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Opening Thoughts

Morning everyone on this weekend morning. This is your all-in-one matchday coverage center, focusing on the day's major soccer action. England's top division presents intriguing contests between the Seagulls and the Hammers as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a crucial Scottish Premiership encounter sees the Hoops and the Jambos, alongside WSL action plus FA Cup second round excitement completes the lineup. We encourage send us your views telling us how you'll be following today's games. Here we go.

Yesterday's Headlines

Mohamed Salah stole the spotlight even though he not featuring in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds United. Salah delivered an stunning attack on boss Arne Slot, accusing him of tossing him “under the bus” following being left out the first eleven for the third straight match. The player stated that he felt made a scapegoat for the club's disappointing start to the campaign.

“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, perhaps for the first occasion in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”

Another major top-flight story saw the Gunners' injury-time loss at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning goal. That result, combined with City's straightforward victory over Sunderland, has left a incredibly close race at the summit of the standings.

Away from English football, the Argentine maestro once again played the hero for Inter Miami as they lifted the MLS Cup, beating Vancouver 3-1 in the showpiece.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

The Seagulls host West Ham for an afternoon kickoff. West Ham have displayed signs of life under the arrival 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 repeat of last year's cup last-eight tie. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth successive away win in the league, having defeated three opponents without conceding in their latest travels.

The FA Cup Second Round

England's famous cup competition round two provided plenty of drama yesterday. National League South side the Seagulls created a historic moment by reaching the third round for the first time in their history.

Other standout outcomes included:

• Swindon Town thrashed Bolton – a league above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge beat Stockport County on spot-kicks.
• Non-league Buxton led against Cheltenham Town before finally enduring a 6-2 loss.

Sunday's cup schedule features:

• Slough Town v Macclesfield (early kickoff)
• 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 top flight.

1. The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly vying for the championship.
2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A incredibly congested section contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the European places. Will any put together a winning run to challenge the elite?
3. The Relegation Battle: The dogfight to avoid the drop probably concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking particularly in trouble. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be sucked into the fight.

Elsewhere in Football

Outside the English top flight and domestic 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)

European Football:

• Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (8pm CET)
• Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (4.30pm CET)

Ongoing Discussion About Liverpool's Star

The fallout from Mohamed Salah's explosive interview continues. Opinion is split into two distinct sides to the argument. Has he done enough to speak out as a true club icon? On the other, is manager Slot right in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win games?

Fan opinion appears divided:

“United fan here. If memory serves, Salah was PFA Player of the Year 6 months ago and now he’s chief scapegoat. Not the way to treat a club legend.”

“Perhaps we should take a moment to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He must have overlooked that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”

What next for Mo Salah, then? Many think his relationship with the club may now be burned. Could he move on loan to a club abroad? Might he accept a lucrative offer and move to the Saudi Pro League following the Africa Cup of Nations?

Matches Abandoned

A pair of second-tier matches were abandoned yesterday.

• The match between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the 12th minute after a fan was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the supporter passed away 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 time this season at the ground – made the field unplayable.

At this time, there is no confirmation on when these matches will be rescheduled.