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Preamble

Good morning on this Sunday day. We bring you your comprehensive matchday coverage center, highlighting the day's key soccer fixtures. The Premier League presents intriguing matches between Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a crucial Scottish encounter between Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL games plus FA Cup round two drama completes the lineup. As always send us your views and let us know how you'll be following the action. Without further ado.

Major Stories from Saturday

Liverpool's Egyptian star grabbed the headlines despite not featuring in the Reds' thrilling six-goal thriller at Elland Road. Salah delivered an stunning critique on manager Arne Slot, accusing him of tossing him “under the bus” after omission from the starting lineup for the third consecutive match. The player stated that he felt made a scapegoat for the team's disappointing 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 occasion in my career. I’m very, very disappointed.”

Another significant Premier League development was the Gunners' injury-time defeat at Villa Park, courtesy of by Emiliano Buendía's winning strike. That result, combined with Manchester City's comfortable victory over the Black Cats, has left a incredibly close race at the summit of the table.

Outside the English leagues, Lionel Messi once again wrote the script for Inter Miami as they lifted the league championship, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

Brighton host West Ham in a afternoon start. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement since the appointment of manager Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable 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 FA Cup quarter-final. The Eagles are aiming for a fourth straight victory on the road in the league, having beaten three opponents to nil in their recent travels.

Cup Action Continues

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

Other standout outcomes featured:

• Swindon thrashed Bolton Wanderers – a league above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge United defeated Stockport on penalties.
• Non-league Buxton led against Cheltenham Town before finally suffering a 6-2 defeat.

Sunday's FA Cup action 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. The Title Race: The current leading pack are apparently vying for the championship.
2. The Packed Middle: A very tight group contains Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United, all with designs on the European places. Will any put together a consistent form to threaten the elite?
3. The Fight for Survival: The scrap to stay up probably concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves looking especially in trouble. Clubs such as Brentford or Fulham could also be dragged into the battle.

Elsewhere in Football

Outside the Premier League 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 the Liverpool forward's comments continues. There are two distinct sides to the argument. Has he earned the right to speak out as a true Liverpool legend? On the other, is manager Arne Slot right in doing whatever it takes to try to win games?

Views from supporters 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 the main target. This is no way to treat a legend of the club.”

“Perhaps we should pause to feel sorry for Mo Salah? He's probably overlooked that he is currently Liverpool's highest ever earning player... Someone hard done by, 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? Or will he take the pay day and head for Saudi Arabia following the Africa Cup of Nations?

Sad News from the Championship

Two second-tier fixtures were called off yesterday.

• The match between Charlton Athletic and Pompey at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a supporter was taken ill. It was later announced the supporter died in hospital.
• Blackburn'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 – rendered the pitch unplayable.

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