With Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham about to start, that’s a wrap from us in the early kick-off slot. It’s been incredibly good fun, with goals galore, some of them stunning, crazy comebacks, VAR drama and Trent Alexander-Arnold doing a madness. Hopefully I’ll be back on soon.
Thanks so much for joining me. I’ll leave you with Jacob Steinberg’s report from Stamford Bridge.
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Will Unwin’s on-the-whistle report from Anfield has landed. Not sure how he’s managed to put that game into words, so well done Will.
Ollie Watkins was full of beans after his equaliser for Villa against Bournemouth, his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
It was a good header, one of the best I’ve scored. We had a lot of chances and we could have killed it off.
It shows our resilience but we are not starting games well away from home. If we can iron that out it will help us. We fancy ourselves against anybody. I’m very happy with my form but I am harsh on myself, I want to push on and become better.
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He’s good. He’s very good.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s game by numbers vs. Fulham:
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 3, 2023
102 touches
81% pass accuracy
66/81 passes completed
8 long balls completed
3 ground duels won
2/3 dribbles completed
2 key passes
1 goal
Winning goal. ✨ pic.twitter.com/Q8qf4B4jJy
Full time scores
We can finally summarise as the whistle goes at Stamford Bridge. Here’s how the four 2pm games finished:
Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
Chelsea 3-2 Brighton
Liverpool 4-3 Fulham
West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace
The report from the London Stadium has landed, via our own Jonathan Wilson. We’ll bring you the rest of the reaction when we get it …
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Full time: Liverpool 4-3 Fulham
If anyone can explain that football match for me, that’d be great. Liverpool come through a colossal challenge and somehow emerge as conquerors of a spirited Fulham side. Trent Alexander-Arnold is the hero.
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Brighton think they’ve got a late penalty at Chelsea but VAR has intervened and it won’t be given.
This is when having a copious amount of added time is a good thing. More football = better. We’re deep into long periods of it at both Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
Full-time: Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins’ late header nicks a point for the visitors after goals from Semenyo and Solanke for the resurgent Cherries. On another day, it would have been enough to grab the headlines.
Not today …
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Brighton are trying to barge down the door at Chelsea, with that lead looking oh-so precarious for Pochettino’s side as they enter the seventh minute of stoppage time …
Dear Sky Sports: You should have shown this one.
⏱️ 80' 🏠 Cordova-Reid makes it 3-2 to Fulham
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) December 3, 2023
⏱️ 87' 🔴 Endo makes it 3-3
⏱️ 88' 🔴 Trent makes it 4-3 to Liverpool
🥵 What an ending at Anfield!
Anfield truly is bouncing now and I think it’s the element of surprise that has done for Fulham here. They really looked good value for the lead, with Liverpool struggling especially in defence.
Never doubt the character of a Klopp team, though. Fulham look sapped of energy and confidence. Understandably.
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa (Watkins '90)
I nearly missed this amid the chaos of Liverpool and Fulham. Villa might well have salvaged a point through the in-form Ollie Watkins!
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GOAL! Liverpool 4-3 Fulham (Alexander-Arnold '88)
Oh. My. God.
How on earth have Liverpool managed this? A rapid double salvo has turned this game on its head once more, amid Fulham appeals for a foul in the build-up. Ridiculous stuff, it really is. Alexander-Arnold has been at the heart of EVERYTHING.
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GOAL! Chelsea 3-2 Brighton (Pedro '90+2)
Brighton have a goal back!
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GOAL! Liverpool 3-3 Fulham (Endo '89)
Endooooooooo!!!
Another cracker for Liverpool. Salah lays it off for the substitute to curl a brilliant goal into the corner, with Leno beaten once more! This is an amazing game of football.
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Full time: West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace.
It’s all over at the London Stadium.
Odsonne Édouard’s goal early in the second half cancelled out the opener from Mohammed Kudus. Neither side did enough to win it, not by a long chalk. And neither manager will be particularly happy with a point.
The points are shared in east London 🤝 #WHUCRY pic.twitter.com/GmEN1BEsap
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 3, 2023
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A lovely summary of Liverpool’s fortunes by reader Peadar de Burca as Klopp’s side throw the kitchen sink at Fulham …
I love Liverpool. Sometimes we swash. Sometimes we buckle.
Into added time in West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace and it’s the Eagles who are making a late play for all three points. An improved display by Roy Hodgson’s side has made this second half a tricky period for the Hammers to negotiate.
Liverpool are going to bring Endo on. This certainly isn’t the Endo their challenge this afternoon, nor the Endo their title ambitions.
(Sorry)
GOAL! Liverpool 2-3 Fulham (Decordova-Reid '80)
It was always a possibility!
That’s superbly worked by Fulham, winning the ball in midfield for the umpteenth time, with Cairney standing up a fantastic cross that invites the substitute Decordova-Reid to arrow his header home. Wowsers.
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Kelleher is forced into another save! Robinson fizzes it in from the left – it was probably a cross – but the Liverpool keeper has to gather.
85 minutes have gone at the London Stadium. And remember when I said both teams were pushing for a winner? Yeah, you might have to scrub that. It’s rather petering out.
Worried groans rumble their way around Anfield after a concerning moment for Ibrahima Konaté under pressure from Fulham’s effervescent forwards. He’s lucky that Kelleher can collect after a bit of pinball in the Liverpool box.
Fulham are looking just as likely as Liverpool, they truly are.
An email from Kári Tulinius:
Has Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goal been ‘credited’ to Bernd Leno because it hit his back? It always feel slightly absurd to give an own goal to a goalkeeper when it just ricochets off a random bodypart. Say nobody scored it, if the scoring charts must be kept sacred.
It looks like that is the case, which is a tad harsh on an excellent Alexander-Arnold strike.
Villa have hit the post at the Vitality! Substitute Jhon Durán saw his shot deflected onto the woodwork, as Unai Emery’s side go all-out to draw level.
Chelsea FC’s Twitter X admin with an accurate summary of the weather.
Cold. pic.twitter.com/jhrwsw75KN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 3, 2023
Still 20 minutes or more to go in most of these games and I feel absolutely certain we’ll get more goals.
Both West Ham and Palace are pushing for a winner, anything is possible at Anfield, so too the Vitality, while Chelsea are retreating in defence of their lead at the Bridge.
Liverpool subs: Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo are on for Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. Trent into centre-mid? Yay!
Team news is dropping at the Etihad for today’s 4.30pm kick-off. John Brewin has you covered.
Harry Wilson’s return to Liverpool is done. He’ll be happy with how it’s gone: a goal, a good performance and currently a share of the spoils for his team. Willian and Tom Cairney are both on for Marco Silva’s men, who you suspect fancy more than a point.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Brighton (Fernández '65)
Like west London buses! Enzo Fernández scores his first and second league goals in Chelsea colours, this second a coolly-taken spot-kick to give his side the cushion they require with 10 men.
Jeff Sax asks on email: “Why are Brighton playing with such hesitation?!”
It’s a good question.
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Penalty? Mudryk asks the question for Chelsea and VAR are checking. He feels he was fouled by James Milner in the box.
The penalty is given after a lengthy check.
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60 mins: De Zerbi is ringing the changes on the hour mark at Stamford Bridge as his Brighton side smell blood, with Chelsea still reeling from that Gallagher red card.
64 mins: The game is opening up at the London Stadium as well, and Emerson should really have restored West Ham’s lead. He ghosted in at the back post, stayed onside, but volleyed bafflingly over the bar when it was easier to hit the target.
Szoboszlai lines up yet another shot from distance and stings the palms of Leno, but the rebound evades the red shirts trying to gobble it up.
Nunez then hits the bar after a superb Liverpool counterattack. It was a cute pass by Salah to set it up, with Fulham over-committing there and nearly paying a heavy price. This is good stuff to watch.
Dominic Solanke has now scored or assisted 8 goals in the first 14 Premier League games of the season, double the amount of the next-highest Bournemouth player.
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 3, 2023
Doing numbers. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vruYKBOCrt
GOAL! Bournemouth 2-1 Aston Villa (Solanke '52)
Excellent forward play from Dominic Solanke. A turn and a finish and now a precious lead for the Cherries. It was made by the left-back Milos Kerkez.
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Jordan Ayew bundles into Kudus on the edge of his own area and that’s a cardinal sin when you’re playing against a team that has James Ward-Prowse in its ranks. He’s lining one up here.
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham: This second half is a huge test of Fulham’s mettle. They were aggressive, ambitious and uncomfortable to play against in the first half and scored two deserved goals. They’d probably be ahead if not for two moments of Liverpool genius.
But you suspect Klopp’s guys will come out with something to prove over the next 45 minutes or so.
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The other games, bar Liverpool v Fulham, are now back under way as well. Michael Olise has a shot as Palace light the (red and) blue touch paper in east London.
GOAL! West Ham 1-1 C Palace (Édouard '53)
He makes no mistake with this chance! Odsonne Édouard tucks it into the far corner after being played through, with West Ham caught playing silly beggars in possession at the back. Mavropanos’ pass was underhit and the Palace striker pounced.
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Another long injury delay at the London Stadium is followed by a gilt-edged chance for Edouard. He’s missed the ball entirely with his head with the goal gaping. Palace need a spark and that could have been it.
47 mins: And straight away, Kudus has the ball in the Palace net, but it won’t count! A cross that evaded everyone and nestled in the far corner. It looks like the flag went up against Soucek, despite the fact the towering midfielder didn’t touch the ball. In fairness to the officials, he did take an almighty swing at it.
Back under way: West Ham versus Crystal Palace.
We’re going to get some staggered second half starts due to the varied amount of first half added time around the grounds.
While we all grab a half-time cuppa, here’s some reading on the 4.30pm match:
That first half at Anfield lasted 56 minutes. We had the ball in the net six times. Four of the goals stood. Two of them were spectacular. One point apiece as it stands.
Alexis Mac Allister has scored his first goal for Liverpool. That is his first goal since scoring in Brighton’s 5-1 defeat to Everton on May 8th.
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 3, 2023
Superb strike. 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/hY6aJds1F2
Half time scores
Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa
Chelsea 2-1 Brighton
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham (eventually)
West Ham 1-0 Crystal Palace
*Inserts Antonio Conte Barclays meme*
Fulham have the ball in the net once again but once again the flag is up for offside! Tim Ream smashed it in, amid chaos in the Liverpool defence as they tried to defend the corner. Kelleher saved from Palhinha and Ream looked off. Check complete.
We’re deep into first half added time now (there will be at least nine minutes) and Fulham are knocking on the door for a third goal. They’ve got a corner …
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Fulham (Tete '45)
It stands! And it’ll be Klopp that will fume about it as Anfield is stunned into silence on the brink of half-time.
Updated
Whatever happens here, someone is going to be furious about it. It’s ever-so tight. VAR taking a lot of time.
Fulham think they’ve levelled at Anfield as Kenny Tete wheels away to celebrate … but the flag was raised. Liverpool’s marking left a lot to be desired.
Over to you, Stockley Park.
Half time at the London Stadium and everyone can be thankful. West Ham lead 1-0 but that was turgid.
RED CARD! Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)
What is it with Chelsea and captains getting sent off? After Reece James last week, this time it’s Conor Gallagher who gets his marching orders while donning the armband. Two silly bookings and he’s offski, the second a needless slide on former Chelsea lad Billy Gilmour.
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GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Brighton (Buonanotte '43)
Just when it seemed to be going so smoothly for Chelsea. Brighton are back in it thanks to Facundo Buonanotte!
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Match of the Day 2 is going to be a decent watch this evening. Or YouTube, for those born this century. We’ve had a smorgasbord of delightful goals.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Fulham (Mac Alllister '39)
RICHARD MCGAHEY, ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER DEFINITELY ISN’T A DEFENDER!
He’s smacked this into the top corner from distance and Liverpool lead once again. Both their goals today have been utterly world class. What a way to net your first Liverpool goal.
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Some correspondence for you:
Richard McGahey: “I am a Liverpool fan and love his midfield play, but Mac Allister is not a defender. On the Fulham goal, Wilson ghosts in from midfield, Mac Allister has his back to him while watching the ball, Wilson gets free shot away, well taken but was unmarked.”
Ian Sargeant is enjoying the West Ham game: “Greetings from the London Stadium where the ground is 90% full and 25% are getting wet. Early doors there was a passage of play where the ball didn’t touch the ground for 30 seconds Have sky put up a stat to say how many touches there were? I’m guessing 15 …”
Harry Wilson didn’t celebrate his goal against Liverpool. Levi Colwill started to celebrate his, but then suddenly remembered his loan spell at the Amex …
Levi Colwill started celebrating his goal against Brighton, but then remembered it was against the club he was on loan at last season 😅
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 3, 2023
Where do you stand on players celebrating against their former clubs? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Gs0kxqRpfQ
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33 mins: Dear Gareth Southgate, please just put Trent Alexander-Arnold in your England team. Seriously. You might like it.
The right-back tries a left-footer, which is blocked away for a corner. Van Dijk almost scrambles it home from the set-piece before Tsimikas squanders a good crossing chance.
32 min: I mention Palace in that cohort simply because they’ve been so poor at the London Stadium so far. West Ham haven’t been brilliant either, but they’ve not needed to be.
30 mins: Could this week see the first batch of managerial sacking in this season’s Premier League? A full mid-week schedule might prevent it, but you suspect some clubs’ patience is wearing thin.
Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace (if they lose) could be among those considering making a change.
28 mins: That VAR check on Diego Carlos’ possible goal was interminably long, by the way. That’s why so many people dislike the use of technology.
Anyway …
Time for us to catch our collective breath? Don’t bank on it. West Ham are pushing forward for a second, while Fulham are sensing some weakness at Anfield and have been able to launch an incisive counterattack or two.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Fulham (Wilson '25)
Goodness gracious me! Liverpool are sloppy in possession and Harry Wilson scores against his former club, a late run and a prod through Kelleher’s legs to level up.
Less than 25 minutes played in these games and we’ve had seven goals.
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I can’t keep up with these first half goals! Diego Carlos completes a rapid turnaround for Villa at the Vitality.
Or does he? No, it’s been chalked off. It remains 1-1 on the south coast.
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GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Brighton (Colwill '21)
A quickfire double for Chelsea! Colwill makes it two for Pochettino’s posse. Are Brighton once again suffering from a European hangover this season? Few expected this scoreline after 20 minutes.
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GOAL! Bournemouth 1-1 Aston Villa (Bailey '20)
Another eyecatching effort and Villa are level! Drilled hard and low by the former Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey. It didn’t take long for Emery’s troops to find their feet.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Fulham (Alexander-Arnold '20)
Sensational from Alexander-Arnold! He’s in some form! It’s an absolute peach from a free-kick, which goes in off the underside of the crossbar. Leno had no chance.
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GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Brighton (Fernández '17)
Enzo Fernández! His first Premier League goal for Chelsea is a precious one for Mauricio Pochettino, after Benoît Badiashile kept it alive and hooked it back into play.
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17 mins: Another delay at Anfield, with Palhinha the latest to take a knock to the head. We haven’t really seen any action in this one yet.
15 mins: Leno now resembles Terry Butcher, with a heavily bandaged head, and has apparently passed the concusion protocols, so somehow is ok to carry on.
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GOAL! West Ham 1-0 C Palace (Kudus '13)
West Ham are playing without an out-and-out striker today, but with Mohammed Kudus in this kind of form, it matters not! Coufal gets forward down the right and knocks it back to the onrunning Ghanaian who sweeps home beyond Johnstone at his near post.
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12 mins: It looks like a serious injury for Leno, who gets an encouraging word or two from Salah as he receives treatment and the players try to keep themselves warm during the lengthy delay.
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GOAL! Bournemouth 1-0 Aston Villa (Semenyo '10)
Against the run of play! Antoine Semenyo has given the hosts the lead after their goalkeeper kept it goalless at the other end moments earlier. Ryan Christie’s pass created the opening.
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8 mins: Neto is sprung into action in the Bournemouth net … Villa are revving up there, with Douglas Luiz testing the goalkeeper with a shot.
Over at Anfield, Mo Salah has the ball in the net but Díaz has been flagged offside in the buildup. Leno may have injured himself in that passage of play, as VAR rubber-stamps the offside call.
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4 mins: Why on earth Sky Sports chose West Ham versus Palace as the game to broadcast of these four, I’m not quite sure, with all due respect to fans of those two clubs. It’s been an, ahem, agricultural opening to that game.
Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters
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3 mins: An early effort from Luis Díaz at Anfield, testing Bernd Leno who is up to the task. Fulham will have to be tip-top defensively to get anything from their trip to Merseyside.
West Ham v Crystal Palace was the last of the games to get under way, with television cameras filling the empty space with images of the actor Danny Dyer in the stands heartily singing about bubbles. Lovely stuff.
KICK OFF!
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
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Terry Venables is being remembered around the grounds, particularly by fans of his former clubs Chelsea and Crystal Palace, as the players emerge for kick-off.
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Jürgen Klopp believes his stand-in goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is the best No 2 in the world. He may not need to be that good against goal-shy Raul Jimenez this afternoon, but it’s certainly a big day for the Irishman deputising for Alisson. It’s his first Premier League home appearance for Liverpool since the 2020/21 season.
Billy’s back at his former stomping ground, this afternoon. He always felt a little hastily discarded by Chelsea. He wasn’t alone in that.
These four fixtures feel like a test for the Premier League’s oft-fabled competitiveness. How big is the gulf between the haves and the havenots? If so, in which group do Chelsea belong? I believe we’ve seen enough of Unai Emery’s Villa to know they’re justifiably placed in the upper echelons of the league. Can Bournemouth and Fulham prove a point today?
Chelsea could sure do with a win today but the wait for Christopher Nkunku to make his debut lingers on. He’s still not fit enough to make the squad, while Cole Palmer has been restricted to bench duty after picking up a knock in the week. Thiago Silva, the club’s oldest ever outfielder, keeps his spot despite a disasterclass at St James’ Park last time out.
Back to these games and it’s six changes for Liverpool from the side that beat Lask in the Europa League on Thursday. Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Núñez all come back into the equation, with the Reds looking to continue their positive form of late. They face a Fulham side whose only previous away league win this season came on Merseyside – at Everton on the opening weekend.
There are some pretty tasty ties in that FA Cup third round, the draw for which is now concluded. Sound the Tyne-Wear derby klaxon!
🚨 Sunderland v Newcastle in the Third Round of the FA CUP!#EmiratesFACup | @SunderlandAFC | @NUFC pic.twitter.com/G6V3VHTMSS
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 3, 2023
West Ham v Crystal Palace lineups
West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Kudus, Paqueta; Bowen
Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cornet, Fornals, Benrahma, Mubama, Ings.
Crystal Palace: Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Richards, Lerma; Olise, Hughes, Ayew; Edouard
Subs: Whitworth, Tomkins, France, Clyne, Matthews, Riedewald, Ebiowei, Ahmada, Mateta
Liverpool v Fulham lineups
Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Núñez, Díaz
Subs: Adrián, Gomez, Endo, Konate, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Doak, Quansah
Fulham: Leno; Tete, Bassey, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Pereira, Iwobi, Wilson; Jimenez
Subs: Rodak, Tosin, Ballo-Toure, Castagne, Cairney, Decordova-Reid, Willian, Lukic, Vinícius
Updated
Chelsea v Brighton lineups
Chelsea: Sánchez; Disasi, T. Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Fernández, Caicedo, Gallagher; Sterling, Jackson, Mudryk
Subs: Bergström, Petrović, Gilchrist, Maatsen, Matos, Madueke, Palmer, Broja, Washington
Brighton: Steele; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Baleba; Hinshelwood, Gilmour; Buonanotte, Lallanga, Adingra; Ferguson
Subs: Verbruggen, Milner, Moder, Gross, O’Mahony, Kavanagh, Boaitey, Mitoma, Pedro
Updated
Bournemouth v Aston Villa lineups
Bournemouth: Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Kluivert, Semenyo, Tavernier; Solanke
Subs: Travers, Mepham, Rothwell, Billing, Traorè, Brooks, Dango, Sinisterra, Moore.
Aston Villa: Martínez; Carlos, Torres, Konsa, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans, Luiz; Zaniolo, Watkins, Bailey
Subs: Olsen, Cash, Moreno, Lenglet, Diaby, Durán, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Iroebgunam
Updated
Before we get to team news, the FA Cup third round is about to be drawn and you can follow it with John Brewin:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to a bumper Sunday clockwatch, which comes with special thanks to the Europa League, Conference League and modern football’s insistence that dozens of games are played relentlessly on Thursday nights. Is Sunday at 2pm the new Saturday at 3pm? Sshhh. Don’t tell the traditionalists.
Anyway, we’ve got Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Brighton, Liverpool v Fulham and West Ham v Palace as the significant hors d’oeuvres to Manchester City v Tottenham’s main course later on. Liverpool and Villa can go to within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal if they win while Chelsea can close the gap to underperforming Manchester United to just five points if they can chalk up a victory. Imagine being eight points behind this Manchester United side …
We’ll run through the teamsheets next. Do stay tuned.
