The Premier League champions must visit the Vitality Stadium, while Fulham host Palace in a London derby and second-tier Preston are at home to Villa So there we have it. Short and sweet. The favourites, Manchester City, are away and get to face Premier League opposition for the first time in this year’s competition. Preston v Villa will be a grand occasion at Deepdale, and Fulham v Palace is an intriguing derby. And Forest and Ipswich duel tomorrow for the right to visit in-form Brighton. Brighton v Nottingham Forest or Ipswich Continue reading...

Arsenal have benefited from a longer period of rest since their 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday as they gear up for a huge Champions League last-16 clash against PSV on Tuesday night

It has been a midweek of Premier League certainties being secured at both top and bottom. Place Leicester in the certainty category. Defeat at West Ham extended Leicester’s doomed, zombified lurch towards relegation to 11 defeats in 12, 11 from 16 since Ruud van Nistelrooy replaced Steve Cooper in November. If Cooper was the wrong man at the wrong club then so is the Dutchman. Perhaps no manager had a chance with the squad Leicester assembled to attempt survival. Graham Potter, previously linked with Leicester, has meanwhile restored order to West Ham. Jarrod Bowen made things happen for both first-half goals, involved in the move for the first from Tomas Soucek, the second an own goal from Jannik Vestergaard the Hammers captain’s zest had enforced. Continue reading...

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Fadugba and Sam Dalling to discuss Wednesday night’s Premier League action Rate, review, and share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email. On the podcast today: Liverpool stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle, as Dominik Szoboszlai continues to impress. The panel ask: is the race done? Meanwhile, Arsenal are held to a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest, with Mikel Merino starting up top, and the panel ask if Raheem Sterling peaked too early in his career. Continue reading...

Liverpool moved 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday night with a 2-0 win over Newcastle, which, combined with Arsenal's failure to beat Nottingham Forest, effectively ended the title race

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal failed to score for the second Premier League game in a row as their attacking shortcomings were laid bare against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday

Liverpool went 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League by beating Newcastle on Wednesday night, with Arsenal's hopes of catching the Reds over after drawing with Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest went toe-to-toe with Arsenal and while the 0-0 draw ended the Gunners title hopes, it didn't hurt the Midlands side's own European aspirations

‘We have to generate more shots on target’Martinelli has a ‘chance’ to return before Saka Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal “lacked that spark” in the goalless draw at Nottingham Forest that has left his team 13 points behind Liverpool with 11 games left. The Arsenal manager praised his team’s dominance and attempts to find different routes to goal but conceded that with the absence of his main four attacking players – Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz – Forest were able to deny them clearcut chances. Continue reading...

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo praises the club's fans for giving "extra legs to the players" in the 0-0 draw with Arsenal.

LIVERPOOL 2-0 NEWCASTLE UNITED: Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 13 points thanks to victory at Anfield and Arsenal's failure at Nottingham Forest - we might as well crown them now!

A frustrated Declan Rice confronted Arsenal team-mate Gabriel after the Gunners were held to a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, leaving them 13 points adrift of leaders Liverpool

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says his side lacked "that spark, that final pass", in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest as they suffer another Premier League title race set-back.

These teams may only be separated by one place in the Premier League table but the emotions released by players, coaches and fans at the end of this entertaining draw showed just how far apart their ambitions lie. Arsenal are resigned to just Champions League qualification; Nottingham Forest, in contrast, are intoxicated at the tantalising prospect of it. Arsenal’s title challenge started running down as their striking department fell into the treatment room in mid-winter but gaining one point from two games against West Ham and Forest seems to have killed it off completely. Continue reading...