Righto, Ben Fisher’s report is with us.
That means we’re done here, but of course we’ve got an indecent quantity of glorious sport coming for you this weekend. Until then, though, peace out.
“Bogarde is the definition of ‘solidly uninspiring’ which is at least an improvement on his uncle’s ’solidly refusing to do anything’,” bitterly chortles Benjamin Gravestock. “Sancho just never quite looks like sparking. Luiz is maybe two-thirds the player we sold, and Maatsen isn’t an upgrade on Digne.
Like a finely-wrought clock, there is something not clicking about Villa at the moment and the return of Tielemans and McGinn is two of the jewels but we’re so reliant on having Onana or Kamara there to keep things ticking.
Having said all that, the penalty is a ridiculous one to concede, whether you believe in the handball law or not. I think Villa get to play 30-40 yards further up the pitch at VP and I think we’ll be more comfortable there. Here’s hoping, at least.”
I couldn’t believe a club doing as well as Villa punted on Sancho and agree, there’s no one setting tempo with passes in midfield. I wanted more from Tielemans in that regard – the way Forest defend, I’d want him making the play with McGinn looking to take shots and send in crosses.
This is very interestingly put:
The kids don’t develop until they are 11, 12, or 13. The difference within other countries – for me, I know Argentina – the way that I developed my emotional relationship with football is before I started to walk because I started to kick the ball. That is the problem. The relationship is with basketball or American football. They take the ball with their hands, first thing. [Elsewhere] you kick the ball with your feet.”
Pochettino went on to state that there should be greater emphasis on creating publicly accessible places for kids to play rather than funneling all development through clubs and organized teams. He cited playing with his friends as more foundational to his love of the game than what he learned in organized play. He brought this point up in response to a recent dinner he attended where apparently wealthy guests asked why a nation with so many people “doesn’t have our own Messi”.
Updated
Chris Wood says it’s good to have the advantage, but it’s only the first leg. Cup competitions come down to small margins, such as the penalty, and both teams played well.
As for the penalty, he says he tries to be calm and that’s the responsibility his teammates have given him – sportsfolk really aren’t made like the rest of us.
Updated
It’s been an(other) amazing night for Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace. Check it out with Taha Hashim:
Goodness, there are Forest fans waving a Marinakis banner. I can’t say I get regular folk lionising oligarchs, but I guess this is a particularly charming one.
Lucas Digne will be asking himself what he was doing, or reasoning with himself that he was doing the right thing; I’m still not sure if he was appealing or balancing. Either way, though, the goal was a reward for Omari Hutchinson, who might easily have given the ball up, but inconvenienced himself and ended up earning the winning goal.
FULL TIME: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
There’s not much between these two at this point – Forest are confident, villa lack flow, and the second leg will be a jazzer.
90+5 min Back come Villa, Sancho picking up possession outside the box, dipping inside to open up a shooting lane, and lacing one into Orterga’s midriff.
90+4 min Dominguez intercepts a loose pass and sets Williams away, but Konsa and Luiz gets around him, none of his mates do likewise, and the attack peters out.
90+3 min The ball swing out deeper this time, to that same spot Wood’s defending, and he thunks clear. Then, when the ball comes back, Ortega – who’s been really solid tonight – collects, rolling out quickly to set his team on the attack, rather than hanging on for as long as possible before booting a 50/50 into the air.
90+2 min Villa win a corner, Tielemans with it, and Abbott heads behind at the near post; here comes another…
90 min We’ll have five additional minutes; Forest send on Yates for Jesus, which sounds like a wine lodge has found God.
89 min Villa counter, Rogers pulling right and snapping infield to meet Tielemams’ run. He does well to put his body across Morato as he collects the ball, but the move takes him wide and, moving away from goal, he can only slice his shot wide of the near post.
89 min I really like how Forest are seeing this out: they’re trusting themselves to play as they always do, defending the box and going forward when they can, a sustained attack ending when Williams head poorly after Anderson crosses.
88 min Strand Larsen has out Palace 3-1 up against Shakhtar; they’ve got a great chance of going to Leipzig.
87 min Sancho into Bogarde who collects … only to be robbed by Anderson extending a go-go Gadget leg.
86 min Villa have huffed and puffed, but they’ve struggled for ideas all night. I wonder if they might try Tielemans further forward, where he can shoot or poke passes, because so far, the three behind Watkins haven’t created anything.
85 min The final of this competition, by the way is at Besiktas’ new ground. I’ve only been to the old one, but it’s built on the same spot and what’s cool about it is that it’s properly in town, St James’ Park style. Whichever of these two go, their fans will have an absolute time.
83 min Gibbs-White backheels to Anderson, collects the return and they play two more passes to each other, the second of them, slid into the channel, sending the former to the line; lovely soccer. His cross is blocked and collected by Martinez, but that was composed and almost taunting excellence.
83 min Forest fans are now cheering every tackle; we’re at that point.
81 min Villa win a free-kick out on the right and Luiz sends over an outswinger, picking out wood, on his own, who leaps mightily to head clear. So Sancho retrieves the balls, shuffling towards the box and playing a one-two off Rogers … but he can’t collect the return.
79 min Ch ch ch changes for Villa: off go Digne, McGinn and Buendia; on come Douglas Luiz, Sancho and Maatsen.
78 min Tielemans is late on Anderson; he’s booked, the first so to be this evening.
78 min That’s what Stephen Hawking said,” advises Nigel. “Someone commissioned him to analyse a zillion penalty kicks and he said the upper corner was statistically the most likely to succeed.”
Yeah, it’s unsaveable if done right, but has greater margin for error than going low.
77 min Rogers veers around a challenge and away from Williams, moving inside Milenkovic, before Williams gets back in to make the challenge.
75 min Abbott, by the way, is only 19. If Aina’s properly hurt, he’ll have some serious work to do over the next week or so.
74 min Aina is down in his own box, limping a bit, and he’s replaced by Zach Abbott.
73 min It’s a massive goal, that – if Forest take a lead into the second leg, they’ll be primed to defend the box and strike on the break, while Villa lack a bit of guile.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa (Wood pen 71)
A perfect penalty, rammed high into the top left. If you can do that, I don’t get why you do’t do it every time – that’s how good it was. Martinez goes the right way and gets close, but ye cannae save those, Darren.
Updated
PENALTY TO FOREST!
I’m not sure if Digne was appealing for a goalkick or using a raised arm to steady himself, but once they established the ball was still in, it was open and shut. Chris Wood will take the responsibility; goodness me the pressure…
Updated
68 min But was it out? We see a replay that suggests not, and I think this is going to be a penalty!
67 min Gibbs-White crosses to the back post and Hutchinson does well to pursue, lunging after a lost cause and diverting the ball from the by-line … into Digne’s raised arm! PENA… no, it was already out for a goalkick, says the ref.
Updated
67 min Tielemans punches a pass through the lines that Buendia doesn’t quite read. Had he been on his toes, he might’ve collected, delivering it into stride at the same time and, on the touchline, Emery is less than gruntled.
66 min Konsa feeds a decent pass between centre-back and full-back for Cash, who nashes on to it and crosses low, but Milenkovic reaches the ball before Watkins to hump clear.
65 min Williams goes short to Anderson, improving the angle for him, but the ensuing cross is too close to Martinez, who claims confidently, ahead of Wood.
64 min But, as I type, Forest win a corner down the left…
63 min Forest are struggling to get their attacking play going this half, and I wonder how much of that is due to the absence of Sangare and its knock-on effect on Anderson, who’s getting less quality ball and more defensive responsibility.
61 min Shakhtar had equalised against Palace, but Daichi Kamada has just put the visitors back in front. Taha Hashim has the latest:
59 min Suddenly the force is with Villa, Digne sliding in to win the ball off Aina, fairly but with studs up. The ref plays one, Digne is swiftly back involved to cross, and when his effort is kicked away, his team win a free-kick out wide, 25 yards from goal … which Forest get rid of easily enough.
57 min McGinn clips a pass into the box for Rogers, who looks to curl low towards the far corner but, in the middle, Watkins realises it’s not going in so chucks a leg at it, diverting the ball goalwards with his laces, when he might’ve swept with the direction; that allows Ortega to make an excellent reaction save from close range, foiling Vill’a best opportunity of the evening.
57 min It actually looks like Onana’s issue is with his calf, which is probably a good thing.
56 min “I’d like to echo Rebekah Voss’s sentiment and heap my praise on Johan Manzambi,” begins Daniel Halladay. “He’s an excellent young player with a maturity that belies his youth, and he has become a guaranteed starter for Freiburg this season. A fantastic all-around midfielder and I’ve resigned myself to the fact that his time in the south-west of Germany will soon be coming to an end.”
55 min Bogarde comes on for Onana, who diddled himself heading that cross out. His team needed it, but it seems unlikely he’ll be back in a week or so, unless it’s precautionary.
54 min Now that you ask dept: I enjoy Villa’s shorts. The trefoil, number and stripes combine nicely.
53 min Rogers heads the corner behind, and Onana seems to have twanged a hammy; he’ll shortly be replaced. Meantime, Hutchinson’s corner is headed clear by Digne, and Forest are in the ascendancy.
52 min Villa clear a cross and Hutchinson is still holding his shoulder. Meantime, his team have a free-kick and Anderson swings it in quickly, it looks headed for Wood on the back post … and out of nowhere, Onana intercedes, heading behind; that’s a great intervention.
50 min Hutchinson moves inside off the line, past Digne, who ushers him grasswards, and he looks in some pain, having landed on his shoulder. So the ref stops play and we’re shown a glorious full moon in the meantime, then it’s back under way.
49 min It’s Villa pushing the pace and they find Rogers on the by-line, but his cut-back is weak and easily cleared.
48 min Neither side has much in the way of gamechangers on their bench. I guess I’d be interested to see what James McAtee can do, and I think Villa will try Maatsen for Digne at some point, but otherwise, there aren’t many obvious options.
46 min “In the other match, Braga got a penalty in injury time,” says Kári Tulinius. “The spectators were treated to a rare event, a well-taken penalty that was saved. Rodrigo Salazar struck it low and hard, placing it right by the post, but keeper Noah Atubolu guessed the right way and got a strong hand to it. It felt refreshingly old-fashioned, no tricks or mind games. Of course, if there had been tricks or mind games, Braga might be 2-1 up.”
This is another for the collection:
Updated
46 min We go again…
“Collated thoughts,” returns Benjamin Gravestock. “Martinez isn’t any longer the best in the world, but he sometimes does a very good impression of it.
This is Villa’s strongest 11, injuries aside. None of the bench options change the game, for me.
Villa need some control a bit further up the pitch and it’s not coming from anywhere much at the moment. I’d maybe move Rogers right, and McGinn into the middle – Rogers comes central anyway, and McGinns arse is the hold-up-king we need.”
A fat arse is so helpful for a footballer – Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs had loads of them. Otherwise, I was surprised to see Buendia wide – I thought he’d be in behind, looking to slip balls down the sides of the centre-backs, with Rogers attacking the box from wide.
On the ball – guess the footballer
The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
In Krakow, Palace lead Shakhtar 1-0 just before the break.
HALF-TIME: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Aston Villa
It’s been lively but lacking a little bit quality, as Arsene Wenger might say. Stick with it, though – it could explode at any moment.
45 min Anderson hangs on to the ball then knocks it backwards, so Watkins runs through him, perhaps vengefully, and does well to avoid a yellow card.
42 min Hutchinson has been Forest’s liveliest attacker and he sashays through the middle only for Cash to introduce him to grass. It looked a fair challenge but the ref awards a free-kick with goes to the back post and, when it’s nodded back, Aina touches adroitly to the edge, where Milenkovic waits, plotting the blockbusting finish that enshrines him in the annals of his club forever more. Then he wellies high and wide instead.
40 min There’s not been much in the way of goalmouth action, but this isn’t a boring 0-0. Both sides are looking to attack, the defending has just been good enough – so far. And, as I type, Watkins sways away from Milenkovic and towards the Villa box, only for Dominguez to lean him into the turf.
38 min Another Villa corner, another wasted Villa corner.
36 min “Forest are not sitting deep really, are they?” says Karen Asad. “They have a kinda verve that makes me fancy them more. They’ve got those speedy wingers, great dead-ball deliveries and a solid midfield. Gibbs-White is a joy to watch. So yeah they’ll be devastated when Emery moves past them with ease!”
I just don’t know which way this one is going to go. I can make a case for any eventuality, and think Villa have the better players but Forest the more obvious route to goal.
34 min That was a classic Martinez save really, untidy, apparently lucky, and extremely effective – he reminds me a bit of Iker Casillas in that regard. Things seem to hit him, but of course that’s just how it looks – in reality, it’s anticipation, positioning and reflexes.
33 min Anderson arrives on the edge, caressing a gorgeous pass over the top for Gibbs-White, on the left of the box. The eventuating cross is lovely too, not across the face but with his body contorted to cut it back for the ontrushing Jesus, who leaps, imparting a bit of foot and a bit of ankle, Martinez diving back the way he came to get a touch, before plunging on top of the ball.
Updated
32 min VAR wants a look … but nothing doing.
31 min Oooh! Anderson rolls studs over it before rolling it between Rogers’ legs – I hope he called it. Eeesh! Anderson slides in on Tielemans and misjudges his lunge, scrawping the top of the ball with his calf and introducing studs to ankle; he could be in trouble…
28 min Nice from Villa, sharp passes finding Rogers on the edge of the box, and he opens a shooting lane, lets go a low curler … and Ortega gets a strong hand to tip away, past the onrushing Watkins. So Forest, counter through midfield with Gibbs-White finding Hutchinson and following his pass, taking the return and dinking towards the back post seeking Wood … but the ball goes behind. It’s warming up!
Updated
27 min “I‘m honored to say that I saw Manzambi in action,” advises Rebekah Voss. “I caught Bayern versus Freiburg (a cracking game, that!) and the entire first half he was just toying with the Bayern defence. If it wasn’t for Neuer‘s heroics they would have been 2-0 down in the first half. And as soon as the second half started he did a lovely little dance around some defenders and shot a great strike into the goal. Even I, an avowed Bayern fan, had to give him his flowers. He’s fun to watch and I’m sure Freiburg are very fond of him.”
That’s great to hear. There are so, so many brilliant young players in the world.
25 min Again, Hutchinson is the outlet, a loverly ball, flicked with the instep into Wood, by Dominguez I think, goes right, and the cross wins a corner. Again, it comes to nowt, but Forest are building a bit of momentum.
24 min The corner comes to nowt, but Forest are starting to impose an attacking idea, getting the ball wide or into their forwards and then wide. So far, Villa are defending the box well.
23 min And after a ball into Jesus goes left when his shot is blocked, Gibbs-White teases in a cross for Wood … and Buendia charges back to head behind.
21 min More like it from Forest, Jesus pulling right and swirling over a nasty cross; it eludes wood, just, but is exactly the kind of ball they need to be delivering.
20 min Villa’s quality and midfield numbers are dictating this game without creating much. But, as I type, Cash slings over an inviting cross which kicks off the turf and gets big on Aina, who does well to control his header back to Ortega, who dives on it because he has to. I bet the defender swallowed some of his own gizzard in the time that took.
Updated
18 min In the other semi, it’s Braga 1-1 Freiburg. On which point, has anyone seen much of Johan Manzambi, the latter’s midfielder? I’e heard he can be very special.
16 min Another Villa corner, another poor delivery, and Forest clear.
16 min “Great point about Des Walker, says David Acaster. “The best defender in the world under Old Big ‘Ed but an absolute disaster internationally, and at Sampdoria and Wednesday.”
He was great for England at Italia 90, in fairness, but once he went to Sampdoria, the overwhelming memory is off him being burned up by Marc Overmars at Wembley – something that seemed impossible during his time at Forest. John Motson absolutely adored the “You’ll never beat Des Walker” tune.
14 min Forest enjoy their first bit of controlled possession, Villa sitting off in their 4-4-2. That makes sense as Forest are dangerous if there’s space in behind, but they can also cause problems if they feed their wide players with wood attacking the near post.
12 min Forest inject pace into their attack for the first time in a while but Aina doesn’t stop to think, instead swinging in a hopeful cross, which Torres heads away easily enough.
11 min Also going on tonight:
10 min The corner comes to nothing, but Villa look to be taking control of midfield, their extra man making a difference – and with McGinn also joining in, it’s sometimes two.
9 min Hutchinson beats a couple of men as he looks to get his team up the pitch – he’s in nick, you can see it, and Forest need to get him on the ball., But they soon lose it, Villa playing into Watkins, who touches off, and Tielemans hits it … so Ortega tips around the post when really he might’ve held.
8 min Tielemans goes short to Buendia, and the ball goes backwards then across to the right, McGinn crossing deep to the back post where Konsa collects, but really, that was a piece of nonsense. It’s early in the game, people are nervous and the pattern of the game hasn’t been set – get it into the box and attack it.
7 min Lovely touch from Rogers, pulling to the right touchline and flicking around the corner, as Villa build through midfield. They end up with a throw on the left, Digne hurls in, and a miscommunication means Villa win a corner.
5 min One of my favourite things about Cloughie, that I’ll write up one of these days, is how many players were amazing for him but did almost nothing anywhere else. Phil Starbuck, Neil Webb, Garry Birtles, Tommy Gaynor, Nigel Clough, Brian Rice, Des Walker, Roy Keane and so on.
Updated
3 min Hutchinson goes at Digne, passes on the outside – there’s that 4-4-2 in action – rides the tackle and crosses, Wood marching on to it, his volley already nestling in the stanchion in his mind’s eye. But Jesus stretches out a leg in front of him, brings the ball down, and the chance vanishes.
2 min McGinn into Watkins, who looks offside, but there’s no flag and he spreads to Rogers, who comes inside into the box, shoots …and Morato blocks.
2 min Forest are on the attack immediately, Gibbs-White giving his pass in behind too much for Jesus.
2 min “You can’t let tonight pass without some Clough references,” says Alun Pugh. “He’s looking down willing Forest on to another European trophy. How many sides have defended the top European Cup?
When a supporter invaded the pitch our Brian responded with a punch. The following morning’s tabloid headline – ‘the shit hits the fan’. Marvellous!”
I remember it well and absolutely loved Cloughie, who bestrode my childhood. One of my best mates was a Forest fan, so he was an omnipresent, and even as a kid, I could tell he was special.
1 min Away we go!
I love football at this time of year. OK, I love it at every time of year, but there’s something glorious and moving about the setting sun, and watching it get dark or failing to notice it getting dark, feeling wistful as another season passes. In a grim world, it’s very nice to have.
Updated
Our teams are tunnelled, and out they come! NOISE! MAGIC HOUR LIGHT!
Updated
“Imagine Mourinho going to Brentford and winning the league and then back-to-back Champions Leagues,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Then Newcastle winning it the following year. That was kind of what the late 70s/early 80s were like with Forest and Villa. Mad, when you think back on it now. Of course, the Interweb were all fields in them days...”
Yup, I was alive but a baby, so don’t remember it happening, but it was a different footballing world – the eastern bloc players stayed put, and clubs like Forest and Villa didn’t have their best players poached by the richest when they were still foetuses.
Check out this, on the 1981 Cup Winners’ Cup final – perhaps the most 80s match ever, with some banging goals.
Email! “Having eschewed the Dragaoke event in the other room,” begins Benjamin Gravestock, “I’m perched with a pint and just glad Pereira has forgotten Emery’s weakness against wingbacks.
Onana is 80% of a Kamara in game-reading and 90% of a Kamara in terms of being in the right place at the right time, and 70% of a Kamara in distribution decisions, but you’re right that his presence is a big boon for a midfield that still looks a bit friable.
I have Villa lifting themselves for this game and think we’ll take 0, 1, or two goals back to VP, and finish it comfortably next week. But I may be kidding myself.”
It’s one of those games in which no result would massively surprise me. If Villa’s high line is exploited, they can lose by a few, but if their forwards fire, they can win by a few. I agree that Kamara is a big miss, but Onana’s physicality, especially early on, and his box-presence at both ends will be really helpful. I think he’d have played even if Kamara were available because in big games, managers tend to like the things he brings.
Vitor Pereira wants his team to play with spirit, ambition, quality; to be themselves. It’s a special team, he says – they’ve faced a lot of problems, having had four managers, different styles and methodologies, but they keep fighting, they’re united and they keep the same spirit and belief, which is special.
They have some injury issues, missing Sangare and Cunha, but though they’ve changed some players, they keep the same spirit. They have to prove that they deserve to be here, but they’re here because they’ve played well.
Apropos of not much, anyone seen the Northern Premier League, Midlands Division?
Carlton Town finished the season second, 25 points ahead of Rfifth-placed acing Club, who finished 24 points above second-bottom … and of course Racing then beat Carlton on penalties in the playoff semis. Coming soon to a Championship near you.
Emery wants his players to enjoy the occasion; respect their opponents and respect the ref. Onana is fit to start so he is, and that’s about it.
So which team is going to win? If they’re brave enough to get men in the box, I fancy Forest. I don’t massively rate Villa’s defence, which lacks a bit of physicality on the left – I’m not sure how they’re going to control Gibbs-White, and I think Wood can lean on Pau Torres.
Villa, on the other hand, are more likely to build through the middle. They’ll condense the play and look for quick interchanges, Ollie Watkins attacking the space in behind – especially in the absence of Murillo – with Emi Buendia in particular but also John McGinn looking to feed him in.
And as Gibbs-White does for Forest, so Rogers will do for them, mooching about dropping grenades, while Youri Tielemans will look to conduct from deep and arrive on the edge of the box to hit shots.
So where is the game? Well, Forest will look to stretch the play, their full-backs keeping width, especially on the left, with Gibbs-White roaming and an attacking the box. They’ll no doubt be looking to hit Wood with crosses, and won’t mind sitting deep to take advantage of Vila’s high line and their pace on the counter.
I’m not at all surprised Emery has recalled Onana. His ability to cover the width of the pitch will be especially useful given Forest’s use of wingers, while he’ll also be aware of the need to pick up Jesus, dropping off.
It’s also worth noting the 4-4-1-1 throwback formation they now deploy. It has various strengths – it’s the most frequently used out of position shape, gives centre-backs two men to worry about rather than the modish one, and allows for wide overloads.
The reason we see less of it, though, is that it can leave a team undermanned in midfield. But if you’re not seeking control, it’s a really good way to play football, especially if you’ve got good attackers, as Forest do.
I guess Vitor Pereira has to consider the relegation battle his side haven’t quite yet won.
The return of Chris Wood has coincided with some terrific goalscoring form throughout the team, a reference point around which Omari Hutchinson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus can buzz.
Updated
As for Villa, it’s just the one alteration for Unai Emery, Amadou Onana in for Lamare Bogarde.
Taking a closer look at those, Vitor Pereira makes two changes to the Forest side which walloped Sunderland. In net, Stefan Ortega replaces Matz Sels while, in central defence, Morato comes in for Jair Cunha and in midfield, it’s Nicola Dominguez not Ibrahim Sangare.
Teams!
Nottingham Forest (4-4-1-1): Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Hutchinson, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White; Jesus, Wood. Subs: Sels, Willows, Lucca, Yates, McAtee, Bakwa, Abbott, Whitehall, Sinclair, Hanks, Blake.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, Onana; McGinn, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins. Subs: Bizot, Wright, Bogarde, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Garcia, Luiz, Bailey, Elliott, Sancho, Abraham.
Updated
Of course! It’s a big game, so TNT have someone reading meaningful truisms in an earnest voice. I’m choking up here. Anyroad up, let’s have some teams…
Preamble
An affirming feature of Cup competitions is getting to enjoy clubs, players, managers and supporters enjoying and detesting their biggest game in generations. But what is much rarer is to have two teams, from neighbouring regions, competing against each other in a contest which means that much to both, and is vitally important in its own right.
The specific dynamics of our match this evening are also special. Villa are the superior team, fifth in the league having spent much of the campaign higher – there was, briefly, talk of a title challenge – but they’ve struggled in recent months and arrive at this evening in spotty form. Forest, meanwhile, are the inferior team, 16th in the league having spent much of the campaign lower – there is, still, talk of a relegation battle – but they’ve improved in recent weeks and arrive at this evening in top form.
Then if, to that, we add a febrile City Ground, under the lights, along with the adored history of both clubs – Forest were European champions in 1979 and 1980, Villa in 1982 – which those who remember remember, and which those who don’t will have had remembered to them for the duration of their lives – we have what is, without doubt, one of the matches of this season and one of the matches of any season.
This is absolutely colossal, and it’s coming at us right now.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
