Key events
Some newsy football bits from today, if you missed any:
BT Sport have kicked off their build-up to City v Arsenal, chatting to Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and with Patrick Vieira on the analysis team. For the purposes of this clockwatch, I will be focusing on Chelsea v Brentford, with updates from Forest v Brighton and West Ham v Liverpool to boot.
Scott Murray is live-blogging the bejesus out of the seismic clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, right here:
Brennan Johnson returns to the Nottingham Forest side for the huge clash with Brighton. Johnson dropped to the bench for the 3-2 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday but started at the City Ground as Forest try to climb out of the bottom three, with Serge Aurier also returning from injury to captain the side. Danny Welbeck was only fit enough for the bench for Brighton.
West Ham are unchanged from their 4-0 win at Bournemouth for the visit of Liverpool. Michail Antonio started in attack again with Danny Ings on the bench. Joel Matip replaced Ibrahima Konate in Liverpool’s only change. (PA)
West Ham v Liverpool
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Lucas Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma. Substitutes: Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Areola, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Jota. Substitutes: Gomez, Thiago, Milner, Elliott, Tsimikas, Diaz, Nunez, Carvalho, Kelleher.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Chelsea v Brentford teams
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Azpilicueta, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell, Kante, Gallagher, Sterling. Substitutes: Badiashile, Aubameyang, Pulisic, Joao Felix, Loftus-Cheek, Mudryk, Mendy, Ziyech, Madueke.
Brentford: Raya, Roerslev, Jorgensen, Pinnock, Mee, Henry, Jensen, Onyeka, Janelt, Toney, Wissa. Substitutes: Hickey, Schade, Dasilva, Ghoddos, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Stevens, Cox.
Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)
Sachin Nakrani
Frank Lampard believes a love-hate mentality, fuelled by social media and akin to politics, is behind the whirlwind nature of managerial changes in the Premier League and that the situation will calm down only if expectations of those in the dugout become more “reasonable”.
Nottingham Forest v Brighton teams
Nottingham Forest: Navas, Aurier, Niakhate, Felipe, Williams, Mangala, Danilo, Renan Lodi, Gibbs-White, Johnson, Awoniyi. Substitutes: Worrall, Lingard, Hennessey, Toffolo, Surridge, Kouyate, Freuler, Dennis, Ayew.
Brighton: Steele, Gross, Colwill, Dunk, Estupinan, Caicedo, Mac Allister, March, Buonanotte, Mitoma, Enciso. Substitutes: Sanchez, Webster, Welbeck, Undav, Ayari, Gilmour, van Hecke, Veltman, Offiah.
Referee: Jarred Gillett.
Preamble
The main event may be happening in Manchester but this being the Premier League, there is plenty to play for elsewhere. Nottingham Forest desperately need a win as they seek to stave off the threat of relegation: they will have their work cut out in hosting an impressive Brighton side harbouring dreams of European football.
West Ham, who welcome Liverpool to east London, are in slightly less dire straits than Forest when it comes to the relegation trapdoor but would dearly love a result against Jürgen Klopp’s side, another outfit with designs on European qualification.
The most intriguing of tonight’s fixtures that are not Manchester City v Arsenal, though, is surely 11th v 10th, otherwise known as Chelsea v Brentford. The Blues have played four, lost four under Frank Lampard since the dismissal of Graham Potter. Any more of this and a dismal bottom-half finish beckons. Thomas Frank’s smart Brentford side will be living proof that there are truly no easy games in His Majesty’s Premier League.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one night, Sheffield United have a chance to clinch promotion from the Championship if they win against West Bromwich Albion.
Kick-off times: Nottingham Forest v Brighton 7.30pm, Chelsea v Brentford and West Ham v Liverpool: 7.45pm, Sheffield United v West Brom: 8pm
