This seems like a long shot. Sunderland’s away form is the fourth worst in the league; they’ve won just twice on the road all season (compared to seven times at home).

But hey, stranger things etc etc.

maysha

28 February 2026 11:00am

A cheeky prediction of a Sunderland win at Bournemouth seems to have come upon me.

Bournemouth v Sunderland isn’t the most appetising of Saturday openers, at least not for the neutrals, but it’s not without points of interest.

Sunderland’s form has deserted them somewhat – not that it’s ever been too clever away from home – with their only wins since Christmas coming at home to Burnley and Crystal Palace, and away to Oxford in the FA Cup.

Bournemouth, unbeaten since 3 January, are eyeing the European places once more. They’ve coped admirably without Antoine Semenyo, with recruits like Rayan, Junior Kroupi and Amine Adli stepping into the breach.

We’ll bring you the team news from Dean Court the Vitality when it drops at around 11.15am

Here’s another of our big weekend interviews. Chelsea’s young star Chloe Sarwie chats to Suzanne Wrack.

There are some long journeys among those early games, not least for Hull fans going down to Pompey and Barnsley fans trekking to east London, but for the most part I think they’ve been a good addition to the EFL. They mean certain games can get some time in the sun they may not otherwise enjoy.

Derby boss John Eustace facing his former club Blackburn is an intriguing game, particularly given the contrasting fortunes of the two teams. Eustace definitely has something about him: Blackburn have (pretty much) tanked since his exit while Derby are on the rise, still in with a shot of the playoffs.

Swindon v Bristol Rovers is a fun one in League Two, not a derby per se but a west country clash, and a clash between two veteran managers who are never shy of a word to say, Ian Holloway versus Steve Evans.

These are the early kick-offs in the EFL, all 12.30pm GMT:

Championship

• Derby v Blackburn

• Leicester v Norwich

• Portsmouth v Hull

League One

• Leyton Orient v Barnsley

• Northampton v Peterborough

League Two

• Cambridge v MK Dons

• Shrewsbury v Walsall

• Swindon v Bristol Rovers

When Barney mentioned ‘other places for proper chapter and verse’ on the Scottish Premiership title race, I believe he meant this piece from Ewan Murray.

This is usually the time on matchday live blogs when we chuck you a friendly reminder to beat the Fantasy Premier League deadline and sort out your transfers etc.

But, gah, it was last night because of the Wolves v Villa game! And, double gah, I missed it. Typical.

I particularly enjoyed this paragraph from Barney:

There are other places for proper chapter and verse on whether Hearts can sustain this. The key aspect at this stage is that this title race has taken on a sense of outside life. My own kids follow every Hearts game with a rare sense of urgency, despite being fully TikTok-brained, zombified by reel culture.

And here’s a cracking Barney Ronay read on the prospect of Hearts ending 40 years of Old Firm hegemony.

With Celtic and Rangers locked on 55 titles apiece, there would be something very timely about the Gorgie Boys winning their first since 1960 and fifth of all time. They are currently level on four titles with rivals Hibs and today’s opponents, Aberdeen. So there may be some fans who don’t want Hearts to win it.

Let’s hike up north of the border, where Hearts host Aberdeen at 3pm today knowing one or both of the Old Firm clubs will drop points when they meet tomorrow. Here’s how the table currently stands:

My Champions League take has provoked a few responses in the comments section.

Another commenter has said Spurs will be ‘destroyed’ but I actually think it’s Newcastle who have the smallest chance of progression. And Chelsea know how to beat PSG in big games.

mazungo

28 February 2026 9:25am

Ok Me Booth, I’ll bite.
Your allegedly sensible take on the Champions league draw is highly improbable however you spin it.
According to the bookmakers only Arsenal, City and Liverpool will make it through the round of 16, but what do they know. You go make yourself rich

Just spilled coffee all over my keyboard. Thankfully no damage done.

What have you spilled/dropped/messed up this weekend? That’s not just a question for Unai Emery.

Wolves finally look like they’re in some sort of shape, well done Rob Edwards, albeit it’ll be far too late to stay up.

lester48

28 February 2026 8:40am

This comment has been chosen by Guardian staff because it contributes to the debate

Let's hear it for Rob Edwards, he's turned around Wolves amazingly, I thought he was two pence short of a ten pence for going there and leaving Middlesbrough, but maybe I was wrong, and Wolves look a strong outfit now, so I'd suggest the bounce back to the Premier League will be immediately next season.

And what about this chat with the Premier League’s all-time top appearance-maker, Mr James Milner?

It turns out to keep playing as long Milner has, it helps to do yoga, be teetotal and have a direct line to Gareth Barry.

Enjoy this interview with Manchester United’s Senne Lammens over your morning coffee.

When I was growing up my biggest idol was probably Neuer. I take pride in being an all-around goalkeeper and that’s why I was such a big fan because he didn’t really have a weak point. But I try to learn something from everyone because everyone has strong points.

My personal hot take on the Champions League draw is that, despite being drawn against European heavyweights, Newcastle, Chelsea and even Tottenham could all progress to the quarter-finals. Imagine if all six English sides made it? It’s not unfeasible.

PSG have not hit the levels they scaled last season so Chelsea have a chance. Barcelona are good on their day but St James’s Park could be a real cauldron for Newcastle in that home leg, while Spurs are a different prospect entirely in Europe compared to the Premier League.

I look forward to seeing lots of comments below the line agreeing with this very sensible take I have proffered …

Speaking of the Champions League, the draw for the last 16 was made yesterday so our man Jonathan Wilson has sifted through the ties and decided who is going to win each one. So you don’t even need to watch Real Madrid v Manchester City for the 1,836th time.

Bundesliga: There are four 2.30pm (GMT) kick-offs in the German top flight today but the headline acts comes later on in the shape of Der Klassiker. It’s a game that could kill off the title race – if there ever was one – once and for all, given Bayern Munich lead Borussia Dortmund by eight points before kick-off. A home win at Signal Iduna Park, however, could spice things up, though whether Dortmund will be weather-beaten by their Champions League collapse against Atalanta remains to be seen.

Niko Kovac’s side have only lost once in the Bundesliga this season, the 2-1 reverse at Bayern in October. But we’ve all seen this movie before and it usually ends with Harry Kane doing that jump and fist pump celebration thing.

Elsewhere in the football world on Friday night, Watford irked Bristol City, firstly by calling them ‘Bristol’ on X, provoking a spiky response, then via Jeremy Ngakia’s lovely 77th-minute winner at Ashton Gate.

It means Ed Still has won two, drawn one and lost one of his four games in charge of the Hornets, who leapfrogged the Robins in the table, both teams sitting just outside the playoff spots.

In League Two it finished 1-1 between Harrogate and Cheltenham, a result that keeps the Yorkshire side in the bottom two.

I should give Ben Fisher’s report from Molineux a plug, of course. And credit must go to Rob Edwards and Wolves. Would you believe that they’ve only lost four of their past 13 games in all competitions?

Shame about the 12 successive defeats earlier in the campaign.

About last night: It was a tale of two Gomes’s in Wolverhampton last night as Aston Villa’s blip in form became a dip in form, suffering the ignominy of becoming just the second Premier League team to lose to Wolves this season. João Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes were on target in the second half to breeze Wolves past that infamous Derby County points total of 2008. Villa have now firmly been dragged into the battle for Champions League qualification with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Unai Emery was in phlegmatic mood after the defeat, though.

He said: “In September I was worried and the objective was to stay in the Premier League. In December I was so happy and excited to get the top-five position and achieve the Champions League.

“One month ago I was dreaming about maybe winning the Premier League. Now we are in the average to be in the top five.

“Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, they are trying to get to us, for them it is a priority to get into the Champions League.”