Key events
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham: Thiago lifts a ball over the top for Nunez to latch onto, he whacks a shot first time from 20 yards but Fabianski makes a fine save to tip over.
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham: “Good grief,” says Justin Kavanagh, “who designs these away kits these days? The West Ham shirt looks like the dog got sick on their laps. Or, given it’s West Ham, maybe a kicked cat?”
Not a fan.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea: The hosts are getting balls into the box, they must think Chelsea are weak in the air …
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea: A cross from the right finds Toney in the box but his header towards goal is easily tipped over the bar by Arrizabalaga.
GOAL! Bournemouth 0-1 Southampton (Adams, 9)
The centre back leaves Adams to find space six yards from goal, allowing him to guide a header into the corner from a perfect left-wing cross.
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham: Another dreadful clearance from Alisson but once against the Hammers fail to make the most of it. Not sure what the Brazilian is doing tonight his distribution has been awful. Gareth Southgate is at Anfield tonight …
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham: Firmino collects the ball 20 yards from goal, turns and takes aim but his shot flashes wide without concerning the goalkeeper.
Newcastle 0-0 Everton: The ball is played back to former Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who is roundly booed. Classic.
Brentford 0-0 Chelsea: The Bees break down the left and the ball is swung into the box where Toney is waiting, he takes a touch but Arrizabalaga is out quickly to force the striker wide and the danger subsides.
Liverpool 0-0 West Ham: Alisson pings a clearance straight to Rice who is just outside the area but he plays a loose pass and Liverpool get away with it.
Kick-off
Whistles are peeping across the country.
A bit of Squires …
“Surely Potter is just helping out England’s HRWC chances,” suggests Joe Pearson. “Keep Pulisic on the bench so he gets sufficiently rusty so as to be effectively useless in Qatar.”
Cunning like a fox.
Neal Butler says: “The problem with Pulisic, as I see it, is that he is a streaky player, and kind of a one-trick-pony. And, despite him being a big deal here in the States, Potter is under no obligation to play Pulisic into form so the USMNT can benefit from that at the HRWC.”
“Why won’t Graham Potter let Christian Pulsic start?” asks Kurt Perleberg. “He’s the USMNT most important player. He has a memoir out right now (My Journey So Far) and he is in a Volkswagen commercial here in the States. But as we saw a few weeks ago when he comes out of the bench.he could touch the ball a few times & score a goal!”
I guess he just prefers others at the moment. He seems to be getting most decisions right.
Elsewhere tonight …
“Chilwell isn’t even on the bench. Is he injured again?” asks Julian Menz.
Not that I know of …
Hopefully tonight’s games are better than Brighton v Forest. Poor Jesse.
There is now more discipline at Everton …
Some good news for Everton as Dominic Calvert-Lewin starts. They have struggled up top this season as their ‘for’ column confirms. Could he make a late run for the World Cup?
A new manager in at Wolves?
Starting lineups: Bournemouth v Southampton
Bournemouth: Neto, Fredericks, Mepham, Senesi, Smith, Cook, Lerma, Billing, Christie, Tavernier, Solanke.
Subs: Travers, Rothwell, Stacey, Stanislas, Dembele, Moore, Pearson, Anthony, Zemura.
Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Caleta-Car, Salisu, Perraud, Maitland-Niles, Ward-Prowse, Elyounoussi, Aribo, A Armstrong, Adams.
Subs: McCarthy, Lyanco, S Armstrong, Mara, Djenepo, Edozie, Diallo, Larios, Walcott.
Starting lineups: Newcastle v Everton
Newcastle: Pope, Trippier, Botman, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Murphy, Almiron, Wilson
Subs: Karius, Lascelles, Shelvey, Lewis, Targett, Wood, Fraser, Willock, Anderson.
Everton: Pickford, Tarkowski, Onana, Calvert-Lewin, Gordon, Gray, Iwobi, Mykolenko, Coleman, Gueye, Coady.
Subs: Begovic, Holgate, Keane, McNeil, Doucoure, Maupay, Davies, Vinagre, Garner.
Starting lineups: Brentford v Chelsea
Brentford: Raya, Pinnock, Mee, Zanka, Roerslev, Onyeka, Jensen, Janelt, Henry, Mbeumo, Toney.
Subs: Cox, Canos, Dasilva, Wissa, Ghoddos, Ajer, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Baptiste.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Jorginho, Gallagher, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Havertz, Broja.
Subs: Mendy, Silva, Kovacic, Aubameyang, Pulisic, Sterling, Zakaria, Ziyech, Chukwuemeka.
Starting lineups: Liverpool v West Ham
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Thiago, Carvalho; Salah, Firmino, Nunez
Subs: Kelleher, Fabinho, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Clark, Phillips:
West Ham: Fabianski; Johnson, Kehrer, Zouma, Cresswell; Rice, Downes, Soucek; Bowen, Scamacca, Fornals
Subs: Areola, Randolph, Coufal, Antonio, Lanzini, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Coventry, Emerson
Preamble
There are five games tonight (we will focus on the 7.30pm BST kick-offs) in the Premier League, and there is no shortage of intrigue among the offering.
Liverpool will be looking to follow up their victory over Manchester City when West Ham visit. Jurgen Klopp’s side looked more aggressive and confident at Anfield on Sunday so a replication of such a performance will ensure it is a tricky night for David Moyes’ side. The Hammers, however, will not be fearful thanks to a five-game unbeaten run and if they can carry on such a sequence they will be ecstatic.
Elsewhere, Newcastle are hosting Everton. Eddie Howe’s side sit sixth at the start of the night and could move up a place if Spurs get something at Manchester United in the 8.15pm kick-off. The Magpies and their expensively assembled squad are looking like a side who can challenge for European spots, having not lost since August. Everton are slowly improving under Frank Lampard thanks to a more stable defence and midfield but they really need to find some zip in the final third if they are to get back to being a top-half team because they are struggling for goals.
Brentford and Chelsea are doing battle in a west London derby. The Bees showed what they could do against Brentford on Friday and Graham Potter can do no wrong at Chelsea, making it an intriguing 90 minutes ahead.
If all that is not too much for you, then we can indulge ourselves with Bournemouth v Southampton. One side is looking composed under a caretaker manager, while the other could soon need one. Gary O’Neil is unbeaten since replacing Scott Parker on a temporary basis and Southampton, arriving in the relegation zone, are tipped to send Ralph Hassenhuttl packing if results do not take a dramatic upwards turn.
Here’s to a fun night!