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Opening Thoughts

Hello and welcome on this Sunday morning. We bring you your all-in-one matchday live center, highlighting the day's key football fixtures. England's top division presents intriguing matches featuring Brighton & West Ham and Fulham & Crystal Palace. On top of that, a crucial Scottish clash sees the Hoops and the Jambos, coupled with Women's Super League games plus cup round two excitement completes the lineup. Feel free to share your thoughts and let us know your plans for watching today's games. Here we go.

Major Stories from Saturday

Mohamed Salah commandeered the spotlight despite was absent in the Reds' thrilling six-goal thriller at Elland Road. Salah delivered an astonishing attack on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” following omission from the starting lineup for the third straight game. The player stated feeling made a scapegoat for the club's disappointing beginning to the season.

“I can’t believe … I am sat on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah reportedly said. “This is the third match on the bench, I think for the first time in my professional life. I am extremely disappointed.”

The other significant top-flight development was Arsenal's injury-time loss at Aston Villa, sealed by Emi Buendía's decisive goal. This outcome, combined with Manchester City's comfortable victory over Sunderland, makes for a incredibly close race at the top of the standings.

Away from English football, Lionel Messi as ever played the hero for Inter Miami as they triumphed the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

Brighton host the Hammers for an afternoon kickoff. The visitors have displayed signs of improvement under the arrival of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of only one loss in five games.

Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last season's cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are eyeing a fourth successive away win in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their latest travels.

Cup Action Continues

The FA Cup round two delivered plenty of excitement yesterday. Sixth-tier side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time in their history.

Additional notable outcomes featured:

• Swindon Town thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a division above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge beat Stockport on penalties.
• Non-league Buxton FC were ahead against Cheltenham before finally suffering a 6-2 loss.

Today's cup action features:

• Slough Town v Macclesfield (12.30pm GMT kickoff)
• Boreham Wood v Newport County
• Gateshead v Walsall
• Blackpool v Carlisle United

The Premier League's Three Tiers

It appears a trio of separate battlegroups developing in this campaign's Premier League.

1. The Title Race: The current leading pack are seemingly vying for the championship.
2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A very tight section contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with aspirations for the European places. Can any string together a consistent form to threaten the elite?
3. The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to stay up probably involves several clubs, with Wolves looking particularly in trouble. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the fight.

Elsewhere in Football

Outside the English top flight 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 explosive interview continues. Opinion is split into two clear camps to the debate. Has he done enough to voice his frustration as a bona fide club icon? Or is boss Arne Slot justified in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win games?

Fan opinion seems divided:

“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.”

“Perhaps we should pause to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably forgotten that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”

What next for Mo Salah, then? Many think his relationship with the club may now be burned. Could he seek a loan to a club abroad? Might he accept a lucrative offer and head for Saudi Arabia after the AFCON?

Matches Abandoned

A pair of second-tier matches were called off yesterday.

• The match between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a fan was taken ill. It was later confirmed the fan passed away 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.

At this time, there is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.