Weekend's Soccer Clockwatch: The Reds versus Brighton, The Blues v Everton along with Further Fixtures
Up-to-the-Minute Fixture News
Good afternoon from the capital, where the sun is indeed shining, although by the moment we're at the interval, darkness will be descending. Talking of which, can there be a positive farewell for Mohamed Salah? And, that does not have to be one permanently, of course. The player, like many others will be traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations, regardless of what happens. We are waiting for the starting lineups from the Merseyside club's game with Brighton.
Listed below are today's 15:00 UK time matches.
- Chelsea versus Everton
- Liverpool versus Brighton
There's a full schedule of English Football League matches, too.
Confirmed Team Lineups
Chelsea v 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 Referee: Thomas Bramall.
Anfield versus The Albion
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 Bench: Steele, Welbeck, Kostoulas, Milner, Boscagli, Mitoma, Ayari, De Cuyper, Veltman.
Game Official: Craig Pawson.
Salah starting from the substitutes for the Reds. So is Alexander Isak. More team news is imminent but it looks like Florian Wirtz playing behind Ekitike in the forward line.
Early League Roundup
Significant scoreline in the fourth tier, where it's a local derby of Bristol Rovers v Swindon; the M4 derby. Swindon are leading 3-0.
In the Championship, three early kick-offs 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 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 goal came from Jovon Makama, Southampton missed 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.
Additional Soccer News
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 on his involvement." Real Madrid are without several sidelined players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga.
Regarding the local derby, 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 followed Rovers' Kacper Lopata in being shown a red card.
Full 3pm Fixture Schedule
English Football League Second Division 15:00 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 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 3pm 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