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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

David Hughes
Saturday 19 March 2016 06:33 EDT
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Rudy Gestede and Ashley Williams come to blows during the first half
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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25 mins: From a corner the Swansea attackers huddle together around the penalty spot – presumably the thinking is that it's difficult for the Villa defenders to mark closely or disrupt them if they snuggle super tightly in a bunch, but it still looks funny.

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 17:57

28 mins: Barrow cuts in from the right and, with danger mounting, Cissokho hacks him down, taking a yellow card for the team...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 17:59

29 mins: Sigurdsson has a go from the free-kick, but his effort goes high and wide...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:00

Bittersweet reactions from Villa fans to their promising start...  211ef37c-2312-4de1-8778-48d3e00cc348.jpg

Feeling a tinge of pride watching #AVFC play as if they'd played as a team before!

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it won't be long before we give a stupid goal away and floodgates open, been far the better team #avfc

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Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:01

32 mins: Wonderful through-ball from Sigurdsson finds Barrow, but the winger is flagged offside as he bears down on goal...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:02

33 mins: More decent football from the visitors, as Veretout combines with Alan Hutton and clips in a cross. Gestede gets on the end of it, but can't generate enough power in his header to trouble Fabianski...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:04

35 mins: Barrow feeds Angel Rangel, who pulls back for Sigurdsson, but the Icelander's low effort is well blocked – Swansea are working their way back into this clash...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:06

39 mins: Rangel plays the ball into Bafetimbi Gomis, who turns smartly but blazes a wild effort high, wide and ugly...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:10

41 mins: Gil slips the ball through to Ayew in acres of space in the Swansea penalty area, but Williams times his last-ditch tackle superbly to deny a shooting chance...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:11

43 mins: Gueye's fine cross deflects to Gestede, who tees the ball up for an overhead kick which is headed behind for a corner from Williams! A fine effort by the hulking striker...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 18:13

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