Key events
Expecting big things from your fantasy teams this weekend? I’m kicking myself for not captaining Bruno Fernandes, who banked 13pts (26 if he was your skipper) at Bournemouth after a goal, an assist and the maximum 3 Bonus points. I’ve given the armband to Cole Palmer in the belief that Chelsea score bundles on the road and he might have one of his crazy weeks and bang in a hat-trick. Everton aren’t that great at home, are they, and Palmer (16% owned) is a bit of a differential.
Carabao Cup final: Of course, the Premier League’s top two – Arsenal and Manchester City – don’t have a top-flight game this weekend as they’re battling it out for the first silverware of the season on Sunday. The Wembley showdown kicks of at 4.30pm GMT. The bookies make Arsenal favourites.
Let’s get in the mood with a quiz. I managed a reasonable 10 out of 15 after, admittedly, fluking a couple.
Take a look at our Premier League top scorers page. After his penalty last night, Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi now has the same number of Premier League goals this season as Cole Palmer, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, one more than Ollie Watkins, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jarrod Bowen and Bruno Fernandes and three more than Bukayo Saka. Fancy that.
An email. And not a very happy one. Dave Estherby (who may have opted to ignore the right side of his bed when getting up this morning), says: “Any lawyers out there that can see if I have a case against Sky Sports for relieving me of a month’s subscription charge and only providing two weeks of (PL) football? Not the first time it’s happened, I fail to see how England’s already ambitious World Cup campaign in going to benefit from friendlies against (with respect) Uruguay and Japan – especially if anyone gets injured. With two F1 races now cancelled and RoryMac likely crocked for the Masters it’s gonna be a pretty boring sporting April now. (Before anyone starts I’m aware there is WSL and EFL on and that the Middle East situation isn’t funny; just allow me my rant plz, thanks).”
Oof. I’ll just clear up Rory’s back. He played all four rounds of last week’s Players Championship and said later: “Had that little back issue at Bay Hill, which threw a spanner in the works, but I’ve recovered from that pretty quickly. I’m really pleased with how my body responded to that little setback.”
But, getting this back to football, Dave does highlight a point about the strange hole in the Premier League programme. Manchester United played last night: the 20th of March. Their next Premier League game is home to Leeds on the 13th of April.
Liverpool will have to cope without Mo Salah and Alisson for the trip to Brighton. Both have muscle injuries.
But here’s some much better Liverpool fitness news: Alexander Isak is on his way back. The £125m British record signing will be available – in some capacity – for Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, says boss Arne Slot.
Here’s a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday morning read from Barney Ronay. He dissects the infamous Chelsea huddle before turning to a rather bigger issue: the Premier League’s verdict in its investigation into payments made by the previous Chelsea regime.
We have live football about to begin! And, not only that, there’s a minute-by-minute blog via Jonathan Howcroft. Follow the Women’s Asian Cup final between Japan and Australia in Sydney here.
It kicks off in five minutes and, as Jonathan says: “It is the most significant fixture involving an Australian national team since Ange Postecoglou led the Socceroos to continental glory in 2015. The hosts will have the majority of a 60,000+ crowd behind them but they will enter the decider as underdogs. Japan have reached at least the semi-finals of every Asian Cup since 1986, winning two out of the past three titles.”
So, what did we make of Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man England squad? Fair or not fair that there was no place for Trent Alexander-Arnold for those March international window friendlies against Uruguay and Japan?
There’s a battle going on for Champions League spots in Germany too. And there was a striking result in Friday night’s game when RB Leipzig hammered Hoffenheim 5-0 to jump above their rivals on goal difference and move into third. Leipzig were 4-0 up at half-time in a match which saw Brajan Gruda and Christoph Baumgartner both score twice.
Later today, Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich host Union Berlin (ninth) in one of four 2.30pm kick-offs in the Bundesliga. They could stretch their lead at the top to 12 points over Borussia Dortmund, who have a home game against mid-table Hamburg at 5.30pm.
Here are the top scorers in Germany by the way.
30 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
16 Denis Undav (Stuttgart)
15 Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich)
12 Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig)
12 Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
It’s a rather unusual set of Premier League timings today. 3pm traditionalists won’t be happy. All times GMT.
12:30 Brighton v Liverpool
15:00 Fulham v Burnley
17:30 Everton v Chelsea
20:00 Leeds v Brentford
Going to any of these? Travel plans home if you support Brentford?
The cause of Manchester United’s anger? John Brewin explains in his match report.
The United away contingent, previously quietened, returned to previous brash Manc swagger mode before outrage descended. Another penalty call looked plumb when Amad Diallo was baulked by Adrien Truffert but within seconds Bournemouth were level, Ryan Christie’s low shot rolling beyond an unsighted Senne Lammens. United’s hopes of video assistance rescue were dashed after a tense wait and the protestations continued post-match. “When it’s the bigger players they end up giving the fouls,” said Fernandes, suggesting Diallo’s size had counted against him. “That could’ve changed the game.
Preamble
Happy Saturday everyone. Hope you’ve woken up full of the joys. The Premier League has taken a bit of flak in recent times for not being entertaining enough but last night’s game at the Vitality Stadium didn’t short change anyone. Perhaps Bournemouth and Manchester United should play more often as their two meetings this season have ended a combined 6-6. We’ll have reaction to yesterday’s 2-2 draw soon and it includes a penalty debate – of course it does – that caused plenty of fury in the United camp.
There’s another big game on the south coast today with Brighton hosting Liverpool. Can the Reds build on their 4-0 thumping of Galatasaray or will they again go into full frustration mode? That’s one of four Premier League fixtures today.
And if you can’t wait until kick-off at Brighton (12.30pm), don’t fear as there are no less than four Women’s Super League games getting under way at midday. They include leaders Manchester City at home to Tottenham.
Here at Matchday live we’ll bring you all the buildup to today’s games and much, much more. And, as always, please get in touch with your thoughts, predictions and matchday musings here.
Vamos!