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Opening Thoughts

Good morning on this weekend morning. We bring you your comprehensive football coverage center, highlighting the day's key football action. England's top division presents fascinating matches between Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a crucial Scottish Premiership encounter between the Hoops and the Jambos, alongside WSL games and cup second round excitement completes the lineup. We encourage share your thoughts telling us how you'll be following the action. Without further ado.

Major Stories from Saturday

Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the headlines even though he not featuring in the Reds' hectic 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an remarkable critique on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” after being left out the starting lineup for the third consecutive game. He expressed that he felt singled out for blame for the team's poor beginning to the campaign.

“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian stated. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first time in my professional life. I am extremely disappointed.”

The other significant top-flight story saw Arsenal's injury-time defeat at Aston Villa, sealed by Emiliano Buendía's winning goal. That result, combined with Manchester City's straightforward victory over Sunderland, makes for a very tight battle at the summit of the standings.

Away from English leagues, the Argentine maestro once again wrote the script for Inter Miami as they triumphed the MLS Cup, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

The Seagulls welcome West Ham for an 2pm GMT kickoff. The visitors have displayed signs of improvement under the arrival of head coach Nuno. 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 FA Cup quarter-final. The Eagles are eyeing a fourth successive away win in the league, having defeated Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their recent away fixtures.

Cup Action Continues

The FA Cup round two delivered plenty of drama on Saturday. Sixth-tier side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time ever.

Other notable outcomes featured:

• Swindon thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge beat Stockport on penalties.
• Sixth tier Buxton FC led against Cheltenham Town before eventually suffering a 6-2 defeat.

Today's FA Cup action features:

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

Developing Mini-Leagues

There seems to be three distinct mini-leagues developing in this season's Premier League.

1. Championship Contenders: The current leading pack are seemingly vying for the championship.
2. The Packed Middle: A very tight group includes Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the European places. Will any put together a winning run to challenge the top teams?
3. The Relegation Battle: The dogfight to stay up likely concerns 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.

Elsewhere in Football

Away from the English top flight and domestic cup, today's schedule include:

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)

European Football:

• 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 continues. There are two distinct sides to the debate. On one hand, has Salah done enough to speak out as a true club icon? On the other, is manager Arne Slot justified in doing whatever it takes to try to win matches?

Views from supporters appears divided:

“United fan here. If I’m not mistaken, Salah was PFA 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 presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”

What next for the Egyptian king, then? Speculation suggests his relationship with the club may now be burned. Will he move on loan to a club abroad? Might he take the pay day and head for the Saudi Pro League after the Africa Cup of Nations?

Matches Abandoned

Two second-tier matches were abandoned on Saturday.

• The game between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the 12th minute after a supporter was taken ill. It was later announced the fan passed away in hospital.
• Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and abandoned due to a waterlogged playing surface at Ewood Park. Torrential rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – made the field unsuitable.

There is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.