Weekend's Soccer Action Clockwatch: Liverpool vs Brighton, The Blues versus Everton and Further Fixtures
Live Match News
Good day here in the capital, where the sun is indeed beaming, though by the moment we're at the interval, darkness will be falling. Speaking of which, can there be a positive 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, whatever happens. We await the team news from Liverpool's encounter with Brighton.
Listed below are today's 3pm British kick-off fixtures.
- Chelsea versus Everton
- Liverpool vs Brighton
There's a full schedule of EFL action, as well.
Confirmed Team Lineups
Stamford Bridge v The Merseyside Blues
Chelsea Lineup: 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 Official: Thomas Bramall.
Anfield versus Brighton
Liverpool Starting XI: Alisson, Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Ekitike.
Liverpool Bench: 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.
Match Referee: Craig Pawson.
The Egyptian forward starting from the bench for the Reds. Alexander Isak is also on Alexander Isak. Further team news to follow but it appears like Florian Wirtz supporting Ekitike in the forward line.
Early League Roundup
Big scoreline in the fourth tier, where it's a local derby 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 Scores:
- Huddersfield 1-0 Wigan
- Wimbledon 0-0 Mansfield
League Two Scores:
- Bristol Rovers 0-3 Swindon
- Salford 1-1 Colchester
Later Scores have done in, and it's now 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 missed a first-half penalty and have now equalised through Ryan Manning.
Norwich are back in front, the decisive strike coming from Jovon Makama, his second of the game.
Other Soccer Updates
Reports from La Liga, where Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe is available 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 if he starts." Real Madrid are without several injured players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
On that 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 followed Rovers' Kacper Lopata in receiving a red card.
Complete Afternoon Fixture Schedule
English Football League Championship 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
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 top flight, too.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee
