Time to wrap things up here, but we have live WSL coverage (see below) and Daniel Harris has just started the build-up to Brighton v West Ham in the Premier League. Thanks for your company, goodbye.

Rayan Cherki was Manchester City’s standout player in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Sunderland. The rabona that created Phil Foden’s third was a moment of skill and high entertainment and the Frenchman, perhaps unsurprisingly, has his own approach to the game.

“All the time I play like a free soul because it’s my life. I want to take [have] pleasure, I want to give pleasure to the fans and today I’m very happy. The rabona is my creative [joy] - when I do the rabona I just think about putting the ball on the head of Foden or Erling [Haaland] and today it was good. I do it in all the games because it’s my quality [speciality],” the 22-year-old said.

He was asked if City were conscious of Arsenal’s late 2-1 loss at Aston Villa in the early match. “Yes but we didn’t see it. We were very concentrated on this game.” City are now only two points behind the Gunners. Of chasing them down, Cherki said: “That is so complicated for me [to answer] - you know Arsenal is a good team, Manchester City is a good team, we want to win the championship.”

FA Cup second round

The tie between Slough and Macclesfield has just kicked off at Arbour Park. There are three other games today:

• Boreham Wood v Newport County (12.30pm)

• Gateshead v Walsall (3.30pm)

• Blackpool v Carlisle (5.30pm)

WSL latest

Man Utd v West Ham is under way along with the three matches that kicked off at midday. There’s been just the one goal so far; Dominic Booth can tell you who scored it. Clickity click!

The Ligue 1 title race

“Not many have been paying attention to the title race in France,” writes Kári Tulinius. “While most people expect Paris Saint-Germain to take the title at the end of the season, they’re currently second in the league behind RC Lens. The latter aren’t in Europe, which should mean they’ll be able to stay fresh during the run-in.

Meanwhile, Marseille and Lille are only five points off first, and if Lyon win today, they’ll stay in touch with the top four. PSG have struggled with fitness all season and the Coupe de France hasn’t even started yet, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Lens, or one of the chasing pack, end up as champions.”

Jonathan Wilson on Afcon 2025-26

Perhaps attitudes are not quite as parochial as they once were, but it remains true that, in England at least, the Africa Cup of Nations is discussed less as a tournament in its own right than in terms of what it means for the Premier League.

There will be the usual harrumphing about why the tournament is played in the middle of our season, but the Confederation of African Football has tried to satisfy European clubs oonly to be thwarted by Fifa and the increasing demands of the calendar.

Scheduling, it must be acknowledged, is not a strength of Caf. Not since 2012 has a Cup of Nations been held in the venue and at the time originally planned: 2013 was switched from Libya to South Africa because of the civil war; 2015 was moved to Equatorial Guinea when Morocco withdrew from hosting over Ebola fears; 2017 was moved to Gabon because of the turmoil in Libya; 2019 was moved from Cameroon to Egypt because of construction delays; 2021 was played in Cameroon, but not until 2022 because of Covid; and 2023 was initially scheduled for Côte d’Ivoire in June/July only to be shunted back to January/February when somebody at CAF belatedly looked at the weather charts and accepted trying to play a tournament in the west African rainy season was nonsensical.

Thanks Daniel, hello everyone. Three of the four early WSL games have just kicked off; you can follow them with Dominic Booth. (The other, Man Utd v West Ham, has been put back to 12.15pm after West Ham’s bus broke down on the way to the ground.)

And with that, my watch is over. Here’s Rob Smyth to coax you through the next hour, whereupon I’ll be back with Brighton v West Ham.

Jamie Jackson gets in touch with some lines from Manchester United goal-machine, Diogo Dalot:

We cannot concede a goal, we have to control the game more. We should have done the same as we did for 60 minutes, and try to score the second. We’ve shown this season that we can be a very good team and can beat anybody. Then, it’s something that we need to get into ourselves.

“Sometimes, it’s not football qualities. It has to be from inside. It has to be from the anger and the drive that you have every day to win football games and to live your life like that. I think we need to become a bit more obsessed about playing for this club, winning games and winning trophies for this club. But it’s a process. I’m not going to get into the we need time thing –we have to win straight away because that’s what the club demands. That’s why it hurts sometimes even more when we have opportunities like this and we don’t win.”

United missed the chance to move into fifth place. “That’s something that has to call us and has to be something that we need to look at. Because if we deliver, we’ll be in another position and we’ll be talking about other things.”

Ah, that West Ham side is finally with us.

There are five points separating Chelsea in fourth from Bournemouth in 13th. I’ve not a clue how this table will look in May, but Sunderland and Manchester United, in particular, might struggle during Afcon: the former lose seven players, and meet Man City, Brighton and Palace, while United, already struggling to score, will be without Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo – the latter, in particular, they cannot replace – as well as Noussair Mazraoui.

The Premier League title race is a strange one, isn’t it? My sense is that Villa won’t be part of it because, though the standard at the top is – whatever Sky tell us – on its arse – the teams from fourth to 18th have players good enough to hurt any opponent. I don’t think Villa can be consistent enough in that situation, and I guess I’m leaning towards City, who I think are nearing a system that allows them to outscore almost everyone. But if Gyokeres starts banging them in, I might well revise what’s not a very strong opinion.

“Obviously Slot is having problems at the moment” writes David Wall, “but I’ve never understood how it is supposed to be a criticism of him that the team he won the title with was ‘Klopp’s team’. After all, Klopp didn’t win the title with those players so it would suggest he’s a better manager than Klopp if he could get better performances from them. If anything the criticism is now about the transfer strategy which seemed more about intimidating the other clubs (‘Look at all these incredible attacking players we’ve got’) than putting together a coherent XI.”

I thought Slot got lucky last season that Liverpool’s rivals weren’t up to much, and I also don’t think it’s controversial to say that the method Klopp inculcated lasted beyond him – we saw the same at Chelsea, where Mourinho’s side won titles long after he’d departed. I don’t think we saw better performances last season than those we saw under Klopp, it just so happened that Salah had six months from the Gods and Van Dijk did just enough to support him; that’s not much to do with Slot, who’s a decent manager but not a genius.

Tangentially, how well are Como doing? I’m not sure what his deal is there, but it surely won’t be long before Cesc Fábregas is managing in the Champions League.

There can’t be many top players it’s less surprising are terrific managers: he was playing in a top Premier League team at 17, in the middle of the pitch, despite not being strong or fast. That tells us we’re dealing with a rare football brain, and we know from his interviews and so on that he’s an excellent communicator. I’m not sure where he’ll end up, but if I was looking for a manger – and, let’s be real, in my head I am because I think the one my club has isn’t working out – I’d be looking at him.

We’re under way in Cremona, the home side sitting 10th and the away 13th. I daresay both’d take that in May.

What a signing Jess Park was, by the way. I doubt City thought she’d explode as she has, though of course Grace Clinton is also a player.

In the meantime, though, how good is Phallon Tullis-Joyce? Given that, in recent years, they’ve lost Alessia Russo, Lauren James and Ona Batlle, United should probably be worried about hanging on to her. Can they make the jump from decent side to side that wins big stuff?

West Ham XI to come…

Looking at the City team, it’s not bad really is it? It’s so good to see Vivianne Miedema enjoying her football again, while Aoba Fujino looks a really serious talent and Bunny Shaw is a machine. It’ll take something serious to stop them this season.

Time for some team news:

The WSL table:

And here’s that Clocko:

It’s all going on in Abu Dhabi…

Following Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Liverpool yesterday, we’ve four WSL fixtures kicking-off at midday:

Leicester City v Manchester City

London City Lionesses v Brighton & Hove Albion

Manchester United v West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

Those will be covered in our Clockwatch and, at 2.30pm, Chelsea host Everton.

My guess is that Slot planned to phase Salah out during Afcon anyroad – yesterday’s interview was Salah trying to get his move now, not in the summer. I wonder, then, if we might see Ekitie and Isak played together, with Wirtz behind, and last season’s midfield of Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Gravenberch in front of the back four. That’d put a lot of pressure on the full-backs to supply width, but that is exactly what Frimpong and Kerkez do, so maybe it was Slot’s plan all along.

The problem Liverpool have is players as brilliant as Salah aren’t easily replaced – part of what makes them so brilliant is no one else being able to do what they do. Ultimately, though, Jürgen Klopp’s side needs reshaping, so the replacement need not be like-for-like. The question is whether Arne Slot has the political capital and, perhaps the skill, to complete the job.

So what of Mohamed Salah? It feels like his Liverpool career is moving a to a fractious conclusion, but one that’ll suit all parties. He’s probably finished as consistent factor at the top level and leaving him out is a headache, so if he talks his way into a move, he gets to play wherever that is and Liverpool get his wages off the books.

Just less then a decade ago, Vardy was busy scoring as Leicester beat Chelsea en route to the title. Even now, how wild is that? And who remembered Loïc Rémy played at Stamford Bridge?

Cremonese really is a great move for Vardy. There’s been a shift in British players moving abroad after some time off – when I were a lad, it were only the best going to the best, but now we’re seeing youngsters move to get a chance, and I’d not be surprised if we see older players opting for something new to finish off.

An hour from now, Cremonese v Lecce gets under way, and starting for the home side will be none other than James Vardy, esq. I’m not sure how I feel about his him wearing the no 10 short.

You’ve got to hand it to Martin O’Neill: 73 years-old, eight games, seven wins, 19 goals for, six goals against and a club back on its feet. What a time he must’ve had.

A Celtic-Hearts title race will, inevitably, remind those of us old enough of 1985-86, when the Jambos somehow, legendarily, tossed it on the final day.

Martin OI’Neill’s daughter was at university the same time as me. A mate of mine who has a season ticket at Leicester cold-emailed her asking that he didn’t sell Emile Heskey. Little did he know the plan was to replace him with Richard Cresswell and Ade Akinbiyi.

Nancy is a really interesting appointment and is, I’m pleased to discover older than me. Whatever else happens to him from here, he gets this tracky, and you can’t say fairer than that.

We’ve an absolutely monstrous match in the SPL this afternoon. Celtic, with Wilfried Nancy now installed as manager, take on Hearts, who lead them by six at the top, having played a game more. What a start for the new kid! Hearts, meanwhile, need something out of the match to show they’re serious, and have the stamina, quality and mentality to keep their run going through a season.

On Wigan, they’ve obviously endured a dreadful time since that Cup triumph. Would you swap one for the other? My sense is yes.

Also progressing on penalties were Wigan, winners in 2013, who saw off Barrow while, last evening, Cambridge did Stockport and Mansfield edged Accrington Stanley.

Fleetwood Town beat Luton on penalties yesterday. But look at this goal from Man United loanee, Ethan Ennis.

The draw for round three, by the way, is on Monday.

They’re away this time, but I’ve been to a Cup game at Burton – they played Manchester United in January 2006 in a goalless draw so bad the away end spent a chunk of it singing “What the fucking hell is this?!” At the time, it looked like Fergie might be finished, Mourinho controlling the Premier League and United without a title since 2003. Funny how things turn out.

The FA Cup second round is in progress and today, we’ve got:

Boreham Wood v Notts County

Blackpool v Carlisle

Gateshead v Carlisle

Then tomorrow night:

Brackley Town v Burton

Morning everyone! Dominic appears to have ready my mind: inside my little heed was as discussion about whether my first post could lead on cricket. But now it’s been done for me, so we can stick that abomination into the past, and I’d still follow Ben Stokes over the edge of a cliff.

That’s my morning stint done. Here’s Daniel Harris to continue your Sunday morning buildup, with no more mentions whatsoever of The Ashes.

What next for Mo Salah, then? Many think he has now burned his bridges at Liverpool with yesterday’s comments.

Deangriff2

07 December 2025 9:45am

So where do we think Salah will be playing his football post Afcon?

I assume Liverpool would be open to loaning him to another club in Europe and paying a big chunk of wages until the end of the season, if that’s what he wants, or does he himself just take the pay day and go to Saudi?

Two Championship matches were abandoned yesterday. The game between Charlton and Portsmouth at The Valley was paused in the 12th minute after a fan was taken ill. It was later announced the supporter died in hospital.

Blackburn’s game against Sheffield Wednesday was also paused and soon abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park. The home side were leading 1-0 through Yuki Ohashi’s goal but the playing surface was later deemed unplayable due to heavy rain – for the second time this season at Blackburn – and the referee, Ruebyn Ricardo, called the teams off.

There is no word yet on when either game will be replayed.

Off for a quick cry, BRB.

It would appear as if three mini-leagues are developing in this season’s Premier League. At the top, there’s the race for the title, seemingly encompassing Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Chelsea would love to be dining at that table but recent form means they’re five points back in fourth, as close to 13th-placed Bournemouth as they are to third. That mid-section of the league is so tight and it includes the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Manchester United who would all have designs on the top five. Can any of them put a winning run together to challenge the elite?

Then there’s the scrap for survival, with two of Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and West Ham likely to drop along with Wolves – who are in a league all of their own, a kind of pre-Championship purgatory. Maybe Brentford or Fulham could be sucked into the dogfight.

Have you tried the Guardian’s new football game, Off The Ball?

You can find it on the ‘Puzzles’ section of the app. Test your knowledge now!

There are two distinct sides to the Salah debate. Has he earned the right to speak out against his recent treatment as a bona fide Liverpool legend? Or is Arne Slot justified in doing whatever it takes to (try to) win football matches?

I’d lean towards the latter argument, having watched a fair bit of Salah this season and observed a player some distance off his best form – for all that he achieved last season and in previous campaigns. Here’s what you guys are saying in the comments.

Pilatusk

07 December 2025 8:57am

United fan here. If I’m not mistaken Salah was PFA player of the year 6 months ago and now he’s chief scapegoat. 29 goals and 18 assists last season!

Not the way to treat a club legend

hutchmeup

07 December 2025 9:10am

Can we take a moment to please feel sorry for Mo Salah for being "thrown under the bus" by Arne Slot?

It must have clearly cracked him on his head so hard he's forgotten that he is presently Liverpool's highest ever earning player, having had his contract extended to April 2027.

I know he's just sore about being on the bench but, frankly, he's not having his best season and perhaps should be humble enough to acknowledge just how privileged he is to be there.

A victim, Mo, you are not sir.

But what about today’s fixtures away from the Premier League and FA Cup?

In the WSL we’ve got (all 12pm GMT unless stated):

• Leicester v Manchester City

• London City Lionesses v Brighton

• Manchester United v West Ham

• Tottenham v Aston Villa

• Chelsea v Everton (2.30pm)

Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (8pm) and Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (4.30pm) are the pick of the games from around the continent today.

Just realised I said Fulham v Crystal Palace was a repeat of last year’s cup final. I obviously meant quarter-final. Goodness me – time for another coffee. That’s what happens when you get up early for a futile Ashes watching session.

Thanks for your comments, by the way, which are starting to trickle in below the line. Lots of Mo Salah chat, which we will return to …

Jonathan Wilson’s latest column is on the Africa Cup of Nations. He argues that as long as the Premier League invests in its players and Fifa pays it lip service, AFCON will always struggle to fit into the schedule.

I say no shocks… but Swindon hammered Bolton – a division above them – 4-0 to reach the FA Cup third round. Meanwhile, Cambridge United – another League Two side who beat League One Stockport on penalties – put their name in the hat. Sixth tier Buxton were leading Cheltenham 2-1 at one stage, but ended up getting a 6-2 shellacking.

The FA Cup second round is rather good, isn’t it? Always a few good stories – and yesterday it was National League South side Weston-super-Mare who made history by reaching the third round for the first time ever.

There we no other major shocks but today Slough Town v Macclesfield is the early game (12.30pm kick-off GMT) which gives another sixth tier outfit the chance to earn a few quid in the riches of the third round.

Also today: Boreham Wood v Newport, Gateshead v Walsall and Blackpool v Carlisle. Pretty tasty fare.

In the Premier League today both Brighton and Crystal Palace will be motivated to jump into the top five.

The Seagulls host West Ham at 2pm (GMT), with the Hammers having shown flickers of life since the appointment of Nuno Espírito Santo. A creditable midweek draw at Old Trafford means the former Wolves and Nottingham Forest manager has overseen a run of one defeat in five games since the start of November.

Fulham versus Palace is a repeat of last year’s FA Cup quarter-final, with the Eagles eyeing a fourth successive away win in the league, having beaten Burnley, Wolves and Liverpool to nil in their last three trips.

Mohamed Salah stole the headlines yesterday despite not featuring in Liverpool’s helter-skelter 3-3 draw at Leeds United, launching an astonishing attack on Arne Slot, accusing the Liverpool manager of throwing him “under the bus” after being left out of the starting lineup for the third game running and claiming he has been made a scapegoat for the club’s poor start to the season.

“I can’t believe … I’m sitting on the bench for 90 minutes,” the Egyptian said. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career. I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I’m sitting on the bench and I don’t know why.

“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.”

Read more from Salah below:

The other major Premier League story was Arsenal’s last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa via Emi Buendía’s winning goal. That, coupled with Manchester City’s comfortable win over Sunderland has left it rather tight at the top of the table.

Away from the English leagues, Lionel Messi wrote the script (again) for Inter Miami as they triumphed in the MLS Cup, beating Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final.