Premier League Build-up alongside Football Association Cup Second Round Developments and Additional Coverage
Introduction
Hello and welcome on this Sunday morning. We bring you your all-in-one matchday live hub, highlighting the day's major football fixtures. England's top division offers intriguing matches featuring the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership encounter between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL action and FA Cup round two excitement rounds out the lineup. As always send us your views telling us your plans for watching today's games. Let's get into it.
Major Stories from Saturday
Mohamed Salah commandeered the spotlight despite did not play in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an astonishing attack on manager Arne Slot, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” after being left out the first eleven for the third consecutive game. The player stated that he felt singled out for blame for the club's disappointing start to the season.
“It's unbelievable … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”
Another significant top-flight story saw the Gunners' injury-time loss at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning strike. That result, combined with Manchester City's straightforward win over the Black Cats, has left a incredibly close battle at the summit of the table.
Outside the English leagues, the Argentine maestro as ever played the hero for his MLS side as they triumphed the MLS Cup, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Today's Premier League Fixtures
The Seagulls welcome West Ham in a 2pm GMT kickoff. The visitors have shown flickers of life under the arrival of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in five games.
Fulham against Crystal Palace is a rematch of last season's cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are eyeing a fourth successive away win in the Premier League, having beaten three opponents without conceding in their recent travels.
The FA Cup Second Round
The FA Cup round two delivered plenty of drama yesterday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare made history by advancing to the next round for the first time in their history.
Other standout results featured:
- Swindon hammered Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United beat Stockport on spot-kicks.
- Non-league Buxton FC led against Cheltenham before finally suffering a 6-2 defeat.
Sunday'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 a trio of separate battlegroups developing in this campaign's top flight.
- The Title Race: The current leading pack are seemingly contending for the championship.
- The Packed Middle: A very tight section contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with aspirations for the European places. Can any put together a winning run to threaten the top teams?
- The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to stay up likely concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking particularly vulnerable. Clubs such as others could also be sucked into the fight.
Other Matches Today
Away from the English top flight and domestic 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)
European Football:
- Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (8pm CET)
- Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (4.30pm CET)
Ongoing Discussion About Liverpool's Star
The reaction from the Liverpool forward's explosive interview rages on. There are two distinct sides to the debate. On one hand, has Salah done enough to voice his frustration as a bona fide club icon? Or is boss Slot right in doing whatever it takes to try to win matches?
Fan opinion appears split:
“United fan here. If memory serves, Salah was PFA Player of the Year 6 months ago and now he’s chief scapegoat. This is no way to treat a legend of the club.”
“Can we pause to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”
What next for Mo Salah, then? Many think his relationship with the club may now be burned. Will he move on loan to another European club? Might he take the pay day and head for Saudi Arabia following the AFCON?
Sad News from the Championship
A pair of second-tier matches were called off yesterday.
- The match between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a fan was taken unwell. It was later announced the fan died in hospital.
- Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second time this season at the ground – rendered the field unsuitable.
There is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.