Good morning, and welcome to another Matchday Live, where the stakes are high, the emotions are higher, and the irony is practically dripping from the rafters.

Let’s start with West Ham, who have been competing with Tottenham this season. The only problem? No one had Spurs down as relegation candidates. That unexpected but welcome bonus for miserable Hammers is now slipping away faster than a wet bar of soap in a prison shower.

Arne Slot has a big task ahead to get the Anfield faithful back on side after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Ryan Gravenberch opened the scoring with his first league goal of 2026, but Enzo Fernández snatched a point for the Blues with a 35th-minute equaliser. The result left Chelsea ninth and Liverpool fourth in the table. Slot’s decision to sub off 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha for Alexander Isak was met with boos, but the head coach insisted the winger had cramps. “He said that was enough,” Slot explained, adding: “It makes complete sense [the boos] if you take off a player who is playing well and had assisted. It wasn’t my intention to take him off but he is not at the level yet where he can play at 50/60% and make a difference.” Gravenberch called the criticism unfair: “OK, we didn’t win, but I don’t really think we deserved this. We need them. Hopefully they wouldn’t do it again in the next two games.” Slot accepted the criticism but said he is “100% convinced” he can win back the crowd next season with a new-look team.

At Craven Cottage, Bournemouth clinched a 1-0 win against Fulham after both teams went down to 10 men. At the Amex Stadium, Brighton kept their European hopes alive with a 3-0 win over Wolves. Elsewhere, Sunderland held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal players to build on their Champions League semi-final win against Atlético Madrid and channel energy in the right way ahead of the final three Premier League games of the season, starting against West Ham. “I think we’re in a really good moment,” the manager said. “I see every single day, here, I know how much we want it, and those are elements that are very, very positive. I think we have to channel that energy in the right way - it’s very, very powerful.” Arsenal cannot be caught in the title race if they win their last three matches, starting at the London Stadium this afternoon.

Pep Guardiola ended his press conference with four words: “Come on you Irons.” The Manchester City manager crossed his arms to mimic the hammers on the West Ham badge before saying the phrase, after City cruised past Brentford to sit two points below the league leaders.

Today’s big fixtures: relegation-threatened West Ham take on title-chasing Arsenal; Nottingham Forest host Newcastle; Crystal Palace face Everton; Burnley meet Aston Villa; Celtic take on Rangers in the Scottish Premiership with both looking to catch league leaders Hearts; and in La Liga, Barcelona could seal the league title with a win against rivals Real Madrid.

Join us for all the action, where the only thing more unpredictable than the results is the managerial facial hair.