UPDATE CHELSEA AND ARSENAL EUROPA LEAGUE RESULTS

There’s another busy weekend of domestic football action ahead with the Premier League and EFL Championship and the world famous FA Cup first round where the remaining non-league teams join the EFL League One and Two teams. The action kicks-off tonight with the now traditional Friday night live game and it’s a big derby clash between the two Sheffield teams United and Wednesday at Bramall Lane. Third place United are favourites and a win would take them to the top of the table again, while Wednesday, who lost their last four league games, will just desperately want to avoid their fifth league defeat in a row.

Saturday’s footy action kicks off at lunchtime with the traditional lunchtime live kick-off and today’s is between second bottom Cardiff City against mid-table Brighton at the Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff will aim to pick up only their second win of the season but after losing eight and drawing two of their eleven league games their chances don’t look great. Brighton are more vulnerable away from home but they are a stronger more experienced team at this level now with a full season under their belt and on current form they will be quietly confident of picking up a valuable three points today.

There’s also a lunch-time live kick-off in the FA Cup between non-league non-league Maidenhead and League One leaders Portsmouth at York Road and if the layers are correct, they should win this one with a bit in hand if they field a strong team. There are four 3pm Premier League kick-off’s and third from bottom Huddersfield and fourth from bottom Newcastle, who both have home advantage again, will aim to pick up their second league wins of the season after they both won 1-0 last time out at home. Newcastle have the tougher task against in-form sixth place Bournemouth, but the Magpies will take heart from their first win of the season at home 1-0 against Watford last weekend.

Struggling Huddersfield face an inconsistent West Ham at the Kirklees and this one could easily go either way and I’d just give the Terriers the edge with home advantage. After a poor start to this season and another crushing defeat against West Ham last weekend, Burnley face another tough away trip today against Leicester City at the King Power. The remaining 3pm kick-off takes us to the south coast where fifth from bottom Southampton face eighth place Watford at St Mary’s and the Saint’s will aim to win just their second game of the season and while the visitors are clearly the better team at present, they cannot afford to be complacent, especially in front of goal, as they were against Newcastle last weekend.

The live tea-time kick-off is a London derby clash between fourteenth place Crystal Palace and fourth placed Spurs at Selhurst Park and it should be a competitive and entertaining affair, which Spurs will be expected to win, and they should be in buoyant mood after their 2-1 come from behind win in the Champions League midweek against PSV at Wembley.

Selections:

None.