Top Flight Buildup alongside FA Cup Second Round Updates and Additional Coverage
Preamble
Good morning to another weekend morning. We bring you your comprehensive matchday live center, centering on today's key football action. England's top division presents fascinating matches between Brighton & West Ham and Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish encounter sees Celtic and Hearts, alongside WSL games and FA Cup round two drama completes the schedule. As always get in touch telling us your plans for watching today's games. Let's get into it.
Major Stories from Saturday
Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the headlines despite not featuring in Liverpool's hectic 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an stunning attack on boss the Dutch coach, accusing him of throwing him “under the bus” following being left out the starting lineup for the third straight game. He expressed feeling made a scapegoat for the team's poor start to the season.
“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, I think for the first time in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”
Another major top-flight story saw the Gunners' injury-time defeat at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emiliano Buendía's winning goal. That result, combined with City's comfortable victory over the Black Cats, makes for a incredibly close race at the summit of the table.
Away from English leagues, the Argentine maestro once again wrote the script for Inter Miami as they triumphed the league championship, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Sunday's Top-Flight Matches
The Seagulls host the Hammers for an 2pm GMT kickoff. West Ham have displayed signs of improvement since the appointment of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable midweek draw means he has overseen a run of only one loss in their last five.
Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last year's FA Cup quarter-final. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight victory on the road in the league, having beaten three opponents to nil in their recent travels.
Cup Action Continues
The FA Cup second round delivered lots of excitement yesterday. National League South side the Seagulls created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time ever.
Other notable outcomes included:
- Swindon Town hammered Bolton – a division above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United beat Stockport County on spot-kicks.
- Non-league Buxton led against Cheltenham before eventually suffering a 6-2 loss.
Sunday's FA Cup action features:
- Slough Town v Macclesfield (12.30pm GMT start)
- Boreham Wood v Newport County
- Gateshead v Walsall
- Blackpool v Carlisle United
The Premier League's Three Tiers
It appears a trio of separate mini-leagues forming in this season's Premier League.
- Championship Contenders: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly contending for the top prize.
- The Mid-Table Scramble: A incredibly congested section contains several big names, all with designs on the top five. Can any string together a winning run to challenge the top teams?
- The Relegation Battle: The scrap to stay up probably involves several clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers appearing particularly in trouble. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the battle.
Other Matches Today
Outside the Premier League and FA Cup, Sunday's fixtures include:
Women's Super League (WSL): (All 12pm GMT unless stated)
- Leicester City v Manchester City
- London City Lionesses v Brighton & Hove Albion
- Manchester United v West Ham United
- Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
- Chelsea v Everton (2.30pm GMT)
Around the Continent:
- Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (8pm CET)
- Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (4.30pm CET)
Ongoing Discussion About Liverpool's Star
The fallout from the Liverpool forward's comments rages on. Opinion is split into two distinct sides to the debate. Has he done enough to voice his frustration as a true club icon? Or is boss Slot right in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win matches?
Fan opinion appears divided:
“United fan here. If I’m not mistaken, Salah was the players' player of the year 6 months ago and now he’s the main target. Not the way to treat a club legend.”
“Perhaps we should take a moment to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He must have overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”
The big question for Mo Salah, then? Speculation suggests his relationship with the club may now be damaged. Will he seek a loan to a club abroad? Might he accept a lucrative offer and move to the Saudi Pro League following the AFCON?
Sad News from the Championship
Two second-tier fixtures were abandoned yesterday.
- The game between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the early stages after a supporter was taken unwell. It was later announced the supporter died in hospital.
- Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Heavy rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unsuitable.
At this time, there is no word yet on when these matches will be rescheduled.