Premier League Preview alongside FA Cup Round Two Latest News plus More
Preamble
Good morning to another Sunday day. This is your comprehensive football live center, focusing on the day's key soccer action. The Premier League offers intriguing matches featuring the Seagulls and the Hammers and the Cottagers and the Eagles. On top of that, a top-of-the-table Scottish clash sees the Hoops and the Jambos, alongside Women's Super League games and cup round two drama rounds out the lineup. Feel free to get in touch telling us your plans for watching the action. Let's get into it.
Major Stories from Saturday
Mohamed Salah commandeered the spotlight despite not featuring in Liverpool's hectic 3-3 draw at Leeds United. He launched an stunning attack on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of throwing him “to the wolves” following omission from the first eleven for the third straight game. He expressed that he felt made a scapegoat for the club's disappointing start to the campaign.
“I can’t believe … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian stated. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first occasion in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”
The other significant Premier League story saw the Gunners' last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa, sealed by Emi Buendía's decisive strike. This outcome, coupled with Manchester City's comfortable win over the Black Cats, has left a incredibly close battle at the summit of the standings.
Away from English leagues, the Argentine maestro once again played the hero for his MLS side as they triumphed the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.
Sunday's Top-Flight Matches
The Seagulls welcome West Ham in a afternoon start. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement under the appointment of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive midweek draw means he has presided over 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. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight away win in the Premier League, having defeated Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their latest away fixtures.
The FA Cup Second Round
England's famous cup competition second round delivered lots of excitement on Saturday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare made history by advancing to the third round for the first time in their history.
Additional standout outcomes included:
- Swindon Town hammered Bolton – a division above them – 4-0.
- Cambridge United beat Stockport County on spot-kicks.
- Non-league Buxton led against Cheltenham before finally suffering a 6-2 loss.
Today's FA Cup schedule includes:
- Slough Town v Macclesfield (12.30pm GMT kickoff)
- Boreham Wood v Newport County
- Gateshead v Walsall
- Blackpool v Carlisle United
Developing Mini-Leagues
It appears a trio of separate mini-leagues developing in this season's top flight.
- Championship Contenders: The current leading pack are seemingly contending for the top prize.
- The Packed Middle: A incredibly congested section contains several big names, all with designs on the top five. Can any string together a consistent form to challenge the elite?
- The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to avoid the drop likely concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves looking especially vulnerable. Teams like others could also be dragged into the fight.
Other Matches Today
Away from the Premier League and FA Cup, today's schedule 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 comments continues. There are two clear camps to the argument. Has he done enough to speak out as a bona fide Liverpool legend? On the other, is boss Arne Slot justified in doing what he believes is necessary to try to win matches?
Views from supporters appears split:
“United fan here. If I’m not mistaken, 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 pause to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”
The big question for the Egyptian king, then? Many think his relationship with the club may now be burned. Will he seek a loan to a club abroad? Or will he accept a lucrative offer and move to Saudi Arabia after the AFCON?
Matches Abandoned
Two second-tier fixtures were abandoned on Saturday.
- The match between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a fan was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the fan passed away in hospital.
- Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unsuitable.
At this time, there is no word yet on when either game will be rescheduled.