Bournemouth

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BBC Radio Solent's Jordan Clark has said reports of a £65m release clause in Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo's contract are "absolutely accurate", but says clubs will have to meet that if Semenyo is to leave the club in January.

The 25-year-old only signed a new contract at Vitality Stadium this summer, extending his stay at the club to 2030.

"My understanding is that everything we are reading is absolutely accurate," said Clark. "We have known for quite a while that there's a release clause in his contract. It is pretty much the only reason Bournemouth got him to stay in the summer.

"There is a time frame on his release clause though. It will have to be activated before a certain point in the transfer window to then allow Bournemouth enough time to find a replacement.

"That time frame is believed to be a couple of weeks, which I don't think is a great amount of time to try to replace someone like him, especially in January.

"However, Bournemouth have told me they have a brilliant relationship with the player and they are going to do everything they can to try to get him to stay beyond January and into next summer.

"Liverpool have the Richard Hughes links, but I don't think they will be the only team interested in him for £65m.

"If a club is willing to pay that much in January, they are going to be getting an absolute bargain."

Clark added that "there is a chance maybe he stays because of the type of person he is" but "if it's a team he feels he can't turn down and they trigger that release clause, Bournemouth are going to be pretty powerless to stop him from going".

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Bournemouth fans, we want to know how you're feeling about the situation. Do you think Semenyo will stay or go? If he stays, what would that mean? If he goes, who would be the right replacement?

Tell us your thoughts

Liverpool's hopes of signing Antoine Semenyo, 25, from Bournemouth in the January transfer window have been dealt a blow with the Cherries unwilling to sell the Ghana winger during the season. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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We have, roughly, run the numbers and here is the XI your submissions have produced.

It's turned up a solid mix of Bournemouth through their time in the Premier League years, with past heroes Callum Wilson and Artur Boruc joined in the line-up by this season's breakout stars Antoine Semenyo and Tyler Adams.

We think this team would cause quite a stir in the Premier League.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

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The statistics might say playing at home is an advantage - but what happens when it is not?

So far this season, 53% of Premier League matches have been won by the home team - the highest ever rate in a single campaign.

On the flip side, just 26% have been won by the away team - the lowest rate since 2010-11.

However, this has not been the case for all teams.

For some, being on the road has been more favourable. Tottenham are perhaps the most contrasting example having the joint-most points away from home with 13, but the second-worst in front of their own fans with just five points.

In the second part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "With crowds when playing away from home, there is a reduced scrutiny as a whole for away teams in that those crowds expect the home team to be the ones in charge. The players feel less judged. The pressure is on the other side.

"Another reason could come down to something in psychology I like to call simplification of the task. The team has a better collective identity when they are away.

"The human brain still goes back to the cavemen days. We have to, as a collective, fight for something. We have to protect our name. It goes back to that hunter-gatherer-against-danger mentality.

"When players are in front of a home crowd, there can be a bit of playing up to the individuality.

"I really do believe that collective identity has a strong enough influence because it amplifies the purpose and the belonging - let's belong together, let's be stronger together."

The focus might be on the players' performances being impacted by being home or away, but what about the managers?

Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest make up three of the bottom four for their home records so far this term, and all have changed their manager in recent weeks.

"100% managers and coaches can be affected, and sometimes even more so because there is so much riding on that one person," Cartwright said.

"The decision-making is the main thing. The crowd is chanting - 'take this player off, do this' - and it can lead to rushed decisions, particularly when the noise becomes relentless.

"Then there is the emotional regulation and touchline behaviour. A manager is pacing up and down, mirroring the stress state, and players see that. It can lead to mimicking and players feeling that stress too."

The impact on teams psychologically playing home or away is apparent, so how can they make the most from these different conditions?

"Our brains are wired to think negatively - it's a protection mechanism," Cartwright said.

"So when it comes to performing home and away, those players and managers who deal with it best are those who know how to use the noise and scrutiny and move on quickly from it - an ability to have a reset routine and regulate their emotions in these pressurised situations."

Read more from Marie in part one of her chat around the impact of playing at home here

With Mohamed Salah due to play for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January, Liverpool continue to be linked with a January move for Bournemouth's 25-year-old forward Antoine Semenyo, whose country Ghana failed to qualify. (Liverpool Echo), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

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"Home advantage gives you an advantage."

It is a quote - among many - attributed to the famous former England manager Sir Bobby Robson - a simple, yet fair reflection of a historical format of football.

For as long as teams have played in leagues, games taking place home and away has been the norm, with the idea that playing at home will be to the benefit of that team.

But what is the impact of playing at your own ground in front of your own fans?

In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "Home impact can be viewed in two ways. Sometimes it does have a positive impact, and what happens is there is an elevated motivation.

"What that means is the crowd energy increases adrenaline and that creates a momentum in effort and intensity in the players. It is also a familiar environment for the players, so that means it reduces the cognitive load. They don't have to think as much about anything else other than their play because they know the pitch, they know the routines, they feel settled.

"However, there are a couple of potential negative impacts as well, with the potential intensification in pressure in the home fans, most times, expecting dominance from the home team. That can lead to mistakes from players feeling bigger to them.

"There can then be what we call a threat state. The players might perceive consequences as high, so they feel they might be facing more criticism when they are at home."

While those who watch football know there are more factors than just where the match is being to take into consideration, the statistics do suggest the influence is there.

Since the Premier League started, the home win percentage has outweighed the away win percentage in all bar one season - the Covid-hit 2020-21 campaign in which fans were largely not allowed admission saw a 38% home win rate compared to 40% away win rate.

So how a team handles this additional crowd pressure seems to be a key factor.

"In psychology, there is something called the challenge and threat theory," Cartwright said.

"In reality what that means is a 'challenge state' can push the player into thinking, 'I've got this, I've got the resources to cope with this'. That leads to better decision making and quicker reactions.

"The threat state, on the other hand, players might think the consequences outweigh their ability to cope. In any match context, that can mean they have a narrow sense of focus, the focus is not quite the same, so the play becomes slower because of overthinking."

"It can also be called 'red brain or blue brain' - with red brain being the one with fear-based dialogue and internal negative self-talk, while blue brain is the cool, calm and collected one that can handle its emotions.

"What sits in the middle of these is distraction. How a player responds to distraction and filters out the noise, like the crowd, can impact which of these mindsets they move into and ultimately how the team performs."

Read more from Marie in part two of her chat about why teams some teams play better away from home and how it impacts managers - that will be on this page early next week.

We wanted your suggestions for Bournemouth's all-time best Premier League XI.

You sent in selections aplenty:

Dr Quaid: 4-3-3. Petrovic, Francis, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Adams, Christie, Gosling, Semenyo, King, Brooks. Height at the back, tenacity in midfield, and a mix of power and guile up front.

TFTSE: 4-4-2. Boruc - Bonkers but brilliant. Simon Francis - brilliant crosser. Steve Cook- defend his middle name. Nathan Ake - brilliant. Kerkez - better than Rico. Arter - "Leave it". Christie - the version since Iraloa arrived. Kluivert - shhoooottt. Semenyo - unstoppable. Brooks - love him. King - underrated. Brilliant for Bournemouth - All gave everything and more for the team. Honourable mentions for Solanke, Wilson, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Pugh, Adams and Cook.

Alex: 4-5-1. Kepa, Truffert, Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Semenyo, Adams, Tavernier, Christie, Lerma, Callum Wilson.

John: 4-2-3-1 - Howe's favourite structure. Ramsdale, Smith, Cook, Aké, Daniels, Lerma, Billing, Fraser, Brooks, King, Wilson. I have selected for impact, consistency, and contribution rather than fleeting form.

George Mills
BBC Sport senior journalist

In a recent addition of the Football Extra newsletter, Roger asked BBC Sport: Players are frequently injured on international duty - such as Chris Wood for New Zealand last season, which may have ultimately cost Nottingham Forest a Champions League place. Are clubs compensated by the country or does insurance cover compensation?'

Since 2012, Fifa's Club Protection Programme has covered the salary of players injured on international duty - although there are some conditions.

Firstly, the player must be out of action for a period of at least 28 consecutive days and the injury must have been sustained during an "accident", which is defined in very boring and legally-specific detail in Fifa's guidelines, though it covers most of the examples you could think of.

The scheme pays the salary of an injured player up to the maximum amount of €7.5m (£6.6m) until they are declared fit to return for their clubs.

Transfermarkt lists Chris Wood as missing 18 days - three games - with the hip injury you mention from last March, suffered on international duty with New Zealand. As he returned inside 28 days, Forest would not have been eligible to claim compensation.

There are a couple of clubs who will currently be beneficiaries of this scheme though, including Newcastle United, whose £55m summer signing Yoane Wissa is yet to make an appearance since suffering a knee injury while playing for DR Congo.

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Former Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn believes owner Bill Foley has "changed the landscape" at Vitality Stadium since his arrival in 2022.

After stepping down to take up a new role as club ambassador in December 2022, Jeff Mostyn handed the job over to owner Bill Foley and head coach Andoni Iraola, who he believes have done an "incredible" job.

Many would also argue that Mostyn himself was a pivotal figure in the Cherries' ascent to top-flight football, having led the club's takeover in 2007.

"Bill Foley came in overnight and dramatically changed the landscape," Mostyn explained on the Cherries: Unpicked podcast. "It is incredible and I'm so proud of what he has done alongside his big consortium.

"But then the most important person in the football club - Andoni Iraola - arrived in town on a white horse. What he has done is incredible - he is the new messiah, the new Eddie Howe.

"I often think about how lucky this football club has been to have been on this journey - and it has been down to the stability we created over those years from League Two to the Premier League.

"Iraola's style of play is just a joy as well. I've been to 95% of all the games since he took over and I'm the first on my feet. It is a joy to behold."

• Not a Cherries fan? Find your club here

Asked whether Bournemouth are in a position to challenge for European football, Mostyn replied: "Using the baby steps analogy, we've got to the Premier League so we have already made the impossible possible.

"European football is taking the impossible to another possible level. It is absolutely achievable for this football club, having got to the cusp of it last season.

"I know the boys have already put a marker down for this season. There is nothing to stop Bournemouth from achieving whatever we set our sights on because Europe is expanding and more clubs are qualifying."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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Former Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn has revealed all about administrator Gerald Krasner's famous news conference where he nodded his head at the back of the room to confirm he would inject another £100,000 to "save the club from liquidation".

The English businessman - who is often hailed as 'the man who saved Bournemouth' - put his hand into his pocket to save the Cherries from going out of existence, leading a takeover in 2007.

On a special episode of BBC Radio Solent's Cherries: Unpicked podcast, Mostyn explained what really went on behind the scenes:

"I remember Gerald Krasner and David Holiday first telling me the terms of the administration at a breakfast meeting, no holds barred," he said.

"What I was signing up to was a commitment of £500,000, so £100,000-a-month for five months. With hindsight, they were being very conservative about it because we still hadn't saved the club after that.

"The club then needed a further £500,000 from me, so that took the whole thing over seven figures and counting.

"Gerald told me not long after that they had found the buyers and I remember feeling relieved. I'll never forget the moment my wife and I were in Spain having a drink and Gerald rang to tell me the deal had fallen though. It was like the gift that kept on giving.

"On the flight back to England I decided enough was enough, but I don't think I realised the magnitude of his words at the time. There's a big difference between someone saying 'administration' and 'liquidation' - the latter is scary.

"I didn't even realise what was happening before the press conference which was scheduled for my return. Gerald pulled me aside just before it and told me what was going to happen: I was to stand at the back, he was going to say he needed another cheque, and I was to nod in agreement or disagreement.

"He didn't know what my answer would be - but when I'd left my house that morning, my wife and I had already said there was no way I would agree to it. I had already seriously jeopardised my family's financial security.

"But we went into the room, he asked the question and I heard the words: 'Jeff, can I have an answer?' I literally gave it a couple of minutes thought before nodding.

"That crazy nod was the biggest sliding doors moment of my life, apart from meeting my wife. I had no idea what significance it would have for anybody that had any ounce of love for Bournemouth, but it had a stay of execution."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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Bournemouth are yet to give an exact start date for their Vitality Stadium redevelopment project, but former Cherries chairman Jeff Mostyn says the modernisation and expansion will "lighten up the club's vision" once completed.

If everything goes to plan, the club are hoping work will begin at some point between January and March 2026.

"It is massive news," Mostyn told BBC Radio Solent's Cherries: Unpicked podcast. "It will complete the circle in so many ways.

"Maxim Demin decided that he wanted to invest in players because, as we both always said, we had never seen a seat in a new stadium jump up and score a goal that can keep a club in the Premier League, but we had seen footballers do it.

"That was Maxim's DNA - he was all about making sure we had the players to keep us in the top flight. Bill Foley then had the ability, having taken over the club in its existing form, to complete the task.

"The purchase of Vitality Stadium also elevated the status of the club. So, for a club of our size, these redevelopment plans are huge.

"It is going to look beautiful cosmetically and the players are going to continue feeling like they are part of a huge, professional football club that's here to stay.

"When we're looking at bringing in players, a new stadium will lighten the vision."

Mostyn went on to reveal that he did in fact try to buy the stadium back himself.

"I had been up to structure Dean Court and David Pearl has become a friend of mine," he said. "Whether that helped the long-term relationship I don't know, because I wasn't there at the final negotiations before the purchase.

"We had made many visits to David with numerous offers, but one of the problems we had is that he's a very wealthy man. With interest rates at zero, David would ask us what he was going to do with the money.

"It was like manna from heaven, so nobody in their right mind was going to accept our offer at that time."

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We wanted your suggestions for Bournemouth's all-time best Premier League XI.

And you delivered!

Here's a first bunch:

Will: 4-4-2. Ramsdale, Smith, Huijsen, Ake, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Christie, Semenyo, Wilson, Solanke. A blend of legends and good footballers.

Jeff: 4-4-2. Ramsdale, Ake, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Adams, Cook, Christie, Kluivert, Semenyo, Wilson.

Jon: 4-5-1. Boruc, Smith, Ake, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Semenyo, Christie, Cook, Lerma, Brooks, King. Most positions pick themselves to an extent. King on his best day up top with Wilson omitted due to injury proneness. Left-back the hardest as arguably on his day Kerkez is the most world-class player in that position that we've had.

Keith: 4-3-3. Boruc, Smith, Cook, Huijsen, Daniels, Ritchie, Christie, Cook, Brooks, Wilson, Semenyo. A real challenge, trying to balance the classic team that rose to the Premier League in 2015 and the current favourites. Hope this has been achieved!

Geoff: 4-4-2. Boruc, Huijsen, Ake, Truffert, Semenyo, Kluivert, Adams, Ritchie, Wilson, King. A Cherries team to beat anyone.

The latest episode of Cherries: Unpicked has landed - and it is a special sit-down chat with Jeff Mostyn.

BBC Radio Solent's Jordan Clark is on hand to take a deep dive into the former Bournemouth chairman's impact at the club.

The pair talk about saving the club, Bournemouth's rise from League Two to the Premier League, working with former owner and chairman Eddie Mitchell, and selling his 50% stake in the club to Maxim Demin in 2011.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport senior journalist

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As Alex Scott waits on a possible England debut on Thursday against a Serbia side likely to include club-mates Djordje Petrovic and Veljko Milosavljevic, it is perhaps an apposite time to look back at which other Bournemouth players have represented the national team.

Scott would become only the third man to win a full cap for the Three Lions while being a current Bournemouth player, after Lewis Cook (for one night only) in 2018, and Callum Wilson, who debuted later that year and won the first four of his nine England caps while with the Cherries.

Jermain Defoe (in his second Bournemouth spell) and Jack Wilshere (in his first) were both named as unused substitutes under Gareth Southgate as their international careers petered out.

The most notable 'home-grown' players to have come through Bournemouth's youth ranks and subsequently play for England are Kevin Reeves, Jamie Redknapp and Danny Ings.

Adam Lallana is a category of his own, having been on the Cherries' books up until age 12 before joining Southampton. He later re-joined Bournemouth on loan in his late teens, before winning England caps while at Saints and Liverpool.

Also capped after leaving Bournemouth were Jack Rowley, Phil Boyer, Tyrone Mings and Aaron Ramsdale, while Dominic Solanke uniquely won England caps before and after his time at Vitality Stadium, having been overlooked while he was there.

Defoe, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Bertrand, Jack Cork and Morgan Rogers all had loan spells at Bournemouth as teenagers, later earning England caps.

At the other end of the scale, Bert Bliss became the first ex-England player to turn out for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (as they were then) in 1925-26, four years after his solitary England appearance.

Charlie George and Luther Blissett were in the twilight of their careers when signing for Bournemouth, while Nathaniel Clyne had a loan spell in 2019 and is still playing for Crystal Palace, nearly a decade since his last cap.

Ex-England internationals who ended their playing days with the Cherries were 1960s player-manager Bill McGarry, David Armstrong, and more recently Darren Anderton, David James and Gary Cahill.

It's international break so let's have a bit of fun to pass the time.

Now we know football existed before 1992 but for the purposes of this little exercise, keep it Premier League please.

So tell us, who would be in your dream Bournemouth's Premier League XI?

The debate starts here.

Send your suggestions

Sam Davis
Fan writer

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Bournemouth's England international!

There have been many shining lights to emerge from the Cherries in recent seasons, but one star boy who has gone under the radar up to this point has been our midfield magician Alex Scott. Now an integral member of Andoni Iraola's side, Alex has been rewarded with his first senior call-up for England - and it is richly deserved.

Dubbed the "Guernsey Grealish" by many, Scott's signing in the summer of 2023 was met with huge excitement by the Bournemouth fans - a real coup with an incredibly high ceiling.

Unfortunately, though, his Cherries career did start with a number of injury setbacks - and this made it difficult for Scott to cement a place in the Bournemouth XI.

However, at 22 years of age, and after staying injury free, he has now firmly arrived on the south coast and is impressing every time he graces the field. It was often a conundrum for Iraola on how to utilise Scott in a regular role, with Alex possessing many qualities to suit both a deeper and a more advanced role in the midfield.

With Tyler Adams being so pivotal in a deeper position, though, it has allowed Scott to play a little higher and try to get on the ball and make things happen for the Cherries.

Tyler does more of the 'dirty work', which enables Alex to roam and be a creative outlet. With Bournemouth and Andoni's current system, Scott has had to adapt and get better in the press, which has added vital components to his game, and he is certainly relishing the challenge.

So while he is a key cog to a well-functioning Bournemouth machine, maybe he can also be a vital new weapon for Thomas Tuchel's England going forward too.

Find more from Sam Davis at Back of the Net, external

Sin bins? Bonus points? Two goals if you score from distance?

Imagine a world in which you could reinvent football.

It's a dream, of course. Just a bit of fun. But stick with us.

What if you had the power to change any of the game's laws and potentially bring to an end countless hours of discussion about handball, offside, video assistant referees, or anything else you want to?

Some of BBC Sport's familiar football faces have offered their own potential rule changes.

Watch them above or read more here

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott says he is "over the moon" after receiving a "dream come true" first senior England call-up for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

The 22-year-old played non-league football in Guernsey until December 2019 when he signed a pre-contract agreement with Championship side Bristol City.

"I'm over the moon," Scott said. "It is everything I dreamed for back then.

"Six years ago, I was playing non-league football and I wasn't even sure if I was going to make it as a football player, so to now be in the England senior team is a dream come true.

"When I got the call and he [Thomas Tuchel] told me I was going to be in the squad, it was an unbelievable feeling. I couldn't stop smiling."

Asked about his rise from the eighth tier of English football to the national squad, Scott replied: "I don't think it has sunk in too much yet.

"Everyone's dream is to be in that World Cup squad. The World Cup is a dream of mine, but I'm just taking it one step at a time.

"If I get the chance to play, hopefully I can impress and show what I am capable of."

We asked for your views on Sunday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Bournemouth at Villa Park.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans:

Jon: For once, Villa played on the front foot and battled for every ball in the first half. Emi Buendia was man of the match by a country mile. He tackled, chased and made space for himself and opened up the pitch for others. Simply sublime.

Ian: That's more like it, Villa! Excellent all-round performance and could have scored more but Emi Martinez's penalty save was crucial. Ollie Watkins worked so hard and his goals will come. We now have a very strong bench and when all are fit, Unai Emery will have some difficult decisions to make but that is a good position to be in. My only concern is what is going on with Harvey Elliott. I think he is a real talent and I do hope it works out. Keep the faith!

Prit: Probably Villa's best performance of the season so far. Our transition was much quicker and we actually put our chances away. Bournemouth have been fantastic this season but were just off their pace. Emi Buendia must be contributing to his own goal of the season competition, surely he must be close to a call up for Argentina. Martinez was much better and shoed what a great goalkeeper he is when he concentrates. Still a worry for Ollie Watkins, who just needs a goal bouncing off his backside to bring the confidence back.

Mike: This was a terrific performance from Villa that should really set the benchmark for the rest of the season. When the game started to swing against us in the second half the substitututions made us even more attack-minded which was the perfect strategy. More please!

Bournemouth fans:

Peter: Bournemouth have been on a great run. But this was a wake-up call. The intensity was missing and Villa took advantage of winning the midfield battle with ease. The early clash of heads affected the Bournemouth players and Amadou Onana and John McGinn dominated the game. Bournemouth didn't deserve anything. It could have been a bigger scoreline.

Davie: The keeper is terrible. How people think he is an upgrade on Mark Travers astonishes me.

Mick: Well played Aston Villa and a wake-up call for the Cherries. Two tough away games, as thought we might get a draw out of one of them. I'm sure they will regroup and be much better when we get back from the international break. At least it might take some of the hype away from us and we can get back to flying under the radar.

Bob: Poor defence again. We tired in the last 20 minutes and had a definite lack of physical presence at the back. 4-0 flattered a tired team performance.

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Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott says the side's displays in consecutive defeats - first by Manchester City and then 4-0 at Aston Villa - are "concerning".

Sunday's result left the Cherries ninth in the table going into the third international break of the season.

Speaking after the game, Scott told BBC Radio Solent: "It was a tough game. They're a top team and we knew it was going to be difficult.

"It's two weeks in a row we haven't been good enough, which is concerning, but we have the international break to get things right and a big game against West Ham when we get back.

"The first half was terrible from us. There were a lot of fouls and stoppages, and a few chances early on that if we take, it's a whole different game.

"They took their chances. We were stronger second half, and if the penalty goes in then it's a different last 30 minutes to the game."

Hear more from Scott on BBC Sounds

Pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Aston Villa 4-0 Bournemouth

• Brentford 3-1 Newcastle

• Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

• Nottingham Forest 3-1 Leeds

• Man City 3-0 Liverpool