Right, that’s all from me. I will leave by directing you toward our coverage of Aston Villa 0-4 Manchester City, which has just kicked off:
And last but not least, here’s our report from the City Ground, where the hosts chucked away a two-goal lead in glorious style to resurgent (?) Bournemouth:
Our report from Stamford Bridge:
The case for the defence:
@A_Hess Devil's advocate here...did Bowen try to jump over Mendy? Or did he leave his foot there to make contact? I agree as a Chelsea fan that it was daylight robbery but Bowen could've kept his feet away from Mendy and not given VAR a chance to be involved.
— Brendan Large (@brendanlarge) September 3, 2022
And Wolves’ Scrooge-like approach to both scoring and conceding goals continued against Southampton. They did at least treat us to one, though:
Spurs’ impressive start to the season continued against Fulham despite Aleksandar Mitrovic doing his best to upset the hosts. Our write-up:
And our report from St James’s Park, where the deadlock remained staunchly unbroken:
Here’s our match report from Brentford where the hosts (eventually) ran away with it, Ivan Toney the hero:
Simon McMahon writes in: “Finished 0-0 at Motherwell, but after conceding 9 (nine) at home to Celtic last week, Dundee United fans will happily take a point and a clean sheet. A late goal for either side saw Aberdeen and Ross County draw 1-1; wins too for Hibs, Livingston and St. Johnstone.”
To better explain that late decision at Stamford Bridge: a headed backpass was bouncing through to Edouard Mendy, who was badly indecisive in coming to gather it, eventually scampering out to push the ball away weakly, straight to the feet of Maxwel Cornet who blammed home from the penalty spot. But Jarrod Bowen had been following the backpass in, and the referee (after a VAR check) deemed the West Ham man had clipped the stricken Mendy with his foot after the keeper had pushed the ball away. Was he right? Well, if there was a foul there, you’d need to look pretty closely to spot it. Certainly Mendy got himself out of jail by exaggerating the contact and rolling around on the floor rather than trying to save the shot. Some correspondence:
Jon Rogers: “As a lifelong Chelsea fan, let me say that West Ham have been absolutely robbed by having their second goal disallowed. Oh well...”
Jeff Sachs: “Daylight robbery! West Ham were ripped off.”
Hugh Molloy: “The ‘foul’ on Mendy was shown in nothing other than zoomed in super slow-mo. It’s such a menace. When you see it in real time and the full scene, you realise Mendy had parried it miles away straight to Cornet to score. The contact was minimal, unintentional and made zero difference to the outcome.
Updated
Full-time results: Football League
Championship
Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Bristol City
Luton Town 1-2 Wigan Athletic
Millwall 2-0 Cardiff City
Norwich City 3-0 Coventry City
Preston North End 0-1 Birmingham City
Rotherham United 1-1 Watford
Swansea City 1-0 Queens Park Rangers
League One
Accrington 0-2 Ipswich
Bolton 3-1 Charlton
Bristol Rovers 2-2 Morecambe
Cambridge Utd 2-0 Lincoln
Derby 2-3 Plymouth
Exeter 1-0 MK Dons
Fleetwood 1-1 Wycombe
Forest Green 0-2 Shrewsbury
Oxford Utd 2-1 Burton
Port Vale 2-2 Cheltenham
Portsmouth 2-1 Peterborough
Sheff Wed 0-2 Barnsley
League Two
Bradford City 2-1 Walsall
Carlisle 3-3 Rochdale
Colchester 1-1 Hartlepool
Crewe 1-2 Stevenage
Doncaster 1-3 Mansfield
Gillingham 0-0 Swindon
Leyton Orient 2-0 Tranmere
Newport 2-0 Grimsby
Northampton 3-1 Barrow
Salford 2-2 Crawley
Stockport 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
Sutton 2-1 Harrogate
Full-time results
Brentford 5-2 Leeds
Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
Newcastle 0-0 Crystal Palace
Nottm Forest 2-3 Bournemouth
Spurs 2-1 Fulham
Wolves 1-0 Southampton
I can tell you that Bowen’s “foul” on Mendy is one of the most bizarre decisions you’ll ever see. The Chelsea keeper will go to bed a very relieved man indeed.
Updated
Goal at Spurs! Richarlison turns in Ryan Sessegnon’s cross.
No goal at Spurs! Disallowed for offside!
Goal! Brentford 5-2 Leeds (Wissa)
Leeds gift Brentford a fifth, Diego Llorente caught faffing on the ball by Yoane Wissa, who steals in and finishes coolly.
Updated
Goal disallowed! Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
Wow. VAR demands the referee has another look, and the referee decides there was a foul by Jarrod Bowen on Edouard Mendy. That is anything but an clearcut decision. Chelsea let off the hook!
Goal! Nottm Forest 2-3 Bournemouth (Anthony)
Jaidon Anthony completes a staggering comeback from no-longer-beleaguered Bournemouth, side-footing into the corner after latching onto a Dominic Solanke though-ball
Updated
Goal! Chelsea 2-2 West Ham (Cornet)
Maxwel Cornet makes amends straight away and it’s another horror show from Mendy, whose moment of indecision is punished by the man who missed a sitter seconds before Chelsea went ahead! Drama!
Goal! Spurs 2-1 Fulham (Mitrovic)
Fulham’s big bruiser brings down a long ball and lashes a glorious strike home from the edge of the box. They couldn’t, could they?
Updated
Goal! Chelsea 2-1 West Ham (Havertz)
Maxwel Cornet misses a sitter for West Ham, heading against the post from point-blank range. Chelsea scamper up the other end and Ben Chilwell turns provider, squaring for Kai Havertz to turn home. Oh my!
Updated
Goal! Brentford 4-2 Leeds (Mbeumo)
I spoke too soon: that Mbeumo goal is given after a VAR check which seems the ball was in fact played by Robin Koch. The defender challenged Ivan Toney and inadvertently flicked the ball into the path of Mbeumo, who drove through one-on-one and slotted into the net.
Updated
Norwich make the win safe against Coventry, Kieran Dowell stroking home after sleek play from Todd Cantwell and Josh Sargent. 3-0. They go top of the Champo.
Goal! Brentford 3-2 Leeds (Roca)
Game on in west London: Marc Roca puts the finish on a nice Leeds move after great work by Luke Ayling. Almost immediately, Bryan Mbeumo restores the hosts’ two-goal lead only to see it ruled out for offside.
Updated
Digvijay Yadav writes in: “I know everyone like the pashun and intensity of managers but Marsch’s behaviour is petulant. Like early Mourinho without any of the success and charisma. Just relax, lad.”
Goal! Spurs 2-0 Fulham
Harry Kane makes it five in five with a no-nonsense close-range finish, surviving a VAR check to double Tottenham’s lead.
Updated
Goal! West Ham 1-1 Chelsea
Five minutes after coming off the bench, Ben Chilwell levels for the hosts. He prods past Fabianski, who makes it one clownish goalkeeping mistake apiece in failing to claim an easy lofted ball and allowing the left-back to flick home.
Updated
JR writes in: “In all the excitement you’ve missed Jessie Marsch getting red carded at Brentford.” He’s right – apparently for kicking up a fuss after his side were denied a penalty.
Updated
Spurs loanee Dane Scarlett has struck a classy second at Fratton Park to put Portsmouth 2-1 up against Peterborough.
The inevitable didn’t happen at Union Berlin, who held Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw and repelled a second-half siege in the process. Herzliche Glückwünsche lads.
Goal! Nottm Forest 2-2 Bournemouth
Solanke gives the Cherries the rewards for their second-half fightback, spinning in the box to rifle into the net after a corner. It was too early to fear for Bournemouth!
Updated
Goal! Chelsea 0-1 West Ham (Antonio)
Chelsea’s start to the season gets bleaker and their goalkeeping troubles worsen: Michail Antonio pounces on another hapless moment by Edourd Mendy, who flaps at a corner, to turn home from point blank range. Chelsea’s season currently reads LLWLDW.
Updated
Brentford 3-1 Leeds (Toney hat-trick)
What a striker Ivan Toney is. He completes his hat-trick with a wonderfully composed finish, rounding Illan Meslier and lofting the ball home for his fifth of the season. Meanwhile his former club Newcastle struggle badly to convert their dominance into goals, Almiron dragging a good chance wide. What they would do for a finisher of his quality.
Updated
Spurs should be two up. Eric Dier wallops over from six yards out before Richarlison takes the shot when he had better options, drawing a save from Bernd Leno. Illan Meslier keeps Leeds in the game at Brentford with a one-on-one save from Keane Lewis-Potter.
Goal! Nottm Forest 2-1 Bournemouth (Billing)
Philip lives up to his Billing with a glorious left-foot screamer. Game on!
Updated
Goal at St James’s! Tyrick Mitchell heads into his own goal after a penalty-box pinball session.
No goal at St James’s! Disallowed for a foul by Joe Willock on Vicente Guaita.
Updated
England Women need a point in Austria to qualify for next summer’s antipodean World Cup. Follow that one here:
It was Josh Sargent with the second for Norwich, by the way, just before half-time. Five in five for him now.
Robbie Borowczyk writes in: “Why should we worry for Bournemouth? Considering how it went last time this could be considered a new manager bounce!” Zing
In Europe, Union Berlin are holding Bayern Munich at 1-1 with half an hour to play. Calum Hudson-Odoi has come on for Bayer Leverkusen, who are drawing 2-2 against Freiburg. Juventus were held to a draw away at Fiorentina, Arkadiusz Milik’s early opener canceled out by Christian Kouamé’s fine finish before Luka Jovic missed a penalty for the Viola.
Updated
Simon McMahon writes in: “Not an awful lot happening in Scotland during the first 45. Hibs, Livingston and St. Johnstone all leading at home by the only goal against Kilmarnock, Hearts and St. Mirren respectively. Motherwell v Dundee United and Ross County v Aberdeen both goalless.”
Half-time scores
Premier League
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
Newcastle 0-0 Crystal Palace
Nottm Forest 2-0 Bournemouth
Tottenham 1-0 Fulham
Wolves 1-0 Southampton
Championship
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Bristol City
Luton Town 1-0 Wigan Athletic
Millwall 0-0 Cardiff City
Norwich City 2-0 Coventry City
Preston North End 0-1 Birmingham City
Rotherham United 1-1 Watford
Swansea City 1-0 Queens Park Rangers
League One
Accrington Stanley 0-0 Ipswich Town
Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Charlton Athletic
Bristol Rovers 1-1 Morecambe
Cambridge United 2-0 Lincoln City
Derby County 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Exeter City 0-0 Milton Keynes Dons
Fleetwood Town 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers
Forest Green Rovers 0-1 Shrewsbury Town
Oxford United 0-0 Burton Albion
Port Vale 2-1 Cheltenham Town
Portsmouth 1-1 Peterborough United
Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Barnsley
League Two
Bradford City 2-0 Walsall
Carlisle United 1-1 Rochdale
Colchester United 0-1 Hartlepool United
Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Stevenage
Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Mansfield Town
Gillingham 0-0 Swindon Town
Leyton Orient 1-0 Tranmere Rovers
Newport County 0-0 Grimsby Town
Northampton Town 1-1 Barrow
Salford City 1-1 Crawley Town
Stockport County 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
Sutton United 1-1 Harrogate Town
Goal! Wolves 1-0 Southampton (Podence)
Right on the stroke of half-time, Daniel Podence give the keeper the eyes with a very tidy finish to put goal-shy Wolves ahead.
Updated
Goal! Brentford 2-1 Leeds (Sinisterra)
Sinisterra, who gave away the penalty earlier, pulls off a very decent Gazza impression, flicking the ball over his man and volleying home to halve his side’s deficit.
Updated
Goal! Nottm Forest 2-0 Bournemouth (Johnson pen)
Brennan Johnson steps up and makes no mistake. Is it too early to fear for Bournemouth?
Updated
A face-clawingly tedious VAR check at the City Ground concludes with the hosts given a penalty for a Lloyd Kelly handball – it was given initially, referred to VAR, checked by the ref, and upheld.
Goal! Brentford 2-0 Leeds (Toney)
Another dead ball and another goal from the Bees talisman. This time he bends a glorious free-kick into the corner with Illan Meslier rooted. Wonderful stuff.
Updated
Goal! Spurs 1-0 Fulham (Hojbjerg)
It’s been coming, but that doesn’t mean Fulham won’t be kicking themselves about the way it came. They surrender possession cheaply deep in their own half, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg exchanges passes with Richarlison before dispatching into the corner.
Updated
Does art mirror life or does life mirror art? It seems we finally have the answer.
Jon Rogers writes in: “Remember the TV ad of a couple of years ago where a group of middle-aged men enjoyed a game of Walking Football? Chelsea certainly do – if they broke into a jog occasionally the game against West Ham might be going a bit better. So slow!”
At Stamford Bridge, Reece James rattles a wicked ball across the face of goal – but it gets no takers from the Chelsea attackers, none of whom have gambled on a tap-in. Devante Cole turns home to put Barnsley the lead at Hillsborough in the League One Yorkshire derby.
Updated
Goal! Nottm Forest 1-0 Bournemouth (Kouyate)
Just as Bournemouth begin enjoying the better of the play at the City Ground, Cheikhou Kouyate nods home from a terrific Morgan Gibbs-White corner.
Updated
Goal! Brentford 1-0 Leeds (Toney pen)
No mistake from penalty expert Toney, who sends the keeper the wrong way to make it 18/18 from the spot and put his side ahead.
Updated
Penalty at Brentford! Luis Sinisterra puts in an ominous tackle on Ivan Toney and, after the referee trots over to have a look at the pitchside screen, the home side get a spot kick.
Penalty-fluffer Joel Piroe wastes no time in making amends, picking out the bottom corner to put Swansea ahead.
Ray Lewis writes in: “22 minutes into six games without a goal after nil-nil in the opener is 222 (plus 98 in the derby). I wonder what the record is for the latest first goal in a PL matchweek…”
Maxime Colin’s point-blank header gives Birmingham the lead against Preston, who somewhat ludicrously concede their first goal of the season (footnote: they’ve only scored two). Joel Piroe fluffs a penalty for Swansea against QPR
Simon McMahon writes in: “Afternoon Alex. Game of the day in Scotland is undoubtedly at Fir Park where Dundee United face Motherwell. A rejuvenated United, whose pub team start to the season finally led to the dismissal of manager Jack Ross on Tuesday after just seven games, will be looking to make it two wins in a row and are unchanged from the team that beat Livingston in the League Cup on Wednesday. Elsewhere it’s Ross County v Aberdeen, Hibs v Kilmarnock, Livingston v Hearts and St. Johnstone v St. Mirren”
Big miss! Alexander Isak charges clear at St James’s and, with all the time in the world to think through the finish, he opts for an impudent dink. Vicente Guaita isn’t fooled, and gathers gratefully. Oh dear.
A typically efficient Teemu Pukki finish has given Norwich an early lead against Coventry and put his team top of the table. The only other goal in the Championship is Richard Wood’s for Rotherham against Watford. In League One, Bolton and Charlton are already one apiece, Shrewsbury lead at Forest Green, Morecambe lead at Bristol Rovers and Peterborough lead at Portsmouth. Northampton, Salford and Stockport are all ahead in League Two.
Goal at Spurs! Son puts the hosts 1-0 ahead.
No goal at Spurs! It’s disallowed for an offside against Kane.
Updated
First bit of action in north London as Harry Kane fires off an early sighter which Bernd Leno repels. Likewise Wilfried Zaha/Nick Pope at St James’s Park.
Kári Tulinius writes in: “I’m keeping a wistful eye on Saša Kalajdžić’s debut for Wolves, as my club – and his former – Stuttgart chase their first win of the season against Schalke. He always caused problems for the opposition and I’m sure Wolves fans will grow to like him as much as I did.”
Colin Hendry’s son has just put Salford City ahead against Crawley, which is as good an excuse as any to watch this:
And here’s your report from a frenzied lunchtime game at Goodison:
In the Championship, Norwich can go top for the first time this season with a win over rock-bottom Coventry. To that end, Dean Smith brings Todd Cantwell and Teemu Pukki into his XI.
North of the border, Celtic have walloped Rangers in the season’s first Old Firm derby. Ouch:
The whistle has gone at Goodison Park and the Merseyside derby somehow ends goalless thanks to both keepers and the woodwork going above and beyond the call of duty. It was a good game, with play racing from end to end during a high-intensity second half, and Liverpool with be the more frustrated side having knocked hard on the door and forced Jordan Pickford into a string of second-half saves. It could have been worse – they were spared a Conor Coady winner by VAR – but their stuttering start to the season continues. Report to follow soon.
Updated
So then. Some eyebrows may be fairly raised at Thomas Tuchel’s XI, which sees Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek picked over Jorginho and Mason Mount. Christian Pulisic also gets the nod over Kai Havertz, with Wesley Fofana handed his debut. West Ham lnine up bullishly with Lucas Paqueta given his first start alongside Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and Michael Antonio.
Patrick Vieira has also picked four recognised attackers for the trip to Newcastle, whose silky new striker Alexander Isak keeps his place up top. Jesse Lingard returns to the Forest side for the visit of Bournemouth, who were happy enough with the midweek stalemate against Wolves to resist making any changes.
Bruno Lage wastes no time in introducing Sasa Kalajdzic: perfectly understandable given that Kalajdzic is a striker who has been known to occasional find the net. And Richarlison gets his first start for Spurs, which means Antonio Conte deploys the Kane-Son-Richalison triumvirate for the first time. Will Fulham pay the price – or might their own goalscoring hot-head steal the show?
Updated
Wolves v Southampton team news
🆕 Kalajdzic set for debut
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 3, 2022
🔙 Podence and Ait-Nouri start
📋 Here's how we line up for #WOLSOU pic.twitter.com/J8ow8dOpYj
One change for #SaintsFC 😇
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) September 3, 2022
Here is today's team, as @J_Aribo19 comes into the side for the trip to #Wolves: pic.twitter.com/H4eJZU83xE
Spurs v Fulham team news
Our starting XI for this afternoon's game against @FulhamFC! 👇 pic.twitter.com/J1eLUoujxG
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 3, 2022
Your Fulham XI! 🤍#TOTFUL pic.twitter.com/wuerq8NCao
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 3, 2022
Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth team news
2️⃣ changes from midweek
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) September 3, 2022
👊 @SteveCook28 comes into defence
⚡️ @JesseLingard returns
Our side to take on @afcbournemouth 💪 pic.twitter.com/EEinIk0saF
📝 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 📝
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
🔺 Unchanged from Wolves
🔺 Stephens on the bench
🔺 Siriki also in the squad
Our team for #NFOBOU 💪 pic.twitter.com/Z6lleV4wak
Newcastle v Crystal Palace team news
How we line-up at St. James' Park this afternoon...
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) September 3, 2022
⚫️ HOWAY THE LADS! ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/JQrKAFmnhF
Our starting XI to take on Newcastle this afternoon 👊#CPFC | #NEWCRY
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 3, 2022
Chelsea v West Ham team news
Your Chelsea team news! 🔵@ParimatchGlobal | #CheWhu pic.twitter.com/j948ENkTX5
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 3, 2022
Lucas Paqueta starts! 🤩#CHEWHU pic.twitter.com/3lsV8wbzlj
— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 3, 2022
Brentford v Leeds team news
🚨 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🚨
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 3, 2022
Your Bees to take on Leeds 🐝#BrentfordFC | #BRELEE pic.twitter.com/u8hYd6WT7P
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI... pic.twitter.com/WKvQMgskmm
— Leeds United (@LUFC) September 3, 2022
And here’s your bitesize game-by-game preview:
That noise you can hear in the distance is the crowd at Goodison Park, where the Merseyside derby teeters on a knife edge. Follow that one here:
Preamble
After the dreaming comes cold, hard reality. The summer transfer window saw Premier League clubs spend more than they have in any other full season – and each exotic signing will have sparked a thousand feverish imaginations. Now it’s time to see how they measure up.
After denying in-form Spurs a win on Wednesday, West Ham will fancy their chances of doing the same in against out-of-form Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel may use the Declan Rice Derby to hand debuts to the fruits of last week’s trolley-dash: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Zakaria.
Newcastle and Crystal Palace head into their game stinging from respective late gutpunches midweek. If Eddie Howe is in the process of trying to transform a workmanlike side into an exciting one, then he can should look to Patrick Vieira for the blueprint. Vieira’s side not only feature the best counterattacker in the league in Wilfried Zaha but also, maybe, its most watchable player in Eberechi Eze – yet Newcastle now have a languidly sleek forward of their own in Alexander Isak.
Brentford and Leeds have both spent the opening month of the season trying and failing to find their level. Both have handed out tonkings to heavyweights; both have come up short against the mid-rankers. Will today’s meeting enlighten us about whether these sides are any good? Almost certainly not.
No team has scored fewer goals this season than Wolves, and only one has conceded fewer. Will this miserly trend be upended in meeting of two sides spearheaded by Raúl Jiménez and Che Adams? Or might we catch a glimpse of Sasa Kalajdzic or Samuel Edozie? We’ll soon see.
And Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth are both fresh from taking almighty shellackings, and their combined scoreline from the last week would be a 17-1 defeat. Could this be the first football matches in history that both sides lose? Stay tuned to find out.
Plus we’ll bring you the latest from the Football League, and maybe even a bit of Europe. Get the kettle on.
