Top Flight Buildup and FA Cup Second Round Developments plus More
Introduction
Good morning on this Sunday morning. We bring you your all-in-one football coverage center, centering on today's key soccer fixtures. England's top division offers fascinating contests featuring Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish Premiership clash sees Celtic and Hearts, alongside WSL action and FA Cup second round drama completes the schedule. Feel free to share your thoughts telling us how you'll be following today's games. Here we go.
Major Stories from Saturday
Mohamed Salah grabbed the spotlight even though he was absent in Liverpool's hectic 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an astonishing attack on manager the Dutch coach, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” following being left out the first eleven for the third consecutive match. The player stated feeling singled out for blame for the club's disappointing start to the campaign.
“It's unbelievable … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian stated. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my career. I am extremely disappointed.”
Another major Premier League story saw Arsenal's injury-time defeat at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emiliano Buendía's decisive strike. That result, coupled with City's comfortable win over Sunderland, has left a very tight battle at the top of the table.
Outside English leagues, Lionel Messi as ever played the hero for his MLS side as they lifted the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Today's Premier League Fixtures
Brighton host West Ham in a 2pm GMT start. The visitors have displayed signs of life under the arrival of head coach Nuno. An impressive midweek draw means he has presided over a run of just one defeat 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 Premier League, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their recent travels.
The FA Cup Second Round
England's famous cup competition round two provided plenty of drama on Saturday. Sixth-tier side the Seagulls made history by reaching the next round for the first time ever.
Other notable results featured:
- Swindon hammered Bolton – a division above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United defeated Stockport County on spot-kicks.
- Sixth tier Buxton FC were ahead against Cheltenham before eventually suffering a 6-2 defeat.
Today's cup schedule features:
- Slough Town v Macclesfield (early kickoff)
- Boreham Wood v Newport County
- Gateshead v Walsall
- Blackpool v Carlisle United
Developing Mini-Leagues
There seems to be three separate battlegroups developing in this campaign's top flight.
- The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly contending for the top prize.
- The Packed Middle: A incredibly congested section contains several big names, all with aspirations for the European places. Can any string together a winning run to threaten the elite?
- The Relegation Battle: The scrap to stay up probably concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves appearing particularly vulnerable. Clubs such as others could also be sucked into the fight.
Other Matches Today
Outside the English top flight and FA Cup, today'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)
The Salah Debate Continues
The fallout from the Liverpool forward's explosive interview rages on. Opinion is split into two clear camps to the argument. Has he done enough to voice his frustration as a bona fide Liverpool legend? Or is manager Arne Slot justified in doing what he believes is necessary to try to win matches?
Views from supporters seems 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.”
“Can we take a moment to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”
What next for Mo Salah, then? Many think his bridges at Liverpool 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 after the Africa Cup of Nations?
Sad News from the Championship
Two Championship fixtures were abandoned on Saturday.
- The game between Charlton and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a supporter was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the supporter passed away in hospital.
- Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged playing surface at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – made the field unsuitable.
At this time, there is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.
