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Here’s today’s five Premier League fixtures today, by the way. It’s not just the two at the top in action!
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Burnley v Bournemouth, 3pm (all times GMT)
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Sunderland v Brighton, 3pm
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Arsenal v Everton, 5.30pm
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Chelsea v Newcastle, 5.30pm
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West Ham v Manchester City, 8pm
Chelsea hosting Newcastle is a tasty one. The Magpies dented Manchester United’s Champions League qualification hopes in their last league outing; Chelsea are in fifth and right around the cutoff point. What will happen?
Mikel Arteta, Pep’s protege turned title rival, also had words for the media before today’s fixtures. Specifically, words about set pieces and a denial that Arsenal have been blocking defenders as part of their corner routines.
Asked whether other teams had been learning some dark arts from Arsenal, Arteta said:
No. We weren’t the first. And it’s not about blocking. I’m not going to describe what we do, but it’s not blocking … Others know what we try to do. And it’s not that.”
Pep Guardiola spoke to the press yesterday before West Ham v Manchester City today. In his usual understated style, Guardiola revealed that when he [perhaps the greatest manager in the world, in charge of a well-resourced and highly successful football club] loses a game 3-0, everyone makes a big ol’ fuss.
Oh Pep! Never change.
Let’s start with last night’s Championship game in which Wrexham beat Swansea 2-0 to boost their playoff hopes. Dom Booth was at the Stōk Cae Ras for the Guardian and he witnessed a football match, plus some slavish devotion to the cult of fame. Bonus.
Clearly the suits at Sky Sports thought Wrexham v Swansea City on a Friday night needed its own sideshow. A clash between two historic Welsh clubs just five points apart in the battle for the Championship playoff places may not appeal to the TikTok generation. If only there were some Hollywood actors on hand to step into the content void, relegating Daniel Mann and Andy Hinchcliffe to second-string commentary choice.
Luckily, Wrexham’s co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac were happy to oblige on the fifth anniversary of their £2m takeover of the then National League outfit. “As with our decision to take over Wrexham, we genuinely have no idea how this will go,” the pair chimed – presumably in unison – on a cheery press release before the broadcast.
Preamble
Hello! I don’t want to get all Sky Sports promo/Mitchell and Webb on you – but this is a pretty super-sized Saturday of live football action. We’ve got both Premier League title contenders in action as Arsenal welcome Everton at 5.30pm, then Manchester City visit West Ham in the evening.
Before that, the Championship’s top two are also playing: Coventry v Southampton and Middlesbrough v Bristol City (both 12.30pm kick-offs). And to complete a top-two triple, the tight race for the Scottish Premiership sees second-place Celtic host Motherwell at 3pm, before leaders Hearts go to Kilmarnock at 8pm.
Here at Matchday live we’ll bring you the buildup to those games and many more – with team lineups, previews, breaking news, early goal alerts and such as we get them.
As always, please get in touch with your thoughts, predictions and matchday musings.
