All our reports are in, which means we’re finished here. Thanks for your company and comments – enjoy the rest of the weekend and peace out.
Marseille is a great move for Ethan Nwaneri, who badly needs to play regularly – and the pressure, whole living in a new country, will also be good for him.
At Arsenal, the teams are tunnelled. Join Rob Smyth – and check out United’s tracky tops, in memory of Mani, one of the great menschen of Manchester.
Back in the SPL, Rangers lead Dundee 1-0 while, in the battle of 1st v 2nd, Celtic have just gone 2-1 up at Hearts.
Breaking news: Leicester sack Martí Cifeuentes
I hope cousin Victor isn’t too upset.
I was at Bloomfield road on this day in 2011. Check out the touch and pass from Ryan Giggs for the equalising goal.
Oh Bigmeeks. Oh, mate.
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Over here, we’re building up to Arsenal v Manchester United. Join Rob Smyth.
Sky have Keane and Vieira in their studio at Arsenal – so far, no two-footers, but let’s see how things unfold.
What a win that is for Villa. Not many teams win at Newcastle, but they did so in convincing style, scoring two lovely goals and generally looking the superior outfit. They look in great shape and are surely a cert for a Champions League return then, if they strengthen suitably, who knows what they can do next season.
Premier League table
FULL-TIME: Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest
A huge result for Forest, who stay fourth-bottom but are back five points in front of West Ham; Brentford stay eighth.
FULL-TIME: Newcastle United 0-2 Aston Villa
Villa go level with Man City on 46 points, but stay third on goal difference; Newcastle are stuck in ninth, three points off Liverpool in fifth.
FULL-TIME: Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea
An important win for Chelsea, their first away in the league since November. They move fourth, where they’ll stay if Man United don’t win at Arsenal. Palace are now 11 games without a win and sit 15th, eight points above the relegation zone.
At St James’ Villa keep it, while at Brentford, Outtara wins a corner,
I know Woltemade likes to come short, but what if he looks to hit the box and the wingers feed him crosses? He might find it helpful to watch how Harry Kane does it, because the England captain drops deep but isn’t behind the door when to comes to penalty-box predating.
Pino works it wide for Uche, whose cross is easily claimed by Sanchez. Palace are running out of time.
Eight minutes of added time at SJP while, at Selhurst, we’ve played four of nine, and Joao Pedro is declared POTM. Chelsea haven’t played especially good football, nor really controlled the game, but they’ve been good on the counter.
GOAL! Newcastle United 0-2 Aston Villa (Watkins 88)
Villa have looked the likelier scorers through most of this match and they finish the game when Newcastle fail to clear a corner, the ball going wide to Digne, who measures a gorgeous half-volleyed cross to the back post, when Watkins dives into a downwards header. This is going to be a huge win for Emery’s men, who’ll move level on points with Man City in second place.
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But they have nine additional minutes to pretend they do.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea (Richards 88)
A corner, a header, and Palace still don’t have a prayer.
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GOAL! Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest (Awoniyi 80)
Game over! Awoniyi gets away down the right, barges inside Ven den Bergh then barely notices Kayode desperately sliding past him, before hitting a low finish into the net!
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Steve Parish, the Palace chairman, has decisions to make. Does he spent money in this window and hope to stay up that way, or does he change manager now, rather than in the summer? He might not want to buy when he knows he’s a manager coming in who might play a different style and won’t want to fire his club’s best ever manger, but he might not have a choice.
Voilla win a free-kick 20 yards from goal, just left of centre; Rogers is on it, but his effort is saved by Pope easily enough.
Rogers is caught on the edge of the box, but the ref says no foul and a replay shows it was outside not inside, so there’s nothing VAR can do. Then Newcastle race forward Elanga crosses, Woltemade is up, and Konsa heads over his own bar before Martinez claims the corner then goes down – eventually – before the ref tells him to get up.
Newcastle are pushing for an equaliser, Miley crossing from the right … upon which Martinez dives.
“I’m a Chelsea fan and that seems a very harsh penalty, admits Lee Madden. “Joao Pedro hits the ball towards his arm from no distance. He’s got an arm and it has to go somewhere? Seems mad but we’ll take it!”
I’m inclined to agree, otherwise we’re saying that a striker can aim for an arm.
Palace’s next game, by the way, that Wharton will now miss, is Forest away. If Dyche’s side hang on at Brentford, they’ll stay fourth-bottom but the gap between the sides will be just three points. Glasner’s men are in a relegation battle, I’m afraid.
Adam Wharton is sent off for Crystal Palace
Oh dear. Wharton, already on a yellow card, slides in, tries to withdraw as the ball is sent elsewhere but can’t, and instead catches Caicedo. The ref doesn’t have much choice other than to brandish a red card, but as Wharton notes, he’s only made two fouls in the match whereas Caicedo has got away with more.
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“Couple of big games just kicked off in Scotland,” writes Simon McMahon. “Leaders Hearts at home to Celtic, where a win for the Tynecastle side would take them nine points clear of their visitors, and Rangers, third on goal difference behind Celtic, at home to struggling Dundee. And Celtic have just scored! Nygren with a classic up and over the wall free kick from 22 yards.”
You’d fear for Hearts if they were to lose this one, but there’s still a long way to go.
Our blog for Arsenal v Man United is live, and team news is in – join the great Rob Smyth for that.
At Brentford, the home side continue to apply pressure, but are yet to create a chance this half.
Changes for Newcastle, Elanga and Woltemade replacing Gordon, whose last league goal came at the start of December, and Wissa.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-3 Chelsea (Fernandez pen 64)
Fernandez drills into the bottom-right and Henderson doesn’t even move.
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PENALTY TO CHELSEA
Back at Palace, the check continues, then the ref tells us that the handball is accidental, but it’s a penalty nevertheless, just one with no accordant booking, Canvot has had better afternoons.
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Change for Villa, the returning Bailey replacing Sancho.
At Palace, Joao Pedro almost finishes the game, his shot hitting Canvot on the body then bouncing on to a hand, I think. He wants a penalty, the ref says no, but then as play proceeds, he’s called to the monitor. I’m not sure why, because I think the law is clear on this point.
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Newcastle get Trippier away down the right, his cross is a goodun … but has just too much on it for Gordon, who flings himself at it, and for Barnes, who goes with a foot when his head might’ve been a better option.
Palace haven’t won a game, in any competition, since the 11th of December; their last league win was on the 7th. It’s not all Glasner’s fault, obviously – his best players have been sold from under him and his squad isn’t deep enough for the added workload of a European campaign, but their defending today has been shambolic.
We’re off again at Brentford, by the way.
Barnes steps inside, curls one, it takes a deflection … and soars over the bar. Corner, but the ball is easily claimed by Martinez, who’s having a good day.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Chelsea (Joao Pedro 50)
Palace are so open at the back, a simple one-two give-and-go between Joao Pedro and Estevao allowing the latter to play the former in behind, down the right. He cuts infield and into the box but the angle is tight, so he shimmies inside, Wharton sells himself, and wallops a shot at the diving Henderson which canons off his the keeper’s shins and in. Palace are Don Draper in the opening credits of Mad Men.
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Now Joelinton is down, but there’s been a development at Selhurst Park…
Immediately, Villa get at Newcastle, Trippier forced to hack away a low cross, then Newcastle storm down the other end and Miley’s shot os blocked by, I think, a stretching Torres.
We’re back underway at Palace and Newcastle…
Further half-time reading: Joy of Six: love.
Half-time reading:
HALF-TIME: Brentford 0-1 Nottingham Forest
The Bees are on top, but the Forresters lead.
Kayode hurls into the box and it’s rare to see a go at goal from first contact on a throw, but Van den Berg is up … and heads wide of the near post.
On Sky, Jamie Carragher is already ripping into how Crystal Palace defended the goal; I wonder when he’ll show Virgil van Dijk the same energy.
HALF-TIME: Newcastle United 0-1 Aston Villa
Villa look the more incisive team going forward; currently, Newcastle are struggling to exploit their high line.
Brentford are dominating Forest territorially now, the away side sitting back and playing for half-time. I don’t think they can survive a full 45 playing this way, but it makes sense for now.
Lerma and Fernandez shove each other on the way off; hopefully there’s a rumble brewing there, and the second half will over us a bit of all the stuff that no one, apart from everyone, wants to see.
HALF-TIME: Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea
Losing is a habit, and I’m afraid Palace have contracted it.
Four added minutes at SJP, two at Selhurst, and seven at the Community.
Palace have had most of the territory, at least when I’ve been watching, but they look ridiculously open when Chelsea counter.
Again, Estevao is left with half the pitch to himself, bursting from wide right, on halfway, towards goal before lashing a low shot wide. Oh, and at Newcastle, Gordon crosses, Miley is up, connects … and a fine save from Martinez turns the ball over the top.
Oh man, good work from Schade, then Jensen sends Outtara through the middle! Sels comes out, makes himself big, and is asking to be rounded – a finish we don’t see often these days, but he’s really close to the striker – who instead opts for the Lukaku-Watkins-Mateta finish, just going low and hardish, and again, the keeper saves when he oughn’t have had a prayer.
Barnes goes down the right, digs out a floaty cross, and Martinez grabs … then the flag goes up for offside.
Back at SJP, Newcastle try to sustain pressure against Villa. But again, a counter causes them grief, Pope forced to hurtle out of goal and slide into a challenge to take the ball away from Watkins.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea (Estevao 34)
Gosh, a terrible backpass from halfway, I’m not sure who played it, sets Estevao away! He motors into the Palace half, Mitchell tearing after him, and he veers off centre, looking to have gone too far, but then he half-swivels into a shot that whooshes past Henderson, who should perhaps have covered his goal better given it’s saveable height and hits the middle of the net. Still, though, great finish.
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At Selhurst, Caicedo, who’s already been booked, steps in front of Sarr to thwart a Palace attack. Another ref, on another day, shows him a second yellow for that, but I’m glad the bar for dismissal is higher.
Miley hasn’t done much so far, but it can’t be long before he’s challenging Joelinton for a spot in midfield. He’s got plenty of physicality, but more quality on the ball and less rashness in the tackle.
Newcastle haven’t created much since that Tonali run right at the start – Villa look more likely to pick a hole in their high line and double their advantage than they do to concede an equaliser
Back at SJP, a loose first touch from Watkins, looking to being a decent pass into stride, ruins what looked like being a good chance, then Joelinton is booked for consecutive fouls on Onana and Cash. The latter is fine but the former is suffering, his shin sprayed, but he’ll be good to go on.
This Forest away kit, then. It’s not traditional, which is a problem for old farts like me, but I do also enjoy it.
Let’s have a look over to Selhurst, where it’s a pretty even game. The big chance so far fell to Palace, but otherwise it’s tight and, as I type, Lacroix eases on to the gas, zipping back to relieve Neto of the ball.
With no one near him, Tonali goes down and takes treatment on his right leg. I don’t think he’ll have to go off, but I’m not sure he’s completing the 90.
WHAT A GOAL! Newcastle United 0-1 Aston Villa (Buendía 19)
Villa work it through the centre as they like to do, looking for the escadinha – get us! – then, from 25 yards, right of centre, Buendia unfurls a outswinger that rips, screeches and hisses into the far side-netting, two-thirds of the way up. Think David Beckham in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay for a flavour.
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Looking again, actually, Rogers could’ve seen there was no one there. His pass was a pointless one.
Back come Vlla, Rogers doing really well down the left side of the box, a shoulder-drop sending Trippy-kye-aye out for a sarnie, but when he squares through the corridor, there’s no one attacking the ball and the chance disappears.
Gordon goes down the left, skirts around Sancho – not the toughest task, in fairness – before cutting back to naebody.
GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Igor Jesus 12)
This is a really good goal, Aina doing superbly down the right to hang on to the ball, then dig out a cross that Jesus heads up at the near post before swivelling to finish low across the keeper and into the far corner.
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Villa attack at Newcastle, Villa moving through midfield and there’s the ball in behind, Sancho for Watkins, but the angle is off, allowing Thiaw to intercept … except he makes a mess of it and Watkins is in! He shoots low, a not dissimilar finish to Mateta’s, and again, gives the keeper a chance to save, when really, he ought not to have smelt it.
“If Eddie Howe moaned and complained in a Spanish accent,” wonders Jonathan McKinley, “would it be more acceptable to you? Keir Starmer could also try using a different accent to help him sound less dull. Steve McClaren was onto something after all.”
No – his lack of swag is a personality thing, not a language thing.
“An excellent observation about Keith Andrews’ immovable hair, Daniel,” ingratiates Justin Kavanagh, “which seems to have stood up well to the rigours of a Premier League winter season. Unlike his similarly well-becoiffed predecessor at Brentford, whose once carefree and windswept barnet seems to be wilting more every week at Spurs.”
He’s more Norman Lamont.
Oh my days, Mateta and Sarr rob Badiashile, the former goes in on goal … and there aren’t many who love ruining a one-on-one more than him. He takes it right up to Sanchez, then hits it hard but not in the corner, and the keeper saves; that was Romelu Lukaku finish, the easiest option taken when just a little bit of extra precision or power would’ve made it impossible for the keeper.
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Now Villa attack at SJP, Buendia shooting from distance and Pope, another signing PSR prevented Howe from making, saving easily enough.
It’s been a fast start everywhere: at Brentford, Schade goes down the left, crosses, and Jesus slides in, nicking an effort just wide of the far post.
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Casillas, Ramsdale, Martinez: keepers with a habit of stopping shots almost by accident, saving balls that appear to have beaten them.
Now off to Newcastle, where brilliance from Tonali, taking a pass from Joelinton a few yards outside the box and dipping past one challenge, swaying away from another then cutting around a third, and he’s in front of goal! He might leave the shot to Wissa but he’s earned the right to take it on and finish one of the goal of the season. He shots low, Martinez dives the wrong way …. and stops the effort with his feet, a Casillas classic!
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Off we go in our three games and immediately, Chelsea attack at Palace, Esetvao drilling a cross-cum-shot through the corridor but to no one.
Email! “Similarly to you,” begins Andy Flintoff, “I find it very hard to be sympathetic towards clubs that currently have two internationals in every position and would, if you allowed them, buy up the rest of the top international talent in the world, and all the U-21s too, if only to stop everyone else buying them.”
There’s something about the wheedling way Eddie Howe complains too – there’s no flair or joy to it.
Now looking at Chelsea, they’re iffy in the middle of defence but solid in the middle of midfield, while lacking a bit of class up front. Rosenior likes to build through the middle, but against Palace’s 3-4-3, the spaces are out wide, so I’d expect the full-backs to bomb on, with Neto and Estevao cutting in and heading for goal.
Palace will, I think, look to stretch the play, with Adam Wharton firing passes into Mateta and their two 10s roaming the space behind the Chelsea midfield.
Newcastle will, as ever, look to run their opponents off the pitch and, with Wissa preferred to Woltemade, are looking to attack the space in behind; really, neither is a lone striker, they need to play together. But in the meantime, they’ll look to get the ball wide, looking for low crosses and cut backs.
Villa will want to build and overload centrally, with Sancho, Tielemans and Buendia looking to slip Watkins in behind, while Rogers does what he wants. They may struggle to compete in midfield, with only Onana having physicality comparable to Newcastle’s three, but they’ve a lot more quality on the ball which they’ll be hoping tells.
Otherwise, remember this?
Ah, now Howe is speaking, and he says Guimaraes isn’t too bad but not good enough for today; he might be ready for midweek. But Miley is a good replacement having a breakout moment, well on his way to becoming a fixture in the side and restored to his preferred midfield role following a sojourn at full-back.
Newcastle are hitting their stride at home, but Villa are good, so his team need to be good on and off the ball, and if they are, they’ve a chance.
Emery says Newcastle are strong at home and get energy from their supporters. They also have very good players, but Villa are so motivated to see how they can win. He thinks three points are very important – great words – and so is the table. More news as I get it.
Back to Newcastle, though, earlier in the week, Eddie Howe was grizzling about the constraints of PSR. Must’ve been a different Eddie Howe who bussed in the region of £150m on Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey and Yoane Wissa, part of the £700m+ he’s spent since taking the job. It’s a tragic tale.
Unai Emery, meantime, makes five changes to his Villa side, Lucas Digne, Marco Bizot, Victor Lindelof , Lamare Bogarde and Tyrone Mings left on the bench, replaced by Ian Maatsen, Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Amadou Onana.
Now to St James’ Park, where Bruno Guimarães will not play after hurting himself in midweek; he’s replaced by Lewis Miley, while Dan Burn and Will Osula are fit again, so on the bench.
Anyhow, Rosnior also makes three changes: Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos and Estevao come in, with Plamer and Tosin missing out entirely, while Alejandro Garnacho in relegated to the bench.
Oh, but here’s Rosenior, explaining that Cole Palmer isn’t fit to play today, but has a chance of making Wednesday’s trip to Naples.
He notes that the league is close and physical, but he has good players and is excited to see where the project goes – the club “demands winning in this moment”. There aren’t many days on the training pitch, but he hopes the work they’re doing with the team and with individuals are working.
He’s already beaten Palace this season, with Strasbourg, but this is a different challenge and he knows he’s facing a good side who are strong on set pieces.
He seems a nice lad, but it’s not hard to see a squad making sport of his manner if results don’t come quickly.
Though JP Mateta wants out of Palace, he’s in the XI this afternoon, with Glasner making three changes: Yeremy Pino, Justin Devenny and Will Hughes drop out, with Daniel Muñoz, Jaydee Canvot and Ismaila Sarr coming in.
Forest, too are unchanged, Sean Dyche happy with is side’s performance in a goalless draw at Arsenal.
Keith Andrews, whose hair hasn’t moved in at least a year, not unlike Douglas Hurd’s Spitting Image puppet, retains faith with the side which lost at Chelsea last weekend. Jordan Henderson returns from injury, but must content himself with a place on the bench.
But before we do, get on this:
Right, now let’s go through the changes, after which we’ll explain them and ponder what we might see…
Teams
Brentford (4-3-3): Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Jensen, Yarmoliuk, Janelt; Damsgaard, Thiago, Schade. Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Van den Berg, Pinnock, Henderson, Nelson, Ouattara, Lewis-Potter, Donovan.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Sangare, Anderson; Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus. Subs: Gunn, Morato, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Hutchinson, Yates, McAtee, Bakwa, Savona.
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Crystal Palace (3-4-3): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Muñoz, Lerma, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Johnson, Mateta. Subs: Benitez, Pino, Uche, Hughes, Sosa, Imray, Riad, Rodney, Devenny.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Santos, Caicedo; Estevao, Fernandez, Neto; Joao Pedro. Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Fofana, Gusto, Hato, Garnacho, Gittens, Delap, Guiu.
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Newcastle United (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Botman, Thiaw, Hall; Joelinton, Miley, Tonali; Barnes, Wissa, Gordon. Subs: Ramsdale, Osula, Elanga, Woltemade, Willock, Burn, A. Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins. Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Digne, Mings, Bogarde, Hemmings, Bailey, Elliott, Guessand.
He knows how many days it is since Brentford lost 3-1 to Forest on the opening day, saying it was a big day for his team. His players wanted to go over the game, which he thinks is good, and notes that it was only 45 minutes of pain really – his team won the second half.
Results were important early on, he continues, he wanted the team ti play with an edge, and he’s happy with how it’s going. Tactically, he thinks Brentford are playing with more control, some of which is confidence and some of which is training-ground work, citing the contribution of Vitaly Janelt whose presence facilitates that. Early in the season, Brentford weren’t playing as he wanted them to, but they’re closer to it now.
We were about to begin with some teams, but Keith Andrews is on Sky, so let’s go there.
Preamble
The spread of fixtures across a footballing week and weekend is, of course, a complete nonsense, imposed upon us by avaricious suits who think football exists to make (then) money rather than makes (them) money because it exists; unfortunately, we need to start there. But once we’ve noted that, it’s hard not to luxuriate in this afternoon’s buffet, three matches each of which is enticing enough to stand alone.
Villa sits seven points off the leaders and must win today if they’re to sustain the invigorating pretence that they’re in the title race. Newcastle, meanwhile, are only three points off fourth place and nothing if not a physical challenge, especially at home. They’ll be a tough test for visitors showing signs of flagging.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are still settling under Liam Rosenior, while Oliver Glasner’s Palace are falling apart. They may have enough points to avoid being hauled into relegation aggravation, but a couple more defeats – easily imaginable, especially with Marc Guéhi getting gone and JP Mateta planning to do likewise - along with a couple more wins for West Ham – less so but they are improving – and they’re right in it.
Nottingham Forest, meantime, already are, just two points clear of the bottom three. And in Brentford, they find a side many of us felt would be where Sean Dyche’s men are, but instead are absolutely loving life under Keith Andrews, pushing for European football. Like the best buffets, it might not be pretty but will definitely be intense, so let’s get a tray and dive into our ill-gotten gluttony because what else can we do?
Kick-offs: 2pm GMT
