Key events
I’m not sure which Leeds defender played that pass, but there was nothing to be gained from it and now look. At Villa Park, Aubameyang has been replaced by Gallagher.
GOAL! Leeds United 0-1 Arsenal (Saka 33)
A dreadful crossfield ball, from right to left, allows Arsenal to counter, Odegaard feeding in Saka who smashes in a rising drive from a narrow angle – think Giggs v Seaman – to give the league leaders the lead.
Man United have been good so far this half and are shouting for a penalty – Bruno finds Ronaldo, who’s challenged by Trippier. The defender gets none of the ball, but not much of the man either, so I’m not surprised the ref gives nowt.
We’ve also had two shouts for Ruud Gullit – thanks @DoremusSchafer and John Hubbard – I can’t argue. But I will add Alfredo di Stéfano to the list, even if I keep coming back to Rooney’s prowess in net.
Nineties types assemble!
Controversy at Old Trafford! A Newcastle defender, I’m not sure which, touches the ball when his team have a free-kick and Ronaldo, sharking about, sidles over as Pope prepares to kick it away, and sticks the ball into the empty net. He’s booked, either for interfering or for complaining, but if the ref didn’t deem the restart to have been taken, it wasn’t taken I guess. Still, both teams are playing with proper edge here.
Nice from Newcastle, blocking United in and fashioning a chance for Wilson, who swivels and sends a low effort scuttling past the far post. United are, by the way, trying to play out from the back – which they did with hilarious results at Brentford.
Back under way in our three gremlin-deficient games.
Chelsea send Koulibaly and Azppilicueta on for Cucurella and Havertz, which tells is plenty about the run of play. They’ve been pretty fortunate to get a lead.
I’ve just seen Southampton’s goal again, and noticed that ref inadvertently blocked off Bowen, allowing Perraud to reach the ball first and shoot. The laws, as far as I understand them, tell is that the goal should, therefore, have been disallowed.
Rodrigo spreads wide nicely to Sinisterra, who cuts inside and lashes a dangerous shot that is, I think, deflected, and winds up in the side-netting. Then, from the corner, Ramsdale makes a fine save following a scramble that saw Struik poke a snap-shot goalwards from close range. Then Arsenal go straight down the other end, where Jesus fires high from a tight angle; this is another really good game.
“Surely we’re not having this conversation without Carlton Palmer,” says Chris Lambert of one-man elevens.” Not one of the best players to put on the [name your side] shirt, but certainly one of the most versatile.”
Equally ungainly in every position, I’m sold.
Leeds are struggling to contain Bukayo Saka, who’s been Arsenal’s principal threat so far. I wonder if, had they bean able to get Raphinha, if he’d be playing in midfield now – I’d love to see him in Grani Xhaka’s left-centre role.
Even game so far at Elland Road, Leeds doing a good job of getting tight to Arsenal.
Half-time: Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
The Chelsea goal was a disaster for Villa, but they’ve been really good since then and have created some excellent chances. Make sure you see Kepa’s save from Ings, which was superb.
Half-time: Southampton 1-0 West Ham
My commentators reckon the throw which preceded the goal was a fair one, and from what I’ve seen, Soton were dominant at the start but West Ham took over in the last 15 or so.
Half-time: Man United 0-0 Newcastle United
It’s been a good game, this, and Joelinton will still be wondering how he avoided putting Newcastle in front.
“Surely John O’shea is the only correct answer for an XI made up of one player?” emails Richard Peters. “He’s scored the Cantona-style chip, he’s covered in goal and probably played every position for United (the Manchester variety).”
Trudat – tangentially, I was at Highbury that night, and I think that’s the best league game I’ve ever seen. Anyhow, it’s worth noting, I think, that O’Shea only went in net as an afterthought – it was going to be Rio Ferdinand, who later took the gloves against Portsmouth in 2008, until someone pointed out that he was slightly more useful in defence.
At Old Trafford, it’s United in the ascendancy – though Newcastle are a serious threat – and Antony cross has just flown over Ronaldo’s head. I’m a little surprised he started today because Ten Hag clearly prefers Martial, but he has been so far, circumspect with players returning from knocks.
From what I’ve seen, since Chelsea scored it’s been all Villa at Villa Park. The visitors seem to have Raheem Sterling playing wing-back, which seems an unnecessary tactical flex – but we’ll see.
Sinisterra fires a shot wide for Leeds, but Ramsdale has it covered while, at Southampton, the home side have been forced to replace Armel Bella-Kotchap with Duje Caleta-Car – I think the former has hurt his shoulder.
We’re back away at Elland Road. Football is the winner.
Scamacca is enjoying himself, doing brilliantly to shake off a man and loft a cross to the back stick, which Paqueta somehow heads onto the outside of the far post.
Back at St Mary’s, Scamacca has had a snap-shot following a corner deflected over the top while, at Old Trafford, United move the ball forward nicely and Sancho slips a good ball into Antony, coming across to the near side, and his instashot is saved by Pope with his legs.
“The answer to why they can’t just play without the tech seems to be, in one word, lawyers,” advises Charles Antaki. “Apparently if things happen here where there might be some element of uncertainty, the fact that it would be resolved by human judgement rather than artificial intelligence would mean the other teams who might be disadvantaged by the result would have some sort of £££££ case to argue in the courts. At least that’s what I think the commentators mean by the need for a ‘level playing field’ which I would’ve assumed otherwise would be rather a given.”
Thanks – if that’s so then all clubs should sign a waiver that if the tech is lost, they just get on with the game and don’t cry if something goes against them.
WHAT A SAVE KEPA! Villa are playing well and Bailey diddles Chilwell then crosses well from the right and Ings makes a decent flying connection, only for the keeper to tip away! I always rated him.
“That’s a common sense question,” says Alix Sharkey about why we’ve no football at Leeds, “but what if there’s a debate over whether the ball crossed the goal line? What about a contentious offside call? Of course, we all want to see the game go ahead and Leeds to win (Spurs fan here) but it would asking for trouble, as well as legal minefield should the result affect the relegation battle at the end of the season.”
Football coped for a fair while without any of this. The point of the game is not, in mine, to get correct decisions, and doubt anyone fell in love with it because of them. Anyhow, the players appear to be returning.
Still nothing going on at Leeds, which can’t be right.
YE’VE GOTTAE SCORE! Tripper whacks a free-kick into the wall and when a clever ball comes back in and over the top, Joelinton bobs a header onto the bar, then directs a second effort onto the post with De Gea grounded! What an oversight that is!
Villa are knocking on the door, Kepa making one save, then another follow-up shot hitting the post.
The officials don’t want to know! It looked suss to me, but the goal stands!
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 West Ham (Perraud 20)
A drive from distance is deflected and sneaks in, but West Ham are furious because they think that in the lead-up to the goal, Kyle Walker-Peters had a foot over the line when taking a throw.
Scamacca has just wellied a terrific shot fractionally wide at St Mary’s.
All Southampton at St Mary’s, but nowt in the way of chances so far.
Eeesh, hands on heads at Villa Park, where Bailey, arriving on the burst, has just headed against the top of the bar.
“Newcastle in their traditional green and white today then,” emails Adam Roberts. It’s presumably a spooky coincidence that those are the same colours as the Saudi flag.
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