As it happenedended

Swansea vs Aston Villa live: Latest score after Leicester go eight points clear, Chelsea and West Ham draw

Follow all the thrills and spills as the Premier League hurtles into its closing weeks

Saturday 19 March 2016 06:33 EDT

Rudy Gestede and Ashley Williams come to blows during the first half (Getty Images)

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Welcome to the Independent’s live coverage of the Premier League with another fascinating clutch of matches at both ends of the table with the title race and relegation fight still wide open.

In the early kick-off Arsenal travel to Everton hoping to repair their fractured season. Meanwhile Chelsea, whose season is already in ruin, entertain top-four chasing West Ham United across the capital for a match which could underpin their unlikely hopes of securing Champions League qualification.

Table-toppers Leicester City, on the other hand, make the treacherous trip to face lowly Crystal Palace in the knowledge that Alan Pardew’s Eagles have previous when it comes to scuppering title bids, as Liverpool and Manchester City have discovered in recent years.

Watford face Stoke, Norwich meet West Bromwich Albion and Swansea welcome Aston Villa in a trio of massive games elsewhere on this most intriguing of weekends in the top-flight.

Today's matches...

Everton vs Arsenal – 12.45pm
Chelsea vs West Ham United – 3pm
Crystal Palace vs Leicester City – 3pm
Watford vs Stoke City – 3pm
West Bromwich Albion vs Norwich City – 3pm
Swansea City vs Aston Villa – 5.30pm

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Today's talking points:

Goals from Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi give Arsenal a much-needed victory against Everton in the lunchtime kick-off
Leicester go eight points clear of Tottenham at the top with victory at Crystal Palace
Cesc Fabregas scores a dramatic late equaliser from the penalty spot against West Ham
Norwich climb out of the relegation zone with a scrappy, but crucial win at West Brom
Swansea take the lead against Aston Villa in our evening clash

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 11:37

What a cracking day we have in store. Arsenal travel to Everton for our lunchtime kick-off, which gets underway in just over an hour, needing a win to a) keep any hopes of winning the title alive, and b) keep the wolves from the door of beleaguered manager Arsene Wenger.

Even if the Gunners do grab all three points at Goodison Park, they will still only move to within eight points of Leicester. Claudio Ranieri's side have a chance to extend their lead at the top further today with their trip to Crystal Palace.

High-flying West Ham make the short trip to London rivals Chelsea, knowing a win will see them leapfrog a stagnant Manchester City side into fourth place.

Villa, who travel to Swansea for our evening kick-off, were surely doomed months ago, but for Norwich, who have a tricky trip to in-form West Brom, there is still much to play for – the Canaries know a point will drag them out of the relegation zone.

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 11:47

First, though, it's all eyes on Goodison Park – here is the team news for our lunchtime clash. For Everton, Muhamed Besic comes in for the suspended Gareth Barry and Leighton Baines makes his first start since January. Francis Coquelin replaces the injured Mathieu Flamini, and Alex Iwobi makes his first Premier League start for the Gunners.Snazzy team graphics from both sides too, so well done them.