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Garnacho has replaced Gittens. I have reservations about him as a player – I want better creation, much better – but none at all about him as a sub. Not what you need when you’re knackered and the game is stretched – as this one is.
Phew! Our early fixtures are now over,; we’ve just the small matter of Leeds 2-1 Chelsea and Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland for dessert.
In Scotland, Killie have equalised against Hearts – they’re playing the 90th minute – while Dundee United lead Rangers 2-1 and Celtic lead Dundee 1-0.
ShareFULL TIME: Brighton 3-4 Aston Villa
What a game! Villa move third, six points off leaders Arsenal, pending Chelsea’s game; Brighton sit seventh in-running.
Updated at 16.33 EST
FULL TIME: Wolves 0-1 Nottingham Forest
Wolves remain bottom with two points; Forest move 16th.
Mineteh swings in, Welbeck leans and ducks to get behind it … and can’t quite guide inside the post. Brighton should get at least one more attack…
Brighton are chasing an equaliser for 4-4, and have a corner; two minutes of added time still to go…
ShareFULL TIME: Burnley 0-1 Crystal Palace
Burnley have a bit of time, but it’s hard to see anything changing; they stay second-bottom and Place go fifth.
ShareFULL TIME: Arsenal 2-0 Brentford
Three huge points for Arsenal in a game that was always likely to be a struggle. They lead the table by five once more, and it’ll take a consistent side to go with them.
ShareGOAL! Leeds United 2-1 Chelsea (Neto 50)
A run down the left, a clip to the back post from Gittens, and Neto eventually gets the ball under control to fire home.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto pulls a goal back for the visitors. Photograph: Chris Radburn/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.33 EST
We’re away again at Anfield and Elland Road.
ShareGOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Brentford (Saka 90)
Relief for Arsenal! A terrific ball, I don’t see who from, sets Saka away at inside-right, he dips outside, both covering defenders buy it; he moves inside, shoots hard, and though Kelleher gets good hands on it, he’s a long way off his line and palms the ball into the air … and into the net.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka shoots … Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/ReutersBrentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher gets a hand to a the shot … Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Nigel French/Apl/SportsphotoBut is unable to keep the ball from crossing the line and Arsenal doubling their lead. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 16.32 EST
Calafiori gambols forward, shoots, the keeper beats away, and Saka should score! But falling, he pulls wide. Ljungberg would never.
Updated at 16.21 EST
WHAT A GOAL! Brighton 3-4 Aston Villa (Van Hecke 83)
“Oor league’ is a capricious being! Van Hecke starts a move outside his own box, moves forward, and the ball is cut-back his way, to the edge and from the right, he uses the direction of it to power-clip into the far side-netting! Nighttime!
Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke (left) rifles home his second goal of the night. Photograph: Stephen Flynn/ProSports/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 16.38 EST
Villa are in a pretty good spot aren’t they? Loads of really good players, at least one really special one, and lots of other difference-makers. “Oor league’ is a capricious being – remember the start Emery’s lads made – but if thingds stay as they are, they’re going third, and they could be hard to shift from the Champions League places.
ShareGOAL! Brighton 2-4 Aston Villa (Malen 78)
Thirty-five seconds after coming on, Malen really completes the comeback! A cross into the box is flicked away, but only to the far side, it’s nodded back in, Guissand’s header is saved, and Malen pokes home! Shocker for Brighton!
Donyell Malen (right) prods the ball home for Villa’s fourth. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/ReutersMalen wheels away in celebration.
Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/ReutersMalen (hidden), teammates and Villa fans celebrate. Photograph: Stephen Flynn/ProSports/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 16.23 EST
At Brighton, Baleba has gone off again, while at Arsenal, Rice has been replaced. I’m a little surprised by the latter, there’s not long enough to go for the rest to be worth much, and surely he’s useful when trying to look after a narrow lead?
What, perhaps, Arsenal don’t have, is technical players in midfield able to keep the ball away from their opponents while moving it quickly enough to keep creating. But their power, and ability to replace power with power, should get them plenty of late goals – it felt like the biggest difference against Bayern was that second aspect.
They’ll be getting nervous at the Emirates, where Arsenal lead Brentford 1-0. They’ll trust themselves not to concede, but dare they sit on a one-goal lead? They’ve got a very friendly run of games coming up and no players going to Afcon; a win here will set them up for that very nicely.
ShareHAL-TIME: Leeds United 2-0 Chelsea
The home side have been much the better one, and a win tonight takes them out of the bottom three, at least until tomorrow.
ShareGOAL! Wolves 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Igor Jesus 72)
Great work from Hutchinson out wide, but the defender – I think it might be Hwang – should ay least be in the same postcode to try and block what is, in the end, an inswinging cross. But he’s not, Jesus heads down, and the bottom club are in serious trouble.
Nottingham Forest’s Igor Jesus heads the vistors into the lead at Wolves. Photograph: David Klein/ReutersJesus celebrates. Photograph: Nick Potts/PAShare
Updated at 16.10 EST
HALF-TIME: Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
The visitors have been the better side. They’re bigger, stronger and better organised than the champions, who look to be relying on individuals and moments.
“Technically, Ljungberg isn’t in the same conversation as Saka, Pires or Overmars,” reckons Tom Atkins, “but he had the knack of popping up and delivering a moment – a bit like Botham or Stokes, someone with a knack of getting the big wicket when it was needed. It happened too often for it to be luck.”
It definitely wasn’t luck. Brilliant off the ball, brilliant in front of goal, brilliant in the biggest moments. I don’t actually think any of the others could say that of themselves.
ShareWHAT A GOAL! Leeds United 2-0 Chelsea (Tanaka 43)
Now then! Fernandez loses it deep inside his own half, left-hand side, Leedas work it to Tanaka, on the edge, and on the swivel, he dematerialises a low shot, caught perfectly, past Sanchez! Things happen at nighttime!
Ao Tanaka of Leeds United scores a goal to make it 2-0 against Chelsea. Photograph: Matt West/ShutterstockTanaka celebrates with Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu and Lukas Nmecha. Photograph: Chris Radburn/ReutersShare
Updated at 16.06 EST
At Elland Road, Estevao is robbed by Gudmundsson, so boots him. He’s booked, and somewhere in heaven, Eric Jennings (Stourbridge) sadly shakes his head.
ShareGOAL! Brighton 2-3 Aston Villa (Onana 60)
The comeback is complete! A corner to the back post, Onana is up along, though I’m not sure it matters if anyone jumps with him, and he heads home!
Amadou Onana (second right) rises highest and heads home. Photograph: Stephen Flynn/ProSports/ShutterstockOnana is mobbed by his Aston Villa teamates. Photograph: James Marsh/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 16.03 EST
Chelsea have done absolutely nothing so far tonight. They’re missing Caicedo, of course, but as I type, nice combination-play sees Pedro feed in Delap who doesn’t trust his left foot, poking with his right instead, and that’s easy for the keeper.
Ch ch changes at Arsenal, and for both sides. Andrews removes Jensen, Janelt and Schade for Damsgaard, Henderson and Thiago; Arteta sends on Eze and Saka for Madueke and Martinelli. Both managers think they can win this.
“Sunderland have been great, Liverpool have been awful,” summarises Carragher.
Liverpool give it away in a dangerous area, Hume collects possession, has a dig … Van Dijk makes sure not to ruin his barnet … and Alisson palms on to the bar!
Updated at 15.49 EST
Martinelli gets around the outside down the left, but Brentford are defending well, and close down the spaces.
Credit where it’s due, Sunderland’s 80s revival kits and accompanying stash are excellent; even my wife, who is not so interested in football, has commented on it.
“In the spirit of not being able to compare eras…” begins Chris Milner, “Overmars was twice the speed of any other defender at a time they were transitioning from a diet of curry and lager to … pasta and champagne.
To be a ‘quick’ winger now you have to be a more insane athlete, probably one of the reasons why inverted wingers became a thing. Cut inside if you can’t beat your man for pace. Or because you are so one-footed you have no choice. Or both (Antony).”
Not sure – there were some pretty swift full-backs around at that time. I think inverted wingers became a thing more because teams went to one striker, meaning they needed goals from different areas.
Liverpool are starting to take control at Anfield, but we know Sunderland can defend their box and pose a threat on the counter.
At Arsenal, Brentford have started the second half on the front foot, winning a corner down the right; it’s curled straight into Raya’s gloves.