Evening all, welcome to tonight’s Premier League match tracker on The42.
We’ll keep you up to date with all four of the night’s games, with a particular eye on Anfield as Liverpool aim to make sure that This Does Not S**p.
Get in touch – email gavincooney@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie or @gcooney93 or alternatively leave a comment below.
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Here are tonight’s fixtures.
The team news is in for the two 7.45pm kick-offs.
Gonzalo Higuain makes his Premier League debut for Chelsea at Bournemouth, who will also have to deal with an Eden Hazard playing in his favoured, wide-left position.
Here’s the Bournemouth team, meanwhile, without Callum Wilson.
📰 Headline #BOUCHE team news ahead of our @premierleague game against @ChelseaFC at Vitality Stadium.
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) January 30, 2019
🔘 Wilson, Lerma miss out
🔘 Stanislas, Surman start
🔘 Solanke, Mepham on bench
Listen live 📻: https://t.co/DOYLcT7l9Z#afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/pqekhVeexc
Elsewhere, Shane Long is on the bench for Southampton against Crystal Palace.
The teams are in! 🚨
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 30, 2019
Here's how #SaintsFC line-up against #CPFC tonight in the #PL: pic.twitter.com/MXnEEZGlrn
Few surprises in the Palace team.
Here's how #CPFC 🦅 line up against @SouthamptonFC this evening.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 30, 2019
Come on you Palace! #SOUCRY pic.twitter.com/D1iHu4jA4R
Some big news for Liverpool: Virgil van Dijk starts against Leicester. He had been in doubt through illness, but will maintain his record of starting every Premier League game so far this season.
It looks like Georginio Wijnaldum will play at right-back, given Liverpool are without Trent Alexander-Arnold (injured), Joe Gomez (injured), James Milner (suspended) and Nathaniel Clyne (in Bournemouth).
Here’s the Leicester team:
The Foxes team to face Liverpool at Anfield 👥#LivLei pic.twitter.com/qrUbOw06sr
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 30, 2019
For Tottenham, Son comes straight back into the starting line-up, fresh off a plane from the Asian Cup. Fernando Llorente plays again, with Eric Dier and Kieran Trippier on the bench.
Watford, who shocked Spurs at Vicarage Road at the start of the season, line up as follows.
Presented without comment.
A reminder of what’s at stake tonight:
- Chelsea can restore a three point cushion over Arsenal in fourth place.
- Southampton can leap to 14th with a win over Palace, pushing their opponents into dangerous territory in 17th place if they do so.
- Spurs can go two points behind Man City if they win at home to Watford…or they can further prove they should probably have signed someone. Anyone.
- And Liverpool can go seven points clear of Manchester City with a win against Leicester City. They have yet to drop a single point against teams outside the top six thus far, but their defence has been depleted by injuries, their defence wobbled badly against Palace last time out and pressure addles minds, so let’s see if they can they can handle it…
‘You talk about things we have absolutely no interest in’ Klopp says down the camera to The42.
Klopp says he didn’t watch the Newcastle game last night, picking a movie instead, and says he has no interest in celebrating City losing.
Rio Ferdinand is sceptical on BT Sport: ‘He definitely high-fived the missus on the couch’.
A new life for the leased man on the left, and a new lease of life for the man on the right? Bournemouth v Chelsea kicks off in five minutes.
Word from the Liverpool warm-up has Jordan Henderson warming up at right-back rather than Wijnaldum, as was initially advertised by this friendly liveblog.
A brief interlude from abroad: Fiorentina beat Roma, er, 7-1 in the Coppa Italia tonight.
Teams are out at Anfield, where it is pelting snow. Don’t expect to cool the pressure on Liverpool, however.
Things are shortly getting underway at Wembley, too, while its goalless in the two 7.45 kick offs.
Follow it all here!
Right, we are underway.
Liverpool have Jordan Henderson at right-back.
Some grateful banners at Anfield tonight.
Banners on point tonight pic.twitter.com/KCUZuj1YhO
— AudunMan (@AudunMan) January 30, 2019
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-0 LEICESTER (MANE 2′)
What a start for Liverpool! Sadio Mane curls the ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel, picking up a pass in the box from Andy Robertson. Leicester had one touch. One!
Almost a second goal for Liverpool. They sweep down the right with Salah, who hoists it to the back post for Firmino, whose gorgeous touch prefaces a low shot that’s pushed around the post by Schmeichel.
From the corner, Mane plants a free header wide. Two great early chances.
Nervy moment for Liverpool. Alisson makes a hames of a clearance, forcing Henderson to challenge Albrighton, who fell to the ground. Referee thought about it and said no foul.
Rafa Benitez’ name is being sung around Anfield. Oddly, Roy Hodgson didn’t get the same treatment for beating City last month.
There is snow scattered across the Anfield pitch.
Shorts weather 😅 #NFFC pic.twitter.com/HcIB9UFrXV
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) January 30, 2019
Liverpool have had just the 86% of possession thus far.
Elsewhere, it’s goalless in the other three games.
Joel Matip gets booked for a cynical clip of Jamie Vardy’s heels.
We’ve had a solid four minutes of Liverpool knocking the ball about in front of Leicester, who are sitting deep despite trailing 1-0. The snow on the pitch has slowed the pace of Liverpool’s passing, meaning all is a little subdued.
Huge chance for Leicester! Alisson is caught out yet again, dawdling on the ball. His clearance is half-charged down, and Albrighton’s cross is somehow steered wide from point-blank range by Madisson.
Elsewhere, Wilfried Zaha has fired Palace a goal in front against Southampton.
That faint sound you hear is the wafting across the Irish Sea of 45,000 CLEAR IT!!s in Alisson’s direction. The snow-padded pitch really doesn’t suit him.
Half-time scores
Southampton 0 – 1 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth 0 – 0 Chelsea
Leicester have opened up a bit, and are scenting nerves, if not blood, among the Liverpool defence.
Liverpool have had some counter-attacking opportunities but the pitch is taking the pace off passes, thus spurning chances to break.
Ahead of kick-off against Bournemouth, the Chelsea players observe a minute’s reflection dedicated to Emiliano Sala.
GOAL! Spurs 0 – 1 Watford (Cathcart 38′)
Spurs January agony goes on as they fall behind against Watford, seven minutes before the break.
Craig Cathcart met Holebas’ header, which trundles over the line via a deflection. When your luck is out…
Harry Maguire gets booked for kicking Sadio Mane, who was sprinting onto a through ball from van Dijk. He was probably far enough from goal for it not to be a red…
The no-look….slide challenge?
In other news, David Luiz got thwacked in the face by a Josh King rocket at point-blank range. He seemed to be knocked out cold, yet has returned to play after receiving treatment. Hmm….
Re David Luiz – Houston Texans’ JJ Watt tweeted “David Luiz got absolutely rocked in the face by a ball kicked full force from about 5 yards away. Knocked out cold, then back in the game playing like a champ 45 seconds later. I guess the concussion protocols are a bit different across the pond”.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Leicester (Harry Maguire, 45′)
Leicester level with the last kick of the first-half! Andy Robertson gave away a silly free-kick on the touch-line, Liverpool failed to clear the ball properly, and Ben Chilwell hoisted the ball into the penalty area to find an unmarked, on-side Harry Maguire who finished superbly.
Are Liverpool about to do a…City?
Half-time scores
Liverpool 1 – 1 Leicester
Spurs 0 – 1 Watford
GOAL! Bournemouth 1 – 0 Chelsea (King 47′)
Josh King lashes Bournemouth in front at home to Chelsea, assisted by David Brooks. At this rate, the only of the top six to win this midweek will be Arsenal.
In spite of starting really well, Liverpool have slacked off and that Leicester equaliser wasn’t exactly unforeseen. They look vulnerable defensively, and are perhaps short in midfield with both Keita and Shaqiri passengers. The sticky pitch isn’t helping them either, and Anfield is decidedly nervy.
A draw wouldn’t be a terrible result – they would have made ground on City – but it would feel like an opportunity wasted.
On the topic of wasting opportunities – what of Spurs? They have a chance to go just two points behind City and, as it stands, seven off Liverpool, with both teams among their remaining fixtures.
Yet they trail Watford at half-time. Can they give themesleves a chink of light looking up the table, or are they going to spend the next couple of weeks looking over their shoulder?
Interesting – Liverpool’s groundstaff have cleared the snow in the penalty area in front of the Kop, the end Liverpool are attacking while leaving the one they are defending untouched. Crafty…
Underway in the respective second-halves at Anfield and Wembley.
GOAL! Bournemouth 2 – 0 Chelsea (Brooks, 63′)
David Brooks, one of the signings of the season, has Chelsea in all sorts of bother now. They trail by two goals with half an hour to go. Gonzalo, a lonely Chelsea manager turns his eyes to you…
At Wembley, Fernando Llorente has just spooned the ball over the bar from two yards out. Oh dear.
At Anfield, it’s all Leicester. They’ve had another big, big chance: a deep free-kick was headed across the box by Maguire, and Alisson makes a superb save top prevent a Firmoino own goal.
Anfield is almost silent, and has been enveloped by nerves.
Joel Matip passes the ball out of play, a minute after Anfield groaned at a misplaced Firmino pass. Liverpool are all over the shop.
Bloody hell!
Wembley attendance tonight 29,164...
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) January 30, 2019
Liverpool perhaps unlucky to be denied a penalty as Keita is clipped in the box by Ricardo.
GOAL! Bournemouth 3 -0 Chelsea (King 74′)
King scores his second and Bournemouth’s third. Nightmare trip for Chelsea.
GOAL! Southampton 1 – 1 Crystal Palace (James Ward-Prowse 78′)
Jordan Henderson charged down on the ball by Vardy. If he’s going to win the Ballon D’Or, it won’t be as a right-back.
A positive start. He’s since been subbed for Giroud.
Higuain had no shots at all, no key passes and two offsides. I wonder if he can carry the burden of the number 9 shirt at Chelsea too. Early days granted #CFC #BOUCHE
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 30, 2019
Keita and Shaqiri have gone off for Fabinho and Lallana.
364 days after Bournemouth beat Chelsea 3-0, Bournemouth are beating Chelsea 3-0. Bring on January 29th, 2020.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) January 30, 2019
There are Liverpool fans with their heads in their hands in an almost silent ground, despite the fact that they are not actually losing. It’s a bizarre atmosphere, and proof that there’s an anxiety there about the next few months that Liverpool will have to deal with that City won’t.
Red card! Zaha has been sent off for Palace.
Anfield stirs to life. Gray wastes a terrific counter for Leicester by shooting straight at Alisson, while Henderson forces a corner for Liverpool….that comes to nowt.
Firmino forces Schmeichel into a great save, and Joel Matip heads the resulting corner wide.
Maddison makes way for the well-coiffed Choudhury.
Robertson has oceans of space and time but chooses to volley a first-time shot that sails into the Kop.
Full-time result
Southampton 1 -1 Crystal Palace
GOAL! Spurs 1 -1 Watford (Son, 80′)
GOAL! Bournemouth 4 – 0 Chelsea ( Daniels 90 + 5)
Full-time result
Bournemouth 4 – 0 Chelsea
Jaysus.
Liverpool have strted to kick into gear, and Leicester have fallen very deep. Mo Salah wins a free-kick just outside the penalty area…
…Salah put that free-kick into the wall and it came to nothing.
Firmino is replaced by Daniel Sturridge for the final eight minutes.
4 - Chelsea have lost a Premier League game by a four-goal margin for just the second time in the competition's history (also 1-5 v Liverpool in Sept 1996). Shock. pic.twitter.com/Rk9W10v52X
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 30, 2019
Demarai Gray is replaced by Shinji Okazaki for Leicester, whom BT Sport tell us hasn’t scored in 34 games.
GOAL! Spurs 2 -1 Watford (Llorente 87′)
Llorente does it! Having missed a sitter in the second-half, the Spaniard pops up to score what could be a late winner!
Choudhury makes a superb sliding challenge to deny Sadio Mane as Liverpool gallop clear on the counter. Sturridge then shanks a shot into the Kop.
Two minutes to go at Anfield. Can Liverpool find a winner?
Iheanacho replaces Jamie Vardy.
4 additional minutes at Anfield
Johnny Evans makes a great challenge to deny Sturridge a tap in. All Liverpool in injury time
FT: Spurs 2-1 Watford
Liverpool corner, a minute to go…
…which Mane heads over.
FT: Liverpool 1 -1 Leicester
FT: Liverpool 1 – 1 Leicester
All over at Anfield. Liverpool make ground on City, but not to the extent they would have wished. It’s the first time they have dropped points against a side outside the top six, with Anfield curiously anxious.
It’s been a positive week for them, but that a January game was so thick with anxiety doesn’t augur well for the months ahead.
Leicester, meanwhile, defended superbly and created as many chances as Liverpool did.
Spurs, meanwhile, continue to redefine ‘Spursy’ and are not entirely out of the title race.
Thanks for reading, goodnight!
Join us to preview the Six Nations with Simon Zebo, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey on Thursday @7pm in Liberty Hall Theatre Dublin.
