Manchester City 2-1 Leeds, Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea and more: clockwatch – as it happened

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan is congratulated by his teammates after scoring their second goal against Leeds. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters

5.19pm BST

Match report: Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa

Premier League: Toti’s first Wolves goal secured a fourth straight home win and moved them 10 points clear of the relegation zone, denting Aston Villa’s hopes of securing European football in the process.

5.18pm BST

Match report: Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea

Premier League: Chelsea notched up a welcome and fairly emphatic victory after six defeats on the trot under the interim management of Frank Lampard. Ben Fisher reports from the Vitality Stadium.

5.15pm BST

Match report: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace

Harry Kane’s 28^th goal of the season took him into second place in the Premier League’s all-time list of top scorers and delivered a first victory as interim head coach for Ryan Mason to revive their hopes of qualifying for European competition. Ed Aarons reports …

5.13pm BST

Match report: Manchester City 2-1 Leeds United

Premier League: Manchester City squandered no end of chances and werre forced to survive a late scare, but ultimately moved three points nearer the retention of their title. Jamie Jackson reports from the Etihad Stadium …

Updated at 5.15pm BST

5.11pm BST

Premier League results

• Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea

• Manchester City 2-1 Leeds United

• Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace

• Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Aston Villa

• Liverpool v Brentford (5.30pm)

• View the Premier League table

5.03pm BST

Scottish Premiership results

• Hibernian 2-1 St Mirren

• Motherwell 2-0 Kilmarnock

• Ross County 2-0 Livingston

• St Johnstone 1-0 Dundee United

• View the Scottish Premiership table

Updated at 5.05pm BST

5.01pm BST

Full time: Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea

Premier League: After six defeats on the spin under Frank Lampard, Chelsea finally won a game quite comfortably thanks to goals from Conor Gallagher, Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix.

4.59pm BST

Full time: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace

Premier League: Harry Kane’s goal was enough to win the points for Tottenham, who leapfrog Aston Villa and Brighton to go sixth in the table.

4.57pm BST

Full time: Manchester City 2-1 Leeds United

Premier League: They had to resort to time-wasting at the end but Manchester City have hung on to take all three points against Leeds United in a game they should have won at a canter.

Ilkay Gundogan scored both goals for City but may get a post-match rollocking from his manager, who instructed Erling Haaland to take the penalty Manchester City were awarded, only for the striker to hand the ball over to the midfilder, who promptly missed.

Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce speaks to his players after their defeat. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

Updated at 5.15pm BST

4.54pm BST

Full time: Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa

Premier League: Wolves hit the 40-point mark under Julen Lopetegui courtesy of Toti Gomes’s first-half header. Aston Villa were out of sorts today but will still be hopeful of qualifying for Europe.

4.52pm BST

GOAL! Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea (Felix 86)

Premier League: On as substitutes, Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix swap passes and the England international prods the ball into the path of his Portuguese team-mate. Felix fires past Neto to put the game beyond Bournemouth and secure Chelsea’s first win in seven games under the interim management of Frank Lampard. A few minutes previously, Badiashile had converted an assist from Hakim Ziyech to give Chelsea the lead.

Joao Felix fires home Chelsea’s third. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Then celebrates. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Updated at 4.59pm BST

4.47pm BST

GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Leeds (Rodrigo 85)

Premier League: Manchester City win a penalty for a Pascal Struijk foul on Phil Foden and Erling Haaland hands the ball to Ilkay Gundogan so the midfielder can complete his hat-trick. If only life were that simple, eh? He places the ball on the spot and hits the post. Moments laater, Rodrigo takes advantage of an atrocious effort at a defensive header to fire a low shot past Ederson and into the bottom corner.

Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan clanks his penalty against the upright. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

Game on. Leeds United’s Rodrigo finds the net with a fine finish. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 7.07pm BST

4.44pm BST

GOAL! Bournemouth 1-2 Chelsea (Badiashile 82)

Premier League: Benoit Badiashile fires Chelsea into the lead at the Vitality Stadium. More of which anon because it’s all going on at the Etihad …

Chelsea's Benoit Badiashile scores their second goal. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Updated at 4.46pm BST

4.41pm BST

Liverpool v Brentford line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Jones, Gakpo; Salah, Nunez, Jota.

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Milner, Henderson, Elliott, Tsimi4kas, Fiaz, Carvalho, Matip.

Brentford: Raya; Hickey, Pinnock, Mee, Janelt, Henry; Jensen, Onyeka, Zanka; Toney, Mbeumo.

Subs: Cox, Schade, Dasilva, Wissa, Ghoddos, Ajer, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Roerslev.

4.39pm BST

Bournemouth 1-1 Chelsea: From a corner, Bournemouth’s Jefferson Lerma heads the ball downwards at the far post. It bounces up nicely for Dango Ouattara, who can’t keep his header down and sends the ball over the bar.

Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Dango Ouattara react after a missed chance to score. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 4.45pm BST

4.35pm BST

Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa: Matheus Nunes misses a glorious opportunity to double Wolves’ lead, tripping over his own feet when he should have converted a squared ball from Pedro Neto. Moments later, Tyrone Mings misses a great opportunity to equalise for Villa, volleying over from close range after connecting with a Douglas Luiz free-kick.

Updated at 4.36pm BST

4.27pm BST

Scottish Premiership: Third from bottom of the table, Dundee United are a goal down against St Johnstone and have just lost Charlie Mulgrew to a red card.

Scottish Premiership latest

• Hibernian 2-1 St Mirren

• Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock

• Ross County 2-0 Livingston

• St Johnstone 1-0 Dundee United

• View the Scottish Premiership table

4.23pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Picking up a pass through the middle with his back to the Leeds goal, Erling Haaland turns, shoots and watches in horror as his low effort hits the foot of the far post. He could and probably should have had a hat-trick today but his luck seems to have deserted him.

Looks like Erling Haaland has forgotten his scoring boots today. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

No today he isn’t. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

Updated at 4.56pm BST

4.21pm BST

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace: Pedro Porro brings a smartish save out of Sam Johnstone in the Crystal Palace goal from a tight angle. Moments earlier the Spurs wing-back had incurred the wrath of Heung Min-son and Richarlison by electing to shoot when his two team-mates were in better positions.

Updated at 4.31pm BST

4.19pm BST

Bournemouth 1-1 Chelsea: Ryan Christie sends a rising drive narrowly wide of Kepa’s goal, against the run of second half play. Chelsea are in the ascendency.

4.14pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: How’s your luck, Erling? Julian Alvarez makes a darting run into space on the right byline and stands the ball up for Haaland on the edge of the six-yard box but the Manchester City striker heads straight at Joel Robles, who saves comfortably. City substitution: Kyle Walker on for Nathan Ake, who appears to have picked up some manner of knock.

4.10pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Kevin De Bruyne sends a free-kick towards the far post from the right and Aymeric Laporte slides in to send the ball back across the face of goal. It’s a perfect height for Erling Haaland, who thumps the cross-bar with a header from four or five yards out. The flag goes up as Laporte was offside when he made his run.

Updated at 4.11pm BST

4.07pm BST

Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa: With Jacob Ramsey on the ground after shipping an accidental kick to his head, Wolves advance upfield and Diego Costa finds himself through in a one-on-one with Emi Martinez. The Aston Villa goalkeeper prevails but he and his team-mates are not best pleased as they feel play should have been stopped.

3.59pm BST

Scottish Premiership half-times

• Hibernian 2-0 St Mirren

• Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock

• Ross County 1-0 Livingston

• St Johnstone 1-0 Dundee United

• View the Scottish Premiersahip table
  

3.51pm BST

Premier League half-times

• Bournemouth 1-1 Chelsea

• Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United

• Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace

• Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Aston Villa

• Liverpool v Brentford (5.30pm)

• View the Premier League table

3.49pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Kevin De Bruyne sends a free-kick from the right towards the far post, where Nathan Ake has a bullet header cleared. The ball breaks towards Phil Foden, who sends a volley from the edge of the penalty area fizzing inches over the bar. That was very nearly a fine goal.

3.47pm BST

GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Crystal Palace (Kane 45+1)

Premier League: Harry Kane plays the ball wide to Pedro Porro, continues his run and is on hand to send a downward header past Sam Johnstone in the Crystal Palace goal when Porro stands the ball up for him at the far post.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane scores their first goal against Crystal Palace. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

Kane and the Spurs fans celebrate. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

Updated at 3.59pm BST

3.44pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Leeds get the ball out of their own half, win a free-kick and waste it. On the touchline, Sam Allardyce effs and jeffs, before looking at his watch.

3.42pm BST

Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Crystal Palace: Joachim Andersen fires over the bar after the ball broke his way from a corner. A few moments later he’s on hand at the other end of the pitch to deny Son in what’s a very even game.

3.37pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Erling Haaland is played in behind the Leeds defence and shapes to shoot from a tight angle with his right foot. The ball hits his standing leg, he air-kicks with his right, falls over and bursts out laughing. It’s not his day today … so far, but he’s not letting it get to him.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland air-kicks as he prepares to shoot whilst under pressure from Leeds United's Maximilian Wober. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

A wry smile from Haaland. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

Updated at 3.55pm BST

3.33pm BST

Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United: Joel Robles saves from Phil Foden, who was shooting from a tight angle. Soon afterwards, he dashes off his line to grab the ball, drops it and almost presents Julian Alvarez with a gilt-edged opportunity. His shot is blocked. Leeds could find themselves on the wrong end of another serious hiding the way things are going at the Etihad.

3.30pm BST

Scottish Premiership latest

• Hibernian 2-0 St Mirren

• Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock

• Ross County 0-0 Livingston

• St Johnstone 0-0 Dundee United

3.29pm BST

GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Leeds United (Gundogan 27)

Premier League: Ilkay Gundogan scores his second of the game, scoring into the bottom left-hand corner from the edge of the penalty area after being teed up by Riyad Mahrez. It’s almost a carbon copy of City’s opener.

Ilkay Guendogan fires home his, and Manchester City's, second goal of the game. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

Gundogan (second left) is congratulated by teammate Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez who has set up both his goals. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

It’s not been a good afternoon so far for Leeds United’s new manager Sam Allardyce. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

Updated at 7.11pm BST

3.27pm BST

Manchester City 1-0 Leeds United: In front of goal on the edge of the six-yard box after being teed up by Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland shanks the ball wide of the upright. It’s an incredible miss, given his lofty standards.

3.26pm BST

GOAL! Bournemouth 1-1 Chelsea (Vina)

Premier League: Matias Vina bends one into the top corner to restore parity for Bournemouth. It’s only his second goal of the season but it’s a beauty.

Bournemouth’s Matias Vina curls one in to get the home side level. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Then celebrates. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Whilst Chelsea manager Frank Lampard looks dejected. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters

Updated at 3.31pm BST

3.21pm BST

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Leeds (Gundogan 19)

Premier League: Riyad Mahrez takes on Junior Firpo on the right wing, cuts inside and takes a look up. Spotting Ilkay Gundogan on the edge of the penalty area, he tees him up and the Manchester City skipper makes no mistake, firing low into the bottom corner.

Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan sweeps a shot goalwards … Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer

And the home side have the lead. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Which pleases City manager Pep Guardiola. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Updated at 4.24pm BST

3.20pm BST

Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Crystal Palace: A chance goes a begging for Spurs as Cristian Romero smashes a header off the Crystal Palace cross-bar at a corner.

3.19pm BST

Manchester City 0-0 Leeds United: Joel Robles makes his first big save of the afternoon, staying on his feet to save at his near post from Erling Haaland after Rico Lewis had played the Norwegian striker in on goal with a delightful pass.

3.14pm BST

Manchester City 0-0 Leeds United: Cutting in from the right wing, Riyad Mahrez pulls the ball back to Kevin De Bruyne, whose shot from the edge of the penalty area is blocked. City continue to dominate but Leeds are shutting them out for now.

3.13pm BST

GOAL! Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa (Toti 9)

Premier League: Tyrone Mings concedes a corner, which is taken by Ruben Neves. He swings the ball into the penalty area, where Toti Gomes heads the ball home off the cross-bar. Wolves lead!

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Toti heads home the opening goal against Aston Villa. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

Then celebrates with Diego Costa. Photograph: Jack Thomas/Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Getty Images

Updated at 3.20pm BST

3.11pm BST

GOAL! Bournemouth 0-1 Chelsea (Gallagher 9)

Premier League: N’Golo Kante sends in a cross from the right and Conor Gallagher heads past Neto to give Chelsaea the lead against the run of play.

Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher stoops to head home. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Gallagher celebrates with teammates after opening the scoring at Bournemouth. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Updated at 5.21pm BST

3.10pm BST

Manchester City 0-0 Leeds: Max Wober gets it launched from the back for Leeds United, trying to release Jack Harrison in behind the City defence. His pass is overhit and City tidy up at the back.

3.08pm BST

Manchester City 0-0 Leeds United: Manchester City are totally dominating possession against Leeds United, as you might expect. Manuel Akanji heads high over the bar at a corner conceded by Max Wober and taken by Riyad Mahrez.

3.06pm BST

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea: Jefferson Lerma sidefoots towards the bottom corner but his effort is kept out by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

3.05pm BST

Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea: As the home side, Bournemouth have started the stronger of the two sides in this mid-table six-pointer. They win a corner early doors but nothing comes of it.

3.04pm BST

Manchester City 0-0 Leeds: Erling Haaland has his first shot of the game for Manchester City less than a minute in but sends a long-range effort fizzing wide.

3.03pm BST

The National Anthem. It’s being played in Premier League grounds around the country today in honour of the coronation of King Charles III. It’s unlikely to go down well at Anfield in this afternoon’s late kick-off but in a damned-if-they-do and damned-if-they-don’t scenario, Liverpool have agreed to play it anyway at the behest of the Premier League.

The National Anthem rings round the Etihad to mark the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Updated at 3.10pm BST

2.51pm BST

Meanwhile in Scotland ...

It’s the first weekend of Scottish Premiership action following the end-of-season split of the table into two halves: those aiming to finish among the also-rans behind Celtic and those fighting to avoid relegation.

Scottish Premiership (top half)

• Hibernian v St Mirren

Scottish Premiership (bottom half)

• Motherwell v Kilmarnock

• Ross County v Livingston

• St Johnstone v Dundee United

An email: “Afternoon Barry,” writes Simon McMahon. “It’s the first round of post-split fixtures in Scotland today, and with Celtic likely to be crowned champions tomorrow, all the drama is in the bottom six.

“Nearly 3000 Arabs are travelling along the A90 to Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland and crowning place of many a King of Scots, as Dundee United aim for a fourth consecutive victory which would take them above hosts St. Johnstone and potentially seven clear of Ross County. That would represent a remarkable turnaround for Jim Goodwin’s men, who were five points adrift at the bottom on Easter Sunday. Destiny awaits.

“The other games in the bottom six are Motherwell v Kilmarnock and Ross County v Livingston, while at Glebe Park, Brechin host The Spartans in the second leg of the pyramid play-off looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from last week.”

Updated at 2.51pm BST

2.40pm BST

Sam Allardyce has his game face on ahead of Leeds United’s match against Manchester City this afternoon. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

2.35pm BST

Wolves v Aston Villa: Central defender Toti and midfielder Matheus Cunha come in to the Wolves line-up, with Joao Gomes and Hugo Bueno making way.

Leander Dendoncker has been left out of the Aston Villa side that lost at Old Trafford last time out and is replaced by Douglas Luiz.

2.30pm BST

Bournemouth v Chelsea: Gary O’Neil names an unchanged side from the one that tonked Leeds last time out, while Frank Lampard makes five changes to the side that was swatted aside by Arsenal in midweek.

Cesar Azpilicueta, Wesley Fofana, Mateo Kovacic, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are all dropped, with Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Mykhailo Mudryk, Kai Havertz and Conor Gallagher all coming into the side.

Mykhailo Mudryk gets his first start in four games for Chelsea this afternoon. Photograph: John Walton/PA

2.23pm BST

Tottenham v Crystal Palace: Eric Dier has been something of a liability in defence for Spurs recently and is dropped to the bench along with Dejan Kulusevski and Ivan Perisic. Spurs interim manager Ryan Mason has called up Clement Lenglet, Emerson Royal and Richarlison in their place.

Roy Hodgson picks an unchanged side from the one that beat West Ham by the odd goal of seven last week and will be hoping for more goals from the likes of Jordan Ayew, Eberechi Eze, Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilf Zaha.

A Spurs fans tunes into the Coronation on one of hundreds of big screens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images

2.18pm BST

Manchester City v Leeds United: With one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid, Pep Guardila has made seven changes to his Manchester City side. Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland both start, but Jack Grealish, Rodri, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Bernardo Silva are all on the bench.

The big news from the Leeds United camp is that their young French goalkeeper Ilan Meslier has been dropped. Joel Robles is given the nod for his fourth appearance of the season, his most recent coming in an FA Cup appearance against Cardiff in January.

Spanish goalkeeper Joel Robles, 32, starts for Leeds United in place of Ilan Meslier this afternoon. Photograph: Malcolm Bryce/ProSports/Shutterstock

2.08pm BST

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace line-ups

Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Romero, Lenglet, Davies, Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Emerson, Richarlison, Kane, Son.

Subs: Austin, Sanchez, Perisic, Dier, Danjuma, Kulusevski, Moura, Sarr, Bissouma.

Crystal Palace: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp, Olise, Ayew, Zaha.

Subs: Guaita, Milivojevic, Sambi Lokonga, Mateta, Clyne, Hughes, Edouard, Richards, Riedewald.

Inside the Tottenham Hotspur dressing-room ahead of their match against Crystal Palace. Photograph: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Getty Images

2.06pm BST

Wolves v Aston Villa line-ups

Wolves: Sa, Nelson Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti, Cunha, Neves, Lemina, Nunes, Neto, Diego Costa

Subs: Bentley, Ait-Nouri, Collins, Podence, Hwang, Sarabia, Moutinho, Gomes, A Traore

Aston Villa: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Buendia, Ramsey, B Traore, Watkins

Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Chambers, Duran, Coutinho, Digne, Bailey, Dendoncker, Kamara

Wolves fans outside Molineux. Photograph: Chris Radburn/Reuters

Updated at 2.09pm BST

2.05pm BST

Bournemouth v Chelsea line-ups

Bournemouth: Neto, Kelly, Vina, Senesi, A Smith, Ouattara, Lerma, Rothwell, Christie, Billing, Solanke.

Subs: Travers, Stephens, Cook, Mepham, Brooks, Stacey, Semenyo, Zabarnyi, Anthony.

Chelsea: Kepa, Badiashile, T Silva, Chalobah, Chilwell, Enzo Fernandez, Mudryk, Gallagher, Kante, Madueke, Havertz.

Subs:Mendy, Kovacic, Pulisic, Joao Felix, Loftus-Cheek, Sterling, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Hall.

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta arrives at the Vitality Stadium. Photograph: Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Updated at 2.10pm BST

2.03pm BST

Manchester City v Leeds United line-ups

Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Alvarez, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Walker, Dias, Phillips, Stones, Grealish, Rodri, Silva, Gomez

Leeds United: Robles, Kristensen, Wober, Firpo, Ayling, McKennie, Forshaw, Roca, Harrison, Bamford, Gnonto.

Subs: Meslier, Koch, Aaronson, Summerville, Rodrigo, Stuijk, Rutter, Greenwood, Gray

A Manchester City fan takes her seat at the Etihad Stadium having apparently made her way from the coronation of King Charles. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Updated at 2.12pm BST

1.56pm BST

Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui enjoys a stroll on the Molineux pitch ahead of kick-off. Photograph: Jack Thomas/WWFC/Wolves/Getty Images

1.55pm BST

Manchester City defender John Stones arrives at the Etihad for his side’s match against Leeds United. Photograph: Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC/Getty Images

1.34pm BST

1.33pm BST

Today's Premier League fixtures

• Bournemouth v Chelsea

• Manchester City v Leeds United

• Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace

• Wolves v Aston Villa

• Liverpool v Brentford (5.30pm BST)

• View the Premier League table

1.33pm BST

Pep urges fans to focus on coronation of a different kind

Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to cut short celebrations of King Charles III’s coronation to support the team in Saturday’s meeting with Leeds, as their title defence moves into its final five games.

1.33pm BST

1.33pm BST

Premier League clockwatch

After the pomp and ceremony of this morning’s coronation, the battle against relegation being fought by Leeds United takes centre-stage in this afternoon’s set of three o’clock kick-offs. Taking charge of Leeds United for the first time in a game that couldn’t be more difficult, Sam Allardyce will arrive at the Etihad Stadium on the team coach but may well leave in a gilded carriage wearing a XXL diamond-studded crown and ermine robes if his new charges can defy the odds and get a result against the league leaders.

Elsewhere, Frank Lampard will be hoping his Chelsea can make it seventh time lucky as they travel to an in-form Bournemouth side who can pull three points clear of their once exalted visitors with a win, while Tottenham Hotspur will hope to halt their comedy slide down the table with a much-needed home win over Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile at Molineux, Wolves host an Aston Villa side hoping to boost their hopes of qualification for Europe. A win for Unai Emery’s side could see them leapfrog Tottenham and Brighton to go sixth.

Sam Allardyce is expected to make the journey from the Etihad Stadium back to Leeds in this gilt wood (with gold leaf) conveyance if his relegation-threatened side can get a result against Manchester City this afternoon. Photograph: David Fisher/Shutterstock