Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton
The Championship playoff semi-final first leg at the Riverside Stadium remains goalless. Billy Munday is closely monitoring the match.
Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Liverpool had a goal disallowed for offside as the flag was correctly raised against Cody Gakpo, who had set up Curtis Jones for a close-range header. Replays confirmed Gakpo was offside, though it appeared to be a careless error. Approaching the hour mark at Anfield, the match has been intense with numerous tackles, and the contest remains evenly poised.
Cole Palmer initially appeared to have given Chelsea the lead shortly after halftime by exploiting a defensive error between Virgil van Dijk and Giorgi Marmadashvili. However, the goal was ruled out due to Marc Cucurella being marginally offside during the buildup. Liverpool have been second best but have avoided conceding thanks to VAR intervention. Scott Murray provides the latest updates.
Women’s Super League
Manchester City secured the WSL title without playing and with a game remaining after Arsenal failed to beat Brighton midweek. Today, Aston Villa hosts Arsenal in the only WSL fixture this weekend.
Alessia Russo and Frida Maanum have combined to score three goals, giving Arsenal a commanding lead at Villa Park. A victory for Arsenal will secure their qualification for next season’s Champions League rounds. With a game in hand, they remain optimistic about overtaking second-placed Chelsea and gaining direct entry into the group stages.
Premier League Title Race
Arsenal currently hold the advantage in the Premier League title race with their destiny in their own hands. Harry Paterson explores whether they can maintain this lead against Manchester City’s challenge.
Arsenal
Following a recent resurgence in team spirit and resilience, head coach Mikel Arteta has dismissed criticism from the so-called ‘celebration police’ and urged focus ahead of the crucial upcoming match against relegation-threatened West Ham.
"We have to keep our focus and not be distracted by external opinions," Arteta emphasized.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth have confirmed that Álex Jiménez has been excluded from their squad for today’s match against Fulham amid an ongoing investigation into social media posts. Ben Fisher reports on the club’s response.
Southampton
On the eve of their Championship playoff semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough, Southampton have been charged with misconduct by the English Football League. This follows allegations that a member of Tonda Eckert’s coaching staff was caught spying on a Middlesbrough training session. Louise Taylor provides further details.
Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton – Half-Time
The first leg remains scoreless at halftime, with Billy Munday observing the match from the Riverside Stadium using binoculars.
West Ham
David Sullivan, West Ham’s club chair, stated that the move to the London Stadium demonstrated the club’s ambitions and status. However, the team currently faces a significant relegation threat as their Premier League survival hangs in the balance. Jacob Steinberg reports.
Premier League Fixtures
Manchester City will face Brentford at 5.30pm.
Saturday Clockwatch
Although the highlight Premier League matches do not begin under the clockwatch, several fixtures today promise entertainment before attention turns to the Etihad Stadium. Liverpool and Chelsea initiated the afternoon action, with Liverpool aiming to secure Champions League qualification with a win. Ryan Gravenberch scored to put Liverpool 1-0 ahead, but Wesley Fofana helped a poorly defended Enzo Fernandez free kick cross the line, leveling the score for Chelsea 10 minutes before halftime.
Among the trio of 3pm kickoffs, Bournemouth travel to Fulham seeking to enhance their Champions League qualification hopes against a mid-table Fulham side also competing for a European spot. Brighton, also in the European qualification race, host already-relegated Wolves.
At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland host Manchester United. A victory for United would almost guarantee a third-place league finish. Sunderland’s Premier League record against Manchester United is notably poor. Coverage will include team news, build-up, and updates from the Scottish Premiership and the League One playoff semi-final first leg between Stevenage and Stockport County as the domestic season approaches its conclusion.
