WSL season reaches finish, Premier League, playoffs and more – matchday live

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And on this day in 1986, Liverpool did the Double by beating Everton in the FA Cup final. Thanks to the wonders of technology, Scott Murray was able to cover it on the information superhighway.

On this day in 1978… Liverpool retain the European Cup. Here’s David Lacey’s report from that night at Wembley. And if you don’t want to click on anything – anything – written by David Lacey, I’m afraid I can’t help you.

Nick Ames, our European sport correspondent, tells some fascinating stories from across the continent. This one, on a town and football club that were devastated by a volcanic eruption in 2023, is particularly good.

Nobody would dream of using the hall for football now. Its pitch is cleaved in two by a fissure up to 25 metres deep; one of the most striking images in a settlement that has been ripped apart. A chasm has destroyed their outdoor practice pitch too. But something remarkable will happen in Grindavík on Saturday: football will lead the way in a recovery few could have foreseen over the past 18 months. Grindavík will play at their Stakkavíkurvöllur home for the first time since the town’s abandonment, hosting Fjölnir in a second-tier fixture whose outcome feels distinctly secondary.

The morning headlines

• Mayenda gives Sunderland playoff advantage over Coventry

• Women’s World Cup to expand to 48 teams in 2031

• Alonso confirms Leverkusen exit ahead of expected Real move

• Guardiola reveals emotional demands of ‘most difficult’ season

• Slot confident Liverpool will make ‘new stars’ after Alexander-Arnold exit

• Arteta confident of kicking on despite Paris pain

Preamble

Good morning my dear football friends. Welcome to our Saturday build-up blog, known in Guardian Towers as matchday live (lower case).

This is our home for all the latest news and previews ahead of today’s action, which for our purposes begins at 12.30pm with the final day of the WSL season. Then we’ll have EFL playoffs, five Premier League games, a Bayern Munich title party and much else besdies.

At 11am we’ll have a WSL Q&A with Suzanne Wrack, so please send in any questions for that. You can contact us at [email protected] or post below the line.

Before we get cracking, these are some of the key matches we’ll be following today.

Premier League (all 3pm kick-offs unless stated)

• Fulham v Everton

• Ipswich v Brentford

• Southampton v Man City

• Wolves v Brighton

• Bournemouth v Aston Villa (5.30pm)

Women’s Super League (all 12.30pm kick-offs)

• Arsenal v Man Utd

• Aston Villa v Brighton

• Chelsea v Liverpool

• Everton v Tottenham

• Leicester v West Ham

• Man City v Crystal Palace

EFL playoffs

• Leyton Orient v Stockport (League One, 12.30pm)

• Notts County v AFC Wimbledon (League Two, 8pm)