Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough: Arsene Wenger's men fail to find the net at the Emirates

Thanks for joining us this afternoon. I hope you enjoyed our live coverage of the 3pm kick-offs. Until next time...

• Burnley 2-1 Everton
• Hull 0-2 Stoke
• Leicester 3-1 Crystal Palace
• Swansea 0-0 Watford
• West Ham 1-0 Sunderland

GOAL: West Ham 1-0 Sunderland (Winston Reid)

Delight for the Hammers and heartbreak for David Moyes! The hosts have scored with virtually the last touch of the game - and the London Stadium erupts!

Full-time: Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough

A brilliant game at the Emirates and the teams share the spoils! Either side could have won easily won that match, but they lacked a killer finish.

A very Arsenal sort of performance, if you know what I mean.

Arsenal have the ball in the net - but it won't count! Ozil is correctly flagged offside and the Gunners' search for a goal goes on.

Tick-tock, tick-tock...

GOAL: Burnley 2-1 Everton (Scott Arfield)

Burnley looks to pinched all three points at Turf Moor! Scott Arfield is the hero for the hosts! What a dramatic finish!

Negredo is almost that man! He is played in by the rampant Traore, who pierces through the Arsenal defence, brushing Bellerin to one side and finding the striker.

But just as he's about to pull the trigger, Laurent Koscielny makes a great last-ditch tackle. Another close shave for the Gunners.

We're going to play five minutes of added time.

Time is ebbing away at the Emirates, also. The Gunners started this match so brightly, but are now scrambling around to find a winner. Still time for a hero to step forward...

GOAL: Leicester 3-1 Crystal Palace (Yohan Cabaye)

The Eagles have one back but it'll be no more than a consolation for Alan Pardew's men. Time is almost up at the King Power.

Boro, who are being pushed further and further back, look to be absolutely exhausted now.

Ramirez makes way for Stewart Downing. They made sure they took as long as possible over that change, too.

GOAL: Leicester 3-0 Crystal Palace (Christian Fuchs)

The doom and gloom that has surrounded the King Power of late has been lifted this afternoon!

Christian Fuchs has put the seal on the champion's easy win against Palace. The start of a good run? Claudio Ranieri will certainly hope so...

Alexis Sanchez lofts a ball over the top for the on-rushing Theo Walcott. However, the England winger cannot get his toe-end to the ball. Boro are hanging on to a point still.

Arsenal have fallen woefully short of the heights they have scaled in recent weeks so far this afternoon - but there's still time to find a winner.

Away from the Emirates, meanwhile, you can follow the team news from the evening kick-off here.

The crowd are really starting to voice their frustrations now. Arsenal need to be beating sides like Boro if they are going to lift the Premier League title in May.

Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is getting his final instructions via tablet. Yep, via tablet. The England international is replacing Mohamed Elneny for the last 15 minutes or so.

Alexis Sanchez is slipped through on goal but his effort is not well struck and Valdes is able to smother the ball under his body. A decent chance, that.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have decided to make a sub. Iwobi has been replaced by Lucas Perez. It's not before time, too, because we're approaching the last 20 minutes.

Leicester 2-0 Crystal Palace (Shinji Okazaki)

The champions are two goals up now and it's their Japanese star with the goal.

Mustasfi gives the ball away in a dangerous area and as Ramirez rounds him, the German launches an NFL-inspired tackle. That wasn't great play from Arsenal's summer signing. He's booked.

Arsenal subs are warming up now. Lucas Perez is among the guys going through some stretches.

GOAL: Burnley 1-1 Everton (Yannick Bolasie)

The Toffees have levelled things against Burnley. Yannick Bolasie has the goal - and Ronald Koeman's men will fancy getting all three points now.

Cech comes to Arsenal's rescue again!

Once more, Traore makes a break at searing speed down the right side and then unleashes a powerful shot towards goal. But Cech pulls off another stunning stop for the Gunners.

End-to-end action at the Emirates for the time being, with Traore leading another break for Boro. This time, though, his powerful cross cannot find a teammate and Bellerin is able to scramble the ball behind.

The subsequent corner comes to nothing and Petr Cech's cleansheet remains safe for the moment.

Arsenal are really pushing for a goal now. Alexis Sanchez blast a goal-bound effort from distance but Valdes makes up for his earlier error with an eye-catching stop down towards his left post.

Back at the Emirates, Alexis Sanchez has just struck a right-footed free-kick marginally wide of the post. I think Victor Valdes had his angles covered, to be fair.

GOAL: Hull 0-2 Stoke (Xherdan Shaqiri)

A second goal for Stoke and a second goal for Xherdan Shaqiri! The Swiss star may just have sealed three points for Mark Hughes' men.

Oh, that's already as close as Arsenal have come all afternoon! Ozil sends over a cross from the left side - and Victor Valdes makes an almighty mess of it.

The Spaniard gets underneath the ball and cannot claim it. However, Laurent Koscielny isn't able to steer the ball into the net and Boro escape.

Iwobi looks to get Sanchez in behind in the early moments of the half, but his pass is over-hit.

There's a noticeable tension around the stadium. I think most people expected this to be a one-sided win for the Gunners.

Right then, the players are back out at the Emirates and elsewhere around the country. No changes from either side... andddddddd we're back under way!

Half-time: Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough

All square at the Emirates, then. The Gunners have largely dominated but Boro have created the best chances by far.

GOAL: Leicester 1-0 Crystal Palace (Ahmed Musa)

Ahmed Musa has his first goal for the Foxes! Islam Slimani tees him up on the edge of the box and he blasts the ball into the net.

Arsenal suddenly up the pace, puling the Boro defence this way and that. The ball makes it way out to Walcott on the right side and his low cross is just missed by Mesut Ozil in the middle. That is much, much better from the Gunners.

One minute of added time being played.

GOAL: Burnley 1-0 Everton (Sam Vokes)

The away side have dominated so far, but it's Burnley who have taken the lead. Sam Vokes has found the net and Burnley now have something to hang on to in front of their own fans. Can they do it?

Less than five minutes to go until half-time and in truth, Arsenal haven't actually come close to opening the scoring. Their final ball has been poor so far this afternoon, which isn't what you'd expect of Ozil, Sanchez et al.

Meanwhile, it looks like Mustafi has an injury problem. Will he be able to continue? Yep, he's given the bench the old-fashioned thumbs up and on he goes.

The away side spurn another golden chance. Incredible.

Traore sent the ball in from the left flank, which is flicked on by Negredo and then Ramirez misses from about five yards. Boro should be winning - and they should be winning comfortably.

The game at the Emirates has settled down into a slightly more even pattern. Arsenal are still dominating the ball - but they're a bit more respectful of Boro's attacking threat after that breakaway move from Traore.

GOAL: Hull 0-1 Stoke (Xherdan Shaqiri)

Our first goal of the afternoon, then, and it's come for Stoke City. Xherdan Shaqiri is the man for them on this occasion.

Boro have grown into this game in a big way. They've barely had a kick, in truth, but could easily be 2-0 up.

Meanwhile, Hector Bellerin is lucky to escape a booking after a cynical foul.

And again! This time Gaston Ramirez hits a left-footed free-kick from an tight angle against the corner of post and bar. Petre Cech looked to be beaten on this occasion.

Traore's pace could create problems for Arsenal, because if he manages to race clear, no-one will catch him.

Almost a goal out of nothing for the away side! Traore uses his pace to latch onto Negredo's header and races through on goal. He looks up and plants his effort straight at Petr Cech.

What's more, a rebounded effort from Negredo is blocked by a backtracking Arsenal defender. That was COMPLETELY against the run of play.

Arsenal have their appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Mike Dean. Mesut Ozil went down under pressure in the box, but that would have been generous in the extreme.

Arsenal still probing, looking to find an opening. And I fancy that one goal might follow another pretty swiftly.

Still goalless in the other 3pm kick-offs, by the way. We'll bring you goal updates as soon as they start to go in, though.

Arsenal are touching 90 percent possession in the opening ten minutes. It's no exaggeration of Arsenal's dominance, even if they're yet to create any guilt-edge chances.

Mohamed Elneny goes the closest we've come to a goal so far, striking a powerful right-footed effort from distance just past the post.

Arsenal are pressing and pressing all the time, however. A goal does not feel too far away.

Ayala commits a foul on the edge of his own box and Arsenal are awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position. Mesut Ozil is stood over it ... but his shot sails comfortably over the top of the bar and Boro survive.

I've got to say, though, I'm not sure how sustainable their approach is going to prove. They've got the look of a team who just don't want to get thumped today. Arsenal's latest corner is headed clear, meanwhile.

An early corner for the Gunners comes to nothing - but this is very definitely attack versus defence already.

Boro will be looking to fashion something on the counter-attack, meaning there is a big onus on Negredo this afternoon. Good luck.

Boro already have plenty of men behind the ball, looking to flood the midfield and block any potential route to goal with bodies. This could turn into one-way traffic pretty earlier, I fear, with Arsenal dominating the ball in the early exchanges.

Arsenal in red and Boro in blue. And it is Alexis Sanchez who gets the game under way!

Here we go, then. The players emerge from the tunnel and we're almost ready for kick-off at the Emirates. Just the pre-match routine to go through and then we're all set.

Right, enough with the pre-match guff. The players will be making their walk from the dressing room to the pitch in the coming minutes.

Arsene Wenger will be desperate to mark his big day in style.

Elsewhere, another Arsenal fan favourite has already been in action in the Premier League this afternoon.

Jack Wilshere, who is currently on loan at Bournemouth, played in their 0-0 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

And after the match, Wilshere said: "I feel better and better each week. The manager has been great to me and I feel like I am getting fitter and fitter. Hopefully, I can contribute more."

One man who has been central to Arsenal's recent run of good form is Theo Walcott. The 27-year-old forward has regularly found the net this season - and his consistent performances have not gone unnoticed.

Indeed, Martin Keown has claimed that Walcott's improvement is due to a change "in his attitude and application".

The ex-Gunner explained to the BBC: "Theo Walcott has improved so much this season, it is as if he has flicked a switch in his head. Walcott now sees himself as a winger, not a striker, but his turnaround is not just because he is now focusing on succeeding in one position for Arsenal.

"It is down to a change in his attitude and application, which has brought him a greater end product – he has already scored more Premier League and Champions League goals than he did in the whole of last season."

Back at the Emirates, meanwhile, and the two sets of players are busily going through their pre-match preparations.

Arsenal, I'm sure, will be hugely confident of recording another straightforward win and in turn, moving themselves to the top of the Premier League table.

Just as a reminder, we'll also keep you updated with the other 3pms kick-offs around the Premier League, bringing you goal updates and news of any other major happenings.

Here's the fixture list:

• Burnley vs Everton
• Hull vs Stoke City
• Leicester vs Crystal Palace
• Swansea vs Watford
• West Ham vs Sunderland

After a miserable start to the Premier League season, when they were beaten by Liverpool, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side appear to be a team full of confidence at the moment.

The Gunners played some eye-catching stuff in the Champions League in the middle of the week and will look to underline their credentials at home to one of the Premier League's new boys today.

Can they do it, or will Boro upset the party?

Breaking team news

The visitors have handed their teamsheet in, also. The only absentee for Boro is Grant Leadbitter. Here are the players set to face Arsenal at the Emirates.

Middlesbrough: Valdes, Friend, Ayala, Gibson, Clayton, Negredo, De Roon, Barragan, Ramirez, Forshaw, Traore

Subs: Fabio, Espinosa, Guzan, Stuani, Downing, De Sart, Nugent

Breaking team news:

Arsene Wenger has handed the team sheet in on his 67th birthday.

Santi Cazorla misses out with injury, while Granit Xhaka is suspended from the match. But still, Arsenal have plenty of firepower in their line-up.

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Elneny, Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi, Alexis

Subs: Ospina, Gabriel, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Maitland-Niles, Lucas Perez

Here's a fancy graphic to illustrate all of that, too. I hope you like it.

Team news will filter through around the top of the hour. Meanwhile, Arsenal fans (and others) may be interested in the fortunes of another side who are hoping to mount a title challenge, Tottenham Hotspur.

My colleague George Flood has been following their progress in the early kick-off against Bournemouth. How are they doing? Why not see for yourself...

In fact, Eduardo has been a busy guy in the last few days - because he recently spoke to Santi Cazorla, too. The Spaniard thinks Arsenal have found the consistency they have lacked in previous seasons and can now fight for the Premier League title.

"We have started the season in a good way. We are having a good run but it is a very long season. We have to go step by step," he told IBTimes UK.

"It is clear that we want to fight [for the Premier League title]. We have always said we needed to give a step forward. We have started well and we are being more consistent. That's what we lacked in previous seasons."

As we wait for the all-important team news to drop, here's a quick line from my IBTimes UK colleague Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal, who spoke to Lucas Perez about his start to life in North London.

Perez is enjoying his time at Arsenal, even though the form of Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott has restricted his opportunities since his summer arrival from Deportivo la Coruna.

To read what Perez had to say, click here.

And on the other side of the fence today is Aitor Karanka, who sounds cautiously optimistic.

"I will try to do the best thing to win the game," he explained.

"I don't want to go to the Emirates just thinking a draw is good. If we think that way, we are going to lose one, two, three, maybe 5-0. I am preparing to win the game and I am confident we can do that."

Pre-match thoughts, now, and Arsene Wenger - who turns 67 today - has come over all spiritual in the build up to the game.

"Nobody lives a whole life by being motivated by the next game, stops suddenly and goes to church every day," Wenger said.

"If God exists and one day I go up there and he will ask: 'Do you want to come in? What have you done in your life?'

"And the only answer I will have is: 'I tried to win football games.' He will say: 'Is that all you have done?' And the only answer I will have is: 'It's not as easy as it looks.'"

Preview

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka has the unenviable task of trying to stop a rampaging Gunners side.

Boro themselves have not been in great form so far this campaign, not managing a single win in their last six matches. What's more, they will also be without first choice centre-back Calum Chambers, who is ineligible to face his parent club.

Preview

Arsenal come into the game on the back of a 6-0 thrashing of Champions League side Ludogorets in their third group game, with Mesut Ozil scoring a hat trick and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez each getting on the scoresheet.

The Gunners made hard work of their win against Swansea last weekend, however. Arsenal led the Swans 2-0 and 3-1, but ended the game with 10 men after Granit Xhaka's red card.

Good afternoon and welcome to IBTimes UK's coverage of the latest round of Premier League 3pm games.

Our coverage will largely centre on Arsenal facing Middlesbrough at the Emirates this afternoon - but we'll be sure to keep you updated on the other games, too.

Build up and team news to follow...