Author: Scott Murray

Manchester City, Bournemouth and Aston Villa edged closer to the Champions League spots while Brentford routed sorry Southampton

It’s 3pm. Whistles sound all across the land. Here we go!

There were three early kick-offs in the Championship. Here are your classified results.

Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Burnley

Stoke City 0-0 Plymouth Argyle

Swansea City 1-1 West Bromwich Albion

Arsenal came from behind to close the gap at the top to six points

4 min: A bit of space for Lewis-Potter down the left. He crosses low in the hope of finding Mbeumo in the middle, but Raya reads the danger and flops on the ball.

3 min: Jesus runs slap-bang into Norgaard and takes an accidental whack in the ribs. For a second it looks worrying for the striker, and Arsenal, but he’s just winded and is soon back up and running.

Goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton in the first 20 minutes boosted Newcastle’s top-four hopes and left their sorry hosts stunned

The teams are out! Manchester United wear their storied red, while Newcastle United are in their equally iconic black and white stripes. The Stone Roses blare out of the PA system. This is indeed the one. Peter Oh is also in musical – and indeed festive – mood: “♬ Should old acquaintance be forgot...? ♪ Probably yes, if you’re Man United and you want to finally get out from under Sir Alex Ferguson’s shadow.” We’ll be off in a minute.

Pre-match postbag. “So can we expect Newcastle players to start high-fiving and hugging each other the first time they get a corner tonight? It’s as good as a goal against Manchester United these days, if they stick two Magpies on Onana” – Justin Kavanagh

Leicester had more of the ball, but couldn’t take their chances; the champions took theirs

2 min: The visitors patiently stroke it around awhile. Then suddenly Savinho explodes into life, dribbling down the inside-left channel and entering the box. It’s a fine run, but then he takes a heavy touch and it’s a goal kick.

Manchester City kick off. A clapper-fuelled atmosphere at the King Power.

Arsenal moved into second spot despite an underwhelming display at the Emirates

22 sec: Ipswich are on the front foot immediately. Phillips wins the ball on the edge of the Arsenal box and feeds Davis down the left. Davis whistles a cross through the six-yard box. Any touch from Szmodics would have resulted in a stunning early goal, but he can’t connect. Arsenal breathe again.

Ipswich get the ball rolling. A good few-evening-pints-in atmosphere at the Emirates!

Gabriel Jesus continued to torment Palace as Arsenal narrowed the gap at the top of the Premier League

2 min: Sarr pings a pass down the inside-right channel for Mateta, and things look promising for Palace. But then the whistle goes, because Hughes was judged to have fouled Lewis-Skelly in the build-up. A slightly soft free kick, but to be fair Palace don’t really complain.

Arsenal get into their pre-match huddle … then realise their captain and keeper aren’t in it. Odegaard and Raya eventually deign to turn up, the group hug is completed, and the visitors then kick off.

Arne Slot’s ten men rescued a late point at Anfield, Arsenal were frustrated and Ipswich piled more pain on Gary O’Neil

Arsenal 0-0 Everton. A fast start for the hosts, with the sheer presence of Bukayo Saka causing the dithering Jordan Pickford angst. The keeper sorts himself out just in time. Then he claims a Declan Rice corner. “Greetings from Free State California,” writes Mary Waltz. “It’s pitch dark, pouring rain, the perfect surroundings for watching my Everton march into the Arsenal home ground. Not feeling especially optimistic but who knows … who am I kidding, it’s going to be ugly. Sigh.”

Liverpool 0-0 Fulham. Andy Robertson has taken an early knock on the knee, courtesy of Issa Diop, who goes into the book. Robertson’s up and about, but took a while to get back onto his feet. A concern for the hosts at Anfield.

A perfect start for Ruud van Nistelrooy in his first match in charge of the Foxes

The goal stands! Vardy goes racing off to celebrate, belatedly, and the King Power roars! Not a bad start to the Van Nistelrooy era, huh?

3 min: … but VAR are checking it, because Mavropanos might have been playing Vardy onside. This is going to be very tight. In fact, the naked eye suggests this goal will stand. But we await the rulers.

Brighton climb to second, for one night at least, after a controversial draw with rock-bottom Saints

Russell Martin’s turn to talk to Sky. “It’s exciting for Joe Lumley … Alex McCarthy played through the pain barrier for us on Sunday, he’d had an injection … I love and admire that about him, because he didn’t have to do that, but he did … the reaction to the game has not been very good, he’s had a very stiff knee this week … so we have to make big decisions … we really trust Joe … it’s an amazing opportunity for him … we have certain principles we want to live by … energy and momentum is really important … when and where we flex and adapt … the feeling and temperature of the game.”

Fabian Hürzeler speaks to Sky Sports. “When you watch our games you see we play in some phases very good, but in some we struggle … the next step is to play consistently for 90 minutes in all phases of the game … today we have another opportunity to prove it … we are in the right direction … the place in the table is confirmation … but the League is so unpredictable … every day is special.”

Spurs humiliated the champions on their own patch, condemning City to a fifth successive defeat in all competitions

3 min: Gvardiol crosses from the left for Haaland, who strangely doesn’t go for goal from his position on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. His header back across the face is cleared. But this is a fast start by City. Spurs have barely had a touch since that kick-off fiasco.

2 min: Gundogan sends the resulting free kick towards the far stick. Akanji is unable to turn it goalwards. Goal kick.

Villa pushed Liverpool hard, but clinical counter-attacks finished off by Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah were enough to send Arne Slot’s team five points clear at the top

Once the last strains of You’ll Never Walk Alone disappear into the night sky, a lone bugler plays the Last Post, the night before Remembrance Sunday. Exquisitely played, met with perfect silence, then a warm ovation.

The teams are out! Liverpool all red, Aston Villa all white. A bit like Real Madrid have come to town, three weeks early. A cracking few-pints-in atmosphere at Anfield, which reportedly rocked during the second half against Brighton last weekend. It’s usually one louder when the lights are on. The Villa support making their fair contribution to the noise as well. Here’s to everyone keeping it up.