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Preamble

Morning everyone on this Sunday morning. This is your all-in-one football coverage hub, highlighting today's key football fixtures. England's top division presents intriguing contests featuring Brighton & West Ham and the Cottagers and the Eagles. On top of that, a crucial Scottish encounter between the Hoops and the Jambos, coupled with Women's Super League action plus cup second round drama rounds out the schedule. Feel free to share your thoughts and let us know how you'll be following the action. Here we go.

Yesterday's Headlines

Mohamed Salah grabbed the spotlight despite did not play in the Reds' hectic six-goal thriller at Elland Road. Salah delivered an astonishing critique on boss Arne Slot, claiming him of tossing him “to the wolves” after omission from the first eleven for the third straight match. He expressed feeling singled out for blame for the team's disappointing start to the campaign.

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

The other significant top-flight development saw the Gunners' last-gasp loss at Aston Villa, courtesy of by Emi Buendía's winning strike. That result, coupled with Manchester City's comfortable victory over Sunderland, has left a incredibly close battle at the top of the standings.

Away from the English leagues, the Argentine maestro as ever wrote the script for his MLS side as they lifted the league championship, defeating Vancouver 3-1 in the showpiece.

Today's Premier League Fixtures

The Seagulls welcome the Hammers for an afternoon start. The visitors have shown flickers of improvement since the arrival of head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. An impressive midweek draw means he has presided over a run of just one defeat in their last five.

Fulham versus Palace is a rematch of last season's cup last-eight tie. The Eagles are eyeing a fourth successive away win in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool without conceding in their latest away fixtures.

Cup Action Continues

England's famous cup competition round two provided plenty of excitement yesterday. National League South side Weston-super-Mare created a historic moment by reaching the third round for the first time in their history.

Additional notable outcomes featured:

• Swindon Town thrashed Bolton – a division above them – 4-0.
• Cambridge beat Stockport County on spot-kicks.
• Sixth tier Buxton led against Cheltenham Town before eventually enduring a 6-2 loss.

Sunday's FA Cup schedule includes:

• 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 campaign's top flight.

1. The Title Race: Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa are seemingly vying for the championship.
2. The Packed Middle: A very tight section contains several big names, all with designs on the European places. Will any string together a consistent form to challenge the top teams?
3. The Relegation Battle: The dogfight to avoid the drop probably concerns Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham, with Wolves looking particularly vulnerable. Clubs such as others could also be dragged into the fight.

Elsewhere in Football

Outside the English top flight and FA 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)

European Football:

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

The Salah Debate Continues

The reaction from Mohamed Salah's explosive interview rages on. There are two distinct sides to the debate. Has he done enough to voice his frustration as a true Liverpool legend? On the other, is manager 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 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 highest ever earning 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 damaged. Will he move on loan to another European club? Might he accept a lucrative offer and head for Saudi Arabia after the AFCON?

Sad News from the Championship

Two Championship fixtures were abandoned yesterday.

• The game between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the early stages after a supporter was taken unwell. It was later confirmed the fan passed away in hospital.
• Blackburn's game against Sheffield Wednesday was also stopped and called off due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. Heavy rain – for the second occasion this season at the ground – rendered the pitch unplayable.

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