🔗 Share this article English Top-Flight Pre-Match Buzz, La Liga, Africa Cup Last 16 and Old Firm Derby – Saturday Live Preamble Good morning. It’s … (checks diary) … Saturday. Following the holiday blur, it’s now the third day of the new year although a schedule of only four top-flight matches indicates things aren't back to normal. Still, for many out there, this is the last holiday weekend so a perfect opportunity to make a trip to the stadium. That quartet of Premier League offerings includes Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at half past twelve while, kicking off at the same time, 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 can’t win anymore but are still capable of playing out entertaining draws with the bigger sides. While the lower leagues have a day off, there is plenty of action in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 while we’ve entered the knockout phase of Afcon. Senegal v Sudan at four o'clock and Mali v Tunisia at seven o'clock keep the fun flowing. As usual with matchday live, we’re looking for interaction so send us your thoughts and messages. Attending a match today? Has the new year brought renewed hope for your club? Or simply just tell us if your day consists of wall-to-wall football on the tellybox as you polish off the final chocolate oranges. I think we can all agree that the caramel version is nowhere near as good. Alright, let’s get this weekend started! A Fan's Epic Journey One fan has made an epic trip. Christer Aakeroy emails this: “Having travelled over 4,400 miles from Manhattan, Kansas (yes, it’s known as the ‘Little Apple’) to watch my beloved Seagulls, I really hope that they live up to their undoubted potential and bring plenty of cheer and happiness to the Amex this afternoon.” Brighton host Burnley (three o'clock) so the odds are in your favour/favor Christer. Then again, this piece of data might be worrying: Burnley are without a loss in their last seven league visits to Brighton (W2 D5) since a defeat 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 Additionally, Billy Munday will bring you live updates from the two 3pm Premier League kick-offs in his Saturday clockwatch while Dominic Booth will cover the opening Afcon knockout matches (starting at four and seven). Oh, look out for live updates from the concluding Ashes Test and the World Darts Championship final! 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 Over in Italy, Rafael Leao marked his comeback with the opening Serie A strike of the new year. His 50th-minute 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 In France, Lens extended their advantage at the summit over champions PSG with a comfortable 3-0 success at eighth-place Toulouse, who were significantly hindered by being reduced to 10 men after just twenty minutes. Lens have now won seven consecutive matches. 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? Maybe you've embarked on an adventurous journey to the Africa Cup of Nations? Send your thoughts and hopes with us.
Preamble Good morning. It’s … (checks diary) … Saturday. Following the holiday blur, it’s now the third day of the new year although a schedule of only four top-flight matches indicates things aren't back to normal. Still, for many out there, this is the last holiday weekend so a perfect opportunity to make a trip to the stadium. That quartet of Premier League offerings includes Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at half past twelve while, kicking off at the same time, 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 can’t win anymore but are still capable of playing out entertaining draws with the bigger sides. While the lower leagues have a day off, there is plenty of action in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 while we’ve entered the knockout phase of Afcon. Senegal v Sudan at four o'clock and Mali v Tunisia at seven o'clock keep the fun flowing. As usual with matchday live, we’re looking for interaction so send us your thoughts and messages. Attending a match today? Has the new year brought renewed hope for your club? Or simply just tell us if your day consists of wall-to-wall football on the tellybox as you polish off the final chocolate oranges. I think we can all agree that the caramel version is nowhere near as good. Alright, let’s get this weekend started!
A Fan's Epic Journey One fan has made an epic trip. Christer Aakeroy emails this: “Having travelled over 4,400 miles from Manhattan, Kansas (yes, it’s known as the ‘Little Apple’) to watch my beloved Seagulls, I really hope that they live up to their undoubted potential and bring plenty of cheer and happiness to the Amex this afternoon.” Brighton host Burnley (three o'clock) so the odds are in your favour/favor Christer. Then again, this piece of data might be worrying: Burnley are without a loss in their last seven league visits to Brighton (W2 D5) since a defeat 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 Additionally, Billy Munday will bring you live updates from the two 3pm Premier League kick-offs in his Saturday clockwatch while Dominic Booth will cover the opening Afcon knockout matches (starting at four and seven). Oh, look out for live updates from the concluding Ashes Test and the World Darts Championship final!
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 Over in Italy, Rafael Leao marked his comeback with the opening Serie A strike of the new year. His 50th-minute 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 In France, Lens extended their advantage at the summit over champions PSG with a comfortable 3-0 success at eighth-place Toulouse, who were significantly hindered by being reduced to 10 men after just twenty minutes. Lens have now won seven consecutive matches. 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? Maybe you've embarked on an adventurous journey to the Africa Cup of Nations? Send your thoughts and hopes with us.