Premier League Preview and Football Association Cup Round Two Developments plus More

Preamble

Good morning to another weekend morning. We bring you your all-in-one matchday live center, centering on the day's key soccer fixtures. England's top division presents fascinating matches featuring the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership clash sees Celtic and Hearts, alongside Women's Super League games and cup round two excitement rounds out the schedule. We encourage get in touch and let us know how you'll be following the action. Let's get into it.

Major Stories from Saturday

Mohamed Salah commandeered the headlines even though he not featuring in the Reds' hectic six-goal thriller at Elland Road. Salah delivered an astonishing attack on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of throwing him “to the wolves” following being left out the first eleven for the third consecutive game. The player stated that he felt made a scapegoat for the team's poor start to the season.

“I can’t believe … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian reportedly said. “The third time on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my career. I am extremely disappointed.”

Another significant top-flight development was the Gunners' injury-time defeat at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning goal. That result, coupled with City's straightforward victory over Sunderland, has left a very tight battle at the top of the standings.

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

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

The Seagulls host West Ham for an 2pm GMT kickoff. The visitors have shown flickers of life since the appointment of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive midweek draw means he has overseen a run of only one loss in their last five.

Fulham against Crystal Palace is a repeat of last year's cup last-eight tie. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth successive away win in the Premier League, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their recent away fixtures.

Cup Action Continues

The FA Cup round two delivered plenty of drama yesterday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare made history by reaching the next round for the first time ever.

Other standout outcomes featured:

• Swindon Town hammered Bolton – a division above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge United defeated Stockport on penalties.
• Non-league Buxton FC were ahead against Cheltenham Town before eventually suffering a 6-2 defeat.

Today's FA Cup action features:

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

Developing Mini-Leagues

There seems to be three distinct battlegroups forming in this campaign's top flight.

1. Championship Contenders: The current leading pack are seemingly contending for the top prize.
2. The Packed Middle: A incredibly congested section contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the European places. Can any string together a consistent form to threaten the elite?
3. The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to avoid the drop probably involves several clubs, with Wolves looking particularly vulnerable. Clubs such as others could also be dragged into the fight.

Elsewhere in Football

Away from the Premier League and domestic 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 reaction from the Liverpool forward's comments rages on. Opinion is split into two clear camps to the argument. On one hand, has Salah done enough to speak out as a bona fide Liverpool legend? On the other, is boss Arne Slot right in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win games?

Views from supporters appears divided:

“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 legend of the club.”

“Perhaps we should take a moment to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He must have overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”

What next for the Egyptian king, then? Speculation suggests his relationship with the club may now be burned. Could he move on loan to a club abroad? Or will he take the pay day and move to Saudi Arabia following the AFCON?

Matches Abandoned

Two Championship fixtures were abandoned yesterday.

• The game between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the early stages after a fan was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the supporter died in hospital.
• Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off 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 either game will be rescheduled.