• Chelsea 3-3 Everton
• Manchester City 4-0 Crystal Palace
• Southampton 3-0 West Brom
Updated
And with that, I’m off. It’s been special. Bye!
John Terry speaks:
A lot of teams would have thrown the towel in but the fight, the desire from the team … unbelievable, and unlucky not to win the game [MBMer spits out tea]. Was it offside? I don’t know. I don’t really care. It was my first one this season.
Scott Murray is all over the Aston Villa v Leicester City game here.
Deja vu dept
November 28: Everton score incredible last-minute goal to take 3-2 lead in crazy game at Bournemouth. Final score: 3-3
January 16: Everton score incredible last-minute goal to take 3-2 lead in crazy game at Chelsea. Final score: 3-3
That John Terry offside equaliser was scored in the 53rd second of the eighth of the allotted seven minutes of stoppage time.
This season is mental.
— Peter Crouch (@petercrouch) January 16, 2016
Final score: Newcastle have beaten West Ham 2-1!
Final score: Chelsea and Everton have drawn 3-3.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-3 Everton (Terry, 90+8 mins!)
Terry opened the scoring and he’s closed it too, with a late, late equaliser for Everton! And it’s a clever backheel flick as the ball headed between his legs! And, what’s more … he was way offside when Costa flicked on!
Updated
Middlesbrough have conceded a goal! Bristol City have scored a last-minute winner! Aden Flint with the goal!
Ooof! Willian’s low drive across goal whistles just wide, having taken a deflection on its way.
Meanwhile at Newcastle there’ll be six minutes of stoppage time, and at Stamford Bridge they’re going to have seven!
Final score: Bournemouth have beaten Norwich 3-0.
Final score: Southampton have beaten West Brom 3-0.
Stinker of the day: Leyton Orient have won two second half penalties against Exeter … and Jay Simpson has missed them both – one hit the post, the other saved. They trail 1-3.
Final score: Manchester City have beaten Crystal Palace 4-0.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-3 Everton (Funes Mori, 90 mins)
A corner from the right is cleared back to the taker and re-crossed to the far post, where two Everton players are competing with each other, and Funes Mori gets in front of Lukaku to score with a flying sidefoot volley! Defending, anyone?
Updated
Oooh, a cross from the right is only just too high for Lukaku in the middle as Everton look to snatch a win at Stamford Bridge.
If a 5-0 away defeat was enough for the fans to be refunded, logically they should actually be paid for enduring this:
GOAL!!! @HullCity 6 (Isaac Hayden) @CAFCofficial 0 #HULCHA pic.twitter.com/YNLGyp9076
— Hull City (@HullCity) January 16, 2016
“I don’t understand this “reimburse travelling fans after a poor performance” business,” complains Peter Oh. “What’s next? A surcharge for a better-than-expected away result? Modern football … sigh.”
GOAL! Man City 4-0 Crystal Palace (Silva, 84 mins)
Aguero, on a hat-trick, runs clear from the half-way line as City break. You’d have thought he’d only have eyes for goal, but instead he notices Silva’s supporting run and passes to him instead, and the Spaniard has time to control the ball before scoring from six yards!
Updated
Derby are now 3-0 down at home to Birmingham, Makel Kieftenbeld with their latest. Boro remain at 0-0 against Bristol City.
The teams for today’s late kick-off:
Aston Villa: Bunn, Bacuna, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Westwood, Gana, Veretout, Ayew, Kozak, Gil. Subs: Guzan, Richards, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Gestede.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Drinkwater, Kante, Mahrez, Okazaki, Albrighton, Vardy. Subs: De Laet, King, Gray, Ulloa, Wasilewski, Schwarzer, Inler.
Referee: Roger East.
It’s over a year since Palace last conceded three away goals. And guess where they did that?
Crystal Palace have conceded 3 goals in a PL away game for first time since losing 3-0 at Man City in Dec 2014 #CPFC #cityvpalace
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) January 16, 2016
GOAL! Bournemouth 3-0 Norwich (Afobe, 75 mins)
The home side have been considerably superior today, and the scoreline reflects it. Charlie Daniels raids down the left, Afobe meets the cross six yards out and he can hardly miss. And doesn’t. Miss, that is.
In the big game in League One, Burton are now 2-0 up at Coventry, and it looks very much like they will remain on top of the league tonight. Coventry are, as it stands, unbeaten at home this season. Not, though, for long.
GOAL! Southampton 3-0 West Brom (Tadic, 72 mins)
Tadic comes on and scores almost instantly for the second time in a week! Davis passes into the area and Tadic crashes in a first-time left-foot shot from an acute angle!
Updated
A long delay at Stamford Bridge, where Oviedo has been receiving treatment for a while, and has now been loaded onto a stretcher. Funes Bori comes on.
GOAL! Man City 3-0 Crystal Palace (Agüero, 67 mins)
City will be, temporarily at least, joint top of the league at the final whistle having extended their lead over Palace to three, Agüero being presented with a tap-in after Touré found De Bruyne in the area, and the Belgian crossed low!
GOAL! Chelsea 2-2 Everton (Fábregas, 66 mins)
What a turnaround! Fábregas plays a one-two with Costa and shoots low from the edge of the area, his effort taking a deflection and bobbling inside the near post with Howard nowhere!
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 1-2 Everton (Costa, 64 mins)
Chelsea have been huffing and puffing ever since they went two down, and Howard excelled to deny Fábregas, but he doesn’t look quite so clever here, as he hares out of his area as Costa races Jagielka for the ball. The defender I think got a tiny touch, Howard certainly didn’t, and Costa taps into the empty net!
Updated
Bad news for Derby, who have fallen a goal down at home to Birmingham. Hull are streaking to victory and as it stands they go third, though first-place Boro remain goalless against Bristol City.
@simon_burnton Is there a reason the live scores say Jelavic came on at half time but not who for? Maybe West Ham have gone with 12.
— Charlie MacLean (@AnarchoMarvist) January 16, 2016
Not that I can think of. He replaced Pedro Obiang.
GOAL! Everton 2-0 Chelsea (Mirallas, 56 mins)
Chelsea fall further behind! Lennon picks out Baines, and he passes into and across the area, Mirallas controls with his left foot, bringing the ball back inside, and then shoots also with his left foot, inside the near post!
Updated
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-0 Norwich (Daniels 54pen)
The penalty flies in off the inside of the right-hand post!
Penalty for Bournemouth! Obidja is cursing and scowling, having punished for a trip on Marc Pugh, whose fall looked remarkable dramatic to my eyes.
GOAL! Newcastle 2-1 West Ham (Jelavic, 48)
Terry is not responsible for the day’s most idiotic defending, mind. That prize will surely go to the author of the back-pass from which Jelavic just nipped in and brought West Ham back into the game at St James’ Park!
Updated
Everton hit the post! Barkley with the effort, hitting the near post from the left side of the area.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Everton! (Terry 49og)
Those are superlative own goal stylings from John Terry. The ball is worked to Baines on the left touchline, and his powercross is met by Terry at the near post, who volleys it right-footed into his left leg, with which he backheels into his own net!
Updated
Oooh! Bournemouth should have extended their lead within 30 seconds of the restart, as Pugh tricks his way into space inside the penalty area but his low shot is saved!
Half-time double substitution: West Brom bring on Brunt and Rondon for Fletcher and Olsson as they attempt to claw back a 2-0 deficit at Southampton.
Scottish weather latest:
That’s a first-half hat-trick for Abel Hernández of Hull. “Will the Charlton players be doing another refund for the travelling fans?” asks Tom Harp. “Could get costly by the end of the season.”
Tuesday
FT | @htafcdotcom 5 Charlton 0. A truly horrible night. #cafc #CAFCLive
— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) January 12, 2016
I know words are cheap but on behalf of myself and the players,I want to apologise for tonight.It was disgraceful and you deserve better.
— Johnnie Jackson (@johnnie_jackson) January 12, 2016
We are going to reimburse fans who travelled up to support us.I will arrange this with the club + they will let you know how to be refunded
— Johnnie Jackson (@johnnie_jackson) January 12, 2016
Saturday
HALF TIME | @HullCity 4 @CAFCofficial 0. A horrible half for the Addicks #cafc #CAFCLive
— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) January 16, 2016
Updated
Today’s Premier League games have an aggregate score, as it stands, of 11-1. A good day so far for the home sides.
The half-time whistles are busily shrieking. Four of the five top-flight games are done, for now.
Ooooh! Rudd streaks from his area and trips Afobe, and the referee is immediately surrounded by Bournemouth players demanding a red card! but he was heading away from goal, and there were a couple of defenders in the neighbourhood, so he’s given only a yellow.
Updated
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Crystal Palace (Agüero, 41 mins)
Palace have given City a decent examination here, but it doesn’t look like they’re going to get anything out of it. Agüero shoots from 25 yards, and it beats Hennessey at the near post after taking a deflection off Dann.
Updated
Oooh! West Ham should have pulled a goal back at Newcastle, but when picked out by Payet’s free kick Valencia somehow fluffs his shot!
Final cricket update: England have won the match by seven wickets, and with it the series.
Goal-line clearance! Southampton nearly went 3-0 up, but McClean popped up on the line to divert Targett’s first-time left-foot drive to safety! It might have been postbound rather than goalbound, but even so, fine defending there young man!
GOAL! Southampton 2-0 West Brom (Ward-Prowse, 35 mins)
Ward-Prowse sends the keeper the wrong way, and rolls the ball low to his left to double the Saints’ lead.
2 - James Ward-Prowse has scored more goals today (2) than he had in his previous 92 Premier League appearances for Southampton. Brace.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 16, 2016
Updated
PENALTY for Southampton!
Targett is bundled over by Craig Dawson (though to me it looked like Dawson was bundled over by Targett). Whatever, it’s a penalty.
At the Etihad, Cabaye’s free-kick is athletically tipped round the post by Hart.
In the cricket, England have collapsed to 71-3. They need three to win, so should scrape through.
“As I watch West Ham meekly let Championship hopefuls Newcastle walk all over them, it begs the question why the Premier League has subjected half the league to two away games in four days?” moans Dan Bryant. “First set of midweek fixtures all season and they gift the likes of City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool etc with doubled up home games. And of course, every home team (bar Chelsea) is already winning. Why not just do home and away like normal? Why change it this week of all weeks?” Um, don’t know, really. I’m sure there’s an innocent explanation.
Confusion! Ward-Prowse takes a corner and Myhill comes out to punch it, misses completely and the ball hits him in the side and plops straight down to earth, five yards out. To his very great fortune, it lands very near a defender, who wallops clear.
So the only goalless top-flight game is at Chelsea, where Everton look to be doing a certain amount of bus-parking. Diego Costa has just been caught offside.
Confusion! Hart collects the ball after a Palace corner, runs to the edge of the area, kicks it into the back of the nearest Palace played and Delaney, I think, hits a first-time shot over the bar. The referee gave a free kick, I think. Not sure why.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Crystal Palace (Delph, 22 mins)
Another home goal! Delph takes aim with his left foot, probably 35 yards out, and it flies hard and low towards the near post. Hennessey got two hands on it, should have stopped it, but, um, didn’t.
Updated
Penalty? No! Norwich’s Russell Martin pretty much rugby tackles Charlie Daniels, who makes the mistake of not going straight down when two arms appear around his waist, and by the time he does crumple a moment later the referee doesn’t think he needed to.
GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 West Ham (Wijnaldum, 15 mins)
A super, long crossfield pass from Shelvey picks out the rampaging Janmaat on the right, he crosses and Wijnaldum converts having escaped the attentions of Collins. Lovely goal in a very old-fashioned English style.
Updated
Today’s is Ward-Prowse’s second in the league, in his 47th appearance. Given the dead-ball excellence he’s just demonstrated, he should have more.
In cricket news, England are 10 runs from victory in the third Test against South Africa, but have just lost their first wicket (it’s been reviewed, but Hales looks plummish).
The Championship strugglers are already struggling: second-bottom Charlton are 1-0 down at Hull, and rock-bottom Bolton are 1-0 down at Nottingham Forest, with the added blow of goalkeeper Ben Amos being sent off.
GOAL! Bournemouth 1-0 Norwich (Gosling, 10 mins)
That’s three of the five top-flight home sides in the lead. A left-wing cross from Pugh is cleared, but Bournemouth reclaim possession, work it back to Pugh and this time his cross finds Gosling at the far post, who heads in from five yards!
Updated
There aren’t many better names in football at the moment than Max Power, and this sounds very much like an excellent example of nominative determanism.
7' GOOOAAAALLLL!! @power_m4 scores an absolute stunner!! (1-0) #wafc
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) January 16, 2016
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 West Ham (Perez, 6 mins)
It’s not his first chance of the day, either. He had a low shot saved, in the fifth minute, and then he scored in the sixth. Shelvey’s pass zipped to the edge of the area, where it was laid back into Perez’s path and he hit a first-time shot into the right corner!
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 West Brom (Ward-Prowse, 5 mins)
It’s a free kick from five yards outside the penalty area, towards its left corner, and Ward-Prowse slams it into the top left corner with the goalkeeper nowhere!
Updated
Meanwhile at Newcastle, James Collins is already limping quite badly.
Impossible miss for Palace! Or save, if you’re feeling charitable! Joe Hart has kept out an absolute sitter, Damien Delaney with a headed chance at the back stick, seven yards out and completely unmarked.
Peeeeep!
It’s 3pm. Let’s play!
Lewis Grabban “said to be unwell” today, so unable to play for Bournemouth against Norwich, the team he just left. Which is convenient.
… and out they come!
Players are emerging from dressing rooms and congregating in tunnels. Nearly there.
Are those strictly necessary?
Today’s big transfer news has seen Charlie Austin sign for Southampton, for a rumoured £4m. Great signing, surely.
Delighted to have joined @SouthamptonFC I will give everything to be successful here ⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/8DAxo1k8pP
— Charlie Austin (@chazaustin9) January 16, 2016
Updated
Results so far today: Gary Hooper scores both goals as Sheffield Wednesday beat Leeds 2-0, and the final whistle has just gone on Tottenham 4-1 Sunderland. That’s four in six now for Hooper, who remains on loan from striker-seeking Norwich.
FULL TIME! Five home wins on the bounce as Owls defeat @LUFC 2-0 #swfcLIVE pic.twitter.com/6MKVMwd6jD
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) January 16, 2016
“Afternoon Simon,” writes sometime volunteer Scotland correspondent Simon McMahon. Afternoon. “Game of the day in Scotland takes place, eh, last night at Tannadice where Dundee United continued to build confidence after last weeks cup win against League One Airdrie by only shipping 4 goals against league leaders Celtic. Just watch us go now. Other SPFL fixtures are Hearts v Motherwell, Kilmarnock v Inverness and, after passing an early pitch inspection, St. Johnstone v Hamilton. A number of games in the lower leagues are off, but in League Two Annan, fresh from their stunning cup win over SPFL Hamilton, face East Fife, still the only team to have won the Scottish Cup when playing outside the top division (in 1938, since you ask).”
Excellent. That’s a big fat tick in the don’t-totally-ignore-Scotland box.
A managerial pre-match interview distilled to its very essence. Good effort.
TP: I've gone with Vic but Salomon has done well. Bruntie is on the bench too ... I think the game will suit Sess pic.twitter.com/Kg8bYAAJ8C
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBAFCofficial) January 16, 2016
So Jonjo Shelvey starts for Newcastle, and Victor Moses is in West Ham’s squad for the first time since 5 December.
Premier League teams
Bournemouth v Norwich
Bournemouth: Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Surman, Pugh, Gosling, Arter, Stanislas, Afobe. Subs: Iturbe, MacDonald, Kermorgant, Federici, Distin, Murray, O’Kane.
Norwich: Rudd, Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Brady, Odjidja-Ofoe, Tettey, Howson, Jarvis, Hoolahan, Mbokani. Subs: Ruddy, Wisdom, Jerome, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Redmond, Olsson.
Referee: Robert Madley.
Chelsea v Everton
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Mikel, Willian, Fabregas, Pedro, Costa. Subs: Begovic, Baba, Oscar, Kenedy, Remy, Cahill, Loftus-Cheek.
Everton: Howard, Oviedo, Stones, Jagielka, Baines, Barkley, Barry, Besic, Lennon, Lukaku, Mirallas. Subs: Robles, Koné, Cleverley, Deulofeu, Osman, Pienaar, Funes Mori.
Referee: Mike Jones.
Man City v Crystal Palace
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov, Delph, Fernando, De Bruyne, Silva, Iheanacho, Aguero. Subs: Sagna, Sterling, Caballero, Jesus Navas, Clichy, Toure, Humphreys.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souaré, Ledley, Cabaye, McArthur, Puncheon, Wickham, Zaha. Subs: Speroni, Campbell, Lee, Jedinak, Mutch, Chamakh, Kelly.
Referee: Jon Moss.
Newcastle v West Ham
Newcastle: Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Colback, Shelvey, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovic. Subs: Gouffran, Lascelles, Aarons, Saivet, Darlow, Rivière, Toney.
West Ham: Adrian, Tomkins, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyaté, Obiang, Payet, Valencia, Antonio. Subs: Randolph, Reid, Song, Jenkinson, Moses, Jelavic, Cullen.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick.
Southampton v West Brom
Southampton: Forster, Cedric Soares, Fonte, van Dijk, Targett, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Steven Davis, Mane, Bertrand, Long. Subs: Kelvin Davis, Yoshida, Tadic, Romeu, Martina, Pelle, Juanmi.
West Brom: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Evans, Gardner, Fletcher, Yacob, McClean, Sessegnon, Anichebe. Subs: Foster, Chester, Brunt, Lambert, Berahino, McManaman, Rondon.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
Updated
Hello world!
So, then, here we are. Another Saturday afternoon yawns before us like a wild chasm of possibility. Untold excitement awaits (I’m an optimist). Here are this afternoon’s English Football League fixtures. I’ve searched high and low but in vain for key games from other leagues – there are 3pm GMT kick-offs in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Spain, Cyprus, Israel and Algeria, but I can’t find a single one that seems particularly vital. Do feel free to point out my unforgivable ignorance, though. In the meantime, this is what we’ve got:
Premier League
Bournemouth v Norwich (preview)
Chelsea v Everton (preview)
Man City v Crystal Palace (preview)
Newcastle v West Ham (preview)
Southampton v West Brom (preview)
Championship
Blackburn Rovers v Brighton & Hove Albion
Bristol City v Middlesbrough
Derby County v Birmingham City
Huddersfield Town v Fulham
Hull City v Charlton Athletic
Ipswich Town v Preston North End
Milton Keynes Dons v Reading
Nottingham Forest v Bolton Wanderers
Rotherham United v Queens Park Rangers
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Cardiff City
Middlesbrough’s recent league results (in the last two months they have won eight and drawn one, with an aggregate scoe of 13-0. Yes, nil) are astonishingly awesome. They are, as a result, five points clear at the top of the Championship with a game in hand on every team in the league except 18th-place Blackburn, and two games in hand on some. Today they visit third-bottom Bristol City who, in the two months in which Boro haven’t conceded, haven’t kept a clean sheet and have won only once, and who sacked their manager, Steve Cotterill, this week. Three more points look on the cards. What this does is heap enormous pressure on the chasing pack. Burnley did the business last night, beating Brentford, but Hull and Derby both play this afternoon, at home to second-bottom Charlton and eighth-place Birmingham respectively. You’d certainly have one, and probably both – Derby are a little out of sorts, not having won in three matches, and Birmingham’s away record is pretty good, though they’ve now not won on their travels since 7 November – down as home wins, but even with 20 games remaining they can’t let Boro pull further away, and that can induce wild panic. Meanwhile Brighton, who were level at the top with Boro just before Christmas, undefeated in their first 21 matches, have taken one point from their last five and head to Blackburn clinging desperately on to the last play-off place.
League One
Blackpool v Scunthorpe United
Bradford City v Oldham Athletic
Bury v Walsall
Colchester United v Sheffield United
Coventry City v Burton Albion
Doncaster Rovers v Gillingham
Peterborough United v Southend United
Rochdale v Fleetwood United
Shrewsbury Town v Barnsley
Swindon Town v Crewe Alexandra
Wigan Athletic v Chesterfield
Top-of-the-table Burton have two games in hand on most of their rivals, and one on the rest, but could finish the afternoon in fourth. They travel to fourth-placed Coventry, who would overtake them with a win. But even if Coventry do win they could still only end up third, with Gillingham, who visit 12th-place Doncaster, and Walsall, who travel to 14th-place Bury, hoping to end the day above them.
League Two
Accrington Stanley v Portsmouth
AFC Wimbledon v Mansfield Town
Barnet v Carlisle United
Crawley Town v Notts County
Dagenham & Redbridge v Northampton Town
Hartlepool United v Wycombe Wanderers
Leyton Orient v Exeter City
Luton Town v Cambridge United
Morecambe v Yeovil Town
Plymouth Argyle v Stevenage
York City v Newport County
Third-place Oxford play fifth-place Bristol Rovers tomorrow, and without that there’s no truly outstanding fixture, with Accrington v Portsmouth – or seventh v fourth, if you prefer – the only meeting between two top 10 teams. Two of the bottom five play, with Newport travelling to bottom-place York. With Dagenham & Redbridge hosting second-place Northampton, victory for York could well take them off the foot of the table. Having said that, they’ve won only once in the league, losing 11, in the last four months, including at one stage a run of 10 defeats in 11 in all competitions, so probably shouldn’t get their hopes up.
Updated
