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Preamble

Hello and welcome to another Sunday day. We bring you your all-in-one matchday coverage hub, centering on today's major soccer action. The Premier League offers intriguing matches featuring Brighton & West Ham and the Cottagers and the Eagles. Additionally, a top-of-the-table Scottish clash between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL action and FA Cup second round drama completes the lineup. Feel free to get in touch and let us know how you'll be following today's games. Here we go.

Major Stories from Saturday

Liverpool's Egyptian star commandeered the spotlight even though he was absent in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds United. Salah delivered an remarkable critique on manager Arne Slot, claiming him of tossing him “under the bus” following being left out the first eleven for the third straight match. He expressed feeling made a scapegoat for the club's poor start to the season.

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

The other significant Premier League story was Arsenal's injury-time loss at Villa Park, sealed by Emi Buendía's winning strike. That result, combined with Manchester City's straightforward win over the Black Cats, has left a very tight battle at the summit of the standings.

Away from English football, Lionel Messi as ever wrote the script for Inter Miami as they lifted the MLS Cup, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.

Sunday's Top-Flight Matches

The Seagulls welcome the Hammers in a afternoon kickoff. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement since the appointment of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable point at Manchester United means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in their last five.

Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last season's cup quarter-final. The Eagles are eyeing a fourth successive victory on the road in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their latest away fixtures.

The FA Cup Second Round

The FA Cup second round delivered lots of drama yesterday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by advancing to the next round for the first time in their history.

Other standout results included:

• Swindon Town hammered Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge United beat Stockport on penalties.
• Non-league Buxton FC led against Cheltenham before eventually enduring a 6-2 defeat.

Today's cup schedule includes:

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

Developing Mini-Leagues

It appears a trio of separate 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 very tight section includes several big names, all with aspirations for the European places. Will any put together a winning run to challenge the elite?
3. The Fight for Survival: The scrap to stay up likely concerns several clubs, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking especially vulnerable. Teams like Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the fight.

Other Matches Today

Outside the English top flight and domestic cup, Sunday's schedule feature:

Women's Top Flight: (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)

The Salah Debate Continues

The reaction from the Liverpool forward's comments rages on. There are two clear camps to the argument. Has he earned the right to voice his frustration as a bona fide club icon? On the other, is boss Slot right in doing whatever it takes to try to win matches?

Fan opinion appears divided:

“As a Manchester United supporter. If I’m not mistaken, Salah was PFA Player of the Year 6 months ago and now he’s chief scapegoat. Not the way to treat a club legend.”

“Can we pause to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He must have forgotten that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... Someone hard done by, Mo, you are not.”

The big question for the Egyptian king, then? Speculation suggests his bridges at Liverpool may now be burned. Will he move on loan to a club abroad? Or will he take the pay day and move to the Saudi Pro League after the Africa Cup of Nations?

Sad News from the Championship

Two second-tier matches were abandoned on Saturday.

• The game between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was halted in the early stages after a fan was taken ill. It was later confirmed the fan died 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 – made the field unplayable.

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