… and with that, this epic Clockwatch slows serenely to a halt. Thanks for reading. Nighty night!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 20 | 34 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 14 | 32 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 30 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
FT: Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City. Ben Fisher was at Villa Park to see the hosts give the top of the Premier League table a good old shoogle.
Unai Emery talks to Amazon Prime. “Keep balanced … it is very good … we have to believe we are now more or less in the top four … if we are here we have to believe … we have to be excited … maybe on Saturday after Arsenal we can relax and enjoy this but we must retain focus … we try to enjoy with team-mates, supporters and family, but must prepare for Saturday … we know behind us are Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham, so it is going to be very difficult [to remain high in the table] … we nearly lost our last match … the supporters are the 12th player.”
FT: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea. Jamie Jackson was at Old Trafford as Scott McTominay scored his second Premier League brace of the season to ease the pressure on Erik ten Hag.
A calm and considered Pep Guardiola speaks to Amazon Prime. “Aston Villa was better, they played a fantastic game … we struggled to make our processes … the better team won … we played with our desire, it was there, but they played better and we struggled … the final third, the quality of pass, we didn’t find it all game … there were consequences to us not winning the last couple of games … there was a little bit of pressure but this is the quality of the Premier League … the challenge is to win at Luton … the players have given us too much to doubt them.”
FT: Sheffield United 0-2 Liverpool. Aaron Bower watched over Chris Wilder’s return to Bramall Lane.
FT: Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest. Jacob Steinberg was on point as Fulham routed Forest at Craven Cottage.
FT: Crystal Palace 0-2 Bournemouth. Ed Aarons heard Palace and their manager Roy Hodgson depart with boos ringing in their ears.
FT: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford. Greg Wood was at the Amex to witness 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood secure victory for the Seagulls.
Updated
Results and table
Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford
Crystal Palace 0-2 Bournemouth
Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
Sheffield United 0-2 Liverpool
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 20 | 34 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 14 | 32 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 30 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
| 6 | Man Utd | 15 | 0 | 27 |
| 7 | Newcastle | 14 | 18 | 26 |
| 8 | Brighton | 15 | 5 | 25 |
| 9 | West Ham | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 15 | 2 | 19 |
| 11 | Brentford | 15 | 2 | 19 |
| 12 | Fulham | 15 | -5 | 18 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton | 15 | -5 | 18 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 15 | -7 | 16 |
| 15 | AFC Bournemouth | 15 | -12 | 16 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 15 | -11 | 13 |
| 17 | Luton | 15 | -14 | 9 |
| 18 | Everton | 14 | -5 | 7 |
| 19 | Burnley | 15 | -18 | 7 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 15 | -30 | 5 |
FULL TIME: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
Scott McTominay gives Erik ten Hag some breathing room after a torrid few days. Tim de Lisle has all the details.
FT: Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City. Pep Guardiola walks off with a look of great concern on his face. His team were utterly outplayed this evening, and it’s not often you can say that about his Manchester City, who have picked up just three points from the last 12 available. Meanwhile that’s 14 straight victories at home for Villa, and it’s time to take their title challenge seriously. “We showed great character and worked really hard,” says the match-winner and player of the match Leon Bailey. “Unai Emery has been amazing. His way of doing things is just different. He knows exactly what he is doing.”
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City
It’s Unai Emery’s first win over Pep Guardiola. Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a title race.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 20 | 34 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 14 | 32 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 30 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
90 min +4: Now it’s Gvardiol’s turn to needlessly foul an opponent. His skittling of Kamara shaves off another 60 seconds of time. Meanwhile in Scotland, here’s Simon McMahon: “Late drama in the title race battle for 3rd-12th place in Scotland with stoppage-time winners for Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone. The top two both - doesn’t check notes - won again.”
Aberdeen 0-1 Kilmarnock
Celtic 4-1 Hibs
St Johnstone 1-0 St Mirren
Hearts 0-1 Rangers
90 min +2: Konsa makes his way down the right and is impeded clumsily by Bobb. Villa play the free kick short in the time-management style. City can’t get out.
90 min: The board goes up. Five added minutes. Can the champions save themselves? Can Villa hang on for what would be a thoroughly deserved win?
89 min: Nunes sends a simple pass straight out of play and the clock ticks on. The denizens of Villa Park are living on their nerves. They’re nevertheless en fête.
88 min: Walker busies himself down the right and cuts back in the hope of finding Silva. Ramsey slides in to intercept, and the flag goes up for offside anyway. “I know that Manchester City have enough individual quality to still win, but Pep’s City have rarely looked more ordinary than tonight,” writes Kári Tulinius. “This is the best performance against them in the Premier League in a long time, maybe since Liverpool’s 3-1 demolition in 2019.”
86 min: Villa toy with City, probing right and left. They open City up with some delightful one-touch stuff, Luiz in space on the edge of the D. He opens his body and steers a shot towards the top right. Ederson is beaten all ends up, but the ball cannons off the right-hand post and out. That would have been a glorious goal and 2-0 wouldn’t have flattered Villa in any way, shape or form.
Updated
84 min: Bailey and Tielemans make way for Ramsey and Diaby. “Villa have been awesome since around the 55th minute,” opines Alex Whitney. “I don’t think I’ve seen a team take the game to City this comprehensively in several years. The catharsis of that goal, even through the TV, was incredible.”
83 min: Villa are holding City at arm’s length here.
81 min: As things stand, Villa will go into third and the champions will slip to fourth place, six points off the lead.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 20 | 34 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 14 | 32 |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 30 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
79 min: Nothing comes of the corner.
78 min: Back at Villa Park, the hosts are all over City. Bailey miscontrols in the box when another shot was on. Then Luiz meets a ball looping and dropping into the City box. Ederson does extremely well to spread himself and bundle the ball out for a corner.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea (McTominay 69)
In the other 8.15pm kick-off, McTominay scores his 876th goal of the season, heading home Garnacho’s left-wing cross from close range. One way or another, it’s not been a brilliant couple of minutes for City.
75 min: Manchester City have only had two shots all evening. They’ll need to rouse themselves quicksmart now.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City (Bailey 74)
Bailey has taken a few digs from distance this evening. He’s gone close a couple of times. He’s made the breakthrough this time! He dribbles in from the right, drops a shoulder to see off Gvardiol, then aims for the top right. A nick off Dias, and the ball flies into the top right! A stroke of good fortune, but one that Villa have earned!
Updated
72 min: City take the sting out of the game with some sterile possession in the middle of the park.
70 min: Tielemans nearly releases Bailey with a raking pass down the right. Akanji reads the danger brilliantly and comes across to clear off Bailey’s toe as the last man. City are being seriously stress-tested here.
68 min: It’s still 1-1 at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Chelsea. “It’s the most mediocre roller coaster I can remember,” writes Gary Meyler. “One team slowly passes the ball out, possession is slowly turned over, chance is squandered. Both teams are some way off the top teams.” So in lieu of classic action …
66 min: Villa Park is a proper cauldron tonight. The home fans are fully aware that, whatever happens tonight, there’s something going on under Unai Emery. “Villa fan here,” begins David Bertram. “I love him. Want to take him coat shopping mind.” See?
65 min: Meanwhile, here’s Simon McMahon. “Evening Scott. In shock BREAKING NEWS! from Scotland, both Celtic and Rangers are ahead against Hibs and Hearts respectively, while the other two games, Aberdeen v Kilmarnock, and St. Johnstone v St. Mirren, are both still goalless. Scottish football in a nutshell right there.”
64 min: McGinn dribbles down the inside-left channel. He drops a shoulder to see off Dias, and should do better than bobble a shot across Ederson and wide of the right-hand post. He wants a corner, and he might have an argument, but he’s not getting one. It’s been a great game at Villa Park. No idea how it’s still goalless.
62 min: … a minor stramash in the City box. The visitors not looking comfortable at all right now. But they eventually clear their lines.
We join the game with the scoreline still Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City … and Villa are on the attack. Digne wins a corner down the left. From which …
So that’s all the 7.30pm kick-offs over and done with. A reminder that Tim de Lisle is covering the Manchester United-Chelsea game in the MBM format … so let’s see out the last half-hour of the Aston Villa-Manchester City match here in a similar style.
FULL TIME: Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford
Mee, of all people, attempts a bicycle kick from the edge of the Brighton box. It’s always heading wide left, and the hosts claim all three points.
FULL TIME: Sheffield United 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool were made to work for the three points. But they consolidate second place and move to within a couple of points of the leaders Arsenal.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-2 Liverpool (Szoboszlai 90+5)
Nunez wins the ball 40 yards from goal with a crunching tackle. He sends a diagonal ball to Szoboszlai, just to the left of the D. Szoboszlai takes a touch and sends an unstoppable shot into the top left. What work from Nunez for the assist, and not a bad finish either!
Updated
FULL TIME: Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest
Another manager looking sheepish: Steve Cooper.
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 0-2 Bournemouth
A few more jeers at the final whistle. An affronted Roy Hodgson trudges off with a face on. Andoni Iraola, slowly getting it together with the Cherries, looks much happier.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Bournemouth (Moore 90 +1)
Moore powers down the middle and rolls the ball to the left. Kluivert returns the cross. Moore converts from close range and boos from the home fans ring around Selhurst Park. Roy Hodgson under a spot of pressure now too.
Updated
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. McAtee dribbles into the Liverpool box only to be shoved over from behind by Konate. It’s light, and it would have been oh-so-soft, but you’ve seen them given.
GOAL! Fulham 5-0 Nottingham Forest (Cairney 86)
Forest have fallen to bits. They’re four on one. Cairney slots into the bottom right, and Steve Cooper is in all sorts of trouble now.
Updated
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford. Wissa throws a hand and clips Gilmour on the chin. Just a brush, but contact was made. Just a yellow. Wissa should really be walking and gets away with one there.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Nunez is sent into space down the inside right. He slaps his shot straight at Foderingham. United are scrapping hard and making this tough for Liverpool, who may start to feel jittery soon as they attempt to close in on Arsenal at the top.
The 8.15pm half-times
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
McTominay was good to continue, United fans will be pleased to hear.
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford. Hinshelwood’s poor defensive header is latched onto by Lewis-Potter, who should tear clear into the box but miscontrols and allows Mitoma to get back and block. Nothing comes of the resulting corner. This is better from Brentford, though.
GOAL! Fulham 4-0 Nottingham Forest (Iwobi 74)
Wilson dribbles down the right, reaches the byline, and cuts back for Iwobi, who sweeps home from 12 yards. Steve Cooper’s coat on a shoogly peg.
Updated
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Digne digs out a cross from the left. Luiz leaps and steers a header into the top left. But Digne had let the ball go out of play. Disallowed.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (Palmer 45)
The former Manchester City player Palmer dribbles right to left, before squeezing a diagonal shot back across Onana and into the bottom right. Almost a mirror image of this George Best classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkUI29Wi54
Updated
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford. A free kick whizzed in from the left. Pinnock rises highest and sends a header over the bar. The best the Bees have managed for a while.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold nearly releases Szoboszlai down the middle with a preposterous creamed volley of a pass from deep. He’s frustrated by Hamer’s reaction header, the pass deflected away just in time.
Manchester United 1-0 Chelsea. McTominay catches Colwill a little late. It’s a garden-variety foul, but the United midfielder comes off worst and is down in a lot of pain. On comes the physio. Worrying signs for United’s player of the season so far.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Not for the first time this evening, Mac Allister requires some treatment. He can’t continue this time, and Jones comes on in his stead.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Salah can’t believe he hasn’t scored his 200th goal for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold, breeks fully up, sends a corner in from the right. Salah meets the dropping ball with a screeching, rising volley. Surely the net’s going to bulge! But Foderingham seems to adjust in mid-air, Billy the Fish style, and sticks out a strong arm to tip over. That was a hell of a shot, with a save to match.
GOAL! Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford (Hinshelwood 52)
Gross sashays down the left and stands one up to the far stick. Hinshelwood rises highest and steers a header across Flekken and into the bottom left. That’s a super header and Brighton have turned it around at the Amex.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 3-0 Nottingham Forest (Jimenez 54)
A brilliant goal, this. Jimenez chests down a long pass. He brushes Aina aside with disdain, steps into the box, strides left-to-right across Vlachodimos, and with the goal gaping, dinks a cute backheel into the net. That’s such a confident finish.
Updated
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Luiz swings a free kick into the City box from the left. Konsa wins a header, six yards out, but flashes it over when it was surely easier to hit the target.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Bournemouth. A free kick for Palace, 25 yards out. Olise and Edouard have a conspiratorial pow-wow. Edouard dummies. Olise crashes a dismal effort straight into the wall. Neto in the Bournemouth goal hasn’t had too much to do.
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Bailey has another dig from distance. Ederson deals with it easily enough.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Bournemouth. The second halves of the 7.30pm kick-offs are under way. Lerma strides purposefully down the right and crashes a shot flush off the right-hand post and away.
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Stones attempts a Cruyff Turn down the right wing, only to clank a backheel out for a goal kick. He has the good grace to smile wryly at this minor mishap, which the home fans majorly enjoyed.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Chelsea (McTominay 19)
It’s that man again! McTominay drills into the bottom right. Hojland was on the goal-line in an offside position but not interfering with the keeper. United lead. More details just a click away!
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. The champions appear to have gained a semblance of control at Villa Park after a torrid start.
The 7.30pm half-times
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Brentford
Crystal Palace 0-1 Bournemouth
Fulham 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Having been under the cosh for the first ten minutes, the champions respond with a swift counter, Martinez twice denying Haaland in the middle of a goalmouth scramble.
Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea. High drama at Old Trafford, where Fernandez stands on Antony’s foot to concede a penalty … only for Fernandes to waft a dismal spot kick towards the bottom left. Easy save for Sanchez.
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Another fine effort for Villa! Pau Torres is slipped into the box down the inside-right channel. He opens his body and goes for the top left. Ederson extends to tip away spectacularly. Somewhere in the multiverse, Villa are three up after nine minutes!
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Bailey whistles a shot towards the bottom right. Ederson denies him. Villa continue to dominate the early exchanges with the champions.
Updated
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Mac Allister nearly makes it two deep into stoppage time at Bramall Lane. He spins to the right of the D and sends a rising shot towards the top-right corner. Foderingham tips over the bar.
Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City. Speaking of Villa-City, the hosts have started well, with McGinn lashing an early half-chance into the side netting.
The games at Villa Park and Old Trafford have kicked off. A reminder that Tim de Lisle is all over the Manchester United v Chelsea game – click below for MBM entertainment – while I’ll zone in on the second half of the Aston Villa v Manchester City game once the 7.30pm kick-offs are over.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. Another chance for Salah to score his 200th Liverpool goal. A little bit of space and time down the inside-right channel. But he snatches at his shot and the ball bobbles harmlessly through to Foderingham. “Trent managed to crack the Blades’ resistance,” quips Tom Chivers of Liverpool’s low-slung hero, because somebody had to.
Updated
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Brentford. Gilmour swings a corner in from the right. Van Hecke looks to atone for giving away the penalty but bashes a header wide and high from close range. He should have worked Flekken at the very least. He probably should have scored.
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Brentford. Mbeumo’s joy at slotting that penalty is short-lived. He’s carried off by the physios having picked up a knock.
Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool. There’s a VAR check on the goal, Van Dijk accused of pancaking an opponent as he barrelled in to meet Alexander-Arnold’s corner. But there was nothing in it, and the goal stands.
GOAL! Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool (van Dijk 37)
Alexander-Arnold, showing a bit of builder’s cleavage, sends a corner long from the right. Van Dijk, coming in from the left, meets it with a volley and sweeps into the bottom left. Trent then hoicks his shorts up.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Jimenez 34)
Iwobi strides down the right. He slips a pass infield for Pereira, who shuttles the ball instantly down the channel for Jimenez, who enters the box and roofs an unstoppable first-time effort. No more popular scorer at Craven Cottage! The under-pressure Steve Cooper’s seat is beginning to feel rather toasty.
Updated
GOAL! Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Brentford (Gross 31)
What a response from Brighton! Mitoma dribbles down the left. He reaches the edge of the box, waits, then rolls across to Gross, who takes a touch before skelping a drive into the bottom right.
Updated
GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Iwobi 30)
… but no matter, because here’s another peach! Cairney spins into space down the middle and sends Willian off down the left. Willian stops, checks, and curls towards Iwobi, rushing in from the right. Iwobi opens his body and steers a dainty finish across Vlachodimos and into the bottom left. That’s a gorgeous team goal.
Updated
Fulham 0-0 Nottingham Forest. Fulham nearly take the lead as Pereira crashes a free kick off the left-hand upright. That would have been a peach.
GOAL! Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Brentford (Mbeumo 27 pen)
A penalty at the Amex. Van Hecke brings down Janelt on the edge of the box. Mbeumo steps up, waits for the keeper to commit, then rolls an outrageously cool spot kick into the bottom left. Such poise.
Updated
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Bournemouth (Senesi 25)
Christie sends in a corner from the right. Sinisterra eyebrows it on. Senesi heads home from a couple of yards. That’s a lovely set-piece goal!
Updated
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. Liverpool continue to press United back. Konate steers a weak header towards the bottom-left corner. It’s easy for Foderingham, who despite Liverpool’s territorial dominance, hasn’t had any serious work to do.
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Brentford. It’s been quiet on the south coast. Brighton attempt to bring the noise as Hinshelwood storms down the right and cuts back to the in-rushing Gross, whose first-time slapshot is deflected wide. The corner comes to nowt.
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. The away side are beginning to get on top. Gomez wins a corner down the left. Van Dijk wins a header six yards out, but the ball deflects over the bar. Nothing comes of the second corner.
Fulham 0-0 Nottingham Forest. … so having said that, Dominguez sends Origi clear down the middle. Origi over-runs the ball, though, and is forced to check back. He sends a low curler towards the bottom right. Wide. Leno was on point and had it covered.
Fulham 0-0 Nottingham Forest. Not a great deal going on at Craven Cottage. Willian had a chance to send Castagne into space down the right, but couldn’t dig the ball out from between his legs. Then a bit of space for Elanga down the Forest left, but with Origi in the middle and Fulham light at the back, he’s carelessly caught offside.
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. It continues in Sheffield. One of the stranger defensive interventions first by Robinson, who deals with a dangerous corner, sort of; facing the wrong way, the ball pings off his back and over his own bar. The Blades then counter from the next corner, McAtee ending up one on one with Kelleher and attempting to guide a shot into the bottom right. Kelleher sticks out a strong arm to block. Other matches are available.
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. It’s a hectic start at Bramall Lane. Diaz skitters down the left flank and sends a cross in for Salah, who is after his 200th goal in Liverpool colours. Salah swings his left peg at it, 12 yards out, and sends the ball 12 yards over.
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. Souza lands on the prone Mac Allister’s leg, studs on knee. It looked accidental, but you’ve seen proper punishment meted out for challenges like that before. Van Dijk certainly wants red flashed. Referee Simon Hooper, who really could do with an easy evening after his mishap at the Etihad on Sunday, awards a free kick and nothing more. Mac Allister is able to continue after a couple of minutes of treatment.
Updated
Crystal Palace 0-0 Bournemouth. Ayew cuts in from the left and sends a rising shot towards the top-left corner from distance. Not enough behind it to beat Neto in the Bournemouth goal.
Sheffield United 0-0 Liverpool. Wataro Endo admitted earlier this week to finding the pace of the Premier League tough. He’s caught out again in the early stages at Bramall Lane, misjudging a bouncing ball in the centre circle and allowing the hosts to counter. Endo, attempting to make good, fouls Archer out on the left. Hamer sends the resulting free kick in from the left; Liverpool are fortunate that there’s nobody on the end of it at the far stick.
The teams are out! Well they are at Brighton, Palace, Fulham and Sheffield United. Here we go, then. “Think I’m gonna go two screens as Liverpool are box office at the moment but so excited to see what happens at Villa Park,” writes Jamie O’Sullivan. “Stones’ availability seems huge, but I genuinely suspect Villa could roll City over or lose 0-4 tonight. I can’t remember the last time I saw a City bench that light on depth.”
Manchester United v Chelsea. The big news from Old Trafford concerns the benching of the woefully out-of-form Marcus Rashford. Chelsea meanwhile welcome Reece James back from injury. But don’t let me prattle on, because Tim de Lisle is giving tonight’s big match the bells-and-whistles1 MBM treatment. Click below for all that!
Key
1. May not feature actual bells or whistles
Aston Villa v Manchester City. Villa make one change after the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. Boubacar Kamara returns from suspension, thus dispatching Nicolo Zaniolo to the bench. City make two changes, both of them enforced. Rodri is suspended, while Jeremy Doku recovers from a minor knock. John Stones is back after nearly a month out, while Rico Lewis steps up. Jack Grealish, having picked up a suspension for kicking the ball away in a fit of pique in the eventful 3-3 draw with Spurs, misses out on a return to his alma mater. Villa won this fixture 7-1 in 1900, a fact that may not worry Pep Guardiola too much.
The 8.15pm teams
Aston Villa: Martinez, Konsa, Diego Carlos, Torres, Digne, Bailey, Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Kamara, Watkins.
Subs: Cash, Alex Moreno, Lenglet, Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Marschall.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis, Stones, Foden, Bernardo Silva, Alvarez, Haaland.
Subs: Phillips, Ake, Kovacic, Ortega, Gomez, Matheus Luiz, Carson, Bobb.
Manchester United: Onana, Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Amrabat, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Martial, Rashford, Reguilon, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, van de Beek, Evans, Mainoo.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk, Jackson.
Subs: Badiashile, Broja, James, Petrovic, Maatsen, Deivid Washington, Gilchrist, Matos, Castledine.
Sheffield United v Liverpool. Chris Wilder returns to post, and he’s not messing around. He makes five changes to the Sheffield United starting XI following the 5-0 humiliation at Burnley. Jayden Bogle, Vini Souza, James McAtee, Andre Brooks and William Osula are in. John Fleck, Luke Thomas and Oliver Norwood drop to the bench, George Baldock misses out through injury, and Oli ‘Elbows’ McBurnie is suspended on account of rank stupidity. Liverpool meanwhile make four changes themselves after that dramatic 4-3 win over Fulham. Joel Matip is out with a long-term knee injury, so is replaced by Ibrahima Konate, while Wataru Endo, Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez also start. Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez drop to the bench. These clubs shared 4-1 and 6-1 wins back in 1930-31. A similar quantity of goals this evening, please, if that’s OK!
Fulham v Nottingham Forest. Four changes for Fulham after their unfortunate 4-3 loss at Liverpool. Harry Wilson, Harrison Reed, Tim Ream and Kenny Tete all drop to the bench, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Tom Cairney, Willian and Timothy Castagne taking their starting spots. These clubs served up 5-2 and 5-3 scorelines in the 1936-37 season. Something like that, please!
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth. Palace make one change in the wake of the 1-1 draw at West Ham. Jeffrey Schlupp replaces Will Hughes, who drops to the bench. Bournemouth also make one change, after their 2-2 home draw with Aston Villa. Luis Sinisterra comes in for the benched Marcus Tavernier. This fixture ended 5-3 five seasons ago. More goals please!
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Brighton & Hove Albion v Brentford. Brighton make three changes to their starting XI after the 3-2 defeat at Chelsea. Kaoru Mitoma, Joao Pedro and Pascal Gross take the places of Evan Ferguson and Joel Veltman, who drop to the bench, and Adam Lallana, who misses out altogether. Brentford replace the suspended Christian Norgaard and the benched Yoane Wissa with Mads Roerslev and Shandon Baptiste. This fixture ended 3-3 last season. More please!
Updated
The 7.30pm teams
Brighton & Hove Albion: Steele, Gross, van Hecke, Igor, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Gilmour, Buonanotte, Adingra, Mitoma, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Verbruggen, Milner, Moder, Ferguson, Veltman, Boaitey, Kavanagh, O’Mahony, Barrington.
Brentford: Flekken, Roerslev, Pinnock, Baptiste, Janelt, Onyeka, Mee, Yarmolyuk, Mbeumo, Maupay, Ghoddos.
Subs: Goode, Wissa, Jorgensen, Strakosha, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Peart-Harris, Olakigbe, Adedokun.
Crystal Palace: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Richards, Schlupp, Olise, Edouard, Ayew.
Subs: Tomkins, Matheus Franca, Mateta, Clyne, Hughes, Ebiowei, Ahamada, Matthews, Riedewald.
Bournemouth: Neto, Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Christie, Cook, Sinisterra, Kluivert, Semenyo, Solanke.
Subs: Mepham, Brooks, Rothwell, Ouattara, Tavernier, Moore, Kilkenny, Billing, Travers.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Bassey, Adarabioyo, Robinson, Joao Palhinha, Cairney, Willian, Andreas Pereira, Iwobi, Jimenez.
Subs: Rodak, Tete, Reed, Wilson, Ballo-Toure, Ream, De Cordova-Reid, Lukic, Vinicius.
Nottingham Forest: Vlachodimos, Aina, Felipe, Murillo, Toffolo, Mangala, Hudson-Odoi, Sangare, Dominguez, Elanga, Origi.
Subs: Turner, Williams, Kouyate, Gibbs-White, Wood, Niakhate, Yates, Danilo, Omobamidele.
Sheffield United: Foderingham, Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Robinson, Brooks, McAtee, Vinicius Souza, Hamer, Osula, Archer.
Subs: Adam Davies, Lowe, Fleck, Traore, Thomas, Norwood, Ben Slimane, Larouci, Seriki.
Liverpool: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Gomez, Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz.
Subs: Nunez, Adrian, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Marcelo, Quansah, Bradley.
Updated
Preamble
It’s a big evening in the Premier League. Here are tonight’s games …
Aston Villa v Manchester City (8.15pm)
Brighton & Hove Albion v Brentford (7.30pm)
Crystal Palace v Bournemouth (7.30pm)
Fulham v Nottingham Forest (7.30pm)
Manchester United v Chelsea (8.15pm)
Sheffield United v Liverpool (7.30pm)
… and there’s plenty on the line for Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa, who will all be desperate to close the gap on leaders Arsenal. It’s not half important for Sheffield United, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest too, as they attempt to ease their relegation concerns. Drama almost guaranteed! Fun probably also! Team news certainly when we have it! It’s definitely on!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 14 | 18 | 31 |
| 3 | Man City | 14 | 20 | 30 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 14 | 13 | 29 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | 8 | 27 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 14 | 18 | 26 |
| 7 | Man Utd | 14 | -1 | 24 |
| 8 | Brighton | 14 | 4 | 22 |
| 9 | West Ham | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 14 | 3 | 19 |
| 11 | Brentford | 14 | 3 | 19 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton | 15 | -5 | 18 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 14 | -5 | 16 |
| 14 | Fulham | 14 | -10 | 15 |
| 15 | Nottm Forest | 14 | -6 | 13 |
| 16 | AFC Bournemouth | 14 | -14 | 13 |
| 17 | Luton | 15 | -14 | 9 |
| 18 | Everton | 14 | -5 | 7 |
| 19 | Burnley | 15 | -18 | 7 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 14 | -28 | 5 |
