Skiddle's Open Goal: A Weekly Roundup of Football news and events

It was round 11 of the Premier League this weekend and it continues to prove that it is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. In what seems like some kind of twisted fever dream, pundits are now backing West Ham to win the league after an impressive run of form that has just peaked with them beating Liverpool quite convincingly 3-2. 

The London Stadium was in fine form and is was one of those games where you could just feel in the crowd that West Ham were going to get a result. It means that Liverpool lose their unbeaten run and there are now huge doubts that they will mount a strong title challenge. In the main headline event, it was the Manchester derby on Saturday which ended as a 2-0 win for Manchester City.

Another loss against a high-quality opponent showed that yet again United simply cannot compete at the top this season with their terrible defensive record. The second goal was embarrassing as a cross that should have been dealt with was ignored by Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, with Bernado Silva sliding in at the back post to poke past a flapping David De Gea.

In other Premier League news, Arsenal continued their impressive form by beating Watford 1-0 whilst Norwich also claimed their first win of the season by beating Brentford 2-1 which was still not enough for Daniel Farke to keep his job. With Dean Smith also being given the job we're in full managerial merry-go-round season, so place your bets on who might be next. 

In The Championship, Bournemouth cruised to a 4-0 win over Swansea City, as they march onwards in great form. Cardiff City finally managed to grab a win as they came out 2-1 winners against Huddersfield Town and West Brom could only draw with Middlesborough who have just swapped out Neil Warnock for a shiny new Chris Wilder.

The FA Cup was also in full swing this weekend as Round 1 began. In an absolutely crazy game that was more pinball than football, Halifax beat Maidenhead United 7-4 in a breathless exchange. In terms of upsets, Kidderminster Harriers beat Grimsby Town and St Albans City won a dramatic tie against Forest Green Rovers to come out 3-2 winners in what will be a memorable scalp for them.

If this has put you in the mood for some footy events then you've come to the right place, here are some you can buy here on Skiddle.

COLFC vs Market Drayton Town

When: Tuesday 9th November

Where: Vauxhall Motors FC, Ellesmere Port

City Of Liverpool FC will be looking at this as a winnable fixture and one they need to win in order to try and get some momentum. Yet, the game is just as important for Market Drayton FC who are languishing in 19th place in the table, they'll be desperately trying to turn their fortunes around.

With a win, City Of Liverpool could start making a march towards the top of the table and will no doubt feel a lot safer than in 16th.

Find tickets for COLFC vs Market Drayton Town here.

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St Helens Town vs Holker Old Boys

When: Thursday 11th November

Where: Ruskin Drive Sports Complex, St Helens

This is going to be one hell of a test for struggling St Helens Town who are coming up against high flying Holker Old Boys who are third in the table having only lost twice in 16 games. This is what the home crowd is all about though, it's time to get behind St Helens as they aim to really get their season out of a rut.

Find tickets for St Helens Town vs Holker Old Boys here.

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Hanley Town vs Wolverhampton Casuals

When: Tuesday 16th November

Where: Hanley Town Football Club, Stoke On Trent

Hanley Town will be looking for their B team to get one over on Wolverhampton Casuals in what could be a close game. Football at every level is entertaining and there will no be flying tackles, bracing cold and a lot of mud being kicked up off of the pitch. But there's nothing better than getting behind your team on a cold November night.

Find tickets for Hanley Town vs Wolverhampton Casuals here.

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Merseyside Derby Hospitality

When: Wednesday 1st December

Where: The Sandon Complex, Liverpool

The Merseyside Derby is one of the biggest games in English football as the old rivals of Liverpool and Everton face off yet again as they do every season. Everton managed to break Liverpool's stranglehold of the fixture last season by winning at Anfield. Will Liverpool be stronger this season or have Everton taken any steps back?

Form is out of the window here and you can enjoy the spectacle in hospitality as you watch it at The Sandon Complex, where you will be served a two-course meal and the atmosphere amongst your fellow fans will be incredible.

Find tickets for Merseyside Derby Hospitality here.

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 Manchester United vs Brighton Hospitality

When: Saturday 18th December

Where: Hotel Football, Old Trafford, Manchester

Brighton are enjoying a lot of success this season and far surpassing their original expectations. Meanwhile, Manchester United are stalling and will want to get back on track quickly. This could be a key game in the top half of the table and it's going to make for an exciting watch.

You can enjoy it in hospitality with a three-course meal and complimentary drinks. The best seats in the house for what will be a tense clash.

Find tickets for Manchester United vs Brighton Hospitality here.

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For more football events check out our Things To Do page. To find out what's happening in a town/city near you take a look at our What's On page.