That’s that for today’s Clockwatch. Thanks for reading. But the action isn’t over, so get yourself across to the Forest-Villa MBM. John Brewin’s waiting for you.
Updated
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham. Andy Hunter was at Anfield as Fulham came close to imposing a second defeat of the season on the league leaders.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Ipswich Town. Ben Fisher saw Ipswich snatch the points late as Wolves descended into civil war.
Newcastle United 4-0 Leicester City. Louise Taylor witnessed the abrupt end of the Ruud van Nistelrooy honeymoon.
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. Jonathan Wilson was at the Emirates to watch Arsenal toil against resolute opponents.
Post-match postbag. Liverpool and Arsenal both drop points, but it would seem fans of the former are happier than those of the latter. Meanwhile war is over in Scotland’s Clockwatch Pals derby.
“How impressive is Antonee Robinson? In successive games, he’s kept Bukayo Saka and Mo Salah quiet. And then he chips in with his offensive threat, creating the Muniz goal” – Tim Pearson
“Some draws feel like losing, like the Newcastle match. Some draws feel like winning, like this one. The Liverpool first-team players look like they need a few days off to recharge their batteries from this brutal schedule. The willpower is still there, they still don’t give in. That’s champions’ mettle” – Rupak Pramanik
“Two straight weekends that Arsenal had the opportunity to make up ground and failed to do so. It feels more over today than it did when Liverpool opened up a nine-point lead” - Sean Orlowicz
“With their sterile domination, it was more autoclave than Arsenal. Dearie me. Half expect to see Bacary Sagna labouring on that right flank” – Grant Tennille
“A spectacular result for Everton. Getting a point on the road against the number-two team in the Premier League. Dull football? Yes. Glorious result? Absolutely” - Mary Waltz
“Motherwell win 4-3 after a absolute nail-biter. Commiserations, the McMahons, that was bloody close. Now for a pint to try and settle my single remaining nerve” – James Humphries
Just four 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League, yet a significant day of results. Liverpool, held at home by Fulham, could have their lead cut to just two points tomorrow evening, when Chelsea welcome Brentford to Stamford Bridge. Manchester City will look to move closer tomorrow as well, as they take on neighbours United. Liverpool have the consolation of salvaging a point despite playing most of their game with ten men and falling behind twice, and Arsenal failing to take advantage by battering impotently on a very sturdy and well-padlocked Everton door. Meanwhile at the bottom, Gary O’Neil’s coat hangs on a very shoogly peg as they lose the big relegation showdown with Ipswich.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 15 | 18 | 36 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 15 | 17 | 31 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 16 | 14 | 30 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 6 | 27 |
| 5 | Nottm Forest | 15 | 1 | 25 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 15 | 0 | 25 |
| 7 | Brighton | 15 | 3 | 24 |
| 8 | AFC Bournemouth | 15 | 3 | 24 |
| 9 | Fulham | 16 | 2 | 24 |
| 10 | Brentford | 15 | 3 | 23 |
| 11 | Newcastle | 16 | 2 | 23 |
| 12 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 12 | 20 |
| 13 | Man Utd | 15 | 1 | 19 |
| 14 | West Ham | 15 | -8 | 18 |
| 15 | Everton | 15 | -7 | 15 |
| 16 | Leicester | 16 | -13 | 14 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 15 | -6 | 13 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 16 | -12 | 12 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton | 16 | -16 | 9 |
| 20 | Southampton | 15 | -20 | 5 |
Scottish Premiership full-times
Hibernian 3-1 Ross County
Motherwell 4-3 Dundee United
St Johnstone 2-3 St Mirren
… and there’s a scoreline that resonates in there, all right.
Championship full-times
Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Luton Town
Bristol City 1-1 Queens Park Rangers
Coventry City 2-1 Hull City
Middlesbrough 1-0 Millwall
Oxford United 1-3 Sheffield Wednesday
Preston North End 1-1 Leeds United
Sheffield United 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Stoke City 2-2 Cardiff City
Swansea City 2-3 Sunderland
Premier League full-times
Arsenal 0-0 Everton
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham
Newcastle United 4-0 Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Ipswich Town
FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-2 Fulham
Fulham took points off Arsenal last weekend; they’ve taken points off Liverpool this week. They’ll rarely have been more popular round Chelsea way.
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham. Big chances for Adama Traore and Diogo Jota. Time running out. Is there to be more drama?
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham. It’s still going at Anfield, where nine minutes of extra time have been tacked onto this end-to-end game. Both teams hell-bent for a winner.
FULL TIME: Wolves 1-2 Ipswich
A huge smile on Kieran McKenna’s face. Not so on Rayan Aït-Nouri’s. He is livid and wants a square go with a spectator, who has run onto the pitch and given him the what-for. He’s held back by four members of the Wolves staff before being carried away from the situation by the biggest of them in the nightclub-bouncer style. Probably for the best.
GOAL! Wolves 1-2 Ipswich (Taylor 90+4)
Jack Taylor looks to have grabbed all three points for the Tractor Boys!
Updated
FULL TIME: Newcastle 4-0 Leicester
Easy for the hosts. A difficult day for second-half sub goalie Danny Ward.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Everton
A defensive masterclass and huge point for Everton, who frustrate their old boy Mikel Arteta. A big opportunity for Arsenal to close the gap on Liverpool has been spurned.
Updated
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. A big injury-time penalty shout as Thomas Partey goes down in the environs of Vitalii Mykolenko, but neither referee nor VAR shows any interest in awarding it.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Fulham (Jota 85)
Diogo Jota is back from injury … and gives Bernd Leno the eyes to equalise. Some game at Anfield.
Updated
Wolves 1-1 Ipswich. Matheus Cunha bustles into space down the left but shoots straight at Arijanet Muric, who makes up for his earlier error.
Liverpool 1-2 Fulham. Harvey Elliott looks to plant one into the top corner but it’s inches off target. The hosts and league leaders desperately piling forward.
Updated
GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 Fulham (Muniz 76)
Rodrigo Muniz bundles home Antonee Robinson’s cross, and Fulham are ahead again! Following the draw at Newcastle, Arne Slot heads into the first serious blip of his reign.
Updated
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. The hosts continue to pour forward. Jordan Pickford is booked for time-wasting.
GOAL! Wolves 1-1 Ipswich (Cunha 72)
More poor goalkeeping by Arijanet Muric, who fails to deal with Matheus Cunha’s shot at his near post.
Updated
Liverpool 1-1 Fulham. … so having said that, Liverpool break from a Fulham corner. Mohamed Salah is sent through on goal, but bumbles his shot past the post.
Liverpool 1-1 Fulham. The visitors seem to have drawn Liverpool’s early second-half sting, and are now threatening to retake the lead. A couple of promising positions for Harry Wilson, but nothing comes of them.
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. Mikel Arteta rolls the dice at the Emirates, removing a couple of big names in Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard, and sending on Ethan Nwaneri and Jorginho.
GOAL! Newcastle 4-0 Leicester (Murphy 60)
A second for Jacob Murphy, and the Ruud van Nistelrooy new-manager bounce is officially over.
Updated
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. The second half starts as the first half finished, with Jordan Pickford making a stand against relentless Arsenal pressure. The latest a save from Bukayo Saka. We’re surely in matter-of-time territory.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Fulham (Gakpo 47)
The ten-man hosts are back in the game at Anfield, Cody Gakpo converting Mohamed Salah’s cross at close range.
Updated
GOAL! Newcastle 3-0 Leicester (Isak 50)
Oh Danny.
Updated
GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 Leicester (Guimaraes 47)
Leicester changed goalkeepers during the break, Danny Ward coming on on for Mads Hermansen. It’s not taken long for Ward to be called into action, by way of picking the ball out of his net. Bruno Guimares with the header.
Updated
Half-time postbag. Dominated today by the big Clockwatch Pals derby in Scotland.
“So, as I was saying, with Dundee United’s excellent defensive record, what could possibly go wrong? Well, maybe conceding in the first minute, then ending up 3-1 down at half-time? I was drunk on optimism an hour ago, getting drunk on whisky is simpler” – Simon McMahon
“Some game this at Fir Park. The mighty Motherwell up 3-1 at the stroke of half time, and if there’s not more goals in it I’ll eat my scarf. Mon the Well!” – James Humphries
“If the game at the Emirates carries on like this, then I would like to see Sean Dyche stride into the middle of the pitch at half-time, raise his arms, and inquire of the crowd ‘are you not entertained?’. If your taste in football is seeing it being sucked into an enormous black hole, the answer would be yes. Otherwise, a giant raspberry” – Charles Antaki
“D’you think Andy Robertson’s hot-headed Gaelic temperament got him, and possibly the team, into trouble there? Or is age catching up with him and he couldn’t make to the important place in time? He seemed to be looking for retribution for the bad Pereira challenge, but as we all know, revenge/vengeance is a dish best eaten cold. Klopp would have given him a good slapping with a bratwurst for his rush of blood. What will Slot be thinking, chips and mayo? Apple pie and cream? Time to sign a new No3?” – Jeremy Boyce
Scottish Premiership half-times
Hibernian 1-1 Ross County
Motherwell 3-1 Dundee United
St Johnstone 0-1 St Mirren
Championship half-times
Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Luton Town
Bristol City 1-1 Queens Park Rangers (FT)
Coventry City 2-1 Hull City (FT)
Middlesbrough 1-0 Millwall
Oxford United 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Preston North End 1-1 Leeds United (FT)
Sheffield United 1-0 Plymouth Argyle
Stoke City 1-1 Cardiff City
Swansea City 2-1 Sunderland
Premier League half-times
Arsenal 0-0 Everton
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham
Newcastle United 1-0 Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Ipswich Town
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham. After being second best for most of the half, Liverpool walk off at the break having finished it the stronger. A fascinating second period coming up, with all sorts of consequences at the top of the table.
Newcastle 1-0 Leicester. Some work for Ruud van Nistelrooy to do at the break, because his team have showed very little.
Wolves 0-1 Ipswich. Boos at Molineux at the half-time whistle, doubtless aimed more at the manager than the players.
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. It’s half-time at the Emirates. Jordan Pickford, who has been busy but irrepressible, walks off with a slight swagger, and the glimmer of a smile playing across his lips. A good day at the office for him so far.
Updated
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham. The league leaders show in attack for the first time, but Luis Diaz whistles his header into the Anfield Road end. The hosts could probably do with hearing the half-time whistle and regrouping. The first big seat-of-pants test for Arne Slot coming up.
Newcastle 1-0 Leicester. Bruno Guimaraes wants a penalty for a challenge by Jannik Vestergaard but he’s gone down too easily. No booking for diving, which is just as well, because minutes later he goes in enthusiastically on Stephy Mavididi and cops for a yellow. Meanwhile here’s Chris Paraskevas: “Please mark this historic day on the calendar (14/15 December 2024 depending on Time Zone):
a) A rehearsed Newcastle set piece directly resulted in a goal;
b) A Tame-Non Threatening Jacob Murphy Half-Shot-Cross™ directly resulted in a goal.
This is not a drill.”
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. But it’s 5-0 in corners to the hosts. Speaking of which … “The expectant silence during free kicks and corners is like nothing I can remember,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Almost like golf spectators waiting for a putt, except for the yelps of Nicolas Jover.” Mary Waltz adds: “Everton have survived a few corners, but it resembles a cat who corners a mouse and decides to play with it for a while before finishing it off.”
Wolves 0-1 Ipswich. Rayan Aït-Nouri and Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde take turns to miss presentable chances to equalise at Molineux. The peg on which Gary O’Neil’s coat hangs becomes ever more shoogly.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Leicester (Murphy 30)
Jacob Murphy finishes off a short-corner routine to open the scoring at St James’ Park.
Updated
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham. Slotball has given way to Amorimball, with the ten-man hosts now playing with a back three. Ryan Gravenberch has dropped back to help Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, with Cody Gakpo converted into a wingback in Andy Robertson’s absence. Fulham still dominating.
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. The Gunners are all over Everton, who are as of now holding firm. “Just had a heart ultrasound,” writes Gary Naylor. “NHS must have known i was an Evertonian and scheduled it for 3pm and not 4.30pm.” Hope all’s well, sir.
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham. It’s all happening at Anfield, where former Red Harry Wilson goes close with a free kick. Fulham did Liverpool a favour by holding Arsenal last weekend, but they’re in the process of levelling things out here, and more.
Liverpool 0-1 Fulham. The VAR has a look at whether Wilson was offside before the Robertson challenge. Could the Liverpool defender get a reprieve? Nope. The decision stands.
RED CARD: Andy Robertson (Liverpool)
Robertson cleans out Harry Wilson, who was on the way through. A nightmare start for the league leaders!
Updated
GOAL! Wolves 0-1 Ipswich (Doherty 15 og)
A pinball-esque comic cut.
Updated
The view of Sky pundit and former referee Mike Dean on that Pereira challenge: “He’s nowhere near the ball, he knew what he was doing, it should have been a 100 percent red card.”
GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Fulham (Pereira 11)
Andreas Pereira – who could have been sent off minutes before for a rake down the back of Ryan Gravenberch – roofs a volley to stun Anfield!
Updated
Arsenal 0-0 Everton. A fast start for the hosts, with the sheer presence of Bukayo Saka causing the dithering Jordan Pickford angst. The keeper sorts himself out just in time. Then he claims a Declan Rice corner. “Greetings from Free State California,” writes Mary Waltz. “It’s pitch dark, pouring rain, the perfect surroundings for watching my Everton march into the Arsenal home ground. Not feeling especially optimistic but who knows … who am I kidding, it’s going to be ugly. Sigh.”
Liverpool 0-0 Fulham. Andy Robertson has taken an early knock on the knee, courtesy of Issa Diop, who goes into the book. Robertson’s up and about, but took a while to get back onto his feet. A concern for the hosts at Anfield.
Updated
While we wait for things to happen, here are the results of the early kick-offs. There was no lunchtime match in the Premier League.
Championship
Bristol City 1-1 QPR
Coventry City 2-1 Hull City
Preston North End 1-1 Leeds United
League One
Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Wigan Athletic
Leyton Orient 0-0 Burton Albion
League Two
Salford City 3-0 Notts County
Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Harrogate Town
Whistles sound all across the land as the 3pms kick off. (SFX)
To Scotland. “Can you believe it’s 14 December already?” asks Simon McMahon. “This time last year Dundee United were losing at home to Raith Rovers in the Scottish Championship, and today we’re at Motherwell where a win would take us five points clear of our hosts in fourth place in the Scottish Premier League table, with European dreams a live possibility as we enter the drunken busy festive period. United have the third-best defensive record in the league after Celtic and Rangers, and loan signing Sam Dalby has been banging them in regularly at the other end. If you ignore the fact that we’ve already lost twice to Motherwell this season, what can possibly go wrong? A shout out to super-fan Evie McMahon who is again part of the travelling Tangerine Army today. Come on United! Other teams are available, including Hibs v Ross County and St Johnstone v St Mirren.”
The state of the Premier League as we go into the 3pms. Plenty to play for at both ends of the table, with Liverpool and Arsenal in action, and a relegation six-pointer at Molineux. Newcastle and Leicester keep things interesting in the middle.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 14 | 18 | 35 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 15 | 17 | 31 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 15 | 14 | 29 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 6 | 27 |
| 5 | Nottm Forest | 15 | 1 | 25 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 15 | 0 | 25 |
| 7 | Brighton | 15 | 3 | 24 |
| 8 | AFC Bournemouth | 15 | 3 | 24 |
| 9 | Brentford | 15 | 3 | 23 |
| 10 | Fulham | 15 | 2 | 23 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 15 | 12 | 20 |
| 12 | Newcastle | 15 | -2 | 20 |
| 13 | Man Utd | 15 | 1 | 19 |
| 14 | West Ham | 15 | -8 | 18 |
| 15 | Everton | 14 | -7 | 14 |
| 16 | Leicester | 15 | -9 | 14 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 15 | -6 | 13 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 15 | -13 | 9 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton | 15 | -15 | 9 |
| 20 | Southampton | 15 | -20 | 5 |
It will be an emotional day at the Emirates, as Arsenal and Everton meet for the first time since the passing of Kevin Campbell. The beloved striker played for Leyton Orient, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Trabzonspor, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City, but he’s best remembered for his stints with the Gunners and the Toffees, for whom he scored 59 and 39 goals respectively. Campbell is celebrated on a poster outside the stadium …
… and on the front of today’s matchday programme. “Good to see KC being celebrated,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “A man who brought Sunshine to whichever Band he was playing with.” Kevin Campbell obituary.
The notable additions and omissions. For your bullet-point pleasure.
Arsenal welcome Gabriel back into their defence
Dwight McNeil is missing for Everton so Jack Harrison takes his place
Liverpool can finally call on Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa, if only as subs; see also Darwin Nunez, who drops to the bench
Fulham defender Calvin Bassey is suspended so Jorge Cuenca makes his Premier League debut
Nick Pope is injured so Martin Dubravka takes his place in the Newcastle goal
Stephy Mavididi gets the call over Jordan Ayew for Leicester
Wolves replace the suspended Joao Gomes with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
There’s no Sammie Szmodics for Ipswich
The teams
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Rice, Merino, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
Subs: Neto, Tierney, Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Kiwior, Trossard, Jorginho, Sterling, Nwaneri.
Everton: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Mangala, Harrison, Doucoure, Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Beto, O’Brien, Broja, Coleman, Lindstrom, Armstrong.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Elliott, Jota, Quansah, Morton, Nyoni.
Fulham: Leno, Tete, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Lukic, Berge, Iwobi, Andreas Pereira, Wilson, Jimenez.
Subs: Benda, Rodrigo Muniz, Traore, Vinicius, Castagne, King, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe, Godo.
Newcastle United: Dubravka, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff.
Leicester City: Hermansen, Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Choudhury, Skipp, McAteer, El Khannous, Mavididi, Vardy.
Subs: Ward, Faes, Okoli, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Daka, Thomas, Buonanotte, Cartwright.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Johnstone, Nelson Semedo, Bueno, Toti Gomes, Doherty, Andre Trindade, Lemina, Ait Nouri, Bellegarde, Cunha, Larsen.
Subs: Bentley, Hwang, Dawson, Rodrigo Gomes, Doyle, Forbs, Goncalo Guedes, Meupiyou, Pedro Lima.
Ipswich Town: Muric, Harrison Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis, Morsy, Cajuste, Hutchinson, Chaplin, Burns, Delap.
Subs: Walton, Woolfenden, Phillips, Taylor, Al Hamadi, Johnson, Townsend, Broadhead, Jack Clarke.
Updated
Preamble
Today’s Clockwatch is as follows.
Arsenal v Everton
Liverpool v Fulham
Newcastle v Leicester
Wolverhampton v Ipswich
We're back, so it's on. Kick off is at 3pm.
