Sunday
The Premier League continued at noon with relegation threatened duo West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United playing out a scoreless draw at The Hawthorns. Dara O’Shea was in action for the ‘Baggies’ with Callum Robinson an unused substitute while Ciaran Clark and Jeff Hendrick started for the visiting ‘Magpies’ but Hendrick was withdrawn on 57 minutes. The contest is likely to have been of keen interest to Ireland manager Stephen Kenny with the possibility that O’Shea and Clark may form his central defensive partnership in Serbia on the 24th March. Matt Doherty started for Tottenham Hotspur who defeated Crystal Palace by four goals to one at their London Stadium. The injury hoodoo has again struck James McCarthy who limped off in the midweek fixture against Manchester United and was not involved this evening.
Midfielder Josh Cullen was again in Belgian First Division action with RSC Anderlecht who played host to Mechelen at 5.15pm.
The decline in performance and playing time of Shane Duffy with Glasgow Celtic did not change as he was again an unused substitute when they played out a scoreless draw at Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
Saturday
Burnley played out a one all draw with visitors Arsenal early this Saturday afternoon in the opening Premier League contest of the weekend. The ‘Clarets’ included Robbie Brady, Kevin Long and Jimmy Dunne on their substitute bench with Brady being introduced on 68 minutes. Sheffield United included Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick in their starting eleven as they went down to a two nil defeat by visitors Southampton with McGoldrick withdrawn after 58 minutes. Injury ruled Aaron Connolly out of the Brighton & Hove Albion side which went down to a two one home defeat by visitors Leicester City who included nineteen year old midfielder Shane Flynn on their substitute bench at the AMEX Stadium.
In the Championship, promotion chasing Watford scored the only goal to defeat visitors of Nottingham Forest who included Fulham loanee Cyrus Christie in their starting eleven. Scott Hogan started for Birmingham City who went down to a one nil defeat at Barnsley. Jason Knight started and Louie Watson was a 69th minute substitute for Derby County who lost to the only goal at Coventry City. Danny McNamara was a 73rd minute substitute bench for Millwall who went down to a two nil defeat by Blackburn Rovers and Darragh Lenihan at the New Den. Adam Idah was an 86th minute substitute for Norwich City as the current leaders defeated Luton Town and James Collins by three goals to nil at Carrow Road. Club captain Alan Browne together with loanee Greg Cunningham started for Preston North End with Sean Maguire a 66th minute substitute in their one all draw with visitors AFC Bournemouth. Jayson Molumby was unused on the home substitute bench while Southampton loanee Shane Long was a 75th minute substitute for the visitors with Mark Travers and Gavin Kilkenny unused on their substitute bench. Daryl Horgan was a 73rd minute substitute for Wycombe Wanderers who suffered a two nil defeat at Stoke City. Aston Villa loanee Conor Hourihane and Ryan Manning were in the Swansea City starting eleven for the two one victory over visitors Middlesbrough with Manning withdrawn on 73 minutes.
There was a 1pm kick-off for the League One meeting of Gillingham and Ipswich Town with Southampton loanee Thomas O’Connor in action with the hosts while Tottenham Hotspur loanee Troy Parrott started for the visitors who went down to a three one defeat. Parrott was withdrawn on 68 minutes. The visitors were without Alan Judge whose mother passed away on Thursday. Anthony Scully was an 85th minute substitute for Lincoln City who defeated visitors Crewe Alexandra by three goals to nil. Ronan Curtis, Marcus Harness and Sean Raggett all started for Portsmouth with Curtis withdrawn on 59 minutes as they crashed to a four one defeat at Northampton Town. Anthony Forde, Liam Kelly and QPR loanee Olamide Shodipo started for Oxford United with Mark Sykes an 82nd minute substitute in their scoreless draw with visitors Charlton Athletic. Aiden McGeady and Aiden O’Brien started for Sunderland who defeated Rochdale and Manchester City loanee Gavin Bazunu by two goals to nil in the Stadium of Light.
The Scottish Championship meeting of Heart of Midlothian and Dundee saw Aaron McEneff in action for the hosts who prevailed by two goals to one with Glasgow Celtic loanee Jonathan Afolabi a 78th minute substitute for the visitors.