Chelsea Stumble, Newcastle Soar in Premier League Clash

Chelsea Stumble, Newcastle Soar in Premier League Clash

Chelsea’s inconsistent start to the season continued with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, while Newcastle United secured a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, despite a significant summer overhaul, have managed only one win in their first three league matches. After a disappointing loss to Manchester City in the opening weekend, Chelsea bounced back with a 6-2 triumph at Wolves. However, their UEFA Conference League campaign began with a 2-1 defeat to Servette on Thursday.

Despite the inconsistent results, Maresca remains confident in his team’s progress. The arrival of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United was the final piece in Chelsea’s summer rebuild, and the winger was introduced to the crowd before the Palace match.

Chelsea took the lead in the 25th minute when Nicolas Jackson converted a pass from Cole Palmer. However, Palace refused to be disheartened and equalized in the 53rd minute through a superb curling finish from Eberechi Eze.

At St James’ Park, Newcastle took the lead in spectacular fashion when Harvey Barnes unleashed a sublime volley into the far corner. Tottenham equalized through an own goal by Dan Burn, but Newcastle regained the lead in the 78th minute when Alexander Isak tapped in a pass from Joelinton.

Newcastle’s second win in three league games condemned Tottenham to their first defeat of the season. The north London derby against Arsenal awaits Tottenham after the international break.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will travel to Old Trafford for a highly anticipated clash with Manchester United on Sunday. Reds boss Arne Slot will experience his first taste of the bitter rivalry with United, while Erik ten Hag faces pressure after United’s defeat at Brighton last weekend.

Michael Olise Earns French National Team Call-Up After Olympic Success

Michael Olise Earns French National Team Call-Up After Olympic Success

English-born winger Michael Olise has been rewarded for his impressive performances for France at the Olympics by being called up to the full French national team for the start of their UEFA Nations League campaign next month. The 22-year-old, who was born and brought up in London to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother, was arguably the standout player in Thierry Henry’s France team that won the Olympic silver medal at the Paris Games earlier this month.

Olise has also recently joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace for a reported 60 million euros ($66.6m), off the back of scoring 10 goals in 19 games in the Premier League last season.

“Michael did great things with Thierry Henry’s Olympic team and he has moved up into a new category with his transfer to Bayern Munich,” coach Didier Deschamps told reporters. “It is quite logical that he should now come with us. He still has progress to make but potentially he has a lot of quality.”

France host Italy at the Parc des Princes in Paris next Friday, September 6, before taking on Belgium three days later in Lyon.

Olise is not the only member of the Olympic squad to make the step up, with 23-year-old Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone also getting the call from Deschamps.

There is also a return to the squad for Chelsea centre-back Wesley Fofana, 23, whose only cap so far came in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar over a year ago.

Kylian Mbappe will feature for France for the first time since making his debut for new club Real Madrid.

Players who went to Euro 2024 in Germany — where France reached the semi-final — but have been left out this time, include Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard, Bayern winger Kingsley Coman, and midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The latter was a regular at the Euros but his absence from the squad is related to the fact he currently has no club after leaving Juventus when his contract expired.

Veteran striker Olivier Giroud, now playing for Major League Soccer outfit Los Angeles FC, retired from international duty after the European Championship.

Les Bleus, who won the Nations League in 2021, will also play Israel in League A Group 2, with remaining matches taking place in October and November.

Brentford Soar to Victory Over Crystal Palace in Toney's Absence

Brentford Soar to Victory Over Crystal Palace in Toney’s Absence

Brentford kicked off their Premier League campaign with a resounding 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, despite the absence of star striker Ivan Toney. The Bees’ triumph was orchestrated by goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, while Crystal Palace’s lone goal came from an own goal by Ethan Pinnock.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank had opted to leave out Toney amid speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia. However, the Bees proved they could cope without their talisman, as they showcased the depth and resilience that characterized their impressive 2021/22 season.

The match began with a moment of controversy as Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi was caught out of position, allowing Mbeumo to race onto Wissa’s pass and fire home the opening goal. Palace responded with a flurry of attacks, but their efforts were thwarted by a combination of Brentford’s resolute defense and some questionable refereeing decisions.

Eberechi Eze had a brilliantly executed free-kick ruled out for a foul, while Odsonne Edouard’s goal was chalked off for offside. Brentford, however, remained unfazed and doubled their lead when Wissa bundled home a rebound after Dean Henderson parried Nathan Collins’ shot.

Palace continued to press for an equalizer, but Brentford’s defense held firm, with goalkeeper Mark Flekken making several crucial saves to deny Eze. The Bees’ victory was a testament to their collective spirit and tactical discipline, as they showed they can compete with the Premier League’s top teams even without their star striker.

Manchester United Thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace, European Hopes Fading

Manchester United Thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace, European Hopes Fading

Manchester United’s hopes of European football next season suffered a major blow as they were thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday. The defeat leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League table with just 54 points from 35 games, two points behind Newcastle United in sixth.

A makeshift United defense, which included Casemiro at center-back, was easily exploited by Palace on several occasions. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell were also on the scoresheet for the impressive win, while Michael Olise scored a brace.

United had several injury absentees and were without Bruno Fernandes, but the ease with which they were beaten will be a huge concern for everyone at the club.

“A big disappointment. We just had an off-day and we weren’t in it,” midfielder Christian Eriksen told BBC. “It is what it is. We can’t really change the injury things. We have to do what we can on the pitch to change it.”

“Today it didn’t matter who we played. Everyone could have done better. We tried to do what we could but we were not good enough. We’ll take the blame as players.”

It is the first time in the Premier League era that United have lost 13 games in a season, and the scoreline could have been worse.

The home side took the lead inside 12 minutes as Olise collected a throw and evaded a limp challenge from Casemiro. With no United player attempting to close him down, he was able to unleash a low shot from just inside the box.

It was 2-0 five minutes before the break as Mateta breezed past United defender Jonny Evans and thrashed the ball into the net for a ninth goal in 11 games since the arrival of Glasner in February.

The striker had scored 11 goals in his previous 80 games for Palace before that.

United’s makeshift defense was struggling to contain the movement of their hosts, and when Diogo Dalot failed to deal with a ball to the back post, Mitchell had a tap-in.

Olise’s second goal added more salt to the wound, and it could have been worse for the visitors as Odsonne Edouard saw his shot come back off the woodwork late on.

“I think we could have got a few more. That shows the potential we have to play against any team in the league,” Palace defender Chris Richards said.

Liverpool's Title Hopes Dented by Crystal Palace Upset

Liverpool’s Title Hopes Dented by Crystal Palace Upset

Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes suffered a major setback as they were stunned 1-0 at home by Crystal Palace. The defeat leaves the Reds 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Palace took the lead in the 14th minute through Eberechi Eze, who capitalized on a mistake by Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Luis Diaz hitting the crossbar from a set piece.

In the second half, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made several changes, but his team continued to misfire in front of goal. Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones both missed golden opportunities, while Mohamed Salah was well-marshaled by the Palace defense.

Palace, meanwhile, defended resolutely and almost doubled their lead late on when Jean-Philippe Mateta forced a save from Alisson Becker.

The result leaves Liverpool’s title hopes hanging by a thread. They now need to win their remaining games and hope that City slip up.

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Roy Hodgson Departs Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner Appointed as New Manager

Roy Hodgson, the oldest manager in the English Premier League at 76, has stepped down from his position at Crystal Palace after a brief illness during a training session. The decision was made to allow the club to move forward with its plans to appoint a new manager. Austrian coach Oliver Glasner has been brought in as Hodgson’s replacement until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Hodgson, who had previously managed Palace from 2017 to 2021, returned to the club last March and successfully guided them to safety in the league after a poor run of form under Patrick Vieira. He expressed his gratitude for his time at Palace, emphasizing the club’s special place in his footballing life.

The former England coach, who has had a long and illustrious career, has managed several high-profile clubs, including Inter Milan and Liverpool. He also led the England national team from 2012 to 2016. Hodgson’s departure marks the end of an era at Palace, as he was a respected and experienced figure in the Premier League.

Oliver Glasner, the new Palace manager, has a reputation for success. He led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022 and has a proven track record of developing young talent. Palace chairman Steve Parish expressed his confidence in Glasner’s ability to get the most out of the club’s talented squad.

Hodgson’s exit from Palace raises questions about his future in football management. He had previously stated that he would retire after his first spell at Palace, only to return to the sport eight months later. It remains to be seen whether he will continue his coaching career or step away from the game altogether.

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