Premier League Preview - Matchday 7
Sep 29The Premier League is back. After more than three months without any action from England’s top flight, we’ve already seen great goals, late drama and VAR controversy.
Matchday 31 continues on Thursday with three more matches and you can watch them all – including Chelsea v Manchester City exclusively on BT Sport – on BT TV.
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With European places up for grabs, the relegation trap door waiting to be filled and the title still to be clinched it’s all to play for as the Premier League, belatedly, nears the home straight.
Read on for a game-by-game breakdown of everything you need to know about how to watch Matchday 31 of the Premier League.
From live stream information to previews and post-match reporters for each fixture, we’ve got you covered.
Every one of the Premier League matches will be broadcast live and anyone with either of our two sports-based BT TV packages are in the privileged position of being able to watch every moment of the drama.
And what's more, both new and existing BT/BT Sport customers can take either of these packages now and get the first three months at half-price!
Leicester 0-0 Brighton
Tuesday 23 June
Leicester were held to a second successive draw against bottom half opposition on Tuesday night as Brighton held out for a share of the points at the King Power Stadium.
The visitors might even feel aggrieved not to have walked away with the win after Neal Maupay spurned a glorious opportunity when his first-half penalty was saved by the imperious Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester had their own late penalty shout turned down after a flailing Lewis Dunk's arm appeared to make contact with the ball in the box but it would have been harsh on a resolute Seagulls outfit who now look in a strong position to avoid the drop.
Tottenham 2-0 West Ham
Tuesday 23 June
A must-win game for both sides at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ended in triumph for the home team as they ground out the win against a largely uninspired West Ham side.
Heung-min Son's strike in first-half stoppage time was ruled out by VAR after the South Korean was adjudged to be fractionally offside but it mattered not by the 64th minute as Hammers man Tomas Soucek cruelly deflected a corner into his own net.
England captain Harry Kane then made sure of Spurs' first win in eight games with his 18th goal of the campaign to leave West Ham in a royal mess at the foot of the table.
Only goal difference currently keeps the Hammers out of the bottom three and, after another limp display, David Moyes has his work cut out to keep his side in the division.
Man United 3-0 Sheffield United
Wednesday 24 June
Anthony Martial scored his first senior hat-trick as Manchester United comfortably beat Sheffield United at Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old Frenchman converted Marcus Rashford’s cut-back in the seventh minute before meeting Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s low cross to score from close range on the stroke of half time.
The frontman coolly dispatched his third midway through the second period to move United within two points of fourth-placed Chelsea. Sheffield United, winless since the restart, remain eighth.
Newcastle 1-1 Aston Villa
Wednesday 24 June
Aston Villa salvaged a precious point against Newcastle at St. James Park courtesy of Egyptian right-back Ahmed Elmohamady’s late header.
Newcastle’s two substitutes Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle had combined to give the hosts the lead after 68 minutes, but Villa fought back to claim a priceless point in their battle to avoid the drop.
Villa, who face in-form Wolves next, are in deep trouble in 19th-place while Newcastle are all but assured of Premier League football next season after an impressive return to action post-lockdown.
Norwich 0-1 Everton
Wednesday 24 June
Michael Keane headed the only goal of the game as Everton piled more misery on bottom club Norwich at Carrow Road.
The Canaries are still not doomed – and they have a relatively tame run-in – but successive home defeats to Southampton and Everton suggest a great escape might be too tall an order for Daniel Farke’s side.
Norwich are six points adrift of safety while Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton, who held champions-elect Liverpool to a goalless draw on Sunday, leapfrog Arsenal into 10th.
Wolves 1-0 Bournemouth
Wednesday 24 June
Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore combined once again to sink Bournemouth at Molineux on Wednesday night.
The Mexican marksman scored his 15th league goal of the season to bolster Nuno Espirito Santo’s side’s bid for Champions League qualification after heading in a pinpoint cross from Traore.
The defeat deepens Bournemouth’s relegation concerns. Eddie Howe’s men, who have lost each of their last seven away games in a row, remain in 18th-place and are staring down the barrel of relegation.
Liverpool 4-0 Crystal Palace
Wednesday 24 June
Liverpool came close to their scintillating best in a thumping win over Crystal Palace to put them on the cusp of a first Premier League title in 30 years.
Jürgen Klopp lauded what he described as an ‘exceptional performance’ after he watched his side score four fine goals against an in-form Crystal Palace at an eerily quiet Anfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Fabinho and Sadio Mane were all on target as Roy Hodgson’s side were outplayed from start to finish.
Manchester City must now win at Chelsea to further delay Liverpool’s coronation as Premier League champions.
Burnley v Watford
Thursday 25 June, KO 6pm
Live Stream - NOW TV app & NOWTV.com via BT TV
TV - BT TV channels 420 & 421
The Premier League feast continues on Thursday when Burnley host Watford at Turf Moor.
The Clarets, who were beaten 5-0 at Manchester City on Monday evening in their first taste of competitive action since early March, are sitting comfortably in mid table in 11th on 39 points.
Watford, on the other hand, salvaged a point against Leicester City courtesy of Craig Dawson’s last-gasp heroics after Ben Chilwell’s wonder strike looked set to condemn the Hornets to defeat.
The central defender’s improvised overhead kick secured a potentially pivotal point in front of the BT Sport cameras on Saturday lunchtime.
Defeat would have been harsh on the Hornets, who have home games against Southampton, Norwich and Newcastle still to come.
Although Watford have improved under new boss Nigel Pearson, they have won just one of their last eight Premier League games (D3 L4), beating Liverpool 3-0 in February and are still embroiled in a scrap for survival.
Burnley were without Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes for the trip to Manchester City on Monday night and boss Sean Dyche will be keen to see Kiwi frontman Wood return to action as the season resumes.
Wood has scored seven Premier League goals at Turf Moor this season, four more than any other Clarets player.
Burnley’s 3-0 win at Watford in November is their joint-biggest away victory in the Premier League. Will the Clarets consign the Canaries to another defeat? Or can Watford claim a rare midweek victory in their fight to avoid the drop?
Southampton v Arsenal
Wednesday 25 June, KO 6pm
Live Stream - NOW TV app & NOWTV.com via BT TV
TV - BT TV channels 420 & 421
Arsenal have endured a disastrous restart to the Premier League. The Gunners were brushed aside by Manchester City last week before suffering an exasperating last-minute defeat to Brighton.
They’ve also picked up a number of injuries and suspensions. David Luiz is ineligible after his red card in Manchester while Bernd Leno, Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari are among a number of injured players.
Mikel Arteta said the way his side lost their Premier League game at Brighton is “unacceptable” after he watched his side throw away a lead in Sussex.
The Seagulls found parity through Lewis Dunk before Neal Maupay scored the winner five minutes into added time.
Southampton made a triumphant return to action, comfortably beating Norwich 3-0 at Carrow Road in a win which puts the Saints in a position of strength ahead of the run-in.
Danny Ings has been in scintillating form this season and he has scored three goals in his last two Premier League appearances against Arsenal.
In another boost for Ralph Hasenhüttl’s men, Southampton have won three of their last five league home games against Arsenal.
Arsenal have dropped to tenth-place, six points off fifth and eight adrift of fourth, while thirteenth-placed Southampton are 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
Arteta must galvanise a squad bereft of confidence to re-ignite a faltering European charge. A win for Southampton, meanwhile, would put them level on points with Thursday's opponents.
Chelsea v Man City
Thursday 25 June, KO 8.15pm
Live stream - BTSport.com and BT Sport app
TV - BT Sport 1 HD & Ultimate
BT Sport is the only place to watch the conclusion of Matchday 31 when Chelsea host Manchester City in a mammoth clash at Stamford Bridge.
Second-placed City convincingly beat Arsenal before hosting Burnley on Monday night, while Chelsea resumed with a crucial come-from-behind win against Aston Villa.
Chelsea are looking to consolidate fourth-place and fend off competition from the likes of Manchester United, Wolves and Sheffield United.
Visitors City, who looked in imperious form against Arsenal on their return to action, look set to claim second-place after a sub-par defence of their league title.
Pep Guardiola’s side boast an impressive record against Chelsea. They have won six of their last nine league meetings (L3) and Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in the last 11 meetings with, though it was in this exact fixture last season.
However, Chelsea have been buoyed by the signings of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner and Lampard’s young guns showed few signs of rust at Villa Park on Sunday.
City beat Chelsea 2-1 in the reverse fixture courtesy of first-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez, despite falling behind to N’Golo Kante’s early goal.
The tenth and final game of the midweek fixture list is only on BT Sport – don’t miss it!
And don’t forget, Premier League Tonight returns on BT Sport from 10.30pm after the coverage of Chelsea v Man City concludes.
