Premier League Buildup alongside FA Cup Round Two Developments plus More

Introduction

Good morning to another weekend day. We bring you your all-in-one football live hub, focusing on the day's key football action. England's top division offers intriguing contests between the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL action plus FA Cup round two drama completes the lineup. Feel free to share your thoughts telling us your plans for watching today's games. Let's get into it.

Major Stories from Saturday

Liverpool's Egyptian star commandeered the spotlight even though he was absent in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds United. Salah delivered an stunning attack on manager the Dutch coach, accusing him of throwing him “under the bus” after omission from the starting lineup for the third consecutive game. He expressed that he felt singled out for blame for the club's disappointing beginning to the season.

“I can’t believe … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my career. I am extremely disappointed.”

The other significant top-flight development was Arsenal's last-gasp loss at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emiliano Buendía's winning strike. That result, coupled with Manchester City's comfortable win over Sunderland, makes for a incredibly close battle at the summit of the standings.

Away from the English leagues, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for his MLS side as they triumphed the league championship, defeating Vancouver 3-1 in the showpiece.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

Brighton host the Hammers in a afternoon kickoff. The visitors have displayed signs of improvement since the appointment of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive midweek draw means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in their last five.

Fulham against Crystal Palace is a rematch of last year's FA Cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are aiming for a fourth successive away win in the Premier League, having defeated three opponents without conceding in their latest travels.

The FA Cup Second Round

The FA Cup round two provided lots of excitement on Saturday. 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 included:

  • Swindon hammered Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
  • Cambridge United defeated Stockport on spot-kicks.
  • Sixth tier Buxton FC led against Cheltenham Town before eventually enduring a 6-2 loss.

Today's cup schedule features:

  • Slough Town v Macclesfield (12.30pm GMT start)
  • Boreham Wood v Newport County
  • Gateshead v Walsall
  • Blackpool v Carlisle United

Developing Mini-Leagues

There seems to be a trio of distinct mini-leagues forming in this campaign's top flight.

  1. The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly vying for the championship.
  2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A incredibly congested section includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the top five. Will any put together a winning run to challenge the top teams?
  3. The Relegation Battle: The scrap to stay up likely concerns several clubs, with Wolves looking particularly vulnerable. Teams like Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the fight.

Other Matches Today

Away from the Premier League and FA Cup, Sunday'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)

Ongoing Discussion About Liverpool's Star

The fallout from Mohamed Salah's explosive interview continues. Opinion is split into two clear camps to the argument. On one hand, has Salah earned the right to voice his frustration as a bona fide club icon? Or is manager Slot justified in doing what he believes is necessary to attempt to win matches?

Fan opinion appears split:

“As a Manchester United supporter. If memory serves, Salah was the players' player of the year 6 months ago and now he’s the main target. This is no way to treat a legend of the club.”
“Can we take a moment to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably overlooked that he is presently Liverpool's best-paid player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”

What next for Mo Salah, then? Speculation suggests his bridges at Liverpool may now be damaged. Could he seek a loan to a club abroad? Might he accept a lucrative offer and move to Saudi Arabia following the Africa Cup of Nations?

Matches Abandoned

Two Championship fixtures were abandoned yesterday.

  • The game between Charlton and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a fan was taken unwell. It was later announced the fan died 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 pitch unplayable.

There is no confirmation on when these matches will be rescheduled.

Casey Hansen
Casey Hansen

Elena is a professional baccarat strategist with over a decade of experience in casino gaming and player education.