immediately pops up for handball. Chest then ball. There’s not much in it, but the on-field decision stands. Barcelona couldn’t have complained too much had that stood.
3 min: It’s loud in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham tonight. Louder still when Estêvão wins the first corner of the evening down the right. From which …
Continue reading...Harvey Barnes was Newcastle’s two-goal hero as Eddie Howe tasted Premier League success against City for the first time in his career
25 seconds: Donnarumma gets away with a dreadful pass out from the back. Joelinton nips in ahead of Foden, who didn’t want the ball, and pokes to Barnes. The Newcastle winger, on the left-hand edge of the D, aims for the bottom right but his curler is weak and the keeper makes amends. What a start that could have been!
Eddie Howe and Pep Guardiola greet each other warmly, then Manchester City kick off. A huge roar from the St James’ Park faithful. Oh me lads.
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