Top Flight Preview alongside FA Cup Round Two Updates plus More

Introduction

Morning everyone on this Sunday morning. This is your comprehensive matchday live hub, focusing on today's major soccer action. England's top division presents intriguing matches between Brighton & West Ham and Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish Premiership encounter sees the Hoops and the Jambos, alongside Women's Super League action and FA Cup round two drama rounds out the schedule. We encourage send us your views telling us how you'll be following the action. Here we go.

Yesterday's Headlines

Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the headlines even though he did not play in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an remarkable attack on manager Arne Slot, claiming him of tossing him “to the wolves” after omission from the starting lineup for the third consecutive match. He expressed feeling made a scapegoat for the club's disappointing start to the season.

“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah reportedly said. “The third time on the bench, perhaps for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”

Another significant top-flight development was the Gunners' injury-time loss at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emiliano BuendĂ­a's decisive goal. This outcome, coupled with City's comfortable victory over Sunderland, has left a very tight battle at the summit of the table.

Away from the English football, the Argentine maestro once again wrote the script for Inter Miami as they triumphed the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

Brighton host the Hammers in a afternoon start. West Ham have displayed signs of life since the arrival of head coach Nuno EspĂ­rito Santo. An impressive point at Manchester United means he has presided over a run of only one loss in their last five.

Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last year's cup quarter-final. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight victory on the road in the league, having defeated three opponents to nil in their latest travels.

Cup Action Continues

England's famous cup competition round two delivered lots of excitement yesterday. National League South side the Seagulls made history by advancing to the next round for the first time ever.

Additional standout outcomes featured:

  • Swindon Town hammered Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
  • Cambridge beat Stockport County on penalties.
  • Sixth tier Buxton were ahead against Cheltenham before finally suffering a 6-2 defeat.

Sunday's FA Cup schedule features:

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

The Premier League's Three Tiers

There seems to be three separate battlegroups forming in this campaign's Premier League.

  1. The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are apparently contending for the championship.
  2. The Packed Middle: A incredibly congested section contains several big names, all with designs on the European places. Can any put together a winning run to challenge the elite?
  3. The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to avoid the drop probably involves Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking particularly vulnerable. Teams like Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the battle.

Elsewhere in Football

Outside 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)

Around the Continent:

  • 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 distinct sides to the debate. Has he done enough to voice his frustration as a true Liverpool legend? Or is boss Arne Slot right in doing what he believes is necessary to try to win games?

Fan opinion appears split:

“As a Manchester United supporter. 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.”
“Perhaps we should pause to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He must have forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”

What next for the Egyptian king, then? Many think his bridges at Liverpool may now be damaged. Will he move on 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

A pair of Championship matches were called off yesterday.

  • The match between Charlton Athletic and Pompey at The Valley was halted in the 12th minute after a supporter was taken ill. It was later confirmed the fan died in hospital.
  • Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second time this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unplayable.

There is no word yet on when these matches will be rescheduled.

Whitney Montoya
Whitney Montoya

A professional gambler and writer with over a decade of experience in casino games, sharing insights to help players succeed.