Arsenal made a miserable return to Premier League action last night after losing 3-0 away against Crystal Palace following the latest international break.

Goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew in the first half gave the Gunners a tough task in the second period of the game at Selhurst Park.

However, a penalty from Wilfried Zaha sealed all three points for Patrick Vieira’s side and put the nail in the coffin for the visitors on this occasion.

In terms of the individual performances for Arsenal, one figure that stood out for all the wrong reasons was midfielder Thomas Partey.

With 56 touches of the ball in total, the Ghanaian ended up giving the ball away for his side on 14 occasions, once every four touches.

From a defensive perspective, off the ball, the 28-year-old, who has been slammed for his “stupid” decision-making in the past, gave his side next to nothing, which is reflective of the scoreline.

The midfielder ended up failing to make even one tackle, block, interception or clearance, in addition to getting dribbled past twice and giving three fouls away, picking up a yellow card for his troubles, making him a real liability in the middle of the pitch on this occasion.

The former Atletico Madrid figure also managed to lose 78% of his duels, showing how easy it was for the Palace midfielders and attackers to play against him.

This display ultimately earned Partey a disheartening overall match rating of 5.9 from SofaScore, making him the joint-lowest rated player for Mikel Arteta’s side, lower than defender Nuno Tavares who was hooked at halftime after an abysmal showing himself.

Football.London also picked up on Partey’s poor performance by saying that he was “hideously loose in possession.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

To make things worse for the midfielder on a personal level, he was forced off the pitch with an injury after 75 minutes, as just moments before he allowed the Palace offence to stroll past him before Martin Odegaard gave away a penalty.

Taking all of this into account, it was definitely a night to forget for Arsenal and their midfield man and despite his poor showing, everyone at the north London club will be hoping that his injury is not a serious one.

In other news: Arteta must ruthlessly axe “shocking” £18m-rated AFC liability, he’s “not world-class”

After months of waiting, the start of the Premier League season is here, and while it’s tough to predict any sides’ starting XI, Liverpool throw up a very unique set of circumstances.An extremely busy summer at Anfield has taken place, with Kop legend Steven Gerrard and starlet Raheem Sterling having both left, while lavish sums of money have been cast out from Merseyside to snare top talents such as Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke.Rolled into this are the captures of James Milner and the rise of Jordon Ibe in pre-season, so we’re sure Brendan Rodgers has been up late into the night shifting salt and pepper pots on his kitchen table to try and come up with a balanced and effective XI.And it’s not just the Northern Irishman who’s been giving it some serious thought, with Liverpool legend John Barnes also clear on how he wants his old side to line up as they attempt to avenge that 6-1 drubbing at Stoke.The former England international, and Brand Ambassador for TitanBet.co.uk – Click here to get £20 free bet when you deposit and bet £10. 18+, terms apply – said: “I would go with Lallana, Benteke, Firmino. Lallana on the left, Benteke down the middle, Firmino on the right, the top three.â€The rest of Barnes’ XI is a little controversial, too, with the likes of Mamadou Sakho missing out, while Alberto Moreno is given the nod ahead of pre-season starlet, Joe Gomez.Here are some great bets for the Stoke vs. Liverpool game from TitanBet.co.uk:25/1 Liverpool to win the League5/2 Liverpool to finish in Top 4.6/5 Liverpool to beat Stoke9/2 Benteke to score first v Stoke9/2 Liverpool to beat Stoke and Both Teams to Score (Mobile Only)AboutÂTitanbet.co.ukTitanbet.co.ukÂis powered by the world’s largest online gaming software developer Playtech, a publicly-traded company on the London Stock Exchange (PTEC.L). As the developer’s flagship sportsbook,ÂTitanbet.co.ukÂcustomers can expect an exceptional and fully-customisable betting experience. Our mobile product is second to none and offers sports betting opportunities on the go – anytime, anywhere. We’re proud to offer early pre-match betting lines, exciting live bets, and some of the best odds on the market. All staff live and breathe sport, and their mission is to offer UK-based sports enthusiasts a top of the line sports betting experience.

Mike Smethurst and Peter Martin hit back for Lancashire after Kent’s MartinSaggers had plunged them into trouble as bowlers dominated the first day atOld Trafford.Lancashire looked set for a big score on a good pitch after John Crawley won the toss, chose to bat and steered them to 94 for one.But they then slumped to 236 all out with Saggers claiming four for 54 and Min Patel picking up three wickets, although many of the Lancashire batsmen had only themselves to blame.They were rescued, not for the first time this season, by their bowlers. Martin, playing his first Championship match since breaking his thumb onMay 31, had Rob Key lbw and David Fulton caught at second slip by AndyFlintoff.And Smethurst trapped Rahul Dravid lbw and had Ed Smith caught behind withconsecutive balls to leave Kent on 14 for four before Matthew Walker deniedhim a hat-trick and linked up with Alan Wells to steer Kent to 41 for fourat the close.Wells was leading Kent with Matthew Fleming ruled out by a calf injury,leaving them missing no fewer than eight seam bowlers. They looked set for a long hard day, especially when Flintoff was racing to 29 with five powerful boundaries including a straight six off Patel.But he was the first of Saggers’ four victims and with Sourav Ganguly goingfor a duck, only Crawley and Neil Fairbrother of the recognised Lancashirebatsmen threatened to make a half century.Crawley was a bat-pad victim for Patel in the last over before lunch for apatient 42, and Fairbrother, who was dropped on one, batted for most of theafternoon session until edging Saggers to first slip, where Fulton took thelast of his three catches.

North Group

Worcestershire v Birmingham, New Road, Worcester, 5.30Second-placed Worcestershire host top-of-the-table Birmingham in what promises to be a hard-fought, high-quality match. With 16 points, defending champions Birmingham are the most successful team in the country this year, while only Kent in the South Group can match Worcestershire’s tally of 14 points. Both teams should qualify comfortably for the quarter-finals but a win in this match would all but confirm it and both will also be keen to guarantee a home quarter-final. History favours the defending champions with Birmingham having won five of the last six matches between the two teams.Leicestershire v Lancashire, Grace Road, Leicester, 5.30Leicestershire are in sixth place and Lancashire are in fourth but both teams are level on ten points in a very tight North Group. Indeed, given their proximity in the league table, this match could prove to be pivotal for both teams.Leicestershire and Lancashire have both had inconsistent seasons. Leicestershire were arguably playing some of the best cricket in the country when they registered three convincing wins in four matches; Lancashire’s victories, by contrast, have generally been tighter, but they have a formidable record against Leicestershire having gone unbeaten in the last eight matches, with six wins and two ties.James Faulkner is set to return to Lancashire’s squad following his drink-driving charge after he was involved in a collision in a Manchester suburb while Leicestershire will miss Kevin and Niall O’Brien who are playing in the World T20 Qualifiers for Ireland and seamer Rob Taylor who is playing for Scotland.Yorkshire v Durham, Headingley, Leeds, 7.00Durham, who are fifth, have had one of the more bizarre campaigns this season, and have not won twice consecutively since their opening two matches. Five of their matches have been either won or lost by less than 20 runs; fine margins define the position they find themselves in now. They have an opportunity against a struggling Yorkshire to turn themselves into serious contenders for a quarter-final place.Yorkshire promised to give T20 greater importance to the NatWest T20 Blast this season, but such emphasis has not translated into results and they will need a miracle to qualify for the quarter finals, having registered just three wins in nine matches so far. They do welcome back Liam Plunkett from injury and have included Adil Rashid in their 14-man squad after he was released by England. Youngsters Ben Coad, Ryan Gibson and Josh Shaw have all been included and could make their senior T20 debuts.Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire, Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire, 6.30Derbyshire’s quarter-final chances are over with them having won just three times in 11 matches. Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, are not much better placed, having won four from 10 and none consecutively. The addition of Peter Moores to the coaching staff brought no miraculous change in fortunes last week. However, sitting in seventh place, they are just two points off the quarter-final places. “We’ve backed ourselves into a corner where we need to win all four,” said Nottinghamshire head coach Mick Newell. “If we do that, I’m pretty sure we’ll get through, but we have no room for manoeuvre.”Can Steve Finn pump up ailing Middlesex?•Getty Images

South Group

Hampshire v Surrey, Ageas Bowl, Southampton, 7.00This crucial match in the South Group brings together Hampshire who have lost three in a row and Surrey who have won three in a row. Only a fortnight ago Hampshire were seemingly well on course for a quarter-final place alongside Essex at the top of the table while Surrey were languishing right at the very bottom. Two weeks on and how things have changed.Hampshire are seeking their sixth consecutive appearance at Finals Day and began the season strongly, but close observers noted cracks appearing in their tried and tested formula. Seam bowling in particular has been a problem.Surrey’s season turned around following a stunning comeback victory away to Glamorgan on an inauspicious cold Friday night in Cardiff. They will be without Gary Wilson who is playing for Ireland in the World T20 Qualifiers, while Matt Dunn is ruled out with a side injury. Hampshire, who have won their last six home matches against Surrey, have named an unchanged squad from last week’s match against Glamorgan.Sussex v Glamorgan, The County Ground, Hove, 7.00Sussex in second and Glamorgan in fourth are in strong positions in the South Group and are both just a win away from top spot. However, with just two matches left after this fixture they will recognise the importance of a win over a quarter-final rival.Sussex’s defeat against leaders Kent last week ended their streak of four consecutive victories and they will be keen to recapture their form against Glamorgan, who have included Michael Hogan in their squad.”We’ve tended to play better away than at home in T20 so far this season,” said Glamorgan head coach Toby Radford. “So we’re looking forward to the game at Hove off the back of two good wins on the road against Somerset and Hampshire.”Kent v Somerset, The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence, Canterbury, 7.00Although Somerset are languishing in eighth place in the South Group they are only three points off Essex in third and still have a chance to make a late push for a quarter-final spot.”Every game is important,” said head coach Matt Maynard. “We have to look to try and win all four of our remaining matches to make sure that we qualify for the quarter finals. To do that we need to get out of the powerplay with the ball and with the bat because that has cost us big time. If we can get out of those first six overs in good shape we tend to win the matches. We have had a chat about it and we have put a system in place.”Somerset will have their work cut out against Kent who are have surprised many onlookers with their strong form this season, winning seven of their ten matches so far despite not signing an overseas player. Kent have made one change to their squad from their victory against Sussex last week, with Calum Haggett replacing the injured Ivan Thomas.Middlesex v Essex, Old Deer Park, Richmond, 5.30Middlesex won two matches in Game Week 2, but either side of that have not managed a victory and have now lost seven in a row. With four points from ten matches their quarter-final chances are all but over. With two top-four sides, Sussex and Glamorgan, in opposition, third placed Essex will sense an opportunity to move one step closer to the quarter-finals against a struggling team.Essex have turned their season around excellently having lost three of their first four matches and head coach Paul Grayson is thrilled with the progress. “If someone had said seven or eight games ago that we could have a chance of finishing in the top-four, we would definitely have taken that,” he said.Liam Dawson, on loan from Hampshire, is expected to make his T20 debut for Essex while Tom Westley has been included in their squad after recovering from injury. Middlesex welcome back international pace duo Steven Finn, released by England, and Mitchell McClenaghan, back from injury.

Australia’s players made a point of training vocally and boisterously at Trent Bridge on Monday. The fielding-oriented session was characterised by plenty of laughter and competitive drills, as banter between team-mates filled the air that on Thursday will reverberate with the noise of an English crowd expecting its team to seal the Ashes series.Brad Haddin was as involved and vocal as anyone at training, and there was a sense that after a heavy loss in Birmingham, and the conjecture surrounding his demotion behind Peter Nevill, the team wished to give the appearance of unity. There can be little doubt that the players are united, and remain confident of their Ashes chances despite the weight of history against them.But there is a difference between players demonstrating harmony and none raising questions about a decision made by their coach Darren Lehmann and selection chairman Rod Marsh. This is a group mature enough to appreciate that personal opinions on Haddin’s fate cannot be allowed to derail the tour, yet there is undoubted angst about the sequence in which events took place.For that reason, Lehmann was well within his rights to state, as he did in an interview with the Adelaide radio station 5AA, that talk the team was divided over the Haddin decision was “rubbish” and “crap”. But careful questioning of whether everyone agreed with the way the matter was resolved will doubtless result in different answers, as it has been through the words of Chris Rogers and Mitchell Johnson.Rogers conveyed a sense of unease with his terse non-answer in response to a question about the Haddin decision during the Edgbaston Test, and Johnson added his perspective to it with similarly careful steps that nonetheless indicated there is more under the surface.”It’s a difficult one and it’s a hard one to really answer,” Johnson said. “Yeah look, he’s a senior player of the team and it’s good to have those senior players around in an Ashes tour. He hasn’t gone home or anything like that, so it’s good to have him around the team still and being himself. To lose someone like Hadds and I guess in the situation it was, it’s very difficult for everyone. More so for him. I’ll probably just leave it at that.”In an exercise where all players took aim at a single stump in the middle of the field, Nevill enjoyed plenty of direct hits, in keeping with his strong displays in the two Tests for which he has so far replaced Haddin. There is no ill will among players towards Nevill, who in his very modesty and grace has endeared himself to team-mates used to the occasional moment’s grandstanding by one another.Nonetheless, it is a rather different thing to walk onto a Test ground with Nevill than it was to be accompanied by Haddin, who personified the brio and boldness of Australian cricket at its best even when his own batting form had started to trail off. His battles to regain his place in the team and then keep it, while spending time at the side of his ill daughter Mia, only added to the team’s admiration.For his part, Haddin is at peace with the decision, and committed to ensuring Australia have the best chance of keeping possession of the urn over the next two Tests. He has not spoken publicly about it, and will be at long odds to do so until at least the outcome of the series is decided. Even then, he is more likely to keep his counsel than speak out. He is the gloveman as team-builder, even when held in reserve.”The keeper is someone who drives the chatter and the vibe out in the middle, the energy out there,” Johnson said. “That’s what I’ve always found in a keeper, playing Shield cricket or even club cricket – back that far. The keeper is generally the chirpiest. He gives the energy to the team.”Nev has done a great job for us and he is just finding himself. It just happens to be on an Ashes tour. I guess in a difficult circumstance with how it all happened. But he’s making the most of it and everyone is supporting him 100% and backing him all the way.”Supporting one another is something the Australians were doing as they trained at Trent Bridge. That is not to say they simply exchanged empty homilies. Plenty of rowdy and amusing words were exchanged, the rat-a-tat-tat of call and response giving the impression of 17 scallywags on a summer jaunt rather than a squad of cricketers confronting arguably the most important three weeks of their careers. Johnson summed up the mood.”There’s been times in my career when I’ve felt that sort of, I guess that pressure a lot more and the guys haven’t been as happy at times,” he said. “But this group have been outstanding. We’ve had a couple of losses along the way in the last 12-18 months, but we’ve played good cricket.”Everyone’s really happy and get along really well. All the guys want to learn, they want to get better. Have a look at the way we train, we always train really well and always look to better ourselves. Even after a loss like that, the guys are still upbeat.”This Ashes series is bigger than Brad Haddin, and Australia’s team success is bigger than individual selection issues. It follows naturally that the matter of his demotion is a question that is being put to one side for now by a team still eager to win. But it has not been forgotten, either.

Bangladesh A will tour India later this month to play three one-day matches and two three-day games, the first of their three back-to-back tours this year. The touring squad is likely to be announced on Sunday.According to the tour schedule released by the BCCI, Bangladesh A play three limited-overs matches against India A in Bangalore, on September 16, 18 and 20. Their three-day games are against Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka from September 22 to 24 in Mysore, and against India A from September 27 to 29.Two weeks after their India tour, Bangladesh A go to South Africa to play two one-dayers and a three-day game, followed by a tour of Zimbabwe, where they are scheduled to play two four-day matches and three one-dayers. The Africa tour ends on November 18.India is the only Test-playing nation where Bangladesh is yet to play a Test: the senior side is scheduled to tour the country in August next year. Bangladesh A have previously toured India in 2001, 2009 and 2012.

The former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper, international umpire and professional footballer Barrie Meyer has died in Durban aged 83.Meyer stood in 26 Tests and 23 ODIs, including the 1979 and 1983 World Cup finals, following a career where he played 406 first-class matches and 44 List A games. He stood in the famous 1981 Ashes Test at Headingley where Ian Botham and Bob Willis turned the match on its head.He was an all-round sportsman having played football for Bristol Rovers, Plymouth, Newport County and Bristol City. For Bristol Rovers he scored 60 goals in 139 league matches and scored against Manchester United in the 4-0 FA Cup victory in 1951.Meyer umpired his first international in 1977, an ODI against Australia at Old Trafford, and his final match was also against Australia, a Test at The Oval, in 1993.

ScorecardRailways lost 15 wickets on the third day in Mohali, and were in serious danger of an innings defeat after being asked to follow on. While Punjab’s seam-bowling pair of Brainder Sran and Siddarth Kaul accounted for all the batsmen in the first innings, left-arm spinner Varun Khanna picked up each of the five wickets to fall in the second.Resuming the day on 14 for 0, Railways didn’t lose a wicket until the 37th over of the day, as Ashish Singh and Saurabh Wakaskar raised 150 runs for the opening wicket. The visitors’ slide began when left-armer Sran had Wakaskar and Rohan Bhosale trapped lbw in successive deliveries. Two overs later, Sran dismissed captain Mahesh Rawat and Arindam Ghosh in the space of two deliveries to reduce Railways to 153 for 4. Kaul then had Ashish lbw, and thereon Railways lost their last five wickets for 29 runs in 6.3 overs.Following on, Railways lost Wakaskar in the seventh over after Khanna had him caught behind. Having slid to 54 for 3, the visitors were partially revived by a 62-run alliance between Prashant Awasthi and Arindam Ghosh before Khanna had Awasthi and Rawat caught behind off successive deliveries.
ScorecardHalf-centuries from opener Aditya Shrivastava and Naman Ojha helped Madhya Pradesh muster a solid response in Moradabad after Uttar Pradesh declared their first innings on 684.The visitors, though, were dealt with a blow early on, as seamer Ankit Rajpoot bowled Jalaj Saxena in the sixth over. Udit Birla (32) and Shrivastava attempted to patiently rebuild the innings, putting on 65 in 32 overs. Rajput, however, trapped Birla lbw to end his 82-ball effort. Shrivastava and Naman Ojha then joined hands to raise 157 runs in 44 overs before Ojha, whose innings included eight fours and three sixes, was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav off what eventually turned out to be the last ball of the day. Shrivastava remained unbeaten on 99 off 254 balls.In the morning, Uttar Pradesh declared after 5.1 overs, adding 30 runs to their overnight total.
ScorecardSiddhesh Lad’s unbeaten half-century held Mumbai’s reply together after seamer Balwinder Sandhu’s five-for triggered Andhra Pradesh’s collapse in their first innings in Vizianagaram.Coming in at 61 for 4, Lad, whose innings included 10 fours and a six, added 97 runs with Nikhil Patil, who knuckled down for a 110-ball 27. Patil, however, was bowled by CV Stepen, who had earlier dismissed captain Aditya Tare for a duck, with 14 balls to go for stumps.In the morning, Andhra Pradesh, resuming on 213 for 4, scored only 31 more runs before folding up. Captain Mohammad Kaif added one run to his overnight score of 89 before being dismissed by Sandhu off the seventh ball of the day. During the course of the next five overs they slipped from 214 for 4 to 218 for 8, before B Ayyappa and KV Harish put on 22 runs for the ninth wicket. Seamer Shardul Thakur supported Sandhu’s efforts with three wickets.Tamil Nadu v Baroda in Chennai – Rahil Shah seals thrilling win for TN

A positive mentality helped Malcolm Waller play freely in the first T20I against Bangladesh. Waller smashed a 20-ball fifty, the fastest by a Zimbabwean in international cricket, during his 68 off 31 balls; it was also his first fifty-plus score in international cricket after more than two years, the last being a 70 against Pakistan in a Test in Harare.”I just tried to go out there, and back my game, free myself up,” Waller said. “I was in a similar situations in the one-day games [where] I sort of got a bit knuckled down and I felt the pressure. Today I told myself that we lost four wickets, back your game and play your shots.”Waller set to work, peppering the straight boundaries with sixes and went on to strike six of them, to add to the four fours in his 31-ball 68. His method was as simple as watching the ball closely and depositing it to his favoured zones. “I just tried to watch the ball,” Waller said. “I don’t just look at one area. I see where the ball is, and I got a couple of areas where I like to hit.

‘I thought of Jubair as my main bowler’ – Mashrafe

Mashrafe Mortaza played down the pressure of playing Jubair Hossain, which was the legspinner’s first-ever T20 at any level. “We didn’t pick him in the 14-man squad thinking that he never played T20s,” Mashrafe said. “I thought of him as my main bowler, and not someone who would put me under pressure. I wanted him to bowl more than one over however he does. We had options but Jubair was part of my five-man bowling attack.”
Malcolm Waller, who took 17 runs off Jubair’s first over, said he targeted the bowler: “It was his first game in the series so it was very important to put him under pressure. I felt he was the right bowler to target at that time.”

“If it happens to land there, I back myself to hit them. I like to go both offside and when they come a lot straighter, I try to open up the legside.”Waller also said that the Zimbabwe batsmen were more positive but eventually their 131 wasn’t enough to challenge a buoyant Bangladesh side, fresh from the 3-0 ODI series win. “I think the guys had nothing to lose in their thinking today,” Waller said. They went out there really positively, we put the one-day series behind us and we focused on a new game today.”I think the total wasn’t big enough,” he said. “We had to go out there and get a couple of wickets early. We managed to get them. They were four down and we needed to just build on that.”Waller also said that his job was to bat till the end, instead of targeting a hundred, after Craig Ervine and Luke Jongwe had got out. When Waller was finally dismissed in the 18th over, the Mirpur crowd found its voice again, an indication of the impact of Waller’s record fifty.

England Women produced another encouraging result in their preparations for the CricInfo Women’s World Cup as they beat South Africa by 9 wickets in a rain-affected match at Trent Bridge.The rain rules, bizarrely avoiding the reliable yet incomprehensible Duckworth Lewis system, played straight into England’s hands. Captain Clare Connor remarked as such as she won the toss and elected to bowl. Man of the Match Lucy Pearson produced a devastating opening spell from which the South Africans struggled to recover.England’s team spirit and fielding was electrifying throughout. Arran Thompson’s catch in the first over set the standard for all that was to follow. Every appeal was uniformly supported in the field, and every wicket greeted with genuine excitement. None more so that the run out of Cindy Eksteen just as South Africa were heading confidently towards a good total, with Jane Cassar gathering a wild throw as she fell backwards, rapidly recovering to whip off the bails.The South African batsmen were positive throughout, despite losing regular wickets. The sixth wicket partnership of 74 between Eksteen and Davies ensured a total that would have been competitive without the intervention of the now familiar Trent Bridge rain.Initially chasing 151 in 35 overs, Claire Taylor and Charlotte Edwards formed a contrasting blend of patience and panache. Edwards was quickly into her stride, timing a number of shots exquisitely, while Taylor played a solid supporting role.Then came the rain, and a dramatic change in the match situation. The target off the remaining seven overs was reduced to just 38 runs, but after one eventful over, decisive hitting and poor fielding put England well on top. Taylor was dropped three times as she attempted to set the pace, including an horrific drop at mid-on by Lewis. From then on, runs came easily, quick singles and emphatic boundaries saw England cruise to a comfortable victory.Edwards was dismissed just before the winning hit, and it fell to Barbara Daniels to deny Taylor a well-deserved 50 as she cut the winning boundary.England Women now require just one more win to ensure a series victory, and a valuable morale boost prior to the CricInfo Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.