Crystal Palace have agreed a deal to sign another "elite" new player for Oliver Glasner, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Crystal Palace transfer rumours
The Eagles recorded their first win of the season in the week over Championship outfit Norwich City in the Carabao Cup. However, after the victory, Glasner refused to be drawn on transfer speculation.
Imagine him & Lacroix: Crystal Palace to make late bid for Guehi successor
The Eagles are looking to add to their defensive department before Friday’s deadline.
ByEthan Lamb Aug 28, 2024
“I turn 50 tomorrow and I think I have one free wish, and my wish would be that I don’t have to answer questions about the transfer window, so you can decide if you give me a gift or not.
“Today I pushed everything away from me, and all the players who played the game, they deserved 100 per cent Oliver Glasner and not thinking about the transfer window, not thinking about different players.
“They needed the support before and during the game from all of us so I think it would be terrible from my side if I focused on other players, because they had to win the game.
“They did it fantastically, especially how we scored the goals. It’s almost (midnight), I don’t think about the transfer window, and I hope tomorrow when we meet for training I hope we get some good news.”
It does look as if there will be some more incomings and outgoings at Selhurst Park before the deadline, though, with Eddie Nketiah on course to join from Arsenal and Sam Johnstone joining Wolves.
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah
Nketiah is set to cost Palace an initial £25m plus a further £5m in add-ons, and by the looks of things, he’ll soon be joined by a defender.
Crystal Palace agree Maxence Lacroix deal
According to Romano, Palace have also agreed a deal with Wolfsburg to sign centre-back Maxence Lacroix.
The Athletic have provided more details, saying a transfer will be worth an initial €18m (£15.2m) for the 24-year-old, with a potential €3m (£2.5m) due in add-ons.
Romano added on Thursday morning: "Maxence Lacroix to Crystal Palace, story confirmed and here we go! All documents are approved by #CPFC and Wolfsburg, fee around £18m. He’s always been the #1 target for Glasner to replace Andersen. Medical in London in the next 24h."
Personal terms are seemingly agreed with the Frenchman, who could come in and provide a much-needed option at the back after Joachim Andersen’s move to Fulham and Marc Guehi still being linked with a move to Newcastle.
Stats (per 90 mins)
Lacroix
Guehi
Passes Attempted
46.9
50.6
Pass Completion %
84.7%
86.9%
Progressive Passes
3.02
2.98
Progressive Carries
0.19
0.67
Tackles
1.83
1.24
Blocks
1.34
0.98
Interceptions
0.91
0.72
Aerials Won
2.44
1.29
Lacroix, called an "elite defender" by journalist Tobias Kröger has been with Wolfsburg since 2020 after leaving FC Sochaux and has made 130 appearances for the Bundesliga side, scoring seven goals in the process.
It now looks as if a move to England with Palace could go through before the deadline, providing there isn't a late hitch over the next 24 hours or so.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot came to Andy Robertson's defence after the full-back picked an early red card against Fulham.
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Slot defended RobertsonWas sent off in the 17th minuteLiverpool held to a 2-2 draw by FulhamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Scottish left-back received a lot of criticism from Liverpool fans after he picked up a red card in the 17th of the match against Fulham on Saturday at Anfield. Robertson tried to intercept a long ball from Andreas Pereira for Harry Wilson. He did succeed at first but a poor first touch almost allowed Wilson to regain possession, however, the Reds star caught the winger on his knee with a nasty challenge which led to his sending off.
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Going down to 10 men early in the game had a big impact on the result as the Reds were held to a 2-2 draw. Unlike the fans, Slot defended Robertson and claimed that the defender, along with the entire team, showed a lot of character to pick up a point from the fixture.
WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID
Speaking to reporters in his post-match press conference, the Dutch coach said: "I think what the team showed today, the character they showed, that's also what Robbo showed. Sometimes if you get a kick like this, two studs on a knee, that can hurt for a few minutes. Then, if you just keep on running, it gets better and better and that's what we were hoping for.
"Not least because I only had one defender on the bench, who was not a left full-back as well. So, we were hoping he was managing to come through it and I think he did quite well, but the moment I noticed he wasn't completely himself was the one time they put the ball in behind and he started running."
He added: "He was just able to head it back to Ali [Alisson Becker], but I thought, 'OK, let's see how this continues' and I think it was quite quickly afterwards where he conceded the red card. Nothing to blame on him, [it was] character that he wanted to continue because he got quite a hard knock on his knee with two studs. Unfortunately, it led to a red card that was a deserved red card."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
The Merseyside club will be next seen in action on Wednesday as they take on Southampton in a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash away from home.
Only 13 overs possible on final day but Glamorgan batter impresses
ECB Reporters Network16-May-2021Glamorgan 149 (Brook 3-13, Patterson 3-27) and 164 for 4 (Carlson 88*, Lloyd 40) drew with Yorkshire 230 (Root 99, Patterson 47*, Neser 5-39) Persistent rain prevented a positive result in the LV=Insurance County Championship match between Glamorgan and Yorkshire in Cardiff with only 13 overs possible on the final day, but there was enough time for Kiran Carlson to continue his impressive season with his sixth fifty-plus score of this campaign.The match was set up for an exciting finish at the close of day three with Glamorgan 27 runs in front with seven first innings wickets in hand. The weather meant that the players only made it into the middle at 4:15pm and Glamorgan successfully saw out a tricky session to secure the draw.It was a frustrating experience in the hours before they started with the sun shining just long enough for some hope to emerge only for the rain to reappear to send the groundsmen back to their hut.A brilliant 99 from England captain Joe Root on day three had given Yorkshire hope of pushing for a win but first rain and then Carlson prevented that from happening. Carlson finished the day on 88 not out with Glamorgan 164 for 4.When play did get started Yorkshire were convinced they had David Lloyd caught in the slips in the first over but it was off his thigh pad rather than his bat. As it was, they had Lloyd without adding to his overnight score when he was trapped lbw by Ben Coad. That was the only wicket to fall before the players shook hands.Carlson has been Glamorgan’s most consistent batsman in this Championship campaign, and his runs meant that any chances of a Yorkshire win evaporated. Such was Carlson’s brilliance, had Glamorgan had more time, they might even have set up a victory chance of their own. Carlson now has four fifties and two hundreds this season as his potential has begun to be realised.The draw gives Yorkshire 12 points, sending them to the top of Group 3 of the Championship, five points ahead of Lancashire who did not play in this round of matches.
Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they prepare to take on Hearts at Parkhead in their fifth match of the season.
The Hoops have enjoyed a perfect start to the 2024/25 campaign in the top-flight, winning all four of their games without conceding a single goal.
Brendan Rodgers’ side secured a convincing 3-0 win over local rivals Rangers in the first Old Firm clash of the season last time out, before the international break.
Despite the impressive and comfortable victory at Paradise, Reo Hatate is one player who could be ruthlessly ditched from the starting XI for this clash with Steven Naismith’s side.
Reo Hatate's performance against Rangers
The Japan international was selected to start in the middle of the park alongside Callum McGregor and Paulo Bernardo and did not enjoy his best afternoon.
Out of possession, Hatate left a lot to be desired from his defensive work. The central midfielder lost three of his five duels on the ground and his only aerial contest, which shows that the opposition got the better of him more often than not.
Despite having 60 touches of the ball in a dominant win for Celtic, the 26-year-old whiz only created one chance for his teammates in 77 minutes on the pitch.
The Japanese ace also had a glorious chance to get himself on the scoresheet when the ball came to him, unmarked, at the back post in the first half but he blazed his shot well wide of the target, which represented a ‘big chance’ missed.
Luke McCowan, who joined from Dundee on deadline day, came on for Hatate for the final 13 minutes to make his debut against Rangers and should now be brought into the starting XI.
Why Luke McCowan should start
The Scottish maestro should be unleashed from the start after the Japan international struggled in the 3-0 win over Rangers, as he is a proven Premiership performer who should be ready to play straight away.
He does not need time to settle in and adapt to the league or country, due to his time with Dundee, and his performances over the last 13 months or so suggest that the midfielder could make an instant impact.
McCowan started this season with a return of two goals and one assist in three league matches before Celtic swooped in to sign him on a permanent deal.
Appearances
37
Goals
10
Assists
5
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.6
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed attacking midfielder also enjoyed a superb 2023/24 campaign for Dundee, with 15 direct goal contributions from a midfield position.
The 26-year-old wizard, who was described as a “game winner” by Marvin Bartley last month, has proven that he can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Premiership.
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This means that Rodgers should be able to rely upon him to come in and slot straight into the side as an excellent option to call upon, which is why he should get the nod after Hatate’s struggles last time out.
The former Barcelona youngster's treble ensured Chelsea made it six wins from six in the Conference League
Marc Guiu's hat-trick helped Chelsea dispatch a spirited Shamrock Rovers side 5-1 to finish top in the Conference League group stage.
The 18-year-old striker capitalised on a calamitous defensive mix-up between Darragh Burns and Leon Pohls to make it 1-0 in the 22nd minute.
Markus Poom then sent the 3,000-strong away support into dreamland when his shot deflected off Cesare Casadei four minutes later to level proceedings.
Another defensive howler was pounced upon by Guiu in the 34th minute, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gave them breathing space with a composed finish five minutes before half-time.
And then the teenager grabbed his third as he guided in Noni Madueke's teasing cross in first-half stoppage time. Marc Cucurella finished off a slick passing move just before the hour mark to make it 5-1 for his second goal in as many games. The Blues had already qualified for the last 16 of the competition but this win kept them perfect on Thursday night.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defence
Filip Jorgensen (7/10):
Made a good full-stretch save to deny the in-form Johnny Kenny in the first half but he could do nothing for Rovers' goal.
Josh Acheampong (8/10):
Chelsea have an exciting full-back talent in the 18-year-old. He got forward well and did his defensive duties competently.
Axel Disasi (6/10):
Was caught out of position on a couple of occasions but wasn't particularly troubled on an easy night for the Chelsea defence.
Renato Veiga (7/10):
The versatile Portuguese was deployed in the heart of Chelsea's defence and put in a neat and tidy display.
Marc Cucurella (8/10):
Another impressive performance from the Spaniard, who is turning into a fan favourite after a difficult start at Stamford Bridge. Took his goal like a striker, too.
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Cesare Casadei (7/10):
Helped Chelsea's midfield tick along nicely on a rare start for the Italian. Was unlucky for Shamrock's goal.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (7/10):
Was solid if unspectacular but followed up well for his goal. But again, needs to do more to get Premier League minutes.
Christopher Nkunku (6/10):
Played behind Guiu and was in his shadow during the game. The Frenchman was quite quiet on a night he should have cashed in.
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Noni Madueke (8/10):
Tormented the away team's defence throughout his time on the pitch and wonderfully set up Guiu for his hat-trick.
Marc Guiu (10/10):
The 18-year-old's excellent work rate paved the way for his opening two goals and he took his third like an experienced professional. A brilliant night for the youngster.
Tyrique George (8/10):
A real livewire down the left as the rangy and pacey winger troubled Rovers with his pace and elusiveness.
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AFPSubs & Manager
Harrison Murray-Campbell (7/10):
The young centre-back look calm and collected when he came on for Disasi.
Harvey Vale (7/10):
Got forward with glee and put some decent crosses into the box.
Joao Felix (7/10):
Snatched at a shot just after he came on when in a great position. However, he showed off a lot of his tricks and flicks in an exciting cameo.
Samuel Rak-Sakyi (N/A):
Too little time to make an impact.
Enzo Maresca (8/10):
Rang the changes again but it seems whatever side he plays at present, they turn up and deliver. The Italian, who gave a lot of youngsters some valuable game time, is doing an excellent job in the Chelsea dugout.
With tougher tests ahead – Pakistan are up next – England will likely take the opportunity to test out fringe players
Madushka Balasuriya03-Jul-2021Big PictureIt’s hard to remember a time when Sri Lanka went into a match with so little expected of them (well apart from the previous two games of course). This, even in the likely event of considerable rotation on the part of their opponents. The discourse back home is hardly helping; every misstep, every bad result now seemingly leading to a cascade of ridicule by the public and former players alike. The need for fearless cricket might have been captain Kusal Perera’s clarion call, but that is proving to be much easier said than done.The challenge for Sri Lanka and its coaching staff is eking out whatever positives, and tuning out the rest. In the last game, Dhananjaya de Silva’s impactful return to the side paired with Dasun Shanaka – once a player touted by former coach Chandika Hathurusingha as being a potential long-term No. 5 – hitting form was promising. These two, along with the increasingly reliable Wanindu Hasaranga, might even look like a workable middle order.The bowling unit, too, is a hard-working one and Hasaranga and the excellent Dushmantha Chameera give it wicket-taking threat.Where concern is rife is in the top order, which once again struggled against the moving ball. All of the top three were out either lbw or bowled – not a good look for an international cricket team – while the rest failed to negotiate the shorter stuff – again, not good.Wanindu Hasaranga continues to be a bright spot for a beleaguered Sri Lankan outfit•Getty ImagesBut you have to imagine these are eminently fixable technical issues. Just that they kinda need to be fixed right now.For England, the series has gone as well as they could have imagined. The batting stalwarts have come into runs, the bowlers have been impressive, and right throughout the intensity levels have scarcely dropped.Joe Root in particular has been imperious, ever ready to snuff out even faint specks of hope that may have cropped up for Sri Lanka in the first two games. Then there’s been the England seamers, Chris Woakes and David Willey in the first game, then Sam Curran and Willey in the second, who have offered the Sri Lankan batters little to no respite.But with tougher tests ahead – Pakistan are up next in England’s calendar – this will very likely be an opportunity to test out fringe players.While Bristol hasn’t been the happiest of ODI hunting grounds for England (six wins, five losses), the way the rest of the series has gone it’s hard to imagine anything but a home win, especially with Super League points on the line.It’s been smooth sailing for England in this series•AFP/Getty ImagesForm GuideEngland WWLWL Sri Lanka LLWLL In the spotlightAvishka Fernando was a surprise inclusion in the last game after he had seemingly been ruled out of the tour with a torn quadricep. While he failed to make an impact on his return, it’s hard to forget the excitement that surrounded the youngster following his debut in 2019 and subsequent coming out to the wider cricketing fraternity at that year’s World Cup, where he impressed with cameos against England and South Africa before notching his maiden ODI ton against West Indies. He carried that form through to 2020, but an injury left him sidelined until this England tour. With Sri Lanka’s top order misfiring, Fernando rekindling the form that painted him out as a future star will go a long way towards helping his side not leave the tour empty handed.Chris Woakes has been in rare form this series•Getty ImagesChris Woakes’ 4 for 18 in the first ODI took out the spine of the Sri Lankan batting, but in line with England’s workload management policy, he was promptly rested in the second game. With five days off, Woakes will be raring to go again and keen to keep himself at the forefront of the selectors’ thoughts. On a ground where the average score hovers around 240, Woakes’ lower-order batting could also come in handy.Pitch and conditionsThe Bristol surface usually has something in it for both the batters and the bowlers, but with rain very much on the cards it’s quite likely the game won’t see its full allotment of overs.Team newsWith the series wrapped up, England’s attention will likely turn to the fringe players. Tom Banton, who was called up for the injured David Malan, Liam Livingstone and Liam Dawson are probably all in with a shout of making the XI while there could also be a debut for the Sussex left-arm seamer George Garton.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Joe Root/Tom Banton, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Sam Billings/Liam Livingstone, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 David Willey, 10 Adil Rashid/Liam Dawson, 11 Mark Wood/George GartonThe Sri Lankan team management has gone on the record stating their desire to get players used to certain roles within the side. As such it’s unlikely there’ll be too many changes, if any, to the batting line-up from the last game. On the bowling front, it could go either way; with overcast conditions expected they may choose to stick with a four-pronged seam attack, but with Bristol known to help spinners on occasion, there could be spot open for one of Lakshan Sandakan or Praveen Jayawickrama.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Perera (capt, wk), 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Avishka Fernando 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Binura Fernando, 10 Dushmantha Chameera 11 Asitha Fernando/Lakshan SandakanStats and trivia With their defeat on Thursday, Sri Lanka have now lost 428 ODIs, surpassing India for the most ODI losses in world cricket Joe Root’s 187 runs across four innings is the most by an English batter at the Bristol County Ground Of the five ODIs Sri Lanka have played in Bristol, only one has been against England – that game was abandoned due to rain
Manchester United are reportedly inviting offers for out-of-favour winger Antony, with clubs in Greece and Spain said to be interested.
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Antony been a big Man Utd flopUnited try to offload £86m signingTeams in Greece & Spain interestedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth, teams from La Liga and the Greek Super League have made contact with United about a loan for Antony. He adds the Red Devils will also consider offers for the winger.
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Antony may prove to be one of United's worst-ever signings at £86 million ($107m). The Red Devils are keen to cut ties with the Brazilian but they will likely have to take a big loss on their 2022 purchase.
DID YOU KNOW?
Former Ajax star Antony has scored just 12 goals and bagged five assists in 94 appearances for United to date. He is yet to make a start in the Premier League this season.
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Amid all this transfer speculation, Antony will hope to get game time for United this weekend when they travel to Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup.
Despite Everton struggling under Sean Dyche at the moment, is it as bad as when Frank Lampard was in charge?
Yes, the Toffees have lost all four of their Premier League games, but with a bit more ruthlessness, they may have won at least two, letting slip two-goal advantages over both Bournemouth and Aston Villa recently.
The signs are there, even if the points total doesn’t prove it, but Dyche will be determined to claim that first league win of the season sooner rather than later.
Under Lampard, things were totally different as the former Chelsea midfielder couldn’t get a tune out of his team throughout a torrid 12-month spell in charge between January 2022 and January 2023.
Frank Lampard’s Everton statistics
Following Rafa Benitez’s sacking, Lampard was appointed midway through the 2021/22 campaign.
The club had struggled throughout the opening half of the campaign under the former Liverpool manager, indicating the need for change. Lampard had been out of work since leaving Chelsea a year prior.
Chelsea managerFrankLampard
Still in the embryonic stages of his managerial career, it looked like a progressive appointment by the Merseyside club, one that could see them return to the top half of the table.
A 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace during the dying embers of the season saved Everton from relegation, giving Lampard a clean slate during that summer to build a side capable of avoiding another relegation scrap.
It wasn’t to be. Across the opening 21 Premier League matches of the 2022/23 season, Everton won only three times, making Lampard’s position untenable.
It was no surprise when he was sacked on January 23 following this dismal run, replaced by Dyche, who managed to keep Everton in the top flight with yet another escape act.
Despite the former England international clearly struggling to get the club to tick during his 12-month spell in charge, he did make some excellent signings during his one summer transfer window in charge.
Amadou Onana
Lille
€39.87m
Dwight McNeil
Burnley
€17.00m
Neal Maupay
Brighton
€11.80m
James Garner
Manchester United
€10.40m
Idrissa Gueye
PSG
€4.00m
James Tarkowski
Burnley
Free transfer
Ruben Vingare
Sporting Club
Loan move
Conor Coady
Wolves
Loan move
Indeed, the likes of Amadou Onana, Dwight McNeil, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye joined the Toffees ahead of the 2022/23 season.
One of his finest signings, however, was one in which the club didn’t need to pay a single penny, as James Tarkowski arrived on a free transfer following the expiration of his Burnley contract.
everton-james-tarkowski-premier-league
Considering he had plenty of Premier League experience, the move has turned out fairly well for both player and club, while his market value proves the Toffees hit gold on the defender.
James Tarkowski’s statistics at Everton
“The statistics show that James has consistently been one of the Premier League’s most reliable defenders in recent years,” said Kevin Thelwell, Everton’s director of football, upon Tarkowski’s arrival on Merseyside.“Added to his playing attributes, his excellent leadership skills and experience will be a huge benefit, too.”
During his debut campaign, the former Burnley titan played in every single league match for his new club, becoming the first-choice centre-back for both Lampard and then Dyche when he took over.
Despite the team enduring a poor season, Tarkowski ranked third among his teammates for accurate passes (34.6), second for accurate long balls (3.2), first for clearances (5.2) and third for interceptions (1.3) per game, underlining his importance to the team.
Last season saw the defender improve further, ranking second for accurate passes (31.2), first for accurate long balls (4.2), interceptions (1.5) and clearances (4.9) per game, proving that he was their finest defender.
The £100k-per-week star has played every minute of the club’s league matches this season so far. While the Toffees have conceded 13 goals, Tarkowski has won 59% of his total duels per game, along with recovering four balls per game and making 1.8 tackles each match.
While Dyche’s men have failed to ignite on the pitch, keeping Tarkowski fit and healthy could be crucial for their survival hopes, no doubt about that.
His valuation has also risen during his spell at the club since joining back in 2022, proving Lampard did well by signing him in the first place.
James Tarkowski’s market valuation at Everton
While his current valuation may not be as high as what it was when he was leading Burnley in the Premier League, he is currently worth £17m according to Football Transfers’ expected transfer value (xTV) model.
This value may still rise if he continues to deliver solid performances on the field, evidenced by his statistics over the previous 12 months.
When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Tarkowski currently ranks in the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (2.21), while also ranking in the top 1% for blocks (2.16), the top 5% for aerials won (3.71) and the top 15% for clearances (4.95) per 90 according to FBref.
These statistics clearly prove just how good the defender has been when comparing him to his peers and Dyche will be praying he can maintain this type of form during the current season.
Following a win over Liverpool at the tail end of last season, Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas heaped praise on the defender, saying: “Absolute monstrous performance from James Tarkowski last night in the derby. How is he not in the England mix?”
Despite his standing as one of the most dependable centre-backs in the Premier League over the previous few years, Tarkowski has won just two caps for England and was never really in the conversation for a place at the Euros, as his partner in crime, Jarrad Branthwaite, was.
He now hasn’t been in the England squad since 2019 and Dyche will arguably be hoping that this stays the same way, as although the defender may be deserving of another chance for the national team, keeping Everton in the top flight is perhaps his main priority at this very moment in time.
Fewer touches than Pickford: Dyche must drop 5/10 Everton problem
Waite contributes with bat and ball after fifties to Tattersall, Hill and Ballance set Yorkshire up
ECB Reporters Network03-Aug-2021Matthew Waite smashed 42 unbeaten off 16 balls and claimed two new-ball wickets as Yorkshire secured a high-scoring Royal London Cup win over Warwickshire at York.The Vikings slipped to 0 for 2 after four balls of Clifton Park’s first List A fixture before recovering to 320 for 7 as Waite took the lion’s share of 32 from the final over of the innings.Similarly paced half-centuries from captain Gary Ballance, George Hill and Jonny Tattersall, the latter on his club ground, were equally important.The Bears then recovered from 134 for 5 in the 30th over as youngsters Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley hit quick-fire scores of 66 and 61 and shared 115 before being bowled out for 281 inside 48 overs – defeated by 39 runs.Yorkshire secured their second Group B win in five matches to keep alive their knockout hopes, while Warwickshire lost for the third time in five.Ballance made 54 off 71 balls on an excellent pitch having lost Yorkshire’s fifth successive toss, Hill 64 off 65 and Tattersall 70 off 67. But their standout innings came from Waite, who crashed four sixes and three fours in front of a 3,000 strong crowd. Three of those fours and three sixes came off Ethan Brookes in the final over, which started with a no ball.The Vikings had been plunged into early trouble as impressive George Garrett had Will Fraine caught behind with the first ball of the match before Will Luxton top-edged a pull to mid-off.Ballance shared 89 for the third wicket with opener Harry Duke, who contributed 42. Hill and Tattersall later advanced from 114 for 4 in the 24th over with a 110-run partnership to set the platform for late fireworks. Tattersall’s was his first Yorkshire fifty of the summer.Warwickshire were hurt by a hamstring injury for Garrett, limiting him to seven overs and 2 for 24.Waite then continued his excellent day by getting openers Rob Yates and Ed Pollock inside 10 overs of Warwickshire’s chase – 49 for 2. Yates miscued a pull to mid-off and Pollock uppercut the final ball of the 10th to third, having just hit successive sixes to leg.Warwickshire’s captain and keeper, Will Rhodes and Michael Burgess, shared a steadying 62 for the third wicket. However, they both fell in a damaging loss of three wickets for 23 as the score slipped to 134 for 5 in the 30th – Rhodes run out for 37 and Burgess bowled by Hill for 33.But Yorkshire’s dominance at that stage was eroded significantly by 17-year-old Bethell and Burgess, 20, as the sixth-wicket pair shared 115 in 12 overs – a Bears record in List A cricket versus the White Rose. Bethell reached his swashbuckling maiden List A fifty off only 27 balls and went on to hit four sixes. And when he miscued Duanne Olivier to cover, the game was back in the balance at 249 for 6 in the 42nd.Despite Mousley passing 50 and remaining unbeaten, Yorkshire were able to squeeze and hold their nerve. Hill finished with a career-best 3 for 47, added to 3 for 30 from miserly Ben Coad.
“I’ve not really been practicing them, just been messing about after training and stuff,” were the words of Cole Palmer after he casually scored four goals against Brighton, including one stunning free-kick.
Oh how good it was. The Chelsea star is a phenomenon and one who seemingly takes no notice of just how good he is.
You don’t practise free-kicks, Cole? Rubbish. That was right out of the top drawer. It was right out of the locker of someone who stays behind after training and sinks free-kick after free-kick right into the top bins.
He’s hilarious really. Palmer gives off this persona that’s actually quite refreshing in the modern day. It’s not robotic, it’s not a load of media trained garbage. It’s just Cole being Cole.
Last season he was only second to Erling Haaland in the Premier League’s scoring charts and he’s attempting to give the Norwegian another run of his money this season.
In six league outings, he already has half a dozen goals and you can bet he’ll score plenty more between now and the end of the campaign.
Cole Palmer's performance vs Brighton in numbers
Seven shots, four goals. That’s all that matters, right? This was a clinic in how to find the net from the Englishman who put in a performance that shocked the rest of the country.
We shouldn’t be surprised by his performance levels anymore but this was ludicrous stuff as the Chelsea star helped Enzo Maresca’s side on their way to another victory.
Slowly but surely, this Blues side are now starting to find their groove and they look like a very difficult team to stop.
Maresca’s men are the division’s top scorers with 15 goals and are now cementing themselves as real contenders to seal a top four berth come the end of the campaign. Given the mess that the Italian inherited, not many had them there at the start of the season.
But, truth be told, they have an amazing squad. They have amazing depth and to be quite frank, they should be one of the highest scorers in the Premier League.
Minutes played
90
Goals
4
Expected goals (xG)
2.41
Touches
46
Accurate passes
17/25 (68%)
Key passes
4
Crosses
1/4
Long balls
6/7
Shots on target
5
Shots off target
2
Duels won
3/5
Tackles
1
With Palmer in tow, they are showing that. The way he took all of his goals was remarkable. The free-kick was the pick of the bunch.
He cooly tucked away his first which was laid on a plate by Nicolas Jackson before firing home a penalty for the second. The third was ridiculous. A free-kick from range had power, it had dip and it had curl to take it away from Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton net.
His fourth was taken excellently too, running onto a Jadon Sancho ball inside the area before firing home at the near post. Is there anything this man cannot do? Seemingly not.
Chelsea have signed plenty of players over the last few years but he is undoubtedly the very best. Scarily, they could have another Palmer on the way.
Chelsea's next Cole Palmer
Does the name Kendry Paez ring any bells? If you’re of a Chelsea persuasion it should do.
Back in June 2023 it was confirmed that the Blues had reached an agreement with Independiente del Valle to sign a 16-year-old Paez for a fee in the region of £17.2m.
He cannot legally move to Stamford Bridge before he turns 18 so it won’t be before 2025 that we see him in Chelsea colours.
That said, he’s already begun to make quite the stir back in his homeland of Ecuador, scoring seven goals and supplying five assists as a teenager throughout the domestic 2024 season to date.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
The “insane” talent – as described by content creator Alex Goldberg – has already played for his nation too, earning 15 caps at such a tender age in which he’s found the net twice.
This is a special talent and one who possesses Palmer-like qualities. An attacking midfielder by trade, the 17-year-old can also play on the right-hand side. Crucially, like Chelsea’s current main man, he’s also left footed.
A further look at the numbers will tell you just how good this young kid is. He ranks within the top 1% of positionally similar players in leagues similar to the top-flight of Ecuadorian football for assists per 90 minutes (0.37), as well as sitting in the top 3% for progressive carries per 90 (3.34) and the best 6% for succesful take-ons per 90 (1.48).
If we compare those numbers to Palmer, the England international makes 3.74 progressive carries and completes 1.60 take-ons. So, in that regard they’re pretty similar. When it comes to chance creation, Palmer registers 0.45 assists per 90, so again they’re quite close in that category too.
A dazzling dribbler capable of magical moments, including the goal below, it’s terrifying to think that Chelsea have another Palmer-esque talent on their way to the Bridge.
The Blues have focused their efforts on recruiting the very best young players around and in talents like Paez and Estevao Willian there is no sign of Maresca’s squad getting any worse.
Chelsea's 8/10 star was just as unplayable as Palmer vs Brighton