Premier League Buildup alongside FA Cup Second Round Developments plus Additional Coverage
Introduction
Good morning on this Sunday day. This is your all-in-one matchday live hub, centering on today's key soccer action. England's top division offers intriguing matches featuring Brighton & West Ham as well as the Cottagers and the Eagles. On top of that, a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership encounter between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL games plus cup round two drama rounds out the schedule. We encourage share your thoughts and let us know your plans for watching today's games. Let's get into it.
Major Stories from Saturday
Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the headlines even though he not featuring in the Reds' thrilling six-goal thriller at Leeds United. Salah delivered an stunning critique on boss the Dutch coach, accusing him of tossing him “to the wolves” after being left out the first eleven for the third straight match. He expressed that he felt made a scapegoat for the club's poor beginning to the season.
“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, I think for the first time in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”
Another major Premier League development saw Arsenal's last-gasp loss at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning strike. This outcome, combined with City's comfortable win over Sunderland, has left a very tight battle at the top of the table.
Outside the English leagues, Lionel Messi once again played the hero for his MLS side as they triumphed the MLS Cup, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.
Sunday's Top-Flight Matches
The Seagulls welcome West Ham for an afternoon start. West Ham have shown flickers of life under the appointment of head coach Nuno. A creditable midweek draw means he has presided over a run of just one defeat in five games.
Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last year's cup last-eight tie. Crystal Palace are aiming for a fourth straight victory on the road in the league, having beaten three opponents without conceding in their recent travels.
Cup Action Continues
The FA Cup round two delivered plenty of excitement yesterday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by advancing to the third round for the first time in their history.
Additional standout results included:
- Swindon Town hammered Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United beat Stockport County on penalties.
- Sixth tier Buxton FC led against Cheltenham Town before finally suffering a 6-2 defeat.
Today's FA Cup schedule includes:
- Slough Town v Macclesfield (early start)
- Boreham Wood v Newport County
- Gateshead v Walsall
- Blackpool v Carlisle United
The Premier League's Three Tiers
It appears three separate battlegroups forming in this season's Premier League.
- Championship Contenders: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are apparently vying for the top prize.
- The Packed Middle: A very tight section includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with aspirations for the European places. Can any put together a consistent form to threaten the elite?
- The Relegation Battle: The scrap to avoid the drop likely concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves appearing especially vulnerable. Clubs such as others could also be dragged into the battle.
Elsewhere in Football
Away from the Premier League and domestic cup, Sunday's schedule 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)
The Salah Debate Continues
The fallout from the Liverpool forward's explosive interview continues. There are two clear camps to the debate. Has he earned the right to speak out as a true club icon? Or is manager Slot justified in doing whatever it takes to attempt 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 chief scapegoat. This is no way to treat a club legend.”
“Can we pause to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is currently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”
The big question for Mo Salah, then? Speculation suggests his relationship with the club may now be burned. Could he seek a loan to a club abroad? Might he take the pay day and move to the Saudi Pro League following the Africa Cup of Nations?
Matches Abandoned
A pair of second-tier fixtures were called off on Saturday.
- The match between Charlton Athletic and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a fan was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the supporter died in hospital.
- Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unsuitable.
There is no confirmation on when these matches will be rescheduled.
