And that’s where we’ll wrap up for today, with Liverpool scoring on the stroke of half-time against Wolves.
It’s been a busy old afternoon, as always, in the world of football. Thanks for joining us and tuning in.
Bayern are level on 39 minutes against Leverkusen and it’s a scorcher from Aleksandar Pavlovic, a real long range thunderbolt, that has done the trick. 1-1
Elsewhere in Saturday early evening football:
St Johnstone 0-0 Celtic
Ebbsfleet 0-0 Oldham
Stockport travel to Barnsley a bit later in League One. Dominik Szoboszlai has just missed from point-blank range at Molineux and Liverpool are still goalless against Wolves.
Speaking of happy managers – Enzo Maresca is happy too. Mainly because he’s got Cole Palmer in his Chelsea squad. What a player he is (by the way).
🔵✨ Enzo Maresca: “I know Cole Palmer from many years ago, I had him at Manchester City in the U23”, tells BBC.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 28, 2024
“The best thing is the way he is as a human is the same way”.
“This doesn't change his life and that is the best thing for him”. pic.twitter.com/Cfn9sUBDev
Leverkusen are ahead at Bayern Munich and it’s a complete sucker punch against the run of play.
Robert Andrich scores with the visitors’ first shot on target, a fine low drive into the corner that has Manuel Neuer easily beaten. Well, well.
Mikel Arteta is very happy after Arsenal’s late show to down Leicester – even if there were a few jitters for the Gunners today when the visitors had brought it back to 2-2.
He told the BBC: “I’m very happy, first of all with the performance. I think we were unbelievable today. Te team showed unbelievable character to keep pushing, creating chance after chance. We suffered more than we should have but this is football. This is the Premier League, every team has got unbelievable resources to create issues and today they scored two goals out of very little but this is the quality that they have.”
There’s two big matches going on right now and both are goalless. Wolves are giving Liverpool an early scare in the Premier League’s Saturday teatime offering, while Bayern Munich have enjoyed the better of the early stages against Bundesliga reigning champs Bayer Leverkusen. Two good games to keep your eyes on.
Raúl Jiménez’s controversial penalty clinched Fulham the win at the City Ground and halted Nottingham Forest’s unbeaten Premier League start. The Mexican converted his 50th goal in the English top flight early in the second half after a lengthy video assistant referee check.
West Ham got a point today. And where the London Stadium is an unhappy home, they remain unbeaten on their early-season tour of the capital city. After victory at Crystal Palace and drawing at Fulham came this attritional affair on the capital’s western fringe against Brentford.
John Brewin enjoyed himself at the Gtech Community Stadium:
And in Scotland:
Updated
Here’s your Championship roundup, as Leeds put down a marker while West Brom and Sunderland both lost at the top:
Down at the bottom, at the end of a week that brought fresh hope of a takeover at Everton, Sean Dyche finally tasted his first Premier League victory of the season. A fresh start does not have to be confined to the boardroom.
Here’s what Andy Hunter made of a sweet afternoon for the Toffees, where Dwight McNeil bagged two:
Cole Palmer FC may take some stopping if they can keep this up. While these days it’s doing the rest of Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side a disservice to suggest this is a one-man team, another irresistible performance from the England forward that saw him become the first player in Premier League history to score four times before half-time made it four wins on the trot for the Blues.
Ed Aarons witnessed a virtuoso performance at Stamford Bridge:
It looked like being a story of Arsenal throwing away two points today. That, and a sensational second-half goalscoring cameo by the Leicester right-back, James Justin, plus the defiance of the goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen. Having made it 2-1 with a deflected header, Justin produced a volley of irresistible sweetness to equalise. Arsenal’s total dominance of the first half looked set to count for nothing, especially as they could not find a way back through in regulation time.
Read read from David Hytner’s report at the Emirates Stadium:
Match reports
Our writers have been busey filing their reports. Here they are…
Updated
Next up: Wolves v Liverpool at 5.30pm. Can the Reds get the win that will take them top? Join Rob Smyth.
Readers’ round-up
Jeremy Boyce: “After today’s results there are 3 points between the top 7. All back for more on Tuesday evening, sleep well.”
Simon McMahon: “Dundee United, leading 1-0 at half time, found themselves 3-1 down after 78 minutes at Kilmarnock, then gained a point with a penalty equaliser in the 100th minute! Late drama indeed. Come on United!”
Full-time scores
Results from the Premier League and some key games elsewhere.
Premier League
Newcastle 1-1 Man City
Arsenal 4-2 Leicester
Brentford 1-1 West Ham
Chelsea 4-2 Brighton
Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Fulham
Championship
Sheff Wed 3-2 West Brom
Leeds 3-0 Coventry
Oxford 0-0 Burnley
Portsmouth 0-0 Sheff Utd
Watford 2-1 Sunderland
Scottish Premiership
Dundee 1-2 Aberdeen
Serie A
Udinese 2-3 Inter
Full-time: Arsenal 4-2 Leicester
Arsenal, after a massive second-half scare, get it done thanks to two goals in added time. The mark of champions? Leicester didn’t deserve anything but almost nabbed a point.
Full-time: Chelsea 4-2 Brighton
Cole Palmer becomes the first player in Premier League history to score four times in a first half as Chelsea go third. What a performance from the youngster. Brighton, like Forest, lose their unbeaten record.
GOAL! Arsenal 4-2 Leicester (Havertz 90+9)
The Gunners wrap it up. Havertz’s effort is originally flagged offside but VAR take a butchers and it stands.
Updated
Full-time: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Fulham
Forest’s unbeaten start to the season is over. Raul Jimenez’s penalty settles this one after the hosts just didn’t create enough.
Full-time: Brentford 1-1 West Ham
A decent point for West Ham. It looked grim when Brentford scored in the first-minute for the third PL game running thanks to Mbeumo but the Hammers hung in there and grabbed a draw via Soucek.
GOAL! Arsenal 3-2 Leicester (Ndidi og 90+4)
Drama at the Emirates and Arsenal have surely snatched it. A corner from Saka is met by Trossard and his effort deflects home off Ndidi.
Updated
Full-time: Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
Massive win for Everton, their first of the season. It looked grim when Guehi gave Palace the lead early on but, in a reversal of recent fortunes, it was their turn to come from behind. A second-half brace from Dwight McNeill and Everton have their first win of the season.
Updated
90 min: Brentford 1-1 West Ham Vociferous appeals from the hosts for a penalty but nothing doing.
89 min: Arsenal 2-2 Leicester Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is performing heroics in the Foxes goal as Arsenal hurl everything at him. Havertz heads over in the Gunners’ latest attempt to snatch a winner.
Krishnamoorthy v makes this claim: “I can’t believe this is actually Chelsea. They have not been this emphatic since 2006 probably.”
If results stay the same, Chelsea are heading up to second place, for the time being.
85 min: Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace This is where Everton fans start having kittens but, so far, they’re holding firm as they bid to hold out for their first Premier League win of the campaign.
GOAL! Watford 2-1 Sunderland
Sunderland suddenly aren’t going top of the Championship as they fall behind at Watford.
Updated
A total of 16 goals in these five 3pm kick-offs. Surely more to come though.
80 min: Nottingham Forest 0-1 Fulham The hosts creating very little as they attempt to preserve their unbeaten record. Their xG is 0.58.
79 min: Brentford 1-1 West Ham Time ticking on and Paqueta strolls off looking unhappy after being hooked. Lopetegui not happy with the Brazilian’s effort today.
Key event
68 min: Chelsea 4-2 Brighton Marc Cucurella has the ball in the next against his former team following a swipe from a corner but it’s ruled out for offside.
Up in Scotland, James Humphries is keeping an eye out. “Mighty ‘Well up 2-1 against St Mirren, and I’ll bet at least 50p there’s more goals in this. Keep yer Cole Palmer, Lennon Miller’s where it’s at (but don’t tell anyone, we want him to stay).”
A missed penalty and two red cards in that Motherwell game by the way.
Andy (not that one) Flintoff notes: “Am I alone in thinking it’s a bit remiss of Man City to *not* have a direct replacement for Rodri already within their squad of full internationals?”
Kári Tulinius writes: “Every time I watch Leicester this season, they scrape goals even if they otherwise look out of their depth. It’s early to talk about survival chances, but being able to find the back of the net by hook or crook is invaluable when fighting for safety.”
It sure is.
Euro round-up
An early look at matters in Europe, with Inter winning by the odd goal in five at Udinese in a 2pm kick-off.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-2 Leicester (Justin 63)
Remarkable! James Justin doubles his career Premier League goal tally with a brilliant second to haul Leicester from looking down and out to level at 2-2. Ndidi’s cross finds Justin, who times his volley superbly to silence the Emirates. Two goals for Justin in a Leicester second-half fightback wasn’t on the bingo card.
Updated
Wolves v Liverpool team news
Starting XIs for the 5.30pm kick-off in the Premier League. Alisson is back in goal for Liverpool while Diogo Jota returns to start against his former club.
✌️ Two changes from #AVLWOL
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 28, 2024
➡️ Bueno and Toti in to start at CB
Our line-up to face @LFC.
🐺📋 pic.twitter.com/1UqU5OIc6H
Team news is HERE 📋👊 #WOLLIV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 28, 2024
54 min: Chelsea 4-2 Brighton Almost a fifth for Cole Palmer. More dodgy defending from Brighton but this time the long-shinned Englisman can’t convert.
Goals in the Championship
Wilson Isidor has given Sunderland an equaliser at Watford while Leeds have doubled their lead at home to Coventry thanks to Jayden Bogle. Sunderland are set to go top while Leeds are up to fifth in the live table, just two points off top spot.
Updated
Some analysis from Jonathan Wilson of Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City in today’s early Premier League kick-off.
GOAL! Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace (McNeill 54)
What a turnaround at Goodison as McNeill scores for the second time in seven minutes to put Everton 2-1 up after they’d trailed at the break. Not as spectacular as his first but it’s a fine goal nonetheless as takes down Harrison’s pass and shoots low past Henderson.
Updated
GOAL! Brentford 1-1 West Ham (Soucek 54)
We’re all square in the London derby as Soucek is the Tommy on the spot to give West Ham fans something to cheer after a trying week.
Updated
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Fulham (Jimenez pen 51)
The deadlock is broken and are Forest looking at their first defeat of the season?
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Leicester (Justin 47)
Well, well, well. Leicester looked down and out but they’ve made the ideal start to the second half and wrecked Arsenal’s clean sheet if nothing else. It’s a messy one as James Justin’s header deflects off Havertz and leaves Raya wrong footed.
Updated
GOAL! Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace (McNeill 47)
Great start to the second half for the Toffees as McNeill fires in what seems a trademark goal even though he doesn’t score that many. The Everton man drives at the Palace defence and thumps home from outside the box to make it 1-1. It’s Everton’s first shot on target.
Updated
We’re into the second half of most of our games although not yet at Arsenal and Chelsea.
And, on a day of Premier League records needing to be updated, let’s not forget this one from 3.01pm.
3 - Brentford have become the first team in Premier League history to score in the opening minute in three consecutive games. Lightning. #BREWHU
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 28, 2024
Some Cole Palmer stats to impress your friends with…
4 - Cole Palmer is the first player in Premier League history to score four goals before half-time in a single match. Cold. #CHEBHA pic.twitter.com/7dNiM1Ndd7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 28, 2024
3 - Cole Palmer has now scored three Premier League hat-tricks, the joint-most of any Chelsea player in the competition's history (level with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard). Rabbit. #CHEBHA pic.twitter.com/u5iz7QcGLN
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 28, 2024
Kevin Dardis emails: “Hi David. Having read Jeremy Boyce’s mail, I was reminded about something I recently read about the Bundesliga. Or rather, about the 2. Bundesliga. Of the 18 teams in the second flight this season, nine of them were in the top flight when the Bundesliga - and professional football here in Germany - was launched in 1963 (Cologne, Hamburg, Schalke, Nuremberg, Braunschweig, Kaiserslautern, Karlsruher, Hertha Berlin, Preußen Münster). Only four teams in the current top flight (Dortmund, Stuttgart, Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt) can claim the same. Footballing landscapes certainly shift drastically. This is perhaps the wrong MBM for such statistics but there you go.
“Greetings from a Fürth season ticket holder (another team in the 2. Bundesliga - German champions in 1914, 1926 & 1929).”
Steven Grundy writes: “Hey David, It is very hard to take your eyes off this game.
“Chelsea are probably the most exciting team in the world at the moment. Just like with the Wolves game - they might win this 9-2 or lose 4-5. Unbelievable. Sanchez was at fault for 2 of Brighton’s goals. Is he really the best out of the 8 goalkeepers that Chelsea have on their books? Also, Palmer is on fire. Unstoppable during the first 45 minutes.
“Finally, just a thought. Man Utd should consider buying Chelsea’s left winger, who is wreaking absolute havoc. Do you think ten Hag might put in a bid for him?”
Some half-time reading for you while you check if you have Cole Palmer in your fantasy teams…
Half-time scores
Scores in our our featured games, all 3pm kick-offs unless stated.
Premier League
Newcastle 1-1 Man City (12.30pm)
Arsenal 2-0 Leicester
Brentford 1-0 West Ham
Chelsea 4-2 Brighton
Everton 0-1 Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Fulham
Championship
Sheff Wed 3-2 West Brom (12.30pm)
Leeds 1-0 Coventry
Oxford 0-0 Burnley
Portsmouth 0-0 Sheff Utd
Watford 1-0 Sunderland
Scottish Premiership
Dundee 1-2 Aberdeen
Serie A
Udinese 2-3 Inter (2pm)
Reaction to the Cole Palmer goal-fest at Stamford Bridge
Glenn in Canada: “At 3-1 I was going to say the scoreline doesn’t do justice to Chelsea’s performance, the ball has been in the back of Brighton’s net 5 times already and the Gulls could easily be down to 10 men. But holy moly, what a game.”
Mark Turner adds: “4 in 41 minutes – a nice regular rhythm. Am I the only one who’ll feel slightly disappointed if he doesn’t finish with nine today?”
He’s on track to do so Mark.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Leicester (Trossard 45)
A simple finish for Trossard as he’s set up by Martinelli. Leicester gave the ball away again and there’s some finger pointing going on in the Foxes’ ranks. Oh dear. A reminder that Arsenal will go top if they win by four clear goals. Every chance.
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 4-2 Brighton (Palmer 42)
This is crazy, apeshot bonkers stuff from Cole Palmer, who now has four to his name. Move over Erling Haaland. The latest comes after he’s set up by Sancho, who has a second assist of the game.
Updated
40 min: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Fulham Not an awful lot to report from the City Ground as Forest bid to keep their unbeaten start going. Anyway, back to the Bridge…
Updated
38 min: Brentford 1-0 West Ham The Hammers have certainly steadied the ship since the concession of that first-minute goal although they haven’t created much.
37 min: Everton 0-1 Crystal Palace The Toffees are pushing for an equaliser with Calvert-Lewin and McNeill both having chances. But Palace remain a threat on the break and from set-pieces so the mood could still sink further at Goodison.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-2 Brighton (Baleba 34)
It’s raining goals at Stamford Bridge and now we have five. This one is down to a howler from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez who seems to forget that he’s no longer a Brighton player. He gifts the ball away and Carlos Baleba cuts Chelsea’s lead to 3-2.
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Brighton (Palmer 31)
Good grief! Cole Palmer is going mad here. Not satisfied with his quickfire brace he curls home a brilliant 30-yard free-kick to give himself a first-half hat-trick and Chelsea a 3-1 lead. What a player!
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Brighton (Palmer 27)
Chelsea have turned it around and it’s a quickfire double for that man (imagine Bryon Butler voice) Cole Palmer. This one comes from the spot after Jadon Sancho jinks into the box and is brought down.
Updated
Simon McMahon with Fitba news. “Afternoon David. A minute’s applause before the start of Dundee v Aberdeen today in memory of former Dee Fabian Caballero who has sadly died at the age of 46. No goals in any of the games in the Scottish Premier so far, with managerless Hearts, as predicted on last week’s clockwatch, at Ross County, Motherwell v St. Mirren and Kilmarnock v Dundee United.”
“Plenty goals now, though. Dundee 0-1 Aberdeen, Motherwell 1-1 St. Mirren, Kilmarnock 0-1 Dundee United.”
A timely Championship-themed email from Jeremy Boyce. “Yeah, never mind all you fancy dan so-called “big” teams all trying to find a way of grabbing a slice of the ever-expanding Big Cup/League pie, or alternatively avoid becoming the next “big” team to find themselves back down one step in what is officially the hardest League to get promoted from in the universe, THE CHAMPIONSHIP! And yes, today’s Championship table is crammed with former/fallen Premiership “big” teams hoping to restore their former glories. All but 3 of the bottom half of the table have enjoyed (?) time upstairs since the Premier League was founded. At the top end, where it’s hard as nails, It’s already looking like a white knuckle-ride for automatic promotion from now to April, with no stand-out, runaway Leicester or Burnley showing just yet. And with Baggies losing at Sheff Wed earlier, the door is open to the chasing group, 3 of who (Sunderland, Burnley, Sheff U) have tricky away days today, while NastyLeeds will fancy making up ground at home to Coventry. Don’t worry lads, only another 40 games to go (excluding play-offs).”
Championship early games round-up
A review of those three early 12.30pm kick-offs in the Championship that featured wins for Blackburn, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Brighton (Palmer 21)
A terrible mistake at the back from Adam Webster allows Nicolas Jackson to run free and set up Cole Palmer to level for Chelsea with a cool finish. Two avoidable goals.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Leicester (Martinelli 20)
Martinelli makes amend as he turns home Timber’s cut back to put the Gunners in front. It had been coming. Poor marking from Leicester.
Updated
Goal in the Championship. Wilfried Gnonto slots home from around 16 yards to put Leeds 1-0 up on Coventry at Elland Road. That’s the first goal in the Championship’s 3pm games although Cardiff have now just gone 1-0 up at Hull.
15 min: Arsenal 0-0 Leicester Still all Arsenal and Saka and Martinelli both have chances, the latter wasting a great opportunity as he blasts over from eight yards out.
A lively start in the Premier League with those early goals for Brentford, Brighton and Palace. The live league table has Brighton in third as it stands.
GOAL! Everton 0-1 Crystal Palace (Geuehi 11)
Everton have been taking leads in recent games but not here. Wharton’s cross is headed down by Lacroix and Marc Guehi flicks out a boot to prod home at the near post.
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Brighton (Rutter 7)
A casual clearance from former Brighton midfielder Moises Caceido loops up off a teammate and Georginio Rutter cashes in, nodding over Sanchez. A shock early score in the Graham Potter derby.
Updated
5 min: Arsenal 0-0 Leicester The Gunners on the front foot as you’d expect. They’re dominating possession although Leicester almost had a moment on the break just there.
Brentford have now taken a first-minute lead for three Premier League games in a row. That’s surely a record, Norris.
GOAL! Brentford 1-0 West Ham (Mbeumo 1)
Fast-start specialists Brentford have done it again! Bryan Mbeumo hooks the ball home inside a minute and West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui is going mad again.
Updated
Peep! Peep!! Peep!!! Whistles shrill around the country and the 3pm games are in play.
Serie A: Udinese 1-2 Inter (HT)
The champions were pegged back at Udinese after Christian Kabasele levelled for the home side after 35 minutes. But Lauro Martinez has given Inter the lead again on the stroke of half-time.
Match report: Newcastle 1-1 Manchester City
Louise Taylor was at St James’ Park as the Magpies fought back from a goal down to deny Man City.
A reminder of the key team news. David Raya is fit to start in goal for Arsenal at home to Leicester while Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite makes his first start of the season as the Toffees host Crystal Palace.
Football League results
Some drama in the Championship’s early games. Leaders West Brom fought back from 2-0 down at Sheffield Wednesday before Anthony Musaba came up with an 86th-minute winner for the hosts. Norwich also won by the odd goal in five at Derby with Borja Sainz the hat-trick hero. That first Norwich goal though! (see 13.43 BST).
Championship
Blackburn 2-0 QPR
Derby 2-3 Norwich
Sheff Wed 3-2 West Brom
League One
Crawley 0-2 Bolton
Reading 2-1 Huddersfield
League Two
Harrogate 2-1 Bradford
Walsall 4-0 Colchester
The win for Walsall puts them top.
Full-time: Newcastle 1-1 Man City
It’s a point apiece at St James’ Park thanks to Anthony Gordon’s second-half penalty for the hosts. City stay top but, by my calculations, Pep Guardiola’s men could end the weekend in fourth if Arsenal hammer Leicester by a four-goal margin, Liverpool beat Wolves and Aston Villa win at Ipswich.
Seven minutes of added time to play at St James’ Park where it’s still Newcastle 1-1 Man City.
Serie A latest: Udinese 0-1 Inter
It’s been a slightly sticky start to the season for champions Inter but they’ve taken the lead at Udinese today inside the opening minute via Davide Frattesi.
PIÙ VELOCE DELLA LUCEEEEEE!⚡️
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) September 28, 2024
LA SBLOCCA DAVIDE IN 43 SECONDIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 🤩⚽️#ForzaInter #UdineseInter pic.twitter.com/YHDEinlZbk
Still 1-1 at St James’ Park with 10 minutes to go. This would be four points dropped in two games for Manchester City. Those ‘without Rodri’ stats will no doubt be flashed up again if they fail to win here.
Goals in the Championship
Second-half strikes in all three games. Blackburn are 2-0 up on QPR after goals from Lewis Travis and Danny Batth; Josh Maja has pulled a goal back for West Brom, who now trail 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday; and Borja Sainz has scored his second of the day for Norwich to give the Canaries the lead again after Craig Forsyth had levelled for Derby.
Nottingham Forest v Fulham team news
Your Forest XI to face Fulham 👊 pic.twitter.com/jLyR4iwY38
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 28, 2024
Your Fulham 🆚 Forest.#NFOFUL pic.twitter.com/e5MAFYyruq
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 28, 2024
Everton v Crystal Palace team news
Big news for Everton as big defender Jarrad Branthwaite returns from a groin injury to make his first start of the season. Palace look to be lining up with a back four rather than a three.
Today's Toffees to face @CPFC! 🔵 #EVECRY pic.twitter.com/qiseM3DB6t
— Everton (@Everton) September 28, 2024
Taking on the Toffees 👊#CPFC pic.twitter.com/i3GvhUEuvt
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 28, 2024
Chelsea v Brighton team news
It’s a full house of 11 changes for Chelsea following their Carabao Cup win over Barrow. Malo Gusto comes in from the side that won at West Ham last weekend.
We start like this. 👊#CFC | #CHEBHA pic.twitter.com/oUYiRmPdVA
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 28, 2024
TEAM NEWS! 🚨 Here's our starting XI to take on @ChelseaFC this afternoon. 👀📝 pic.twitter.com/JvXi053rOM
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) September 28, 2024
Brentford v West Ham team news
The Bees to face the Hammers 🐝#BREWHU pic.twitter.com/73lqmiUrKn
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 28, 2024
How today's team looks 👇 pic.twitter.com/NPEgW5LtMl
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 28, 2024
Arsenal v Leicester team news
David Raya is fit enough to play for Arsenal while Leandro Trossard is back from suspension.
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Trossard, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 28, 2024
🧤 Raya shakes off knock
🔙 Trossard returns from suspension
©️ Saka skippers the side
Let's get those three points, Gunners ✊
Our London line-up 🚨#ARSLEI pic.twitter.com/ae2sRjP48P
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 28, 2024
GOAL! Newcastle 1-1 Man City (Gordon 58)
Bang! There’s no Isak but Gordon steps up and sends Ederson the wrong way. Game on!
Key event
Newcastle have a penalty at home to Manchester City. Anthony Gordon bursts through and is tripped by Ederson, who picks up a yellow. VAR says yes, the spot-kick stands.
Oof!! Norwich lead at Derby but, come on, the ball was surely out in the build-up.
Terrible decision 👎🏼 pic.twitter.com/r3OfuRCJcM
— Notts County History (@magpies_history) September 28, 2024
Premier League teams news arrives 75 minutes before kick-off these days so we’ll have starting XIs very soon.
More early kick-off news
But not great news for Deano’s former club Bradford, who trail 2-1 at Harrogate in a North v West Yorkshire derby. In the other League Two game that started early, Walsall lead Colchester 1-0. In League One, we’re into the second half of two games and it’s currently Crawley 0-1 Bolton and Reading 1-1 Huddersfield.
Championship half-times
It’s been a tough first period for leaders West Brom, who are 2-0 down at Sheffield Wednesday following a Darnell Furlong own goal (9) and a strike from Josh Windass (23) for the hosts. I drove past a place in Bradford a couple of days ago and saw an advert for an evening with Dean Windass. Good times for the Windass clan.
Blackburn 0-0 QPR
Derby 0-1 Norwich
Sheff Wed 2-0 West Brom
Preamble
While the top looks very familiar, there’s a slightly unusual look to the Premier League table this season due to six teams still having a zero in the ‘win’ column. Three of those sides – Leicester, Crystal Palace and Everton – are in action at 3pm. Leicester have it all on to break their duck given that they’re away at Arsenal while the other two, Everton and Palace, meet at Goodison. Pencil that in for a draw then. Wolves, who are bottom, host Liverpool in the 5.30pm game so there’s a fair chance we end today with six teams still searching for a first win.
At the other end of the table, Arsenal, Brighton and Nottingham Forest all go into their 3pm games with unbeaten records in the top-flight so far.
Elsewhere, Aberdeen can go top of the SPL for a few hours, with Celtic in action later today. And while it’s not on my watch, note that it’s Bayern v Leverkusen in the Bundesliga at 5.30pm.
These are our featured games, all 3pm kick-offs unless stated.
Premier League
Newcastle v Man City (12.30pm)
Arsenal v Leicester
Brentford v West Ham
Chelsea v Brighton
Everton v Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest v Fulham
Championship
Sheff Wed v West Brom (12.30pm)
Leeds v Coventry
Oxford v Burnley
Portsmouth v Sheff Utd
Watford v Sunderland
Scottish Premiership
Dundee v Aberdeen
Serie A
Udinese v Inter (2pm)
Updated
Half-time: Newcastle 0-1 Manchester City
It’s been a well-contested first 45 minutes at St James’ Park but City have the advantage after a Josko Gvardiol goal 10 minutes before the break. Nice set-up play from Jack Grealish and a classy finish from the Croatian.
You can follow minute-by-minute action here, courtesy of Rob Smyth.
