Key events
An hour gone at Pittodrie, and it remains Aberdeen 1-1 Celtic.
Minute by minute, Arsenal are getting the job done at the Amex, where there are now just five minutes to play.
At Villa Park, home fans are heading for the exit while Ollie Watkins looks rueful on the bench. He’s been replaced by Tammy Abraham after a tough night in front of goal.
Big goal for Luton, who lead Northampton 2-1 at Kenilworth Road, and look to be heading to a Wembley showdown with Stockport.
Forest pounce on another loose City pass, and while the moment passes, the visitors currently look the more likely to score at the minute. At the other end, substitute Jeremy Doku sends a wild shot high and wide.
“The constant booing that Trossard gets from Brighton fans is baffling to me. Yeah, he fell out with De Zerbi before leaving, but falling out is what people do with De Zerbi,” writes Kari Tulinius. “From the booing, you’d think he’d burned every Brightonian’s childhood teddy bear.”
Half time: Newcastle 1-1 Man Utd
Casemiro has quickly levelled against 10-man Newcastle, and now the half-time whistle blows.
GOAL! Man City 2-2 Nottm Forest (Anderson 77′)
Forest just won’t lie down, and they’re level again! It’s Elliot Anderson this time, sweeping the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box. Finish!
Late drama to end the first half at St James’ Park, with Jacob Ramsey shown a second yellow card for diving, then Newcastle being awarded a penalty moments later. Anthony Gordon converts, and Newcastle lead 1-0!
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-4 Chelsea (Pedro 65′)
Villa’s high line is torn apart once again, with Garnacho sliding the ball across for Pedro to complete his hat-trick. A big win for Chelsea, and Villa’s Champions League bid is in danger of unravelling.
Cherki’s through ball finds Haaland, who is able to take a touch and go around Sels, before going down after contact. It looks like a penalty, but the referee waves play on, and there’s no VAR intervention.
Baleba’s shot is closed down as Brighton keep hunting that equaliser. Time for former Gunner Danny Welbeck to join the fray.
It’s still incredibly end-to-end at Aston Villa, with Watkins failing to take a chance, allowing Chelsea to break. James has Garnacho in the middle, but his cross-shot is too close to Martinez.
GOAL! Fulham 0-1 West Ham (Summerville 65′)
And a significant goal at Craven Cottage, where Jarrod Bowen tees up Crysencio Summerville to open the scoring! West Ham are out of the bottom three as it stands.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea (Palmer 56′)
It’s turning into a very good night for Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea, who again break to devastating effect. Palmer finds James down the left and while his cross is palmed out by Martinez, Palmer is there to thread the rebound into the net.
GOAL! Man City 2-1 Nottm Forest (Rodri 63′)
And from that corner, City retake the lead! Rodri powers home a header, with Sels complaining he was impeded by Haaland. I’m not sure there was enough in it, and Milenkovic is booked for his complaints.
Brighton are threatening again, with Minteh’s shot bundled behind off Mosquera. At the Etihad, Haaland’s shot rebounds behind for a corner …
Forest get forward again, but City counter and Murillo is booked for bringing down Haaland. City are looking a little fragile defensively again, though.
David Raya preserves Arsenal’s lead, springing to his right to save Rutter’s well-struck shot. He needs treatment afterwards, and is barracked by the Brighton fans. Mikel Arteta sends on Trossard and Havertz.
GOAL! Man City 1-1 Nottm Forest (Gibbs-White 56′)
Well, then. Forest escape the pressure and break away, with Morgan Gibbs-White applying the finishing touch thanks to a lovely backheel. That could be a huge moment at both ends of the table!
Yankuba Minteh has come on for Brighton at the break, while at Villa Park, Lamare Bogarde has replaced Matty Cash.
Arsenal see off a couple of goalmouth scrambles, Declan Rice thudding the ball away. The thing with Brighton is they don’t really look like scoring, until they do – so it’s hard to tell how comfortable this lead is.
Lovely skill from Cherki, skipping into space but sending his shot high over the bar. Still, City have started this half firmly on the front foot.
We’re back under way at Villa Park, where Chelsea lead 2-1. That game is a fair bit behind the other 7.30pm kick-offs. Luton, meanwhile, have levelled against Northampton in the EFL Trophy semi-finals.
Save! Bernardo Silva fizzes a shot across goal, which Sels gets down to tip beyond the far post.
“Nisbet’s goal celebrated not just in the jam tart buying parts of Edinburgh, but also in Motherwell – have a look at that table,” writes James Humphries.
Fulham were awarded a penalty, Castellanos bringing down Cairney in the area … but after review, the decision is overturned, as Cairney made the first contact.
Second half
Back under way at the Amex, Etihad and Craven Cottage …
This is the first time Arsenal and Manchester City have played simultaneously since matchweek nine, back in October. Arsenal beat Palace 1-0, while City lost by the same score at Villa. That left City fifth, below Bournemouth, Sunderland … and Tottenham.
“Has somebody in the Arsenal stats department worked out the probability of any benefit to Raya hoofing the ball up for Gyökeres to fail to control, and for Brighton to launch yet another attack?” fumes Charles Antaki. “From where I’m sitting, it just looks lumpish and wasteful, but what do I know?”
Aberdeen level against Celtic! It’s Kevin Nisbet with a goal that will be cheered heartily in (parts of) Edinburgh.
Half time: Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea
João Pedro’s double has helped Chelsea turn things around after an early Douglas Luíz opener. He’s up to 13 league goals for the season – a very underrated finisher.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea (João Pedro 50′)
You can’t take your eyes off this one. Garnacho and Fernandez combine smartly on the break, the latter prodding into João Pedro’s path – and he lifts the ball first-time over Emi Martínez! There’s another wafer-thin VAR offside check, but this time the goal stands.
Half time: Man City 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest have had a couple of chances, but City lead at the break through Antoine Semenyo’s fine finish.
Half time: Brighton 0-1 Arsenal
Despite a first-half xG of 0.01, Arsenal lead at the Amex thanks to Bukayo Saka’s early deflected shot. Since then, it’s been fouls, tussles and time-wasting allegations galore. Just before the whistle, Martinelli drags down Wieffer in the area – but the referee waves play on.
Proper panto scenes down on the south coast, with every Arsenal delay whistled and jeered by the home fans. Fabian Hurzeler is also making sure the fourth official is taking notes; three added minutes to end this half.
A big early goal up at Pittodrie, where Celtic lead Aberdeen 1-0 – none other than Kieran Tierney breaking the deadlock.
Half time: Fulham 0-0 West Ham
Has much happened at Craven Cottage? The short answer is no; the long answer is not really.
Newcastle v Manchester United is liiiive – follow that one with Scott Murray:
No goal! Reece James dallies on the ball and then gives it away, allowing Villa to sweep downfield. Morgan Rogers plays in Watkins, who fires into the net. But wait … VAR intervenes, and the goal is ruled out. Watkins was offside, by a couple of inches.
Garnacho’s cross is deflected behind, and Chelsea play a short corner …
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-1 Chelsea (Pedro 36′)
Moments after Villa tested Jorgensen again, Chelsea break back and equalise. Fernandez’s lovely floated pass finds Gusto – who looks offside – and he rolls the ball across goal for João Pedro to slot home. There’s the customary VAR check, but the goal stands!
Semenyo takes his league goal tally to 15 for the season, but Forest are fighting back. Igor Jesus’ shot is saved by Donnarumma, and as Ruben Dias sweeps a leg in to clear, he brings down Neco Williams. No penalty; I think Williams was offside when the shot came in.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Semenyo 30′)
It’s that man again, Erling Antoine Semenyo! He’s on hand to acrobatically finish from Rayan Cherki’s cross, and City have the lead.
