And with that, I’m off. It’s been a blast. Bye!
Maybe Mike Ashley should show up a bit more often? On the day that Kevin Keegan revealed he is no longer welcome at St James’s Park after falling out with Newcastle United’s detested owner, it was just like the Sports Direct chief executive to attend his first match for almost 18 months on a damp and dreary day in southeast London. He was treated to a backs-to-the-wall performance that earned Rafa Benítez’s side only their second point of the season but also laid bare the challenge facing their beleaguered manager this season.
More from Selhurst Park:
Jürgen Klopp admits that his decision to take off the outstanding Xherdan Shaqiri at half-time was tactical –
The result is really cool. The performance could have been better but it’s clear. We made some changes and it cost us. We changed the system, and without training it’s always difficult. The changes were obviously good because Shaq was influential and Matip as well, but organisation-wise we had a lot of problems. This is why we changed back to a system we are used to, so we controlled the game in the second half. I’ve never got a player off who was not injured after a performance like he had in the first half, but it’s all good. He had a real impact, so good to see. The performance was good – what I didn’t like was my fault.
Efficiency is always commendable but, in a football context at least, it pays the greatest dividends when combined with cold-blooded ruthlessness. If there can be no doubt that Middlesbrough have the first part of that equation sorted their final ball has a nasty habit of letting them down.
More on Middlesbrough’s goalless draw with Swansea at the Riverside:
Sir Alex Ferguson was back where he belongs – at Old Trafford – for a first time since recovering from a brain haemorrhage to witness a disappointing draw from a Manchester United who failed to turn dominance into three points.
More from Old Trafford:
Leicester recovered from a dire start to run out emphatic winners here. Huddersfield glimpsed a first league win of the season when Mathias Jørgensen swept them into the lead in the fifth minute, but the home side soon drew level thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho, before sealing victory in the second half through goals by the former England striker Jamie Vardy and the excellent James Maddison, a 21-year-old who will become a prized part of England’s future if he continues to perform as he has done for Leicester this season.
More from the King Power Stadium:
Manchester City laid on an attacking masterclass as they extinguished any concerns of a European hangover to blow away Cardiff City in style with five magnificent goals, as Pep Guardiola’s side strolled to victory in south Wales. A breathtaking away performance left the hosts exasperated, with Sergio Agüero opening the scoring on his 300th appearance for City, before goals from Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gündogan and a double by Riyad Mahrez, his first goals for the club since his £60m move from Leicester City, completed the rout.
More from Cardiff City Stadium:
A funny thing happened when Burnley took the lead in a league game for the first time this season. Within another couple of minutes they had a second, a much-needed first victory was on the way and suddenly high-flying Bournemouth were the ones looking quizzically at each other after being caught in possession or passing to opponents.
More from Turf Moor:
As Jürgen Klopp is fond of telling it takes greed, aggression, talent and a phenomenal work-rate to execute his gameplan, yet Liverpool are making victories look routine. His team returned to the top of the Premier Leaguewith a sixth straight win, their eighth in all competitions this season, as Southampton were dispatched with ease at Anfield.
More from Anfield:
It would be remiss to let this blog pass without mention of Chas Hodges, who died earlier today aged 74. Many years ago I was at this match to see a fine musician and a great football fan rock White Hart Lane at half-time. Happy memories …
I’ll have some match reports for you very shortly, but in the meantime Rob Smyth is all over the build-up to Brighton v Spurs:
Oh my goodness, I’ve just seen Sakho’s miss for Crystal Palace today. Un. Be. Lievable.
Peeeep peeeep! it’s Manchester United 1-1 Wolves, Liverpool 3-0 Southampton and Leicester 3-1 Huddersfield!
Peeeeep! Burnley have smashed Bournemouth 4-0, and Manchester City have thumped Cardiff 5-0. Meanwhile Crystal Palace and Newcastle have drawn 0-0.
Stoke City, who were 3-0 down a minute after half-time at home to Blackburn, get a penalty to equalise in the last minute – and Berahino hits the bar!
GOAL! Cardiff 0-5 Man City (Mahrez, 89 mins)
Sterling is dispossessed inside Cardiff’s penalty area and Ecuele Manga takes the ball, turns, collects himself and then passes straight to Mahrez on the edge of the area, who stylishly accepts the gift.
Updated
GOAL! Burnley 4-0 Bournemouth (Barnes, 88 mins)
Burnley break, passing Lennon into space down the right. He runs downfield and pulls back to Barnes, whose first-time shot flies low and hard inside the far post!
Updated
Aha. I felt sure there must be a reasonable explanation.
@Simon_Burnton re: the McGinn picture, it seems to be making fun of his slightly less than flattering FIFA picture.
— Alex Davies (@SheikhLeJaguar) September 22, 2018
Crewe have conceded the first goal in the A500 derby, and given that in every one of their league games this season a team has scored nil, that might be enough to win it for Port Vale. Crewe are an odd team – they’ve failed to score in five of their seven league games before today, and in the other two they’ve scored nine.
GOAL! Burnley 3-0 Bournemouth (Barnes, 83 mins)
Lennon scampers down the left and crosses to Gudmundsson, whose shot hits a defender, bobbles onto the post and rebounds to leave Barnes with an open goal!
Updated
“Yep, Klopp needs to sort out the Fabinho situation immediately,” concurs Ronan Fitzgerald, “Liverpool’s season is in total freefall.” Fair point.
Forest Green seem set to extend their unbeaten record, and with a rare win as well.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@FGRFC_Official 1 (Reid 70') @crawleytown 0 pic.twitter.com/MujjFGg9IW
— Forest Green Rovers (@FGRFC_Official) September 22, 2018
The teams are in for the late Premier League kick-off, and here they are:
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Stephens, Knockaert, Propper, Bissouma, March, Murray. Subs: Kayal, Locadia, Andone, Balogun, Jahanbakhsh, Button, Bernardo.
Tottenham Hotspur: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Dembele, Lucas Moura, Eriksen, Son, Kane. Subs: Sanchez, Winks, Lamela, Wanyama, Alli, Aurier, Whiteman.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh.
GOAL! Leicester 3-1 Huddersfield (Vardy, 75 mins)
Huddersfield give the ball away just inside Leicester’s half and Vardy is immediately on his way. Gray sees the run and plays the pass and Vardy is just too quick, racing into the box and chipping over the keeper!
Updated
“Seriously, what is wrong between Klopp and Fabinho?” harumphs Rick McGahey. Klopp has brought on two of the three midfielders he had on the bench today – the other two, Milner and Keita.
A chance for United, as Shaw hangs a cross from the left towards the back post, and Fellaini heads hard and low but straight at the keeper – he should probably have sent it back across goal.
GOAL! Cardiff 0-4 Man City (Mahrez, 67 mins)
A low cross from the left and a tap-in in the middle for Mahrez, who came on for Aguero a few minutes ago!
GOAL! Leicester 2-1 Huddersfield (Maddison, 66 mins)
Leicester win a free kick 25 yards out, and Maddison whips it over the wall and dips it down again. It’s nowhere near the corner, and Lossl gets a hand on it, but he can’t keep it out!
Updated
Van Dijk doesn’t appear to be seriously injured: after going into the dressing room for assessment he has just taken a seat on the bench.
Apparently it was an excellent goal. But what exactly is this?
GOOOAAALLLLL!!!! 😂
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) September 22, 2018
WHAT. A. STRIKE!!@jmcginn7 with a volleyed screamer that bounces in off the crossbar. We're level!#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/KS1hcs5gCZ
Manchester United, in search of a winner against Wolves, take off Fred and Sanchez and bring on Martial and Mata.
Portsmouth have equalised against Wycombe, so the unbeaten record might be safe after all.
And another Sané miss! This time he wins a free kick on the right, picks himself up, trots into the area and from Gundogan’s cross he misses a straightforward header!
Manchester City should have had a fourth! The ball comes in from the right, pings around in the middle and then drops to Sané, to the right of goal but in oceans of space and six yards out, but he hurries his shot, which goes nowhere near goal.
Updated
Van Dijk is at least able to walk off, rubbing his ribs a little gingerly.
Another injury, this time at Anfield: Van Dijk is on the turf and looking uncomfortable, and Gomez is going to come on.
GOAL! Man Utd 1-1 Wolves (Moutinho, 53 mins)
Another lovely goal! A low cross from the right finds Jimenez, but with his back to goal he passes back to Moutinho on the edge of the area, and his first-time shot finds the top corner!
Updated
Jazz Richards, seriously injured in the FA Cup game against Manchester City last season, comes on for Cardiff.
Peltier is being strapped to a stretcher. It’s taken four minutes to treat him and he’s still on the pitch, so expect significant stoppage time.
There’s a long delay at Cardiff while Lee Peltier receives treatment for an injury. It’s serious enough to end his game prematurely, with a substitute being readied.
That free-kick was Shaqiri’s last contribution to Liverpool’s game today – after two assists he’s off at half-time, and Milner is on.
Second halves are under way!
The 12 League Two matches currently in progress have seen a total of four first-half goals, with no more than one in any single game.
Glancing down the divisions, Portsmouth’s unbeaten record is under extreme threat: they’re 1-0 down at home to Wycombe at the break.
This seems an admirably grown-up way of dealing with a clumsy tackle, and a fine use of social media by both players:
These things happen bro no hard feelings good battle best of luck for the rest of the season 👊🏾 https://t.co/41PexxmIeM
— Troy Deeney (@T_Deeney) September 22, 2018
… and relax! It’s half time.
Obviously it’s Southampton, not Sunderland, who are playing Liverpool today. Sunderland lodged their name in my brain by repeatedly scoring, you see – they’re 3-0 up against Rochdale.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Southampton (Salah, 45+3 mins)
As Shaqiri prepares to take a free kick, 35 yards out, Salah comes over and has an extended word in his ear. Presumably he was telling him to hit a spectacular curling, dipping shot against the underside of the crossbar which would bounce down on the line and allow him to tap in, because that’s what happened!
Updated
Ouch! That is a horrible challenge from Ralls on Gundogan, ludicrously high and terribly late, but he somehow gets away with a booking.
GOAL! Cardiff 0-3 Man City (Gundogan, 44 mins)
That is a beauty! Gundogan, well outside the area, plays the ball to Sterling on its edge, gets it back again and then curls a delicious shot into the top corner!
Updated
Ooooh! Southampton have a chance and fluff it, allowing Liverpool to break. It ends with Salah taking the ball into the area, spinning and attempting a backheel cross-goal flicked finish which ends up rolling just wide!
Updated
Garry Monk is doing a job on his former side – Birmingham are 2-0 up at Leeds, who have been forced into a first-half tactical substitution as Marcelo Bielsa attempts to stem the tide.
GOAL! Burnley 2-0 Bournemouth (Lennon, 41 mins)
And another! A cross from the right misses its intended target in the middle, but Lennon is ghosting into the area behind Vokes, entirely untracked, and he slides the ball back across goal and in!
GOAL! Burnley 1-0 Bournemouth (Vydra, 39 mins)
Matej Vydra, making his first league start for Burnley, has tapped the ball in from a couple of yards to put his team ahead!
Updated
The match at Barnsley has now been called off. Best wishes to everyone involved.
Due to the circumstances the match has been postponed.
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) September 22, 2018
Barnsley Football Club will look to provide further update when appropriate to do so.
It has been announced here at Oakwell that, due to a medical emergency, today's game between Barnsley and Burton Albion has been postponed.
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) September 22, 2018
It goes without saying, but all our thoughts are with those affected.
GOAL! Cardiff 0-2 Man City (Bernardo Silva, 35 mins)
And that’s two! Sané takes a corner from the right, plays a one-two and crosses to Bernardo Silva who, facing away from goal, crouches to flick it on towards the far post. Judging by his laughter in the celebrations, and for that matter by common sense, he wasn’t trying to score, but that’s certainly what happened as the ball looped into the net!
GOAL! Cardiff 0-1 Man City (Aguero, 32 mins)
Now the champions do take the lead! They break and the ball is passed to Bernardo Silva on the right of the area, who slides it across to Aguero, who curls it first-time inside the post!
Updated
No news on when or indeed if the game at Oakwell is going to get under way. There’s a helicopter on the pitch at present:
Never seen this before - air ambulance at #Oakwell. Someone collapsed shortly before what should have been kick off. Medical staff doing a fantastic job. #Barnsley v #Burton pic.twitter.com/QDI8VvuXfI
— Chris Cooper 📻📺🎙⚽🏈🏏🐴🍓🥕🌽 (@ChrisCoopsSport) September 22, 2018
What a miss! A defensive header bounces to Gundogan on the edge of the area, and he takes a fine first touch, brings the ball past the penalty spot, and then with the goal at his mercy sidefoots high!
Not bad, Gervinho. Not at all bad. He’s made it 2-0 for Parma against Cagliari – and how!
#Gervinho
— Real Talk Football (@RealTlkFootball) September 22, 2018
pic.twitter.com/DdQyojlsUE
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Southampton (Matip, 21 mins)
But then from the corner Matip, at the far post but some way from goal, guides a lovely header into the net!
Updated
Salah is played through by Firmino against Southampton, but he’s denied by a fantastic last-ditch challenge by Cedric …
GOAL! Leicester 1-1 Huddersfield (Iheanacho, 19 mins)
This is bonkers. Huddersfield have a corner, and when it’s cleared to the edge of the area a couple of defenders rush forward from halfway in an attempt to win the bouncing ball. They don’t, and when Vardy escapes with it there is absolutely nobody but the goalkeeper between him and goal. He pokes through to Iheanacho, who looked just about level, and he races through and pokes into the far corner!
Updated
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Fred, 18 mins)
After nearly 20 minutes on the back foot Manchester United take the lead, Fred shooting low and with admirable precision from the edge of the area, nicely teed up by Pogba!
Updated
Another chance for Wolves at Old Trafford, meanwhile, as a corner is headed over the bar from a good position.
Emergency medical treatment is being given to someone at the side of the Oakwell pitch, hence the delay. This doesn’t look good.
Something seems to have gone extremely wrong at Oakwell... There is someone with screens in front of them at the moment. Kick off has been delayed #barnsleyfc pic.twitter.com/ZheRAe8cB1
— lil olive (@realoliver9912) September 22, 2018
A late kick-off postponement at Barnsley:
📸 | We're out and on the pitch, Oakwell is ready! #COYR pic.twitter.com/vlxOaaQ885
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) September 22, 2018
Kick-off has been delayed at Oakwell.
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) September 22, 2018
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Southampton (Hoedt, 9 mins)
Wesley Hoedt has stuck the ball in his own onion bag! It’s a corner from the left, which comes out of the penalty area, is worked back to Shaqiri on the left and his right-footed cross hits one defender, bounces into another defender, and bobbles over the line!
Updated
Wolves have started brilliantly at Old Trafford, and have just forced David de Gea into a smart low stop, as Jimenez spins and shoots from the corner of the six-yard box.
Updated
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Huddersfield (Zanka, 5 mins)
In the fifth minute, huddersfield take the lead! It’s a long throw from the right, flicked on at the near post and stabbed in by Zanka six yards out!
Updated
3pm: And they’re off!
The players are out, and busily shaking hands.
Ten minutes until kick-off, and I’m wagering this dressing-room isn’t looking quite so neat any more.
Some spelling issues here:
S Q A U D pic.twitter.com/BYCz3AcbpM
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 22, 2018
It’s finished Fulham 1-1 Watford at Craven Cottage, a fine advert for Premier League football etc and so forth. Now, on with the show.
Headlines include a first Premier League start for Liverpool for Xherdan Shaqiri, who replaces James Milner. Jürgen Klopp also brings in Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip in place of Daniel Sturridge and Joe Gomez.
Premier League teams!
Here’s all the team news ahead of the 3pm Premier League kick-offs:
Burnley v Bournemouth
Burnley: Hart, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Lennon, Westwood, Cork, Gudmundsson, Vydra, Vokes. Subs: Heaton, Barnes, Wood, Hendrick, Bardsley, Long, McNeil.
Bournemouth: Begovic, Smith, Steve Cook, Ake, Rico, Brooks, Surman, Lerma, Fraser, King, Wilson. Subs: Boruc, Francis, Ibe, Lewis Cook, Defoe, Stanislas, Mings.
Referee: Anthony Taylor.
Cardiff v Man City
Cardiff: Etheridge, Peltier, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Cunningham, Victor Camarasa, Arter, Ralls, Hoilett, Reid, Ward. Subs: Bennett, Richards, Zohore, Josh Murphy, Paterson, Bamba, Brian Murphy.
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Sterling, Aguero, Sane. Subs: Kompany, Stones, Silva, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Foden, Muric.
Referee: Michael Oliver.
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Townsend, Ayew, Zaha. Subs: Ward, Meyer, Sorloth, Schlupp, Guaita, Kelly, Puncheon.
Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie, Diame, Shelvey, Kenedy, Perez, Rondon. Subs: Clark, Ki, Muto, Manquillo, Joselu, Darlow, Atsu.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
Leicester v Huddersfield
Leicester: Schmeichel, Amartey, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell, Ndidi, Mendy, Ghezzal, Iheanacho, Maddison, Vardy. Subs: Gray, Albrighton, Ward, Ricardo Pereira, Okazaki, Adrien Silva, Fuchs.
Huddersfield: Lossl, Durm, Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe, Kachunga, Billing, Mooy, van La Parra, Depoitre. Subs: Hogg, Diakhaby, Hamer, Mbenza, Pritchard, Mounie, Hadergjonaj.
Referee: David Coote.
Liverpool v Southampton
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Salah, Shaqiri, Mane, Firmino. Subs: Fabinho, Milner, Keita, Gomez, Sturridge, Moreno, Mignolet.
Southampton: McCarthy, Vestergaard, Hoedt, Bertrand, Cedric, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Lemina, Targett, Redmond, Long. Subs: Yoshida, Davis, Austin, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Gunn, Bednarek.
Referee: Paul Tierney.
Man Utd v Wolverhampton
Man Utd: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Pogba, Fellaini, Fred, Lingard, Lukaku, Sanchez. Subs: Bailly, Mata, Martial, Andreas Pereira, Young, Romero, McTominay.
Wolverhampton: Rui Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Joao Moutinho, Neves, Jonny, Helder Costa, Jota, Jimenez. Subs: Gibbs-White, John Ruddy, Saiss, Ruben Vinagre, Hause, Leo Bonatini, Traore.
Referee: Kevin Friend.
With any luck all the teams due to kick off at 3pm will have arrived at their destination by now, some with more kit than others.
One face in a Premier League crowd will be particularly welcome today: Sir Alex Ferguson is back at Old Trafford for the first time since he underwent emergency brain surgery in May. He’s given an interview to MUTV:
I’m really good. Obviously it’s been a long journey and I’m gradually making steps forward, doing what my son tells me and what the doctors tell me so, yeah, I’m really good. I’m a bit nervous, to be honest with you, maybe a bit tense really because I think my last game was Arsenal back in April. It was a long time but it’s great to be back and I just hope we get a win today.
It’s great to go back to the stadium and it’s going to be quite emotional for me when the game starts, things like that. It had to happen some time and I’ve been looking forward to it. The important thing was getting the right time and the right rest before coming to a game. It’s bound to be emotional. Particularly when I take my seat in the box. That will be something, you know. I’ll be glad when it gets over and the game starts and I can enjoy it.
Updated
The ongoing Fulham v Watford match is super, action-packed, lung-busting entertainment. Rob Smyth has the latest:
Preamble
Hello world!
So, without unnecessary faff and filibuster, may I present to you this afternoon’s fixtures in the top four English divisions:
Premier League
Brighton v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm, preview)
Burnley v AFC Bournemouth (preview)
Cardiff v Man City (preview)
Crystal Palace v Newcastle (preview)
Leicester v Huddersfield (preview)
Liverpool v Southampton (preview)
Man Utd v Wolverhampton (preview)
Championship
The former Leeds manager Garry Monk returns to Elland Road, with his current side Birmingham still in search of their first win in any competition this season. Blues have drawn five of their last six games, with three of those games finishing goalless. Ipswich, winless and bottom of the table, host Bolton, who have lost three of their last four games and drawn the other.
Aston Villa v Sheffield Wednesday
Derby v Brentford
Ipswich v Bolton
Leeds v Birmingham
Middlesbrough v Swansea
Nottingham Forest v Rotherham
QPR v Norwich (5.30pm)
Reading v Hull
Sheffield United v Preston North End
Stoke v Blackburn
West Brom v Millwall
League One
There is now just one unbeaten side in the division (there were six a week ago) and table-topping Portsmouth – for it is they – welcome Wycombe, who have won only once this season. Rochdale, who have been a league side for very nearly a century, head to Sunderland, who have been in the league considerably longer than that, for what will be their first ever meeting in any competition ever.
Accrington Stanley v AFC Wimbledon
Barnsley v Burton Albion
Blackpool v Luton
Bristol Rovers v Coventry
Charlton v Plymouth
Doncaster v Bradford
Gillingham v Peterborough
Oxford Utd v Walsall
Portsmouth v Wycombe
Scunthorpe v Shrewsbury
Southend v Fleetwood Town
Sunderland v Rochdale.
League Two
League leaders Lincoln host MK Dons, one of two unbeaten teams in the division (the others, Forest Green, play Crawley, who have lost three of their eight games but are still a point and two places ahead of their draw-loving opponents). Notts County at the bottom have conceded precisely three goals in six of their first eight games and four in one of the others, and they take their leaky defence to Northampton.
Bury v Carlisle
Cambridge Utd v Mansfield
Crewe v Port Vale
Exeter v Cheltenham
Forest Green v Crawley Town
Lincoln City v Milton Keynes Dons
Morecambe v Macclesfield
Northampton v Notts County
Oldham v Colchester
Stevenage v Grimsby
Tranmere v Newport County
Yeovil v Swindon.
Updated
