Time to wrap things up. Thanks for your company and emails, and don’t forget to join Scott Murray for the remainder of Wolves v Manchester City. Goodnight.
West Ham manager Graham Potter reacts to their 3-0 defeat at Sunderland
Very disappointing. The second half performance wasn’t good at all in terms of the basics. I thought the first half was good – we controlled the game for large periods in a hostile environment.
The first goal isn’t good enough from our perspective, and then the game becomes difficult for us.
We’ve got a big game on Friday in front of our own supporters – we have to react and do a lot better.
Wolves v Man City is under way. You can follow that game with Scott Murray.
Thomas Frank’s reaction
I’m extremely happy with the three goals and the clean sheet. If I’m brutally honest, I felt we were a little bit out of sync at times but the overall performance was good. I like the mentality and the hard work. We worked a lot on crosses, which is big for me, and we scored from two of them. That’s an element I was very happy with.
What a performance from Richarlison. His work rate, his intensity and on top of that two goals – especially the last one – is exceptional. I’ve just been told there were 17 passes [before one of the goals] and that all the players touched the ball. That’s nice.
Updated
Spurs reaction
Mohammed Kudus
I’m very happy with the performance and the result.
[On Richarlison’s second] As a winger part of my responsibility is to serve the strikers. I don’t think it was a perfect cross but he made it look so good! It’s good to set up the strikers; I’m here to serve them.
Part of the reason I came here is to play in the position I want to be in – and where I can entertain the fans, because I think that’s what the game is about. But the most important thing is doing it at the right time.
Richarlison
Thank you for the assists [pats Kudus on the shoulder]. I’m so happy with this guy – next week he deserves to score because he works so hard for the team. I think this guy’s Brazilian!
I’m so happy with the game.
Sunderland goalscorer Dan Ballard reacts
It’s amazing to be back in the Premier League – and what a performance to start us off.
[On the three goals being scored by players who were at the club last season] We’ve had a lot of new signings but there was a lot of quality here, that’s the reason we got promoted. I was delighted for the two boys to get their goal as they were so influential last season.
I felt really confident today, I thought I would get a goal. It was a fantastic ball.
The place was rocking. This was very, very close to [the atmosphere at] the Coventry game.
Premier League match reports
Championship full times
Blackburn 1-2 Birmingham
Bristol City 0-0 Charlton
Millwall 0-2 Middlesbrough
Preston 2-1 Leicester
Sheff Wed 0-3 Stoke
Swansea 1-0 Sheff Utd
Watford 2-1 QPR
Those are the 3pm games, and here’s what happened in the early kick-offs.
“About that Manics album,” says Peter Oh. “One of the tracks has a title that fits modern football in many ways: All Is Vanity.
“PS I saw the Manics play a gig in San Francisco on their Journal for Plague Lovers tour, at the legendary Fillmore. I remember having the feeling that the power of their sound would blow the doors off the hinges.”
Updated
Full time: Brighton 1-1 Fulham
That’s all she wrote at the Amex Stadium. Rodrigo Muniz’s last-gasp equaliser, a clinical snapshot after a corner flashed across goal, has given Fulham an unlikely point.
Full time: Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
Sunderland are top of the Premier League!
GOAL! Brighton 1-1 Fulham (Muniz 90+7)
But not any more. Rodrigo Muniz has equalised for Fulham!
Updated
90+5 min: Brighton 1-0 Fulham Kenny Tete has missed a sitter for Fulham in the fifth of six added minutes. Just before that, Paul Merson announced on Sky Sports that you could put up six hours of added time, never mind six minutes, and Fulham still wouldn’t score. And so far he’s right.
Updated
Full time: Tottenham 3-0 Burnley
A comfortable start for Thomas Frank including two goals for Richarlison, the second a marvellous flying volley.
GOAL! Sunderland 3-0 West Ham (Isidor 90+2)
A perfect end to a perfect second half for Sunderland! Wilson Isidor has put them 3-0 up with the help of a mistake from West Ham’s new goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Updated
Preston 2-1 Leicester “Jeremy Monga is the same age as Journal for Plague Lovers by the Manics,” writes Matt Dony. “I’m going to bed.”
If it cheers you up any, old man, it looks like Monga’s historic goal will be in vain as Preston have gone back in front.
88 min: Brighton 1-0 Fulham James Milner, 39, has just come off the bench to begin his – yikesorama – 24th Premier League season. It sounds like Brighton have the game under control; well, as much as you can at 1-0.
Forest sign Omari Hutchinson
Nottingham Forest have announced the signing of Omari Hutchinson, one of the stars of the England Under-21 side that won the European Championship in the summer, from Ipswich. We’ll have more on that deal later I’m sure.
Updated
Premier League latest
Brighton 1-0 Fulham
Sunderland 2-0 West Ham
Tottenham 3-0 Burnley
Championship Ruben Selles’ miserable start to life at Sheffield United is in danger of continuing. They trail 1-0 at Swansea, whose goal was scored in the 66th minute by Ronald. One O.
Monga becomes youngest ever second tier goalscorer
Preston 1-1 Leicester City Jeremy Monga’s goal makes him the youngest ever goalscorer in the English second tier. He’s 16 years 37 days old and has beaten a record set by Jude Bellingham for Birmingham in 2019. Who else?
Updated
GOAL! Sunderland 2-0 West Ham (Ballard 73)
What a return for Sunderland. Dan Ballard, whose goal against Coventry is one of the main reasons Sunderland are in the Premier League, has planted a brilliant header past Mads Hermansen to double the home side’s lead.
Updated
Wolves v Manchester City team news
Ederson isn’t in the Manchester City squad, so another giant of the 2017-24 could be on his way. James Trafford is in goal for City.
Scott Murray has the full team news.
Championship Jeremy Monga has scored a fine individual equaliser for Leicester at Preston. If you don’t want to feel really, really old, look away now.
Monga was born in July 2009.
Updated
Premier League latest
Brighton 1-0 Fulham
Sunderland 1-0 West Ham
Tottenham 3-0 Burnley
“Richarlison has been by a very long distance the best player on the field today,” says Kári Tulinius. “While I realise he’s the epitome of a footballer that flatters to deceive, he could blossom in a striker-centric Thomas Frank system. He’s already scored half the number of league goals he scored last year, and twice the number of league goals during his first season.”
GOAL! Tottenham 3-0 Burnley (Johnson 66)
All done at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Brennan Johnson has put Spurs 3-0 up against Burnley. He ran onto Pape Sarr’s through ball and finished with a gentle stab past Martin Dubravka.
Updated
64 min: Sunderland 1-0 West Ham Mayenda’s goal was also a fine finish. He got in front of Nayef Aguerd to meet the substitute Omar Alderete’s cross from the left and force a precise header back across Mads Hermansen.
63 min: Tottenham 2-0 Burnley Richarlison’s second goal was so good, an elegant scissor kick into the bottom corner from 12 yards. He was running away from goal as he met the ball, which made the grace and precision of the volley even better. Like his first goal, it came from a right-wing cross by the debutant Mohammed Kudus.
GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 West Ham (Mayenda 61)
Sunderland are back, baby! Eliezer Mayenda is the Michael Chopra des nos jours; he’s scored Sunderland’s first goal on their return to the top flight.
Updated
GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Burnley (Richarlison 60)
Richarlison had doubled Spurs’ lead with a belter!
Updated
56 min: Tottenham 1-0 Burnley
“Richarlison is one of my favourite players because of his off-field stances: specifically, for opening up about his struggles with depression and urging others who are struggling to seek treatment, and for his critique of Jair Bolsonaro’s fascist regime (in stark contrast to his countryman Neymar on the latter),” writes Michael Weller. “At the same time, his goal for Spurs today highlights one of the eternal verities of being an Evertonian: that wherever football is played, you’re never far from seeing a former Everton player score for another team.”
It’s interesting – euphemism alert – that despite his off-field decency Richarlison would probably walk into a Premier League’s Most Hated XI.
GOAL! Brighton 1-0 Fulham (O'Riley 55 pen)
The sale of Joao Pedro to Chelsea means Brighton need a new penalty taker. When Georginio Rutter is fouled by Sander Berge, Matt O’Riley obliges with an emphatic spotkick.
Updated
Wolves v Man City (5.30pm) The late Premier League game is at Molineux, where Manchester City’s revamped team face Wolves. We’ll have team news for that game soon enough.
Championship roundup
Here’s our write-up of the early Championship games, including a ding-dong gave at Pride Park.
Peep peep! The players are back for more and so, dear reader, are we.
Championship half-times
Blackburn 0-0 Birmingham
Bristol City 0-0 Charlton
Millwall 0-0 Middlesbrough
Preston 1-0 Leicester
Sheff Wed 0-1 Stoke
Swansea 0-0 Sheff Utd
Watford 2-1 QPR
A reminder that you can follow all the EFL games on our live scores page.
Half time: Tottenham 1-0 Burnley
Thomas Frank’s new team lead Burnley thanks to a smart early finish from Richarlison.
Updated
Half time: Brighton 0-0 Fulham
Nothing to see here.
Updated
Half time: Sunderland 0-0 West Ham
A tight first half at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland have seven new signings in their starting XI.
42 min: Brighton 0-0 Fulham “It’s all Brighton” is the verdict of Paul Merson on Sky Sports. Sounds like Carlos Baleba is dominating midfield as usual.
Premier League latest
Brighton 0-0 Fulham
Sunderland 0-0 West Ham
Tottenham 1-0 Burnley
Blackpool's Ellis scores twice - and is sent off
League One Quite the first half at Bloomfield Road, where Blackpool lead Huddersfield 3-2 but have just been reduced to 10 men. Niall Ennis, who scored two of Blackpool’s goals, has now been sent off for a dangerous high challenge.
Updated
34 min: Tottenham 1-0 Burnley It sounds like Burnley are coming into the game, albeit without really testing Guglielmo Vicario.
30 min: Brighton 0-0 Fulham Kaoru Mitoma misses the clearest chance to date, heading off target from Matt O’Riley’s cross.
27 min: Sunderland 0-0 West Ham A neat move from West Ham ends with El-Hadji Malick Diouf’s shot being cleared off the line by Dan Ballard. It sounds like that game has been pretty even so far.
Updated
Championship
Luca Kjerrumgaard, a giant Danish forward on loan from Udinese, has scored two goals in five minutes at Vicarage Road. Watford lead QPR 2-0.
Updated
23 min: Tottenham 1-0 Burnley The possession stats – Tottenham have had 81 per cent – are grim reading for Burnley, and lovers of promoted teams more generally.
Slightly weird phrase to write, but this is a big season for the promoted teams.
Premier League latest
Brighton 0-0 Fulham
Sunderland 0-0 West Ham
Tottenham 1-0 Burnley
17 min: Tottenham 1-0 Burnley A bit of Spurs-adjacent news: Eberechi Eze, a target for Daniel Levy and friends, may miss Crystal Palace’s match at Chelsea tomorrow.
You didn’t pick Richarlison, did you?
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Burnley (Richarlison 10)
The first Premier League goal of the Thomas Frank era has been scored by Richarlison. Burnley tried to play out from the back, lost the ball and were punished. Mohammed Kudus’s cross bounced up awkwardly towards Richarlison, who adjusted his body to drag an accomplished excellent finish past Martin Dubravka.
Updated
6 min: Spurs 0-0 Burnley We’ve had the first eight-second corner of the Premier League season, awarded by Michael Oliver against the Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka. Nothing came of it but you’d imagine those timewasting punishments will become a background feature of the season.
Championship match report: Wrexham 2-3 West Brom
With the spotlight fixed on their Hollywood infused opposition, it is easily forgettable that West Brom’s Ryan Mason is just lighting the touchpaper on a hopefully lengthy and fruitful managerial career. Mason will know already that he will thrive or fail on his substitutions, and a lunchtime double switch that instantly earned three precious Championship points should boost his confidence.
Championship Stoke’s Million Manhoef has put them ahead inside the first minute at Hillsborough. You can follow all the EFL goals as they go in via our live scores page.
The three Premier League games are under way. They were all preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
Updated
Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who was racially abused at Anfield last night, has thanked his teammates, the Liverpool players and the match officials for their support last night.
Match report: Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle
Newcastle demonstrated how united they are without Alexander Isak but also how much they miss his goal power. Despite dominating this match, before and after Ezri Konsa was sent off for Aston Villa, Eddie Howe’s men had to settle for a draw against the side they pipped for a Champions League place.
“Hey Rob, is that the time already?” says Simon McMahon. “I’ve given up going to Dundee’s Sausage & Cider Festival XXL to be at the start of another season of clockwatch madness, though I will be having bangers and mash and some scrumpy for my tea.
“It’s the last sixteen of the Scottish League Cup this weekend, with the all premier tie Hearts v St. Mirren being the pick, with potential for upsets at Morton, who welcome Aberdeen, and in Perth, where St. Johnstone face Motherwell. European giant killers nearly men Dundee United travel to Kilmarnock tomorrow, hoping to put Thursday night’s heartbreak against Rapid Vienna behind them.”
Urgh, commiserations on Thursday; that must have been painful. I thought I heard some thunderclaps after the game, which was confusing in mid-August, but then I realised it was probably Jim McLean effing and jeffing from upstairs.
Championship results
Derby 3-5 Coventry
Portsmouth 1-2 Norwich
Wrexham 2-3 West Brom
Sam Smith scored in the 94th minute for Wrexham but they couldn’t pull their second injury-time comeback of the week. Portsmouth gave Norwich a scare at Fratton Park: Adrian Segecic pulled one back before John Swift hit the crossbar with a sizzling volley.
Full time: Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle
No goals at Villa Park, where the home side held on for the last quarter with 10 men after Ezri Konsa was sent off.
GOAL! Derby 3-5 Coventry (Torp 79) Viktor Torp rifles an excellent shot through the crowd to give Coventry a two-goal cushion for the first time today.
GOAL! Wrexham 1-3 West Brom (Price 81) Isaac Price has got his second goal, guiding a header into the net from Mikey Johnston’s cross.
Tottenham v Burnley team news
Mohammed Kudus starts for Spurs. the rest of their summer signings, including Joao Palhinha, are on the bench.
Kyle Walker, Quilindschy Hartman, Jaidon Anthony and Martin Dubravka all start for Burnley.
Tottenham Hotspur (poss 4-2-3-1) Vicario; Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence; Bergvall, Gray; Kudus, Sarr, Johnson; Richarlison.
Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Joao Palhinha, Tel, Vuskovic, Solanke, Odobert,
Bentancur, Davies.
Burnley (poss 3-4-2-1) Dubravka; Walker, Ekdal, Esteve; Sonne, Mejbri, Cullen, Laurent, Hartman; Mejbri, Anthony; Foster.
Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Bruun Larsen, Ugochukwu, Edwards, Tchaouna, Flemming, Ramsey, Lucas Pires.
Referee Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Updated
GOAL! Derby 3-4 Coventry (Mason-Clark 75)
Ephron Mason-Clark has put Coventry ahead again with a superbly deft header at the far post.
GOAL! Derby 3-3 Coventry (Thomas-Asante 72)
Brandon Thomas-Asante has equalised for Coventry in a ding-dong thriller at Derby. Hang on, there’s been a seventh goal…
Updated
GOAL! Wrexham 1-2 West Brom (Wallace 74)
Jed Wallace has given West Brom the lead at the STōK Cae Ras, splashing a shot past Wrexham keeper Danny Ward at the near post.
Updated
Sunderland v West Ham team news
New faces galore in the Sunderland team: Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, Noah Sadiki and Robin Roefs all make their debuts.
West Ham’s new faces are Mads Hermansen in goal and the exciting El Hadji Malick Diouf at left wing-back.
Sunderland (poss 4-3-3) Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Seelt, Mandava; Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra.
Subs: Patterson, Neil, Guiu, Roberts, Rigg, Alderete, Isidor, Le Fee, Jones.
West Ham (3-4-1-2) Hermansen; Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd; Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez, Diouf; Lucas Paqueta; Bowen, Fullkrug.
Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Alvarez, Wilson, Mavropanos, Soucek, Scarles, Potts, Irving.
Referee Robert Jones (Merseyside)
Updated
Brighton v Fulham team news
Summer signingswatch: Maxim De Cuyper starts at left-back for Brighton. Fulham’s new back-up keeper Benjamin Lecomte is on the bench.
Brighton (4-2-3-1) Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, O’Riley, Mitoma; Rutter.
Subs: Steele, Gruda, Welbeck, Milner, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gomez, Veltman, Coppola.
Fulham (4-2-3-1) Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Cuenca; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, King, Iwobi; Jimenez.
Subs: Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Traore, Andreas Pereira, Castagne, Diop, Smith Rowe, Lecomte.
Referee Sam Barrott (West Yorkshire)
Updated
Read Sid Lowe on Thomas Partey’s Villarreal debut last night
There were no banners, no chants, no renewed social media campaign and neither manager was asked to comment on Partey after the game. The whistles were not sufficient to be registered by everyone. Cadena Ser radio’s local correspondent, who sat high in the main stand, reported that he had not heard any.
Red card! Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle (Konsa sent off)
Ezri Konsa has been given a straight red card for dogsoing Anthony Gordon. Barry Glendenning has more.
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley (3pm)
When I was 27 of course I thought I could do everything but I also found out that as a leader I am 1,000% better now, so he also needs to learn and become better and better, so I will do my best to guide him. His aggression is phenomenal. He is fantastic in the duels. When he gives that to the team, he can transform the team and give energy to the team so I think that’s extremely important.
GOAL! Derby 3-2 Coventry (Adams 50)
Derby are ahead for the first time in what sounds like a bit of a humdinger at Pride Park. Coventry manager Frank Lampard may not share that view after watching Ebou Adams put his old club ahead.
53 min: Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle
No goals at Villa Park, where Newcastle had the better of the first half. Barry Glendenning is your man for updates on that game, and so much more.
Championship latest (12.30pm)
Derby 2-2 Coventry
Elder 12, Morris 45+2 pen; Thomas 7, Wright 25 penPortsmouth 0-2 Norwich
Darling 6, Sargent 14Wrexham 1-1 West Brom
O’Brien 42, Price 20
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the first Premier League-themed clockwatch of 2025-26. There are three 3pm kick-offs, one for each hour post meridiem, and they’ll be the focus of today’s disposable nonsense coverage.
We’ll also keep two thirds of an eye on the EFL and bring you another either yellow-ticker-worthy news from elsewhere.
Premier League fixtures
Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle (12.30pm)
Brighton v Fulham
Sunderland v West Ham
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
