What an afternoon in the Premier League. We wondered how Manchester City would react after Liverpool applied a little pressure last night. And the answer is not too well. having said that, Palace played brilliantly and Andros Townsend’s stunning strike was not just a gift for Liverpool fans, it was a joy to behold whoever you support. And a tip of the hat to Leicester too, who battled their way to a wonderful 1-0 win at Chelsea. I’ll leave you now. You can head over to follow Cardiff v Manchester United with Scott Murray, where Marcus Rashford has already given Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side a 1-0 lead. Merry Christmas!
Match report: Blackburn 0-1 Norwich
The Canaries are top of the Championship tree again.
I’ll tell you who isn’t full of festive cheer today … Sean Dyche! He’s accused Arsenal of “absolute cheating”, which sounds like the title of a compilation DVD of dives.
Match report: Celtic 3-0 Dundee
Brendan Rodgers’ side are top and three points clear of Aberdeen after a comfortable home win.
Match report: Newcastle 0-0 Fulham
It’s the one you’ve been waiting for.
Roy Hodgson and Pep Guardiola have been speaking to Sky after the match.
Here’s Roy:
“We realised we were playing against a team who are very good on the ball. We allowed their centre backs more time on the ball. We worked hard to block all the spaces in midfield. It was a very concentrated, disciplined and focused performance. We were dangerous on the counter attack. It’s diffcult to do anything but heap praise on them [his team]. It was going to be very diffcult for us after De Bruyne’s goal and we stood up to them very well. All in all, it was a very, very good day’s work and three fantastic points. We need to get points from Cardiff on Boxing Day otherwise we’ll have wasted these three bonus points.”
And Pep:
We made it a decent start to the game. We scored a goal and the first two times they cross our halfway line they score two goals. Afterwards it is diffcult. They counter-attacked with quality. Congratulations to Crystal Palace. We played good, we opened the game up and they didn’t do anything. The second goal was an incredible one. The response from my team was perfect. We cannot say they didn’t try. It’s better to win but there are a lot of games to play.
On the Liverpool game: “It’s imperative we think about the next games. We have Leicester and Southampton away before Liverpool.”
Updated
Match report: Chelsea 0-1 Leicester
Here’s Dominic Fifield’s report from Stamford Bridge on the day’s other shock result.
Here’s occasional Guardian scribe Tim de Lisle: “Jürgen Klopp said last night that 105 points could be needed to win the Premier League. That was assuming City would drop only three points in the remainder of the season, which they have now done.”
Match report: Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton
Here’s Paul MacInnes’s report from the Vitality Stadium.
Here’s Crystal Palace’s Luka Milivojevic, who scored from the spot again today, on his side’s stunning 3-2 win over Manchester City at the Etihad:
We worked this way on counter-attacks. We wanted to convert them to score. The second goal from Andros was one of the best goals I’ve seen in my career. We had a penalty in the second half that was massive. As a two-goal cushion gives more pressure. A great day.”
An email from Sabu Cherian: “Eight of the clubs which went into the Christmas at the top over the last nine seasons have gone on to win the Premier League. The exception, being Liverpool, when they lost the title in 2013-14 to Manchester City by two points. In that season, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea parked the bus to overcome Liverpool 2-0 before Crystal Palace held the Reds to an enthralling 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park. Have the tables turned? It’s the same Palace, which has today defeated City just before Christmas to help Liverpool enjoy a game’s cushion in the title race. Will Riyad Mahrez’s missed penalty against Liverpool prove to be a costly one? Or, will City’s bench strength prevail? All in all, we have an enticing second half of the title race before us.” We certainly do Sabu.
Match report: Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton
It’s another three points for Ralph Hasenhüttl.
All eyes are on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in Cardiff as Manchester United’s new caretaker manager prepares to face his former club in the first match since José Mourinho’s sacking. Paul Pogba starts for United as do Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Phil Jones. You can follow it with your friend and mine, Scott Murray, here:
Match report: West Ham 0-2 Watford
Here’s Paul Doyle’s report from London Stadium.
Match report: Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace
Here’s Paul Wilson’s match report from a dramatic afternoon at the Etihad in which Townsend’s stunning strike was incredible, but perhaps not as incredible as the result itself.
And here’s what that result – and Leicester’s win at Chelsea – has done to the Premier League table. Gobble that up Liverpool fans.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 18 | 32 | 48 |
| 2 | Man City | 18 | 37 | 44 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 17 | 15 | 39 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 18 | 20 | 37 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 18 | 16 | 37 |
| 6 | Watford | 18 | 0 | 27 |
| 7 | Man Utd | 17 | 0 | 26 |
| 8 | AFC Bournemouth | 18 | -1 | 26 |
| 9 | Leicester | 18 | 1 | 25 |
| 10 | Wolverhampton | 18 | -2 | 25 |
| 11 | Everton | 17 | 2 | 24 |
| 12 | West Ham | 18 | -2 | 24 |
| 13 | Brighton | 18 | -6 | 21 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 18 | -8 | 18 |
| 15 | Newcastle | 18 | -8 | 17 |
| 16 | Southampton | 18 | -14 | 15 |
| 17 | Cardiff | 17 | -16 | 14 |
| 18 | Burnley | 18 | -20 | 12 |
| 19 | Huddersfield | 18 | -20 | 10 |
| 20 | Fulham | 18 | -26 | 10 |
Updated
Away from the drama in the Premier League, Norwich went top of the Championship thanks to a late strike from Teemu Pukki, who was chatting to teh Guardian just the other day.
Championship table
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich | 23 | 15 | 47 |
| 2 | Leeds | 22 | 18 | 45 |
| 3 | West Brom | 23 | 19 | 42 |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 23 | 9 | 39 |
| 5 | Derby | 23 | 7 | 39 |
| 6 | Sheff Utd | 23 | 9 | 38 |
| 7 | Nottm Forest | 23 | 9 | 35 |
| 8 | Birmingham | 23 | 8 | 34 |
| 9 | Stoke | 23 | 3 | 34 |
| 10 | QPR | 23 | -4 | 34 |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 22 | 9 | 33 |
| 12 | Swansea | 22 | 3 | 32 |
| 13 | Bristol City | 23 | 1 | 31 |
| 14 | Blackburn | 23 | -5 | 31 |
| 15 | Preston North End | 23 | -3 | 28 |
| 16 | Sheff Wed | 23 | -11 | 27 |
| 17 | Brentford | 23 | 0 | 25 |
| 18 | Wigan | 23 | -10 | 25 |
| 19 | Hull | 22 | -7 | 24 |
| 20 | Rotherham | 23 | -15 | 22 |
| 21 | Reading | 23 | -9 | 19 |
| 22 | Millwall | 23 | -11 | 19 |
| 23 | Bolton | 23 | -16 | 18 |
| 24 | Ipswich | 23 | -19 | 15 |
Updated
Full-time: West Ham 0-2 Watford
Javier Gracia’s side are back in form again. They do have a tendency to do things in streaks. West Ham had won four on the bounce going into this so it’s some result for Watford.
Full-time: Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton
A much-needed win for Eddie Howe’s side with Brooks scoring both goals in a bravura display.
“Man City have made defeats the new draws. Pep is such an innovator,” honks Niall Mullen.
Updated
Full-time: Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton
The Hasenhüttl bounce continues apace. And what a lovely moment for 18-year-old Michael Obafemi, who got Saints’ third.
Full-time: Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace
Roy’s only gone and done it. How do you like him now Liverpool fans?
Full-time: Newcastle 0-0 Fulham
A first clean sheet for Fulham in a game in which nothing happened.
Full-time: Chelsea 0-1 Leicester
What a result for Puel and Leicester. A gritty performance that will likely keep him in his job.
City have missed an absolute sitter … Jesus heading over at the far post under little pressure. And at Christmas too!
Updated
Chelsea are throwing the kitchen sink at Leicester. And City are doing likewise against Palace. But both sides are holding strong. What a pair of results these could be.
City are piling forwards at the Etihad. “So according to my infallible schoolyard logic … Roy>Pep?” writes Peter Hughes. Well, if they hold on. And if you believe in schoolyard logic.
Goal! West Ham 0-2 Watford (Deulofeu 89)
Deulofeu seals three points for the Hornets. What an impressive away win.
Updated
Goal! Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace (De Bruyne 85)
Well, well, well. City are back in the game. De Bruyne crosses to the far post and Guaita loses the flight of it and it drops in at the far post. Imagine Ronaldinho and Seaman. A bit like that. Nervy times now. Can Roy hold on and find favour with Liverpool fans at long last?
Updated
In Serie A, Milan have been beaten 1-0 at home by Fiorentina. Milan haven’t won in four games and are clinging on to a Europa League spot. Fiorentina may well take it off them. They’re just two points behind.
Newcastle have brought on Kenedy as they look for a bit of guile against Ranieri’s Fulham, who have parked the bus as they search for a first clean sheet.
Sané has sent a free-kick whistling over the Crystal Palace wall but it clips a post and goes wide. Manchester City are going to remain four points behind Liverpool as it stands. When Klopp’s side visit the Etihad on 3 January they could even have a cushion to fall back on should they lose. And if they win … well.
Goal! Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton (Brooks 77)
He’s done it again, popping up with a header to secure the three points for Eddie Howe, whose side needed a win to get back on track.
Updated
The crowd at Stamford Bridge are growing restless. Leicester are closing down diligently and giving Chelsea very little space to play between the lines. Puel may keep his job for Christmas.
Red card! Dunk sent off for Brighton!
Well, that’s not going to make an equaliser any more likely. It was a second yellow card. Bournemouth lead 1-0.
Goal! Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton (Obafemi 71)
What a moment for the 18-year-old Republic of Ireland international, who is just on to replace Ings. Redmond robbed Schindler, who dawdled on the ball in his own half, before squaring for the teenager to get off the mark in the Premier League. And what an important three points against relegation rivals these could be for Southampton.
Updated
Javier Hernandez has just missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise for West Ham against Watford, who are playing themselves back into form after a sticky patch through Novemeber and the beginning of December.
Newcastle are still dominating up at St James’s Park. But Fulham are defending stoically. Yes, you did read that right. Might they get their first clean sheet of the season? Ranieri’s tinkering with his five-man defence seems to be working.
De Bruyne replaces Delph for City and Mahrez is also getting stripped off. Pep has called for the kitchen sink!
Saido Berahino has only gone and done a goal! He doesn’t do many these days, so cherish it Stoke fans. It’s Stoke 1-0 Millwall.
Beep! Beep! Beep! This Crystal Palace team is reversing. And Man City can’t find a way through the massed ranks that Roy Hodgson has set up deep inside the Palace half. It looks like De Bruyne is going to come on. They need some ingenuity – and the Belgian has it in spades.
Sunderland are showing some fight against Portsmouth. Luke O’Nien has got one back for the 10 men who score in every game. It’s 2-1 to Pompey.
Updated
Goal! Huddersfield 1-2 Southampton (Billing)
Saints keeper McCarthy will not want to watch this back. Billing pulls one back with a shot right down McCarthy’s throat that he should keep out, but doesn’t.
Updated
Dwight Gayle has scored a hat-trick for West Brom, who are rampant at Rotherham. They lead 4-0 now. They will close to within three point of leaders Leeds and second-placed Norwich if the Canaries fail to beat Blackburn.
Updated
In League One, Pompey are piling the pain on 10-man Sunderland. Ronan Curtis has made it 2-0 to the league leaders, who will stay a point ahead of second-placed Luton, who are leading Burton 1-0, and five clear of their third-placed opponents.
Goal! Manchester City 1-3 Crystal Palace (Milivojević 23)
My word! This is incredible. Palace win a penalty after a foul following a Townsend header that hit the post. Milivojević rarely misses from the spot. He slots … and 30 miles away the red half of Liverpool rejoices. City aren’t responding well to pressure at all.
Updated
Goal! Chelsea 0-1 Leicester (Vardy 51)
How important this could be for Puel’s future at Leicester. Maddison picks out Vardy, who slots home. What a turn up. Maybe he likes Puels’s style after all.
Updated
One player who will have Boxing Day off is Sunderland’s Glenn Loovens, who has been sent off for the seventh time in his career in England. It’s a penalty to Pompey … and Evans converts, sending the capacity crowd at Fratton Park into raptures. It’s Portsmouth 1-0 Sunderland.
Half-time scores in the Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen 1-0 Hearts
Celtic 1-0 Dundee
Hamilton 1-1 Kilmarnock
Hibs 0-0 Livingston
Motherwell 0-0 St Mirren
Looks good for Celtic and Aberdeen, who will pull away from Rangers who play tomorrow.
I’m off to make a half-time cuppa. While I’m away why not get worked up by perusing our 2018 list of the top 100 footballers in the world and then snort with derision as you wonder why Footballer X is not higher than Footballer Z.
And sign up for The Fiver if you like football and forced humour. Here you go:
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Championship half-time scores
Premier League half-time scores
Manchester City 1-2 Crystal Palace
West Ham 0-1 Watford
Huddersfield 0-2 Southampton
Newcastle 0-0 Fulham
Chelsea 0-0 Leicester
Bournemouth 1-0 Brighton
Mike Mackenzie writes: “Townsend’s cannon shot goal was like Santa Claus coming to town ... except for City fans. I’m sure all Liverpool fans are grateful!” I expect they are, yes (cough!). Though there are still many, many minutes left. It will be interesting to see how City respond to feeling under pressure in the league, though, as they haven’t felt domestic pressure for about 17 months.
I’m still processing that Townsend volley. It was incredible. He was kind of side on as he hit it which meant it wasn’t a dipper and had a lovely aesthetic feel to it, even though it was hit so hard. It could stand up against some of these sumptuous strikes.
Goal! Huddersfield 0-2 Southampton (Ings 41 pen)
The on-loan Liverpool striker gives the Saints a healthy first-half lead from the spot. Hasenhüttl is having some impact.
Updated
In the Championship, bottom-of-the-table Ipswich have taken the lead over promotion-chasing Sheffield United. That would be a precious win if they can see it through. Ellis Harrison scored the goal.
Goal! Manchester City 1-2 Crystal Palace (Townsend 36)
Oh My! What an absolute pearler! This is a goal-of-the season contender for sure. Pep Guardiola looks stunned. City head clear and the ball falls out of the air about 30 yards from goal. Townsend should control it and look to prompt another attack. But instead he absolutely leathers a first-time volley with his left foot that hits the back of the net like a missile. Incredible! The goal … and the scoreline!
Updated
Goal! Manchester City 1-1 Crystal Palace (Schlupp 33)
Well, like a Christmas parcel from an uncle you haven’t seen for 10 years, no one saw this coming. Jeffrey Schlupp sprints into the box and is forced wide by City’s defence. He looks to be going too far away from goal to get a shot away, but he strikes low and hard and catches Ederson, and most of the Etihad, by surprise with a left-footed shot into the corner.
Updated
Goal! West Ham 0-1 Watford (Deeney 30 pen)
And that’s how you take a penalty! Deeney absolutely wallops it into the top corner with his right foot, giving penalty-saving goalkeeper extraordinaire, Lukasz Fabianksi, no chance. It came after Fabian Balbuena brought down Ricardo Pereyra.
Troy Deeney of Watford celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal past Lukasz Fabianski of West Ham United
Updated
Goal! Manchester City 1-0 Crystal Palace (Gundogan 27)
Like a Christmas parcel from your much-loved Grandma, that was always coming. Delph clips a lovely cross into the box, where Gundogan times his run to perfection before meeting the ball with a powerful header from the penalty spot.
Updated
Rob Jacques writes: “That goal by Southampton means that Huddersfield (18th) have now conceded the same number of Premier League goals this season as Manchester United.” Oof!
Fulham’s Denis Odoi has just hacked a Jamaal Lascelles header off the line at Newcastle. Some actual defending by Fulham there. Fancy that!
Goal! Bournemouth 1-0 Brighton (Brooks 21)
Brooks has scored an absolute screamer with his left foot, bending it away from Ryan and into the top corner to give the Cherries the lead at the Vitality Stadium. Howe will be mightily glad that he brought the youngster back into the team.
Updated
Goal! Huddersfield 0-1 Southampton (Redmond 15)
A goal! And a good one too. Redmond finds the top corner after being put through by a delightful Hojbjerg pass. It’s his first goal in ages. The Hasenhüttl effect is still going strong.
Updated
There has only been one goal in the Premier League and Championship, and it has been scored by the modern-day Robert Earnshaw, Mr Dwight Gayle. It’s Rotherham 0-1 West Brom. The Baggies will stay third if they can bring home three points from Yorkshire.
Updated
Manchester City are all over Crystal Palace like a painful rash. Zaha has just cleared off the line following a City corner. And then Bernardo Silva popped a lovely pass through to Sane, who walloped his shot into the side-netting. The pressure is building …
Updated
There are four sides jostling for supremacy in the Scottish Premiership, in what is shaping up for a fantastic title race. Kilmarnock are one of them – and they’ve taken a 1-0 lead over Hamilton after Eamonn Brophy’s strike.
Football gentrification latest:
I live in Tottenham. I feel a bit offended.
In League Two, league-leaders Lincoln have taken a 1-0 lead over Newport thanks to John Akinde. The Cowley brothers look like they’re heading for League One. Oh, hang on, it’s 2-0 now. Blimey. What a start!
Updated
Manchester City have got off to a flying start at the Etihad, with Fabian Delph stinging the palms of Guaita with a rising volley. The corner is cleared, mind.
Peep!
The 3pm kick-offs are under way!
Who’d have thought this renowned miserabilist was a City fan. Cheer up, it’s not 1998.
Pep Guardiola is asked whether his players’ minds have been focused by Liverpool’s win last night: “Well, they’re doing well but we cannot be involved in what Liverpool are doing. Only we can be focused on what we do. It doesn’t matter whether they win, draw or lose. We just have to focus on this game,” he says. On the challenge posed by Palace, he says: “They have a lot of quality players. They have a very experienced manager. When they broke our 18 wins in a row last season it was because they have a good team.” But, other than Zaha, or Milivojevic from the penalty spot, where could a Palace goal come from?
Match report: Arsenal 3-1 Burnley
Here’s Dave Hytner’s report from the Emirates. Get it while it’s hot!
There’s a cracking match in League One this afternoon, where leaders Portsmouth take on third-placed Sunderland at Fratton Park. It’s a sell-out, which means the attendance will be the biggest at Pompey since 2011.
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Ambassador, with these football quizzes you are really spoiling us:
This is a lovely bit of work, and I love the fact that our brilliant photographer Tom Jenkins ventured to a supermarket car park in the midlands to help bring it to life.
It’s finished Arsenal 3-1 Burnley, with Alex Iwobi adding a third in injury-time. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the other two to nip ahead of Mo Salah in the Premier League scoring charts. He’s on 12, Salah’s on 11. As my colleague James Piercy has just pointed out, both began their careers as wingers. Who needs an out-and-out No 9 any more? With apologies to Harry Kane.
West Ham v Watford team news
West Ham: Fabianski, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku, Snodgrass, Noble, Rice, Felipe Anderson, Antonio, Hernandez. Subs: Cresswell, Carroll, Adrian, Obiang, Ogbonna, Xande Silva, Diangana.
Watford: Foster, Femenia, Kabasele, Cathcart, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Sema, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney. Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Cleverley, Success, Masina, Quina, Okaka.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
West Ham are unchanged and only Etienne Capoue returns for Watford, replacing former Hammer Domingos Quina.
Huddersfield v Southampton team news
Huddersfield: Lossl, Hadergjonaj, Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo, Bacuna, Billing, Mbenza, Pritchard, Lowe, Mounie. Subs: Kachunga, Diakhaby, Hamer, Depoitre, Quaner, Stankovic, Durm.
Southampton: McCarthy, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Valery, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Targett, Armstrong, Redmond, Ings. Subs: Stephens, Long, Austin, Lemina, Gunn, Obafemi, Ramsey.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire)
Steve Mounié returns for Huddersfield while Saints are, unsurprisingly, unchanged after their 3-2 win over Arsenal last week.
Bournemouth v Brighton team news
Bournemouth: Begovic, Francis, Steve Cook, Ake, Lerma, Stanislas, Surman, Brooks, Daniels, King, Wilson. Subs: Boruc, Mousset, Ibe, Defoe, Rico, Fraser, Mings.
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Dunk, Balogun, Bernardo, Bissouma, Propper, Andone, Gross, March, Locadia. Subs: Saltor, Bong, Stephens, Kayal, Knockaert, Murray, Steele.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Glenn Murray is on the bench for Brighton. How will they score? As for Bournemouth, David Brooks and Callum Wilson return.
Newcastle v Fulham team news
Newcastle: Dubravka, Manquillo, Lascelles, Schar, Dummett, Ritchie, Diame, Ki, Atsu, Perez, Rondon. Subs: Muto, Hayden, Kenedy, Fernandez, Joselu, Yedlin, Woodman.
Fulham: Sergio Rico, Odoi, Mawson, Ream, Christie, Chambers, Seri, Bryan, Cairney, Schurrle, Mitrovic. Subs: Bettinelli, McDonald, Johansen, Ayite, Vietto, Le Marchand, Kamara.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
Ritchie replaces Kenedy for Newcastle, while Fulham look like they will line up with five at the back in an attempt to try and plug some of those gaping holes in defence.
Manchester City v Crystal Palace team news
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph, Bernardo Silva, Stones, Gundogan, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Subs: Danilo, Aguero, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Zinchenko, Foden, Muric.
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Milivojevic, Meyer, Schlupp, Townsend, Zaha. Subs: Speroni, Ward, Dann, Sorloth, Ayew, Puncheon, Riedewald.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Wilfried Zaha is back from his suspension for Palace. As for the champions, it looks like John Stones will play in midfield again.
Updated
Chelsea v Leicester team news
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Hazard, Willian. Subs: Fabregas, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Caballero, Giroud, Zappacosta, Cahill.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Ricardo Pereira, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Choudhury, Mendy, Ndidi, Albrighton, Vardy, Maddison. Subs: Evans, Gray, Iheanacho, Ward, Okazaki, Iborra, Fuchs.
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
So, Vardy starts for Leicester. As you may have read, he’s not all that keen on Claude Puel’s style – and he doesn’t mean his jumper-and-waistcoat look.
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“Gregg, any idea which players are a booking away from getting Boxing Day off,” asks Adam Yates. Well, these are the players on four bookings who are in action at 3pm Adam. If they get a yellow card, they have officially “done a Kevin Nolan”.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg Southampton
Stefan Johansen Fulham
Beram Kayal Brighton and Hove Albion
Luka Milivojevic Crystal Palace
Aleksandar Mitrovic Fulham
Mark Noble West Ham United
Oriol Romeu Southampton
Pablo Zabaleta West Ham United
Cedric Soares Southampton
Updated
Ashley Barnes has just scored for Burnley to bring his side back into it at the Emirates. It’s now Arsenal 2-1 Burnley. Sean Dyche’s side could really do with an equaliser or they’ll be left in the relegation zone overnight. As for Arsenal, if they hang on they’ll stay fifth, 11 points clear of Manchester United, and level on points with Chelsea. Here’s the Premier League table as it stands.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 18 | 32 | 48 |
| 2 | Man City | 17 | 38 | 44 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 17 | 15 | 39 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 17 | 21 | 37 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 18 | 15 | 37 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 17 | 0 | 26 |
| 7 | Wolverhampton | 18 | -2 | 25 |
| 8 | Everton | 17 | 2 | 24 |
| 9 | West Ham | 17 | 0 | 24 |
| 10 | Watford | 17 | -2 | 24 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 17 | -3 | 23 |
| 12 | Leicester | 17 | 0 | 22 |
| 13 | Brighton | 17 | -4 | 21 |
| 14 | Newcastle | 17 | -8 | 16 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 17 | -9 | 15 |
| 16 | Cardiff | 17 | -16 | 14 |
| 17 | Southampton | 17 | -16 | 12 |
| 18 | Burnley | 18 | -19 | 12 |
| 19 | Huddersfield | 17 | -18 | 10 |
| 20 | Fulham | 17 | -26 | 9 |
Let’s get quizzical! While we wait for the team news, why not give this David Squires quiz a whirl. See if you can beat Squires himself, who only got 11/12 … and he drew them!
Preamble
Good afternoon. Forget doing any more Christmas shopping. It’s too late now. Your weird uncle will have to go without this year. No, settle in for some updates from the afternoon’s games in the Premier League and beyond with me instead. There are six 3pm kick-offs in the English top flight this afternoon, with poor old Crystal Palace having the unenviable task of having to turn out at the Etihad to face a Manchester City side who will be revved up having watched Liverpool open up a four-point gap over them last night. Down in fourth place, Chelsea take on Leicester at Stamford Bridge hoping to pull away from Arsenal, who are in action against Burnley at this very moment.
In the nether regions of the table, Newcastle might fancy their chances of filling their boots in a home match for the first time in a while as leaky Fulham limp into town. Down on the south coast how Bournemouth could do with a win against Brighton. Eddie Howe’s side have stalled of late after making a silky start to the season. Huddersfield host a Saints side who looked revitalised under Ralph Hasenhuttl when they beat Arsenal at St Mary’s and in the middle ground, in-form West Ham take on Watford with both sides sporting almost identical records. Something’s got to give, so expect a goalless draw.
I’ll bring you updates from anything of interest in the Football League too. Norwich travel to Blackburn knowing that a win will take them to the top of the Championship with Leeds playing tomorrow. Sheffield United, who have been up and down of late, will fancy their chances of a win that will keep them nicely nestled in the play-off spots as they take on bottom-of-the-table Ipswich. Stoke, who are unbeaten in their last nine games, face Millwall hoping to keep up their push towards the play-offs after a shaky start to the season, and Bolton are in wretched form as they stagger to Brentford searching for a win for the first time since September. Mind you, if they do take three points they could climb out of the bottom three.
In League One, table-topping Portsmouth host third-placed Sunderland in the pick of the games there. Sunderland have two games in hand too, so a win for Jack Ross’s film stars could turbo-charge their promotion push. I’ll also keep an eye on League Two and any stories developing in other leagues around Europe too. Get in touch if you like. Tell me what you’re up to this fine* festive weekend
* OK, so your weekend might not be that fine, or festive
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