Weekend's Soccer Action Clockwatch: The Reds versus The Seagulls, The Blues versus The Toffees along with Further Action
Up-to-the-Minute Match News
Good afternoon here in London, a place where the sun is indeed shining, although by the time we're at the interval, dusk will be falling. Talking of which, can there be a happy 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, whatever happens. We await the team news from the Merseyside club's game with Brighton.
Here are this afternoon's 15:00 British time fixtures.
- Chelsea vs Everton
- Liverpool vs Brighton
There's a full schedule of EFL action, too.
Official Starting Elevens
Chelsea v The Merseyside Blues
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 Lineup: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry.
Everton Bench: Travers, Patterson, McNeil, Beto, Dibling, Alcaraz, Aznou, Iroegbunam, Campbell.
Match Official: Thomas Bramall.
Anfield v Brighton
Liverpool Lineup: 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.
Salah on the substitutes for Liverpool. Alexander Isak is also on Alexander Isak. More team news to follow but it looks like Florian Wirtz playing behind Hugo Ekitike in attack.
Afternoon League Scores
Big result in the fourth tier, 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 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 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 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 decisive strike coming from Jovon Makama, his second of the game.
Additional Football Updates
Reports from Spain, where Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Kylian Mbappe is fit to play on Sunday against Alaves. Mbappe missed the European 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 injured 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 joined Rovers' Kacper Lopata in being shown a red card.
Full 3pm Fixture List
English Football League Championship 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 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 games in the Scottish top flight, too.
- Dundee Utd v. Motherwell
- Livingston v. Dundee