Top Flight Buildup alongside FA Cup Round Two Developments plus More
Introduction
Hello and welcome to another Sunday morning. This is your comprehensive football live center, focusing on the day's major football fixtures. The Premier League offers intriguing contests featuring Brighton & West Ham and Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish Premiership encounter sees the Hoops and the Jambos, coupled with WSL action plus FA Cup round two excitement rounds out the lineup. We encourage get in touch and let us know your plans for watching today's games. Here we go.
Major Stories from Saturday
Mohamed Salah commandeered the headlines despite did not play in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds United. Salah delivered an astonishing critique on boss Arne Slot, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” following omission from the first eleven for the third consecutive match. He expressed feeling singled out for blame for the team's disappointing start to the campaign.
“I can’t believe … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first time in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”
The other significant top-flight story was the Gunners' last-gasp defeat at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning goal. That result, coupled with City's comfortable victory over the Black Cats, makes for a very tight race at the summit of the table.
Away from English football, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for Inter Miami as they triumphed the league championship, defeating Vancouver 3-1 in the showpiece.
Sunday's Top-Flight Matches
The Seagulls welcome the Hammers for an 2pm GMT kickoff. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement under the appointment of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive midweek draw means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in five games.
Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last year's FA Cup quarter-final. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight away win in the league, having defeated Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their recent travels.
Cup Action Continues
The FA Cup second round provided lots of excitement yesterday. Sixth-tier side the Seagulls created a historic moment by advancing to the third round for the first time in their history.
Additional standout results featured:
- Swindon Town thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a division above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United defeated Stockport County on penalties.
- Sixth tier Buxton FC were ahead against Cheltenham Town before eventually suffering a 6-2 loss.
Today's 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 forming in this season's Premier League.
- Championship Contenders: The current leading pack are seemingly contending for the championship.
- The Packed Middle: A very tight group includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with aspirations for the top five. Will any string together a winning run to threaten the top teams?
- The Relegation Battle: The dogfight to stay up probably involves Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves appearing especially in trouble. Teams like others could also be dragged into the fight.
Other Matches Today
Outside the Premier League and domestic cup, Sunday's schedule include:
Women's Top Flight: (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)
European Football:
- Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (8pm CET)
- Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (4.30pm CET)
The Salah Debate Continues
The reaction from Mohamed Salah's comments continues. Opinion is split into two distinct sides to the debate. On one hand, has Salah earned the right to speak out as a true Liverpool legend? Or is boss Slot right in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win games?
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 chief scapegoat. This is no way to treat a club legend.”
“Perhaps we should take a moment to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's best-paid player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”
What next for Mo Salah, then? Speculation suggests his relationship with the club may now be burned. Could he move on loan to another European club? Might he accept a lucrative offer and head for the Saudi Pro League following the Africa Cup of Nations?
Sad News from the Championship
Two Championship matches were called off yesterday.
- The match between Charlton and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a supporter was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the fan died in hospital.
- Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and abandoned due to a waterlogged playing surface at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – made the pitch unplayable.
At this time, there is no word yet on when either game will be rescheduled.
