Key events
Longtime Championship frontrunners Leeds are being held 1-1 by Luton. Rivals Burnley are 2-1 up at Coventry, while Sunderland – who still have an outside shot at finishing in the top two – are winning 1-0 at West Brom. Just 10 minutes to go in those Leeds and Burnley games.
Is another Leeds promotion bid falling apart, again? *Joy Division plays*
The most crucial aspect of that Premier League team news is the absence of Matheus Cunha for Wolves at Ipswich. The Brazilian, who has made no secret of his lofty ambitions, serves the final game of a three-match suspension and without him Vítor Pereira’s side may struggle for attacking impetus.
They have actually won their past two without him, but one was a 1-0 win over a lacklustre West Ham and the other was a 2-1 victory at Southampton. Hardly inspiring stuff – and that Wolves frontline may find things a little trickier against a resurgent Ipswich, who know it’s a must-win for them today.
West Ham v Bournemouth team news
West Ham: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles; Álvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse; Bowen, Paquetá, Kudus.
Subs: Fabianski, Soler, Coufal, Füllkrug, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Rodriguez, Emerson, Ferguson.
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga; Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Adams, Scott, Cook; Outtara, Semenyo, Evanlison.
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Brooks, Soler, Jebbison, Araujo, Hill, Silcott-Duberry, Winterburn.
Ipswich v Wolves team news
Ipswich: Palmer; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Burgess, Townsend; Morsy, Cajuste; Johnson, Broadhead, Enciso; Delap.
Subs: Walton, Davis, Woolfenden, Phillips, Chaplin, Taylor, Hirst, Philogene, Clarke.
Wolves: Sá; Doherty, Agbadou, T.Gomes; Semedo. J.Gomes, André, Aït-Nouri; Munetsi, Bellegarde; Strand Larsen.
Subs: Bentley, Bueno, Hwang, R.Gomes, Doyle, Sarabia, Forbs, Guedes, Djiga.
Crystal Palace v Brighton team news
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Lerma, Lacroix, Guéhi; Muñoz, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze, Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Ward, Nketiah, França, Clyne, Hughes, Esse, Chilwell, Devenny.
Brighton: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupiñán; Gomez, Baleba, O’Riley; Minteh, Mitoma, Welbeck.
Subs: Rushworth, March, Gruda, Pedro, Adingra, Cashin, Ayari, Wieffer, Tasker.
Before we run through the Premier League team news, I’ll nudge you in the direction of Everton v Arsenal. Simon Burnton has the updates, with the Toffees having just levelled from the penalty spot.
Preamble
The skies are clear, the temperature is up and … sadly there’s not much to play for at the denouement of a strange Premier League season. BUT – and it’s a big but – there are some 3pm kickoffs with at least a morsel of juicy narrative to gnaw on. There’s the bragging rights of the A23 derby to be won at Selhurst Park, while if Ipswich beat Wolves at Portman Road we might, just might, have a relegation scrap on our hands. There’s West Ham v Bournemouth too, if mid-table slugfests are your thing.
The Championship, as ever, may offer us the most significant storylines. The next staging post on Sheffield United’s quest for automatic promotion is Oxford United, while the likes of Cardiff, Derby and Hull look to stave off that most dangerous of relegations – the one to League One. The third and fourth tiers are brimming with action too, of course, not forgetting the Scottish Premiership and the Bundeliga, while Real Madrid host Valencia from 3.15pm.
Let’s get this one under way. Grab yourself an ice lolly and enjoy.
