There are five Premier League matches on Saturday with huge consequences at both ends of the table.
Leeds United welcome Arsenal to Elland Road in one of three 3pm kick-offs, with the hosts six points above the relegation zone heading into the weekend.
Leaders Arsenal meanwhile are winless in their last three league games, most recently losing at home to Manchester United.
The pressure is therefore on Mikel Arteta’s side to get a result today before Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are both four points behind the Gunners, play on Sunday. when Villa host Brentford and City travel to Tottenham Hotspur.
Elsewhere, Chelsea host a West Ham side looking to boost their survival prospects at 5.30pm, while Liverpool take on Newcastle United at Anfield in an 8pm kick-off.
Beyond football, Elena Rybakina beat Aryna Sabalenka to the Australian Open title, while Harry Brook’s lies “to protect” his England cricket teammates have led to further calls for coach Brendon McCullum to go.
Follow The i Paper’s live updates below…
Pressure on Lampard and Coventry
It’s rarely not a big afternoon in the Championship but you can really sense the extra pressure on leaders Coventry City today.
Frank Lampard’s side once led by 10 points but Middlesbrough have ensured that gap is now three, with Ipswich Town not far behind.
Coventry head to QPR at 3pm, with The Rs currently 13th but still in with a strong shout of making the play-offs.
Read my full piece here on a defining four months for Lampard and Coventry
Brighton vs Everton team news: Toffees duo back from injury
Georginio Rutter and Maxim De Cuyper are back for Brighton, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite and Michael Keane return to the Everton side with three changes from the 1-1 Leeds draw.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Rutter, Baleba, Welbeck, Mitoma, Kadioglu, Ayari, De Cuyper, Gross.
Everton XI: Pickford, Keane, Tarkowski, Ndiaye, Barry, O’Brien, Dewsbury-Hall, Gueye, Branthwaite, Garner, Armstrong.
Wolves vs Bournemouth team news: Strand Larsen on bench
It would appear speculation around Jorgen Strand Larsen’s future has prompted Rob Edwards to once more start the striker on the bench this afternoon for Wolves, with the Norway striker linked with a move away.
Bournemouth meanwhile name the same XI that beat Liverpool last weekend.
Wolves XI: Sa, Mosquera, S Bueno, Agbadou, R Gomes, J Gomes, Andre, H Bueno, Mane, Hwang, Arokodare.
Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Smith, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Cook, Jimenez, Kroupi, Adli, Evanilson.
Leeds vs Arsenal team news: Odegaard dropped
Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the line for Leeds as they look to upset the leaders at Elland Road.
Kai Havertz starts a Premier League game for the first time in one day shy of a year, and that means Martin Odegaard is on the bench with Mikel Arteta also starting Viktor Gyokeres up front.
Leeds XI: Darlow, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Struijk, Justin, Ampadu, Gruev, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Calls for McCullum to go after Brook cover-up
The most damaging aspect of the Harry Brook nightclub bouncer imbroglio in Wellington is the fact it makes the England set-up look loose, unserious, dishonest and amateurish.
There are genuine questions about whether Brook should continue as his country’s white-ball captain after he admitted lying about being on his own when “clocked” after being refused entry to a club the night before a one-day international against New Zealand back in October.
The original transgression was bad enough. Covering it up makes it worse.
Rybakina wins Australian Open
Earlier in Melbourne, fifth seed Elena Rybakina won a thrilling three-set contest to beat world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final.
Rybakina trailed 3-0 in the decider but reeled off six of the next seven games to win 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and get revenge for her 2023 defeat to Sabalenka on the same stage.
“It’s hard to find the words but I want to congratulate Aryna. She’s had amazing results for a couple of years and I hope we’re going to play many more finals together,” Rybakina said.
“I want to say thank you to you [the crowd] for an incredible atmosphere. Your support kept us going. Thank you everyone who made this tournament possible. It really is the ‘Happy Slam’, I always enjoy coming here and playing in front of you guys.”
ELENA RYBAKINA IS AN AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 31, 2026
The No.5 seed defeats Aryna Sabalenka in an enthralling three-set encounter in Melbourne@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/iWAAHFZFHR
Premier League fixtures today
Here’s who is in action today in the Premier League:
- 3pm: Brighton vs Everton
- 3pm: Leeds vs Arsenal
- 3pm: Wolves vs Bournemouth
- 5.30pm: Chelsea vs West Ham
- 8pm: Liverpool vs Newcastle
Afternoon!
Welcome along and hope you’ve had a fine start to your Saturday. Our main focus today will be the Premier League, with a huge match at Elland Road as far as both ends of the table are concerned.
Leeds United host Arsenal, and that is among three 3pm kick-offs for which we’ll bring you team news very shortly.
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