Weekend Football Roundup: Liverpool vs Brighton, The Blues vs The Toffees and Further Action
Up-to-the-Minute Match Updates
A pleasant afternoon here in the capital, where the sunshine is actually shining, although by the moment we're at the interval, dusk will be falling. Talking of which, can there be a positive farewell for the Egyptian star? Furthermore, that doesn't have to be a departure permanently, of course. He, like many others 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 today's 15:00 UK time matches.
- Chelsea versus Everton
- Liverpool v Brighton
There is also a full round of EFL action, as well.
Confirmed Team Elevens
Chelsea versus Everton
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 Substitutes: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell.
Match Referee: Thomas Bramall.
Anfield v The Albion
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 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.
Match Referee: Craig Pawson.
The Egyptian forward starting from the bench for the Reds. So is Alexander Isak. Further selection details to follow but it looks like Wirtz playing behind Hugo Ekitike in the forward line.
Afternoon League Roundup
Big result in League Two, where it's a regional clash of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; relatively local. Swindon are ahead 3-0.
In the Championship, 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 Scores:
- 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 equalised through Ryan Manning.
Norwich are back in front, the decisive strike 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 available to play on Sunday against Alaves. Mbappe was absent for the Champions League 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 sidelined players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
On that Bristol Rovers v Swindon game, one fan reported: "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 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
Third Division 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
League Two 3pm 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 Premiership, as well.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee