St Mirren vs Celtic: Cup History and Current Form
The last encounter between St Mirren and Celtic at Hampden saw the Paisley Saints clinch the Scottish League Cup under Stephen Robinson in December. Since then, Robinson has moved on to Aberdeen. Celtic, now under Martin O’Neill, have strengthened their resolve and secured a victory against St Mirren at Celtic Park eight days ago. The question remains: can Craig McLeish’s side pose a significant challenge?
Jeremy Boyce shared his culinary metaphor for today’s matches:
"You’ve certainly got a very tasty looking menu lined up for this afternoon, did you have to book early? Villa v Sunderland will hopefully provide an amuse-bouche that we can all enjoy as we wait for the main course later. Forest v Burnley will see a mix of flavours, Vitor’s spicy European nuances and Scott’s stodge. Then we’re into the main, the Iberian fusion of Catalan and Basque influences that has been watering mouths all week. Will the hot Mediterranean-Catalan flavour dominate the cool Atlantic-Basque style? Or vice versa? Or will it actually turn out to be a case of ‘what was that supposed to be?’ How much do you normally tip?"
Readers are encouraged to share their thoughts via matchday.live@.co.uk.
Goal! Ipswich 1-2 Middlesbrough (Conway 64)
Middlesbrough have regained the lead at Portman Road with Tommy Conway scoring after Christian Walton saved a shot from Brittain. This goal is pivotal in the promotion race.
Approaching the 55-minute mark, the score remains 1-1. David Strelec tested Ipswich keeper Christian Walton, while Ipswich maintain better possession. Middlesbrough have threatened, with Alex Gilbert’s effort cleared off the line since the restart.
Team News: Celtic vs St Mirren
Celtic XI: Sinisalo, Ralston, Trusty, Arthur, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, Nygren, Tounekti, Yang, Maeda.
Subs: Doohan, Adamu, McCowan, Iheanacho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Saracchi, Hatate, Murray, Forrest.
St Mirren XI: Mullen, Donnelly, Gogic, Freckleton, Phillips, O’Hara, Devaney, Campbell, John, Mandron, Ayunga.
Subs: Tamosevicius, Richardson, Tanser, McMenamin, Idowu, Calvin, Douglas, Young, Etete.
Team News: Nottingham Forest vs Burnley
Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenković, Williams, Sangaré, Anderson, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Bakwa, Wood.
Subs: Ortega, Morato, Cunha, Netz, Domínguez, Yates, McAtee, Awoniyi, Igor Jesus.
Burnley XI: Dúbravka, Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Hartman, Ward-Prowse, Luis, Edwards, Ugochukwu, Anthony, Flemming.
Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Humphreys, Laurent, Bruun Larsen, Foster, Tchaouna, Broja, Trésor.
Team News: Aston Villa vs Sunderland
Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Barkley, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Bizot, Lindelöf, Digne, Buendía, Luiz, Bogarde, Abraham, Sancho, Bailey.
Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, O’Nien, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Sadiki, Rigg, Diarra, Le Fée, Brobbey.
Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Ballard, Geertruida, Hume, Jones, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor.
Half-Time Update: Ipswich 1-1 Middlesbrough
At Portman Road, the Championship promotion hopefuls Ipswich and Middlesbrough are level at half-time. Kasey McAteer equalised for Ipswich shortly after David Strelec’s opening goal for Middlesbrough.
Merseyside Derby and Matchday Live Update
Daniel Harris is providing coverage of the Merseyside derby buildup and match action. Matchday live coverage is temporarily paused but will resume in an hour for the 2pm kick-offs of Aston Villa vs Sunderland, Nottingham Forest vs Burnley, and Celtic vs St Mirren semi-final. Team news will be available then.
Today is significant for Arne Slot’s future at Stamford Bridge. Despite the club’s dysfunction, qualifying for Europe in at least fifth place remains likely. Strong performances and results in today’s match and the upcoming Old Trafford fixture are essential to improve the club’s atmosphere.
Of course, the Merseyside derby is also taking place today.
Moyes Comments on Rivalry and Slot’s Situation
David Moyes expressed sympathy and support for Arne Slot, which may be unexpected from an Everton manager ahead of a Merseyside derby. However, he also took the opportunity to provoke local rivalry by questioning one of Slot’s reasons for Liverpool’s decline this season.
“Absolutely,” said Moyes when asked if he sympathised with Slot’s predicament, just a year after Slot nearly won the title in his debut season. “Arne Slot has done a brilliant job and, I have got to say, he is really good coach. That is from a neutral point of view.
“But I’m not having him saying they are getting bad decisions at Anfield because if you ask any Premier League manager over football history, they will tell you that if there is one club that gets all the decisions it is Liverpool Football Club. If they are getting a few bad ones at the moment, well, we have had to put up with them for years. There are very few decisions that go against Liverpool at Anfield. Very few. I actually think Liverpool supporters would agree with that if they were being honest as well. But as a coach, I think he’s a top coach.”
Preview and Predictions
Andy Hunter’s full preview is available. Chris from Corfu predicts:
"Arsenal will win the match and City will take the league! You heard it here first."
On the Ball – Football Puzzle Launch
has launched a new puzzle, On the Ball, available on iOS and Android apps.
Championship Clash: Ipswich in Promotion Contention
In July, Ipswich and Middlesbrough agreed that if Boro midfielder Hayden Hackney accepted personal terms, he would transfer to Ipswich for a Championship record fee of around £20m. Kieran McKenna anticipated gaining the division’s best schemer. Hackney considered Ipswich’s offer but declined, remaining at Middlesbrough and contributing to an exciting promotion chase.
The upcoming match at Portman Road is critical. Hackney has missed the last four games with a calf injury, and his availability is uncertain for this potentially decisive fixture.
Middlesbrough, who led the season alongside Coventry, have slipped to fifth without Hackney. Ipswich, slow to start but consistent since September, sit second with a game in hand and a superior goal difference. Middlesbrough must win away to maintain automatic promotion hopes.
Read Nick Ames’s full preview for more details.Fan Emails and Arsenal’s Title Prospects
Jeff Sax writes:
"The anxiety and tension Arteta experiences will spill over to the team as usual, and they will choke up."
"I could easily see a scenario where City win today but Arsenal win the league. That said, you’d have to say that City are favourites now."
Arsenal fans are invited to share their views at matchday.live@.co.uk.
Arteta on Arsenal’s Approach
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, accused of a negative approach to the title race, stated ahead of the weekend:
"We’re going to play the game in the circumstances and the context in the best possible way to win it, and the outcome? We don’t know.
We’re not going to propose a game like this [parking the bus] because we never do that. Sometimes, the opponent is that good that forces you to be there, and in City’s case you’re going to have moments that you do the same – deep in your box for periods of time. That’s the reality."
Guardiola on Manchester City’s Intent
Pep Guardiola emphasized on Friday:
"We want to win the game. We are there to win the game. We haven’t talked about that [the draw]. We need to win the game. And we are preparing to win the game. There’s no difference to any stadium we have been to in the last five years.
I’m not going to spend one second talking about that. We prepare every game to win. That’s why we are where we are and we’re going to continue to do the same. We see it as a big opportunity for us."
Fan Rebuttal to LukakusFirstTouch
Alex Milner responded to LukakusFirstTouch’s comments:
"LukakusFirstTouch has shown Foreign Office Background checks level of sloppiness. City won six on a trot across Nov-Dec 2026.
Current win streak is currently ‘one’, so not outrageous to suggest we win five more.
Also given Arsenal’s fragile state, if City win 4-1 I’m fairly sure we wouldn’t need to win all remaining games - they’d be too busy working on their 1000-yard stares to win much more."
Readers are encouraged to continue sending emails via the link at the top of the page.
Guardiola’s Potential Final Season at City
The upcoming Manchester City vs Arsenal match is a defining moment. The Etihad Stadium will host a high-stakes encounter, possibly Guardiola’s final season at City and a chance for a seventh title.
A loss to Arsenal would leave Guardiola with only the FA Cup to add to his 16 major honours at City, including last month’s League Cup win over Arsenal. A victory would keep City three points behind Arsenal with an extra match to play.
Guardiola’s contract runs until 2027, but speculation about an early exit persists. When asked recently about his future, he declined to comment.
Read Jamie Jackson’s full analysis for more insight.Arteta’s Control and Arsenal’s Title Challenge
At half-time in the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal were unbeaten in 14 games and held a nine-point Premier League lead. They faced a Championship side in the FA Cup sixth round and a Portuguese team in the Champions League quarter-finals, positioning themselves for a historic season.
However, the mood has shifted dramatically since then. Arsenal still have a chance for a Premier League and Champions League double but face a challenging path.
During the final’s first half, Guardiola adjusted City’s pressing, limiting Arsenal’s options. Arsenal’s defenders found themselves isolated, with City’s players forming a defensive line that denied easy passes. City’s control and pressure caused Arsenal to falter.
Read Jonathan Wilson’s tactical analysis for further details.Premier League Shootout and Guardiola’s Approach
The Premier League title race has reached a climax. After a season of slow build-up and cautious play, the decisive moments are upon us. The Etihad Stadium will host a classic showdown, reminiscent of a cinematic western duel.
Barney Ronay’s preview captures the anticipation and intensity of the Manchester City vs Arsenal fixture.
Reader Predictions and Comments
LukakusFirstTouch predicts:
"Arsenal will lose this match, probably with a big margin (4-1 or similar). Given their performances, no one will say that they did not see that coming. However, they will win the league title. Man City do not have the consistency to win all their remaining matches. I don't think that they have won more than 4 matches in a row in the league since the season before last."
England Women’s Win Over Iceland
England secured a 1-0 victory over Iceland, maintaining a three-point lead over Spain in the race for automatic qualification to the 2027 World Cup. The match took place against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
Only the four League A group winners qualify automatically; with the European and world champions in the same group, one will face playoffs.
England manager Sarina Wiegman praised goalkeeper Hannah Hampton’s crucial saves during Iceland’s second-half pressure following Alessia Russo’s first-half goal.
"It is always a team effort and a team performance but it’s really nice to have a goalkeeper that stops the ball going in – especially when it’s really hard for the team and they are struggling. That’s called team work. But she showed again that she is a world-class goalkeeper," said Wiegman.Read Suzanne Wrack’s full report from Laugardalsvöllur in Reykjavík.
Leicester City’s Struggles and European Coaching Milestone
Leicester City appear increasingly likely to be relegated from the Championship, sitting eight points adrift with nine games remaining. Since the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in 2018, the club has faced challenges. Fans, including Gary Lineker, hope for a swift recovery. Leicester’s 2016 Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri remains a celebrated moment.
In Europe, Marie-Louise Eta made history as the first woman to manage a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five leagues, taking charge of Union Berlin. Her side lost 2-1 to relegation-threatened Wolfsburg.
Spanish Copa del Rey Final
Real Sociedad won the Copa del Rey following a remarkable performance from their 24-year-old backup goalkeeper Unai Marrero. Sid Lowe’s report from Estadio de La Cartuja provides full coverage.
Chelsea’s Challenges and Reactions
At Stamford Bridge, Liam Rosenior acknowledged Chelsea’s uphill battle after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, which further jeopardizes their Champions League qualification hopes.
Matheus Cunha scored the decisive goal as United strengthened their hold on third place, exposing Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities. Chelsea are four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool and have lost four consecutive league games without scoring for the first time since 1998.
"It gives us a mountain to climb," Rosenior said. "It’s not insurmountable but it gives us a mountain to climb and we have to go into Brighton with an idea that we have to win that game and kickstart the rest of our season."Read Jacob Steinberg’s full reaction from Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham’s Situation and Coach’s Perspective
Roberto De Zerbi expressed frustration after Tottenham conceded a 95th-minute equalizer to Brighton, resulting in a 2-2 draw. This extended Spurs’ winless streak to 15 games and left them in the relegation zone, one point behind West Ham.
Despite disappointment, De Zerbi remains optimistic about the squad’s quality and potential to win their remaining matches.
"I always thought and believed in the quality of the players. In this moment we need this spirit, this attitude, this mentality. It’s not finished yet," he said. "Every one of us knows it’s a tough moment, it’s a difficult situation. Now it’s difficult to hear my words. But if you watch the players, if you analyse the level of the players, I think we can win five games in a row. Not to be arrogant, because I’m not arrogant now, especially now. But we have the qualities enough to fight and to win games in a row."Read Ed Aarons’ full reaction from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Yesterday’s Headlines Recap
- Tottenham conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 with Brighton, deepening relegation concerns.
- Chelsea’s Champions League hopes diminished after a 1-0 loss to Manchester United.
- England’s Lionesses edged Iceland 1-0 with goalkeeper Hannah Hampton in fine form.
- Leeds advanced towards survival with a 3-0 victory over Wolves.
- Newcastle’s pressure mounts after a 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth.
- Cardiff promoted to the Championship; Bromley secured League One status.
- Leicester’s relegation likelihood increases following defeat to Portsmouth.
Welcome to Matchday Live
Good morning and welcome to matchday live. Today promises to be pivotal in the Premier League title race with the Manchester City vs Arsenal clash at the Etihad Stadium. Additionally, the Merseyside derby and various European fixtures will capture attention. Let’s dive into the action.
