Stanislas has been forced off through injury, so Bournemouth introduce Jack Simpson, the England Under-21 defender on in his place. Wolves have had 80% of possession at Molineux, which does not bode particularly well for a Brighton team that dare not lose a sixth successive game …
It is all Wolves at Molineux. They’re camped in the Brighton half and dominating possession. Wolves are yet to truly test Mat Ryan in the Brighton goal but they are in the ascendency. Jota was fed inside the box but Pascal Gross got back to claw the ball away. Would Chris Hughton take a point?
Another injury for Bournemouth? Junior Stanislas, who was promoted to the starting lineup following an injury to Adam Smith in the warm-up, appears to be in trouble, holding the back of his knee after sending a free-kick high and wide. A reminder this is Eddie Howe’s 500th game in management. He is 41.
Bournemouth should be ahead! But Rico keeps out Ryan Fraser’s effort – a fine save. A few minutes earlier, Fraser whipped a ball into the box for Joshua King but the Norway striker side-footed over the bar. Fulham, it is fair to say, are on the back foot. It will be interesting whether Shahid Khan ends up entrusting Scott Parker with the gig next season. Steve Clarke is currently the bookies’ favourite, while Fulham are fans of David Wagner.
An early blow for Brighton, with Chris Hughton forced into a change after Davy Pröpper pulls a hamstring hoofing the ball out of play. Beram Kayal is on. Down on the toasty south coast, it is all Bournemouth with Fraser zipping an effort just wide. It could be a very long afternoon for relegated Fulham.
A familiar sight for the hosts, as Gerard Deulofeu wheels away after slotting home a typically composed finish. Kongolo cleared his initial effort but the forward wraps his foot around the ball to curl home the rebound. A win would help Watford back up to seventh if neither Leicester nor Wolves record victory.
And we’re under way around the grounds.
A last-minute tweak to the Bournemouth lineup: Adam Smith has been forced to withdraw through injury, with Junior Stanislas taking his place at right-back. The highly-rated Nnamdi Ofoborh is promoted to the bench. Bournemouth are already down to bare bones defensively. And a gentle reminder that the Fulham captain Tom Cairney is absent altogether after his partner went into labour.
Spoilt for choice? But why buy a half-and-half scarf when you can snap up one adorned with the faces of the entire Wolves squad?
Scarves for sale outside Molineux. Photograph: Ryan Browne/BPI/Rex/Shutterstock
There is just no let-up in this title race:
Manchester City have beaten Tottenham, this time without the flurry of first-half goals or late VAR drama. Phil Foden’s early strike was enough for Pep Guardiola’s side to return top of the tree, though there was a bum-note for City with Kevin de Bruyne taken off with a knee injury after 38 minutes. Away from the big leagues, it is a huge afternoon for Weston-super-Mare who require three points and nothing else against Hampton & Richmond Borough in their penultimate home game of the season:
The champagne remains on ice at Celtic Park:
Team news news: the lesser-spotted Jack Wilshere returns to the West Ham bench at the London Stadium, while Manuel Pellegrini recalls Marko Arnautovic to lead the line. Wilshere has featured just five times this season and has not played since aggravating an ankle injury at the start of December. Chris Hughton makes two changes for Brighton’s crunch game at Molineux, with Gaetan Bong and José Izquierdo in for Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Bernardo. Wolves also tweak personnel, with Ryan Bennett recalled to Nuno’s three-man defence while Morgan Gibbs-White also starts.
Casey Stoney’s side have not only secured promotion – but they are going up in style after being crowned Women’s Championship champions following a 7-0 demolition of Crystal Palace. Lauren James scored four times as United cruised to victory that rounds off a fine maiden season since they were reformed last year. They will play in the Women’s Super League next season. United sealed promotion by thrashing Aston Villa 5-0 on Wednesday, but still needed one more win to claim the trophy.
They have now racked up 88 goals in their 18 league games, conceding just seven times. James, Lizzie Arnot and Leah Galton all struck as United breezed into a 3-0 half-time lead. Jess Sigsworth reopened the scoring after the interval, before James pounced three times in succession, completing her treble and then striking again to boot. “I follow them a bit and it’s great for the club to get promoted,” said Ole Gunnar Solskjær earlier this week. “It gives everyone at the club a boost. It was fantastic to see the celebrations and it’s very much onwards and upwards for them.”
Manchester United celebrate their opener in a 7-0 rout of Crystal Palace on Saturday. Photograph: Chloe Knott for The FA/Rex/Shutterstock
Bournemouth v Fulham
Bournemouth: Boruc; Smith, Mepham, S Cook, Aké; Fraser, Gosling, Lerma, Brooks; Wilson, King
On the face of it, it is not the most appetising of 3 o’clock action but for Brighton & Hove Albion it really does not matter. Victory at Wolves would leave Cardiff, who host Liverpool on Sunday, with a Pen y Fan-esque peak to climb if they are to avoid relegation, while a sixth successive league defeat would give Neil Warnock’s side plenty of encouragement with four games to play. Brighton’s run-in, it is fair to say, is unkind, with trips to Tottenham and Arsenal to come before a final-day date at home to Manchester City. In short, they need something from Molineux this afternoon. Elsewhere, a 41-year-old Eddie Howe will celebrate his 500th game in management as Bournemouth take on Fulham, while relegated Huddersfield host FA Cup finalists Watford. Then we have Leicester’s trip to West Ham, who themselves need a reaction after three defeats on the bounce. A little further afield, Atlético Madrid take on Eibar in La Liga, while Bayern Munich can establish some breathing space at the top of the Bundesliga by beating Werder Bremen, with Dortmund not in action until Sunday.
Saturday’s Premier League fixtures
Bournemouth v Fulham
Huddersfield v Watford
Manchester City v Tottenham (12.30pm)
Newcastle v Southampton (5.30pm)
West Ham v Leicester
Wolves v Brighton
