Right that is it from me on Clockwatch, thanks for following the action with me. Here is a final plug for Rob Smyth’s live Crystal Palace v Manchester City blog:
Louise Taylor was at the Riverside to see West Brom go top of the Championship:
There were no goals at the Vitality Stadium, read about that thriller here:
Fair to say that Sean Dyche is less than pleased with decision to rule out Chris Wood’s late equaliser:
SD: “You can’t make bad decisions like that. You just cant, and it’s cost us a point. VAR has to be used more wisely than that.”
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) October 19, 2019
Paul MacInnes was at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see the latest VAR shambles:
Paul Doyle’s report from Villa Park:
Scottish Premiership full time scores
Celtic 6-0 Ross County
Hamilton 1-1 Hibernian
Kilmarnock 2-1 Livingston
Motherwell 0-3 Aberdeen
St Mirren 2-0 St Johnstone
European full time scores
Bundesliga
Augsburg 2-2 Bayern Munich
Union Berlin 2-0 Freiburg
Düsseldorf 1-0 Mainz
RB Leipzig 1-1 Wolfsburg
Werder Bremen 1-1 Hertha Berlin
La Liga
Eibar 0-3 Barcelona
Atletico Madrid 1-1 Valencia
Serie A
Lazio 3-3 Atalanta
If you are not done with live action, Rob Smyth is covering Manchester City’s visit to Crystal Palace:
Peter Lansley saw Leicester’s win at the King Power Stadium:
Ben Fisher has filed from Molineux:
Match reports are dropping. Here is Jacob Steinberg’s from Stamford Bridge:
League Two full time scores
Bradford 2-1 Crawley
Cambridge 4-0 Exeter
Colchester 0-1 Morecambe
Crewe 3-1 Swindon
Forest Green 2-2 Mansfield
Grimsby 0-4 Leyton Orient
Newport 2-1 Scunthorpe
Northampton 2-0 Salford
Oldham 0-1 Macclesfield
Plymouth 2-0 Carlisle
Port Vale 1-1 Stevenage
Walsall 1-2 Cheltenham
League One full time scores
Wimbledon 1-0 Portsmouth
Bolton 1-3 Rochdale
Doncaster 2-0 Bristol Rovers
Fleetwood 4-1 Burton
Gillingham 1-2 Peterborough
MK Dons 0-0 Coventry
Rotherham 1-2 Oxford
Wycombe 1-0 Sunderland
Championship full time scores
Barnsley 1-1 Swansea
Brentford 3-2 Millwall
Charlton 3-0 Derby
Hull 2-3 QPR
Leeds 1-0 Birmingham
Luton 3-0 Bristol City
Middlesbrough 0-1 West Brom
Reading 1-0 Preston
Stoke 2-0 Fulham
Premier League full time scores
Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton
Bournemouth 0-0 Norwich
Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
Leicester 2-1 Burnley
Tottenham 1-1 Watford
Wolves 1-1 Southampton
Full time: Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton
Ten-man Brighton denied at the last by Matt Targett.
Updated
Full time: Tottenham 1-1 Watford
Alli earns a late point for Spurs as VAR causes more controversy.
Goal! Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton: Targett (90+5)
Grealish tees up Targett and the full back steals it at the death with a left-foot shot past Mat Ryan.
Updated
This sums it up:
Goal!? ⚽
— Soccer Saturday (@SoccerSaturday) October 19, 2019
No goal?! ❌
Chris Kavanagh and VAR have everyone confused at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Dele Alli equalizes for the hosts...eventually! 🙄 pic.twitter.com/199C33w7ia
Updated
A ruckus at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, yellow cards are being flashed, handbags everywhere and Spurs have a free-kick. It is farcical stuff.
Updated
Full time: Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
Alonso’s goal enough at the Bridge.
Updated
Goal! Tottenham 1-1 Watford: Alli (86)
This is bizarre, Alli thinks he has scored. Foster makes an error and Alli capitalises as it ricochets off his shoulder (or is that his arm?) VAR checks it, the referee awards the goal but the screen says no goal. This is absurd. Watford kick off and the goal stands but that could have easily been ruled out. I want to put my head through the desk.
Updated
Watford know they are close now. All the time killing techniques are coming out, substitutions, cramp and delayed restarts.
More VAR, this time the video assistant denies Danny Rose a penalty. You have seen those given...
Burnley think they have levelled but VAR rules it out. A bit of a scramble as Wood thinks he has scored but VAR judges that he fouled Jonny Evans. This one will be poured over post-match.
Sissoko goes into the book for tripping Deulofeu on the edge of the box. The Frenchman was put in an uncomfortable position as Gazzaniga’s poor clearance went straight to a Watford player.
Alli inches away from an equaliser as he cannot get on to cross as he slides to make contact. Spurs pressing but Watford holding firm.
Goal! Leicester 2-1 Burnley: Tielemens (74)
Youri Tielemans smashes his finish into the roof of the net to put the Foxes in front for the first time.
Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle: Alonso (73)
Hudson-Odoi is instrumental in this, sliding a composed pass into the path of Alonso after Pulisic broke into the box.
Updated
Watford still looking dangerous on the break and again Janmaat wastes an opportunity, this time turning down a chance to shoot on his left, cutting back to stall the move.
At the Bridge, Andy Carroll is on for Joelinton.
Brighton have settled since the break and had a number of chances on the break. Montoya wastes the most recent and best after being teed up by Gross.
Chelsea see a couple of chances go begging, Abraham and Pulisic going close in quick succession with Dubravka to the fore.
At the Vitality Stadium, Ramsdale has made an outstanding save to deny Pukki with a strike that looked destined for the bottom corner.
Updated
Goal! Wolves 1-1 Southampton: Jimenez (61)
He finally gets his goal but the decision to award the spot kick looked very soft. After having a goal ruled out by VAR earlier, Jimenez will not care a jot.
Updated
Penalty to Wolves...
Can they convert?
Still 0-0 at the Bridge and Chelsea’s afternoon is summed up by Willian letting a routine pass slip under his foot and go out of play. Pulisic is coming on.
Janmaat wastes a glorious opportunity as Spurs get caught short at the back, Watford have a three-on-two in the box but the Dutchman fluffs his shot. Spurs pushing but leaving big gaps at the back.
Goal! Wolves 0-1 Southampton: Ings (53)
Capitalising on a Wolves mistake, Ings picks up the ball and moves into the box before finishing smartly past Rui Patricio.
Updated
Brighton are hanging on. Mat Ryan has to make a reflex save to deny Hourihane a second, blocking the effort with his chest. Just before March fired just wide when well placed to shoot at the other end.
A chance at either end at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Son nearly makes an instant impact, fleeting away down the right before driving into the box and powering a shot against the crossbar. Then Deulofeu counters at pace and gets in behind the Spurs backline before squaring it for Pereyra but his effort is deflected behind for a corner.
Chance for Vardy at the King Power but Lowton makes a vital interception to deny the striker tapping home second.
Saint-Maximin is a fun player and unmissable with his blonde locks. He starts the second half with a powerful dart deep into the Chelsea half. He tries to feed Joelinton and the move breaks down.
Peeeeep(s)!
We are back underway in the 3 o’clock kick-offs. Son is coming on for Sanchez at Spurs. Brighton are also making a change, with Solly March coming on for Connolly.
Nate Elliot emails in with a fair point:
It’s fashionable to criticise clubs’ contortions to advertise alternate kits, and many clubs have much to answer for here. But surely you can appreciate there’s not a lot of contrast between yellow and white? Watford choosing a strip that clearly contrasts with their hosts’ will be appreciated by millions of people with vision impairment, including the nearly one-in-ten men who have some form of colour blindness.
Updated
League Two half-time scores
Bradford 1-0 Crawley
Cambridge 1-0 Exeter
Colchester 0-0 Morecambe
Crewe 0-1 Swindon
Forest Green 1-0 Mansfield
Grimsby 0-2 Leyton Orient
Newport 1-0 Scunthorpe
Northampton 1-0 Salford
Oldham 0-0 Macclesfield
Plymouth 1-0 Carlisle
Port Vale 1-1 Stevenage
Walsall 0-1 Cheltenham
League One half-time scores
Wimbledon 0-0 Portsmouth
Bolton 0-0 Rochdale
Doncaster 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Fleetwood 1-1 Burton
Gillingham 0-1 Peterborough
MK Dons 0-0 Coventry
Rotherham 1-1 Oxford
Wycombe 1-0 Sunderland
Updated
Championship half-time scores
Barnsley 0-0 Swansea
Brentford 0-1 Millwall
Charlton 1-0 Derby
Hull 1-1 QPR
Leeds 0-0 Birmingham
Luton 0-0 Bristol City
Middlesbrough 0-0 West Brom
Reading 0-0 Preston
Stoke 1-0 Fulham
Updated
Half-time scores
Premier League
Aston Villa 1-1 Brighton
Bournemouth 0-0 Norwich
Chelsea 0-0 Newcastle
Leicester 1-1 Burnley
Tottenham 0-1 Watford
Wolves 0-0 Southampton
Goal! Aston Villa 1-1 Brighton: Grealish (45+2)
This time Villa are level, Jack Grealish gets on the end of an El Ghazi cross and Brighton cannot hang on until the break.
Updated
Goal! Leicester 1-1 Burnley: Vardy (45)
This one counts as Vardy gets up to head home just before the break.
Updated
Here comes VAR. Wolves think Jiminez has put them ahead but there is a marginal offside that one is struck off and then Conor Hourihane’s apparent equaliser at Villa Park bites the dust, a foul in the build-up it seems.
Big moment for Tottenham and they are lucky to survive. Deulofeu goes down in the box wanting a penalty after a tangle with Vertonghen. VAR says no.
Red card! Aaron Mooy sent off for a second bookable offence
They have the lead and have been looking good for it but now Brighton could be facing an uphill battle with key man Mooy dismissed. After picking up a booking for blocking a quick free-kick, the Australian brings down Jack Grealish and earns a deserved early bath.
Ruben Neves in a spot of bother? The Wolves midfielder has come second best in a challenge with Danny Ings. He is hobbling on for now.
Aaron Connelly and Neal Maupay are linking up well at Villa Park, the Irishman is slipped in by his strike partner and forces Tom Heaton into a good save with this feet. A classic little and little combo.
Tottenham have settled into a familiar pattern for this season. Their play is slow and laboured, probing from side to side but not really making any inroads. Watford look happy to hold the home side on the edge of the box.
Willian is looking threatening at the Bridge, he has been mesmerising the Newcastle defence with the ball at his feet and goes close to breaking the deadlock with an effort that rustles the side netting.
Goal! Leicester 0-1 Burnley: Wood (26)
Leicester have a couple of chances and have been control against Burnley but the visitors are nothing if not resilient. They swiftly head up the other end where Chris Wood stuns the home fans by heading in McNeil’s cross.
Updated
Alan Davis emails in from Gorran in Cornwall:
Why are Watford (first choice colours yellow and black) playing in second choice colours (navy blue and white) at Spurs (in navy blue and white)? Isn’t it time for action on this annoying and cynical phenomenon?
I could give you the boring answer that clubs have minimum matches for wearing their away kit written into the contracts but no one cares about that. Ban this nonsense.
Goal! Aston Villa 0-1 Brighton: Webster (21)
Adam Webster has given the away side the lead, powerfully heading in at the back post from a Pascal Gross free-kick for his first goal since joining the club in the summer.
Updated
Couple of chances for Chelsea as Hudson-Odoi clips a ball to the far post and Tammy Abraham heads wide, then Mason Mount has a strike at goal but Dubravka saves well.
Danny Rose wants a penalty as he goes down under challenge from Pereyra but the refs shakes his head and you imagine the VAR is doing so to.
Updated
Watford still carrying a threat at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they win a free-kick on the edge of the Spurs box but Deulofeu clips the top of the wall with his effort.
In Spain, Barcelona have wrapped up a routine win at Eibar:
A bit of life at Spurs. Sissoko gets in a nice position to shoot but his effort is typically wayward.
Newcastle are looking good at the Bridge. They have had the better of the early exchanges and look dangerous going forward with Saint-Maximin and Joelinton. The former just flashed a half chance past the post.
Goal! Tottenham 0-1 Watford: Doucoure
Wow, minutes after losing Welbeck and the Hornets are ahead. It was a well-made goal with the ball spread wide to Daryl Janmaat on the right, the Dutchman sweeps in an inch-perfect low cross for the on-rushing Abdoulaye Doucouré to tap home.
Updated
Welbeck goes off and is replaced by Gerard Deulofeu. Not the start Watford would have wanted.
Oh dear, oh dear. Watford have a man down and it is Danny Welbeck, you feel for the striker. Injury plagued does not do his fitness record justice, and the England international is coming off after less than four minutes.
Right then, we are off in the Premier League.
At the King Power Stadium, James Maddison has found his way from the casino the centre of Leicester’s midfield. Burnley bring in Jay Rodriguez and Robbie Brady from the start.
At Villa Park, Dean Smith has stuck to the same side who battered Norwich before the international break. For Brighton, Leandro Trossard is back in the squad and on the bench. Davy Pröpper comes in for Steven Alzate in the only change to the Seagull’s starting XI.
Chelsea’s large English contingent in the starting XI is in part because N’Golo Kante was injured on international duty with France. Ross Barkley starts in place of Kante in Chelsea’s only change from the 4-1 win over Southampton.
Times are changing at the Bridge:
5 - Chelsea have named five English players in their starting XI for a Premier League match (Tomori, Barkley, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham) for the first time since February 2013, which was also against Newcastle United. Lions.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 19, 2019
So Spurs make seven changes from the 3-0 away loss at Brighton. Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Moussa Sissoko are the players to retain their spots in the starting XI. Dele Alli and Lucas Moura both in from the start.
Team news
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford
Tottenham Hotspur: Gazzaniga, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Aurier, Sissoko, Winks, Rose, Alli, Lucas Moura, Kane.
Subs: Son, Lamela, Dier, Foyth, Ndombele, Davies, Austin.
Watford: Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Dawson, Kabasele, Holebas, Cleverley, Chalobah, Doucoure, Pereyra, Welbeck.
Subs: Gomes, Deulofeu, Masina, Gray, Hughes, Femenia, Sarr.
Chelsea v Newcastle
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Alonso, Barkley, Jorginho, Willian, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham.
Subs: Caballero, Kovacic, Giroud, Pulisic, Batshuayi, James, Guehi.
Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin, Schar, Lascelles, Clark, Willems, Almiron, Matthew Longstaff, Sean Longstaff, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton.
Subs: Dummett, Carroll, Shelvey, Gayle, Krafth, Darlow, Atsu.
Leicester v Burnley
Leicester: Schmeichel, Ricardo Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Ndidi, Perez, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy.
Subs: Justin, Morgan, Gray, Albrighton, Ward, Choudhury, Praet.
Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters, Brady, Hendrick, Westwood, McNeil, Wood, Rodriguez.
Subs: Taylor, Gibson, Hart, Lennon, Bardsley, Vydra, Long.
Aston Villa v Brighton
Aston Villa: Heaton, Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Nakamba, Hourihane, El Ghazi, Wesley, Grealish.
Subs: Taylor, Douglas Luiz, Lansbury, Steer, Konsa, Trezeguet, Davis.
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Gross, Propper, Stephens, Mooy, Connolly, Maupay.
Subs: Duffy, Bissouma, Trossard, Murray, March, Button, Alzate.
Wolverhampton v Southampton
Wolverhampton: Rui Patricio, Boly, Coady, Bennett, Traore, Dendoncker, Joao Moutinho, Neves, Jonny, Jimenez, Cutrone.
Subs: Doherty, Vallejo, Gibbs-White, Jota, Ruddy, Ruben Vinagre,
Kilman.
Southampton: Gunn, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Valery, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Bertrand, Redmond, Ings.
Subs: McCarthy, Stephens, Long, Adams, Armstrong, Boufal, Danso.
Bournemouth v Norwich
Bournemouth: Ramsdale, Smith, Steve Cook, Ake, Rico, Harry Wilson, Lewis Cook, Billing, Fraser, Callum Wilson, Solanke.
Subs: Boruc, Francis, Surman, King, Danjuma, Kelly, Mepham.
Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Amadou, Godfrey, Lewis, Tettey, McLean, Emi, Leitner, Cantwell, Pukki.
Subs: Byram, Hernandez, Stiepermann, Trybull, Drmic, Srbeny, McGovern.
Updated
With just over an hour until the afternoon action kicks off, a guide to weekend’s Premier League action:
Preamble
It is back! Football, real sodding football, is actually back. After the joyless rigmarole of the international break we can get back to Premier League business, VAR chat and minor breakdowns over the Match of the Day running order.
For Tottenham there can be no more a heartening sight than the Watford team bus coming down the M1. Given the mood around White Hart Lane currently, you could be forgiven for thinking it is Spurs who are rock bottom of the Premier League and already on to their second manager of the season. Instead, a win for Mauricio Pochettino, a few kind results elsewhere and all of a sudden the picture looks a little prettier.
One of those results those in North London will be hoping for will be at Chelsea, where Newcastle arrive at Stamford Bridge on the back of a win over Manchester United. That used to mean a lot more but Steve Bruce and his team will have confidence that they are capable of causing their hosts some problems.
Away from the marquee fixtures, there is a healthy slate of Premier League action. Leicester host Burnley in a battle of two sides hoping to gatecrash the top four and with markedly different approaches to doing so. Leicester, the aesthetes, are all silky touches and waif-like midfielders and Burnley, a bowling ball of razors dressed in claret.
Elsewhere, Graham Potter’s pass-happy Seagulls head to Aston Villa hoping their win over Spurs was more than a flash in the pan; Wolves host Southampton with an eye on the top half of the table; and mid-table Bournemouth welcome a Norwich side capable of giving anyone a game whilst leaking goals at a prodigious rate.
Up next, team news!
Updated
