That’s your lot for this clockwatch - for all the final scores, head this way.
Cheers for reading everyone - now you should probably bob over to Scott Murray’s minute-by-minute of Southampton v West Ham at St Mary’s.
That might just be the most emphatic 1-0 I've ever seen. Spurs are looking good, very good ...
— Paul Doyle (@Paul_Doyle) February 6, 2016
Full-time scores from the 3pms
- Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich City
- Liverpool 2-2 Sunderland
- Newcastle United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
- Stoke City 0-3 Everton
- Swansea City 1-1 Crystal Palace
- Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Watford
And that’s it at Anfield too - it’s finished 2-2, a remarkable late comeback by Sunderland, and while they stay second-bottom of the table that’s a big point for Big Sam.
Final whistles going all over the shop - Bolton, QPR, and Forest have all won in the Championship.
Full-time at White Hart Lane, and Spurs have held on - Kieran Trippier’s goal enough to give them a 1-0 win and put them second in the table.
Remarkable turnaround at St Andrew’s - Gary Hooper has scored two in three minutes to give Sheffield Wednesday a 2-1 lead over Birmingham.
Another massive late goal for a relegation threatened team - Bolton look to have nicked the points against Rotherham, as Kaiyne Wollery notches in the 92nd minute to make it 2-1 to Neil Lennon’s skint strugglers.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Sunderland (Defoe 89)
Those Liverpool fans who did one at 2-0 are going to have a bit of a shock - it’s 2-2, Jermain Defoe bagging the goal to give Sunderland what will probably be a vital point.
Updated
Late goal at Loftus Road, as Matt Phillips sticks a diving header away to make it QPR 1-0 Ipswich.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Sunderland (Johnson 82)
Game on! The fans that haven’t left Anfield witness Adam Johnson curl a free-kick home, past Simon Mignolet, who gets a big hand to it but can only push it into the net.
Updated
Well, there you go...
A disenfranchised few? #LFC #WalkOutOn77 https://t.co/7FMsoSDW5N
— Blanny (@Blanny) February 6, 2016
Liverpool fans are queuing for the exits at Anfield. Not some isolated protest this one.
— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) February 6, 2016
Middlesbrough weren’t behind for long - Rhodes is on, but it wasn’t him who got the goal, but rather David Nugent who nods home at the back post to make it Boro 1-1 Blackburn.
It’s the 77th minute at Anfield, and plenty of fans are keeping their promise and leaving in protest against ticket prices at Liverpool. “You greedy bastards, enough is enough,” those who remain/those on their way out sing.
And a goal in the game of the day in the Championship - Burnley have taken a 1-0 lead against Hull, as Sam Vokes gobbles up a rebound after a Joey Barton shot is saved.
Big goal in the Championship, and it’s not looking great for the other big-spenders in the second tier - Jordi Gomez has given Blackburn the lead at Middlesbrough, with Jordan Rhodes watching from the bench.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Sunderland (Lallana 70)
That should be that at Anfield - Adam Lallana taps home after good work from Firmino to put Liverpool two ahead, and Klopp’s appendix pain is eased a little. Well, sort of.
Updated
Everton sound like they’re holding on with relative ease, which given their defensive problems and how they’ve managed to throw things away this season, might almost be as good scoring the three goals. Almost.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Watford (Trippier 64)
Dele Alli has just been brought on for Tottenham, and he makes an immediate impact by laying a ball on a plate for Kieran Trippier, who converts to give Spurs the lead. As things stand, the top two in the Premier League on 6 February the year of our lord 2016, will be Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Sunderland (Firmino 60)
And there it is for Liverpool! After dominating possession - they had 82% in the first half - they’ve finally broken through, James Milner flinging a cross to the back stick where Roberto Firmino waits, free from the troubles of markers, and heads home.
Updated
Goal in the Championship, and Nelson Oliveira has put Nottingham Forest 1-0 ahead against Leeds United. Steve Evans is apparently pals with former Forest manager Billy Davies, which is probably the least surprising development of all time.
Tottenham putting some pressure on now against Watford. A few minutes ago Harry Kane had a penalty shout turned down, and now Heurelho Gomes has saved a shot from the England forward, patting it down and just getting rid of the rebound too.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich City (Agbonlahor 51)
It’s on! Gaby Agbonlahor lifts the ball over an advancing Declan Rudd, and Norwich are heading into the relegation spots. So who’s going to be Villa’s manager for their Premier League challenge next season?
Updated
Scottish update from Simon McMahon, now: “Dundee United 0 Partick Thistle 0 at half-time in a game that could best be described as ‘competitive’ and worst as something that you couldn’t print in a family newspaper. Giant killers from the previous round Annan trail 2-0 to Morton, but they could be replaced by junior side Linlithgow Rose who are are drawing 1-1 with SPFL Ross County.”
GOAL! Swansea 1-1 Crystal Palace (Dann 48)
Goal machine Scott Dann! The centre-back gets his second in two games and becomes Palace’s joint top-scorer this season, prodding home inside the six-yard box after a knock-down by Damien Delaney.
Updated
Teams coming out for the second-half - couple of significant chances for West Brom, with Saido Berahino and Alex Pritchard on to attempt a change for the Baggies at Newcastle.
Birmingham v Sheffield Wednesday has gone into a load of stoppage after that injury to Kieran Westwood - ten minutes, in fact, and in the fifth of those Clayton Donaldson has put the Blues 1-0 up.
Boos from the Stoke fans at half-time. They have been bad. Low on confidence. But Everton could give them a chance, even though it's 3-0...
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) February 6, 2016
Half-times across the Premier League. The scores:
- Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City
- Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
- Newcastle United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion
- Stoke City 0-3 Everton
- Swansea City 1-0 Crystal Palace
- Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Watford
You’ll note there’s only been one update from Liverpool v Sunderland, and that was news of two injuries. That’s because nothing else seems to have happened. Although Patrick van Aanholt has almost scored an own-goal.
Updated
Not too many goals in the Championship, but there are two at Craven Cottage now - and Derby are level, Craig Bryson levelling things up at 1-1 against Fulham.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 (Lescott 45)
Could they get out of this? Joleon Lescott heads home from a free-kick from the right. Presumably they’ll embark on an unlikely title bid next season.
Updated
GOAL! Stoke 0-3 Everton (Lennon 42)
What scenes! A terrible mistake by Phillip Wollscheid presents a chance to Aaron Lennon, who takes the ball through and scores for his third game in succession. Mighty impressive stuff from Everton, perhaps living up to their collective talent for the first time in a while.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 West Brom (Mitrovic 32)
Ah, but they do have the lead now. Jonjo Shelvey threads a ball through the West Brom defence, and Mitrovic finishes nicely to put them ahead.
Updated
GOA...oh, no, it’s been disallowed!
Steve McClaren’s nerves settled a little, as Cheick Tiote fires a shot from outside the area, takes a deflection and goes in...but those nerves return as Mitrovic was in an offside position, standing right in front of the keeper, so it’s disallowed. Still Newcastle 0-0 West Brom.
Updated
GOAL! Stoke 0-2 Everton (Coleman 28)
Well, well, well. Not many saw this coming - Seamus Coleman has put Everton two up with a header, of all things, from about 12 yards out.
Updated
Changes for both sides at Anfield - Dejan Lovren has gone off, to be replaced by Kolo Toure for Liverpool, while for the visitors Duncan Watmore has been forced off, Dame N’Doye on in his place.
John-Joe O’Toole has scored for Northampton against York, which frankly wouldn’t usually warrant a mention here, but it’s worth briefly recalling that last season the Cobblers held a ‘John-Joe O’Toole day’, in which fans showed up wearing wigs akin to his long, lank hair, and he was generally celebrated as a bit of a cult hero.
He was sent off after 36 minutes.
Worrying development at St Andrew’s, where Sheffield Wednesday keeper Kieran Westwood has been taken off on a stretcher. Doesn’t look great for him, but no details just yet.
Big goal in the Championship, and Derby are going through a rough spell - they’re 1-0 down at Fulham, via an own-goal by new boy Markus Olsson. You can see why they might be nervous given how the last two seemingly inevitable promotion campaigns have gone.
Sounds like a spicy one at St James’s - Newcastle could be a few up already, but Craig Gardner has just hit a free-kick that flicked off the wall and was easily saved by Elliott.
5 - Gylfi Sigurdsson has now scored in five of his last six Premier League appearances for Swansea City. Pinpoint.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 6, 2016
GOAL! Swansea 1-0 Crystal Palace (Sigurdsson 13)
A lovely old strike by Gylfi Sigurdsson, curling a free-kick over the wall and into the net, and Palace’s woes continue.
Updated
GOAL! Stoke 0-1 Everton (Lukaku 11)
First goal of the day, and Romelu Lukaku converts, slamming straight down the middle after keeper Jack Butland had felled Tom Cleverley.
Updated
The good...
...and the bad of ticket protests...
First big chance of the day in the Prem, and Ben Foster makes a terrific save from an Alexandar Mitrovic effort.
Uber-early goal in the Championship - Jay Spearing has given Bolton a 1-0 lead over Rotherham at the bottom of the table there.
Former #lfc chairman Martin Broughton, who presided over sale to FSG, in director's box at Anfield today. What timing.
— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) February 6, 2016
Black flags adorn the Kop at Anfield, protest banners in other parts of the ground; mutiny in the air.
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarretTimes) February 6, 2016
Teams are coming out across the country. Plenty of rain around, which could well make things fun.
Aha - here’s The Knowledge, from 2009, with an answer:
With the news that Nigel Clough has followed in his father’s footsteps as Derby County manager, I was wondering whether any other sons have managed the same clubs as their fathers,” Ben Graham asked last week.
As Tony Cross points out: “Brentford FC were manager by Bill Dodgin Senior between 1953 and 1957 and his son Bill Dodgin Junior between 1976 and 1980”. The Dodgins have form in this area. They also double-teamed nearby Fulham, Bill Senior between 1949 and 1953 and Bill Junior between 1969 and 1972. ‘Never give a Dodgin more than four years in the job’, as they say in west London. Fulham seem to go in for this kind of thing. Their first proper manager Harry Bradshaw (1904-1909) was succeeded by his son Joe in 1926, who also played under his dad at Arsenal. Keep up.
Paul Napper writes from Southend with the news that Bob Jack, long-serving Plymouth manager during the first half of the 20th century, also managed Southend from 1906-1910: “He later retired in Southend and helped scout for his son, David Jack, the first player to be transferred for more than £10,000, when he managed Southend from 1934-1940”. Also down south, both Kevin and John Bond have managed Bournemouth. John even came up with the name AFCBournemouth, dropping the Boscombe bit. And changed the club kit to red and black to make it a bit more like AC Milan.
@NickMiller79 John Bond and Kevin Bond both had a go at Bournemouth.
— Ian King (@twoht) February 6, 2016
I forgot about the Cloughs at Derby, which is about as stupid as things get really. Anyone else?
Breaking manager news in the Championship: Lee Johnson is the new boss at Bristol City, the team his old man managed for five years.
Which begs the question: have a father & son managed the same club in England?
Full-time
Full-time at the Etihad - scenes upon scenes upon scenes. Manchester City 1-3 Leicester City (one-three). Holy hell.
Updated
Our old mate JR in Illinois is worried about West Brom: “If you wouldn’t mind please take another look at who Pulis is running out for West Brom. What is a Baggies fan meant to do with that? That line-up is as ugly as homemade soup.
“Chester, in his limited appearances, has been a nightmare this season. I think they’re likely to get smoked today. Even if they somehow don’t I can guarantee you it will be awful. It’s only just 8:30 in the morning here and my blood pressure is already spiking.”
You’ll probably be well aware, but there are some absolute scenes in Manchester at present. Join Scott Murray for the last knockings of Manchester City v Leicester.
Updated
An update from your actual Scotland now, from regular correspondent Simon McMahon: “Afternoon Nick. Scottish Cup fifth round action today, with game of the day at Tannadice as Dundee United welcome Partick Thistle. After winning their last league match, United, who I like to think of as Scotland’s Leicester - last seasons vintage of course - will be looking to equal their best run of the season by going two games unbeaten (yes, really) as they target a cup run alongside a climb up the league (it’s hard to move down the league when you’re bottom).
“Motherwell v. Inverness, Ross County v. Linlithgow Rose, giant-killing Annan v. Morton are the other ties of note. Plucky Rangers held Kilmarnock 0-0 in the early kick-off. Tomorrow sees an Edinburgh derby as Hearts host Hibernian, and later it’s East Kilbride v. Celtic.
“There’s also one match in the SPFL, today, St. Johnstone v. Aberdeen, whose cup dreams must wait another year.”
If you’d like to follow Tottenham v Watford in a little more detail, yer man Tim Hill has a minute-by-minute on that one here.
Team news
Aston Villa v Norwich City
Bunn; Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho; Bacuna, Gana; Westwood Veretout, Gil; Agbonlahor. Subs: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Grealish, Davis.
Rudd; Martin, Klose, Bassong, Brady; Howson, Mulumbu, O’Neil, Hoolahan; Naismith; Mbokani. Subs: Jerome, Bamford, Jarvis, Redmond, Olsson, Pinto
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Bradford)
Liverpool v Sunderland
Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson,
Allen, Can; Milner, Firmino, Lallana. Subs: Benteke, Sturridge,
Lucas, Ibe, Flanagan, Ward, Toure.
Mannone; Jones, O’Shea, Kone, Van Aanholt; Kirchhoff; Watmore, Cattermole, M’Vila, Khazri; Defoe. Subs: Brown, Rodwell, N’Doye, Johnson, Pickford, Toivonen, Yedlin.
Referee: Robert Madley (Wakefield)
Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion
Elliott; Janmaat, Taylor, Coloccini, Aarons; Tiote, Shelvey; Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Townsend; Mitrovic. Subs: Darlow, Gibson, Williams, Barlaser, Doumbia, Saviet, Perez.
Foster; Olsson, Chester, Dawson, McAuley; Yacob, Gardner, Sandro, McClean, Fletcher; Anichebe. Subs: Myhill; Pocognoli, Lambert, Berahino, Pritchard, Sessegnon, Rondon.
Referee: Lee Mason (Bolton)
Swansea City v Crystal Palace
Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Britton, Cork; Routledge, Sigurdsson, Ayew; Paloschi. Subs: Nordfeldt, Amat, Naughton, Fer, Barrow, Montero, Gomis.
Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Cabaye, Jedinak; Zaha, Mutch, Lee; Adebayor. Subs: McCarthy, Kelly, Hangeland, Boateng, Kaikai, Chamakh, Campbell.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Stoke City v Everton
Butland; Johnson, Wollscheid, Muniesa, Pieters; Imbula,
Whelan; Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic; Diouf. Subs: Bardsley,
Ireland, Odemwingie, Joselu, Crouch, Krkic, Haugaard.
Robles; Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Oviedo;
McCarthy, Barry; Lennon, Barkley, Cleverley; Lukaku. Subs:
Baines, Kone, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Osman, Pienaar, Stanek.
Referee: Andre Marriner (Birmingham)
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford
Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Davies; Dier, Dembele; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane. Subs: Walker, Rose, Son, Mason, Vorm, Alli, Carroll.
Gomes; Nyom, Cathcart, Britos, Ake; Abdi, Mario Suarez, Watson, Capoue, Jurado; Ighalo. Subs: Prodl, Behrami, Deeney, Amrabat, Pantilimon, Anya, Holebas.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Postponed!
It’s been fair wazzing down with rain in many places around the country, and that has claimed a few games. Here’s the list of postponed fixtures at the moment, will keep them updated as and when.
League One
- Scunthorpe United v Doncaster Rovers
- Oldham Athletic v Blackpool
League Two
- Bristol Rovers v AFC Wimbledon
- Exeter City v Oxford United
- Newport County v Barnet
- Notts County v Hartlepool United
- Yeovil Town v Plymouth Argyle
Updated
Preamble
Hello, you. A quick glance at the fixtures for the 3pm games today wouldn’t reveal a massive amount to get excited about. The big ones are obviously Manchester City v Leicester - which at the time of writing, is in progress and you’d be a fool not to follow it with Scott Murray here - and Chelsea v Manchester United tomorrow. But, friends, there’s plenty of pizazz to be gathered and enjoyed nonetheless. Let’s take things alphabetically.
There have been little sparks of something at Aston Villa recently. Not big sparks, and probably not sparks that will actually get them anywhere, as far as staying up goes anyway, but it might at least make these last few months of the season look less like a sad procession to the briny deep. If one can process under water. Remi Garde ain’t happy, but neither would you be if you managed a rubbish team whose haven’t shown any interest in, you know, doing anything much about that. They’re up against Norwich today, who conversely did quietly have rather a good transfer window, what with signing Patrick Bamford and Steven Naismith and so forth. Potential for a slow-burning absorber there.
Liverpool v Sunderland has relatively routine if slightly nervy 2-0 home win written all over it, like edgy graffiti on a school wall somewhere. And yet, if nothing else there’s interest off the pitch, with Jürgen Klopp missing the game due to appendicitis, and then of course the planned protest by the home fans against ticket prices...
The first ever walkout protest in Liverpool’s history is being planned for Anfield on Saturday, when supporters’ groups are urging fans to leave their seats in the 77th minute of the game against Sunderland in opposition to the club’s ticket pricing policy announced for next season.
The significance of the 77th minute is that the top-priced ticket in the newly reconstructed Main Stand has been set at £77, up from £59. Spirit of Shankly and Spion Kop 1906, the two most prominent Anfield supporters’ groups, have been in active discussions with Liverpool with a view to bringing prices down, and both are disappointed that at a time when TV revenue has gone up massively the club has instead pitched its most expensive season ticket at £1,029 (£54 per game).
For what it’s worth, Ian Ayre has encouraged those planning an early exit to take a look at things a little more closely.
Things aren’t going exactly to plan for Steve McClaren at Newcastle, to say the least. Indeed, despite being backed handsomely - and we’re talking George Clooney, Robert Redford, John Hamm levels of handsome here - in the transfer market, there’s talk on Tyneside that he might be in some mither if things don’t buck up, pronto. They host West Brom this afternoon, who still have Saido Berahino, and as Jacob Steinberg noted in our Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend, they might as well make use of him...
Another transfer window is out of the way and Saido Berahino is still at West Bromwich Albion, so it is about time that Tony Pulis makes better use out of one of his most dangerous attackers. Berahino scored twice against Peterborough United last weekend, but he was a 62nd-minute substitute in the 1-1 draw with Swansea City on Tuesday. With West Brom struggling for goals and wins, there remains a danger that they could be sucked into a relegation battle and Berahino’s bit-part role is counter-productive. Against a ropey Newcastle United defence, this is a good chance for Berahino to show why Steve McClaren wanted him.
Swansea v Crystal Palace. Hmmm. This might not, in all honesty, be a classic. Palace have lost their last five in the league, haven’t won since 19 December and only scored two goals in that time. The Swans are looking a little better, having won two of the last three and bloody nearly grabbed victory in the third too. The spice on this occasion comes from Emmanuel Adebayor, who could well make his full debut for Palace having signed on a free, and despite the prevailing *narrative* about the Togo striker, you’d have to be particularly harsh to doubt his motivation this time, as you can read here.
I was in Africa where it is quite easy to have a game,” he said. “I just had to call on some of my friends and tell them: ‘Listen, I need to play football this afternoon,’ and a game was arranged. “It was a proper game with proper players in Togo who are like professionals. So I may have not played in the Premier League for a while but, when I came on, nobody could say I looked like someone who had not played for seven months. Keeping myself fit was not a problem. It is something I have loved doing since I started working. My fitness is one area I’ve never had questioned in my career.”
Stoke v Everton! Do you think Roberto Martinez will dance?!?!? That was funny, wasn’t it? When someone covertly filmed him having a nice time at a concert then put it on the internet. Funny! A man did a slightly funny dance when he thought he was safe from the prying eyes of a public that seem to take bizarre personal ownership of famous people and think anything they do is fair game for Vines and lolz. Apologies - I realise there’s little more tedious than someone whining about the problems with The Modern World. But stop filming people when they think they’re just having a nice time and putting it on the internet. Back to the football, and we could see the debuts of a couple of deadline day signings, one for each team, in Giannelli Imbula and Oumar Niasse, assuming Everton have got the paperwork sorted for the latter.
Finally, over to White Hart Lane, where two of the season’s most interesting teams meet. Tottenham, as we know, have a real chance of winning the title, which in a season when it was supposed to be Arsenal’s to lose would be frankly hilarious, but the test now is to see how they do against a potent attack without the central defensive duo on which their success has been largely based this season. Kevin Wimmer looks a decent player, but losing Jan Verthonghen for a bit might be a problem. Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo will be rubbing their thighs, Vic Reeves style. Speaking of which, here’s a bit of Shooting Stars from the glory days.
Nick Miller: coming soon to a clockwatch near you – perhaps even this one.
