Key events
At Turf Moor, Burnley have let Erling Haaland run through on goal, with predictable results. City lead 1-0and are provisionally top of the table.
Sheffield Utd 0-1 Blackburn: Yuki Ohashi puts Rovers ahead at Bramall Lane – if they win, they’ll secure their Championship place and send Oxford down tonight.
GOAL! Middlesbrough 1-0 Sheffield Wed (Whittaker 11′)
Boro take an early lead, Morgan Whittaker with the goal. Elsewhere in the second tier, Birmingham lead Preston through Jay Stansfield.
GOAL! Charlton 1-0 Ipswich (Docherty 1′)
A big goal at the Valley, as Greg Docherty strikes on the rebound inside 60 seconds. It’s particularly good news for Charlton’s Sarf Lah’n neighbours, Millwall, who lead the race for second place.
Pre-game thoughts from Andoni Iraolawho is asked whether his exit – and news of Marco Rose’s arrival – has affected the players. “It is not affecting the performances, which tells you a lot about their mentality. The recent results, this appointment, show where things are going.”
And here’s Daniel Farkehis countenance as ever like a humble medieval farmer who must avenge a death: “We are focused only on this game, to achieve our goal, our bread and butter in the league. It’s a busy schedule but my players would rather be playing games than training!”
ICYMI, today’s big football news:
“Bournemouth are on the beach, but not in the football sense – they still have realistic Europe ambitions and will want to play up for the gaffer who’s taken them there,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “NotAsNasty Leeds will present feisty opposition, despite their upcoming FA Cup semi v leaderless Chelsea. A point tonight and they’re safe. Plenty to play for, and given their respective styles, there should be goals.
“Hand on heart, this Leeds fan says a surprise 1-2 and a happy day out at Wemberlee on Sunday. We can always dream.”
There is, of course, another Premier League game on tonight: Burnley v Manchester City. If City win it, they go top, and Burnley will be relegated. High stakes indeed; follow that one with Simon Burnton.
“I know we start next season on -15 points, but looking at the team tonight, it’s a good League One team,” writes Sheffield Wednesday fan Colin Everest. “Let’s hope the takeover goes through smoothly this month.” Amen to that.
Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday teams
Middlesbrough (3-4-2-1): Brynn; Malanda, Fry, Ayling; Brittain, Morris, Whittaker, Targett; Browne, Conway; Strelec.
Subs: Sene, Silvera, Castledine, Bangura, Edmundson, Hansen, Wildsmith, Ibeh, Sarmiento.
Sheffield Wednesday (3-4-3): Cooper; Palmer, Otegbayo, Lowe; Fusire, Heskey, Nakamba, Adaramola; Thornton, Yates, McNeill.
Subs: Iorfa, Lowe, Chalobah, Kobacki, Stretch, McGhee, Grainger, Moses, Silcott-Duberry.
“Did Liam Rosenior really fail at Chelsea?” asks Liam Ro David Wall. “People forget that their measures of success aren’t the normal ones for any other football club. Their aim is to short-sell the market on wide forwards below the age of 25, the other on-pitch stuff is just sleight-of-hand to get the suckers looking the other way. How they can make any decision on his tenure before the transfer window opens is beyond me.”
Bringing it back round to Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola is among the early favourites for the Chelsea hotseat this summer. You have to wonder why any manager whose star is rising would take that job on.
Bournemouth v Leeds team news
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Jiménez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Christie; Brooks, Kroupi, Tavernier; Evanilson.
Subs: Mandas, Smith, Adams, Diakité, Doak, Toth, Adli, Unal, Rayan.
Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Darlow; Justin, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Aaronson, Okafor; Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Perri, Rodon, Bornauw, Buonanotte, Dan James, Sean Longstaff, Piroe, Nmecha, Gnonto.
PSG were originally supposed to host this game between the Champions League ties against Chelsea, but it was moved to allow them to focus on Europe. PSG have only played four Ligue 1 games since the end of February, and visiting fans made their feelings known with a banner. To be fair, PSG have lost two of those games, so it might not be helping.
It’s been a lively start to Atlético Madrid’s game at Elche – having led early through Nico González, the visitors fell 2-1 down before González got a second to make it 2-2 at half-time.
In Ligue 1, PSG lead relegation-threatened Nantes 2-0 at the Parc des Princes, the goals coming from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desiré Doué. In fact, as I type this, Kvaratskhelia has added his second, the silky genius.
Preamble
Which team currently has the longest unbeaten run in any of Europe’s “big five” leagues? Bayern? Barcelona? No, it’s Bournemouth, who haven’t lost in 13 [thirteen] Premier League matches.
Not even Andoni Iraola announcing his summer departure could stop them – if anything, results have improved. Having emerged from trips to the Emirates and St James’ Park with six points in the bag, the Cherries can climb to sixth with a win tonight, a first European campaign within reach.
It could be a historic season for Leeds too – they are unbeaten in six games in all competitions, and will fancy their chances of upsetting Chelsea in the FA Cup semis this weekend. Eight points ahead of Spurs in the relegation battle, a result here would all but secure survival.
The vibes should be immaculate at the Vitality –and there’s plenty going on elsewhere. Ipswich and Middlesbrough need wins to boost their promotion hopes, Atlético and Barcelona are in La Liga action, and it’s only Leverkusen v Bayern in the DFB Pokal semi-finals. Let’s roll!
