That’s all for today’s Clockwatch. The new Premier League season has yet to settle but – oh, look – Manchester City and Arsenal are the top two so there is a degree of familiarity. Thanks for your company and emails; goodnight!

Hull City v Aston Villa (5.30pm)

The last match of the day will kick off shortly. Hull have two wins out of two and could end the day on top of the table. You can join Billy Munday for all the action.

Match report: Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace

The managers may have changed but the result stays the same. For the fourth successive trips to this part of west London, Crystal Palace returned to south London with all three points in the bag as Pierre Sage got his reign off the mark in dramatic style. Their hero was Ben Chilwell, the former England left-back who was signed on deadline day from Strasbourg after helping Palace to win the FA Cup last May, after he came off the bench to volley home the winner.

It was a bitter blow to take for Fulham’s new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who had seen his side lead twice through the impressive Josh King – showing his real potential in front of the watching England manager, Thomas Tuchel – and César Palacios before being pegged back twice by Tyrick Mitchell, the second in bizarre circumstances. They left the pitch to boos from some supporters and remain pointless after three matches.

But having won here three times in 2025 under Oliver Glasner, this has been a happy hunting ground for Palace and Chilwell could not contain his delight as he celebrated with the travelling fans at the full-time whistle.

Match report: Brentford 1-1 Sunderland

True redemption, perhaps, would have been to score with a Panenka, but Enzo Le Fée didn’t quite have the chutzpah for that. His duffed dink at Brentford last season was the low point of one of Sunderland’s two worst performances of the season, but he converted from the spot with eight minutes remaining to earn a point in a battle of two physically aggressive and well-drilled teams who must look at the chaos elsewhere and be thinking again of top-half finishes.

It had seemed that it would be a tale of Brentford’s newfound strength in depth and a second-half turnaround as they overcame a rocky first period to have the better of the second after a triple change at half-time – having already lost Nathan Collins. But instead it was a Sunderland substitute who made the key contribution, Wilson Isodor being pulled down by Keane Lewis-Potter at the back post to earn the penalty.

Match report: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

For the third successive league match, Tottenham failed to score and this time they did not even muster a shot on target. Excluding a 5-1 win against a Charlton B team in the Carabao Cup, their season so far reads: five goals against and none scored. For a couple of minutes Nottingham Forest thought they had added to that goals-against tally but Neco Williams was adjudged to have handled when stooping to head in on the goalline as Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke attempted to prevent Morgan Gibbs-White’s deflected effort bobbling towards the net.

The mood music surrounding Roberto De Zerbi has been overwhelmingly positive since the Italian arrived at the end of March and led the rescue mission; see the Birra Moretti-themed flag on show in the away end here. But Spurs, for whom Mykhailo Mudryk arrived as a late substitute for his first competitive appearance for 645 days, still struggled in front of goal. Dominic Solanke, another late sub, headed on to the roof of Matz Sels’s net on 88 minutes and that was as good as things got for the visitors. Where was all the firepower? Last season’s top goalscorer, Richarlison, is training separately from De Zerbi’s first team after rejecting an offer from Everton and not in Spurs’s 25-man squad.

Match report: Brighton 1-1 Leeds

What might have been; what should have been. Leeds United remain unbeaten three games into the season, but they will rue not departing the south coast with another win to add to their impressive start to the Premier League campaign.

They certainly had chances. By the time Brighton finally woke up with around half an hour remaining, Bart Verbruggen would have been wondering how on earth his goal had only once been breached, so great was Leeds’ dominance and so bullied had his side been. Yet, aside from Jayden Bogle’s early tap-in, the visitors just could not put the game to bed.

Their profligacy proved costly when Luka Vuskovic headed in with 19 minutes remaining to set up an unlikely thunderous conclusion from the hosts, which left Leeds clinging on to a point. Not since 2009, at the Withdean Stadium, have Leeds won an away game at Brighton.

Match report: Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

Enzo Fernández started for Manchester City after Nico O’Reilly’s back injury during the warm-up and sparkled to show why the club paid a British record-equalling £125m for the midfielder.

The winner, for a stuttering home team, came courtesy of Erling Haaland’s 300th club goal and Fernández had a key cameo, feeding Antoine Semenyo, whose cross from the right was crashed home.

In the second half, particularly, Coventry hammered away, but their wait for a first top-flight goal since Mustapha Hadji’s on 5 May 2001 goes on.

The visitors will not like losing, but can be heartened by holding the star-studded hosts to a slender win, though the bottom line is all three of their Premier League outings on their return have been defeats. Enzo Maresca’s men have a maximum nine points so can be supremely satisfied at the start under the Italian.

This is the updated Premier League table. You’d have got long odds on Man City and Arsenal being the top two.

90+6 min: Brentford 1-1 Sunderland They’re still playing at the Gtech Stadium, and legally that’s all I’m allowed to say.

Championship: West Ham 3-0 Derby Mohamadou Kante has completed a comfortable win for West Ham.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 1-1 Sunderland

• Brighton 1-1 Leeds

• Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

80 min: Penalty to Sunderland! Keane Lewis-Potter mandhandles Wilson Isidor, and not with love, so Sunderland have a chance to equalise

Championship: West Ham 2-0 Derby Edvin Austbo, the Norwegian winger who joined West Ham in midweek, has doubled their lead at the London Stadium.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 1-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 1-1 Leeds

• Fulham 2-3 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

80 min: Man City 1-0 Coventry Another chance for Coventry! The substitute Ellis Simms leathers a shot that Gianluigi Donnarumma inadvertently saves with his face.

72 min: Brentford 1-0 Sunderland Jaidon Anthony has had a goal disallowed for the home side. I think the Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs had two hands on the ball before he was inadvertently violated.

League One Do not adjust your set: it’s now Leicester 0-4 Oxford at the King Power Stadium. Yikes.

Championship There has been some kind of incident between a Portsmouth supporter and a Cardiff player at Fratton Park. We’re not sure exactly what happened but you may hear more about that.

Portsmouth lead 2-0 by the way.

Hull City v Aston Villa (5.30pm) The team news is in for the late game; join Billy Munday.

75 min: Nottm Forest 0-0 Tottenham Mykhailo Mudryk, who last played a competitive game in November 2024, has come on for his Spurs debut.

As things stand – I know, I know – Brentford are second in the Premier League

71 min: Man City 1-0 Coventry Frank Lampard’s team are still creating chances at the Etihad, where City lead through Erling Haaland’s 300,000th goal in club football.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 1-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 0-1 Leeds

• Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

When Mike Dean speaks, the world listens

League One Leicester City are having a desperate day – they trail 3-0 at home to Oxford, who have just scored two goals in the space of three minutes.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 0-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 0-1 Leeds

• Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

55 min: Nottm Forest 0-0 Tottenham Micky van de Ven has missed a good headed chance for Spurs at the City Ground. He’s a much better finisher when he’s beaten five players and run 70 yards to create the chance.

Disallowed goal! Brighton 0-1 Leeds Ao Tanaka thinks he’s put Leeds 2-0 up at the Amex Stadium. Wrong! He was offside and that’s the end of that.

Peep peep! The five Premier League games are back under way.

Half-time reading

Including hot Forest v Spurs action from 1992.

Nottm Forest 0-0 Tottenham

“I don’t remember any multi-match MBM before failing to mention a Premier League game even once,” writes Sam. “Is it fair to assume Forest-Spurs has not been a classic?”

It’s probably fairer to assume that I’m all over the place. Every time I was about to type something, it was overtaken by a goal elsewhere. I have a vague memory of Michael Dawson on Soccer Saturday saying that Gibbs-White was denied in a one-on-one with Kinsky and, though he was given offside, it may have been overturned had he scored.

At the risk of ruining the (lack of) magic, 3pm clockwatches are weird because we can’t watch the games, so they provide the antonym of chapter and verse.

Championship roundup (WIP)

“With news that Mike Dean confessed to attempting to stay in the centre circle the whole match, do any readers have stories of relatively immobile referees in their time?” wonders Bill Hargreaves. “I confess to being asked to referee a student match once and being windless within five minutes. I was just blowing the whistle for respite, giving whatever seemed most likely from my limited vantage point rather than relying on direct evidence.”

GOAL!!! (Someone, somewhere) A reminder that you can follow all the goals as they go in via our live scores page.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 0-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 0-1 Leeds

• Fulham 1-0 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

Scottish Premiership: Rangers 1-0 Motherwell Rangers have the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot, but Minsu Kim cags it wide of the left-hand post.

Scottish Premiership “An early Falkirk goal at Tannadice has the natives restless already,” writes restless native Simon McMahon. “United manger Jim Goodwin is still absent after a recent health scare so assistant Lee Sharp takes charge for a third match. Maybe he’ll have his own shoogly peg at full time. Still, at least the sun’s come out.”

24 min: Manchester City 0-0 Coventry Jack Rudoni has a great chance to give Coventry a surprise lead, but his header is saved by Donnarumma. I’m paraphrasing all this because we can’t legally watch the 3pm games, so if any facts are incorrect it’s not my fault, no no no.

(Apparently Rayan Cherki hit the post just before that, but there’s a lot going on so don’t quote me.)

20 min: Brentford 0-0 Sunderland Enzo Le Fee has sizzled a post for Sunderland, who are apparently all over Brentford like a cheap cliche.

Premier League latest

• Brentford 0-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 0-1 Leeds

• Fulham 1-0 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 0-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

Scottish Premiership: Rangers 1-0 Motherwell Ryan Naderi, who has only just come on to replace the injured Lawrence Shankland, has put Rangers in front at home to Motherwell. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare for the Motherwell keeper Alex Paulsen, who farted around and was dispossessed by Naderi (it says here).

8 min: Man City 0-0 Coventry A backpass from Khusanov rolls under the foot of Donnarumma, who scrambles desperately clear the ball off the line.

Seconds later, Taiwo Awoniyi reads a square pass across the City defence, charges through on goal and shoots just wide. What a chance.

Championship Joel Piroe has given West Ham an early lead at home to Derby – and why not?

“Looking forward to your MBM,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “There’s plenty of interest and hopefully action in store without looking outside the Premier League, and much, much more if you do. [I only have two eyes and one slightly added brain – Smyth.]

“It hasn’t started too well, hometown team (and scene of much of my early years spectating) the Mighty Shrews looking at another season of struggle after today’s 2-0 regulation defeat at the Macs (Fleetwood).

“Hoping for better but fearing the worst for the ‘big’ team I’ve supported since those days, NotSoNastyAsTheyUsedToBe Leeds facing a tricky afternoon at the Amex, home of smart signings and good business model.

“Very happy to see Sheff Wed getting points again, after all their mighty fall (copyright Mark E Smith), hope they’ve bottomed out now.”

RIP Bill.

Premier League The 3pm games are under way, and these are the latest scores.

• Brentford 0-0 Sunderland

• Brighton 0-0 Leeds

• Fulham 0-0 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 0-0 Coventry

• Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham

• Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (FT)

Just as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott seemed to have succeeded in building a personal playground by the Tyne, another midfielder emerged from the shadows and ruined his afternoon.

Since Matthias Jaissle succeeded Eddie Howe as Newcastle’s manager, Jacob Ramsey has been largely shunted to the margins, but the home substitute’s superbly executed 88th minute equaliser ensured Scott and his team-mates had to settle for a point.

Like Jaissle, Marco Rose is a German graduate of the Red Bull school of management and a former RB Salzburg manager. Big on verticality, intensity and relentless pressing, both men have much in common, but systems are only as good as the players within them and, in Scott, Rose had a player blessed with the brain and vision to dominate central midfield.

By the time Ramsey rose from the bench, Bournemouth should have recorded their first win under Rose, but once again they proved incapable of retaining a lead and, thanks to Ramsey, Newcastle secured a face-saving draw.

A Veerle Buurman own goal punished a profligate Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, securing a point to Aston Villa in a frustrating start to their WSL title push.

How Villa came away with a point having conceded 64% possession and having amassed just seven shots to Chelsea’s 32 and five touches in the opposition box to the home team’s 57 is somewhat inexplicable.

Chelsea were creative and Lauren James was at her free-flowing best, but they just could not convert their many chances, and the new Aston Villa goalkeeper Akane Okuma’s monumental performance was a big part of that.

“What new levels of comedy are we looking for from Spurs today?” wonders Krishnamoorthy V. “Down 4-0 after 25 minutes or blow a two-goal lead? Irrespective of the result, entertainment is guaranteed.”

I just want football to be the winner.

GOAL! Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth (Ramsey 88) Jacob Ramsey has scored a late equaliser for Newcastle at St James’ Park. David Tindall has more.

“Hey Rob,” writes Simon McMahon. “Scotland’s game of the day is, as regular clockwatchers will no doubt be aware, at Tannadice where Dundee United take on Falkirk. It’s been a stuttering start for the Tangerines with an opening day draw against Rangers followed by disappointing defeats to Hearts, Dundee and then Motherwell last Wednesday, with only last weeks win at Kilmarnock offering some hope. Still early days, but three points today really the only thing that will prevent Jim Goodwin’s coat peg from becoming even shooglier.

“Deadline day signings Lyall Cameron and Zinedine Zidane Iqbal are both involved, the former Dundee man, but United fan, Cameron starting in midfield and headline writer’s dream Iqbal on the bench. Aberdeen v Kilmarnock and Rangers v Motherwell are the other 3 o’clock starts, with St. Mirren v Celtic at 8 tonight.”

Liverpool are searching for a fourth sporting director in four years after confirming that Richard Hughes has stepped down from the role.

Hughes’s departure has been long expected, with the 47-year-old in line to take up a similar position with the Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. He informed Liverpool of his intentions to leave early this year, after the departure of his friend Michael Edwards as chief executive of football for Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owner.

With work already under way on Liverpool’s summer transfer targets – including the signing of Bradley Barcola in a £123m deal – and Hughes enjoying a close working relationship with the new head coach, Andoni Iraola, it was agreed he would continue in the role until the end of the transfer window.

68 min: Chelsea 1-0 Aston Villa Keira Walsh has just wobbled the crossbar at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea are pushing incessantly for a second goal.

“Friday night games still feel a little newfangled (and, let’s face it, only psychopaths actually enjoy change), but there’s is something to be said for seeing your team win on a Friday, and being able to simply relax and enjoy a weekend’s football without The Fear,” writes Liverpool fan Matt Dony. “I don’t care who what happens today. It’s freeing. (Especially after the first two weekends.)”

Newfangled? Tell that to Arthur Graham.

EFL latest

Plenty of early kick-offs across the Championship, League One and League Two. You can see all the details on our live scores page. The most eyecatching scoreline is in Staffordshire, where Stoke lead Charlton 4-0.

Justin Devenny, who signed from Crystal Palace in the week, is on a debut hat-trick – as is his new teammate Ethan Galbraith. Charlton had 10 points from four games going into the game.

Premier League half-time: Newcastle 1-2 Bournemouth

Bournemouth, who have won their last two Premier League at St James’ Park, could be about to make it three in a row. They were 2-0 up through Marcus Tavernier and an own-goal from his initialsake Malick Thiaw before Harvey Barnes got one back. Join David Tindall for more.