Match report: Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (agg: 1-4)
Copa del Rey: Sid Lowe was at the Bernabeu to see Real Madrid humbled by a Barcelona side that has qualified for its sixth consecutive Spanish Cup final.
Premier League standings ...
Liverpool’s win keeps them a point clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, while Tottenham remain third but are nine points off the pace. It is safe to say what passed for their title challenge is over. Manchester United’s win over Crystal Palace keeps them in fifth place, one point behind Arsenal. Chelsea are two points further back in sixth.
At the bottom, Southampton’s win takes them out of the relegation zone, two points clear of Cardiff City, who have 25 points. Fulham and Huddersfield both look doomed, on 17 and 14 points respectively.
Match report: Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
Premier League: On a night when Kepa was dropped for his insubordination at the weekend, Kieran Trippier’s howler put the tin hat on a bad night for Spurs. Dominic Fifield reports ...
Match report: Southampton 2-0 Fulham
Premier League: Ben Fisher travelled to St Mary’s to see Southampton pile more pain on doomed Fulham.
Match report: Crystal Palace 1-3 Man United
Premier League: David Hytner was on hand at Selhurst Park to see signs that Romelu Lukaku might be getting his mojo back.
Match report: Liverpool 5-0 Watford
Premier League: Andy Hunter was at Anfield to see Virgil van Dijk score his first and second goals at home in Liverpool shirt.
Match report: Arsenal 5-1 Bournemouth
Premier League: Mesut Ozil was back to something approaching his best as Arsenal inflicted more misery on Bournemouth, whose woes on the road continue. Amy Lawrence was at the Emirates.
Match report: Man City 1-0 West Ham
Premier League: Our chief football correspondent Daniel Taylor was at the Etihad Stadium to see Manchester City get the better of West Ham with the help of a contentious penalty.
Full-time: Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (agg: 1-4)
Copa del Rey: Barcelona are through to the final after putting three past Real on their own manor, to win 4-1 on aggregate.
Full-time: Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
Premier League: Tottenham lost their second game in succession on a night when Willy Caballero started in goal for Chelsea ahead of Kepa. Tellingly, the goalkeeper - who was left standing like a lemon on the Wembley touchline by his young colleague on Sunday, received warm congratulations from every single member of Chelsea’s coaching team as he walked off the pitch at the end of a game in which the highlight was a comedy mix-up between Kieran Trippier and Hugo Lloris that led to Chelsea’s second goal.
Full-time: Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester United
Premier League: Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Manchester United won in South London.
Full-time: Man City 1-0 West Ham
Premier League: Manchester City were unimpressive and rode their luck to take the points against West Ham.
Full-time: Liverpool 5-0 Watford
Premier League: Liverpool are unbeaten in 35 Premier League home games after p-laying their best football of the year against Watford.
Scottish Premiership results
- Aberdeen 0-2 Hamilton Academical
- Hearts 1-2 Celtic
- Kilmarnock v Motherwell (abandoned)
- Rangers 4-0 Dundee
- St Johnstone 1-2 Hibernian
Full-time: Arsenal 5-1 Bournemouth
Premier League: Bournemouth’s wretched form on the road continued at the EMirates, where Arsenal swatted them aside.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham (Trippier 84og)
Premier League: A long ball from the back from Chelsea. Under pressure from Olivier Giroud, Kieran Trippier passes the ball back to his goalkeeper ... oblivious to the fact that Hugo Lloris has dashed off his line to clear or take possession of the ball. As the hapless duo glare accusingly at each other after this comical breakdown in communication, the ball rolls into the empty goal.
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GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-3 Man United (Young 83)
Premier League: Ashley Young puts the game beyond Crystal Palace with a powerful finish after good build-up play by Paul Pogba.
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Goal! Liverpool 5-0 Watford (Virgil 82)
Premier League: This time the assist comes from the other flank, with Andy Robertson doing the honours so Virgil van Dijk can go goal crazy.
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Full-time: Southampton 2-0 Fulham
Premier League: Goals from Oriel Romeu and James Ward Prowse got the goals for Southampton as Fulham edged ever closer to the abyss.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Watford (Virgil 79)
Premier League: Virgil van Dijk rises highest to convert another fine cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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Copa del Rey: Luis Suarez bags his second of the night to make it Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona three in the semi-final second leg. It’s 1-4 on aggregate and Barcelona are heading for the final.
Scottish Premiership: Meanwhile at Tynecastle, Neil Lennon’s evening has taken a turn for the better after substitute Odsonne Eduoard sidefooted home a Scott Brown cross from the right deep in injury time. It’s Hearts 1-2 Celtic and while Lennon cavorts around on the sideline, Hearts manager Craig Levine puts his head in his hands. He’ll be annoyed by that poor defending.
Scottish Premiership: It’s Rangers 4-0 Dundee after Jermain Defoe comes off the bench to extend his side’s lead with a powerful right-foot strike.
Copa del Rey: A Raphael Varane own-goal has increased Barcelona’s lead against Real Madrid in the semi-final second leg at the Bernabeu. It’s Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona (aggregate: 1-3) and Gregg Bakowski has the latest ...
Scottish Premiership: Down to 10 men after the dismissal of Vykintas Slivka, Hibs take the lead at St Johnstone nonetheless. Mark McNulty scores his second of the night to make it 2-1.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Man United (Ward 66)
Premier League: getting on the end of a cross from Jeffrey Schlupp, a diving header into the bottom corner from Joel Ward keeps Palace in the game at Selhurst Park.
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GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Watford (Origi 66)
Premier League: In for the injured Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi earns his corn for the night, putting the game beyond Watford.
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Goal! Arsenal 5-1 Bournemouth (Lacazette 78)
Premier League: On as a substitute for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alexandre Lacazette doesn’t take long to make his mark. Bournemouth are getting another paddlin’ on the road.
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Copa del Rey: Luis Suarez has given Barcelona the lead in the semi-final second leg at the Bernabeu, where the score is Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Agg: 1-2). Gregg Bakowski has the latest ...
GOAL! Man City 1-0 West Ham (Aguero 59pen)
Penalty for Man City: Felipe Anderson concedes a spot-kick in contentious circumstances for a “foul” on Bernardo Silva. Sergio Aguero does the rest.
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GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham (Pedro 57)
Premier League: With a two on one against Ben Davies down the right flank, Cesar Azpilicueta plays the ball forward to Pedro, who cuts inside and scores from a tight angle.
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GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Man United (Lukaku 52)
Premier League: Romelu Lukaku scores his second of the night to double Manchester United’s lead.
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Another goal in Scotland: Hibs striker Marc McNulty socres from the spot after 65 minutes to leave goal pie all over St Johnstone goalkeeper Cameron Bell’s shirt and level the score at 1-1.
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An abandonment in Scotland: Kilmarnock v Motherwell has been abandoned due to fog. It was scoreless between the sides when the referee called them off the pitch. Meanwhile at Pittodrie, struggling Hamilton have belied their lowly league status (their second from bottom) to go 2-0 up against Aberdeen.
GOAL! Arsenal 4-1 Bournemouth (Aubameyang 59)
Premier League: Henrikh Mkhitaryan plays a pass between two defenders and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang powers through to riff on Bournemouth’s travelling pain.
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Scottish Premiership: Ten-man Hearts restore parity at Tynecastle, where Oliver Bozanic scores from the spot, sending Scott Bain the wrong way. It’s Hearts 1-1 Celtic.
Scottish Premiership: A pea-souper of a fog at Rugby Park prompts the referee to take the players of Kilmarnock and Motherwell off the pitch early in the second half. This game could be abandoned.
GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Bournemouth (Koscielny 47)
Premier League: Oh, Bournemouth. Mkhitaryan crosses for Koscielny whose deflected shot trundles over the line off a post to give Arsenal a two-goal buffer two minutes into the second half. Artur Boruc hooks it away, but the goal is given.
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Meanwhile at the Talen Energy Stadium in Pennsylvania: England are playing Brazil in their SheBelieves Cup opener. Bryan Armen Graham is all over that one like a cheap rug, as the Lionesses try to get off to a flyer.
Copa del Rey: It’s Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona (Agg: 1-1) in Spain, with almost 40 minutes played. Greg Bakowski has the latest ...
Scottish Premiership half-times
- Aberdeen 0-1 Hamilton Academical
- Hearts 0-1 Celtic
- Kilmarnock 0-0 Motherwell
- Rangers 3-0 Dundee
- St Johnstone 1-0 Hibernian
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Man United (Lukaku 33)
Premier League: Luke Shaw gets down the flank, cuts inside to the edge of the box and finds Romelu Lukaku ... who fires home.
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A red card at Tynecastle: Hearts full-back Jamie Brandon gets a straight red for catching an opponent with an elbow as the pair contested a high ball. He can’t have too many complaints - he led with his elbow as he leaped to try and win the header against Jeremy Toljan.
Southampton 2-0 Fulham (Ward-Prowse 40)
Premier League: James Ward-Prowse pokes the ball home to double Southampton’s lead against doomed Fulham, who are heading back to the Championship.
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Meanwhile in Scotland: Celtic go 1-0 up against Hearts at Tynecastle, courtesy of a lightning fast breakaway goal featuring all three of their front men. From a blocked Hearts free-kick at one end, Scott Sinclair galloped up the inside left and played the ball inside to Oliver Burke. Unselfishly, he draws the keeper and played it into the path of James Forrest, who side-footed into the empty net. At Pittodrie, Hamilton Academicals have taken a surprise lead against Aberdeen. George Oakley with the goal, there.
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GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Watford (Mane 20)
Premier League: Sadio Mane scores his second of the evening to double Liverpool’s lead against Watford. with his back to goal, Mane takes a pass in the penalty area and makes a pig’s ear of his first touch. He makes up for it in fine style, retrieving the ball and chipping it over Ben Foster with - I kid you not - one of the most audacious back-heels you’ll ever see. From 10 yards out.
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Hearts v Celtic: Steven Naismith misses a good chance to put Hearts ahead against Celtic, pouncing on a poor back-pass and finding himself through on goal with only Scott Bain to beat. He pulls his low drive wide.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Bournemouth (Mousset 30)
Premier League: With Bournemouth looking dead and buried, a Bernd Leno puts Mattéo Guendouzi in a spot of bother with a pass. He faisl to hack it clear and Lys Mousset takes advantage to pull a goal back for the visitors. Moments later, Josh King gets booked for a blatant dive in the Arsenal penalty area. Naughty.
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Rampant Rangers: Steven Gerrard’s Rangers are running amok against Dundee, who find themselves 3-0 down after 23 minutes. Alfredo Morelos gets himself on the scoresheet at Ibrox.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Bournemouth
Premier League: Mesut Ozil turns from goal-scorer to provider, setting up Henrikh Mkhitaryan for his sixth goal of the season. Bournemouth’s shocking form away from home is showing no sign of letting up.
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GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Watford (Mane 9)
Premier League: Sadio Mane scores his fifth goal in six games to put Liverpool ahead after nine minutes. He sends a powerful header past Ben Foster after getting on the end of an excellent cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Fulham (Romeu 23)
Southampton get a corner, which Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico gets a hand to but fails to clear properly. The ball drops for Oriol Romeu, who scores with a deflection.
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Man City go close ... twice: Sergio Aguero and David Silva both spurn decent early chances to put Manchester City ahead against West Ham, whose manager Manuel Pellegrini is making his first return to the Etihad since leaving his post as manager of the club in 2016.
Another goal in Scotland: Christopher Kane has scored for St Johnstone, who lead Hibs 1-0 after 15 minutes. The striker poked home from close range after Hibs failed to clear a corner.
Mesut Ozil has scored in Carl Jenkinson's last three PL starts at the Emirates. Proof Jenkinson is the key to getting the best out of Ozil.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) February 27, 2019
Not long now for our 8pm kick-offs: Assorted teams are going through the last of the pre-match formalities and at Selhurst Park, Manchester United’s players look a collective vision in salmon pink. They’ll be playing very shortly.
A few boos from the Chelsea fans when Kepa's name was read out just now #cfc
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) February 27, 2019
Another goal in Scotland: It could be a long night for Dundee. Rangers score their second in the opening eight minutes, with James Tavernier making it Rangers 2-0 Dundee after eight minutes.
A goal in Scotland: Glen Kamara puts Rangers one up against strugglers Dundee at Ibrox with his first goal since signing for £50,000 in January. The Finland international scores against his former club.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Bournemouth (Ozil 4)
Premier League: Mesut Ozil scores his fifth goal of the season less than five minutes after kick-off. The German dinks the ball over Artur Boruc to put his side ahead against Bournemouth.
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Southampton v Fulham and Arsenal v Bournemouth are go: Southampton start by getting a couple of early corners against Fulham.
Some Celtic fans' feelings clear pic.twitter.com/T9xpxrzS5B
— alan pattullo (@alan_pattullo) February 27, 2019
Crystal Palace v Manchester United: Manchester United hand a rare start to Fred at Crystal Palace in one of three changes from the side that drew with Liverpool. With Marcus Rashford among the substitutes and Juan Mata injured, Alexis Sanchez and Diogo Dalot also start. In the absence of the injured Mamadou Sakho, Palace have handed a recall to Martin Kelly.
Chelsea v Tottenham: Chelsea make four changes to the side which lost 4-3 on penalties to City at Wembley. Gonzalo Higuain returns up front, with Willian making way, and Eden Hazard moves to his preferred left wing role. Mateo Kovacic and Marcos Alonso also came in for Ross Barkley and Emerson Palmieri, respectively.
Spurs, who lost at Burnley on Saturday, make four changes, with Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth, Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen out and Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies and Erik Lamela coming in.
Manchester City v West Ham: Raheem Sterling is rested as champions Manchester City host West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. Sterling, who scored City’s dramatic late winner at Schalke last week and the decisive penalty against Chelsea in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, makes way for Riyad Mahrez. Vincent Kompany makes his first start since 3 January, while Ilkay Gundogan seems most likely to take up the defensive midfield role in the absence of the injured Fernandinho.
The game features returns to Eastlands for former City manager Manuel Pellegrini and midfielder Samir Nasri, who is making just his fourth appearance for the Hammers.
Liverpool v Watford: Liverpool striker Divock Origi gets the job of replacing the injured Roberto Firmino for the visit of Watford. The Belgium international makes just his third Premier League start of the season as the central striker. Trent Alexander-Arnold is in at right-back, allowing James Milner to return to midfield, with Jordan Henderson dropping to the bench. Watford name the same team that hammered Cardiff 5-1 at the weekend.
Arsenal v Bournemouth: News of Kepa’s exclusion from the Chelsea starting line-up is certain to overshadow that of Mesut Ozil and Carl Jenkinson’s inclusion in the Arsenal side to face Bournemouth. Jenkinson makes his first Premier League start for the Gunners in 830 days. Ozil is recalled alongside captain Laurent Koscielny, with Nacho Monreal, Matteo Guendouzi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also coming in from the 2-0 win over Southampton.
Bournemouth, who have lost their last eight top-flight away games, make two alterations as Andrew Surman replaces the suspended Jefferson Lerma and Lys Mousset is preferred to Dominic Solanke in attack.
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Liverpool v Watford line-ups
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Milner, Salah, Origi, Mane.
Subs: Keita, Henderson, Sturridge, Lallana, Mignolet, Shaqiri, Camacho.
Watford: Foster, Janmaat, Mariappa, Cathcart, Masina, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney.
Subs: Gomes, Cleverley, Sema, Gray, Quina, Navarro, Kabasele.
Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
Manchester City v West Ham line-ups
Man City: Ederson, Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Mahrez, Aguero, Sane.
Subs: Walker, Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Mendy, Sandler, Foden, Muric.
West Ham: Fabianski, Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Johnson, Obiang, Rice, Antonio, Nasri, Felipe Anderson, Carroll.
Subs: Zabaleta, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Adrian, Noble, Hernandez,
Diangana.
Referee: Stuart Atwell (Nuneaton)
Crystal Palace v Manchester United line-ups
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Kelly, Van Aanholt, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp, Townsend, Batshuayi, Zaha.
Subs: Dann, Meyer, Kouyate, Hennessey, Ayew, Benteke, Riedewald.
Man Utd: de Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Dalot, Fred, Pogba, Sanchez, Lukaku.
Subs: Bailly, Rashford, Andreas Pereira, Rojo, Romero, Garner, Chong.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire)
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Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur line-ups
Chelsea: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Willian, Christensen.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Lamela, Son, Kane.
Subs: Rose, Wanyama, Llorente, Foyth, Gazzaniga, Aurier, Lucas Moura.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
Caballero starts for Chelsea! It’s been confirmed that Big Willy will start in goal for Chelsea tonight, with Maurizio Sarri flexing his managerial muscle by dropping Kepa for his impertinence last Sunday. I can’t say I blame him; he’d have looked incredibly weak-willed if he hadn’t punished the Spaniard.
More speculation from Stamford Bridge: The unconfirmed word on the Twittersphere is that Willy Caballero will start for Chelsea tonight, while Kepa will have to settle for a place on the bench. Won’t somebody think of Rob Green, eh?
Southampton v Fulham line-ups
Southampton: Gunn, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand, Redmond, Austin.
Subs: McCarthy, Stephens, Long, Elyounoussi, Gallagher, Armstrong, Targett.
Fulham: Sergio Rico, Odoi, Nordtveit, Ream, Bryan, Chambers, McDonald, Zambo, Cairney, Mitrovic, Babel.
Subs: Ryan Sessegnon, Ayite, Vietto, Christie, Markovic, Ramirez, Cisse.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Arsenal v Bournemouth line-ups
Arsenal: Leno, Papastathopoulos, Koscielny, Monreal, Jenkinson, Guendouzi, Torreira, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Aubameyang.
Subs: Cech, Elneny, Ramsey, Lacazette, Iwobi, Mustafi, Suarez.
AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Clyne, Mepham, Ake, Smith, Ibe, Gosling, Surman, Fraser, Mousset, King.
Subs: Daniels, Brooks, Rico, Simpson, Begovic, Taylor, Surridge.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Unconfirmed: The word from the pressroom at Stamford Bridge is that insubordinate goalkeeper Kepa is not – repeat not – in the Chelsea match-day squad for tonight’s game against Tottenham Hotspur. As yet, that is just an unsubstantiated rumour but we’ll find out for sure in approximately 15 minutes.
And in Spain ...
Real Madrid host Barcelona at the Bernabeu tonight as the two sides contest the second leg of their Spanish Cup semi-final clash. The score is level on aggregate, following the 1-1 draw they played out at the Camp Nou earlier this month. Lucas Vazquez opened the scoring for Real, only for his strike to be cancelled out by Malcom.
Tonight’s match is the first of two clasicos scheduled to take place this week – the teams will meet again at the Bernabeu on Saturday for official La Liga business.
Meanwhile in Scotland ...
Following the abrupt departure of Brendan Rodgers to Leicester City, interim manager Neil Lennon takes charge of Celtic for the first time in his second spell as boss of the club. He could scarcely have asked for a more explosive (re)introduction, what with Celtic travelling to Tynecastle, where Lennon is despised by Hearts fans and has been the victim of several assaults during his time in the opposition manager’s technical area. On his last visit, as Hibs manager in October, he was hit by a coin thrown from the stand.
“I have given everything to Celtic as a player and manager already in my career and I am ready to do the same again,” he said upon being unveiled in his new role. “I will be doing all I can to continue the great work that has gone on in recent years. “I am returning to one of the biggest and best clubs in world football and I can’t wait to get started.”
Tonight’s Premier League fixtures
Before a ball is kicked in anger, all eyes will be on the Chelsea team-sheet at Stamford Bridge, scanning it for the name – or absence of the name – Kepa Arrizabalaga following the goalkeepers act of gross insubordination in refusing to leave the pitch as his manager tried to substitute him towards the end of last Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
The 24-year-old has apologised profusely for his actions and been fined a week’s wages for his mutinous behaviour, but his manager Maurizio Sarri said yesterday that he has not decided whether or not to further punish the player by dropping him. We await his decision with interest.
Chelsea play Tottenham tonight, in one of several eye-catching fixtures. Liverpool will attempt to stay top of the table with a win over Watford in what could be a potentially tricky match at Anfield. Meanwhile at the Etihad Stadium, second placed Manchester City entertain a West Ham side that is quite frankly capable of anything.
Midweek clockwatch is here ...
Good evening and welcome to our coverage of tonight’s six Premier League football matches, five Scottish Premiership fitba games, one El Clasico Spanish Cup match and a partridge in a pear tree. We’ll keep you updated with all the goals as they go in around the UK, while bringing you news of any other major talking points. The first of this evening’s games kick off at 7.45pm (GMT) but we’ll be here with team news and build-up in the meantime.
