Premier League Buildup and FA Cup Second Round Updates plus Additional Coverage

Introduction

Morning everyone to another weekend day. We bring you your all-in-one matchday coverage hub, highlighting the day's major football action. England's top division offers intriguing contests featuring the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as the Cottagers and the Eagles. On top of that, a top-of-the-table Scottish encounter sees Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL games and FA Cup round two drama rounds out the lineup. We encourage get in touch telling us how you'll be following today's games. Here we go.

Yesterday's Headlines

Mohamed Salah stole the spotlight even though he did not play in Liverpool's thrilling six-goal thriller at Leeds United. Salah delivered an remarkable attack on manager the Dutch coach, accusing him of throwing him “to the wolves” after being left out the first eleven for the third straight game. He expressed feeling made a scapegoat for the club's disappointing beginning to the campaign.

“It's unbelievable … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah stated. “This is the third match on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”

The other significant top-flight development saw the Gunners' last-gasp defeat at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's decisive goal. This outcome, combined with City's comfortable win over the Black Cats, makes for a incredibly close race at the top of the standings.

Outside the English football, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for Inter Miami as they triumphed the league championship, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

The Seagulls welcome the Hammers for an 2pm GMT kickoff. West Ham have shown flickers of life since the appointment of manager Nuno. A creditable point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of only one loss in their last five.

Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last season's cup last-eight tie. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight victory on the road in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their recent travels.

Cup Action Continues

England's famous cup competition round two delivered lots of drama yesterday. Sixth-tier side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time in their history.

Other standout outcomes included:

  • Swindon thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a division above them – 4-0.
  • Cambridge beat Stockport County on penalties.
  • Sixth tier Buxton were ahead against Cheltenham Town before finally enduring a 6-2 loss.

Sunday's FA Cup action 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

There seems to be three distinct battlegroups forming in this season's Premier League.

  1. Championship Contenders: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly contending for the championship.
  2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A very tight group contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the top five. Can any put together a winning run to threaten the top teams?
  3. The Fight for Survival: The scrap to avoid the drop likely involves Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves looking particularly in trouble. 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 fixtures 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)

The Salah Debate Continues

The fallout from the Liverpool forward'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 true Liverpool legend? On the other, is manager Slot right in doing whatever it takes to try to win games?

Views from supporters seems split:

“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. Not the way to treat a legend of the club.”
“Can we take a moment to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid 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 another European club? Might he take the pay day and head for Saudi Arabia following the Africa Cup of Nations?

Matches Abandoned

Two second-tier matches were called off on Saturday.

  • The match between Charlton Athletic and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a supporter was taken ill. It was later confirmed the fan died in hospital.
  • Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged playing surface 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.

Lisa Hill
Lisa Hill

A passionate gamer and tech writer with over a decade of experience in the industry, sharing insights and reviews.