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Preamble

Hello and welcome on this weekend morning. We bring you your all-in-one football coverage center, centering on today's major soccer action. The Premier League offers intriguing matches featuring Brighton & West Ham and the Cottagers and the Eagles. On top of that, a crucial Scottish Premiership encounter sees Celtic and Hearts, alongside Women's Super League action and FA Cup round two drama completes the schedule. Feel free to share your thoughts telling us how you'll be following the action. Let's get into it.

Yesterday's Headlines

Liverpool's Egyptian star stole the spotlight despite not featuring in Liverpool's thrilling six-goal thriller at Elland Road. He launched an remarkable attack on manager the Dutch coach, accusing him of tossing him “to the wolves” after omission from the first eleven for the third straight game. He expressed feeling made a scapegoat for the club's poor start to the season.

“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting 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’m very, very disappointed.”

The other significant Premier League development saw the Gunners' last-gasp loss at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emiliano Buendía's winning goal. That result, combined with City's straightforward victory over the Black Cats, makes for a very tight battle at the summit 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, beating Vancouver 3-1 in the showpiece.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

The Seagulls host the Hammers for an 2pm GMT kickoff. The visitors have displayed signs of improvement under the appointment of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of only one loss in their last five.

Fulham against Crystal Palace is a rematch of last year's cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are eyeing a fourth successive victory on the road in the league, having defeated Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their recent travels.

Cup Action Continues

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

Additional notable outcomes included:

• Swindon hammered Bolton Wanderers – a division above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge beat Stockport on spot-kicks.
• Sixth tier Buxton FC were ahead against Cheltenham Town before eventually enduring a 6-2 defeat.

Today's FA Cup schedule features:

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

Developing Mini-Leagues

There seems to be a trio of distinct mini-leagues forming in this season's Premier League.

1. Championship Contenders: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly contending for the top prize.
2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A very tight section contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the top five. Will any string together a consistent form to threaten the elite?
3. The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to stay up likely concerns several clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking particularly in trouble. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be sucked into the battle.

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)

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 Mohamed Salah's comments rages on. There are two clear camps to the debate. On one hand, has Salah earned the right to voice his frustration as a true Liverpool legend? On the other, is manager Slot justified in doing whatever it takes to attempt to win matches?

Views from supporters seems split:

“United fan here. If memory serves, Salah was PFA 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's probably overlooked that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning 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 seek a loan to a club abroad? Might he accept a lucrative offer and head for Saudi Arabia following the Africa Cup of Nations?

Matches Abandoned

Two Championship matches were abandoned yesterday.

• The match between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a supporter 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. Heavy rain – for the second time this season at the ground – made the field unsuitable.

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