Top Flight Preview alongside FA Cup Round Two Updates plus More
Preamble
Hello and welcome on this Sunday day. We bring you your all-in-one matchday live center, highlighting today's major football fixtures. The Premier League presents fascinating contests featuring the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a crucial Scottish clash between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL action and cup second round excitement completes the lineup. We encourage get in touch telling us your plans for watching the action. Without further ado.
Yesterday's Headlines
Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the spotlight even though he not featuring in the Reds' thrilling six-goal thriller at Elland Road. Salah delivered an stunning critique on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of tossing him “to the wolves” following being left out the first eleven for the third consecutive game. The player stated that he felt made a scapegoat for the team's disappointing beginning to the season.
“It's unbelievable … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah stated. “The third time on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”
Another major Premier League story was the Gunners' injury-time loss at Villa Park, sealed by Emiliano Buendía's winning goal. That result, coupled with City's comfortable win over the Black Cats, has left a very tight battle at the summit of the standings.
Outside English football, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for Inter Miami as they lifted the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Today's Premier League Fixtures
Brighton welcome the Hammers for an 2pm GMT start. West Ham have displayed signs of improvement under the arrival of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in their last five.
Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last year's FA Cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are eyeing a fourth successive victory on the road in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their latest travels.
Cup Action Continues
The FA Cup second round delivered plenty of excitement on Saturday. Sixth-tier side the Seagulls created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time in their history.
Additional notable outcomes included:
- Swindon Town thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a division above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge beat Stockport County on penalties.
- Sixth tier Buxton were ahead against Cheltenham before eventually enduring a 6-2 loss.
Today's FA Cup action features:
- Slough Town v Macclesfield (early start)
- 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 Premier League.
- Championship Contenders: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are apparently vying for the championship.
- The Packed Middle: A very tight group includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with aspirations for the European places. Can any put together a winning run to challenge the top teams?
- The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to avoid the drop likely involves several clubs, with Wolves looking especially in trouble. Teams like others could also be dragged into the battle.
Elsewhere in Football
Away from the English top flight and FA Cup, today's schedule feature:
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 comments continues. There are two distinct sides to the argument. On one hand, has Salah earned the right to speak out as a bona fide club icon? Or is manager Slot right in doing what he believes is necessary to try to win matches?
Views from supporters appears split:
“United fan here. If I’m not mistaken, Salah was PFA Player of the Year 6 months ago and now he’s the main target. Not the way to treat a legend of the club.”
“Can we pause to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He must have forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”
What next for the Egyptian king, then? Speculation suggests his bridges at Liverpool may now be burned. Will he move on loan to another European club? Might he accept a lucrative offer and head for Saudi Arabia after the Africa Cup of Nations?
Matches Abandoned
A pair of second-tier fixtures were called off on Saturday.
- The match between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a fan was taken ill. It was later announced the fan 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.
There is no confirmation on when these matches will be replayed.