30/09/2024

MONDAY | SEP 30, 2024

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SPORTS

West Brom rocked by Wednesday

CHAMPIONSHIP leaders West Bromwich Albion crashed to a 3-2 defeat at lowly Sheffield Wednesday yesterday. Wednesday substitute Anthony Musaba bagged the 86th-minute winner at Hillsborough as Albion’s second half fightback went to waste. Josh Maja and Alex Mowatt cancelled out Darnell Furlong’s own goal and a Josh Windass header, but Musaba’s late strike ended Albion’s unbeaten start to the campaign. The victory was Wednesday’s first in the league since the opening weekend of the season. “Our performance today was, against a really strong side, good. We defended very well as a team, very compact. All the three goals we scored were fantastic,” Wednesday boss Danny

Rohl told BBC Sport . Second placed Sunderland had looked set to replace West Brom at the top before a late Tom Dele-Bashiru penalty condemned them to a 2-1 defeat at Watford. The Hornets drew first blood through Festy Ebosele in the 28th minute before Wilson Isidor pulled Sunderland level just after the interval. Lewis Travis scored on his 200th career league start as third placed Blackburn beat 10 man QPR 2-0 at Ewood Park to maintain their unbeaten league start. QPR’s Jonathan Varane was dismissed for a

Craig Forsyth equalised on the hour before two second half goals from Sainz saw him complete his hattrick, with Corey Blackett-Taylor pulling one back. Managerless Cardiff remain rock bottom after slumping to a 4-1 defeat at Hull despite taking the lead. Millwall were 3-1 winners against Preston at The Den, with Macaulay Langstaff’s effort two minutes after the break adding to first half goals from George Honeyman and Romain Esse before Jordan Storey got a late consolation for Preston. Leeds beat Coventry 3-0 courtesy of goals from Wilfried Gnonto, Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe, while Middlesbrough saw off Stoke 2-0. Fourth-placed Burnley drew 0-0 at Oxford, while Portsmouth’s home clash with unbeaten Sheffield United also finished goalless. – AFP

reckless tackle and Travis’ deflected strike came seven minutes after the restart set before Danny Batth’s first goal for the club just after the hour. Borja Sainz’s hattrick earned Norwich a 3-2 win at Derby. Norwich went ahead in the third minute of first-half stoppage time via a brilliant finish from Sainz as he performed an acrobatic mid-air backheel to convert from close range from Josh Sargent’s cross. Sargent had seen an initial effort blocked and the rebound appeared to have gone well out of play before he crossed for Sainz.

Palmer best player in League: Maresca

29/09/2024 (SUN)

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Cole Palmer. – AFPPIC

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international can be deployed in multiple positions. “We try to use Cole in that position (as a No. 10) because it’s his best position,” he added. “He can play as a false nine, as a nine, a winger, in the pocket, he’s so good, Cole inside the pitch is where he’s best. “I have three kids, my boy is 11 and I would like my boy (to be the person) that if many things happen, nothing with him changes. “With young players and boys they can change easily, the best thing he (Palmer) has is he enjoys football and it’s fantastic for him.” Chelsea’s leveller came after a misplaced pass from Adam Webster to goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen which Nicolas Jackson punished with a simple pass to set Palmer up for a tap-in. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said that Palmer simply punished their individual errors in west London. “So far yes,” Hurzeler said when asked if Palmer is the best player his Brighton side have faced this season. “He scored four goals and punished every mistake. He punished the first and second with the penalty, you can’t stop him in one-against-one situations and we have to defend him as a team. “Sometimes we lost our structure and it’s difficult to defend players like this.” – The Independent Chelsea star first player to score four goals in opening 45 minutes of EPL

Ű BY REUBEN ROSSO-POWELL

E NZO MARESCA lauded Cole Palmer as the “best in the Premier League” after he became the first player in the competition’s history to score four goals in a first half during Chelsea’s 4-2 win over Brighton. Palmer’s record-breaking performance saw him net four times in 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge, including a whipped freekick into the top corner. Last season’s young player of the year made it six goals in six matches as he helped Chelsea to their third League win on the spin. “He scored four but he also could have scored two or three more,” Blues boss Maresca said. “It’s important he stays hungry, ambitious and I know him from many years ago with the U-23s at City and with the first team. “What he was as a boy is exactly what he was three or four years ago. Goals, assists, best player of the Premier League – this doesn’t change the way he is. He’s a humble guy and for me it’s the most important thing. “He’s a top player and today in football young players can change quick. Cole scores goals and never changes and this is the most important thing. “He’s special player, he’s a simple and humble guy. He doesn’t need to tell people how good he is because you can see it clearly.” Palmer was coached by Maresca in Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad before he was promoted to Pep Guardiola’s senior group. The Italian coach believes the England

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