Right, here you can find the latest tables ahead of the early evening kick-off and with that I’m signing off.
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I’ll be shutting things down here on clockwatch quite soon, but we have a cracker in the 5.30pm (BST) kick-off Stamford Bridge with Liverpool in town. Follow along with Rob Smyth:
An interesting email from Joshua Keeling:
United fan here. Still behind Amorim, 100%. At some point you have to accept the manager is not the biggest problem. He is trying to sort out the culture of the club, get rid of problem players, and rebuild. He seems to have the resilience and charisma to do the job without it crushing him. It was always going to take more than one transfer window for his style of play to bear fruit. We knew he was committed to this formation when we appointed him, and we need to let him get the players to play it properly. Plus there have been signs of improvement this season. Yes, it’s one step forward and two steps back at times, but there has been enough there to suggest he deserves more time.
This win will keep the wolves from the door for a little while longer, but this result needs to be backed up against better teams than Sunderland.
Thomas Frank, speaking after Tottenham’s 2-1 win at Leeds, has said it is “about time” match winner Mohammed Kudus scored.
“I’m pleased for Mo to get his goal and it was about time, and I’m so happy for Mathys as well,” said Frank. “The character he has shown as a young man from day one has really impressed me after the setback of not being in the Champions League squad. He trains well and was ready today.”
More reaction from the Spurs boss here:
Sesko eases pressure on Amorim as United see off Sunderland
Ruben Amorim will be pleased the only storm Manchester United had to navigate was provided by the skies. The head coach witnessed a rare comfortable victory against Sunderland to alleviate the pressure on him for a fortnight at least.
Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko scored their first home Premier League goals for the club, although having joined two years apart, it indicates some of the problems Amorim has been dealing with. Apart from a brief scare on a penalty that never was, life was straightforward for United as they secured a third win and first cleansheet of the season amid downpours and gales but, like the Old Trafford roof, the hosts did their job.
Read Will Unwin’s full report from Old Trafford:
Saka is spot-on to seal stroll past West Ham and keeps Arsenal flying
So much for bogey teams. In a week that Mikel Arteta’s side have banished the demons of their poor recent record at Newcastle and here against Olympiakos, it was West Ham’s turn to feel the force of a resurgent Arsenal as they laid down the gauntlet in the title race with a convincing victory.
Other than the concerning sight of first Martin Ødegaard and then opening goalscorer Declan Rice having to be replaced due to injuries, this was a most satisfying afternoon for Arteta on his 300th match in charge. While 16% of Arsenal’s goals under the Spaniard have come from set-pieces – a figure only surpassed by Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce of those who have managed that many games in the Premier League – they showed they are still capable of breaking down teams who come to defend with a low block as well.
Read Ed Aarons full report from the Emirates:
Sesko has two in two and is rapidly climbing up the Premier League goalscoring chart, check out the latest standings.
League Two full-time scores
Barnet 2-0 Accrington Stanley
Barrow 0-0 Shrewsbury
Bromley 3-3 Tranmere Rovers
Cambridge 3-1 Crawley
Cheltenham 2-0 Fleetwood
Colchester United 6-2 Chesterfield
Notts County 3-1 Oldham
Salford 0-2 Grimsby
Walsall 2-1 Bristol Rovers
League One full-time scores
Blackpool 0-2 AFC Wimbledon
Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Peterborough
Cardiff City 4-3 Leyton Orient
Huddersfield 1-2 Stockport
Lincoln 0-1 Exeter
Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Wigan
Port Vale 0-0 Northampton
Reading 1-1 Mansfield
Stevenage 2-0 Luton
Championship full-time scores
Bristol City 1-2 QPR
Derby County 1-1 Southampton
Millwall 3-0 West Brom
Portsmouth 1-0 Middlesbrough
Preston North End 2-0 Charlton
Swansea 1-3 Leicester
Watford 2-1 Oxford
Full-time: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
An improvement for United as Sesko clicks into gear.
Full-time: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Routine win for Arsenal against a toothless West Ham. The Gunners go top of the table, with Liverpool yet to play.
90+1 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland Lammens has to make his first real save as Chemsdine Talbi gets space in the box, but can only fire straight at the keeper.
Full-time at Fratton Park and Portsmouth have held on to win 1-0 and inflict Boro’s first defeat of the season.
Late goal for Exeter at Lincoln is significant at the top of League One. The Imps are set to miss a chance to move into the top two.
89 mins: Not much happening in the Premier League games, comfortable leads for United and Arsenal.
QPR have come from a goal down to lead against Bristol City, it’s 2-1 to the visitors at Ashton Gate. Leciester are now 3-1 up against Swansea, Jannik Vestergaard has all-but sewn up the win.
80 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland Lammens hasn’t had to make a proper save on his debut but Sunderland have given it a go in the second half. Mayenda the latest to try his luck, firing over from the edge of he box. He’s brought down a minute or two later and Casemiro goes into the book.
81 mins: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham The visitors are yet to have a shot on target, very timid performance.
79 mins: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham Merino and Martinelli have replaced Rice and Eze.
76 mins Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland Granit Xhaka goes into the book for bringing down substitute Matheus Cunha. Kobbie Mainoo is on for Mbeumo.
Leicester are back in front against Swansea, it’s 2-1 to the visitors at the Swansea.com Stadium and Preston are 2-0 up at home against Charlton.
75 mins: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham More changes at the Emirates as Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly on for Trossard and Calafiori.
Team news: Chelsea v Liverpool
Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella, Caicedo, James, Pedro Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Jorgensen, Slonina, Hato, Emenalo, Lavia, Buonanotte, Gittens, Estevao Willian, Guiu.
Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Salah, Isak, Gakpo.
Subs: Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Robertson, Frimpong, Jones, Ekitike, Chiesa, Wirtz.
Full-time scores from the Bundesliga
Augsburg 3-1 Wolfsburg
Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Union Berlin
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 RB Leipzig
Werder Bremen 1-0 St. Pauli
In League One, Stevenage are set to go top of the table, they lead 2-0 against Luton.
Swansea were trailing at the break but have now levelled from the spot, Adam Ihah converting a penalty. Millwall are now 3-0 up against West Brom.
Absolute cracker in League One between Leyton Orient and Cardiff, it’s seen multiple lead changes and the Welsh side currently lead 4-3!
Goal! Arsenal 2-0 West Ham (Saka 67)
The VAR had a look and Diouf’s foul was adjudged to be in just inside the area. Saka’s penalty is emphatic, right into the top corner.
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64 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham Penalty for Arsenal, was that in the box?
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60 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland It’s a triple change for Sunderland, Chemsdine Talbi, Eliezer Mayenda and Brian Brobbey replace Wilson Isidor, Arthur Masuaku and Bertrand Traore.
58 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham Changes for the Irons, Magassa and Füllkrug go off, with Freddie Potts and Callum Marshall coming on.
56 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham Crysencio Summerville is booked for a foul on Bukayo Saka, the Arsenal man has been taking a few kicks.
55 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland Sesko is linking up really nicely with Mbeumo. The big man holds up the ball and plays a nice pass around the corner to Mbeumo, who drives into the box but fires well over.
Dortmund are pushing for a winner against Leipzig but that one is still 1-1. I’ll have a full run-through of full-times from the Bundesliga shortly.
In the Championship, Millwall have doubled their lead against West Brom thanks to Femi Azeez.
53 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham It’s all Arsenal here. Trossard is in the thick of it, he gets to the byline by ghosting past Aaron Wan-Bissaka but Mavrapanos gets over to block his shot out for a corner.
51 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham I haven’t typed the words Viktor Gyökeres yet today, largely because he’s done nothing and he’s still yet to do anything. He has chance to poke in a second from Rice’s excellent low ball across goal but the Swedish striker’s stretch isn’t stretchy enough. He has to get there.
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47 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham There’s a quick VAR check for an Arsenal penalty but that’s not going to be given, the ball flicked a West Ham defender’s arm from very close range.
Peeeeeeeeeep!
Play is back underway at the Emirates and Old Trafford.
A new low of Sheffield Wednesday in the early kick-off at Hillsborough as Coventry swaggered into town and left with a 5-0 victory amid onfield protests against Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri. A group of home supporters entered the pitch and caused play to be stopped for ten minutes.
Full report here:
League Two half-time scores
Barnet 1-0 Accrington Stanley
Barrow 0-0 Shrewsbury
Bromley 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
Cambridge United 1-0 Crawley
Cheltenham Town 0-0 Fleetwood
Colchester 4- Chesterfield
Notts County 2-0 Oldham
Salford 0-2 Grimsby
Walsall 0-1 Bristol Rovers
League One half-time scores
Blackpool 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
Bolton 2-1 Peterborough
Cardiff City 1-1 Leyton Orient
Huddersfield 0-1 Stockport County
Lincoln 0-0 Exeter City
Plymouth Argyle 0-0 Wigan
Port Vale 0-0 Northampton
Reading 0-1 Mansfield
Stevenage 0-0 Luton
Championship half-time scores
Bristol City 1-0 QPR
Derby County 1-1 Southampton
Millwall 1-0 West Brom
Portsmouth 1-0 Middlesbrough
Preston 0-0 Charlton
Swansea 0-1 Leicester
Watford 2-1 Oxford
Half-time: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
Loads of action at Old Trafford and United have had the best of it. The best performance of the season for Amorim’s side.
Half-time: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham
Arsenal nearly get a second just before the break as Riccardo Calafiori’s hits the post with a low strike, it hit the back of Areola before being hooked clear. West Ham will be hoping to carry more of a threat after the break.
45+3 mins: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland VAR penalty review! Stuart Atwell is sent to the screen for a high foot in the box by Sesko on Trai Hume but the referee sticks with his onfield decision. That’s a big call but it doesn’t look like there was any contact. Sunderland get a corner, not a penalty and from that Daniel Balllard has to score at the back post but misses with his header. DRAMA!
I missed this earlier, but Yang Min-Hyeok has put Portsmouth ahead against Championship leaders Middlesbrough and the hosts have made it through to half-time 1-0 up.
45 mins: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham Now they have the lead Arsenal are taking the sting out of this one. It’s a lot of easy possession on halfway with West Ham camped out deep.
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44 mins Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland Tactics Tim on Sky is ranting about systems. He’s getting very excited United are going long to Sesko and Mount is picking up the second balls. What an odd perversion.
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Derby have levelled at home against Southampton, Patrick Agyemang scoring that one.
In Italy, Scotland international Che Adams has equalised for Torino at the Stadio Olimpico to make it 2-2 against Lazio.
Goal! Arsenal 1-0 West Ham (Rice 38)
This has been coming. Rice shows Eze how it’s done as he converts a loose ball when it falls his way on the penalty spot after Areola turned away Saka’s initial shot. That was harder to control than it looked.
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35 mins Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Saka hits the deck and there is a moment of concern, he’s not crocked too is he? He’s fine. The West Ham box is facing a barrage as the hosts stack set-pieces, so far Areola is holding firm.
A couple of League Two updates to bring you, Grimsby are winning 2-0 at Salford and Bristol Rovers are 1-0 up at Walsall, good news for Swindon who won earlier and currently sit on top of the league.
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Goal! Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland (Sesko 31)
That’s two in two for the big man as he gets on the end of a flick on from a long-throw. Route one is back.
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29 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Odegaard has gone down again. He tried to play on but couldn’t and Zubimendi is now on for the Arsenal skipper.
25 mins: Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland Big save from Roefs to deny Bruno Fernandes, tipping the shot on to the post, and Amad should put in the rebound but misses the target with his header on the follow-up. The changes appear to have worked from Amorim.
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24 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Goal disallowed! Rice plays in Saka with a lofted pass that pierces the West Ham defence, it’s well-finished but the winger had gone early.
22 mins: Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland Amad bursts into the box after carrying the ball from near halfway and stings the palms of Roefs.
21 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Concern for Arsenal and the fun-time midfield could be broken up early. Odegaard took a knock in a challenge with Summerville and he’s had lengthy treatment on it. It would be a blow if the skipper has to go off.
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Jake Cooper has put Millwall ahead against West Brom. It’s 1-0 to the home side at the Den.
18 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Nuno looks pensieve on the touchline but West Ham have started pretty well all things considered. Arsenal have had the best chance but the visitors look pretty well organised.
We have another goal in the Championship, Jordan James has put Leicester 1-0 ahead at Swansea.
Ernest Poku has broken the deadlock at the BayerArena, Leverkusen lead 1-0.
12 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Saka is slipped in by Odegaard and there’s a scramble in front of the goal from the winger’s cut back, it falls to Eze on the six yard line and he tamely volleys over. That was a huge chance and a baffling miss.
10 mins: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham A break in play with a West Ham player down for treatment, Mavrapanos looks like he’s taken a knock just above the eye. He’s being patched up like a boxer between rounds, bit of Vaseline above the eye.
Goal! Manchester United 1-0 Sunderland (Mount 8)
Bryan Mbeumo picks out Mason Mount in the box and the (former?) England international takes a great first chance before beating Robin Roefs in the Sunderland goal.
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Championship strugglers Oxford are ahead at Watford, thanks to a Max Alleyne own goal. Southampton are leading at Derby, Adam Armstrong with the goal.
3 min: Manchester United 0-0 Sunderland Chance for Bertrand Traoré to give Sunderland the lead but he can’t take it and that’s a big let-off.
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1 min: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham Early test for David Raya as West Ham get the games first corner after a Niclas Füllkrug chance. No issues for the Arsenal defence.
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Peeeeeeeeep!
We are underway!
The teams are out at the Emirates and Old Trafford, kick-off soon.
At Signal Iduna Park, Yan Couto has equalised for Borussia Dortmund. Bayer Leverkusen v Union Berlin is the only game without a goal now in the Bundesliga, Samuel Mbangula has Werder Bremen ahead against St Pauli.
Kudus keeps his cool as Tottenham hold off Leeds
Much was made of Tottenham’s propensity to capitulate last season, resulting in their worst Premier League campaign and Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal, but here was further evidence of the new chapter being patiently written by Thomas Frank.
Facing a Leeds side buoyed up an encouraging start to the season and a typically vociferous home crowd, Spurs might have buckled in this kind of encounter last term. In filthy conditions they stood their ground to maintain their upward trajectory.
How very un-Spursy. Tottenham are evolving just nicely this season and made their class tell with goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus either side of a first-half equaliser from the Leeds winger Noah Okafor.
Read Ross Heppenstall’s full report from Elland Road via the link below:
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We’re coming up to half-time in Serie A’s early games, Lazio are currently beating Torino 2-1 and Lecce lead 1-0 at Parma.
Full-time scores in the EFL early kick-offs
Championship
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Stoke
Hull 1-0 Sheffield United
Sheffield Wednesday 0-5 Coventry
League One
Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Burton Albion
Wycombe Wanderers 2-2 Barnsley
League Two
MK Dons 3-2 Gillingham
Newport County 0-1 Swindon
Nuno believes West Ham can turn season around
Nuno Espírito Santo has said West Ham’s players are willing to change and have taken responsibility for the team’s poor form of the past 18 months.
“I find a nice group of people,” Nuno said. “They are starting to realise that we have to change things. If we don’t change, things will be the same. They are willing to change. I can see it. So let’s embrace it and let’s change it.
“It goes from technical, tactical, physical, mentality, respect, communication. Communication is such an important tool for us. We still don’t have it fully. It has to be a fair and clear communication that we share. They have accounted themselves responsible and are willing to go.”
More of Nuno’s pre-match thoughts here:
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Borussia Dortmund are undefeated in the league so far this season but have fallen behind at home agaist RB Leipzig, Christoph Baumgartner has put the visitors ahead.
In Germany we have four matches underway now and Augsburg have taken an early lead against Wolfsburg.
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Full-time: Leeds 1-2 Tottenham
It’s full-time at Elland Road and Mohammed Kudus’ second-half goal proves to be the difference. I’ll drop the report from Leeds as soon as I have it.
Time to be brave: the tactical tweaks Amorim needs to make at Manchester United
Daniel Harris suggests five changes the beleaguered United manager could make in order to turn his ailing team around.
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Tom Garry has filed from Eastlands, here’s his report from City’s 3-2 win over Arsenal:
In my preamble I said Boro would likely need a win to go back to the top of the Championship. Coventry were 2-0 up at that point, they are now beating Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 with a few minutes remaining. Frank Lampard knows what he’s doing in the Championship.
Mikel Arteta has decided West Ham are the team to unleash his fun-time midfield aganst. Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice all start. Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi are sacrificed in the name of adventure. The high point of Graham Potter’s West Ham tenure came at the Emirates last season, can Nuno exploit this Arsenal team?
Amorim has made five changes from the 3-1 defeat at Brentford. The most notable of those is Senne Lammens making his debut in goal. Three games on the bench is enough time to get a grasp of the job between the sticks for this United side, it seems.
Mason Mount, Casemiro, Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro are all picked to start as Altay Bayındır, Matheus Cunha, Harry Maguire, Patrick Dorgu and Manuel Ugarte pay the price for their roles in the loss at the Gtech.
The magnitude of Sunderland’s visit to Old Trafford for Ruben Amorim’s future is not up for debate. Amorim always said a storm would come and the driving rain is providing from the skies, he needs a win, to stop it coming on the pitch.
The Manchester United head coach has failed to turn things around in his 11 months in charge of the club and another defeat, especially one to a promoted team, would be incredibly damaging going into the international break. There are reports of Amorim’s general unhappiness but he will not want to leave prematurely. Admittedly, his record of securing 34 points in 33 Premier League games in charge is dismal, the sort that would put United in a relegation battle.
Whenever the odd green shoot of hope emerges at United, it is quickly stamped out. The Chelsea victory was followed by breezily succumbing to Brentford the following week with a performance of ineptitude. Everyone from the boardroom to the Stratford End is eager for the Portuguese to succeed but, equally, this can’t go on much longer. Amorim, despite the problems in midfield, seems unable to find a role for Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield. The academy graduate is a natural footballer but Amorim feels the experience of Casemiro or chasing of shadows Manuel Ugarte are better options alongside Bruno Fernandes. A more flexible coach would realise Mainoo has the potential to be the future of the club but that is not the attitude offered.
Sunderland, on the other hand, are thriving. They had a very busy summer but Regis Le Bris has managed to create a cohesive unit. Having come up through the playoffs, everyone expected them to go straight back down but through comprehensive recruitment and good coaching, they are showing the potential to defy the odds.
As ever, you can send in your thoughts via the link at the top of the page or below the line.
It’s all over at the Joie Stadium where Manchester City have beaten Arsenal in the WSL. Billy Munday has live reaction here:
Obviously I would love for you to stick around with me but we do have live action in the Premier League, with Leeds hosting Spurs. Scott Murray has that one:
Team news: Arsenal v West Ham
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Eze, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Subs: Kepa, White, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Norgaard, Zubimendi, Merino, Nwaneri, Martinelli.
West Ham XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Diouf, Magassa, Fernandes, Bowen, Paqueta, Summerville, Fullkrug.
Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Igor, Wilson, Guilherme, Rodriguez, Scarles, Potts, Marshall.
Team news: Manchester United v Sunderland
Manchester United XI: Lammens, Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw, Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot, Mbeumo, Mount, Sesko.
Subs: Bayindir, Dorgu, Heaven, Leon, Maguire, Mainoo, Ugarte, Cunha, Zirkzee.
Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Masuaku, Le Fée, Xhaka, Sadiki, Traoré, Isidor, Adingra.
Subs: Patterson, Ballard, Geertruida, Neil, Rigg, O’Nien, Talbi, Brobbey, Mayenda.
Preamble
A whopping two 3pm (BST) kick-offs in the Premier League has me questioning what’s happened to this country. At least they are two games with plenty of intrigue.
West Ham make a trip on the Overground from Stratford to Highbury and Islington (because all players live at the stadiums they play in) for Nuno Espírito Santo’s second game in charge of the Hammers. Arsenal got a straightforward win in midweek and look built to last. Given Nuno’s preference for pragmatism and Arteta’s priorities usually being control over creativity, this could be a low-scoring affair. That will probably hinge on whether or not West Ham can get to grips with the home side’s set-pieces.
Will the clown show continue at Old Trafford as high-flying Sunderland take on lowly Manchester United? Ruben Amorim’s dogmatic thought experiment in 3-5-2 looks increasingly like it is on its last legs, another defeat would surely prompt another round of high-level discussions from the Ineos brains trust. Sunderland put the (black) cat amongst the pigeons at the City Ground last weekend and have gone about their return to the Premier League with much more purpose than other promoted clubs in the last few seasons
Elsewhere, Middlesbrough will probably need a win at Portsmouth to return to the top of the Championship as Coventry are currently leading at Sheffield Wednesday. Bristol City v QPR is another fixture that catches the eye in the Championship.
There’s an intribung Herts-Beds clash in League One where Stevenage host Luton, with the home side able to jump past Bradford to take over top spot with a win. In League Two, Walsall and Salford will be looking to move up the table with the early pacemakers, Gillingham and Swindon, currently in action.
Further afield, I’ll also be keeping an eye on Borrussia Dortmund’s clash with RB Leipzig.
