Key events
Lampard 2-0 Rooney in Coventry.
“That Cole Palmer – City could do with him,” writes Gary Naylor.
Goal! Chelsea 1-0 Fulham (Palmer)
Who else?
“Absolute worldie,” says Merse of Palmer’s latest meisterwerk for the Blues. “He just passes it into the corner – phenomenal goal – on the half turn, he beats two defenders and just passes it in. Unbelievable finish.”
Unbelievable, Jeff.
Having witnessed Forest’s impressive defending at Brentford last weekend it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they turn Tottenham over today. And where would that leave Ange Postecoglou?
Tell me on email, Tottenham fans.
“I’d be shocked if this ends up 0-0. But it’s 0-0,” Paul Merson says on Sky Sports of Chelsea v Fulham.
“It shocks me there aren’t more Gunners out there scared about our Carabao Cup draw,” writes Kieran McKintosh. “Facing the likes of Isak, Gordon, Tonali et al hammering our defence again and again twice in a row does not fill me with confidence. Especially since our own answer to Isak is injured. Fingers crossed for the New Year – both with this and asking that girl in my lectures out.”
Good luck mate.
I’ve had to bin the Scottish Premiership essay I just wrote, having received this from Simon McMahon:
“Season’s greetings to you and all clockwatchers, Luke. Hibs have beaten Hearts 2-1 in the Edinburgh derby to move up to seventh in the table and leave Hearts in 10th, just two points above St. Johnstone at the bottom, having played a game more. Hearts fans will now be looking for a favour from Dundee United, who visit St. Johnstone today and could go fourth with a win if, as expected, Celtic take care of Motherwell at home…”
Frank Lampard’s Coventry have gone 1-0 up at home against Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle in the Supposedly Golden Generation Derby.
That’s the 17th Premier League goal Newcastle have scored since the start of December. In three matches before this one it was three, four and three. Golazo!
Goal! Newcastle 1-0 Aston Villa (Gordon 2)
Newcastle simply cannot stop scoring. Gordon curls the ball beyond Emiliano Martínez and Eddie Howe’s men have truly discovered their shooting boots.
First half kick-off!
Here we go.
Jamie Jackson
Manchester City’s plight is their individual kind of deja vu nightmare. Featuring domination, taking the lead, creating numerous chances, the spurning of these, and the pesky foe taking one of their very few to thwart those in blue.
Add to the above a dismal 53rd-minute Erling Haaland penalty miss – greeted with a mischievous wink by Jordan Pickford following his save – and times are ever more trying for Pep Guardiola’s men.
Newcastle v Aston Villa: The Villans are unchanged after beating City. For the Magpies, Joelinton is back from suspension and Kieran Trippier also comes back in.
Bournemouth v Palace: Three changes for the hosts – Enes Unal returns after their 3-0 win against Manchester United. Captain Lewis Cook and Max Aarons are also back in.
Eberechi Eze, Daniel Munoz and Trevoh Chalobah return for Palace as Oliver Glasner also makes three changes.
Chelsea v Fulham: Enzo Maresca has restored Marc Cucurella to his team after suspension. Fulham’s Marco Silva, meanwhile, makes it five changes: Joachim Andersen, Sasa Lukic, Andreas Pereira, Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez all come in.
Southampton v West Ham: Ivan Juric takes charge of his first Southampton match. Lesley Ugochukwu and Paul Onuachu start in place of Joe Aribo and Tyler Dibling.
For the Hammers there are also two changes: Carlos Soler returns from a ban, and Guido Rodríguez starts.
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham: Big Ange Postecoglou restores Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson and Rodrigo Bentancur to his starting lineup. Bentancur has served his seven-game ban for a racial slur aimed at Heung-min Son. Pedro Porro, James Maddison and Yves Bissouma drop to the bench.
Forest, meanwhile, are boosted by the return of captain Ryan Yates in the middle of the park.
Full time: Manchester City 1-1 Everton.
Hapless City were fortunate not to lose that at the end.
Savinho has just committed a hilarious mis-kick for City against Everton when apparently attempting a cross. That’s all you need to know.
Sporting have appointed Rui Borges as head coach, after the Portuguese champions sacked Joao Pereira on Boxing Day. The new head coach has signed a contract until June 2026, with an option to extend a further year.
Crisis club Manchester City are drawing 1-1 with Everton here:
Five or so minutes to go …
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace teams
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga, Aarons, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Cook, Christie, Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara, Unal. Substitutes: Travers, Brooks, Evanilson, Adams, Hill, Billing, Winterburn, Kinsey-Wellings, Harris.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta. Substitutes: Turner, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Richards, Doucoure, Devenny, Kporha, Agbinone.
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Newcastle v Aston Villa teams
Newcastle: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy, Isak, Gordon. Substitutes: Vlachodimos, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Onana, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Duran. Substitutes: Olsen, Diego Carlos, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Watkins, Philogene-Bidace, Nedeljkovic, Bailey.
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Chelsea v Fulham teams
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Sancho, Palmer, Pedro Neto, Jackson. Substitutes: Jorgensen, Bettinelli, Disasi, Joao Felix, Nkunku, Casadei, George, Acheampong, Guiu.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Iwobi, Andreas Pereira, Lukic, Traore, Jimenez. Substitutes: Benda, Wilson, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Vinicius, Cuenca, King, Sessegnon, Godo.
Referee: Sam Barrott
Southampton v West Ham teams
Southampton: Ramsdale, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood-Gordon, Sugawara, Downes, Ugochukwu, Walker-Peters, Fernandes, Armstrong, Onuachu. Substitutes: McCarthy, Manning, Aribo, Lallana, Bree, Archer, Sulemana, Fraser, Dibling.
West Ham: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson Palmieri, Rodriguez, Bowen, Soler, Soucek, Kudus, Fullkrug. Substitutes: Areola, Cresswell, Coufal, Summerville, Luis Guilherme, Ings, Alvarez, Todibo, Irving.
Referee: Lewis Smith
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham teams
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Yates, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wood. Substitutes: Carlos Miguel, Morato, Awoniyi, Toffolo, Ward-Prowse, Alex, Jota Silva, Sosa, Boly.
Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Udogie, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Bentancur, Sarr, Kulusevski, Son, Johnson, Solanke. Substitutes: Austin, Reguilon, Bissouma, Maddison, Bergvall, Werner, Porro, Lankshear, Olusesi.
Referee: Craig Pawson
Preamble
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate. What better way to spend Boxing Day, AKA St Stephen’s Day, AKA 26 December, than glued to some flippant yet timely updates on the 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League?
This afternoon’s top-flight menu consists of Newcastle v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham, Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, Chelsea v Fulham and Southampton v West Ham.
There are too many plots, sub-plots, sub-texts and actual texts there to cram into this humble preamble, so let’s crack on with some team news, and take it from there.
Kick-off: 3pm.
