And with that I’m going to take my leave. There’s more liveblog action happening here, with Tottenham two goals up against Cardiff as I type. Bye!
Here’s a report on Nottingham Forest’s rollicking win over Leeds:
Defender Denis Odoi said the defeat was a “reality check” for Fulham. “I think we showed we can play football but it’s a reality check also,” he said. “At 2-1 we were still pushing. We thought 2-2 might be possible. After 3-1 it was just disappointment.”
The Cottagers remain 19th but are just a point behind the two sides above them, although having now played a match more. Odoi added: “The league is still on and we have every chance to stay in it.”
Here’s Claudio Ranieri on Fulham’s defeat at Arsenal:
First half an hour before the first goal we created two great chances, and the Arsenal crowd was, ‘Oh, what’s happening?’ and started to boo their players. But their first chance, they scored because we made mistakes in the middle of the box. Second half, again mistakes. After we reopened the match, and created another two chances to draw the match. But when you make mistakes … after were are a little tired, and we don’t have the quality of Arsenal.
I think we have to improve some things, but I’m very pleased with my players because they tried to do their best. That is important.
Here’s the Press Association’s League One review:
Portsmouth extended their lead at the top of Sky Bet League One to five points after edging a late 2-1 victory over struggling AFC Wimbledon at Fratton Park.
Jamal Lowe netted his third goal in two games with an eighth-minute opener for the hosts but his effort was cancelled out by Kwesi Appiah 15 minutes from time to threaten a shock result. However, Ronan Curtis headed Pompey back in front five minutes later and they held on for maximum points as the visitors dropped to the bottom of the table. Second-placed Luton were held in a goalless draw at home to Barnsley, who remain fourth as a result.
Sunderland top scorer Josh Maja fired Aiden McGeady’s assist into the bottom corner midway through the first half to hand his side a 1-0 win at Blackpool to strengthen their hold on third.
Lee Novak netted a brace as high-flying Peterborough suffered a shock 2-0 defeat against lowly Scunthorpe and slipped out of the play-off places as a result, while the Iron remain in the relegation zone on goal difference.
John Marquis scored twice to make it 18 goals for the season as Doncaster moved into the play-offs thanks to a comprehensive 5-0 victory at home to Rochdale. Alfie May headed the hosts ahead in the opening minute, while Ali Crawford doubled their tally midway through the first half before Marquis netted either side of half-time and James Coppinger’s late header added the gloss.
Bradford made it four wins from their last five league games to move up to 20th following a comfortable 3-0 victory at home to 10-man Accrington. Lewis O’Brien opened the scoring as he fired Eoin Doyle’s assist into the top corner from outside the 18-yard box before the latter added a second on the half-hour for his fourth goal in five games. That second goal came moments after Offrande Zanzala was sent off for the away side, while Connor Wood scored a third just after the break to seal the win.
Charlton edged Walsall 2-1 thanks to Karlan Ahearne-Grant’s 12th goal this term just six minutes in and Lyle Taylor’s ninth-minute penalty, while Andy Cook reduced the deficit two minutes into the second half.
Plymouth moved off the bottom thanks to a 3-0 win over Oxford with Antoni Sarcevic on target after nine minutes before Ruben Lameiras added a brace. Sam Mantom and Taylor Moore scored as 10-man Southend claimed a 2-0 victory over Gillingham after losing Theo Robinson to a second yellow card late on.
Coventry moved up a spot to eighth after a 2-0 win at Wycombe following Conor Chaplin’s opening penalty and an effort from Jonson Clarke-Harris. Bristol Rovers and Burton played out a 0-0 draw while Shrewsbury’s clash at home to Fleetwood was also goalless.
Aitor Karanka talks to Sky, after his Nottingham Forest side beat Leeds 4-2:
It was difficult to explain because when they equalised, when they came back, I thought it was going to be difficult but the energy, the power was amazing and in the same way we did against Villa, today at home has been amazing for me, the players and the crowd. They deserved a performance like today.
Before this game there were several reports that he would be sacked if he failed to win this game. He is asked about those reports, and whether he would appreciate it if the board were to make a public statement backing him:
I don’t care about anything. I care about my job and my players.
Here’s Amy Lawrence’s match report from the Emirates Stadium on Arsenal 4-1 Fulham:
Having wobbled and tumbled over a challenging Christmas week, Arsenal got back on the bike. They did so a little gingerly, but ended an afternoon spent sparring with Fulham buoyed by the restorative power of points and goals.
Much more here:
The former Liverpool winger Peter Thompson died yesterday, aged 76. Here’s his obituary:
The final whistle goes at Villa Park, where Aston Villa have drawn 2-2 with QPR, and that is the final 3pm kick-off to finish.
Nick Miller is dealing with Cardiff v Tottenham – join him here if you like. Or stay with me while I cover the fall-out of a dramatic day of thrilling action, or at least a bit of it.
It’s all over at the City Ground, where Nottingham Forest have beaten Leeds 4-2. And it’s all over at Brentford, where Norwich have been held to a draw. Leeds’ lead at the top of the Championship is thus trimmed to two points, but with West Brom losing at Blackburn yet again none of the top three (as was) has won.
In League Two the leaders, Lincoln City, were 1-0 up at home to Port Vale in stoppage time, whereupon Manny Oyeleke scored what sounds like a superb equaliser.
90' THAT'S HIT THE BAR, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP IT GOING IN!!!!
— Port Vale FC (@OfficialPVFC) January 1, 2019
Manny picks up the ball 25 yards out and absolutely hammers it in!!!!!!! (1-1) #PVFCLive
Ipswich’s comeback didn’t quite come back far enough: it’s finished 2-3 there with Millwall holding on to victory.
It’s always a happy new year at Arsenal:
6 - Arsenal have won all six of their home Premier League games on New Year’s Day. Celebration. pic.twitter.com/qQVZS3HaRo
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 1, 2019
Into stoppage time at Brentford, and there will be five minutes of it! Plenty of time for a winner there!
Final score: Arsenal 4-1 Fulham
No lack of action here. Five goals and there probably should have been twice as many, but it was comfortable for Arsenal in the end.
It’s all over at Hull, where Bolton’s torture is finally over and Hull have won 6-0. A team that one once in 11 matches in all competitions between August and September, and was 23rd in the table in November, has now won six of their last seven and drawn the other!
Ipswich could still salvage something from their game against – it’s now 2-3, Kayden Jackson scoring from roughly 23 yards!
Updated
Norwich have equalised at Brentford! It’s a corner on the left, which drops inside a crowded area and is poked in by, um, someone. It’s given to Timm Klose, and the Canaries have six minutes (plus stoppages) to find their traditional dramatic late winner.
It was almost 4-3 at the City Ground, where Robinson has just headed against his own post, but the ball went the right side of it from his point of view.
Also 6-0 up now are MK Dons, who were three up against Cambridge after 12 minutes and have taken a disappointing 73 minutes over their second trio.
It’s Hull 6-0 Bolton now, a free-kick on the right bouncing through to the far post, where it’s headed back across goal and Nouha Dicko heads in from four yards!
GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 Fulham (Aubameyang, 79 mins)
A left-wing corner is headed clear, but at the edge of the area it all gets a bit messy. A fulham player heads it back in the wrong direction, it pings off a few legs and falls to Sokratis, who plays Aubameyang in on the right of the area, and his shot hits a defender’s shin and loops into the net!
Updated
Goal! Nottingham Forest 4-2 Leeds United (Osborn)
It’s Nottingham Forest 4-2 Leeds! And surely it’s all over now! Murphy, on the halfway line, is played down the left, he passes infield to Ben Osborn and he does just fantastically to take it past Forshaw with a fabulous first touch with his left foot, before sending a right-foot shot across goal and into the top corner!
Updated
The intrigue at Arsenal is that Ramsey had come on just a couple of minutes before that goal, replacing Lacazette. When the board went up and Lacazette’s name was read out, the crowd produced a chorus of furious booing.
Preston have pulled a goal back at Rotherham, Lukas Nmecha making it 2-1.
GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Fulham (Ramsey, 79 mins)
Kolasinac crosses low from the left, Aubameyang meets it but his shot hits the post, rebounds out to Ramsey, and he controls and fires in!
Updated
Ipswich are now 3-1 down at home to Ipswich, and Rotherham 2-0 up at home to Preston.
Goal! Nottingham Forest 3-2 Leeds United (Murphy)
It’s Nottingham Forest 3-2 Leeds United! A corner from the left is headed down by Murphy at the far post, and it bounces just beyond the goalkeeper’s reach and squeezes inside the post!
Updated
Reading have scored a goal! Callum Harriott makes it Reading 1-4 against Swansea.
It’s Hull 5-0 Bolton now. Jarrod Bowen takes the ball at the edge of the area, controls it with his right foot, and scores with his left. Enough now. Stop. Have some pity.
Goal! Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leeds United (Colback)
Nottingham Forest equalise! It’s a corner from the left, headed into the air at the near post by a Leeds player, headed down at the far post by a Forest player, and it drops to Colback, 15 yards from goal, who lashes it in first-time!
Updated
Plymouth are now 3-0 up at home to Oxford, and Ruben Lameiras has scored his second goal of the day!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1-2 Leeds United (Alioski)
Ten-man Leeds have taken the lead! The ball is chipped into the area from the right, volleyed back across goal from beyond the far post, and Ezgjan Alioski smashes in a close-range volley! It’s Nottingham Forest 1-2 Leeds!
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Fulham (Kamara, 69 mins)
Now they have scored! It’s a fine build-up that ends with the ball driven low across the area and Kamara, just on as a sub, scoring at the far post!
Updated
Fulham should have scored! Again! This time Mitrovic meets a cross from the right and, six yards from goal, heads low but straight at the keeper!
Hull are 4-0 up against Bolton. There are backheels in the build-up and everything, carnival football to see in the new year. Chris Martin caps a smart exchange of passes with a goal.
Oooh! Roofe comes close to giving 10-man Leeds the lead at Nottingham Forest, running onto a long pass, controlling brilliantly as Pantilimon runs out, and then lifting over the keeper but wide of goal!
Hull have made it 3-0 now, Kamil Grosicki scoring his second goal of the afternoon with a low drive.
Another penalty, this at Blackburn where Jay Rodriguez has scored from the spot to bring West Brom back into the match at 2-1.
Hull are surely on their way to a fifth successive victory, Evandro putting them 2-0 up at home to Bolton.
In further equalising news, Millwall have made it 1-1 at Ipswich, Shane Ferguson sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot.
Middlesbrough have equalised at Derby, and QPR have gone 2-1 up at Aston Villa, Eberechi Eze finishing excellently when found just inside the area by a pull-back from the right!
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United (Clarke)
Ten-man Leeds equalise at Nottingham Forest! Jack Clarke scores it, beating Pantilimon with a smart low shot at the near post. The goalkeeper should probably have stopped that, but he took so long going down to save it I think he’s still in motion.
Updated
Billy Sharp’s goal for Sheffield United was his 220th in the league, making him the top scorer in England’s top four divisions this century.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Fulham (Lacazette, 55 mins)
Arsenal extend their lead, again after a left-wing throw-in. Aubameyang feeds Kolasinac, who pulls back to Lacazette, on his own on the penalty spot, who controls and then lashes in!
Updated
That means Sheffield United, as things stand, will go third in the Championship table, and they celebrate with a third goal, Billy Sharp scoring with ludicrous ease from a low centre from the right!
Blackburn take the lead against third-place West Brom, Charlie Mulgrew’s corner from the right wing curling straight in at the far post!
Good news for one Sheffield side but bad news for the other, Che Adams equalising for Birmingham at Sheffield Wednesday. It’s a classic route one strike, a long ball flicked on to Adams, who finishes very well.
Updated
Sheffield United go 2-0 up at Wigan, Mark Duffy snaffling their second, and the Blades could go third today.
Oly McBurnie has put Swansea 4-0 up at Reading, blasting home a penalty after Routledge is fouled in the box.
At the Emirates, Fulham get the second half started.
Plymouth are 2-0 up at home to Oxford, Ruben Lameiras scoring a second in the 41st minute (long enough ago for me to have already told you about it, really, but better late than never).
Updated
Half time: Arsenal 1-0 Fulham
It should really be 2-2, perhaps 2-3, but Granit Xhaka is the only person to stick the ball in the onion bag and thus Arsenal take a slender lead into the break.
Rotherham are beating Preston 1-0, Will Vaulks smashing in a fabulous blunderbuss free-kick in first-half stoppage time.
Mike van der Hoorn puts Swansea 3-0 up at Reading, ghosting in unmarked at the far post to turn in a left-wing free-kick.
Updated
Leeds go down to 10 men at Nottingham Forest! Kalvin Phillips dives in two-footed in a bid to win the ball off/break the legs of Adlène Guédioura, and the referee barely hesitates before raising the red card!
Cowabunga! Luke Freeman has equalised for QPR against Aston Villa, lashing an unstoppable shot into the net from 25 yards!
Bristol City have scored at Stoke! Famara Diedhiou with it, heading in smartly from a right-wing cross. Definitely kit-assisted, obviously.
Xhaka misses the chance to score a second! From a throw-in Arsenal work the ball into the left side of the area, it’s pulled back by Kolasinac to Xhaka, level with the near post and perhaps seven hards out, but his shot is saved by Sergio Rico, who came out quickly to make the Arsenal man’s life difficult.
Fulham go close again! A cross from the right goes deflects into the air and just past Mitrovic, but it’s then crossed again from the left and this time Mitrovic heads it towards goal, but Leno saves!
Updated
Leeds go close at Forest! It’s a corner on the right, flicked on at the near post and it flies across goal, just past the toe of Roofe at the far post, and wide! The defender on the far post threw out a leg and got a very slight touch on the ball as it went through, and that’s what stopped Roofe from converting.
Talking of struggling teams, Swansea have gone 2-0 up at Reading. It’s extremely messy, Connor Roberts eventually turning home after a bit of ping-pong.
Hull are winning again! Kamil Grosicki has given them the lead at home to struggling Bolton. It’s a low cross from the right, and Grosicki hits it into a defender, collects the rebound, and this time lashes it into the roof of the net!
That was a fine late run into the box from Xhaka, one that no Fulham player seemed inclined to track, but coming not 90 seconds after Sessegnon’s miss that’s got to smart.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Fulham (Xhaka, 25 mins)
Instead it’s Arsenal who steal the lead! Granit Xhaka, also completely unmarked, turns in Iwobi’s cross from the left!
Updated
Unbelievable miss! Fulham really should be in the lead now, after Schurrle plays the ball into the box and Sessegnon runs onto it at the far post, entirely free of any kind of marking. It’s a straightforward tap-in, but somehow he misses it completely!
The Championship leaders are losing, and so are the side in second! Brentford take a 1-0 lead over Norwich after a corner is headed in by Julian Jeanvier!
Aston Villa take the lead against QPR! It’s Tammy Abraham’s 15th of the season, taking him level with Neal Maupay, Teemu Pukki and Billy Sharp at the top of the Championship scoring charts! He could hardly miss, after McGinn’s chipped cross dropped onto his head five yards out.
Sheffield Wednesday have taken the lead against Birmingham! It’s a bit scrappy, but a tidy finish from Steven Fletcher, spinning and hooking the ball past the keeper after Bannan’s free-kick was headed down by Lees.
Sessegnon has had the best chance of the game so far at Arsenal, but curled his shot just wide. It remains 0-0 there.
Twelve minutes played in Milton Keynes, and MK Dons are already 3-0 up against Cambridge United. Chuks Aneke has scored the third.
A big goal at the bottom of League One, where Plymouth have taken the lead at home to Oxford, Antoni Sarcevic scoring in the ninth minute.
Bristol City are 11th in the league but seventh (level on points with Derby, but one behind on goal difference) away from home. This is surely kit-related. I’ll put an action shot in here in due course, but here are the kits laid out in the dressing-room pre-match, though you miss the impact of the green shorts.
Stoke have won and failed to convert a penalty, Afobe shooting low to his right but the goalkeeper going the right way and saving really quite easily. Bristol City’s away kit really is quite shocking, and I’m not surprised that some opponents find themselves discombobulated.
Goal! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Leeds United (Colback)
Leeds have fallen behind to Nottingham Forest! Jack Colback has got the goal, latching on to a hopelessly underpowered back-pass, rounding the goalkeeper and smacking the ball home!
Updated
At Arsenal, Aubameyang scoops over from close range. It was a sharp chance, under pressure at the near post as he met Iwobi’s low cross, and he couldn’t quite divert the ball goalwards.
Still in the Championship, Jack Lancaster has curled a left-footed shot across goal and in at the far post to put Ipswich ahead against Millwall!
Oli McBurnie has given Swansea an early lead at Reading, heading in a right-wing cross.
We’ve already had a goal! Wilson has put Derby ahead at home to Middlesbrough, lashing a left-footed shot in at the near post in the second minute!
Updated
At the Emirates, there will be a minute’s silence before kick-off in memory of Peter Hill-Wood, Arsenal’s former chairman, who died last week.
Here’s Andy Hunter’s match report from Goodison Park:
And here’s some more music. Kick-off in 15 minutes!
Our big transfer window interactive is online now, and will be updated throughout the month. Already three deals worth £23m have been added today:
It’s all over at Goodison Park, and Leicester have gone and won another one! The Foxes go seventh, though Wolves and potentially also Watford could overtake them over the next couple of days.
The early Premier League kick-off is very close to a conclusion, with Leicester leading 1-0 at Goodison Park. Meanwhile, here’s some more music:
Arsenal v Fulham teams
Here are the line-ups from the one top flight 3pm kick-off, at the Emirates Stadium:
Arsenal: Leno, Papastathopoulos, Koscielny, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Iwobi, Aubameyang, Lacazette. Subs: Cech, Elneny, Ramsey, Torreira, Lichtsteiner, Nketiah, Saka.
Fulham: Sergio Rico, Odoi, Le Marchand, Ream, Christie, Cairney, Cisse, Bryan, Schurrle, Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon. Subs: Bettinelli, Johansen, Ayite, Vietto, Fosu-Mensah, Seri, Kamara.
Referee: Graham Scott.
One hour before kick-off ✅
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) January 1, 2019
Time to name our first team of 2019 📋 #ARSFUL pic.twitter.com/HUkUvLLtPI
Here is your New Year’s Day team to take on @Arsenal ⬇️ #COYW #ARSFUL pic.twitter.com/1VsTA6dk3d
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 1, 2019
It being the first day of a new year, I might throw in a few of my favourite pieces of music from the last 12 months while we wait for kick-off. This might be No1, released in the first few days of last year and just magnificent from first to last.
Team news should be dropping in the next few minutes. Given the constraints enforced by time, space and logic I can’t put up all the EFL line-ups, but do let me know if there are any you’re particularly keen to see.
Hello world!
Welcome to the year’s very first clockwatch! Let’s crack on with it, then: today’s Football League fixtures (3pm kick-offs unless stated):
Premier League
We’ve only got one top-flight game to think about this afternoon, so let’s hope it’s a good one.
Arsenal v Fulham
Cardiff v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm)
Everton v Leicester (12.30pm)
Championship
The top three all slipped up on Saturday, and all are away today, against the teams 17th, 18th and 20th in the last-six-game form table – though Blackburn, who host West Brom, have done reasonably well at home of late, losing only one of their last six (to Norwich just before Christmas), a run that started with victory over Leeds back in October. Hull, unbeaten in seven and on a run of four consecutive victories, have a good chance of extending that run at home to a Bolton side that has won once in 15 games. Above is a picture of Nottingham Forest’s City Ground this afternoon – the pasture looks a little ragged down near that corner flag.
Aston Villa v QPR
Blackburn v West Brom
Brentford v Norwich
Derby v Middlesbrough
Hull v Bolton
Ipswich v Millwall
Nottm Forest v Leeds
Reading v Swansea
Rotherham v Preston North End
Sheff Wed v Birmingham
Stoke v Bristol City
Wigan v Sheff Utd
League One
Portsmouth extended their lead at the top on Saturday with a rambunctious 5-2 win at Fleetwood while Luton could only draw at Walsall, and today are at home to Wimbledon. Their home record is not that great – four teams have won more points than them – but the 23rd-placed Dons might not be the team to test it. Luton, unbeaten at home this season with 10 wins in 12, host fourth-placed Barnsley. Bottom-placed Plymouth could do with three points against Oxford, who are five points ahead in 20th. Above is a new year-themed picture from Peterborough, who play Scunthorpe this afternoon.
Blackpool v Sunderland
Bradford v Accrington Stanley
Bristol Rovers v Burton Albion
Charlton v Walsall
Doncaster v Rochdale
Luton v Barnsley
Peterborough v Scunthorpe
Plymouth v Oxford Utd
Portsmouth v AFC Wimbledon
Shrewsbury v Fleetwood Town
Southend v Gillingham
Wycombe v Coventry
League Two
Other than Grimsby’s game against Mansfield – the top two teams in the division on form – which having kicked off early will be over by 3pm, today’s League Two fixtures are largely devoid of spice, with none of the promotion-chasing teams playing rivals while towards the bottom the best you’ll get is Yeovil v Cheltenham, 21st v 19th. Yeovil are four points ahead of the bottom two, with the best goal difference in the bottom half of the table (thanks largely to 4-0 and 6-0 away wins over Notts and Newport Counties, the most recent of which happened nearly four months ago). Above is a picture taken this afternoon of the New Lawn, where Forest Green play Northampton today.
Bury v Crewe
Crawley Town v Colchester
Forest Green v Northampton
Grimsby v Mansfield (1pm)
Lincoln City v Port Vale
Macclesfield v Tranmere
Milton Keynes Dons v Cambridge Utd
Morecambe v Carlisle
Oldham v Notts County
Stevenage v Newport County
Swindon v Exeter
Yeovil v Cheltenham
Updated
