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
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Your support makes all the difference.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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Half-time: Swansea 0 Aston Villa 0
It... hasn't been a classic.
Villa, in fairness, have played well – Gueye has been excellent in midfield, as he has all season, while Veretout has also looked bright for the visitors.
Remi Garde's side haven't been overtly threatening, but they have at least shown some quality and composure that has been sadly lacking this campaign, and Ayew should have troubled Fabianski with the half's one clear chance.
Swansea, apart from occasional moments of promise from Sigurdsson and Barrow, haven't really been at the races.
They are nine points clear of the relegation zone but, with much tougher fixtures to come, the Swans will want to drastically improve in the second half and generate some much-needed momentum.
46 mins: Leon Britton is on for Swansea, replacing Ki, who was pretty anonymous in the first half...
48 mins: Villa keeping the ball really well after the break – they are playing, for one of the first times this season, like a side that makes you go: "How are they going down?"
52 mins: Cissokho, who was booked for bring down Barrow in the first half, fouls the flying winger again as he bursts past! Big call for Mike Dean, but he keeps his cards in his pocket! Villa's left-back can count himself very lucky...
GOAL! Swansea 1 (Fernandez) Aston Villa 0
Oh dear – after all of Villa's hard work, calamitous defending and a goalkeeping blunder give the hosts the lead! Federico Fernandez is left completely unmarked at the far post from Sigurdsson's free-kick and Guzan rushes out to try and punch clear, but the ball rebounds off the Swansea player and into the net!
For all their promise, Villa were undone by the same basic individual errors and carelessness that have blighted their season. It wasn't a classic, and Swansea were nowhere near their best, but the hosts have earned three points that should all but guarantee that they won't be dragged into the relegation dogfight.Today's real drama in the Premier League came earlier, as Leicester extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points with a hard-fought win over Crystal Palace, and Arsenal kept their season alive by beating Everton.
Chelsea scored a late equaliser against West Ham, Norwich grabbed a precious three points at West Brom and Stoke beat Watford.
Tomorrow we have two of the Premier League's fiercest derbies, as Newcastle host Sunderland before Manchester City face Manchester United at the Etihad. Elsewhere, Liverpool travel to Southampton and Tottenham will hope to cut the gap to Leicester against Bournemouth.
As always, The Independent will be the best place to follow all the action. Thanks for joining me, and enjoy your Saturday night...
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