Key events
We’ve also got a full SPL programme tonight.
I’d also take a job that got me this tracksuit.
So which matches to watch? I don’t think I can do better than three, and we’re covering Liverpool v Sunderland – join the great Rob Smyth for that one.
So I’ll start with Arsenal v Brentford, Brighton v Villa and the goals as they go in; I guess I’ll swap one for Leeds v Chelsea when that gets going.
Emi Martinez injured and won’t play for Villa
Marco Bizot comes in.
Email! “Could this be the first time that a player with the surname Henry will grace the Arsenal pitch since Thierry’s retirement? wonders Peter Oh – no, I’m sure Karl Henry played there for Wolves, as well as Rico himself, and how good it is to see him back.
“As a Liverpool fan I would love to see Arsenal drop points today and feel some Schade-freude. Ouattara the chances?”
It’s always possible because, as I said below, Arteta’s Arsenal tend to be methodical rather than devastating and may lose some fluidity without Saka and as Odegaard gets back to it. I’d back Arsenal to win 2-1, and I’d not be staggered if they’ve to come from behind to do it.
So Salah remains on the Liverpool bench; this feels like the beginning of the end doesn’t it? Even this time last year, his run of form felt unsustainable – it reminded me of Robin van Persie’s in 2012-13. Good enough August-January to secure the title, before tailing off thereafter, never to return. If Liverpool get a decent offer for the summer, my sense is there’ll be a hug, a handshake, and a long goodbye.
Late kick-off teams
Leeds: Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Ampadu, Tanaka, Stach, Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Darlow, Justin, Bornauw, Gruev, Harrison, Aaronson, Gnonto, Okafor, Piroe.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Andrey Santos; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Gittens; Delap. Subs: Jorgensen, Gusto, Acheampong, James, Hato, Palmer, Garnacho, Neto, Guiu.
**
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Mandava, Alderete, Talbi, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Brobbey. Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Geertruda, Neil, Mundle, Adingra, Traore, Mayenda, Isidor.
Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak. Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Kerkez, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
And finally, Wolces are unchanged; Forest leave out Dominguez, with Hutchinson coming in while Murillo, whose nickname I sincerely hope is Lisbon, remains injured.
At Burnley, Anthony and Ekdal come in for Mejbri and Tuanzebe; Palace try Lerma for the injured Sarr.
OK, I’ve failed in my bid to get SkyGo going in different browsers; bah. Meantime, Brighton leave out Ayari and Welbeck, with Baleba and Tzimas coming in; Villa swap out Malen, Digne, Buendia and Tielemans, for Watkins, Maatsen, Guessand and Onana.
The key point here is: goodness me, what a squad Arsenal have bought. They have two players for every position, almost all of them are physical brutes, and though there will be a few they can’t do without for a period because the best players are irreplaceable, they look very strong. It might not be enough for the title – they lack, perhaps the attacking verve that means you rarely get involved in close games – but this time, they’re not running out of steam.
Lots of changes at the Emirates. Arsenal make three, with White, Odegaard and Madueke coming in; Timber, Eze and Saka drop out. Oh, and Gyokeres and Jesus are back on the bench after spells out with injury.
Brentford, meanwhile, make five alterations. Igot Thiago, their top scorer in on the bench and so are Hickey, Damsgaard, Henderson and Collins; Henry, Pinnock, Yarmoliuk Janelt and Ajer replace them.
Teams!
Arsenal: Raya, White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Merino. Subs: Kepa, Timber, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Eze, Saka, Jesus, Gyokeres.
Brentford: Kelleher, Kayode, Ajer, Pinnock, Van den Berg, Henry, Jensen, Yarmoliuk, Janelt, Schade, Ouattara. Subs: Valdimarsson, Henderson, Thiago, Onyeka, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Arthur, Donovan.
**
Brighton: Verbruggen; Dunk, Van Hecke, Gruda, Kadioglu; Baleba, Wieffer; Tzimas, Minteh, Gomez; De Cuyper. Subs: Steele, Hinshelwood, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Boscagli, Veltman, Coppola, Knight, Oriola.
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Guessand; Watkins. Subs: Bizot, Digne, Lindelof, Garcia, Bogarde, Tielemans, Sancho, Buendia, Malen.
**
Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Ekdal, Hartman, Florentino, Cullen, Tchaouna, Anthony, Foster, Flemming. Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Bruun Larsen, Ugochukwu, Edwards, Pires, Broja, Hannibal, Laurent.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Wharton, Kamada, Pino, Mateta. Subs: Matthews, Benitez, Nketiah, Uche, Clyne, Hughes, Esse, Canvot, Devenny.
**
Wolves: Johnstone, Tchatchoua, Agbadou, Mosquera, Toti, Wolfe, Andre, Gomes, Bellegarde, Arias, Strand Larsen. Subs: Sa, Doherty, Bueno, Munetsi, Hwang, Arokodare, Chirewa, Hoever, Mane.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Savona, Morato, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Ndote, Gibbs-White, Hutchinson, Igor. Subs: Abbott, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi, Kalimuendo, Victor, McAtee, Cunha, Yates, Boly.
Preamble
There are certain types of day that are good for football: clear, crisp ones; surface-slickening drizzly ones; matter-of-principle hosing down with rain ones; snowy orange-ball ones; or, in other words, a kick-about is always a blinding idea.
But how many decent matches do you see in that nause of a lunchtime slot? Some, of course – one of the first was one of the best, Crystal Palace 4-3 Liverpool in the 1990 FA Cup semi-final – but generally speaking, the craziest stuff happens at night. Just look at last evening, for example, which gave us ridiculous wildness in two out of three fixtures.
So we can approach today with hope. At the top of the table, Arsenal will hope to restore their five-point lead, but know Brentford are wise to the set-piece ruse; at the Amex, it’s fifth against fourth as Brighton entertain Villa; Burnley and Wolves, second-bottom and bottom, are scrapping for home points against Palace and Forest respectively; Chelsea, on a bit of a buzz, visit old friends Leeds; and Liverpool, who’ve lost six in eight, welcome to Anfield a Sunderland side fresh off their latest miraculous victory. Or, in other words, this could be mayham.
Kick-offs: Arsenal v Brentford, Brighton v Villa, Burnley v Palace and Wolves v Forest: 7.30pm GMT. Leeds v Chelsea and Liverpool v Sunderland 8.15pm GMT.
