Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on the impact that Omar Souto, the long-serving general manager of Argentina's national teams within the country's football association, had on his career. The 73-year-old passed away this week, sending Argentina's football community into mourning, with flags at the nation's two footballing hubs to fly at half mast in tribute.

• Souto gave birth to Messi's Argentina career

  Posting on Instagram to his 509 million followers, Messi shared his tribute to Souto with the world.

  The Inter Miami megastar credits Souto with making his international career possible. Messi has clinched two Copa America titles and the World Cup in 196 appearances and counting since 2005, scoring a South American record 115 goals along the way.

  Messi, who had been living and playing in Spain with Barcelona from the age of 13, first represented Argentina at Under-20 level in 2004, making his senior debut aged 18.

  "You were always there, and you were the one who paved the way for the AFA to notice me," he posted in memory of Souto. "A tremendous human being, impossible to forget for all of us who had the privilege of playing for the National Team. Your mark will remain forever. We will never forget you, Omar. Rest in peace."

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  Argentina in mourning

  The news of Souto's passing had been shared publicly in a statement by his long-term employer.

  "The Argentine Football Association reports with enormous sorrow and sadness the passing of Omar Souto, long-time Manager of National Teams," the body's announcement read.

  "All the employees at the AFA headquarters bid farewell to 'Papua' with unparallelled affection and love. Thank you, Omar, for carrying the AFA flag high until your final days. For your unwavering commitment to the national teams and for leaving an unparallelled legacy at the Ezeiza training complex. 

  "You will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew you and those who worked with you. We embrace your family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.

  "The Argentine Football Association has declared three days of mourning, with flags at half-mast at its headquarters on Viamonte and in Ezeiza. A minute of silence will also be observed at all matches played that weekend."

• Messi could have been poached by Spain

  With Messi based at La Masia in Barcelona, leaving South America behind while still a child, Spanish football officials seemingly knew about his enormous talent before their equivalents in Argentina did. Growing up and attending school in Spain, it's plausible that he could have become eligible and eventually switched allegiance while waiting for Argentina to get in touch.

  Souto and a colleague actually ended up being tipped off about the kid known as 'Leo' by the Spanish cohort at an Under-20 World Cup tournament in 2003, confused as to why Messi wasn't involved.

  "In the Under-20 World Cup, we were always with Spain in the hotels, and a person from their technical staff approached us and said, 'How come you didn't bring the kid from Barcelona? He is much better than everyone here,'" Souto revealed to in 2021.

  "In that team, we had [Fernando] Cavenaghi, [Javier] Mascherano, Maxi Lopez, and one day when we returned to Buenos Aires, [Hugo] Tocalli told me we had to get that player [Messi]. I thought his name was Leonardo because everyone called him Leo. I went to a call centre in Monte Grande and asked for a directory of the city of Rosario where all the Messis were listed.

  "I called the grandmother who gave me the uncle's phone number, when I called him, he gave me the father's number, who when I called said, 'Finally, you are going to call him up. My son wants to play for the Argentine national team.'"

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  Extra World Cup motivation

  Forget being the first men's team to retain the World Cup in more than half a century, doing it for 'Papua' is all the motivation that Messi and Argentina will need heading into the 2026 tournament.

  Souto has left a lasting impression on every player that has been through the national team system for decades, and so every player named in Lionel Scaloni's final squad will have a personal reason to win it for him all over again.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have appointed former England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole as their new bowling coach as part of a reshuffle of their support ahead of WPL 2026.Shrubsole will work alongside Malolan Rangarajan, the former Tamil Nadu spinner, who will step in as head coach for the upcoming season. The change was necessary because Luke Williams, who came onboard as head coach ahead of the 2024 season, is set to miss WPL 2026 due to his commitments with Adelaide Strikers in the BBL.A scheduling conflict has arisen because the WPL has been advanced by a month. The tournament is set to begin on January 8 and will end in early February. India is then slated to co-host the men’s T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in the February-March window, before IPL 2026.A World Cup winner in 2017, Shrubsole retired from international cricket in 2022 with over 200 wickets. In the season that followed, she served as player-and-assistant coach under Charlotte Edwards at Southern Vipers. Her stint with RCB will be her first in the WPL. Sunetra Paranjape was previously bowling coach of RCB until 2025.Rangarajan has been part of RCB’s WPL setup since the first season. After working under Ben Sawyer and Mike Hesson in 2023, Rangarajan – who also serves as lead scout for the men’s team – was assistant to Williams during their title-winning season in 2024 and the most recent one, in which they didn’t make the final.The other members of the RCB support staff include R Muralidhar, who will continue as batting coach, while Navnita Gautam is likely to continue in her role as head physio.Rangarajan’s first task will be to finalise the players RCB are retaining ahead of the November 5 deadline, with the WPL mega auction likely to be held on November 26 in New Delhi. The franchise is understood to be unanimous in their choice of Smriti Mandhana as the top retention and captain for the next WPL cycle. They are also in talks with Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sophie Molineux and Shreyanka Patil as possible retentions.RCB had two fourth-place finishes either side of a title-winning run under Mandhana in 2024 – their first ever trophy, before the men’s team followed suit in 2025 and won their maiden IPL title.

Rarely do internal conflicts in baseball erupt into the open the way Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers's with Red Sox management has.

Devers moved from third base to designated hitter this offseason after Boston signed third baseman Alex Bregman, and now it appears the Red Sox want to move him to first base. On Thursday, Devers called out general manager Craig Breslow in nixing the idea and sent Boston to the brink.

How urgent was the situation? Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Red Sox owner John Henry flew to Kansas City to personally meet with Devers.

"(Rafael) expressed his feelings. John did the same thing," manager Alex Cora said. "I think the most important thing here is we're trying to accomplish something big here. And obviously there's changes on the roster, situations that happened, and you have to adjust."

Breslow termed the discussion "an honest conversation about what we value as an organization and what we believe is important to the Boston Red Sox."

Boston is 20-19—second in the American League East division and two games back of the first-place New York Yankees. Devers, who Boston has under contract until 2033, is slashing .255/.379/.455 with six home runs and 25 RBIs.

Shohei Ohtani, now in his second year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, still has yet to pitch for the team. He's recovering from a UCL repair that kept him from the mound all of 2024. Despite that, he's still been incredibly worth-it, winning an MVP en route to a World Series win in 2025, but part of the reason he was given such a high-value contract from Los Angeles is he can play both sides of the ball at an elite level.

All signs are pointing toward Ohtani pitching this season, with him taking his second session of live batting practice on Saturday afternoon. Manager Dave Roberts was pleased with the overall direction of the simulated pitching, but did admit that his control is still coming along.

Longtime player Alex Rodriguez thinks returning to pitching this year would be a mistake, though.

"If Ohtani gets hurt and makes it 15 pitchers on the IL, the season's over. So for me, the risk and reward is not there.

"Something else to think about, he's not a finesse pitcher, he's a power pitcher. Fastball, tight slider and split. He's already had two Tommy John injury [sic], he had a separate shoulder injury in the World Series. I would let that lie. I would have a whole offseason and spring training to set this up physically, emotionally and mentally," Rodriguez said.

It's an interesting thought, but detractors of the idea might not see a world in which the Dodgers can win it all risking a bit, especially after their injuries to the pitching staff already this season. Another point to make is that Ohtani's second UCL repair was slightly different than his first: Dr. Neal ElAttrache utilized InternalBrace augmentation along with the Tommy John repair. The modern technology is thought to be better for aiding recovery and healthspan.

Plus, it's hard to imagine the Dodgers putting him out on the mound if they genuinely think he's at serious risk of reinjury.

That said, we've seen pitchers who miss out on the spring training process struggle to get in a groove, so Rodriguez might have a point to just waiting a year and giving Ohtani even more time to rest, recover, and return to dominance on that side of the field.

While the draw on Sunday was less than ideal, this season is shaping up to be a special one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side have looked imperious in the Champions League, winning all five games, and are far and away the best team in the Premier League.

While the whole squad has played a role in the Gunners’ incredible form, one player who has been one of the most important has undoubtedly been Declan Rice.

In the words of creator Jamie Kent, the Englishman is looking like “the best midfielder in Europe,” and therefore, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to someone who could be their new Rice.

Arsenal target their new Rice

The transfer window is now less than a month away, and, as a result, Arsenal are starting to be linked with a host of tremendously exciting players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Real Madrid’s incredible £70m Rodrygo, for example, has once again been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has Bayern Munich’s £100m+ Michael Olise.

However, while both of these wingers would help to raise the Gunners’ ceiling, neither could really be described as being Rice-esque, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the Real Madrid monster.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Liverpool are keen on the French international, who is valued at €80m by the Spanish giants, which is about £70m.

It could therefore be a costly and rather complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s immense ability, Arsenal should be pursuing him, especially as he could be another Rice.

Why Camavinga would be another Rice for Arsenal

So, the first and most obvious similarity between Rice and Camavinga is the fact that they are midfielders who can and have played as a six and an eight in recent years.

Moreover, the pair of them are currently plying their trade at two huge clubs, and while Real Madrid is less important to his team than the Englishman, he’s still racked up 194 appearances for them in which he’s provided 16 goal involvements.

The last clear comparison between them at this point is that they’re both regulars for a top international team as well.

For example, the former Stade Rennes star has now won 28 senior caps for France and featured in the last Euros and World Cup.

Now, it’s all of these reasons that the 23-year-old could become another Rice-type player for the Gunners, in addition to the fact that, when playing, he is a sensational talent and someone who could massively improve the team’s midfield options in a way the former West Ham United captain did when he arrived in 2023.

Don’t just take our word for it, though; Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has described the versatile international as someone with “enormous potential”, and his underlying numbers back that opinion up.

According to FBref, the Cabinda-born “war machine,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and tackles won, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance and more, all per 90.

Tackles

4.19

Top 1%

Tackles Won

2.72

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

5.44

Top 1%

Blocks

1.87

Top 4%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.67

Top 5%

Passes Blocked

1.42

Top 6%

Pass Completion %

90.8%

Top 6%

Progressive Carrying Distance

122.51

Top 8%

Passes into Final Third

6.40

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

1.13

Top 12%

Add to that the fact he has helped Los Blancos win two La Liga titles, two Champions League titles and a smattering of other cups, and it’s hard to disagree with the notion he’s one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Ultimately, Camavinga already shares plenty of similarities with Rice, and were Arsenal to sign him, he could have a similar transformational impact on the midfield.

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While they are still some way from being the finished article, Chelsea have built a squad full of incredible players over the last few years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, and probably even Enzo Fernández would be able to get into most Premier League teams.

However, at the same time, West Londoners also have more than a few players who are arguably holding them back, with Tosin Adarabioyo perhaps the most obvious example over the last few weeks.

The former Fulham star has been at the centre of more than a few dire defensive performances for Chelsea, so it’s not all that surprising to see reports linking them to someone who’d be a dream upgrade.

Chelsea target Tosin upgrade

While talk of a title race might be a tad premature for Chelsea this season, they are most certainly in a race for the Champions League place.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

With that in mind, it’s unsurprising to see them linked with a plethora of talented players ahead of the transfer window reopening next month.

For example, the Blues are among several Premier League sides who have shown real interest in RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and have also been linked with Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız.

However, while hugely talented, neither of those exciting wingers would help solve the West Londoners’ defensive problems, nor send Tosin packing, unlike Castello Lukeba.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have maintained their intense interest in the French centre-back.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Blues are now ready to submit a bid of up to £52m for the player in the coming weeks.

Interestingly, while the 22-year-old has a release clause worth around €80million in his contract, which is £70m, the report claims that Leipzig may be willing to cash in on the player for that £52m fee in January.

However, it might not be all that straightforward, as the story also states that Bayern Munich are keen to make a mid-season move for the highly rated defender.

In all, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Lukeba’s ability and potential, one Chelsea should be pursuing, especially as he could send Tosin packing.

How Lukeba compares to Tosin

Now, when it comes to midfielders, forwards and wingers, it can be relatively straightforward to compare players, as more often than not, their goals and assists are going to be what matters most.

However, when it comes to defenders, and centre-backs in particular, it can be a little trickier, and as a result, you have to go into more detail, you have to take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Unfortunately for Tosin, doing so demonstrates just how far ahead of him Lukeba is.

Lukeba vs Tosin
Statistics per 90	Lukeba	Tosin
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.10	0.02
Progressive Passes	4.17	2.90
Progressive Carries	0.83	0.48
Key Passes	0.33	0.00
Shot-Creating Actions	1.25	0.48
Goal-Creating Actions	0.17	0.00
Blocks	1.92	0.65
Interceptions	1.58	0.97
Clearances	5.67	6.77
Successful Take-Ons	1.00	0.00
Ball Recoveries	5.67	2.58
All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

For example, according to FBref, the Frenchman comes out on top in the vast majority of relevant metrics, including, but not limited to, blocks, interceptions, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

In other words, as analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson puts it, the Frenchman is a “defensively exceptional” centre-back.

However, his advantages over Tosin extend to more than just his ability off the ball.

For example, the “outstanding” titan, per Mattinson, also comes out on top in metrics like progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Essentially, the Leipzig star is someone who can snuff out an opposition attack and then, either through his carrying ability or range of passing, kickstart one for his own side.

Ultimately, from every conceivable angle, it’s clear that Lukeba would be a massive upgrade on Tosin and, therefore, Chelsea should do all they can to sign him in January.

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While he has made some mistakes, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right during his time in the Arsenal dugout.

The Spaniard has overseen a complete overhaul of the squad, instilled a new philosophy, and turned them from a fallen giant into serial challengers for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

However, there were plenty of moments early on in his managerial career when it felt like he was hanging onto the job by his fingertips, including a period in which Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe practically saved him.

Since then, the former has established himself as the club’s talisman, while the latter has fallen away and been sold to Fulham. Interestingly, there is a player in Arteta’s current squad who once felt like the next Saka but could now be closer to becoming the next Smith Rowe.

How Smith Rowe and Saka save Arteta

Even though the club were coming off their 14th FA Cup triumph, the start of the 20/21 season was nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal.

The North Londoners actually won their two opening games, against Fulham and West Ham United and even picked up a third win of the campaign in their fourth match.

However, the losses started coming thick and fast, and from the 8th of November to Boxing Day, the team didn’t win a single league game.

So, when Chelsea rocked up at the Emirates on Boxing Day, Arteta decided to roll the dice and start Smith Rowe in the ten, a decision that instantly paid off as the Gunners came out 3-1 winners and the youngster provided the assist for Saka’s goal.

From that point, results started to improve, and the two Hale Enders were crucial to that, with the midfielder racking up a tally of four goals and seven assists and the winger doing even better with seven goals and seven assists.

The duo continued to impress the following season, with Smith Rowe producing 13 goal involvements and the mercurial number seven producing 19.

However, a combination of injuries and the squad being strengthened around him saw the Croydon-born gem slowly lose his place in the side over the next two seasons.

Finally, after making just 14 appearances in the 22/23 season and then 19 the year after that, the Hale Ender was sold to Fulham for around £34m, while Saka went on to become arguably the team’s best player.

Interestingly, or perhaps unfortunately, there is currently a potential star in the making in Arteta’s squad today who at one point looked destined to follow in Saka’s footsteps, but might now be more likely to become the next Smith Rowe.

The Arsenal gem who could become the next Smith Rowe

It would be fair to say that, as seasons go, last year wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one for Arsenal fans.

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The club looked miles off in the title race and were beset with injuries to key players, only this time they didn’t have the squad depth they do today.

However, there were at least a few bright spots from the campaign, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

The youngster had long been a prospect fans were excited about; he became the youngest player in the Premier League, after all.

Yet, it was the injuries to Martin Odegaard and specifically Saka that meant he ended up getting far more first-team minutes than supporters were expecting, and to say he made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement.

Nwaneri in 24/25

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, the often “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

In other words, the Hale End phenom averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

It was these numbers, plus the moments of brilliance on the ball and his time out wide, that led many to see him as someone who could and probably would follow in the steps of Saka and become a key part of the squad in the coming years.

However, fast-forward to today, and it would be fair to describe his situation as more akin to Smith Rowe’s in his final seasons at the club.

For example, as things stand, the teenager has made just ten appearances for the first team, totalling 427 minutes.

Moreover, he’s started just three games all season, two of which came in the League Cup and another in the club’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

Worryingly, the Enfield-born gem has also only scored one goal and, like the Croydon-born star before him, has seen fresh competition arrive in the shape of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

Nwaneri in 25/26

Appearances

10

Minutes

427′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.1

Minutes per Goal Involvement

427′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

However, it is still early in the season, and while it’s clear that the manager isn’t as keen to pick the Hale Ender as he was last year, there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Therefore, so long as Nwaneri does get more game time across the rest of the campaign, he could still follow in Saka’s footsteps, but if he doesn’t, he could be another Smith Rowe.

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Tottenham Hotspur now hold serious interest in signing a “relentless” Premier League star, who has been outscoring Richarlison.

Spurs keen on new striker despite Richarlison's resurgence

Richarlison has received plenty of criticism during his time at Tottenham, but the Brazilian has been impressive in front of goal so far this season, scoring seven goals in 25 matches across all competitions.

Thomas Frank has been left impressed by the striker, saying after the 3-0 victory against Burnley: “He deserves a lot of praise. He was very good against PSG and today he was exceptional, with his work-rate, driving the team, link-up play, hold-up play, just dominating and then the two finishes.”

That said, the 28-year-old hasn’t exactly been prolific during his time in north London, scoring 27 goals in 114 outings for Spurs, while Dominic Solanke has struggled injury-wise, being limited to just two Premier League appearances this season.

With that in mind, it could make sense to bring in a new striker in January, and Tottenham now hold serious interest in signing Brentford star Igor Thiago, but there could be competition for his signature, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United also keen.

Thiago has a price tag of around £70m, so Spurs may have to shell out a club-record fee to get a deal over the line, and Brentford are reluctant to sanction a January move, which could be an obstacle.

As such, a winter departure is unlikely to be on the cards for the Brazilian, but strong offers are expected next summer, and a move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium could be tempting.

Frank is an admirer of "relentless" Thiago

Frank spent time working with the centre-forward during his time with the Bees, and the Dane made it clear he is a big admirer, saying: “Thiago is a very exciting striker who fits the role in our team. He is hard working and a very good pressing player. He is also a physical presence, very good in the box and can link the play.”

Since then, the 24-year-old has really kicked on, scoring 12 goals in 16 matches across all competitions this season, vastly outscoring Richarlison, and he received high praise from Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, who described the Brentford star as “relentless in his work rate.”

That work rate has been on display regularly over the past year, with the Gama-born striker exhibiting a real willingness to pitch in defensively.

Igor Thiago’s defensive statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Tackles

1.35 (93rd percentile)

Blocks

1.0 (94th percentile)

Clearances

2.21 (98th percentile)

Thiago has been fantastic so far this season, and Tottenham should monitor his performances between now and the end of the season, given Brentford’s reluctance to sanction a January move.

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم الثلاثاء في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد خصمه فريق فولهام.

ويستضيف ملعب “كرافن كوتيج” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وفولهام، في خضم منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، في الوقت الحالي، برصيد 25 نقطة، في حين أن فولهام لديه 17 نقطة ويحتل المركز الخامس عشر.

ويأمل مانشستر سيتي تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل مواصلة الضغط على آرسنال، صاحب المركز الأول برصيد 30 نقطة. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10:30 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق محمد بركات على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Cole Palmer scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League’s top four, but it was another attacking player taking all the plaudits.

Chelsea cruise past Everton 2-0

After four winless matches, Enzo Maresca could hardly have asked for a better moment for his most influential player to announce his return from the groin injury that has wrecked his season up to now, and it came in the 21st minute, the England forward sweeping his side into the lead from Malo Gusto’s clever pass.

Fresh from scoring a first-ever career goal in November, it was Gusto who then got the second from Pedro Neto’s cross before half-time.

Everton’s last win at Chelsea came in 1994 whilst David Moyes had never tasted victory on this ground. After four league wins in five and with the Blues in faltering form, it looked an opportune moment to settle both of those scores, but Maresca’s talisman ensured the day would be all about him.

This has been the most difficult year of Palmer’s career, suffering two significant injuries and making a fraction of the impact he enjoyed during his first 18 months at Chelsea His last goal from open play on this ground came in January, but when his chance came finally to correct that aberrant stat, he took it as though he had been banging them in all season.

Wesley Fofana played a short ball in midfield to Gusto, whose pass through the lines was wonderfully calibrated. Palmer’s run caught Everton cold and he breezed through the centre of their defence and smacked the ball by Jordan Pickford at his near post.

Alejandro Garnacho attempted the spectacular in search of Chelsea’s second with a wicked drive that cleared the bar by a fraction, then suffered a horror miss when he pounced on Carlos Alcaraz’s woeful pass but tapped wide of an open goal.

Chelsea’s second was delightfully simple. Neto made it, zipping around Vitalii Mykolenko on the right and crossing low for Gusto, arriving in the box at speed and knocking it past Pickford.

And it was the Portugal international who left former defender Stephen Warnock feeling relieved he is no longer playing, as he gushed about the 25 year-old during punditry duty for BBC.

Minutes

90

Assists

1

Dribbles (successful)

4 (2)

Duels (won)

11 (6)

Jack Grealish missed a golden chance to bring Everton back into it with a shot on the slide that sailed across goal and wide before Reece James was denied from a free-kick by a save by Pickford.

The final chance was Everton’s, Iliman Ndiaye rolling the ball against the post with Robert Sanchez beaten, but Chelsea by then had done enough.