Monday
There is a further Premier League contest scheduled for Monday evening with Brighton & Hove Albion welcoming South Coast neighbours Southampton to the AMEX Stadium at 8pm. The hosts include Aaron Connolly in their starting eleven but Jayson Molumby does not make the matchday squad. Shane Long is named on the ‘Saints’ substitute bench but there is no place for Michael Obafemi.
Sunday
The Premier League had another early start on Sunday with West Bromwich Albion going down to a crushing five one home defeat by Crystal Palace at the Hawthorns in a noon kick-off. Dara O’Shea and Callum Robinson were late substitutes for the ‘Baggies’ who crumbled following the dismissal of Costa Pereira on 34 minutes. Sheffield United, with just one point to date, sit in forlorn isolation at the foot of the league table and suffered further bitter disappointment when Leicester City scored in added time for a two one victory at Bramall Lane this Sunday afternoon. John Egan was in action for the ‘Blades’ but Enda Stevens again missed out through injury. Following his midweek Champions League performance, Caoimhin Kelleher started his first league match for Liverpool and produced another excellent performance as his side defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers by four goals to nil in the late kick-off at Anfield.
The Scottish Premiership struggle continues for Glasgow Celtic who scored a late equaliser to draw one each with Celtic Park visitors St Johnstone this afternoon. Millwall loanee Danny McNamara was again in excellent form for the visitors.
Saturday
Robbie Brady, having recovered from injury, started for Burnley and scored after just three minutes of their Turf Moor contest with Everton in the Premier League early on Saturday afternoon. However, it secured just one point as the ‘Toffees’ equalised in first half added time. Defenders Kevin Long and Jimmy Dunne were both unused on the substitute bench but Everton club captain Seamus Coleman remains on the injury list.
The early Championship kick-off saw Reading secure a two nil home victory over Nottingham Forest who included Cyrus Christie and Harry Arter in their starting eleven. Darragh Lenihan started for Blackburn Rovers but was dismissed after 36 minutes of their encounter with Brentford which ended in a two all draw at their new West London home. Callum O’Dowda and Bristol City went down to a one nil defeat by visitors Birmingham City for whom Scott Hogan started at Ashton Gate. Conor Masterson was an unused substitute for QPR who went down to a two nil defeat at Huddersfield Town. Teenager Jason Knight scored the only goal for visitors Derby County to overcome Millwall at the New Den where fellow teenager Troy Parrott was a 58th minute substitute for the hosts. Another teenager, Andrew Omobamadele, was an unused substitute for Norwich City who overcame Sheffield Wednesday by two goals to one at Carrow Road. Preston North End included Alan Browne and Sean Maguire in their starting eleven while Adam O’Reilly was an unused substitute for the visit of Daryl Horgan and Wycombe Wanderers which ended in a two all draw. Nathan Collins and James McClean were in the Stoke City side for the one nil victory over visitors Middlesbrough with Collins scoring the winning goal. Ryan Manning was an unused substitute for the hosts while James Collins started for Luton Town who went down to a two nil defeat at Swansea City.
In League One, loanee Ryan Cassidy was an unused Accrington Stanley substitute in their two one victory over visitors MK Dons who included loanee Warren O’Hora in their starting eleven. Ipswich Town included Stephen Ward, Alan Judge and Arsenal loanee Mark McGuinness in their starting eleven for the two one victory at Plymouth Argyle while Corey Ndaba was an unused substitute. Ronan Curtis and another recent declaree Marcus Harness were in the Portsmouth side which defeated visitors Peterborough United and Jack Taylor by two goals to nil at Fratton Park.
Loanee Joshua Kayode was in the Carlisle United side which journied to Bradford City in League Two and secured a one nil victory while another loanee, Lee O’Connor was in the Tranmere Rovers side which suffered a three one home defeat by visitors Walsall.