Monday
There was Championship action at Deepdale on Monday evening with Preston North End going down to a crushing four one defeat by near neighbours Blackburn Rovers. Respective club captains Alan Browne for the hosts and Darragh Lenihan for the visitors were both on the scoresheet.
Tuesday
The Championship continued on Tuesday evening with Swansea City entertaining AFC Bournemouth. The hosts include Ryan Manning, Michael Obafemi and loanee Cyrus Christie in their starting eleven and took a three goal lead before the visitors responded with three of their own to secure a point. Mark Travers started and Robbie Brady was a 65th minute substitute for the ‘Cherries’.
League One promotion chasing Wigan Athletic and Will Keane went down to a three two defeat at Portsmouth where they encountered the Irish sextet of loanees Gavin Bazunu and Aiden O’Brien together with Ronan Curtis, Marcus Harness, Sean Raggett and Shaun Williams with substitute O’Brien scoring the winning goal while Keane scored for the ‘Latics’. The Stadium of Light hosted the meeting of promotion contenders Sunderland and Rotherham United which ended in a one all draw. Chiedoze Ogbene was in action for the ‘Millers’ while Joshua Kayode and Georgie Kelly were unused substitutes.
Wednesday
Anfield hosted the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Spanish side Villarreal which the hosts won comfortably by two goals to nil. Caoimhin Kelleher was included on the bench for the hosts.
The Riverside Stadium hosted the Championship clash of Middlesbrough and Cardiff City with the hosts emerging victorious by two goals to nil. Loanee Aaron Connolly was a 76th minute substitute for the victors while James Collins was introduced by the visitors on 80 minutes while Mark McGuinness was an unused substitute.
Thursday
West Ham United went down to a two one defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in their home first leg of the Europa League semi-final with veteran Darren Randolph named on the substitute bench.
Friday
The Championship continued on Friday evening with promotion play-off hopefuls Sheffield United coming from behind to defeat hosts QPR by three goals to one. Jimmy Dunne started with loanee Jeff Hendrick on the home bench where he was joined by 20 year old goalkeeper Harry Halwax while John Egan and Enda Stevens started for the visitors with loanee Conor Hourihane introduced from the substitute bench in the second minute of added time and scoring the decisive third goal with his first touch two minutes later.
Ireland U21 defender Oisin McEntee started for loan club Greenock Morton who went down to a three nil defeat at Arbroath in the Scottish Championship while another loanee Ethan Varian was a 40th minute substitute for Raith Rovers who played out a one all draw with visitors Kilmarnock.