English Top-Flight Pre-Match Buzz, La Liga, Afcon Knockout Stage and Old Firm Derby – Saturday Live

Introduction

Hello. The calendar confirms it's Saturday. Following the holiday blur, it’s now the third day of the new year although just four Premier League fixtures today suggests a routine hasn’t yet been established. Nevertheless, for many out there, this is the last holiday weekend so a chance to head to the match.

That selection of four EPL games includes Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at 12.30pm while, starting simultaneously, we have the not-so-small issue of an Old Firm derby. One with particular intrigue given the current chaos at Celtic.

Later in the day at 5.30pm, leaders Arsenal travel to a Bournemouth side who are struggling for victories but are still capable of playing out entertaining draws with the bigger sides.

While the EFL takes a break, there is a full slate of games in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 while we’ve reached the last 16 of Afcon. Senegal v Sudan at four o'clock and Mali v Tunisia at seven o'clock keep the action coming.

As usual with matchday live, we’re keen to hear from you so hit us with comments and emails. Are you going to a game? Has the new year brought renewed hope for your club? Or perhaps your plan is a full day of televised football while finishing the last of the holiday treats. I think we can all agree that the caramel version is nowhere near as good.

Alright, let’s get this weekend started!

Early Contender for Longest Traveller

An early contender for longest traveller. A message arrives from Christer Aakeroy:

“Journeying more than 4,400 miles from Manhattan, Kansas – the 'Little Apple' – to support my beloved Seagulls, I really hope that they fulfill their obvious talent and bring plenty of cheer and happiness to the Amex this afternoon.”

Brighton host Burnley (3pm) so statistics suggest a positive outcome, Christer. Then again, this piece of data might be worrying:

  • Burnley are unbeaten in their last seven away league games against Brighton (Two wins, five draws) since a 2-0 loss in August 2013. They’ve never lost at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League (W2 D4).

A Full Slate of Minute-by-Minute Action

If you like an MBM (minute-by-minute), we have you covered. And then some!

  • 12.30pm Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest – Sarah Rendell
  • 12.30pm Celtic v Rangers – David Tindall
  • 5.30pm Bournemouth v Arsenal – Barry Glendenning

Plus, live updates from the 3pm EPL games will be provided by Billy Munday in his clockwatch while Dominic Booth will cover the opening Afcon knockout matches (starting at four and seven).

Oh, keep your eyes peeled for live coverage of the fifth and final Ashes Test (Tim de Lisle and Angus Fontaine) and the PDC World darts final (Rob Smyth)!

European Round-Up

Here are some key European scores from Friday.

Serie A

Cagliari 0-1 AC Milan

La Liga

Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Getafe

Ligue 1

Toulouse 0-3 Lens

In Italy, Rafael Leao marked his comeback with the opening Serie A strike of the new year. His second-half winner put Milan at the summit of the table although local rivals Inter can return to the summit when they host Bologna on Sunday.

Serie A Table (Top 5):

  • 1. AC Milan – 38 pts
  • 2. Inter Milan – 36 pts
  • 3. Napoli – 34 pts
  • 4. Roma – 33 pts
  • 5. Juventus – 32 pts

Meanwhile in France, Lens extended their advantage at the summit over champions PSG with a convincing three-nil victory at eighth-place Toulouse, who were clearly hampered by being having a player sent off after just 20 minutes. That’s seven straight wins now for Lens. They couldn’t, could they?

Ligue 1 Table (Top 5):

  • 1. Lens – 40 pts
  • 2. PSG – 36 pts
  • 3. Marseille – 32 pts
  • 4. Lille – 32 pts
  • 5. Lyon – 27 pts

Get In Touch

Off to a top-flight game this afternoon? Or perhaps you’ve made a maverick trip to the Afcon? Share your predictions and stories with us.

Luis Chen
Luis Chen

Elara is a seasoned digital strategist with over a decade of experience in helping brands optimize their online presence and drive measurable results.

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