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Opening Thoughts

Hello and welcome on this weekend morning. This is your comprehensive football live center, focusing on today's major soccer action. The Premier League offers fascinating contests featuring Brighton & West Ham as well as Fulham & Crystal Palace. Additionally, a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership clash sees Celtic and Hearts, coupled with WSL games plus cup second round drama completes the schedule. As always send us your views telling us how you'll be following today's games. Let's get into it.

Major Stories from Saturday

Liverpool's Egyptian star commandeered the spotlight even though he not featuring in Liverpool's thrilling 3-3 draw at Elland Road. He launched an astonishing attack on manager Arne Slot, claiming him of throwing him “under the bus” after omission from the first eleven for the third straight match. He expressed feeling singled out for blame for the club's poor start to the campaign.

“It's unbelievable … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” Salah stated. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my professional life. I’m very, very disappointed.”

The other major top-flight story saw Arsenal's last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa, sealed by Emiliano Buendía's decisive strike. That result, combined with Manchester City's straightforward win over Sunderland, makes for a very tight battle at the summit of the standings.

Outside English football, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for his MLS side as they triumphed the league championship, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the showpiece.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

The Seagulls host the Hammers in a afternoon kickoff. West Ham have shown flickers of improvement under the arrival of head coach Nuno. An impressive midweek draw means he has overseen a run of just one defeat in five games.

Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last year's FA Cup quarter-final. Crystal Palace are eyeing a fourth successive victory on the road in the Premier League, having defeated Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their recent travels.

The FA Cup Second Round

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

Other standout results included:

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

Today's cup action features:

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

The Premier League's Three Tiers

There seems to be three distinct mini-leagues forming in this campaign's Premier League.

1. The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are apparently contending for the top prize.
2. The Mid-Table Scramble: A very tight section includes several big names, all with aspirations for the top five. Will any put together a consistent form to challenge the top teams?
3. The Fight for Survival: The dogfight to avoid the drop probably involves Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolverhampton Wanderers appearing particularly in trouble. Teams like Brentford or Fulham could also be sucked into the fight.

Other Matches Today

Outside the English top flight and FA Cup, today's schedule 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)

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 the Liverpool forward's explosive interview continues. Opinion is split into two distinct sides to the debate. Has he earned the right to speak out as a bona fide Liverpool legend? On the other, is manager Arne Slot justified in doing what he believes is necessary to try 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 the main target. This is no way to treat a club legend.”

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

What next for the Egyptian king, then? Many think his bridges at Liverpool may now be damaged. Will he seek a loan to a club abroad? Or will he take the pay day and head for Saudi Arabia following the AFCON?

Matches Abandoned

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 fan was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the fan died 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 occasion this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unsuitable.

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