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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 

Follow the action below...

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Early days in our poll, but Leicester have taken a fully understandable lead, with just under half the votes so far – Arsenal, perhaps surprisingly, are a close second, despite being six points behind Tottenham. Is the public right, with Spurs still the chokers of popular imagination? Or are just most of the people following the build-up to Arsenal's trip to Everton... Arsenal fans?72fd37d2-2446-486e-9aca-b87da8ba5d81.jpg

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:07

With just under half an hour to go until kick-off the fans are steadily trickling into Goodison Park...ce034fad-44b6-4932-8fc5-c044bb89bb78.jpg

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:17

Kick-off: Everton get us underway at Goodison Park...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:46

1 min: Positive from the hosts already as Aaron Lennon links well with Seamus Coleman to get a ball into the box, eventually winning a corner for Everton...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:47

2 mins: Everton hit to post from the corner! Low ball in is met by Coleman, who just gets in front of Danny Welbeck to direct an effort towards goal, to be denied by the woodwork!

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:48

3 mins: Now Arsenal hit the post (sort-of)! Brilliant work from Welbeck to burst into the Everton penalty area, where Muhamed Besic nips in to attempt a clearance, only for the ball to ricochet off the Arsenal strike and deflect off the near post... 

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:49

Really fast, end-to-end start here – both sides are living up to reputation by looking creaky defensively... 

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:50

GOAL! Everton 0 Arsenal 1 (Welbeck)

What a wonderful goal from the Gunners – after more than a minute of patient, probing Arsenal passing around the Everton penalty area Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil combine beautifully to thread the ball through to Welbeck, and the lively striker coolly rounds Joel Robles and taps into the empty net!

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:52

8 mins: Everton look very shaky at the back– no sooner had the goal gone in than Arsenal worked the ball to Premier League debutant Alex Iwobi in the penalty area, whose shot was straight at Robles...

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:55

Even before his goal, Welbeck had started the game in lively fashion...d639d52c-deb8-4df6-bc74-d09a8944497b.jpg

Kristin Hugo19 March 2016 12:58

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