Saturday Soccer Roundup: The Reds v Brighton, Chelsea versus The Toffees and More Action
Up-to-the-Minute Match Updates
Good afternoon here in the capital, where the sun is indeed shining, though by the moment we're at half-time, darkness will be falling. Speaking of which, can there be a happy send-off for Mohamed Salah? And, that doesn't have to be a departure forever, of course. He, like many players will be traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations, regardless of what transpires. We await the team news from Liverpool's encounter with Brighton.
Listed below are this afternoon's 15:00 British time matches.
- Chelsea versus Everton
- Liverpool versus Brighton
There is also a full schedule of EFL action, as well.
Confirmed Starting Lineups
Stamford Bridge vs The Merseyside Blues
Chelsea Starting XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.
Chelsea Bench: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Hato, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao.
Everton Lineup: 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.
Anfield versus 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 Lineup: 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 Official: Craig Pawson.
The Egyptian forward starting from the bench for the Reds. So is Alexander Isak. Further selection details is imminent but it appears like Wirtz supporting Hugo Ekitike in the forward line.
Early EFL Roundup
Big result in League Two, where it's a regional clash of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; the M4 derby. Swindon are ahead 3-0.
In the second tier, three afternoon starts at half-time:
- 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
Later Goals have come through, and it's now 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 equalised through Ryan Manning.
Norwich have gone back in front, the goal coming from Jovon Makama, his second.
Other Football News
Reports from Spain, where Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe is fit to play on Sunday against Alaves. Mbappe missed 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 on his involvement." Real Madrid are without several sidelined players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
Regarding the 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.
Full Afternoon Match Schedule
English Football League Second Division 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
League One 3pm 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
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 matches in the Scottish top flight, too.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee
