The Liverpool Football Club Latest Football News for 2017 – 2018
- Sun, 23 Sep 2018 19:14:42 +0000: The Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos - Liverpool | The Guardian
Your weekend round-up of the best photography from England’s top flight
Continue reading... - Sun, 23 Sep 2018 17:40:03 +0000: Chelsea not at same level as Liverpool, says Maurizio Sarri - Liverpool | The Guardian
• Goalless draw at West Ham forces a reality check
• Head coach admits he is still trying to impose his philosophyChelsea go into successive games against Liverpool this week having surrendered their perfect record under Maurizio Sarri and with the head coach warning it will take him at least 12 months to hoist his side to the level of the new Premier League leaders.
After a goalless draw at West Ham United, Chelsea ended the weekend in third place. While for a midweek tie at Anfield in the Carabao Cup both teams could field much-changed lineups, the top‑flight meeting at Stamford Bridge on Saturday is already eagerly anticipated, though Sarri is wary of the threat that will be posed by Liverpool.
Related: Andriy Yarmolenko’s horror miss leaves West Ham and Chelsea at impasse
Continue reading... - Sun, 23 Sep 2018 13:21:38 +0000: Brighton 0-1 Liverpool: Women's Super League – as it happened - Liverpool | The Guardian
Substitute Rinsola Babajide scored a dramatic late winner for Liverpool to get their league season up and running and deny Brighton the point they probably deserved
Thanks for your company – it was nip and tuck for most of the 94 minutes, but Liverpool snatched it and, my word, they needed that!
If you fancy some more minute-by-minute action, Ben Fisher is presiding over West Ham v Chelsea – that’s in the men’s Premier League – for your pleasure:
Related: West Ham v Chelsea: Premier League – live!
Jepson: “We wanted some fresh legs in midfield and I was delighted it went into the net.”
Fresh legs were what did the job here. If that was her only game in charge, she’s not half made an impact.
Babajide speaks: “The ball just fell to me and I thought I’d just hit it and it worked out. When Neil was here he went for character so we have gelled as a team and it’s been a good atmosphere here. This gives us confidence, we have a lot of work to get done to match the top teams but it’s a work in progress.”
That was the 20-year-old Babajide’s first WSL goal and she can’t wipe the smile off her face! Liverpool rise to sixth, Brighton sink to ninth. I think defeat was harsh on Brighton there; they were the better side in the second half, for me, and a draw was probably about right on the balance of play. But Jepson produced a masterstroke from the bench in introducing Babajide and that, in the end, is often how games are won!
That late goal by the substitute, Rinsola Babajide, gets Liverpool off and running! Crisis, what crisis?
90+4 min: A late chance for Brighton, though! A deep delivery to the back stick is headed across for Buet, who can’t quite get the ball to sit up for her and, on the turn, can’t direct it towards goal! That was surely their final opening.
90+3 min: Liverpool are almost there – Brighton are comfortably at arm’s length as the clock ticks slowly ... or quickly, depending on who you’re following ... down.
90+1 min: Liverpool slow things right down near the Brighton corner flag – game management! – but we’ll see four extra minutes here, so it ain’t quite done yet.
90 min: Gillett had looked so composed today, with hands and feet. She’ll be gutted about that goal when she sees it again.
89 min: Brighton are piling on the pressure now but they’re almost out of time. Have they got one more chance in them? This had seemed for all the world to be fizzling out into a nil-nil.
87 min: Close to an equaliser! Green heads a foot over from Williams’s cross. Liverpool keep their lead and Jepson, the long-serving club stalwart, deserves all the credit here for making such a bold change – which has paid off handsomely!
What a substitution! Sweetman-Kirk tries to make room for a shot on the 18-yard line but a home defender blocks. Babajide, who came on five minutes ago, seizes onto the ball and takes aim from outside the box. It’s not especially well struck but seems to catch Gillett napping. She scurries across her goal but can’t stop the ball nestling in the corner, and Liverpool seem to have won this!
85 min: Now Powell makes a substitution. Brazil, a game runner but who hasn’t had much change out of Robe, is replaced by the Ireland international Sophie Perry.
83 min: Williams heads Clarke’s cross away. Clarke has switched back to the right. She’s been changing flanks constantly but not to the effect that, once or twice, she has threatened.
82 min: That was a pretty attacking change from Jepson. Can Liverpool seize some momentum? Not just yet. Brighton press again but Matthews dispossesses Green.
80 min: Liverpool make a second sub. Christie Murray, less involved in this half, is replaced by ex-Palace and Millwall player Babajide. She’s a highly-rated speedster who might add a little something in the last knockings.
78 min: Green is fine now and the corner will come in. Once again, an offence is spotted before play is allowed to develop. A touch pedantic, there.
77 min: Preuss deals rather less certainly with a Buet free-kick, punching it against Bradley-Auckland and out for a corner. Green, the Brighton striker, got a knock as she came out to challenge Preuss – and is taking some treatment to her knee now.
75 min: Now here’s Clarke, taking on Barton down the left and making half a yard for the cross. It’s stood up into the six-yard box but Gillett take it cleanly.
74 min: The sun is out now; the rain appears to be abating. Will it bring us a goal? Not a lot has happened in the last 10 minutes.
71 min: I’m struggling to see where either side has the quality to unlock the other at the moment. Liverpool have struggled to involve Clarke since half-time and have not yet given Sweetman-Kirk, who is definitely a danger if afforded service, a kick since she came on.
69 min: Brazil gets another run at Robe but I’m not sure she’s really beaten her once today – the left-back is having a fine game. She does get a throw-in this time, and it’s flicked on towards the penalty spot, but Coombs is there to avert danger again.
66 min: This is definitely Brighton’s half at the moment. They’re asking the questions and the likes of Green, Natkiel and Whelan are far more involved.
64 min: Matthews goes into the book for a late tackle on, I think, Whelan. She can’t really complain, and doesn’t. Buet takes the free-kick and it bobbles around the Liverpool box awhile before Coombs hammers clear.
62 min: Preuss is worked again by a 20-yarder by Brett, who could maybe have caught it better. There’s a little more fizz and tempo to this at the moment.
60 min: Sweetman-Kirk replaces Linnett, who has battled gamely up front with little support, for Liverpool. The newbie is an ex-Evertonian, and a striker of some pedigree.
58 min: Chance for Green! A flowing move, which began with another accurate ball out from Gillett, sees Natkiel work the ball to Whelan, who slips in Green on the left of the area. It’s a good opportunity but Preuss, standing firm, manages to save with her legs from the angle. Brighton’s best opening, by some way.
56 min: That’s a better strike from Barton, the Brighton player wellying one from a similar distance but seeing Preuss get behind it well. That might be their first shot on target. At the other end Charles gets away from Barton on the left but floats her cross too close to Gillett. Christie Murray is then the latest to take an inconsequential pot shot.
54 min: Charles drills well off target from 3o yards for Liverpool. Too many of today’s shots have been speculative so far. At the other end Brighton earn a corner. They take it short and – criminally really – stray offside immediately.
52 min: Brighton are very confident when it comes to playing from the back, and Gillett’s distribution is generally excellent. They almost play themselves into a spot of bother now, but sort it out before Linnett can get too much encouragement.
51 min: It’s a fairly slow start to the half really, though. A bit niggly and stop-start. Perhaps this will be a game won from the bench in which case, as we mentioned earlier, Brighton have rather more options than their visitors.
48 min: Clarke is back on the right and tries to get behind Gibbons, but the Brighton defender does well. The early pressure is coming from the team in red.
46 min: It’s Green, who was whacked on the inside of the leg by Murray’s drilled ball straight after the restart. On a day like this, that’ll sting! She will be back with us though.
And almost immediately there’s a Brighton player down in the centre circle ...
OK, we’re soon to get back underway in Crawley. Can one of these teams get their season up and running?
Manchester City won convincingly at Everton on Thursday – read our report here:
Related: Nikita Parris ensures Manchester City’s first league win of season at Everton
It’s not been a classic in the damp Sussex weather, although both sides have played some decent stuff and will feel they can push on after the break. Clarke has had the only real chance in open play; she’ll be hoping to use her pace again as spaces open up in the second half.
45 min: Linnett takes down a high pass brilliantly and holds it up well after a purposeful run – but has absolutely no support and eventually is shrugged off the ball. There was absolutely nothing more she could do there really.
43 min: Buet is receiving treatment at the moment, I think to her lower leg, so we have a small hold-up. The rain is coming down at a fair pelt now. She jogs off and will shortly jog back on; she’s made of tough stuff.
40 min: Bradley-Auckland clears smartly after Brighton win possession in midfield and look to send Green away. Can anyone blow this match right open before the interval?
38 min: Clarke has come to life from her new left-sided perch and now wriggles to the byline brilliantly, beating two or three players before slipping the ball back to Linnett, who then can’t quite find Christie Murray. Clarke is definitely the most dangerous-looking player on this pitch; nobody else really has her direct threat.
37 min: Clarke, this time out on the left, finds space to run into and sees Barton cut out her cross for a corner. It’s taken quickly but Christie Murray, drilling wide from 15 yards after receiving the ball and turning, wastes the chance.
35 min: A deep Liverpool free-kick swirls behind. Brighton are having a better spell at the moment; they look composed and organised, as you’d expect from a team constructed by a wise head like Powell.
33 min: Another good, patient Brighton move ends up with Robe conceding the flag kick this time – and taking a whack in the stomach in so doing. Brighton send up the cavalry for this one, which is sent in from the right after a delay. It’s aimed teasingly into the six-yard box but the referee sees an offence and blows up instantly. I’m not really sure there was a lot going on in there to be honest; we’ve heard a little too much blowing-up so far, in my book.
30 min: Robe, the Liverpool left-back, does well to prevent the lively Ellie Brazil winning a corner. Brighton are playing some neat stuff, to be fair to them, but the goal threat isn’t particularly obvious at the moment.
28 min: Buet, the Brighton captain, thuds a long-range blast well wide. Approaching the half-hour here and both sides will feel they’ve got themselves a foothold in this.
27 min: That was Christie Murray, by the way. Another Murray, Satara, is playing at right-back for Liverpool.
25 min: Now Liverpool contrive a sharp, one-touch move on the right and Murray swings over a dangerous-looking cross. Gillett, who has started confidently in goal, claims it well.
24 min: Clarke, such an experienced performer at this level, now gets a good sight of goal inside the box and she’s scored these before ... but allows Gillett to make the stop. Just a feeling that Liverpool have the extra gears here if they can find them.
22 min: Another Brighton corner after a cross is deflected off Clarke and Preuss can’t keep the ball in. But the set-piece flies beyond everybody, well outside the box, and Liverpool can counter via Coombs. Eventually Brighton clear up a situation of their own making.
20 min: Charles works her way into an interesting position on the left and cuts a centre just behind Linnett, whose shot on the turn is deflected and saved. As it happened there was an offside in there anyway. I’d say Liverpool have slightly the more danger brimming from their forward moves at the moment.
17 min: Green picks up a hefty knock after a challenge with Matthews, and goes down in the Liverpool box. She’s OK though and that all came about after another profitable move down Brighton’s right-hand side. They’ll be encouraged by that.
15 min: Decent effort from Linnett, of Liverpool, from fully 30 yards – but it sails over and Gillett is never really worried.
14 min: It’s damp in Crawley, as slated, but a decent crowd has come out and there’s plenty of enthusiasm in the air. The evidence so far is that it’s going to be a tight game here, perhaps won by the odd goal.
12 min: Brighton win their first corner after a good overlap down the right by Brett. It’s defended well by Bradley-Auckland at the near post and a goal kick is given, although she was a little fortunate there I think. The ball seemed to ping off her.
10 min: Green, of Brighton, scythes Robes down with a meaty midfield challenge. Liverpool keep up the pressure after the free-kick but Charles, coming in from the left, crosses harmlessly out of play.
8 min: Preuss, Liverpool’s German goalkeeper, collects a diagonal pass from halfway well. It’s Brighton’s turn to see a little more of the ball.
6 min: Liverpool are clearly trying to find Clarke one-on-one down the right. She goes on another run but it’s snuffed out. They have settled and look the more threatening so far.
4 min: Jess Clarke, the Liverpool forward, spins inside the area and, from the right side, whips a left-footed cross-shot wide of the far post. It was neither one thing nor the other, but it was a decent area to get into early on.
3 min: Lucy Ward, Neil Redfearn’s partner, is co-commentating on BT. That’s interesting. She’s just said the support he received from the club wasn’t quite what had been expected, although won’t go any further. “That’s diplomatic enough.”
2 min: Liverpool look to build from the back early on, with their captain Bradley-Auckland seeing a bit of the ball. Brighton look inclined to press fairly high though – they seem full of energy in these early exchanges.
Brighton, in those famous vertical blue and white stripes, kick us off against the all-reds.
Expecting both sides to line up with attack-minded 4-3-3s. So let’s hope they feel inclined to go for it – both will surely see this as three gettable points, if not quite the “must-win” category at this stage.
The teams are walking out! Eager to receive your tweets and emails as we go – the addresses are above ...
Powell speaks: “I think we’re developing, which is a good sign. Every game they play they’re adapting to life at the top end. It’s tough for us but they’re having a good go.”
So does Jepson: “It’s a true test of character, what they’ve been through. That could splinter a group but they’ve shown real resilience.”
Liverpool had a massive turnaround in Redfearn’s short spell – 11 players out and 12 in. Now they’re under brand new management. It’s a lot to take! And they’ll need time to gel. This looks like an excellent chance for Brighton, managed of course by Hope Powell, to take the points.
Brighton: Gillett, Barton, Williams, Rafferty, Gibbons, Brett, Buet, Natkiel, A Whelan, Green, Brazil. Subs: Hartley, Roe, F Whelan, Perry, Peplow, Legg, Umotong.
Liverpool: Preuss, S Murray, Bradley-Auckland, Matthews, Robe, Coombs, C Murray, Rodgers, Charles, Linnett, Clarke. Subs: Kitching, Sweetman-Kirk, Daniels, Babajide.
Team news in a second. I was at Brighton yesterday to report on the men’s fixture against Spurs and can report that I – and this very laptop! – got absolutely soaked. I hope it’s better for everyone there today. This match is being played at Crawley Town FC.
Something has to give today. In a positive way! Because Brighton and Liverpool don’t have a point to show for the three games they have, between each other, played so far in this WSL season.
That’s only part of the story actually, but the facts first: Brighton, promoted last season, are one of four teams yet to get off the mark. They’ve lost by the odd goal to both Bristol City and Birmingham, so there’ve been positives to take, but they might scent a high-profile scalp today in the form of a Liverpool side that has begun the season in absolute turmoil.
Related: Chris Kirkland takes charge of Liverpool Women after Redfearn resignation
Continue reading... - Sat, 22 Sep 2018 16:27:05 +0000: Liverpool 3-0 Southampton, Man Utd 1-1 Wolves and more: clockwatch – as it happened - Liverpool | The Guardian
There were comfortable wins for Manchester City, Liverpool and Burnley, but Manchester United were held at home by Wolves in front of Sir Alex Ferguson
And with that, I’m off. It’s been a blast. Bye!
Maybe Mike Ashley should show up a bit more often? On the day that Kevin Keegan revealed he is no longer welcome at St James’s Park after falling out with Newcastle United’s detested owner, it was just like the Sports Direct chief executive to attend his first match for almost 18 months on a damp and dreary day in southeast London. He was treated to a backs-to-the-wall performance that earned Rafa Benítez’s side only their second point of the season but also laid bare the challenge facing their beleaguered manager this season.
More from Selhurst Park:
Related: Palace frustrated after Mamadou Sakho fluffs chance to sink Newcastle
Jürgen Klopp admits that his decision to take off the outstanding Xherdan Shaqiri at half-time was tactical –
The result is really cool. The performance could have been better but it’s clear. We made some changes and it cost us. We changed the system, and without training it’s always difficult. The changes were obviously good because Shaq was influential and Matip as well, but organisation-wise we had a lot of problems. This is why we changed back to a system we are used to, so we controlled the game in the second half. I’ve never got a player off who was not injured after a performance like he had in the first half, but it’s all good. He had a real impact, so good to see. The performance was good – what I didn’t like was my fault.
Efficiency is always commendable but, in a football context at least, it pays the greatest dividends when combined with cold-blooded ruthlessness. If there can be no doubt that Middlesbrough have the first part of that equation sorted their final ball has a nasty habit of letting them down.
More on Middlesbrough’s goalless draw with Swansea at the Riverside:
Related: Middlesbrough lack cold-blooded ruthlessness in stalemate with Swansea
Sir Alex Ferguson was back where he belongs – at Old Trafford – for a first time since recovering from a brain haemorrhage to witness a disappointing draw from a Manchester United who failed to turn dominance into three points.
More from Old Trafford:
Related: Wolves frustrate Manchester United on Sir Alex Ferguson’s return
Leicester recovered from a dire start to run out emphatic winners here. Huddersfield glimpsed a first league win of the season when Mathias Jørgensen swept them into the lead in the fifth minute, but the home side soon drew level thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho, before sealing victory in the second half through goals by the former England striker Jamie Vardy and the excellent James Maddison, a 21-year-old who will become a prized part of England’s future if he continues to perform as he has done for Leicester this season.
More from the King Power Stadium:
Related: James Maddison leads Leicester to victory over struggling Huddersfield
Manchester City laid on an attacking masterclass as they extinguished any concerns of a European hangover to blow away Cardiff City in style with five magnificent goals, as Pep Guardiola’s side strolled to victory in south Wales. A breathtaking away performance left the hosts exasperated, with Sergio Agüero opening the scoring on his 300th appearance for City, before goals from Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gündogan and a double by Riyad Mahrez, his first goals for the club since his £60m move from Leicester City, completed the rout.
More from Cardiff City Stadium:
Related: Riyad Mahrez brace caps five-star Manchester City’s rout of Cardiff
A funny thing happened when Burnley took the lead in a league game for the first time this season. Within another couple of minutes they had a second, a much-needed first victory was on the way and suddenly high-flying Bournemouth were the ones looking quizzically at each other after being caught in possession or passing to opponents.
More from Turf Moor:
Related: Ashley Barnes double seals thumping Burnley win over Bournemouth
As Jürgen Klopp is fond of telling it takes greed, aggression, talent and a phenomenal work-rate to execute his gameplan, yet Liverpool are making victories look routine. His team returned to the top of the Premier Leaguewith a sixth straight win, their eighth in all competitions this season, as Southampton were dispatched with ease at Anfield.
More from Anfield:
Related: Mohamed Salah strikes as Liverpool cruise to victory over Southampton
It would be remiss to let this blog pass without mention of Chas Hodges, who died earlier today aged 74. Many years ago I was at this match to see a fine musician and a great football fan rock White Hart Lane at half-time. Happy memories …
Related: Chas Hodges, an appreciation: 'one of the most significant English folk musicians'
I’ll have some match reports for you very shortly, but in the meantime Rob Smyth is all over the build-up to Brighton v Spurs:
Related: Brighton v Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League — live!
Oh my goodness, I’ve just seen Sakho’s miss for Crystal Palace today. Un. Be. Lievable.
Peeeep peeeep! it’s Manchester United 1-1 Wolves, Liverpool 3-0 Southampton and Leicester 3-1 Huddersfield!
Peeeeep! Burnley have smashed Bournemouth 4-0, and Manchester City have thumped Cardiff 5-0. Meanwhile Crystal Palace and Newcastle have drawn 0-0.
Stoke City, who were 3-0 down a minute after half-time at home to Blackburn, get a penalty to equalise in the last minute – and Berahino hits the bar!
Sterling is dispossessed inside Cardiff’s penalty area and Ecuele Manga takes the ball, turns, collects himself and then passes straight to Mahrez on the edge of the area, who stylishly accepts the gift.
Burnley break, passing Lennon into space down the right. He runs downfield and pulls back to Barnes, whose first-time shot flies low and hard inside the far post!
Aha. I felt sure there must be a reasonable explanation.
@Simon_Burnton re: the McGinn picture, it seems to be making fun of his slightly less than flattering FIFA picture.
Crewe have conceded the first goal in the A500 derby, and given that in every one of their league games this season a team has scored nil, that might be enough to win it for Port Vale. Crewe are an odd team – they’ve failed to score in five of their seven league games before today, and in the other two they’ve scored nine.
Lennon scampers down the left and crosses to Gudmundsson, whose shot hits a defender, bobbles onto the post and rebounds to leave Barnes with an open goal!
“Yep, Klopp needs to sort out the Fabinho situation immediately,” concurs Ronan Fitzgerald, “Liverpool’s season is in total freefall.” Fair point.
Forest Green seem set to extend their unbeaten record, and with a rare win as well.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@FGRFC_Official 1 (Reid 70') @crawleytown 0 pic.twitter.com/MujjFGg9IW
The teams are in for the late Premier League kick-off, and here they are:
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Stephens, Knockaert, Propper, Bissouma, March, Murray. Subs: Kayal, Locadia, Andone, Balogun, Jahanbakhsh, Button, Bernardo.
Tottenham Hotspur: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Dembele, Lucas Moura, Eriksen, Son, Kane. Subs: Sanchez, Winks, Lamela, Wanyama, Alli, Aurier, Whiteman.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh.Huddersfield give the ball away just inside Leicester’s half and Vardy is immediately on his way. Gray sees the run and plays the pass and Vardy is just too quick, racing into the box and chipping over the keeper!
“Seriously, what is wrong between Klopp and Fabinho?” harumphs Rick McGahey. Klopp has brought on two of the three midfielders he had on the bench today – the other two, Milner and Keita.
A chance for United, as Shaw hangs a cross from the left towards the back post, and Fellaini heads hard and low but straight at the keeper – he should probably have sent it back across goal.
A low cross from the left and a tap-in in the middle for Mahrez, who came on for Aguero a few minutes ago!
Leicester win a free kick 25 yards out, and Maddison whips it over the wall and dips it down again. It’s nowhere near the corner, and Lossl gets a hand on it, but he can’t keep it out!
Van Dijk doesn’t appear to be seriously injured: after going into the dressing room for assessment he has just taken a seat on the bench.
Apparently it was an excellent goal. But what exactly is this?
GOOOAAALLLLL!!!!
WHAT. A. STRIKE!!@jmcginn7 with a volleyed screamer that bounces in off the crossbar. We're level!#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/KS1hcs5gCZManchester United, in search of a winner against Wolves, take off Fred and Sanchez and bring on Martial and Mata.
Portsmouth have equalised against Wycombe, so the unbeaten record might be safe after all.
And another Sané miss! This time he wins a free kick on the right, picks himself up, trots into the area and from Gundogan’s cross he misses a straightforward header!
Manchester City should have had a fourth! The ball comes in from the right, pings around in the middle and then drops to Sané, to the right of goal but in oceans of space and six yards out, but he hurries his shot, which goes nowhere near goal.
Van Dijk is at least able to walk off, rubbing his ribs a little gingerly.
Another injury, this time at Anfield: Van Dijk is on the turf and looking uncomfortable, and Gomez is going to come on.
Another lovely goal! A low cross from the right finds Jimenez, but with his back to goal he passes back to Moutinho on the edge of the area, and his first-time shot finds the top corner!
Jazz Richards, seriously injured in the FA Cup game against Manchester City last season, comes on for Cardiff.
Peltier is being strapped to a stretcher. It’s taken four minutes to treat him and he’s still on the pitch, so expect significant stoppage time.
There’s a long delay at Cardiff while Lee Peltier receives treatment for an injury. It’s serious enough to end his game prematurely, with a substitute being readied.
That free-kick was Shaqiri’s last contribution to Liverpool’s game today – after two assists he’s off at half-time, and Milner is on.
Second halves are under way!
The 12 League Two matches currently in progress have seen a total of four first-half goals, with no more than one in any single game.
Glancing down the divisions, Portsmouth’s unbeaten record is under extreme threat: they’re 1-0 down at home to Wycombe at the break.
This seems an admirably grown-up way of dealing with a clumsy tackle, and a fine use of social media by both players:
These things happen bro no hard feelings good battle best of luck for the rest of the season https://t.co/41PexxmIeM
… and relax! It’s half time.
Obviously it’s Southampton, not Sunderland, who are playing Liverpool today. Sunderland lodged their name in my brain by repeatedly scoring, you see – they’re 3-0 up against Rochdale.
As Shaqiri prepares to take a free kick, 35 yards out, Salah comes over and has an extended word in his ear. Presumably he was telling him to hit a spectacular curling, dipping shot against the underside of the crossbar which would bounce down on the line and allow him to tap in, because that’s what happened!
Ouch! That is a horrible challenge from Ralls on Gundogan, ludicrously high and terribly late, but he somehow gets away with a booking.
That is a beauty! Gundogan, well outside the area, plays the ball to Sterling on its edge, gets it back again and then curls a delicious shot into the top corner!
Ooooh! Southampton have a chance and fluff it, allowing Liverpool to break. It ends with Salah taking the ball into the area, spinning and attempting a backheel cross-goal flicked finish which ends up rolling just wide!
Garry Monk is doing a job on his former side – Birmingham are 2-0 up at Leeds, who have been forced into a first-half tactical substitution as Marcelo Bielsa attempts to stem the tide.
And another! A cross from the right misses its intended target in the middle, but Lennon is ghosting into the area behind Vokes, entirely untracked, and he slides the ball back across goal and in!
Matej Vydra, making his first league start for Burnley, has tapped the ball in from a couple of yards to put his team ahead!
The match at Barnsley has now been called off. Best wishes to everyone involved.
Due to the circumstances the match has been postponed.
Barnsley Football Club will look to provide further update when appropriate to do so.It has been announced here at Oakwell that, due to a medical emergency, today's game between Barnsley and Burton Albion has been postponed.
It goes without saying, but all our thoughts are with those affected.And that’s two! Sané takes a corner from the right, plays a one-two and crosses to Bernardo Silva who, facing away from goal, crouches to flick it on towards the far post. Judging by his laughter in the celebrations, and for that matter by common sense, he wasn’t trying to score, but that’s certainly what happened as the ball looped into the net!
Now the champions do take the lead! They break and the ball is passed to Bernardo Silva on the right of the area, who slides it across to Aguero, who curls it first-time inside the post!
No news on when or indeed if the game at Oakwell is going to get under way. There’s a helicopter on the pitch at present:
Never seen this before - air ambulance at #Oakwell. Someone collapsed shortly before what should have been kick off. Medical staff doing a fantastic job. #Barnsley v #Burton pic.twitter.com/QDI8VvuXfI
What a miss! A defensive header bounces to Gundogan on the edge of the area, and he takes a fine first touch, brings the ball past the penalty spot, and then with the goal at his mercy sidefoots high!
Not bad, Gervinho. Not at all bad. He’s made it 2-0 for Parma against Cagliari – and how!
#Gervinho
pic.twitter.com/DdQyojlsUEBut then from the corner Matip, at the far post but some way from goal, guides a lovely header into the net!
Salah is played through by Firmino against Southampton, but he’s denied by a fantastic last-ditch challenge by Cedric …
This is bonkers. Huddersfield have a corner, and when it’s cleared to the edge of the area a couple of defenders rush forward from halfway in an attempt to win the bouncing ball. They don’t, and when Vardy escapes with it there is absolutely nobody but the goalkeeper between him and goal. He pokes through to Iheanacho, who looked just about level, and he races through and pokes into the far corner!
After nearly 20 minutes on the back foot Manchester United take the lead, Fred shooting low and with admirable precision from the edge of the area, nicely teed up by Pogba!
Another chance for Wolves at Old Trafford, meanwhile, as a corner is headed over the bar from a good position.
Emergency medical treatment is being given to someone at the side of the Oakwell pitch, hence the delay. This doesn’t look good.
Something seems to have gone extremely wrong at Oakwell... There is someone with screens in front of them at the moment. Kick off has been delayed #barnsleyfc pic.twitter.com/ZheRAe8cB1
A late kick-off postponement at Barnsley:
| We're out and on the pitch, Oakwell is ready! #COYR pic.twitter.com/vlxOaaQ885
Kick-off has been delayed at Oakwell.
Wesley Hoedt has stuck the ball in his own onion bag! It’s a corner from the left, which comes out of the penalty area, is worked back to Shaqiri on the left and his right-footed cross hits one defender, bounces into another defender, and bobbles over the line!
Wolves have started brilliantly at Old Trafford, and have just forced David de Gea into a smart low stop, as Jimenez spins and shoots from the corner of the six-yard box.
In the fifth minute, huddersfield take the lead! It’s a long throw from the right, flicked on at the near post and stabbed in by Zanka six yards out!
3pm: And they’re off!
The players are out, and busily shaking hands.
Ten minutes until kick-off, and I’m wagering this dressing-room isn’t looking quite so neat any more.
Some spelling issues here:
S Q A U D pic.twitter.com/BYCz3AcbpM
It’s finished Fulham 1-1 Watford at Craven Cottage, a fine advert for Premier League football etc and so forth. Now, on with the show.
Headlines include a first Premier League start for Liverpool for Xherdan Shaqiri, who replaces James Milner. Jürgen Klopp also brings in Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip in place of Daniel Sturridge and Joe Gomez.
Here’s all the team news ahead of the 3pm Premier League kick-offs:
Burnley v Bournemouth
Burnley: Hart, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Lennon, Westwood, Cork, Gudmundsson, Vydra, Vokes. Subs: Heaton, Barnes, Wood, Hendrick, Bardsley, Long, McNeil.
Bournemouth: Begovic, Smith, Steve Cook, Ake, Rico, Brooks, Surman, Lerma, Fraser, King, Wilson. Subs: Boruc, Francis, Ibe, Lewis Cook, Defoe, Stanislas, Mings.
Referee: Anthony Taylor.With any luck all the teams due to kick off at 3pm will have arrived at their destination by now, some with more kit than others.
One face in a Premier League crowd will be particularly welcome today: Sir Alex Ferguson is back at Old Trafford for the first time since he underwent emergency brain surgery in May. He’s given an interview to MUTV:
I’m really good. Obviously it’s been a long journey and I’m gradually making steps forward, doing what my son tells me and what the doctors tell me so, yeah, I’m really good. I’m a bit nervous, to be honest with you, maybe a bit tense really because I think my last game was Arsenal back in April. It was a long time but it’s great to be back and I just hope we get a win today.
It’s great to go back to the stadium and it’s going to be quite emotional for me when the game starts, things like that. It had to happen some time and I’ve been looking forward to it. The important thing was getting the right time and the right rest before coming to a game. It’s bound to be emotional. Particularly when I take my seat in the box. That will be something, you know. I’ll be glad when it gets over and the game starts and I can enjoy it.
The ongoing Fulham v Watford match is super, action-packed, lung-busting entertainment. Rob Smyth has the latest:
Related: Fulham v Watford: Premier League – live!
Hello world!
So, without unnecessary faff and filibuster, may I present to you this afternoon’s fixtures in the top four English divisions:
Continue reading... - Sat, 22 Sep 2018 16:01:13 +0000: Mohamed Salah strikes as Liverpool cruise to victory over Southampton - Liverpool | The Guardian
As Jürgen Klopp is fond of telling, it takes greed, aggression, talent and a phenomenal work-rate to succeed on his terms yet Liverpool are making the hard art of victory look routine. The Premier League summit was reclaimed with ease against Southampton, a seventh straight win stretching a flawless start as well as the idea that healthy competition exists between the best and the rest.
Liverpool ended the contest before half-time as a Wesley Hoedt own goal, Joël Matip header and Mohamed Salah tap-in brought an emphatic interval lead over Mark Hughes’ visitors. If Charity Shield results are included, this is now the finest start to a campaign in Liverpool’s illustrious history. They are raking up wins while in second gear, have kept eight consecutive clean sheets at home in the Premier League and have two points more than Manchester City did at the corresponding stage of last season. Not that anyone at Anfield is looking too far ahead, of course.
Related: Riyad Mahrez brace caps five-star Manchester City’s rout of Cardiff
Related: Ashley Barnes double seals thumping Burnley win over Bournemouth
Continue reading...
News Archive Below
- Mon, 26 Jun 2017 12:04:21 +0000: Liverpool reject £11m Moreno bid - Latest Stories, Video, and Commentary about Liverpool | BBC
Liverpool reject an £11m bid from Serie A side Napoli for Alberto Moreno - and will demand £15m for the Spanish defender. - Sat, 24 Jun 2017 06:20:53 +0000: World Cup winner Arbeloa retires aged 34 - Latest Stories, Video, and Commentary about Liverpool | BBC
Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa is retiring from football at the age of 34. - Fri, 23 Jun 2017 11:53:04 +0000: Liverpool complete £34m Salah deal - Latest Stories, Video, and Commentary about Liverpool | BBC
Liverpool complete the 39m euro (£34m) signing of Roma's former Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah, who joins on a five-year deal. - Fri, 16 Jun 2017 16:07:01 +0000: Rams agree fee with Liverpool for Wisdom - Latest Stories, Video, and Commentary about Liverpool | BBC
Derby County agree a deal to sign defender Andre Wisdom from Premier League side Liverpool for an undisclosed fee. - Wed, 14 Jun 2017 08:00:05 +0000: Premier League fixtures in full - Latest Stories, Video, and Commentary about Liverpool | BBC
Find out your club's full fixture list for the 2017-18 Premier League season.
