Manchester United could only draw at Aston Villa, Southampton arrested their slump with a 3-0 win over Everton while West Ham consolidated their top four spot by beating Leicester
5.02pm GMT
And that’s yer lot. Stick around for all the match reports, and we’ll have LIVE! minute-by-minute coverage of the club World Cup final between Real Madrid and the Pope’s boys, San Lorenzo, later on. Cheers. And sorry Blackpool fans.
5.01pm GMT
And here be the Championship final scores...
4.59pm GMT
Ach...
Akloppalypse now pic.twitter.com/YRS62YI3ss
4.54pm GMT
7 (seven) for the Dons: Carl Baker makes it MK Dons 7-0 Oldham.
4.52pm GMT
Aston Villa 1-1 Manchester United
Hull 0-1 Swansea
QPR 3-2 West Brom
Southampton 3-0 Everton
Tottenham 2-1 Burnley
West Ham 2-0 Leciester
4.50pm GMT
Surprisingly, it’s ten-man Aston Villa who look more likely to score in the closing stages against United as Benteke can’t get on the end of a Bacuna cross...but there’s the final whistle. It’s 1-1.
4.48pm GMT
Party time in Milton Keynes (and to be fair, when isn’t it), as the Dons go 6-0 up against Oldham.
4.47pm GMT
Oh, football! pic.twitter.com/voJwtZDPiB
4.47pm GMT
A young man supposedly called ‘Dominic Gape’ has just come on for Southampton. Yeah, nice one Saints, but no way are we falling for that one.
4.45pm GMT
And there’s the treble for Austin! A bullet header could well have given QPR a big win. Well done that man.
4.42pm GMT
Is this...banter?
84: Downing's corner is one of the worst in living memory. Straight along the turf to an @OfficialFOXES defender [2-0] #WHULEI
4.41pm GMT
That’s more like it. Cheers lads. Steven Davis crosses with the outside of his right foot, and curls it straight to Maya Yoshida, who does the necessary.
4.38pm GMT
All gone a bit quiet in the Premier League, goals-wise. Ben Foster has just made a fine save for West Brom to deny Charlie Austin a hat-trick. Down with this sort of thing.
4.36pm GMT
Game on at Cardiff, where them Bluebirds have made it 2-3 through big Kenwyne Jones.
4.35pm GMT
Six for Bournemouth! Harry Arter gets a vat of salt and grinds it into tangerine wounds with the end of a sledgehammer. Just send them down now and let their fans get on with something else for the next five months.
4.34pm GMT
And Dortmund have lost. Long old Christmas in the Klopp household.
4.33pm GMT
Seriously, that Agbonlahor red...man alive.
4.31pm GMT
And that’s a fifth for Bournemouth at Blackpool - 5-1 now, Marc Pugh with it, while Alman Abdi has put Watford ahead against Reading.
4.30pm GMT
Memo to Ryan Dunne, who has written in nominating U2 for album of the year. Wash your mouth out, Ryan Dunne.
4.29pm GMT
Blackpool briefly had a wee bit of hope after Nathan Delfeuonso pulled one back, but that hope is dashed like a fragile vase on some concrete after Brett Pitman scored from the spot. Meanwhile, it’s Fulham 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday, and David Cotterill has put Birmingham ahead at Huddersfield.
4.27pm GMT
Blimey - looking at the replays of that Agbonlahor decision, and that was an absolutely rancid decision. It might have been a yellow, but only just. Lee Mason, may you be spanked with a wet slipper.
4.24pm GMT
And the Saints are back on the horse, sashaying their way towards a victory after Graziano Pelle snaffles one in the box after Shane Long knocked down a cross from Nathanial Clyne.
4.23pm GMT
Oof, a red at Villa Park, and the home side are down to ten men after Gabby Agbonlahor is sent on his way. His crime: a late one on Ashley Young.
4.19pm GMT
Japes at Molineux. A few minutes ago referee Darren Bond gave a penalty to Wolves after a ‘foul’ on Nouha Dicko, but after a brief conversation with his lino he changed his mind, instead booking Dicko for diving. And now, Brighton’s Bruno has been sent off for a two-footed reducer. It’s still 1-0 to Brighton, by the way.
4.17pm GMT
They’re having a disco at Blackpool - in the away section anyway, as Bournemouth go 3-0 up with a goal from Matt Ritchie. Bournemouth (Bournemouth) will be top of the Championship at Christmas. Life’s weird, eh?
4.14pm GMT
And more good news for West Ham, as Stewart Downing picks up a long ball after Diafra Sakho’s knock-down, and lashes one into the net. Lllllllllovely stuff.
4.12pm GMT
Over in Spain, Luis Suarez has scored his first league goal for Barcelona, putting them 2-0 ahead against Cordoba.
4.10pm GMT
A leveller for United, and Radamel Falcao lives, powering home from a cross by the curiously revitalised Ashley Young.
4.08pm GMT
10 - Only Sergio Aguero (14) and Diego Costa (12) have scored more @premierleague goals than Charlie Austin this season. Flourish.
4.07pm GMT
And that’s the first goal of the second period, and Charlie Austin is into double figures for the season after tapping in from a Bobby Zamora knock-back.
4.05pm GMT
The teams are back out and playing football up and down the land, and Villa have very nearly doubled their lead over Manchester United, with a Benteke header saved by De Gea. Meanwhile, Danny Ings has almost scored twice already for Burnley at Tottenham.
4.02pm GMT
This, as you should well know, is joyous: Darlene Love singing ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home’ down the years on Letterman.
3.57pm GMT
3.57pm GMT
Any Gooners still want Jurgen Klopp? It could be your lucky day, as in the final game before the winter break in Germany, Borussia Dortmund are 2-0 down at Werder Bremen. One wonders if he’ll still be there in January, or whether he’ll be looking even more like a sad chimp after being very firmly binned.
3.52pm GMT
So, interestingly, or boringly (I haven’t quite decided)” hedges John in Brighton, “in the last two games at St Mary’s between the Saints and the Toffees, that’s 3-0 (so far) to the Saints. However, all the goals have been scored by Everton. Own-goal-stat-tastic.”
3.52pm GMT
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3.49pm GMT
Fulham are now 2-0 up over Sheffield Wednesday, Shaun Hutchinson adding to Ross McCormack’s opener. Jay Tabb is another man to double a lead, this time with a rather unlikely header to put Ipswich 2-0 ahead against Middlesbrough.
3.47pm GMT
Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester United
Hull 0-1 Swansea
QPR 1-2 West Brom
Southampton 1-0 Everton
Tottenham 2-1 Burnley
West Ham 1-0 Leicester
3.46pm GMT
Thoughts on Harry Kane from Joshua Reynolds. Or, rather, Joshua Reynolds’ pal: “A coworker is a Spurs supporter and his take on Kane was odd, I thought. He says: “He gets goals but he just looks like a mid table starter, not a top level starter.”. Not sure where he thinks Spurs are in the table, or what besides goals he’s asking for, but that’s an, um, opinion.”
3.45pm GMT
It’s top vs bottom in the Championship by the beach, and it’s going as you might expect: Callum Wilson makes it Blackpool 0-2 Bournemouth. With apologies to their fans, humiliating relegation is exactly what Karl Oyston deserves.
3.43pm GMT
Injury problems for Spurs - Ryan Mason has received a kick on the ankle, and it Benjamin Stambouli is coming on for the midfielder.
3.42pm GMT
Ach, bad times for Wigan, who are 1-0 down to fellow Championship strugglers Tom Lawrence. Oi vey.
3.39pm GMT
Well that’s weird. After being denied a penalty, Southampton win a corner that is whipped in by James Ward-Prowse, which flies in via Romelu Lukaku. He was under pressure from Jose Fonte, who tried to claim it like a true striker, but he was fooling nobody there.
3.37pm GMT
Eeesh, controversy at St Mary’s, as Shane Long is fairly blatantly wiped out by Phil Jagielka in the area, but no penalty is gi...oh, hang on...
3.36pm GMT
They’re flying in all over t’shop, and Erik Lamela has notched an absolute woofer here, cutting in from the right and curling a left-footed shot past Tom Heaton.
3.35pm GMT
Eesh, not going to plan for Cardiff. They’re now 3-0 down against Brentford, Jota with the goal.
3.33pm GMT
Ball in the net at Southampton as Graziano Pelle bags, but it’s disallowed for a foul on Phil Jagielka.
3.31pm GMT
In the Champo, Daryl Murphy has put Ipswich 1-0 up over Middlesbrough, Blackburn’s lead against Charlton has been doubled with Rhodes again, Bournemouth are winning 1-0 at Blackpool, and Brentford are 2-0 to the good at Cardiff.
3.29pm GMT
Well, that lead didn’t last long for Spurs. Ashley Barnes draws Burnley level with a belter, capitalising on an error from Lamela to belt a curler into the top corner and past Hugo Lloris.
3.28pm GMT
An email from...two feet to my left, from our own Ian McCourt: “Hi Nick, Ian here from beside you on the desk. You have clearly forgotten YG’s My Krazy Life in your entry re albums of the year. Please correct.”
3.25pm GMT
And another! Not a cartoon Carroll power header this time, as the big man latches onto a poor backpass by Paul Konchesky to nip in and give the Hammers the lead.
3.24pm GMT
And Rangers are back in it, as Charlie Austin converts a penalty given for a spot of wrestling in the box. Told you it was all going to get going.
3.23pm GMT
Smart work from Spurs. Harry Kane takes a quick free-kick to Christian Eriksen, but the Dane is offside so he ignores it, and Nacer Chadli takes over, holds the ball up then crosses back into the box, where Kane nods home. They do like him down at the Lane, even though he does look like a trainee estate agent.
3.21pm GMT
Blimey. Bad news for Harry, as two players who have, shall we say, started their Baggies careers rather slowly, Silvestre Varela and Brown Ideye combine for the former to double West Brom’s advantage.
3.19pm GMT
Woof! What a strike that is to give Aston Villa the lead. Fabian Delph swings a free-kick over from the left, Benteke brings it down at the far post, shuffles around to find some space and curls a beautiful shot into the top corner. David de Gea didn’t move a muscle.
3.15pm GMT
A lucky opener for Swansea, after Jonjo Shelvey shoots from range, it’s going wide but is deflected home by Ki Sun-yeung. Possible hint of handball about that one, too.
3.14pm GMT
3.13pm GMT
Down in the Championship, Jordan Rhodes has put Blackburn ahead at home to Charlton, Brentford are ahead against Cardiff through Alex Pritchard, while the pressure might be slightly relaxing on Sami Hyypia, for Darren Bent has made it Wolves 0-1 Brighton.
3.11pm GMT
If you still need to get any Christmas presents for a football fan, here’s an idea for a stocking filler
3.11pm GMT
And the first goal of the day comes from Loftus Road, with Joleon Lescott beating the QPR defence to a corner for his first goal in about a billion years. If QPR’s home form goes too, well...
3.09pm GMT
Not much going on so far in the Premier League. A few chances here and there - Sakho had a volley for West Ham, Brown Ideye should have bagged for West Brom against QPR. It’s all about to explode though. For sure. Definitely.
Meanwhile, Patrick Dillon writes: “You’ve got to give a shout out to Future Island’s performance on Letterman...”
2.57pm GMT
Anyway, back to the football. Teams are emerging from tunnels, and this whole thing very much seems to be on, on, on.
2.55pm GMT
Some musical nominations sent in by Amir Adhamy. Didn’t know this one, by Hail Mary Mallon, but it’s very good indeed.
2.46pm GMT
Can we perhaps introduce you to the work of Dr Freud, Mark Taylor? He writes about the Manchester United #mufclive hashtag: “I can’t say I’m that familiar with twitter, but I thought it said “muff dive.”
2.44pm GMT
“No St. Vincent?” asks Joseph Owen. A close one, and while she’s great I liked a few of the songs very much, I wasn’t quite so keen on the whole album. Here’s Rattlesnake, though...
2.35pm GMT
It’s that time that everyone has been waiting for, with breath most bated - it’s my top five albums of the year! Yes, this is exactly what the last 12 months have been leading up to. So, in no particular order...
Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave by The Twilight Sad...
2.26pm GMT
Southampton-Everton today, where in between Christmas tunes there are plugs for slippers on the big screens. *The* perfect gift, apparently.
2.23pm GMT
Meanwhile, sad times for Coventry, whose ground has now been officially taken over by a rugby team. Sigh.
We need a new home. Not a CCFC badge in sight. #pusb pic.twitter.com/be2YyVIZ6q
2.17pm GMT
What the hell is this?
United striker @Falcao starts today and he has just one thing in mind... #mufclive pic.twitter.com/FjICl8ABxg
2.15pm GMT
While we’re waiting for the clock to tick follows tock follows tick around to 3pm, there’s about 17-odd minutes of Manchester City v Crystal Palace remaining. Join Ian McCourt for them last knockings. Spoiler: Neil Warnock is irked.
2.12pm GMT
Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar (c), Okore, Clark, Cissokho, Sanchez, Delph, Weimann, Agbonlahor, Benteke. Subs: Given, Bacuna, Herd, N’Zogbia, Robinson, Grealish, Calder.
1.45pm GMT
And so, the last day of football before it all goes a bit bonkers and we start playing loads and loads. It’s a good thing of course, for no other reason than it’s a welcome distraction from real human interaction, but it can get a bit overwhelming. First up is Manchester United v Aston Villa or, as Louis van Gaal appears to have it, Michael Carrick v Aston Villa:
The importance of Michael Carrick to Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United was illustrated on Friday before Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa when the manager twice billed him as “my captain” when asked of his qualities.
“He is my captain so he brings a lot of experience but also a lot of composure,” Van Gaal said. “I can use him in different positions and I like that. Because he is my captain he can transfer my philosophy on the pitch.”
In an ideal world he would not have gone on loan but the writing was on the wall when Arsenal signed Mathieu Debuchy. “I didn’t want to have another season sitting on the bench,” Jenkinson says. “It was starting to drive me up the wall a little bit, I wanted to get out and play football, and I’ve realised that I’m happiest when I’m playing regular football.”
And West Ham were a good fit. Growing up in Essex, he always had a soft spot for them. “I have a couple of friends who are West Ham and they’re absolutely buzzing,” Jenkinson says. “I’ve got a feel of what it means to everyone at the moment and how good it is for everyone involved at West Ham with where we are in the league. That gives you motivation to keep it going and keep achieving. It’s nice to see other people enjoying your success.”
Always you have to look until now,” Koeman said. “If somebody said to me in the pre-season ‘after the middle of December you are the fifth in the list’, I would have said ‘give me the paper and I will sign it now’.
“I understand the defeats because that’s always the difference with players. They need confidence and sometimes now you see that. I know my players, how they can play football, and it’s difficult because of maybe freshness, maybe about more changes in the team.
I liked him,” Redknapp said when asked about the prospect of signing Morrison. “I think I might be his last chance. He has got to sort himself out. Fergie ended up getting rid of him, Sam got rid of him and they are top, top managers.
“He has obviously got to look at himself somewhere but I’m open to taking those chances with people. I have done it over the years and so maybe I will do it.
A return of just two goals since his move to Burnley from Hull City would suggest George Boyd has failed to set to world alight since arriving at Turf Moor, but the club’s joint record signing has proved a very astute purchase even if his team remains in the relegation zone. Employed by Sean Dyche as a wide midfielder, the Scottish winger is a tireless worker who holds this season’s Premier League record for the distance covered in a game, with 8.29 miles during Burnley’s win over Stoke in November. At the time he featured three times in the Top 10 of long distance runners per match, occupying positions one and four (Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, one of the players of the season thus far, was second and third). Burnley’s lowly status means he is kept busier in defence than attack and he is a noticeably strong and well-timed in the tackle. While his finishing could be better, it took a remarkable save from Robert Green to deny him what would have been an excellent goal at QPR last weekend. If Burnley are to beat Southampton Boyd is likely to play a pivotal role and in the face of a vibrant midfield as adept at keeping the ball as Southampton’s can be, he may very well need to break his own record for blades of grass covered.
1.45pm GMT
Nick will be here shortly.
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