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Premier League

Bullet point previews of English Premier League matches

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Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of the next round of Premier League fixtures from April 1-3 (all times GMT):

Saturday, April 1

Manchester City v Liverpool (1130)

* Manchester City have lost only one of their last 13 Premier League home games against Liverpool (W7 D5).

* Liverpool are looking to complete the league double over City for only the second time in the last 17 seasons.

* Liverpool have taken only 12 points from their 13 Premier League away games this season (W3 D3 L7), compared to 30 at home. They have the biggest difference between points won at home and on the road in the Premier League this season (18).

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Arsenal v Leeds United (1400)

* Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 13 meetings with Leeds in all competitions (W11 D2), since a 3-2 home loss in May 2003 that ended their title bid that season.

* Arsenal have won their last six Premier League games, their joint-longest such run under manager Mikel Arteta. They last won seven in a row between August and October 2018 under Unai Emery.

* Both Arsenal and Leeds have had a joint-high 14 different goalscorers in the Premier League this season (excluding own goals, Chelsea also 14).

Bournemouth v Fulham (1400)

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* Each of the last three league meetings between Bournemouth and Fulham have been drawn, with the away side opening the scoring each time.

* Fulham won their only previous top-flight away game against Bournemouth, picking up a 1-0 win in April 2019 courtesy of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty.

* Since the resumption of the Premier League following the World Cup, no side has lost more games (eight), won fewer points (eight) or scored fewer goals (seven) than Bournemouth.

Brighton & Hove Albion v Brentford (1400)

* Brighton have alternated between victory (three) and defeat (two) in their last five home league games against Brentford, winning this fixture 2-0 last season.

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* Brentford are looking to complete their first league double over Brighton since the 2014-15 campaign when the sides were in the second-division Championship.

* Five of Brighton’s seven Premier League defeats this season have come against London clubs, including three of their four home losses.

Crystal Palace & Leicester City (1400)

* After winning four consecutive Premier League games against Leicester between 2017 and 2019, Crystal Palace are now winless in their last seven against the Foxes (D3 L4).

* Crystal Palace are winless in their last 13 games in all competitions (D5 L8), since beating Bournemouth 2-0 on New Year’s Eve.

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* Roy Hodgson, the Premier League’s oldest ever manager at 75, returns to Crystal Palace having previously taken charge of them for 148 Premier League games between 2017 and 2021.

Nottingham Forest & Wolverhampton Wanderers (1400)

* Nottingham Forest have won only one of their last eight league games against Wolves (D2 L5), a 2-0 away win in the Championship in January 2018.

* This is the first time Nottingham Forest are hosting Wolves in a top-flight match since November 1983, when they won 5-0 under manager Brian Clough.

* Wolves have had a league-high six red cards in the Premier League this season.

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Chelsea & Aston Villa (1630)

* Chelsea have won nine of their last 11 Premier League games against Aston Villa (D1 L1), with the only defeat in that run coming at Villa Park on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign.

* Chelsea have won two of their last three Premier League games (D1), as many wins as in their previous 15 combined (D6 L7).

* Since Unai Emery’s first away Premier League game in charge of Villa in November, only Manchester City (16) and Arsenal (15) have picked up more points on the road than Villa (13 – W4 D1 L1).

Sunday, April 2

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West Ham United & Southampton (1300)

* West Ham have lost only one of their last 10 Premier League games against Southampton (W6 D3).

* Southampton have picked up as many points in their six Premier League games under Ruben Selles (W2 D2 L2) as they had in their 17 games before Feb 18. (W2 D2 L13).

* No other sides have kept fewer clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Southampton (four) and West Ham (five).

Newcastle United & Manchester United (1530)

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* Newcastle are winless in six Premier League games against Manchester United (D2 L4). They have not gone three league games without defeat against United since January 2012 (W1 D2).

* United have won more Premier League away games against Newcastle than any other side (14).

* United forward Marcus Rashford has been involved in seven goals in his eight Premier League starts against Newcastle (four goals, three assists). Only against Arsenal and Leicester (nine each) has he been involved in more.

Monday, April 3

Everton & Tottenham Hotspur (1900)

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* Everton have won only one of their last 20 Premier League games against Spurs (D9 L10), picking up a 1-0 away win in September 2020.

* Tottenham have conceded as many Premier League goals this season as they did in the whole of last term (40).

* Everton have won three of their four Premier League games at Goodison Park under manager Sean Dyche (L1), more than their first 10 home league games of the season under Frank Lampard beforehand (W2 D2 L6).

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Premier League

Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl 

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Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Harry Maguire reacts REUTERS/Chris Radburn/File Photo 

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence ​by a Greek court over a 2020 ‌incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.

In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted ​bribery and violence against public employees after ​his arrest in a brawl in which ⁠two police officers were assaulted.

Maguire, who was detained ​for two days following the incident and denied ​any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full ​retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on ​multiple charges.

In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing ‌nullified ⁠Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.

Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest ​and attempted ​bribery. The ⁠32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. ​His legal team will appeal against ​the ⁠guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.

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Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences ⁠related ​to the incident and received ​suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.

-Reuters

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Premier League

Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

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 Arsenal's David Raya celebrates after Jurrien Timber scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.

Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.

Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

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Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy 

Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.

But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.

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Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.

-Reuters

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Premier League

Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

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 Premier League - Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - March 1, 2026 Manchester United's Matheus Cunha in action with Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.

Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.

The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.

“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”

Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.

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The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.

United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.

The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.

Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.

United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.

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Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”

Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”

For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.

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