Premier League team news, Women’s Champions League draw and more – live

1 year ago 60

Key events

On this day 50 years ago… John Radford scored one of the great forgotten goals.

If you want a bit of context, you can read more on my Substack.

From the archive (II)

For some reason the original matador-and-bull dance never became part of the canon, despite the Match of the Day cameras having also witnessed Manchester United’s impotent shame. The most underrated passage of play in the history of English football? Yes

“Good to see the league table, thanks, and remind myself that it’s not all doom and gloom,” writes Matt Dony. “If Liverpool win their game(s) in hand, they’ll be up to 8th, and only just behind Brentford and Brighton! Dizzy heights! I mean, the word ‘If’ is doing a lot of work there, but still. Something to hang on to…”

Delusio- sorry, hope springs eternal. I think they’ll finish the season really strongly, like they did after another winter breakdown in 2020-21, but they’ve probably left it too late to finish in the top four.

Women’s Champions League draw

The draw for the quarter-finals (and the semis) will take place around midday UK time. As you’d expect, it’s a cracking line-up.

Group winners Chelsea, Wolfsburg, Arsenal, Barcelona

Group runners-up Paris Saint-Germain, Roma, Lyon, Bayern Munich

Chelsea can’t draw PSG, who they met in the group stage; ditto Arsenal and Lyon.

On this day 30 years ago… emergency forward Paul Warhurst continues a remarkable run of form as Sheffield Wednesday win 4-2 at Blackburn in the first leg of their Coca-Cola Cup semi-final.

Thirty years though.

From the archive

In a magnificent maelstrom of a match that featured 12 yellow cards, one red and a clatter of controversial penalty calls, Gerrard may well have got himself hurt or sent off: certainly he wouldn’t have conjured the magic that McAllister mustered in the last minute.

A reminder of the Premier League table ahead of the weekend fun and games.

On this day in 1990… Spurs won a league game at Stamford Bridge for the only time between 1986 and 2018. And yes, that is the people’s commentator, Richard Keys, providing the soundtrack.

Liverpool v Everton

And here’s more on Jurgen Klopp’s press conference this morning, including his decision to give the players two days off after their grisly defeat at Molineux last weekend.

Bournemouth v Newcastle

Here’s Eddie Howe on the prospect of returning to the club where he has spent most of his adult life.

🗣️ "It's difficult to predict how I'll feel walking out to a stadium that I know so well"

Eddie Howe says it will be hard going back to his former club as Newcastle take on Bournemouth this Saturday pic.twitter.com/tYbxWCZRgF

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 10, 2023

On this day in 1988… Ted McMinn scores a belter, and Gordon Strachan invites Peter Shilton to have a little sit-down (14m56s if it doesn’t start in the right place).

Crystal Palace v Brighton (Saturday, 3pm)

Here’s Ed Aarons’ preview of the big game at Selhurst Park. Palace, who haven’t won at home since October, are in danger of being dragged into a relegation struggle. They are 12th, which looks very snug, but they are only six points clear of Everton in 18th.

Qatar x Man Utd

The redevelopment of Old Trafford is long overdue, but anybody who visited the grotesque and soulless domes of Qatar’s World Cup will testify that money can buy you a lot of things, but it doesn’t buy you taste.

Continental Cup

Chelsea will play Arsenal in the final on 5 March after marmalising West Ham in last night’s semi-final. In a surprising development, Sam Kerr scored four of their seven goals.

Liverpool v Everton (& other stories)

Liverpool are in a truly horrible slump, however, having scored twice in their past five games in all competitions – both goals coming from Harvey Elliott – and conceded eight, leaving Jürgen Klopp to cut an increasingly resentful figure. The odds still favour the hosts on Monday, but good luck to all those in the post-match press conference if Klopp’s side, like Arsenal last weekend, succumb to the grinding might of Dycheismo.

Crystal Palace v Brighton (Saturday, 3pm)

If you want to know how Crystal Palace v Brighton became such a combustible fixture, this old piece from Simon Burnton is well worth a read.

Lincoln play Bristol Rovers at home tomorrow. This, one must confess, would not ordinarily merit inclusion in the Friday football blog – but have you seen their home record in League Two?

P13 W2 D11 L0 F13 A10 P17

Despite, or perhaps because of, that record, Lincoln could be relegated this season. This led to a cracking question in this week’s Knowledge, which I had the abundant pleasure of researching.

I promise, if you’re a league-table nerd, this isn’t clickbait; it’s clickbloodyoxygen.

Fulham v Nottm Forest (Saturday, 3pm)

Although they have not won a league match in nearly a month, there is no doubting Fulham’s gathering sense of purpose this season. Narrow league defeats by Newcastle and Tottenham were followed by a goalless draw against Chelsea before this week’s FA Cup fourth-round replay win at Sunderland (despite nine changes) that set up a fifth-round tie against Leeds.

The manager, Marco Silva, will be back in the dugout for the visit of Nottingham Forest, another side finding their feet in the top division, having served a one-match touchline ban. “Of course I want to be with my players … to feel the emotions of the game in a different way,” Silva told the BBC on Wednesday after paying his dues. “The view is much, much better … you can see everything in a different way,” Silva said of his evening in the Stadium of Light stands.

He might be saying the same of Fulham’s lofty league position if they can successfully unlock Steve Cooper’s miserly defence: victory could potentially lift them up to sixth place. Forest were arguably fortunate to keep Leeds at bay in their 1-0 win last Sunday, and there will be plenty more defending to do in south-west London. Based on their own confidence-boosting Premier League run, Cooper’s side will approach the match without fear. Luke McLaughlin

Eddie Howe on Christian Atsu, who is still missing after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

It’s hugely worrying. Really, really enjoyed working with Christian [when he was on loan at Bournemouth] – great lad, great player. Thoughts are with him and his family. We hope there’s some good news. We hope he’s okay. But we’re really concerned for him and his welfare. It’s been difficult because they have been conflicting stories about his whereabouts… I can’t imagine how his family are feeling. From the bottom of our hearts we wish him well and hope there’s a positive ending.

Then, after a slightly awkward segue, Howe confirmed that Alexander Isak has passed concussion protocols and will be in the squad for Newcastle’s trip to Bournemouth.

Liverpool’s Jota may return against Everton

Jurgen Klopp is getting his press conference out the way so he can enjoy his Friday, like Alvy Singer and Annie Hall having their first kiss before the meal so that they can digest their food better.

He seems amiable enough, if a little coiled, and says that the intensity of Liverpool’s training has been extremely good this week. Diogo Jota was among those training with the requisite intensity, and Klopp says he could be involved against Everton on Monday night. Roberto Firmino may also be in the squad, but it’s too early for Virgil van Dijk. Thiago Alcantara is also doubtful because of a hip problem.

Oh, and Klopp had absolutely nothing (say it again) to say about Manchester City.

Preamble

Right, who’s goes that Friday feeling? I’ll tell you who hasn’t: Pep Guardiola. For a start he’s working the weekend, again, and before that, at around 1.30pm, he has to endure a press conference in which the first 474 questions will all be about Manchester City’s alleged financial tomfoolery.

At the best of times Pep fulfils his media commitments with all the loquaciousness and joie de vivre of an introvert on a stag do. These, emphatically, are not the best of times.

As well as a forensic study of Pep’s face as he processes yet another passive-aggressive reminder of his pledge to quit City if they ever lied to him, we’ll have the usual hype and bullishness ahead of an important weekend in the Premier League. It’s a pretty good set of fixtures, including some of English football’s bigger rivalries.

Saturday (3pm unless stated)