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Opening Thoughts

Good morning on this weekend morning. This is your all-in-one matchday coverage center, focusing on the day's key football fixtures. England's top division presents intriguing contests featuring Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a top-of-the-table Scottish encounter sees the Hoops and the Jambos, coupled with WSL action and cup second round excitement completes the lineup. We encourage get in touch telling us how you'll be following the action. Without further ado.

Major Stories from Saturday

Mohamed Salah commandeered the headlines even though he was absent in the Reds' thrilling 3-3 draw at Leeds United. He launched an remarkable critique on boss the Dutch coach, claiming him of throwing him “under the bus” following omission from the first eleven for the third straight game. The player stated that he felt made a scapegoat for the team's poor 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 time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”

The other major Premier League development saw Arsenal's injury-time defeat at Aston Villa, sealed by Emiliano Buendía's decisive strike. That result, coupled with Manchester City's comfortable victory over Sunderland, has left a very tight battle at the summit of the standings.

Outside the English leagues, Lionel Messi once again played the hero for his MLS side as they lifted the MLS Cup, beating Vancouver 3-1 in the final.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

The Seagulls welcome West Ham for an afternoon kickoff. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement since the arrival of manager Nuno. An impressive point at Manchester United means he has presided over a run of only one loss in five games.

Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last season's FA Cup quarter-final. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth successive away win in the Premier League, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their latest away fixtures.

Cup Action Continues

The FA Cup round two delivered lots of drama yesterday. Sixth-tier side the Seagulls made history by advancing to the third round for the first time ever.

Additional standout results featured:

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

Sunday's cup schedule includes:

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

The Premier League's Three Tiers

It appears a trio of distinct battlegroups forming in this campaign's top flight.

1. The Title Race: The current leading pack are apparently vying for the championship.
2. The Packed Middle: A incredibly congested section includes several big names, all with aspirations for the top five. Can any put together a consistent form to challenge the elite?
3. The Relegation Battle: The scrap to avoid the drop probably concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers looking especially vulnerable. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the battle.

Other Matches Today

Outside the English top flight and domestic cup, Sunday's fixtures 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)

Around the Continent:

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

The Salah Debate Continues

The reaction from Mohamed Salah's comments rages on. Opinion is split into two clear camps to the argument. Has he earned the right to voice his frustration as a true club icon? On the other, is boss Slot right in doing what he believes is necessary to try to win games?

Views from supporters seems divided:

“As a Manchester United supporter. 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 club legend.”

“Can we take a moment to have sympathy for Mo Salah? He must have overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's best-paid player... A victim, Mo, you are not.”

The big question 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? Or will he accept a lucrative offer and head for the Saudi Pro League following the AFCON?

Matches Abandoned

A pair of second-tier matches were abandoned yesterday.

• The game between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a supporter was taken ill. It was later announced the supporter passed away in hospital.
• Blackburn Rovers's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged playing surface at Ewood Park. Heavy rain – for the second time this season at the ground – rendered the field unsuitable.

There is no word yet on when these matches will be replayed.