Weekend's Soccer Clockwatch: Liverpool v Brighton, The Blues vs The Toffees and More Action
Current Fixture Updates
A pleasant afternoon here in London, a place where the sun is indeed shining, though by the moment we're at half-time, darkness will be descending. Speaking of which, can there be a positive send-off for Mohamed Salah? And, that doesn't have to be one forever, of course. He, like many players will be traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations, whatever happens. We are waiting for the team news from the Merseyside club's encounter with Brighton.
Listed below are this afternoon's 15:00 UK kick-off fixtures.
- Chelsea v Everton
- Liverpool vs Brighton
There's a complete schedule of English Football League action, as well.
Confirmed Team Lineups
Stamford Bridge vs 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 Bench: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell.
Game Referee: Thomas Bramall.
Liverpool v Brighton
Liverpool Lineup: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Ekitike.
Liverpool Substitutes: Mamardashvili, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Robertson, Ramsay, Ngumoha, Lucky.
Brighton Starting XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Gruda, Gomez, Rutter.
Brighton Substitutes: Steele, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Mitoma, Ayari, De Cuyper, Veltman.
Game Referee: Craig Pawson.
Salah starting from the substitutes for Liverpool. So is Alexander Isak. Further team news to follow but it appears like Florian Wirtz playing behind Ekitike in the forward line.
Afternoon League Roundup
Big result in the fourth tier, where it's a regional clash of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; relatively local. Swindon are ahead 3-0.
In the second tier, 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 Updates:
- 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 equaliser came from Jovon Makama, Southampton failed to convert a first-half penalty and have now drawn level through Ryan Manning.
Norwich have gone back in front, the goal coming from Jovon Makama, his second of the game.
Other 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 Champions League 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 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 followed Rovers' Kacper Lopata in receiving a red card.
Complete 3pm Fixture List
EFL Championship 3pm 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 3pm 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
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
Only two matches in the Scottish Premiership, too.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee