Weekend's Soccer Action Clockwatch: The Reds v The Seagulls, The Blues v Everton and Further Fixtures
Up-to-the-Minute Game Updates
A pleasant day from London, where the sunshine is actually beaming, though by the time we're at the interval, dusk will be descending. Speaking of which, can there be a happy farewell for Mohamed Salah? And, that doesn't have to be one permanently, of course. The player, like many players will be heading to the Africa Cup of Nations, regardless of what transpires. We are waiting for the team news from the Merseyside club's game with the south coast side.
Here are today's 15:00 UK time matches.
- Chelsea vs Everton
- Liverpool vs Brighton
There is also a complete schedule of English Football League action, too.
Official Starting Elevens
Chelsea versus Everton
Chelsea Starting XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.
Chelsea Substitutes: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Hato, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao.
Everton Starting XI: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry.
Everton Substitutes: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell.
Match Official: Thomas Bramall.
Liverpool vs Brighton
Liverpool Lineup: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Ekitike.
Liverpool Bench: Mamardashvili, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ramsay, Ngumoha, Lucky.
Brighton Starting XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Gruda, Gomez, Rutter.
Brighton Bench: Steele, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Mitoma, Ayari, De Cuyper, Veltman.
Match Referee: Craig Pawson.
The Egyptian forward on the bench for Liverpool. So is Alexander Isak. More team news is imminent but it looks like Wirtz playing behind Ekitike in the forward line.
Early League Scores
Big result in the fourth tier, where it's a local derby of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; the M4 derby. Swindon are leading 3-0.
In the Championship, three early kick-offs at the break:
- Norwich 0-0 Southampton
- Oxford 0-1 Preston
- Stoke 1-0 Swansea
League One Updates:
- Huddersfield 1-0 Wigan
- Wimbledon 0-0 Mansfield
League Two Scores:
- Bristol Rovers 0-3 Swindon
- Salford 1-1 Colchester
Subsequent Goals have come through, and it's currently Huddersfield 1-1 Wigan, Oxford 1-2 Preston, Salford 1-2 Colchester, Norwich 1-1 Southampton. At Norwich, whose goal came from Jovon Makama, Southampton failed to convert a first-half penalty and have now drawn level through Ryan Manning.
Norwich are back in front, the goal coming from Jovon Makama, his second.
Additional Football Updates
Reports from Spain, where Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe is fit to play on Sunday against Alaves. Mbappe was absent for the European defeat by Manchester City. Alonso stated, "We've got Kylian back, he's ready to play, and tomorrow we'll see and decide if he starts." Real Madrid are without several injured players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
On that Bristol Rovers v Swindon game, one fan commented: "Hi. Bristol Rovers 0 Swindon 3 doesn't tell the half of it. Ten League defeats in a row incoming, which is one club record. Five home losses in a row is another club record... It's not much fun being a Gashead these days." For Swindon, Aaron Drinan has joined Rovers' Kacper Lopata in receiving a red card.
Complete 3pm Fixture List
EFL Championship 15:00 kick-offs
- Birmingham v. Charlton
- Coventry v. Bristol City
- Leicester v. Ipswich
- Middlesbrough v. QPR
- Millwall v. Hull
- Portsmouth v. Blackburn
- Wrexham v. Watford
Third Division 15:00 fixtures
- Barnsley v. Leyton Orient
- Blackpool v. Lincoln City
- Bolton v. Exeter
- Bradford v. Reading
- Burton Albion v. Wycombe
- Cardiff v. Doncaster
- Luton v. Port Vale
- Peterborough v. Northampton
- Plymouth v. Rotherham
- Stockport County v. Stevenage
League Two 15:00 kick-offs
- Accrington Stanley v. Bromley
- Cheltenham v. Harrogate Town
- Chesterfield v. Barnet
- Crawley Town v. Oldham
- Gillingham v. Barrow
- Grimsby v. Notts County
- Milton Keynes Dons v. Cambridge Utd
- Newport County v. Fleetwood Town
- Tranmere v. Crewe
- Walsall v. Shrewsbury
Just two games in the Scottish top flight, as well.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee