Tottenham v Sheffield United, FA Cup first round and more – live!

Here’s our reporter’s take on Chelsea’s defeat of Crystal Palace:

Meanwhile, JR emails from Illinois (not Dallas?) with the following philosophical riddle: “If Cenk Tosun is the answer, what’s the question?” Indeed. Although I increasingly suspect that that answer for Everton is less “Cenk Tosun” and more “a new manager”. And if we’re asking questions, then what about this one: where the hell’s Moise Kean?

“How can Roberto guy start another game for West Ham?” asks a despairing Michael Allan via email. “He will cost them the game again today just like the last two weeks!” You may very well be right, Michael, but I suspect the answer to your question is that the third-choice keeper is [checks notes] David Martin, whose career highlights involve four years at Liverpool (zero appearances) and 11 outings across two seasons at Millwall. But Roberto certainly has something of a reputation to salvage in wake of his recent displays. Buena suerte, amigo.

And it’s full-time at the City Ground, where bragging rights have been formally issued to Nottingham Forest. One-nil.

All over at Stamford Bridge – Chelsea go second. And that’s six league wins in a row, although I’d ward against them getting too giddy given the vanquished opponents have been Palace, Watford, Burnley, Newcastle, Southampton and Brighton. Still, you can only beat what’s put in front of you. Man City away next.

Some interesting selections amid all that. Mauricio Pochettino, having hit on a winning formula against Red Star in midweek, has promptly gone and changed both his full-backs (although he’s kept the midfield and frontline as was), while Cenk Tosun comes into the Everton side after his late equaliser last weekend, in place of Alex Iwobi, whose misplaced pass cost his side a goal. For what it’s worth, I’d be dubious of any manager who finds a place for Theo Walcott in his side but not Iwobi. But what do I know.

Another goal at Stamford Bridge, where Christian Pulisic, in from the cold and on a hot streak, puts Lampard’s Lambs two up.

Burnley: Pope, Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Hendrick, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Barnes, Wood
West Ham United: Roberto, Fredericks, Diop, Balbuena, Cresswell, Rice, Noble, Fornals, Snodgrass, Felipe Anderson, Haller

Southampton: McCarthy; Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard, Cédric; Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Armstrong, Djenepo; Ings, Redmond
Everton: Pickford; Sidibé, Mina, Holgate, Digne; Schneiderlin, Davies, Walcott, G Sigurdsson; Richarlison, Tosun

Newcastle: Dúbravka; Yedlin, Fernández, Lascelles, Clark, Willems; Hayden, Shelvey; Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Almirón
Bournemouth: Ramsdale; Smith, S Cook, Aké, Rico; H Wilson, L Cook, Billing, Fraser; C Wilson, King

Team news ahoy.

Tottenham: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Dier, Sanchez, Davies, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Dele, Son, Kane
Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, Fleck, O’Connell, Basham, Lundstram, Egan, Norwood, McGoldrick, Mousset.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace, of course, can be followed more closely here:

Scratch that. Forest are ahead. Lewis Grabban pounces on a Jayden Bogle mistake to open the scoring.

In already-kicked-off news, the East Midlands derby between Nottingham Forest and Derby County is goalless, while Chelsea have just gone ahead against Crystal Palace, Tammy Abraham slotting home with aplomb. Plenty of time to go in both games.

Afternoon all and welcome to a very busy Saturday afternoon indeed.

In the Premier League, four frighteningly out-of-form teams combine for two games – Southampton v Everton and Burnley v West Ham – that many fans will be watching through their fingers. Keep your eyes on St Mary’s in particular, where a heavy defeat for either side could well result in a desk being cleared on Monday morning. Elsewhere there’s a clash of styles at St James’ Park, where Eddie Howe’s entertainers take on Steve Bruce’s thrill-killers – Bournemouth able to climb to fifth a win – and a quietly intriguing meeting in north London, where newly promoted minnows will very much fancy their chances at the home of last season’s Champions League finalists. Funny old game.

In the Championship, West Brom travel to Hull looking to maintain their position at the summit, though a failure to win could see them leapfrogged by one or all of Preston, Leeds and Swansea. And Michael O’Neill’s first in charge of rock-bottom Stoke is against … second-bottom Barnsley. Lovely stuff.

Oh, and to offset all that garish glamour, there’s a full 27 [twenty-seven] FA Cup ties to boot, with Nantwich Town, AFC Fylde and Solihull Moors all in action. Fire up the kettle.