Premier League Buildup, Spanish Football, Afcon Last 16 and Celtic v Rangers – Matchday Action
Kickoff
Good morning. It’s … (checks diary) … Saturday. Following the holiday blur, it’s now day three in the 2026 house 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 head to the match.
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.
In the evening at half past five, leaders Arsenal travel to a Bournemouth side who are struggling for victories but are still able to produce thrilling stalemates with the bigger sides.
While the EFL takes a break, there is plenty of action in Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 while we’ve reached the last 16 of Afcon. Senegal v Sudan at 4pm and Mali v Tunisia at 7pm keep the fun flowing.
Typical for our live coverage, we’re looking for interaction so send us your thoughts and messages. Are you going to a game? Do you have fresh optimism for your team now the calendar has flipped? 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!
A Fan's Epic Journey
One fan has made an epic trip. A message arrives from Christer Aakeroy:
“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 fulfill their obvious talent and bring plenty of warmth and joy to the Amex this afternoon.”
Brighton host Burnley (3pm) so the odds are in your favour/favor Christer. Then again, this Opta stat is a little concerning:
- Burnley are without a loss in their last seven league visits to Brighton (Two wins, five draws) since a 2-0 loss in August 2013. They’ve remained undefeated at the Amex in the top flight (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 is on hand with live coverage of the first two Afcon last-16 ties (4pm and 7pm kick-offs).
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
A few results around Europe from last night.
Serie A
Cagliari 0-1 AC Milan
La Liga
Rayo Vallecano 1-1 Getafe
Ligue 1
Toulouse 0-3 Lens
In Italy, Rafael Leao celebrated his return from injury with the first Serie A goal of 2026. His second-half winner put Milan top of Serie A by two points 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 increased their lead at the top to four points 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 twenty minutes. That’s seven straight wins now for Lens. Could they pull off a title shock?
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
Heading to a Premier League match today? Maybe you've embarked on an adventurous journey to the Africa Cup of Nations? Send your thoughts and hopes with us.
