Saturday Soccer Roundup: The Reds vs The Seagulls, The Blues vs The Toffees along with Further Action
Up-to-the-Minute Game Information
Good afternoon from the capital, a place where the sunshine is actually shining, although by the moment we're at the interval, dusk will be descending. Speaking of which, can there be a positive send-off for the Egyptian star? And, that does not have to be one forever, of course. He, like many players will be traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations, regardless of what transpires. We are waiting for the team news from Liverpool's encounter with Brighton.
Here are today's 3pm UK kick-off fixtures.
- Chelsea v Everton
- Liverpool v Brighton
There is also a complete round of EFL matches, too.
Official Starting Elevens
Stamford Bridge versus The Merseyside Blues
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 Bench: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell.
Match Official: Thomas Bramall.
Anfield versus The Albion
Liverpool Starting XI: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Ekitike.
Liverpool Substitutes: Mamardashvili, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ramsay, Ngumoha, Lucky.
Brighton Lineup: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Gruda, Gomez, Rutter.
Brighton Bench: Steele, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Mitoma, Ayari, De Cuyper, Veltman.
Game Official: Craig Pawson.
Salah starting from the bench for the Reds. Alexander Isak is also on Alexander Isak. More team news to follow but it looks like Florian Wirtz playing behind Hugo Ekitike in the forward line.
Early League Scores
Big scoreline in League Two, where it's a local derby of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; relatively local. Swindon are leading 3-0.
In the second tier, three early kick-offs at half-time:
- Norwich 0-0 Southampton
- Oxford 0-1 Preston
- Stoke 1-0 Swansea
League One Scores:
- Huddersfield 1-0 Wigan
- Wimbledon 0-0 Mansfield
League Two Updates:
- Bristol Rovers 0-3 Swindon
- Salford 1-1 Colchester
Subsequent Goals have done in, 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 missed a first-half penalty and have now drawn level through Ryan Manning.
Norwich are back in front, the decisive strike coming from Jovon Makama, his second.
Other Soccer Updates
News from Spain, where Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe is fit to play on Sunday against Alaves. Mbappe missed the European defeat by Manchester City. Alonso confirmed, "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 sidelined players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
Regarding the local derby, 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 being shown a red card.
Full Afternoon Fixture Schedule
English Football League Second Division 15:00 fixtures
- Birmingham v. Charlton
- Coventry v. Bristol City
- Leicester v. Ipswich
- Middlesbrough v. QPR
- Millwall v. Hull
- Portsmouth v. Blackburn
- Wrexham v. Watford
League One 15:00 kick-offs
- 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
Fourth Division 15:00 fixtures
- 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
Only two games in the Scottish Premiership, too.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee