Good afternoon everybody and welcome along to our minute-by-minute coverage of today’s Premier League action.
Plenty of intriguing games taking place today but the two standout fixtures undeniably involve the two clubs from Manchester.
Bournemouth host Man City this afternoon as the title race rumbles on, while Manchester United’s bid to snatch a top four place this season continues at Old Trafford against Ralph Hasenhüttl’s Southampton.
We’ll keep you posted on all the plot twists and storylines from across today’s games which get underway shortly at 3pm.
🚨 The teams are in 🚨
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 2, 2019
Here's the #SaintsFC side for today's showdown with #MUFC: pic.twitter.com/724kvvtMTR
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) March 2, 2019
Confirmed, our starting line-up and subs for our @premierleague game against @ManCity at Vitality Stadium.
🔘 Brooks starts
🔘 Daniels and Simpson also in
🔘 Surman captain
Live blog 💻: https://t.co/JnicSguDKp#BOUMCI pic.twitter.com/QoiTzUlSM8
Let's do this! 💪
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 2, 2019
XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Silva (C), De Bruyne, Sterling, Bernardo, Aguero
Subs | Muric, Danilo, Kompany, Sané, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden@HaysWorldwide ⚽️ #BOUMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/UsakP38Wr7
So, today’s teams will line out as:
Man United: De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Pogba, Rashford, Lukaku, Sanchez.
Subs: Bailly, Grant, Rojo, Fred, Dalot, Chong, Gomes.
Southampton: Gunn, Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand, Redmond, Austin.
Subs: McCarthy, Stephens, Elyounoussi, Gallagher, Armstrong, Targett, Slattery.
Bournemouth: Boruc, Clyne, Mepham, Ake, Smith, Simpson, Fraser, Brooks, Surman, Daniels, King.
Subs: Gosling, Mousset, Ibe, Rico, Begovic, Taylor, Surridge.
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Bernardo Silva, Aguero, Sterling.
Subs: Danilo, Kompany, Sane, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Foden,
Muric.
KICK-OFF: We’re underway for the first half!
3 mins — Romelu Lukaku with the first chance for Manchester United. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn does well to stretch and bend it round his post and out for a corner to the hosts.
5 mins — Nicolás Otamendi comes close against Bournemouth. He peels away from his marker inside the box, but the big Argentine’s header bounces into the surface and well wide of the target. City have very much started on the front foot here.
8 mins — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men also very much on top at Old Trafford. Chances from Andreas Pereira and Lukaku again both produce more stops from goalkeeper Gunn for Bournemouth, who is keeping Southampton in this at the moment.
A dominant start from #MUFC, with Southampton goalkeeper Angus Gunn already forced into three big saves - keep pressing, lads! #MUNSOU pic.twitter.com/zURdXA667q
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 2, 2019
13 mins — Kevin De Bruyne with the corner kick for Man City. Ilkay Gundogan rises highest, but his effort is right at Artur Boruc. It’s all Man City at the moment.
14 mins — Jannik Vestergaard arrives with the Saints’ first real opportunity of the game so far. He wins the ball in the air but heads wide of the target, with David De Gea yet to make a save so far. Well, he hasn’t had to.
Centurion @IlkayGuendogan!
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 2, 2019
🍒 0-0 🔵 #BOUMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/Ch0lFj5iSp
19 mins — A very poor miss by David Silva. The Spanish playmaker was found completely unmarked inside the box from a Kevin De Bruyne cross. However Silva’s side-footed effort failed to hit the target, flying low and wide off the advertising hoarding.
22 mins — Elsewhere in the Premier League Wolves have raced into a 2-0 lead against Cardiff with goals from Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez. Crystal Palace lead away to Burnley thanks to a Phil Bardsley own goal.
25 mins — Southampton still yet to produce a shot on target so far. There was a big shout for a penalty after Ryan Bertrand went down under the challenge of Chris Smalling, but nothing given.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 0-1 SOUTHAMPTON (VALERY 26)
26 mins — Well there we have it, Southampton take the lead with their first shot on target! It’s a screamer from Yann Valery with Charlie Austin instrumental in the build-up. A real worldie on his right boot which De Gea gets a weak hand to, before the ball smacks the back of the net. The Saints lead at Old Trafford out of no-where.
31 mins — Still no goals at the Vitality with half an hour on the clock. Sergio Aguero attempts a volley on his left foot on the edge of the box, but it flies over the top of the crossbar. No breakthrough.
35 mins — Man United respond at the other end. Luke Shaw succeeds going forward and fizzes a low cross right into the mixer, but no-one is there to try and tap it home for the equaliser.
39 mins — Frustration is building for Man City, in a very similar vein to Wednesday’s nervy 1-0 win against West Ham. Chances being squandered left, right and centre despite the lion’s share of possession and Eddie Howe’s men sitting deep and inviting pressure.
41 mins — Chris Smalling heads wide at Old Trafford and Scott McTominay comes close with another effort. The chances are piling up for the hosts, but no luck so far as Ralph Hasenhüttl’s men hang on for the sweet release of the referee’s half-time whistle.
45 mins — Very worrying signs for Manchester City as Kevin De Bruyne hobbles off injured before half-time. Riyard Mahrez comes off the bench to replace the Belgian, and City fans will be hoping this isn’t another serious setback for the playmaker, who has already missed a decent chuck of this season to begin with.
HALF-TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 0-0 MAN CITY
HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 0-1 SOUTHAMPTON
Lots of chances but a frustrating first half for #MUFC. #MUNSOU pic.twitter.com/f6QMYq04pb
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 2, 2019
HALF-TIME | A largely frustrating 45 minutes confounded by KDB's injury.
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 2, 2019
Big second half needed!
🍒 0-0 🔵 #BOUMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/U12kLBV4az
SECOND-HALF: We’re back underway for another 45 minutes!
47 mins — Ryan Fraser with a dangerous ball into the box which forces Ederson to punch clear. Unfortunately the Man City goalkeeper also collides with Nathan Ake in the process and the defender is down injured needing treatment.
48 mins — Manchester United have started on the front foot in the second half, vying for an early equaliser. That front three of Lukaku, Rashford and Sanchez has been very frustrated this evening and it looks like Sanchez’ game could be over. He is hobbling off after picking up a knock.
52 mins — Injuries all over the place this afternoon as John Stones limps off to be replaced by Vincent Kompany off the bench for Man City. Elsewhere, Crystal Palace have gone 2-0 up away to Burnley thanks to Michy Batshuayi.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 1-1 SOUTHAMPTON (PEREIRA 54)
54 mins — Manchester United are level against Southampton and it’s another brilliant strike. Andreas Pereira collects possession 30 yards out from goal, takes a touch to compose himself and slams a powerful effort right into the top corner. All square!
What a way for @andrinhopereira to score his first Premier League goal 🚀 pic.twitter.com/5FMYgNOtsG
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 2, 2019
GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH 0-1 MAN CITY (MAHREZ 55)
55 mins — The goals are flying in after the interval. Manchester City finally manage to break Bournemouth down after what must feel like an eternity. A neat passage of teasing, passing play inside the Cherries’ penalty area brings the ball to the feet of Riyad Mahrez and he powers a low effort underneath the dive of Artur Boruc. The champions lead.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-1 SOUTHAMPTON (LUKAKU 59)
59 mins — Two goals in quick succession and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are ahead all of a sudden. Romelu Lukaku cuts inside and leaves Jan Bednarek for dead, before driving his shot into the bottom corner past a helpless Angus Gunn. 2-1 to United.
#MUFC 2 #SaintsFC 1 - As I said at half-time, Southampton just don't hold onto leads against United. Lukaku scores.
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) March 2, 2019
62 mins — Almost a second for Man City against Bournemouth. Raheem Sterling races free against a back-peddling defence but his shot is fired into the side-netting. A few travelling City supporters had thought it went in.
67 mins — Southampton really struggling to get a touch of the ball right now. A continued series of passes between Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw down the left wing illustrates just how on top the hosts are at the moment. One-way traffic in terms of possession.
69 mins — Man City still pushing for a second. Raheem Sterling is free down the left wing and crosses towards Sergio Aguero. He can only get a toe to the ball, but it still forces a save from Arthur Boruc.
73 mins — There’s clash between Ashley Young and Stuart Armstrong which results in a free-kick for Southampton in a dangerous area 30 yards out from goal. James Ward-Prowse looks like he will take it.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-2 SOUTHAMPTON (WARD-PROWSE 75)
75 mins — Ohhhhh wow, what a goal! James Ward-Prowse takes command of the free-kick and does not disappoint one bit. He curls a sensational effort right into the top corner beyond the fingertips of David De Gea. You’d argue no goalkeeper in the world would have reached that. We’re level pegging again at Old Trafford, what a game!
79 mins — A little over ten minutes plus stoppage time to go at the Vitality and Manchester City still hold onto that 1-0 lead. Pep Guardiola’s side have enjoyed 82% possession and had 16 shots compared to Bournemouth’s… zero shots.
82 mins — Off the bar! Sergio Aguero loops a shot over the head of Artur Boruc, who had strayed from his line, but the striker’s effort comes back off the bar and is hooked clear. How the visitors are only one up is a real mystery, you have to say.
84 mins — Drama at Old Trafford as Maya Yoshida goes down inside the area after coming together with Chris Smalling for a high ball, but the referee is content to award a corner kick. The corner is spilled out to Jannik Vestergaard, but his side-footed effort bobbles wide for a goal-kick.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 3-2 SOUTHAMPTON (LUKAKU 88)
88 mins — The drama! Manchester United may have snatched all three points right at the death here as Romelu Lukaku grabs his second to make it 3-2. Fred picks out Lukaku on the edge of the box, he provides a snappy turn before rifling the ball right into goalkeeper Gunn’s bottom corner. What a finish!
90th minute — There will be four minutes of stoppage time to come as Man City continue to lead 1-0. It’s a slim lead, but by no means as nervy as that West Ham win three days ago at the moment. Bournemouth have offered no threat whatsoever at any stage in this second half.
92nd minute — Marcus Rashford is taken down by Stuart Armstrong in stoppage time and Manchester United will have the chance to make absolutely sure of the three points from the spot.
93rd minute — SAVED! Paul Pogba sees his penalty saved by the outstretched boot of Angus Gunn. A fantastic save by the Southampton goalkeeper to keep it at 3-2 with a couple of minutes of injury time remaining.
FULL-TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 0-1 MAN CITY
FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 3-2 SOUTHAMPTON
FULL-TIME | Our second hard-fought win this week! Well done, boys! 💪
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 2, 2019
🍒 0-1 🔵 #BOUMCI #mancity pic.twitter.com/rpwYIoz3FI
What. A. Game. Phew! 😅 #MUFC #MUNSOU pic.twitter.com/t036ECVcm9
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 2, 2019
There we have it then, another dramatic day of action in the Premier League as both clubs from Manchester deliver with a win. Pep Guardiola’s Man City go top of the table for now as Liverpool travel to Everton tomorrow, with Riyad Mahrez’s close-range finish seeing off Bournemouth. Meanwhile a brace from Romelu Lukaku, including an 89th-minute winner, helps Man United keep up the fight for fourth place against Southampton. Thanks a million for joining us this afternoon, cya!
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