Top Flight Buildup alongside Football Association Cup Second Round Updates and Additional Coverage
Introduction
Morning everyone on this Sunday day. We bring you your comprehensive football live hub, centering on the day's key soccer fixtures. England's top division presents fascinating matches featuring Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish encounter between Celtic and Hearts, alongside WSL games plus FA Cup round two excitement rounds out the lineup. Feel free to send us your views telling us how you'll be following the action. Let's get into it.
Major Stories from Saturday
Liverpool's Egyptian star commandeered the headlines despite did not play in the Reds' hectic six-goal thriller at Leeds United. Salah delivered an remarkable attack on manager the Dutch coach, 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 made a scapegoat for the team's disappointing start to the season.
“It's unbelievable … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah stated. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first time in my career. I am extremely disappointed.”
The other significant top-flight story saw Arsenal's injury-time defeat at Aston Villa, sealed by Emiliano Buendía's decisive strike. This outcome, coupled with City's straightforward victory over Sunderland, makes for a incredibly close battle at the summit of the standings.
Outside the English leagues, Lionel Messi as ever played the hero for his MLS side as they lifted the league championship, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Sunday's Top-Flight Matches
Brighton welcome the Hammers for an 2pm GMT start. The visitors have shown flickers of life since the arrival of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of only one loss in their last five.
Fulham against Crystal Palace is a repeat of last season's FA Cup last-eight tie. The Eagles are eyeing a fourth straight victory on the road in the Premier League, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their latest away fixtures.
Cup Action Continues
The FA Cup second round delivered lots of excitement yesterday. Sixth-tier side the Seagulls created a historic moment by reaching the third round for the first time ever.
Other standout results featured:
- Swindon Town hammered Bolton – a league above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United defeated Stockport on spot-kicks.
- Non-league Buxton were ahead against Cheltenham Town before eventually suffering a 6-2 loss.
Sunday's FA Cup action includes:
- 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
There seems to be three distinct mini-leagues forming in this season's top flight.
- The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly contending for the championship.
- The Mid-Table Scramble: A incredibly congested group contains several big names, all with designs on the top five. Can any put together a consistent form to challenge the elite?
- The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to stay up likely concerns several clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers appearing especially vulnerable. Teams like Brentford or Fulham could also be sucked into the battle.
Other Matches Today
Away from the English top flight and FA Cup, today's fixtures feature:
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 fallout from the Liverpool forward's explosive interview continues. Opinion is split into two distinct sides to the argument. On one hand, has Salah earned the right to speak out as a bona fide Liverpool legend? Or is manager Slot right in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win games?
Fan opinion seems divided:
“United fan here. If I’m not mistaken, Salah was PFA 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 pause to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's best-paid player... Someone hard done by, 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? Or will he accept a lucrative offer and move to Saudi Arabia after the Africa Cup of Nations?
Matches Abandoned
Two second-tier matches were called off on Saturday.
- The match between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the early stages 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 pitch at Ewood Park. Heavy rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – rendered the field unplayable.
At this time, there is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.
