While some referees always seem to create controversy through questionable decisions, Anthony Taylor represents one of the Premier League’s more trusted officials. There’s an aura of authority about the 39-year-old and although every referee has a bad decision in them, he seems to produce a lot less than most.

That can never quite be illustrated accurately by statistics alone, but Taylor tellingly ranks amongst the middle of the pack from the 20 referees to work in the Premier League this season for fouls per tackle, fouls per game, yellow cards per game and penalties per game – no higher than seventh or lower than 14th.

It suggests a balanced approach to officiating, not needlessly awarding fouls and spot kicks but not shying away from the important calls either, and because there’s Champions League qualification on the line in Taylor’s match this Sunday, that only bodes well for Chelsea and Liverpool – who will both want a fair game.

In terms of omens though, results this season hint the Blues are in for less luck than this weekend’s visitors to Stamford Bridge. No club has been refereed by Taylor more times in the Premier League than Chelsea this season with five, but they’ve only actually won three of those games – drawing with Arsenal and losing to West Ham.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are undefeated with Taylor in the middle this term, winning two of three, and those matches have produced amongst the Manchester-born referee’s lowest fouls per tackle rates of the season – just 0.52 compared to Chelsea’s 0.63.

And in even worse news for the west Londoners, just 44% of the games Taylor has officiated this season have ended in home wins. While that’s not a huge extreme compared to the rest of the Premier League – the remaining referees to oversee more than one game ranging between 63% and 27% – the fact is Chelsea need a victory this Sunday to keep their Champions League homes alive.

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A draw or better, on the other hand, will seal Liverpool’s place in Europe’s top competition next season excepting a gigantic turnaround in goal difference. Evidence so far this term suggests that outcome is more likely than Chelsea grabbing the win they desperately need.

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According to a report from the Metro, Everton are considering an approach for Patrick Vieira to become their next manager, and fans are not happy about it.

Everton fans were furious with Sam Allardyce when the Blues boss skipped out on the annual “lap of honour” on Saturday, but they’re not too happy with the latest managerial links either.

The relationship between Allardyce and the Goodison faithful has become more and more toxic, and it is looking increasingly likely the Toffees will seek a new boss this summer.

Allardyce has done what he was brought in to do by keeping the Toffees up, but his uninspiring football has put a dark cloud over the results as far as fans are concerned.

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The Metro report claims owner Farhad Moshiri wants a young, dynamic coach to replace Big Sam, and Vieira is apparently next on the shortlist after the links to Paulo Fonseca and Marco Silva.

Fans were delighted with the reports that Fonseca could be the man on the Goodison touchline next season, but they aren’t so happy with the links to the Arsenal legend.

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Vieira is currently in charge of MLS side New York City FC, where he boasts a 45 per cent win rate.

Fans have been making their feelings known on Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found down below…

Unai Emery’s appointment as Arsenal manager has – after a false start – been officially confirmed by the club, signalling the dawn of a new era at the Emirates Stadium following the departure of Arsene Wenger.

The former PSG and Sevilla manager replaced Mikel Arteta as the frontrunner to replace the legendary Frenchman at the 11th hour and brings with him experience of winning trophies, managing elite players and getting teams to punch above their weight.

He may not be the sentimental appointment to get the fans buzzing like Mikel Arteta, Thierry Henry or Patrick Vieira would have been but he is vastly more experienced than those figures.

In any case, the Gunners fans, who have spent the last few years largely lobbying for Wenger’s removal – in truth, often without much consideration for who may come in instead – appear to be suitably excited about the prospect of going into the new season under Emery’s guidance.

We’ve taken a closer look…

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Rangers fans are looking for Robby McCrorie to get closer to the Rangers first team next season after his impressive display for the Scotland U21s side in their victory against France on Wednesday night.

He pulled off a classy save to deny Steve Ambre on his debut for the U21s side, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over the hosts of the Toulon Tournament.

Spending last season on loan at Scottish League Two outfit Berwick Rangers, fans are now hoping for him to either be deputy to the recently arrived Allan McGregor or gain first-team loan experience at a higher level.

Brother to stand-out defender-stroke-midfielder Ross McCrorie, the 20-year-old has a bright future and supporters love nothing more than seeing one of their own show potential to make it at Ibrox.

Can he push on next season and oust the likes of Jak Alnwick and Wes Foderingham to the number two spot at the club?

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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after his latest display…

According to West Ham United insider ExWHUEmployee, the Hammers have bid an initial £17.5m for Lazio’s Felipe Anderson, with some performance-related add-ons.

And earlier this week, the West Ham fans blasted their owners for bidding too low.

There is certainly no smoke without fire, and it would not be a surprise if the London club did manage to pull off a deal for the Lazio attacker in this summer’s transfer window.

The West Ham supporters have again been discussing Anderson, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, on social media, and it appears that they are split when it comes to the likelihood of the deal.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”253217″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The FM18 Two Minute Challenge Pellegrini at West Ham”]

Indeed, there are those who feel that their club will smash their transfer record to sign Anderson this summer, but there are also plenty who are finding it difficult to believe that a deal will take place.

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One thing is for certain, the London club will have to come up with a tasty offer to convince Lazio to sell a player who scored eight times and registered 10 assists in all competitions for his Italian club during the 2017-18 campaign.

A selection of the latest Twitter reaction can be seen below:

West Bromwich Albion should consider swooping for West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass this summer.

What’s the word?

The Baggies have a big task ahead of them as they try to steer themselves back into the Premier League following last season’s relegation.

Darren Moore’s first order of business will be to recruit some players good enough to tackle the Championship.

One man who should be under consideration is Snodgrass, who spent last season in the second division on loan at Aston Villa.

In that time, the Scotland international scored eight goals and created 13 assists in 40 Championship matches, which helped propel the Villans to the playoff final, where they ultimately lost to Fulham at Wembley.

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Do West Brom have a chance?

According to West Ham insider ExWHUEmployee, who wrote exclusively for thewesthamway.co.uk, claims that Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Fulham and Celtic are all keeping tabs on Snodgrass.

Given that he was swiftly sent out on loan by the Hammers last season, it is likely that the club will be open to offers.

The problem for West Brom, though, is that a number of clubs seem to be interested and it could end up turning into a battle for his signature.

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If there is an opportunity to play in the Premier League, then it automatically puts the Baggies at a disadvantage as they cannot offer top-flight football.

However, Snodgrass’s ability with his left foot has the potential to cause havoc in the danger areas, so it is certainly worth West Brom making a move.

Leeds fans are feeling pretty confident after the Championship fixtures were released, despite an absolutely brutal opening to the season.

Last season was a long and miserable year for Leeds fans, but the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa has renewed hope around Elland Road.

Despite a torrid end to the season under Paul Heckingbottom though, last season actually started pretty well, and if Bielsa’s side can get off to a good start with these fixtures then a promotion push really should be on the cards.

The season will open with a fixture that seems destined to be moved for broadcast, with Championship newcomers Stoke visiting Elland Road.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257599″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Leeds’ opening fixtures for the 201819 Championship season”]

Leeds then travel to Derby County before hosting Rotherham at home.

It doesn’t get any easier from there though, as Bielsa’s men will travel to Swansea and Norwich all before the end of August.

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A couple of wins in those away fixtures would be huge, and fans are feeling pretty confident they can get off to a great start.

You can find the full fixture list here, along with some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Sceptics may argue Panama represent amongst the least formidable opposition to make any World Cup, but after a half-century of hurt England fans are entitled to dream again following Sunday’s 6-1 demolition of the Central American side.

It was England’s first ever World Cup win by that handsome margin and considering Panama are usually the kind of plucky underdog team the Three Lions end up painfully toiling against, the manner in which they were dispensed of before half time gives genuine cause for optimism.

So much optimism in fact, that it’s starting to feel like England can actually come back from Russia with the trophy. But is that the type of pressure-cooker-creating naivety that has forced English football to endure such relentless misery since 1966, or could there be sound logic to all the sudden hype? Here’s three reasons it’s coming home this summer…

They’ve got the World Cup’s top scorer

It may sound obvious but having the World Cup’s leading goalscorer is inevitably a huge advantage and Harry Kane is currently at the forefront of the Golden Boot race (at the time of writing) after netting a hat-trick against Panama – although Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukakua aren’t too far behind.

It of course highlights the extra cutting edge he gives England, which could well prove to be the difference between victory and defeat in the knockout stage, but gives Kane a crucial personal incentive too.

The Tottenham man is desperate to finish up as the tournament’s top scorer and that personal ambition can help drive on this England team, especially in terms of their attacking play.

Set Piece goals are key

England have already scored four times from set pieces at this World Cup, partly due to fantastic deliveries from Kieran Trippier and Manchester United’s Ashley Young and partly because it’s clearly something Southgate’s spent a lot of time working on in training.

There’s sound logic behind that too – set pieces have the capacity to decide any game at any level, but the statistics from Brazil 2014 are incredibly telling.

Three of the four countries to reach the semi-finals finished up in the top four for set piece goals, which shows how far they can take you in the tournament even when you’re not playing the best football. England arguably are though, which brings us nicely onto…

Playing better than any of the top teams

Starting is certainly less beneficial than ending a World Cup strongly and there are no prizes for simply playing the best football – it must be matched with efficiency in results as well.

On top of that, England’s opening two opponents have been of rather modest standard; although Tunisia are probably a little better than they’ve shown at times during the tournament, Panama are pretty strong contenders for being the least qualified side involved in Russia 2018.

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But from the opening rounds of fixtures, very few ‘top’ sides at the World Cup has produced football with as much freedom and flair as the Three Lions.

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Germany lost their first game against Mexico and required a stoppage time wondergoal to beat Sweden, France have nervously stumbled their way through both matches so far, Brazil drew with a physical Switzerland team and were a goal-filled stoppage time away from suffering the same result against Costa Rica, and Argentina are on the verge of elimination.

In fairness, Spain and Belgium have shown their quality – but also some of their frailties – more consistently, while Portugal will always have the tournament’s biggest match-winner in Ronaldo. But has any team really rivalled the relentlessly expansive philosophy England have adopted?

Providing that doesn’t result in too many sloppy goals at the other end, it could take Southgate’s side a very long way this summer.

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Everton are expected to be one of the busier teams in the transfer window this summer both in terms of departures and arrivals. And one name that has been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles. However, according to the Evening Chronicle, Everton have cooled their interest in the central defender, which could end up being a mistake.

The Breakdown

There’s no doubt that Everton will be in the market for a centre-back during this transfer window. Funes Mori has already left the club with Ashley Williams set to follow, according to the Daily Star, while captain Phil Jagielka is at the age where his defensive performances are no longer as solid as they used to be.

Therefore, the interest in Lascelles made complete sense. The 24-year-old, who is valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, was one of the standout centre-halves in the Premier League last season and helped inspire Newcastle to a 10th place finish on the Tyneside club’s return to English football’s top division.

Lascelles inspired form and overall standing at the club has undoubtedly seen his valuation rise to a valuation Everton may be unwilling to meet.

The Toffees, though, thanks to billionaire majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, have the funds and if they are looking to reinforce their defence, then Lascelles is exactly the kind of player that can help them do so.

On the other hand, new head coach Marco Silva and Director of Football Marcel Brands may just simply have other targets in mind for the centre-back position.

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But if last season is anything to go by, then the duo at Goodison Park will struggle to find a better defender than Lascelles.

Brett Lee is unsure what his body will allow him to do next

Peter English17-Nov-2009

Lee’s latest setbacks

2006-07
Tears ankle ligaments in New Zealand, misses 2007 World Cup
2008-09
Suffers giardia during India tour
Broken foot leads to more surgery
2009
Side strain rules him out of first three Tests of Ashes tour and not picked for final two
2009-10
Elbow problem sends him home from India one-day series and recurs in Sydney on Sunday

Self-belief has been one of Brett Lee’s best assets along with extreme speed. Throughout his Test career, which began with a wicket in his first over, Lee has known what was going to happen next, whether it be achieving a milestone or pin-pointing a date for his return from a well-managed injury. This time, coming to the end of an awful year, he is unsure what his body will allow him to do next.The bone spur problem in his right elbow means he will probably face surgery and be out for up to three months, ending his chances of appearing in a Test this summer. Previously he would have accepted the setback with a grimace and headed for the surgeon, physio and fitness trainer to plot a way back.Following his recovery from foot surgery at the start of the year came a side strain that kept him out of the Ashes in the middle of it, and with this latest problem he is starting to doubt whether he will play a 77th Test or take a 311st wicket. His last appearance was at the MCG last December when he limped off to the surgeon.”At this point in time I do not need to make a call,” he said at the SCG. “I still want to play for Australia but that all depends on how the operation takes place and then how the fitness is and how much I want it.” He finds the prospect of not playing Test cricket “scary and challenging”, but as he accepts this injury his mind switches from being desperate to play on to thinking about signing off.Desire has never been a problem before, not when he thought his career was over after breaking the same elbow in 2001, or when he was sitting behind Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Stuart Clark in the pecking order during the fourth Ashes Test in Leeds. He was fit, ready and shattered when the team was named, but he still wanted to field under a baggy green. Now he craves – and needs – a break.”I have had setbacks before and I can’t see why I cannot come back from this, but I also, to be honest, need to get away from the game for a little while to work out what my future holds,” he said. “I want to have this forced rest and if surgery needs to happen that means anything from six to 12 to 14 weeks away from the game, which would be the perfect opportunity for me to get away from everything and work out what I want from cricket.”He sounded like Shaun Tait when he stepped off the international circuit due to mental and physical exhaustion caused by the depression of so many comebacks. It won’t just be care for Lee’s 33-year-old body that will be needed over the next couple of months.Another issue pecking at him has been being away from his young son Preston for the long periods demanded of a player wanting to appear in all forms of the game. Since the start of last year’s India tour Lee has been troubled by personal problems as well as fitness ones.”The hardest things for me over the past 12 months were getting injured during the Ashes but, most importantly, being six months away from my little boy, that has been really tough,” he said. “They are all things I need to weigh up.” Don’t expect him to be flying out of Sydney any time soon.While any comeback will be subject to a number of fitness and family conditions, one thing is not negotiable. “If I can’t bowl fast then I won’t bowl,” he said. His job has led his body to this rickety condition but he has always refused to follow the method of Dennis Lillee, who extended his career by slowing down and focussing on swing and seam.For Lee it has always been about speed. “When you try to bowl 155kph for over 16 or 17 years, there is a lot of wear and tear on the body,” he said. “I will try to get the elbow right.”If I don’t play another game for Australia or play another game of cricket again then yes, I am very pleased with what I have achieved. It’s more than I would ever had expected at the age of 10. But I still think there is a lot of cricket left in me yet, which is why I am not making any call on my future.”