There will be plenty to talk about in the world of football on Saturday morning. As well as building up to Saturday’s four Premier League games, **David Tindall** will be looking at the fallout from Frank Lampard’s return to Everton with Coventry on Friday night and reaction to Thomas Tuchel’s last England squad of the year. But it’s also FA Cup first round proper day, when League One and League Two sides find themselves pitched against other lower-division sides or at risk of being giantkilled by non-league clubs.
There’s also a Savage occasion on Saturday night at London Road, when Robbie’s Peterborough take on the Reading side for whom his son Charlie plays. Send your thoughts on all the issues to [email protected], and let us know if you are off to one of those Cup ties. It’s very tight in the Premier League’s mid-table, with three teams on 12 points and four on 11 occupying the places between eighth and 14th before this round of matches.
One of the latter category host one of the former on Saturday, with Daniel Farke and Roberto De Zerbi fairly happy with their positions right now but aware that Leeds and Tottenham both need to push on if they are to stay properly clear of relegation talk and instead push claims for places in Europe. **Scott Murray** is your live host, while **Aaron Bower** reports from Elland Road. North and south/east are meeting all this weekend as the second half of the inaugural Nations Championship builds towards its climax at Twickenham on the last weekend of the month, and the All Blacks’ trip to Murrayfield is the pick of the day’s matches. Scotland have still never beaten New Zealand, and the worry for Gregor Townsend’s team is that after some severe stumbles the visitors are back on firm footing. **Daniel Gallan** is your guide minute by minute, while **Michael Aylwin** is in Edinburgh.
Kyle Steyn and his Scotland teammates face a stern test against the All Blacks. There are two 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League, with Arsenal hosting Hull and Newcastle at Fulham, and **Barry Glendenning** will have all the news from the leaders’ meeting with the playoff winners and a meeting of the dissatisfied at Craven Cottage. In the FA Cup first round, we will be on the lookout for shocks.
Perhaps there will be one at Boreham Wood, where the runaway leaders of the National League are at home to the 2013 winners, Wigan. There are also some all non-league ties, including the phoenix club Salisbury FC of National League South at home to Sholing of the Southern League Premier and Dover, another National League South side, hosting Wealdstone, one step higher. If you are at any of the ties, let Barry know what’s going on.
Oliver Glasner’s move to Forest has not gone smoothly, as evidenced by his anguished comments after last weekend’s defeat at Brentford that “I don’t need to be liked. I’m not here to be liked. I’m here to bring success to this club.” Manchester City aren’t winning popularity contests at present, either, and have lost a couple of football matches, too, after their steamroller start – if Arsenal have beaten Hull in their afternoon game, then the visitors to the City Ground will kick off six points off the top. **Tom Bassam** will follow events live, while **Jonathan Wilson** reports.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
