And that’s all from me. It’s been a blast. Bye!
Son Heung-min, Tottenham’s returning hero, has a quick chat:
It’s unbelievable. We dominated first half, without creating too many chances. I think they were lucky to score int he set piece. Second half we bounced back strong and showed our very strong character and got very important three points and we’re unbelievably happy. I just tried to help my team-mates because I missed them as well and they missed me. Sometimes, I’m a human, I can’t always play well but I try my best on the pitch. I tried it today. I don’t know if it worked or it didn’t but I tried, and I think that’s important.
Sachin Nakrani was at Wembley to witness Tottenham’s late comeback against Watford:
Tottenham may be out of two cups but they are not out completely out of form. Time was running out on a bitterly cold night in north London and the home side appeared to yet again be heading for defeat. But then two heroes emerged – Son Heung-min on his return to the side having competed at the Asian Cup and then, with 87 minutes on the clock, Fernando Llorente, the man who earlier had missed a sitter but now rose to send a header into the back of the net.It was the winner.
Much more here:
Liverpool have had a couple of notably cheap penalties of late but they surely should have had one tonight. How big an impact could that decision have? Here’s Daniel Taylor’s match report from Anfield:
When the story comes to be told of the 2018-19 season, how vital will this game turn out to be? Liverpool have moved five points clear of Manchester City and, for that reason alone, it has been a profitable 48 hours for Jürgen Klopp’s team. Yet there was no getting away from the fact this was a missed opportunity for the Premier League leaders, with the first tell-tale signs of nerves sweeping Anfield and perhaps getting in the minds of one or two players.
Much more here:
Three very interesting results in the Premier league tonight, plus the draw between Southampton and Crystal Palace which could frankly have been improved. Chelsea have dropped out of the top four courtesy of their thrashing at Bournemouth – they have the same goal difference as Arsenal, and the same number of points, but have scored fully 10 fewer goals.
Dominic Fifield has filed his match report from Bournemouth:
All it took to erode all the positivity whipped up by domestic cup successes was a trip to the south coast. Chelsea were humiliated by an excellent Bournemouth here, their defence lacerated and exposed by the pace and incision of their hosts’ counterattacks. Maurizio Sarri had already delivered a damning public condemnation of his players’ inadequacies after a loss at Arsenal earlier in the month yet this, in so many ways, was a display even more insipid.
Much more here:
Final score: Liverpool 1-1 Leicester
The final whistle goes at Anfield, where Liverpool have extended their lead at the top of the table to five points, and look utterly gutted about it!
Full time: Tottenham 2-1 Watford
Spurs have come back to steal victory against Watford, courtesy of Fernando Llorente’s late header!
Meanwhile at Wembley, Watford’s Isaac Success has been booked for bashing the ball out of the hands of a time-wasting ball-boy!
Stuart James has filed his match report from Southampton:
After all the talk beforehand about this being a possible six-pointer, Southampton and Crystal Palace were forced to settle for one apiece on a night that ended amid acrimony and no little anger as Wilfried Zaha was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession. Zaha, who had earlier scored his first goal in more than four months to put Palace ahead, was given a second yellow card for applauding the referee Andre Marriner’s decision to book him in the first place, after he had squared up to James Ward-Prowse.
Much more here:
That was a very fine header, nodded back across goal and into the side netting, celebrated in the style of a man who had not scored in the league for over a year.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Watford (Llorente, 86 mins)
Spurs take the lead! Llorente, author of the most howlersome miss of the season earlier this evening, heads home from Danny Rose’s cross!
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It is more than 22 years since Chelsea last lost by four goals in the Premier League.
4 - Chelsea have lost a Premier League game by a four-goal margin for just the second time in the competition's history (also 1-5 v Liverpool in Sept 1996). Shock. pic.twitter.com/Rk9W10v52X
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 30, 2019
Final score: Bournemouth 4-0 Chelsea
That’s the last action of the match, and what a result that is for Bournemouth!
GOAL! Bournemouth 4-0 Chelsea (Daniels, 90+5 mins)
Daniels heads in Ibe’s free-kick and Chelsea have been thrashed!
Updated
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Watford (Son, 80 mins)
Son has equalised for Spurs, who finally make their pressure count! Meanwhile at Bournemouth!
Updated
Final score: Southampton 1-1 Crystal Palace
It’s all over at Southampton, where Zaha’s dismissal is the big talking-point as the points are shared.
Juventus have been in action tonight, fielding a very-much first team at Atalanta in the Coppa Italia. With five minutes to go Atalanta have just taken a 3-0 lead, Zapata scoring his second goal of the evening.
Into stoppage time at Southampton and it’s 10-man Palace on the attack, but Schlupp’s cross from the left floats straight out of play. There is a fraction over two minutes to go there.
Chelsea have had 70% of possession, they’ve had as many shots as Bournemouth (10), seven corners to Bournemouth’s two, and seven shots on target to Bournemouth’s six. But they’re three down and Bournemouth’s fans are singing “We want four!”
RED CARD! Wilfried Zaha is sent off!
Zaha gets a yellow card for a tackle and follow-up bad-tempered shove on Ward-Prowse, then sarcastically applauds the referee and gets another yellow card for that! It’s two bookings in the space of 15 seconds, and he’s off!
Updated
At Wembley, Deeney is played into the penalty area. But from a ridiculously acute angle and with nobody to pass to he’s forced either to shoot or to do some kind of defender-beating trickery. He goes with option A but spears wide of the near post. He demands a corner, but Lloris didn’t need to touch it.
Another possible penalty not given! This one isn’t as clear as Liverpool’s, but it’s Tottenham who are frustrated, after Lucas Moura is bundled over inside the penalty area! The ball runs to Rose, whose shot across goal beats Foster, but Ben Wilmot – who came on for Cleverley a couple of minutes earlier – cleared off the line!
Watford have 10 men inside their own penalty area as Spurs attempt an attack. There’s 25 minutes plus stoppage time to play, which is a long time to survive under constant onslaught.
Chelsea should have pulled one back at Bournemouth, but from Hazard’s pass Giroud sidefoots across goal and wide!
Ben Foster is playing an absolute blinder for Watford at Wembley! Eriksen takes a free-kick from the left, crosses low towards the near post where it comes off a defender’s toe and would have crept in at the near post had Foster not flung a leg in the way!
GOAL! Southampton 1-1 Crystal Palace (Ward-Prowse, 77 mins)
Southampton have an equaliser! They attack down the left, the ball is pulled back and Ward-Prowse times his run from deep impeccably and drills a low shot back across goal and into the corner!
Updated
GOAL! Bournemouth 3-0 Chelsea (King, 75 mins)
This is ragged, ragged stuff from Chelsea. One pass from the right touchline, on the half-way line, cuts the visiting defence to pieces, Stanislas passes inside, King converts, and Bournemouth lead by three!
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At Liverpool, Keita is tripped from behind by Ricardo Pereira, inside the penalty area. It’s a clear penalty – but not given!
At Wembley, Tom Cleverley boots the ball out of Watford’s penalty area – and straight into Lucas Moura’s head! He is now receiving treatment.
Gonzalo Higuaín’s night is over – he’s been replaced by Giroud.
Gonzalo Higuain's Premier League debut by numbers:
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 30, 2019
Shots - 0
Aerials Won - 0
Key Passes - 0
Dribbles - 1
Rating - 6.04
Subbed off after 64 minutes with Chelsea 2-0 down -- https://t.co/Ry1Bax9kjH pic.twitter.com/XeXRih93p4
It does look like Chelsea and Arsenal aren’t that keen.
@Simon_Burnton Ugh. Manchester United are going to end up in the top four, aren’t they?
— Homelessness Advocate (@Roscommon_Cat) January 30, 2019
Liverpool, meanwhile, have just hacked the ball clear off their own goal-line, and are doing a very fine job of trying to let City off the hook.
Impossible miss! How has Llorente failed to score for Tottenham there? It’s a cross from the right, and Llorente’s marker, Mariappa, turns it towards his own goal but it’s saved by Foster! The ball loops straight back to Llorente, who goes to volley it into an empty net from three yards but somehow hits it with the top of his knee and it goes over the bar!
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-0 Chelsea (Brooks, 63 mins)
David Luiz’s pass is picked off by Brooks, and when the Chelsea defender then goes to tackle the Welshman the ball rebounds straight to King – who gives it right back to Brooks again. He runs to the edge of the area, turns inside David Luiz and scores with a lovely, low left-footer!
Updated
Chelsea have made their first change, bringing Willian on for Pedro.
At Wembley Moura’s first involvement sees him being tripped by Mariappa, 30 yards from goal. Mariappa is booked, the free-kick is wasted.
Tottenham make a change at half-time, taking off a defender in Serge Aurier and bringing on a forward in Lucas Moura.
Harry Maguire is very much Leicester’s No1 tonight:
Harry Maguire's first half:
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) January 30, 2019
1 foul
1 yellow card
1 interception
1 shot
1 goal
“So now that Wilf has scored, who has the most shots since their last goal in the league this season?” wonders, um, someone on Twitter. Does anyone have access to this vital statistic?
At Southampton Ings dances into the area before lashing the ball goalwards with his left foot – but it’s straight at Guaita!
GOAL! Bournemouth 1-0 Chelsea (King, 47 mins)
Liverpool drawing, Tottenham losing, and Chelsea are losing too! Less than two minutes after the restart King has the ball on the left and plays down the line to Fraser before setting off towards the box. Fraser passes inside to Brooks, who pulls the ball back into the path of King, who lashes it into the roof of the net!
Updated
And it is half-time at Anfield, with the leaders playing poorly and being held!
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Leicester (Maguire, 45+2 mins)
A free-kick on the right is cleared, headed back in and while three offside Leicester players run upfield Harry Maguire runs from deep, entirely unmarked, and half-volleys in on the stroke of half-time!
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The half-time whistle goes at Wembley, where Watford lead 1-0. Having lost three of their last four games, Spurs are clearly in an unhappy place, but though they’ve only had a single shot on target I’d be surprised if they don’t score this evening.
Spurs have had 65% of possession, but are 5-6 down on the shot count. It’s 1-1 on shots on target.
Spurs come close to equalising within a minute, Son dragging a shot across goal from the left and Aurier not far away from turning it in.
GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Watford (Cathcart, 38 mins)
A corner from the left is played short, chipped back into the box, headed to Mariappa and his shot is deflected over the bar! The second corner is played in by Holebas, Lloris hares off his line but gets nowhere near it and it somehow hits Cathcart’s head, possibly goes off Sanchez, and bounces slowly into an empty net! That is a seriously ugly goal!
Updated
At Wembley Deulofeu is played in again – by Will Hughes this time – but is offside again.
And it is half-time at Southampton, where Crystal Palace take a one-goal lead into the break.
It is half-time at Bournemouth, where it remains resolutely goalless.
Back to Wembley, where Foster boots the ball clear after another Spurs attack, Deeney flicks on and Deulofeu runs clear! Only a very close offside decision denies the Spaniard the chance to hilariously fluff yet another one-on-one!
At Wembley, Llorente plays a fine 40-yard left-footed through-ball to Vertonghen, steaming unchecked into the Watford half, but Foster comes out of his area well to boot clear!
At Liverpool, Maddison misses a fabulous chance to equalise for Leicester with a free header after an Allison error!
GOAL! Southampton 0-1 Crystal Palace (Zaha, 41 mins)
Palace take the lead at Southampton! Townsend is absolutely taken out on the edge of the area as he plays the ball to his left to Zaha but the referee waves play on and Zaha slams a low shot inside the near post!
Updated
Chelsea run down the other end, and within 30 seconds of that Brooks shot Azpilicueta unleashes a 20-yard curler that’s well saved.
At Bournemouth Brooks runs from his own half and, without a hint of a challenge, gets within 20 yards of goal before spearing a shot at goal that’s well struck but easily saved.
Updated
At Nantes, the match was stopped for in the ninth minute to allow for a minute’s applause for Smiliano Sala.
The 9th minute halted for Emiliano Sala. pic.twitter.com/Bmkgusm3ca
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) January 30, 2019
Kepa has a save to make on the south coast, saving from a Brooks header after King’s flick-on.
Updated
Watford started their game very well, but Spurs have taken control and are regularly threatening the Watford goal. A long ball is taken down well by Llorente, nudged on by Eriksen and fractionally overrun by Son, allowing Foster to claim.
At Wembley, Vertonghen crosses from the left and the ball drops to Eriksen at the edge of the area, whose deflected shot is smartly saved by Foster.
Chelsea attack down the right again, but Azpilicueta’s lovely low cross rumbles across the edge of the six-yard box without anyone anywhere near to putting it away.
At Wembley, Son gets the ball, runs from left to right across the area, spins, heads back the other way and then curls a shot with his left foot that spins just wide of the far post!
Updated
The snow on the turf at Anfield does seem to be getting in the way of things. Players are slipping a bit, and the ball is being held up on the surface. I don’t know what’s up with the undersoil heating, but it needs to be on full blast.
Liverpool come close to a second! Firmino chests the ball down to the left of goal and shoots towards the far post, but it’s well saved! From the corner Mané has a free header, but it flies well wide of goal.
Oooh! At Wembley a lovely cross from Janmaat on the right looks perfect for Deeney, but Alderweireld just gets the top of his head to it first and it flies away to safety.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Leicester (Mané, 3 mins)
The league leaders take the lead! Like City yesterday, Liverpool grab an early goal. Mané has the ball outside the area, passes to his left and runs into the box. The ball is passed inside, backheeled into his path, and Mané clips a shot across goal and in!
Updated
All four games are now under way. Anfield is looking particularly frosty this evening.
Hazard has a pop at goal, from about 20 yards after zigging this way and that for a while, but it’s a straightforward save.
The players are out at Wembley, with kick-off about four minutes away. At Anfield they’re gathering in the tunnel and about to take the field.
Chelsea hit the bar at Bournemouth! They move the ball from left to right, Pedro puts in the cross and Kovacic’s diving header sends the ball into the woodwork, with the keeper nowhere!
Updated
Two of our Premier League matches have kicked off! No goals yet, mind.
Jürgen Klopp says he did not watch Manchester City’s defeat to Newcastle yesterday, preferring instead a night on the sofa with his wife.
We watched a movie, and when the final whistle in Newcastle happened my smartphone was like, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz. I don’t celebrate something that’s nothing to do with me. There’s nothing that can distract us or cause us problems concentration-wise if we don’t let it happen. The only problem is having to talk to people like you who always ask us about things that do not interest us.
So much for Callum Wilson having a late fitness test – turns out he’s had surgery.
The boss updates on Wilson and Lerma... 💬
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) January 30, 2019
"Losing two players like Callum and Jefferson is a big blow.
"Callum's had a minor knee operation to clean it out and Jeff has an ankle problem, but we are positive going into tonight's game."#BOUCHE pic.twitter.com/QPyJHSvcxm
Tuesday: Maurizio Sarri says Callum Hudson-Odoi should be loyal to Chelsea. “I think he’ll be the future of our club. He will be the future of English football.”
Wednesday: Does not name Hudson-Odoi in his squad to play Bournemouth.
“Sarri showing Hudson-Odoi exactly what he thinks about being pressured into giving young Callum more gametime,” writes Felix Wood. “It’s the reserves for you for the rest of the season, son!”
Roy Hodgson talks about Southampton:
Often when a team gets a new manager of course it makes a difference. At the moment they’re playing with much more aggression, their pressurising is good, they’re getting players forward when they need to. At the moment you’ve got to say they pose a big threat. They beat us earlier in the season so we know they’re a very capable team, a team we can lose to. It’s a question of seeing how the game pans out. We respect all our opponents and we certainly respect our opponents today.
Meanwhile in Nantes, fans are arriving at the Stade de la Beaujoire ahead of tonight’s game, with a giant image of Emiliano Sala filling the centre circle.
“We’re out of the Coppa Italia,” say Roma. And how – they’ve lost 7-1 to Fiorentina.
Triplice fischio. Siamo fuori dalla Coppa Italia#FiorentinaRoma
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) January 30, 2019
This chap, meanwhile, comes straight back into the Spurs team and seems quite happy about it.
So Liverpool make two changes from their last game, against Crystal Palace: Xherdan Shaqiri and Georginio Wijnaldum are in, James Milner and Fabinho are out.
32 - Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 32 home Premier League games (W23 D9), the longest such run in the division since Man City went 37 without defeat between December 2010 and December 2012. Fortress.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 30, 2019
And finally the news from Anfield:
Liverpool: Alisson, Wijnaldum, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Keita, Mane, Firmino, Shaqiri, Salah. Subs: Fabinho, Lovren, Sturridge, Lallana, Mignolet, Origi, Camacho.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Ricardo Pereira, Evans, Maguire, Chilwell, Mendy, Ndidi, Gray, Maddison, Albrighton, Vardy. Subs: Simpson, Morgan, Iheanacho, Ward, Barnes, Okazaki, Choudhury.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
More team news, this time from Wembley:
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Aurier, Winks, Sissoko, Rose, Son, Eriksen, Llorente. Subs: Trippier, Lamela, Dier, Walker-Peters, Gazzaniga, Lucas Moura, Skipp.
Watford: Foster, Janmaat, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas, Cleverley, Capoue, Hughes, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney. Subs: Gomes, Britos, Success, Masina, Sema, Quina, Wilmot.
Referee: Graham Scott.
Meanwhile in France, Nantes are playing Saint-Etienne, the game postponed from last weekend after Emiliano Sala’s plane went missing and their first since his disappearance. Players will wear green armbands and no music will be played as the teams enter the pitch to allow fans to sing his name.
Tous Sala.#FCNASSE | #PlayForSala pic.twitter.com/i2jxMEG3F4
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) January 30, 2019
And these are the starting line-ups at Southampton:
Southampton: McCarthy, Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard, Valery, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Targett, Redmond, Ings. Subs: Long, Elyounoussi, Gallagher, Armstrong, Gunn, Slattery, Ramsey.
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, Kouyate, Milivojevic, McArthur, Townsend, Ayew, Zaha. Subs: Dann, Meyer, Hennessey, Schlupp, Benteke, Wickham, Kelly.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
Here’s the first team-sheet of the evening, with Callum Wilson failing his late fitness test and missing out for Bournemouth:
Bournemouth: Boruc, Clyne, Steve Cook, Ake, Smith, Surman, Gosling, Brooks, Stanislas, Fraser, King. Subs: Mousset, Ibe, Daniels, Rico, Begovic, Solanke, Mepham.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Emerson Palmieri, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard. Subs: Alonso, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Caballero, Giroud, Willian, Christensen.
Referee: Roger East.
Hello world!
A second night of top-drawer top-flight soccer features four matches and three of the current top four. We have a separate liveblog focusing entirely on Liverpool v Leicester, though that won’t stop me keeping a beady eye on it as well. So let’s see what we’ve got to look forward to, shall we?
Bournemouth v Chelsea (7.45pm)
Gonzalo Higuain is expected to make his league debut for Chelsea tonight after his recent transfer from Juventus. Callum Wilson, another striker who has been linked with Chelsea in this transfer window, is doubtful with a knee injury. “Callum’s going to be a doubt for the game,” said Eddie Howe. “It’s a knee problem, but we are going to wait and see. We are going to give him all the time he needs to try and get fit for this game.”
Liverpool v Leicester City (8pm)
Liverpool would go seven points clear at the top of the table if they win, but will beware Jamie Vardy, who has scored in his last five games against them. “Jamie is a fantastic striker. It’s quality, the speed he has, the finishing skills he has,” says Jurgen Klopp. “He’s a massive threat and he always was, but a few times we made it pretty easy for him. We expect a very dangerous opponent. They have quality, it’s a super team.” Claude Puel meanwhile has been eulogising about Virgil van Dijk. “He is now a modern defender at a very high level,” says the Frenchman. “At Liverpool, he has took another dimension. He is a fantastic player. My feeling about him doesn’t change with Liverpool. He is strong, powerful, fast, technical, he can play under pressure without a problem. It is fantastic. At Southampton he was the best defender in the world, but he confirmed it I think with Liverpool.”
Southampton v Crystal Palace (7.45pm)
Southampton and Crystal Palace are level on 22 points, with the latter ahead on goal difference and only the bottom three below them, which makes this a hugely important game for both sides. “It is too early to talk about six-pointer games,” says Roy Hodgson, whose Palace team will be out to avenge their 2-0 home defeat to the Saints in September. “There are still 15 matches left to play, and that’s an awful lot of football. There are 45 points left to play for, and normally 37 or 38 points keep you in the league.” Ralph Hasenhuttl meanwhile is a big Crystal Palace fan: “Roy Hodgson is a very good manager with a clear plan,” he said. “It’s tactically a very interesting game, against a very well-organised well-balanced team. So we need very good solutions with and without the ball, we had a lot of things to show the players. We’ve had a good mixture of physically intense work on the pitch and good mind-work. Hopefully you’ll see on Wednesday that we are prepared in the right moments.”
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford (8pm)
“It’s a good chance to show what we are able to do and try to show our improvements,” says Javi Gracia, whose Watford side beat Spurs 2-1 at home back in early September. “Always it’s difficult to play against Tottenham because they are a good team and they have good options. I know they have injured players, but after losing their chances in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, they will be very, very focused on their next game.” Spurs are without Harry Kane and Dele Alli but Son Heung-min could be back, following South Korea’s elimination from the Asian Cup. “We’re going to decide if he will play from the beginning or the bench but I am very optimistic because he showed very good energy in the training session.” says Mauricio Pochettino.
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