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Aston Villa were emphatically thrashed 4-1 at the hands of high-flying Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Tuesday night.

Unai Emery’s side faced the Eagles off the back of an impressive 2-1 comeback win against Chelsea, but collapsed in disappointing fashion in South London.

It was a frustrating first half for the Villans, who went 1-0 behind thanks to a goal from Ismaila Sarr. The Palace winger got on the end of a parry from Emiliano Martinez, who tipped Chris Richards’ header into his path.

Morgan Rogers had a goal ruled out in the first half after Ollie Watkins was offside in the buildup, but he did get on the scoresheet to equalise for Emery’s side. Running onto a flick on from his England teammate Watkins, the former Boro star brought the ball under control superbly with his head, before swivelling and firing home.

Things only went downhill for the Villans from that point onwards. Just seven minutes after Rogers’ equalsier, Jean-Philippe Mateta fired home after latching onto a loose ball just inside the penalty box to give his side the lead.

The Eagles added a third in the 71st minute courtesy of Sarr once again, before second-half substitute Eddie Nketiah scored their fourth to put the icing on the cake for Oliver Glasner’s side.

It was a tough night for Villa, and Emery’s decision to switch the system perhaps did them no favours.

Aston Villa’s system change vs. Palace

After playing his esteemed 4-2-2-2 system at Villa Park for the last 18 months or so, it was arguably a surprise when Emery tinkered and played a back three against the Eagles, especially given the centre-back shortage within his squad.

The Spaniard has played a back three or back five just four times in the entirety of his Villa career so far. Perhaps he did it to better match up with Palace’s system. Glasner deploys his side in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Whatever the reason, it did not work for Villa. The Athletic reporter Jacob Tanswell said the West Midlands side “looked sturdy in the new shape” until the Eagles scored, from which point “things became loose” at the back.

In many ways, it was far too easy for Palace. The Eagles carved open Villa’s defence, shown by the stats at full-time, courtesy of Sofascore. The home side had 19 shots and created six big chances, compared to six shots and two big chances created from the visitors.

It was certainly a tough nigh at the office, with two of the back three in paruclar struggling for Emery’s side.

Performance in Numbers

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The Aston Villa defenders who struggled most

When your side concede four goals, it is never going to be a night in which you covered yourself in glory as a defender. However, for January arrival Axel Disasi and Lamar Bogarde, it was a particularly tough game.

The centre-backs started on the right and left of Villa’s back three respectivley, but both had their own issues against a deadly Eagles attack. Bogarde had to directly defend Sarr, who was running riot all night, and Disasi came up against Eberechi Eze, who created three chances.

John Townley, journalist for Birmingham Live, gave the pair a 4/10 for their performances. They were two of seven players he gave such a rating to, showing just how tough of a night it was for the visitors.

Indeed, some of their stats from the game reflected the ratings Townley gave the centre-backs. For example, Disasi won a total of just five out of 11 duels, and lost the ball 11 times. As for Bogarde, he lost the ball five times.

Disasi and Bogarde stats vs. Palace
Stat	Disasi	Bogarde
Touches	55	66
Duels won	5/11	5/8
Pass accuracy	85%	96%
Number of times ball lost	11	5
Clearances	2	4
Stats from Sofascore

Villa’s form has been awful of late, and Emery is now in a precarious position. He must find the right balance, and perhaps that does not include Bogarde and Disasi playing together in a back three again.

It is essential that they get their form back ahed of a big run in, and starting those two defenders at centre-back with ach other might not be ideal in such a key time.

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By
Charlie Smith

Oct 3, 2025

VAR has been in the Premier League for more than five years now, and in recent times, the spotlight on referees has been greater than ever, with decisions made and checked by officials being analysed in the media on a regular basis.

The most high-profile referees are known as Select Group One officials. The 20 current full-time professionals, who report to Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb, meet for physical and technical training sessions while also analysing match videos.

Select Group One referees are also regularly reviewed by five members on an independent panel, which mostly consists of former players and managers. But who are the 20 Select Group One referees? We’ve taken a detailed look.

Every Premier League team's worst referee

Which referees are full of bad omens and shocking statistics? FFC breaks down each PL club’s least-wanted referee.

1 ByStephan Georgiou Oct 2, 2024 1 Stuart Attwell PL referee since: August 2008

Stuart Attwell, born in October 1982, has been a Premier League referee since 2008, although he was demoted to the Football League for more than two years in 2012.

Attwell was the first referee who announced a VAR decision inside an English stadium in 2025, and has previously officiated the Community Shield and EFL Cup final.

2 Peter Bankes PL referee since: August 2019

Peter Bankes began his refereeing career in the Football League back in 2014 and was promoted to the Premier League in 2019.

Born in May 1982, Bankes was promoted to a Select Group One official ahead of the 2019/20 season. Starting to make his name in the Premier League, he recently took control of the key clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 7, 2025 3 Sam Barrott PL referee since: October 2023

Sam Barrott has had a relatively quick rise to the Premier League, having been officiating at non-league level in 2020.

After a few years in the Football League, Barrott was promoted to the Premier League on a full-time basis in 2024 and was also added to FIFA’s list of international referees in December.

4 Darren Bond PL referee since: January 2023

After his first experience as an assistant referee in the Premier League, Darren Bond made his Premier League refereeing debut in 2023. Born in 1982, Bond isn’t allowed to officiate Wigan Athletic due to his support for the Latics.

He has taken charge of 10 top-flight matches this season to date, while he was also in the middle for Manchester City’s recent slender FA Cup victory over Leyton Orient.

5 Thomas Bramall PL referee since: August 2022

Previously a maths teacher, Thomas Bramall swapped the classroom for the pitch on a full-time basis.

Born in 1990, Bramall began as a national list referee in 2018 and was promoted to a Select Group One official in 2022. He has also taken charge of two J1 League games in Japan.

6 John Brooks PL referee since: December 2021

An insurance broker before becoming a full-time referee, John Brooks was an assistant referee in the Premier League at the age of 21.

It wasn’t until 2021 that Brooks officiated his first Premier League, and he was added to FIFA’s list of international referees in 2023.

The Leicestershire-based ref has seen more big games come his way in recent seasons, including Chelsea’s trips to Liverpool and Manchester City this season.

7 Darren England PL referee since: January 2020

Darren England has been a Premier League referee since 2020, five years after he was appointed in the Football League.

Born in 1985, England was the official on VAR duty for Luis Diaz’s infamous disallowed goal for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur in September 2023 that was wrongly ruled offside.

He also took charge of a Champions League qualifier earlier this season.

8 Jarred Gillett PL referee since: September 2021

Australian Jarred Gillett swapped the A-League for the EFL in 2019, and two years later, was appointed as a Premier League referee.

He’s also a FIFA-listed official and is just the second person outside the UK to referee a Premier League fixture.

Despite his Australian roots, his allegiances to Liverpool mean that he is barred from officiating either of the Merseyside clubs.

9 Tony Harrington PL referee since: December 2021

Tony Harrington had been a Football League referee for nine years prior to his promotion to the Premier League in 2021.

Since then, Harrington has taken charge of more than 30 top-flight fixtures and didn’t show his first red card in the Premier League until February 2024.

Interestingly, the three reds he has issued since came in successive matches this season, with Jack Stephens, Andy Robertson and Bruno Fernandes the recipients.

10 Simon Hooper PL referee since: August 2015

Experienced Premier League referee Simon Hooper has been a regular top-flight official since 2018.

Born in 1982, Hooper’s first Premier League game was in 2015, and he has now officiated more than 100 fixtures, while also being chosen for two League One play-off finals.

One of the more memorable moments of his career was perhaps being screamed at by Erling Haaland when was accused of stopping a promising Manchester City attack too early.

It wasn’t the prettiest of performances, but then David Moyes and any fan of an Everton persuasion won’t care a jot.

The Toffees extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to five matches with a 2-1 at Selhurst Park, springing above the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United and into 13th place, level with Oliver Glasner’s beaten Crystal Palace.

Sean Dyche’s Everton always produced resilient and determined displays, but something was missing. Now, Everton are playing with more freedom and belief, still rooted in their principles but flourishing under a manager who knows the club and knows it well.

He knew that Charly Alcaraz would be a shrewd signing, and the Argentinian has repaid the faith with the winning goal in south London.

Charly Alcaraz stakes his claim

Alcaraz signed on loan with an obligatory £13m buy option inserted at the end of the January transfer window and he’s started to impress with his cultured feet and combative mindset, claiming his first Everton goal on his first start against the Eagles.

It was a dreamy starting debut for the young buck, 22, who had a big task in replacing the suspended Abdoulaye Doucoure but passed with flying colours.

Not only was he instinctive in firing beyond Dean Henderson to seal the three points, but Alcaraz created three key passes throughout the evening, dynamic and eager.

Everton didn’t play all that well but they have unearthed that winning sense and are thriving under Moyes’ wing. The Scotsman is providing the players with a new lease of life.

Alcaraz was always going to work hard to impress at his new club, but a longer-serving Toffee’s showing shouldn’t go without credit, for he’s starting to look like a real asset.

Everton's real winner at Selhurst Park

The man in question is Jack Harrison, whose 2024/25 campaign has been a frustrating one, all told.

Harrison’s interminable wait for a goal or an assist – he’s yet to get off the mark across 25 games this term – goes on, but he’s beginning to look far more connected in his play.

The 28-year-old was praised by The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland for his “real shift” against Palace, while The Liverpool Echo handed him a 7/10 match rating that perhaps could have been even higher, for he showed plenty of ‘running and endeavour’ in the large and vacant boots of Iliman Ndiaye.

Minutes played

65′

90′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

55

42

Shots (on target)

2 (0)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

20/24 (83%)

12/17 (71%)

Key passes

1

1

Dribbles (completed)

6 (1)

5 (4)

Total duels (won)

16 (8)

13 (6)

It’s curious that Harrison has still failed to bag a goal or an assist but his overall level has been something to admire over the past week, forging a path back into the good books for himself.

Winning six duels in total, the versatile wideman completed four dribbles and won two more duels, looking complete and tenacious in his work. Moreover, he was even more eye-catching from a defensive standpoint during the thrilling draw with Liverpool, coming off the bench in the first half to replace the forced-off Ndiaye.

So then, the wait for that elusive direct goal involvement rages on. Still, Harrison has proved over the past few games that he is capable of providing effective support across the field.

This might just have been his best performance yet under Moyes, with a season-high four dribbles completed illustrating his effectiveness on the left flank, and an exciting turning point ahead of the business months, perhaps.

With Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil among the sidelined, it was important that the Blues put in a potent collective display, and Moyes is sure to be pleased with his players, Harrison and Alcaraz in particular.

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ByAngus Sinclair Feb 14, 2025

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and their pursuit of a new striker for manager Mikel Arteta, as the Premier League title chasers attempt to bring in a Kai Havertz alternative and replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal shortlist January striker targets for Arteta

Jesus will miss the remainder of 2024/2025 after rupturing his ACL, leaving Arteta with Havertz as his sole natural striking option.

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The north Londoners have a marquee option in mind.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Jan 22, 2025

Bukayo Saka’s hamstring problem has only weakened Arsenal’s attacking options further, with these two absences potentially threatening to seriously derail Arteta’s hopes of catching Liverpool at the top of the table.

As a result, Arsenal have entered the market for a new forward, as confirmed by the manager himself recently, with many interesting names believed to be on the club’s shortlist.

Wolves (away)

January 25

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 15

West Ham (home)

February 22

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26

A Gunners approach has been made to the representatives of Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, as per reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, with fellow Brazil international forward Matheus Cunha being targeted by Arsenal as well – amid his contract stalemate at Wolves.

As well as the South American duo, Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, Sporting Lisbon superstar Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig sensation Benjamin Sesko have all been linked with moves to north London in the last few weeks.

Arsenal failed with a proposal to sign Sesko from Leipzig in the summer, with the Slovenian instead signing a contract extension. However, the highly-rated centre-forward has a “gentleman’s agreement” with his current club that he can leave either this year or in 2026 (Fabrizio Romano).

According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, Arsenal are weighing up the possibility of a January deal for Sesko, amid their search for a prolific number nine.

There have been reports that Arsenal have held talks with Sesko’s entourage already, with Romano now providing his own update.

Arsenal have made January contact with RB Leipzig over Sesko

As per the reliable journalist, Arsenal have made some contact over signing Sesko in January. However, Romano’s update comes with a warning, as Leipzig are understandably not keen on losing their star striker mid-season.

“[One target is] Benjamin Sesko, because they had some contacts for Sesko in the last 10 to 15 days,” said Romano to GiveMeSport.

“But what I’m told is that RB Leipzig insist on their decision to keep the player at the club until the end of the season. So it’s not going to be easy. It will take something completely crazy in terms of financials to convince Leipzig in January.”

The 21-year-old has already scored 14 goals across all competitions, and is on course to better his 2023/2024 season. His new contract is also said to include a reported £63 million release clause, so if they were to agree terms with Sesko, Arsenal could bypass Leipzig in negotiations entirely.

Arsenal have reportedly offered two fringe members of their squad, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior, in talks to sign a top transfer target for manager Mikel Arteta – as they attempt to reduce the cost of a potential deal.

Mikel Arteta "clear" he wants to improve Arsenal squad in January

The Premier League title chasers took advantage of a slip-up from Liverpool earlier this week to make up some ground in pursuit of their first domestic league crown in over two decades, but injuries to key players threaten to seriously hamper them.

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Gabriel Jesus, who had scored six goals in his last seven games, was a man in serious form – but the Brazilian won’t be seen again for the rest of 2024/2025 after rupturing his ACL against Man United last weekend.

Arteta remains without star winger Bukayo Saka as well, who is expected to be sidelined until March after undergoing hamstring surgery. The goals and assists these two players bring are pivotal to Arsenal’s title hopes, but it is now up to interim sporting director Jason Ayto to find a solution to their absences.

Aston Villa (home)

Today

Wolves (away)

January 25

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 15

West Ham (home)

February 22

Ayto and the Gunners recruitment team are actively scouring the market for a new attacker to bolster Arteta’s squad, and the Spaniard says it is “clear” they need to bring another forward through the door before deadline day on February 3.

“Obviously we have more necessity now because of what happened in the last few weeks. That’s obvious,” said Arteta on January transfers.

“I think it’s more a question for Jason [Ayto]. I don’t know but I think we have to do what we think is right and what we can do as well. That’s it, and it’s clear that we’d like to improve the squad especially with what happened. Can we do it or not? It depends on a lot of factors.”

One potential incoming they’re believed to be making serious progress on is their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal offer Tomiyasu and Kiwior in talks to sign Martin Zubimendi

Arsenal are believed to be in advanced talks for Zubimendi, as they attempt to lure the Spaniard to N5 in a pre-ordered deal for this summer.

While the Euro 2024 winner’s contract at Sociedad includes a £51 million release clause, which other media sources state Arsenal plan to trigger (Fabrizio Romano), a new report claims that they’ve put two squad members on the table in an attempt to sign him at a cheaper rate.

According to a Spanish media report, Arsenal have offered Sociedad both Kiwior and Tomiyasu in talks for Zubimendi, as Arteta’s side plot a part-exchange bid.

Alongside both men, it is claimed that they’ve put £25 million on the table, and Arteta hopes that Sociedad will agree to taking half of Zubimendi’s release clause by including the two players in negotiations.

It is unclear what Sociedad’s stance is on this, but it’s certainly a very intriguing development. Zubimendi has been called the “perfect” midfielder for Arsenal, and it appears they’re really pushing the boat out to facilitate a move.

Manchester United’s defence of the FA Cup begins on Sunday afternoon with one of the hardest games they could have asked for, an away trip to Arsenal.

The Emirates Stadium plays host to the two most successful clubs in FA Cup history. United will be looking to right some wrongs against the Gunners, who recently beat them in the Premier League.

United’s impressive triumph in the 2023/24 edition of the FA Cup was the positive note in a poor season. They beat local rivals Manchester City 2-0 at Wembley, thanks to goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

Ahead of the defence of their crown, United’s team news for the trip to North London was announced in the days leading up to the game.

United’s team news vs. Arsenal

The big concern for Ruben Amorim and United is the fact that star man Amad Diallo may miss the game after picking up a small knock. The attacker, who just signed a new deal at Old Trafford, is not guaranteed to be fit but Amorim explained he is hopeful the Ivorian will be available.

There are a couple of confirmed absentees for United at the weekend. Two of those are defenders Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans, with Amorim confirming the centre-back pair will still not be fit in time.

England teammates Luke Shaw and Mason Mount are also set to miss the clash at the Emirates Stadium. The pair have both been out for several weeks, with Shaw’s last appearance coming against Everton on the 1st of December and Mount last featured away to Man City in the same month.

As for Marcus Rashford, who missed last weekend’s draw away to Liverpool at Anfield through illness, his future remains up in the air, with the Englishman not included for the trip to the Emirates.

With Rashford out of the squad yet again, it leaves Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee as the candidates to lead the line. The Dutchman could be a good option.

Why Zirkzee could start against Arsenal

Life at Old Trafford so far has not been easy for Zirkzee. He has shown brilliance at times and has never stopped working hard but has not been treated particularly well by fans.

He was booed off against Newcastle United in the Premier League in what was a poor moment from the supporters on the Old Trafford terraces.

With that being said, he has put in some really strong performances so far in that famous Red shirt. He has four goals and two assists in 28 games, with his best performance coming against Everton in a 4-0 win. That day, the 23-year-old managed to score twice in a fantastic display.

Zirkzee, who was a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich in 2020, won the Young Player of the Year award in Serie A last season for Bologna.

His stats on Sofascore show just how well he played, with the attacker scoring and assisting 15 times, creating 11 big chances and winning 4.1 duels per game. There is a reason football statistician Statman Dave described him as a “serious talent”.

Zirkzee stats in 2023/24 Serie A

Stat

Number

Goals and assists

15

Expected goals

9.01

Conversion rate

13%

Big chances created

11

Key passes per game

1.3

Dribbles completed per game

.51

Duels won per game

4.1

Stats from Sofascore

Interestingly, Arsenal wanted to sign the striker last summer before United snapped him up. According to Sky Sports, they were believed to be ‘keeping a close eye on developments’, but he eventually ended up at Old Trafford.

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Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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This afternoon, if he gets the start, Zirkzee could hurt Arsenal. He is an intelligent striker, who excels at dropping deep to link up play and create space for teammates.

He is not one to engage in a physical battle with William Saliba and Gabriel, which plays into United’s hands as he can bring teammates into the game if he drags them out of position.

Although United fans have perhaps yet to see the best of Zirkzee consistently, he has shown exactly what he can do at times. A trip to the Emirates Stadium in defence of their FA Cup trophy is an excellent place to put in another performance like he did against Everton, and hurt the club who wanted to sign him last summer.

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Posts 1 ByBen Browning Jan 10, 2025

Pushing bowlers to their limit while protecting Zak Crawley may prove a difficult balancing act

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Jun-20223:30

Giles: England favourites, but Leach will find it tough against India

In a small sample size, the third Test between England and New Zealand was perhaps the best example of the problem-solving, spirit and intent Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes want from their team.The reaction to being 55 for 6 in their first innings, the manner in which they picked off New Zealand to restrict them in the second innings, then chasing down 296 in 55 overs for the loss of just three wickets. For all the self-promotion from the players about how different things are going to be done in this era, their work across five days at Headingley said it best. Or so we thought. It turns out the most cavalier episode of an emphatic victory to seal an emphatic 3-0 series win was happening in the mind of Stokes.Speaking at Edgbaston on Thursday ahead of the series-completing fifth Test against India, Stokes revealed he deliberately under-bowled himself to challenge England’s attack of Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts, Jamie Overton and Jack Leach to test the limits of their excellence and get the job done themselves. It was most notable in the first innings, when Stokes did not even turn his arm over out of boredom as New Zealand scored 329 in 117.3 overs. He went on to send four overs down (0 for 30), in the second innings, finally bringing himself on 22 overs into the New Zealand second innings.Related

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Thoughts on the periphery were of an injury preventing him from bowling, which made sense given Stokes was ill in the build-up. But it transpires neither team-mates nor McCullum and the other coaches knew of his tactic. Eventually, he had to let the latter know what he was up to during the match before telling all to the players once victory was achieved.”I really wanted to push the bowlers as far as I possibly could,” Stokes said. “To make them realise what they can do.”For the first three days, I did,” he said, when asked if he kept this plan to himself. “I wasn’t going to mention that until the end of the Test match because I didn’t want it to get around everybody. But when Baz and Jon Lewis were saying ‘are you going to bowl?’ then, okay, I said ‘this is why I’m doing it.'”No doubt their reactions at the time were of confusion, indeed this might have been an exchange that confirmed to McCullum that Stokes has him covered for aggression, as he relayed after the Test. Some of the bowlers were less than enthused: Broad, who bowled 47 overs in the match, wasn’t particularly happy.”It’s funny, bowlers have your green zones, amber zones and red zones based on how much work you’ve done at the end of a Test. Broady said he’s created a new zone called the burgundy zone. But that Test match was bigger than the result, as I keep saying. I honestly believe bowling out the best team in the world with three seamers and a spinner has done everybody the world of good.”Matt Potts, 23 years of age, in his third Test match must have taken a lot of confidence knowing that he can back up spell, after spell, after spell, after spell. Broady, 36, nearly bowling 50 overs in the game, always looks threatening. Leachy bowling 70 overs [70.5] in the game on a wicket that’s not really known for spinners doing well.”You’ve got Broady completely at the other end to someone like Matty Potts’ career. But doing what they did that whole week was really pushing them to their limits and making them understand what they are capable of doing.”Ben Stokes and James Anderson have a laugh as they watch a training session•Getty ImagesIt has to be one of the more extreme calls from Stokes, bordering on the reckless. Of all the unwritten rules of Test cricket, bowler workload management is undoubtedly the most sensible. You only need to look at England’s own injury list, featuring Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Saqib Mahmood, Matt Fisher and Ollie Robinson to see the dangers of heaping too much on quick bowlers, particularly early on in their careers. Potts is clearly robust, but it will be interesting to see how he pulls up after four Tests in five weeks having come into the side off the back of 233.5 overs for Durham in the County Championship.For any accusations of a lack of duty of care aimed at Stokes, the treatment of Zak Crawley offers a counter. In a month when every player has earned some form of glory, the Kent opener has been walking around with a dark cloud above his head. An average of 14.50 from six innings has him visibly uncertain at the crease, and he has seemingly burned all the goodwill earned by an impressive 77 during the Sydney Test at the start of the year and then his second century (121) in March against West Indies.The conversation around Crawley has changed, from a batter just about to turn the corner and come into a sizeable run of form to one who is never going to be consistent but will eventually pay out big, like a slot machine. For a brief moment in his last innings, he looked to be hitting himself back into nick. Unfortunately on 25, he over-reached for a drive to a ball from offspinner Michael Bracewell that was not full enough, tamely guiding it into the hands of Kane Williamson at extra cover.Stokes’ unwavering support of Crawley is perhaps the only aspect of his tenure that has been poorly received among a section of supporters. From the start, the message has been this squad will be given a long time to perform in part because those selected, particularly in the batting, were regarded as the best in their positions. Crawley included.”You look back at the series against New Zealand and at the times that he has spent out the middle: he’s been very commanding and has such a huge presence at the crease,” Stokes said.”He hits the ball effortlessly hard. And he’s that close to a huge score. He got off to a flyer at Headingley: 20 to 25, it’s nothing to write home about and he’ll openly say that. But it’s the manner of how he’s played when he’s been at the crease which is a real exciting thing. And I’ve no doubt that he will continue to go out there and play like that, because he’s a real team player.”ESPNcricinfo LtdQuite how Crawley is coping with this period is anyone’s guess. It probably helps that he’s not on social media and thus can focus on the positivity from those that matter most. At the same time, there will be desperation to not look like a spare part in a team capturing the nation’s imagination. From the outside looking in, he seems the only one not having a good time.As it happens, this one-off Test with India will be his 25th cap for England, involving a presentation ceremony to mark the milestone. He will go in with an average of just 26.68, and seven scores of 50 or more, though one was 267 against Pakistan in 2020 which will no doubt occupy a lot of the focus in Friday’s morning speech. It will be a proud moment for Crawley and a polarising one further afield.Stokes, however, is only concerned with the former and appreciates that the last few weeks of dealing with Crawley as a person will give him the best chance of coming good again as a cricketer.”He’s still Zak,” Stokes said when asked of Crawley’s mood. “He is a very funny man. But you never really know how someone is really internally. So when things aren’t going so well for someone you’ve obviously got to do the right thing, if it is pumping his tyres up or whatever it is, but you can only say so many times that you’ve got the backing of us because it almost sounds like a broken record when you keep saying it.”But I’m going to say it again: he’s got the backing of myself, Brendon and everybody in the changing room. I’m giving everyone in this team the time to go out and perform and show the world what they’re all about as players.”It is a period of extremes for Stokes at present. The bigger picture is he is doing a lot right. England are winning again, players and fans are enjoying being a part of Test cricket in this country after nearly two years of apathy. India will test that resolve, as will South Africa later this summer.They will also test the robustness of Stokes’ balance. Pushing bowlers, and coddling Crawley, both are immediate-term plays from his captaincy sketchbook. Even with such a belligerent attitude to tactics and selection, maintaining that equilibrium is only going to get tougher.

Two-year deal with Cricket Ireland, inked earlier this month, terminated by mutual consent

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2022

“I still harbour ambitions of playing for New Zealand, and I underestimated how much I want to realise this dream until recent days”•Getty Images

Luke Georgeson, the former New Zealand Under-19 player who signed a two-year central contract with Cricket Ireland (CI) earlier this month, has now withdrawn from the full-time agreement and will no longer be in contention for an Ireland call-up.In a statement on Friday, CI said that the contract had been terminated “by mutual consent”. “Georgeson has informed Cricket Ireland that he will be withdrawing from the full-time contract after reconsidering his future playing options,” the statement said. “Georgeson, 23, will remain in Belfast and play for club side CSNI this summer, but will no longer be in contention for an Irish call-up.”Georgeson, who had turned out for New Zealand in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, had a contract with Wellington in New Zealand’s recent domestic season, but chose to commit his future to Ireland after spending last summer playing for Northern Knights in the inter-provincial set-up.”The basis of this decision is that I have come to a clearer understanding that I still harbour ambitions of playing for New Zealand, and I underestimated how much I want to realise this dream until recent days,” Georgeson said. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank Cricket Ireland for their effort and commitment to me over the past year. I have been overwhelmed by the understanding and support shown by all those who have been a part of this decision. It is not one that has been made easily, and I am truly grateful for the support I have been shown throughout.”This, however, will not conclude my involvement in Irish cricket. I am passionate about cricket in Ireland and the NCU [Northern Cricket Union], and I will endeavour to stay involved and make a difference wherever I can. I appreciate everyone’s understanding about this decision.”Andrew White, chair of the national men’s selectors, who revealed that Georgeson had met him as well as other members of the Ireland senior team management, said, “We are obviously disappointed that Luke will no longer be making himself available for Ireland – he is a talented player and was a firm part of our plans going forward.”An Irish passport-holder, Georgeson batted in the middle order for the Knights last year, but opened for Wellington throughout the New Zealand summer. The CI statement added, “Following consultation between Cricket Ireland and Northern Knights’ selectors, the Knights will shortly select a replacement member to join their core squad of 12 to replace Georgeson, which will be announced in due course.”

Pep Guardiola has done it all in the last eight years at Manchester City – be it breaking records or setting unprecedented standards in the Premier League – but that doesn’t mean he’s been without matches to forget in big games, from Tottenham Hotspur all the way to the Manchester derby.

Even as the momentum has swung entirely the way of the Citizens, Manchester United have managed to cause what now feel like upsets under various different managers attempting to replace Sir Alex Ferguson years after his departure.

A battered, beaten and down-trodden Manchester United have managed to throw things back to the good old days when Guardiola’s Manchester City side stood in front of them, and we’ve ranked the most shocking results over the last eight years ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first attempt to defeat the Spaniard as Red Devils boss this weekend.

7 Man Utd 1-0 Man City – League Cup 2016/17 Guardiola's first-season frustration

To prove that even the best need time to adjust to life in the Premier League, Guardiola struggled in his debut campaign at the Etihad compared to his incredibly high standards at least. Taking the then-champions to a third-place finish and 15 points adrift of eventual winners Chelsea, Guardiola saw his side humiliated against Everton at Goodison Park and felt his first taste of defeat in the Manchester derby, losing 1-0 in the League Cup.

In the Jose Mourinho vs Guardiola rivalry, it was the former who welcomed the Spaniard to his stomping ground of English football – a place he had long before made his mark. Squaring off in the round of 16 of the League Cup, it was Juan Mata’s goal in the 54th minute which proved to be the winner for the Red Devils to shock Manchester City.

6 Man City 1-2 Man Utd – Premier League 2019/20 Solskjaer crushes City's title hopes

One of Guardiola’s most frustrating seasons undoubtedly came in 2019/20, and Manchester United only compiled that misery. With Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the middle of one of the most dominant starts in Premier League history, dropping just two points in the first half of the campaign, City were struggling with the injury to Ruben Dias and paid the ultimate price as a result.

Manchester United weren’t exactly in an excellent position themselves, however, having eventually finished 33 points adrift of champions Liverpool to set up quite the battle up against the Citizens at the beginning of a torrid festive period.

The Red Devils raced into control from the off and didn’t look back, with Marcus Rashford’s penalty in the 23rd minute quickly followed by Anthony Martial’s effort just six minutes later to hand his side a 2-0 lead. Nicolas Otamendi’s goal to halve the deficit with seven minutes remaining threatened a comeback only to be nothing more than a consolation for a defeated Manchester City side.

5 Man Utd 2-1 Man City – Premier League 2022/23 United revel in late turnaround

It was almost like the United of old when they turned the game on its head to defeat Manchester City 2-1 in the 2022/23 campaign. In a season that eventually saw the Citizens lift yet another Premier League title under Guardiola, they once again failed to come unscathed against their local rivals. At the time, it looked to be a major moment in the title race too, as United moved within a point of City and then-leaders Arsenal remained five points clear.

The eventual champions thought they were on course for all three points when Jack Grealish converted Kevin de Bruyne’s cross on the hour mark, before four minutes to forget turned the game on its head. First came the controversial strike of Bruno Fernandes as City were left waiting for an offside flag which never came. Then, to send the Old Trafford faithful into raptures, Rashford slammed home Alejandro Garnacho’s cross to score the winning goal in the 82nd minute.

4 Man City 0-2 Man Utd – Premier League 2020/21 United end Guardiola's Covid winning run

As United shocked Guardiola once again, it was probably a good thing that fans were still not allowed in attendance across the Premier League amid the Covid-19 pandemic. With or without fans, however, the Etihad would have been silenced when Fernandes opened the scoring from the spot within just two minutes to instantly hand City a mountain to climb.

The second half didn’t start much better for the Citizens either. Having come out from the break ready to turn things around and extend their 15-game winning run, City were once again left shell-shocked. This time, it was unlikely goalscorer Luke Shaw at the centre of the scenes, wheeling away in celebration just five minutes into the second period to send United on their way to victory.

3 Man Utd 2-0 Man City – Premier League 2019/20 Red Devils complete first double since 2010

As if Manchester City’s December defeat wasn’t bad enough, they were on the wrong end of the Manchester derby for a second time in the 2019/20 campaign when they visited Old Trafford. The Red Devils took full advantage of a season to forget for the Citizens, completing their first league double over their rivals since the 2009/10 campaign.

For all of Ole Gunner Solskjaer’s downfalls, not many can argue that he had Guardiola’s number both in the 2019/20 campaign and in other moments to remember. Once again, Martial found himself on the scoresheet against the Citizens, scoring the opening goal on the half-hour mark courtesy of Bruno Fernandes’ assist.

The scenes that Old Trafford will remember most, however, is the aftermath of Scott McTominay’s goal to seal the three points and send United fans into delirium. The Scot was perfectly placed to receive Ederson’s poor clearance and sensationally lob the helpless Brazilian from range to secure victory and a league double over Guardiola in style.

2 Man City 2-3 Man Utd – Premier League 2017/18 Pogba stars in sensational comeback

Football’s a funny game, isn’t it? In the same year that Manchester City wrote their name forever into the history books as the Premier League’s first centurions, they still could not find a way to complete a double over rivals Manchester United. Even after taking a 2-0 lead and cruising courtesy of goals within five minutes from Vincent Kompany and Ilkay Gundogan, Guardiola was left scratching his head on the losing side come full-time.

Simply put though, it was the Paul Pogba show at the Etihad. The Frenchman dragged the Red Devils back into the game, volleying Ander Herrera’s chested pass into the back of the net to sweep home an excellent move in the 53rd minute. But he didn’t stop there. With the Red Devils’ tails up, Pogba found a second to equalise just moments later.

This time heading home on the end of Alexis Sanchez’s pinpoint cross in behind City’s backline, Pogba left the Etihad crowd shellshocked. Once again, however, United were not done there. Flipping the game on its head entirely, an unmarked Chris Smalling side-footed his effort beyond Ederson on the end of Sanchez’s set piece to seal a stunning comeback in the 69th minute. City became unstoppable centurions, but could not find a way past their rivals on that day.

1 Man City 1-2 Man Utd – FA Cup 2023/24 Carrington graduates spark FA Cup victory

In what has been a trend over the years, Manchester City squared off against rivals Manchester United as Premier League champions last season and in the FA Cup final, of all games. Many expected the Citizens to sweep past Erik ten Hag’s United side who had just endured the ultimate season to forget. With the Dutchman’s job still in question too, Wembley defeat would have likely ended his tenure.

As ever though, Guardiola was left shocked as City’s rivals denied his side a league and cup double to win another trophy under Ten Hag – a fact he was often quick to remind reporters of as the pressure mounted a few months ago.

It’s not Ten Hag who deserves all of the credit, however, for this was a game centred around United’s academy graduates, who stole the show to seal the silverware at Wembley. In nine minutes to savour, Garnacho first struck on the half-hour mark, before fellow graduate Kobbie Mainoo stole the show with a second.

Jeremy Doku’s late consolation caused some nerves, but champions City could not complete their comeback and were once again – and perhaps more so than ever – left shocked by an out-of-form Manchester United side.

Enzo Maresca has endured a fabulous start to life as Chelsea boss, exceeding all expectations and already transforming the Blues into serious top-four challengers in the Premier League.

After a £1.2bn investment into the first team from owner Todd Boehly, it should come as no surprise, but the Italian has created a settled side that could match any side in the division on their day.

Their recent result against Aston Villa is a signal of the rapid progress made in recent months, securing a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge after failing to win against the Villans at home in each of their last three matches.

Sunday’s result sees them sit level with second-placed Arsenal, losing just twice in the opening 13 matches, accumulating a total of 25 points, nine points off the summit.

The summer transfer window set the tone, with key additions and sales made to hand the 44-year-old with all the tools to be an immediate success in West London.

Chelsea’s transfer window in the summer of 2024

Winger Pedro Neto was the most notable incoming for the Blues, arriving in a £54m deal which seemingly came out of nowhere.

The Portuguese has already impressed at the Bridge after his big-money transfer, registering three goals and three assists in his opening 16 matches for the club – including a superb strike against Arsenal a few weeks ago.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall followed Maresca in arriving from Leicester City, but as of yet, the £30m signing is yet to prove any form of value for money, failing to start a single league meeting.

However, he has started in the Europa Conference League, scoring his first goal for the Blues in the 4-2 victory over Gent – helping them maintain their 100% record in Europe.

After such big-money additions, departures were always likely to balance the books, with academy graduate Conor Gallagher one of the players forced out of the door during the aforementioned window.

The England international departed in a £34m deal to join Spanish side Atlético Madrid, which saw attacker João Félix return to England on a permanent basis after his temporary stint back in 2022/23.

Gallagher has since made 11 appearances in LaLiga this season, becoming a key player for Simeone in their hunt to claim the league title over the likes of city rivals Real and Barcelona.

Despite his departure, the sale of one other player may come back to bite them down the line after his recent form elsewhere in England’s top flight.

Former Chelsea star is now like Cole Palmer

Winger Omari Hutchinson was sold during the summer, joining newly promoted Ipswich Town for a club-record £20m fee after a successful loan spell at Portman Road last season.

The attacker registered ten goals and five assists in the Championship during their impressive campaign, leading them back to the Premier League after a two-decade absence.

However, he’s already impressed since his move, producing some memorable displays, including his first top-flight goal in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United just a couple of weeks ago.

Hutchinson’s subsequent form has led to FBref categorising the 21-year-old as a similar player to Newcastle United star Anthony Gordon, who coincidentally was linked with a move to Chelsea in the summer, but a move never materialised after a £100m price tag was mooted.

The “dangerous” Englishman, as dubbed by former boss Graham Potter, has also produced some numbers that are on par or better than current Blues star Cole Palmer – showcasing that Maresca may have already offloaded the next version of the superstar.

The former Blues talent may have registered significantly lower combined goals and assists, but he’s been more accurate with his shots on goal, getting more of his efforts on target compared to Palmer and Gordon.

He’s also showcased his direct nature, completing more take-ons per 90, whilst also achieving a higher success rate, with his ball-carrying skills potentially adding a different dimension to Maresca’s side had they kept hold of the youngster.

Games played

12

12

13

Goals & assists

2

3

14

Shot-on-target accuracy

39%

38%

36%

Pass accuracy

76%

71%

74%

Tackles won in the final third

0.3

0.1

0.1

Take-ons completed

2.2

1.2

1.1

Take-on success rate

41%

33%

37%

Hutchinson still has a long way to go before he reaches the levels of the aforementioned stars, but his early figures in the Premier League are evidence that he has all the tools to become a potential elite-level attacker.

His Palmer-esque qualities, picking up space in the pockets and creating from central areas would have made him perfect for Maresca. Perhaps they may regret this sale in due course.

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