Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Premier League Match Week 31 Results

The big dogs were off having their own party over the weekend as Manchester City claimed the EFL trophy in a 2-0 win over a stagnant Arsenal side. Nico O’Reilly headed home twice in the second half to keep Arsenal thirsting for a first trophy since 2020 while Manchester City claimed the EFL silverware for the fifth time in ten years.

With the Premier League title chase on hold, the top four race was in focus as Aston Villa defeated West Ham while Liverpool and Chelsea both lost. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Bournemouth to remain a point ahead of fourth place Villa. Liverpool is fifth, five points back of Aston Villa after the Reds were victimized by a Danny Welbeck brace in a 2-1 loss at Brighton. Welbeck has found the net 12 times in the Premier League this season, more than any English player, and is raising questions as to why he has not been chosen for the English national team. The rejuvenated Seagulls have won four of their last five league matches to revive their hopes of a possible European berth. Liverpool, which beat Galatasaray during the week, continues to struggle with the toll of its joint European and domestic schedule as the Reds have lost five of 10 league games following a midweek Champions League contest. Injuries are a contributor as Mohamed Salah and Alysson Becker were both out for the Brithon tussle, a contest which also saw Hugo Ekitike leave early with a “dead leg.”

Chelsea failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s stumble as the Blues lost for a third time in their last four Premier League matches. The bloom is most certainly off the rose of Manager Liam Rosenior’s honeymoon period after his side was thrashed 3-0 at Everton. Beto had two goals and an assist in the Toffees’ rout of a shambolic Chelsea side which appears increasingly dysfunctional under Rosenior.

Aston Villa was also spiraling entering the weekend. The Villans, however, put an end to a three-match losing run and tightened their hold on fourth position in the table with their 2-0 defeat of West Ham. After an early goal from John McGinn, Ollie Watkins ended a six-match goal drought with an insurance goal to send the Hammers home without a point and ensure they stay in the relegation zone at least until the end of the international break in two weeks. West Ham dearly missed the presence of injured forward Cryscencio Summerville as the Hammers have now failed to win any of the seven matches he has missed this season. Victorious Aston Villa moved to within a point of third place Manchester United which began the weekend schedule on Friday with a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. A Junior Kroupi 81st minute penalty kick equalized for the Cherries after Manchester United’s Harry Maguire was red carded for taking down Evanilson in the box. It was a bittersweet day for Maguire who was named to the England squad earlier for the first time since 2024.

While the weekend saw some minor jostling in the race for Champions League slots, the greater drama unfolded at the bottom of the table. The most impactful match of the weekend might well have taken place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where the home side once again disappointed an increasingly worried supporter base. Nottingham Forest emerged as 3-0 victors in a crucial “six pointer” in the race for Premier League survival. The victory moved the Tricky Trees past Spurs who now sit one point above the drop line with West Ham the threat to yet crawl out of the relegation zone, potentially sending Tottenham Hotspur to its first ever Premier League relegation. These were not heavyweights who played in north London on Sunday. Spurs has yet to win a league match this calendar year and has the worst home record in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest had not won a league game in two months before Sunday’s statement win. And yet the Tricky Trees were clearly the superior side, defeating the home side by the same 3-0 scoreline as in the reverse fixture between the clubs. Spurs are safe for the international break only due to the West Ham loss at Aston Villa.

Leeds, meanwhile, edged ever more lightly ahead of the primary relegation contenders. The Whites moved to four points above the drop line with their goalless draw versus Brentford. Though winless in six matches, Leeds is doing just enough to steer clear so far of the morass of flawed clubs below them. Things can change quickly when one of the downtrodden clubs scores an actual win, however, with Nottingham Forest now just a point below Leeds.

Seventh place Brentford drew for a third consecutive match and is level on points with Everton after the Toffees’ win over Chelsea. Fulham is just two points behind the Bees and Toffees after the Cottagers’ straightforward 3-1 win over dismal Burnley.

The middle of the table saw the latest iteration of the Tyne-Wear derby, the heated rivalry between Newcastle and Sunderland that has been dominated by the Black Cats in recent times. Bryan Robbey’s dramatic 90th minute goal delivered a 2-1 Sunderland win and extended Newcastle’s frustration, and even embarrassment, in the regional rivalry. The Magpies are winless in their last 11 Premier League battles with the Black Cats. Sunderland leapfrogged Newcastle into 11th in the table with the victory at St. James’s Park.

The Premier League now pauses for an international break before resuming on Friday April 10th when West Ham hosts Wolverhampton with a chance for the Hammers to escape the relegation zone.

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