Summary

  • FT: Leeds 1-4 Arsenal - Martinelli scores twice for Gunners and Saka on target

  • Raphinha pulls one back from penalty spot before Smith Rowe scores

  • Five games all called off because of Covid

  • Aston Villa v Burnley was postponed earlier today

  • Use play icon at top of the page to listen to BBC Radio 5 Live

  • Get involved via #bbcfootball

  1. Premier league looking 'on a game-by-game basis'published at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Ian Dennis
    BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter

    From my understanding there’s going to be the meeting with the various owners and chief executives. You’re then going to have meetings with the managers and there’s another meeting with the captains. I would imagine that would be regarding protocols, things like that.

    The Premier League are insistent that they want the games to continue, and they’re looking at games on a game-by-game basis.

  2. 'We listen to the experts'published at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Mark Lawrenson
    BBC football expert

    I don't get why as a footballer you wouldn't get vaccinated in the current situation?

    We listen to the experts, I just don't get why you wouldn't as a footballer be vaccinated.

    Going down the line, the teams lower down the leagues need to play because of the money, otherwise they'll go out of business.

  3. Team newspublished at 16:32 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Leeds v Arsenal (17:30 GMT)

    Leeds XIImage source, BBC Sport

    Leeds' team virtually picks itself with eight senior players missing through injury or suspension.

    Jamie Shackleton, Diego Llorente and Daniel James are the latest to drop out with injuries picked up in the midweek thrashing at Manchester City, while Junior Firpo is suspended.

    German defender Robin Koch makes his first appearance since the opening day of the season after recovering from a pelvic injury.

    Cody Drameh, making his first Premier League start, Joe Gelhardt, and Mateusz Klich also come into the side.

    Leeds XI: Meslier, Drameh, Ayling, Koch, Klich, Dallas, Forshaw, Raphinha, Roberts, Harrison, Gelhardt.

    Subs: Klaesson, Bate, Summerville, Greenwood, McCarron, Jenkins, Moore, Kenneh, Gray.

    Arsenal XIImage source, BBC Sport

    Arsenal are unchanged from the midweek win over West Ham, though goalkeeper Bernd Leno is fit to return to the bench.

    Emile Smith Rowe also remains among the substitutes despite scoring off the bench against the Hammers.

    There is no space in the squad for Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang following a disciplinary breach.

    Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Saka, Partey, Xhaka, Martinelli, Odegaard, Lacazette.

    Subs: Leno, Smith Rowe, Holding, Soares, Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Chambers, Elneny, Nketiah

  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:30 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    Very easy to say postpone. But to what end? The virus is due for its 'tidal wave' January. If we stop now, it may be a long time before games are played again.

    Chris in Petts Wood

  5. Postpublished at 16:28 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Leeds v Arsenal (17:30 GMT)

    Two minutes until the teams are announced.

    I don't think many fantasy football players can afford for any of their players not to be starting this game.

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:27 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    Can someone explain why we're letting thousands of fans travel across the country and potentially get infected/infect others, only to call the game off two hours before? Ludicrous.

    Tom in Birmingham

  7. Will the Premier League's Christmas fixtures get cancelled?published at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    With 10 Premier League games postponed over the past week because of Covid-19, The Football News Show looks at how the Christmas fixture list could be affected.

    *The show was recorded before Villa-Burnley game was called off

  8. 'Supporters have to be taken into account'published at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Alistair Bruce-Ball
    Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Speaking just after the Villa-Burnley game was called off just over two hours before kick-off

    Lots of fans will be getting this news in their cars on their way to Villa Park. Just standing here for the last 10 minutes watching fans roll up and take the news, I haven’t seen much anger or contempt for the decision [to postpone the game] – just a resigned shrug of the shoulders.

    Supporters have to be taken into account in these conversations. If we feel that clubs have to dip further into their player resources so we don’t have to call off games two and a half hours before kick-off, that’s something that has to be discussed.

  9. 'We have to protect everyone'published at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Dion Dublin
    Former Manchester United striker on Football Focus

    I want the football to continue, we would love that but I am always thinking football is a small part of what we do. We don't want more deaths or illnesses and we have to protect everyone.

  10. Premier League clubs to meet on Mondaypublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Premier League clubs will meet on Monday to discuss the escalating crisis around the coronavirus pandemic.

    With nine games postponed over the past week, including five already from this weekend's 10-match fixture list, clubs want the chance to discuss the options.

    Managers and captains are also due to hold their own meetings.

    Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard said he hoped the meetings would provide "clarity" to "a lot of concerns and unanswered questions".

    Meanwhile, Premier League chief Richard Masters has written to clubs urging players to get the vaccine and stressed the importance of the league completing the season.

    Brentford boss Thomas Frank led calls for all matches to be called off until 26 December to enable a reset.

  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    Eugene Ward: They need to suspend the league in my view. I wouldn't be surprised if Spurs-Liverpool was cancelled tomorrow at the 11th hr with loads of Liverpool fans already in London. It's not fair on fans. Suspend the league until New Year's Day.

  12. 'The whole Covid protocol needs to be resolved'published at 16:12 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Jonathan Pearce
    BBC commentator

    Speaking just after the Villa-Burnley game was called off just over two hours before kick-off

    About 2,000 Burnley fans are on their way here now.

    What this underlines is that the whole Covid protocol needs to be resolved, there's a meeting with the managers on Monday, I would think they'll come up with a better solution than what we've had so far.

    It's unfair on clubs, clubs who have missed out on their games have had extra days to prepare for this.

    Some protocol needs to be resolved.

    In my opinion the league missed out on an opportunity. If they had called every game off from Wednesday night onwards, it would have given a 10-day isolation period before the Boxing Day matches.

    My thoughts are with the Burnley fans and the Villa fans, Villa fans come from all over the world.

  13. *Match* of the Daypublished at 16:10 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

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  14. Saturday's actionpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Six down, four still remain...for now. Three of those are tomorrow.

    Here's what's on and off today...

    Man Utd P-P Brighton

    Aston Villa P-P Burnley

    Southampton P-P Brentford

    Watford P-P Crystal Palace

    West Ham P-P Norwich

    Leeds v Arsenal (17:30)

  15. Postpublished at 16:04 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    Aston Villa P-P Burnley

    Aston Villa's match against Burnley was postponed - making it the sixth Premier League fixture to be called off this weekend because of Covid-19.

    Villa said they received an "increased amount" of positive test results on Saturday morning.

    The postponement was announced just over two hours before the scheduled 15:00 GMT kick-off at Villa Park.

    Four Saturday games had been called off yesterday, with a Sunday game off too.

  16. It's just mepublished at 15:50 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2021

    VillaImage source, PA Media

    When the plan for the BBC football live text commentary was sent out to staff on Wednesday, there were two of us on this live text, covering three games each, starting well before the 12:30 GMT game and continuing until after the 17:30 GMT match.

    The revised plan yesterday had two of us covering one game each, at 15:00 and 17:30.

    And then earlier today, things changed again. It's just me. And just this one game - Leeds v Arsenal.

    Hello.