Premier League

A DRONE has stopped play in the Premier League fixture between Southampton and Aston Villa.The remote-controlled aircraft was spotted in the 40th minute of the match.
Play was stopped due to the droneCredit: Getty
It was spotted flying above the pitchCredit: Getty
Referee Michael Salisbury paused the game after spotting the droneCredit: Getty
The referee halted the game and ushered the players off the pitch.
The game was delayed with fans being asked to wait until the situation is dealt with.
The Saints and Villa players were eventually called back out to resume the first half.
The game was tied at 0-0 after Southampton has a Kyle Walker-Peters’ goal ruled out for offside.
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Despite the long pause due to the drone overhead, only two minutes were added to the end of the first half.
The game had failed to thrill fans who took to social media to discuss the drone, one tweeted: “The classic ‘fly a drone onto the pitch to force play to be suspended’ defensive move from Southampton.
“Ballsy but effective.”
A second commented: “Drone coming to save Southampton.”
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A third said: “The game between Southampton and Aston Villa has been paused due to a drone flying above the stadium.
“Villa fans are chanting to the drone, ‘You’ve only come to see the Villa’.” More

CHELSEA and Liverpool played out a 0-0 bore draw at Anfield this lunchtime.The two began the day in mid-table, slugging it out to try and grab three crucial points in their respective battles to climb back into the European places.
Chelsea and Liverpool battled in a mid-table scrapCredit: AP
Both sides huffed and puffed, but neither were able to grab a breakthrough on a low-key afternoon at Anfield.
Mykhailo Mudryk did make an exciting cameo off the bench for the away side, but couldn’t unlock the Liverpool defence.
SunSport’s Martin Lipton rates and slates each Chelsea performer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6
Angered the home fans by consuming time but rarely troubled and well-protected by the thick blue line in front of him.
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Trevoh Chalobah – 7
Kept his defensive shape and discipline even as he switched from a three to a four when Liverpool pressed.
Thiago Silva – 8
Used all his experience especially when Liverpool stepped it up at the start of the second half. Remains the calmest man on the planet.
Benoit Badiashile – 7
Showed he is a genuine attacking threat and close to a first Chelsea goal. Solid and strong and commitment will have pleased Graham Potter.
Benoit Badiashile already looks at home in the Premier LeagueCredit: AFP
Marc Cucurella – 6
Stuck to his defensive task to deny Mo Salah space although barely made any attacking impact down the flank.
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Jorginho – 5
Tidy enough but does he ever really set a tempo or hurt opponents? Just a bit too humdrum.
Conor Gallagher – 7
Spiky and combative from the opening minute. Sailed close to the wind a few times with rash tackles but never flinched from the battle.
Conor Gallagher battles with ThiagoCredit: Reuters
Hakim Ziyech – 7
The latest unlikely choice of right wing-back but rarely as exposed defensively as might have been and did offer width and shape. One great run ended with shot too high.
Mason Mount – 6
Some bright moments but too few for him to really impact the game as he would have wanted.
Lewis Hall – 7
Youngster had to flit between central role in possession and wider one off the ball. Close with a cross-shot before made way for Mudryk.
Lewis Hall continues to get a run in the Chelsea first teamCredit: AFP
Kai Havertz – 6
Unlucky to have inadvertently stepped offside to be denied an early goal. Worked hard but not a natural No9 and slightly unfair to ask him to play there.
Substitutes:
Mykhailo Mudryk (for Hall, 67) – 7
Ukrainian shone off the bench on his Prem bow. Dancing feet so close to making breakthrough. Looks the real deal.
Cesar Azpilicueta (for Chalobah, 81) – 6
Club skipper replaced injured Chalobah late-on as Blues battened down the defensive hatches to make his 500th appearance for the club.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (for Havertz, 81) – 6
A genuine striker for the last 10 minutes or so but too late for him to get into the game.
Carney Chukwuemeka (for Mount, 82) – 6
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Nearly made an instant impact only to lose his footing after bursting into the box.
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Koulibaly, Humphreys, Loftus-Cheek, Fofana
Mykhailo Mudryk looked to make an impression on his Chelsea debutCredit: PA More

GRAHAM POTTER insists money can’t guarantee glory for his big-spending Chelsea.Yet the £88million he splashed out on Mykhailo Mudryk already looks like it will give him a decent chance of it.
Mykhailo Mudryk came on for his debut and was the brightest sparkCredit: PA
James Milner took a yellow card to try and stop the flying starCredit: Getty
The Ukrainian winger made his Chelsea bow off the bench and produced the few moments of magic amidst the mayhem of an Anfield stalemate.
Mudryck, chucked on after 56 minutes, showed enough to suggest he will be a smash hit and could even have marked it with a winner, with a shot that hit the side netting.
But for the most part, it was a game where the league positions showed exactly where these two giants have fallen to – mid-table teams with no more than an outside chance of the top four.
Chelsea thought they had gone ahead after just two minutes, when a Conor Gallagher corner ended in Kai Havertz prodding in.
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Benoit Badiashile shuffled the initial delivery on to Thiago Silva, whose shot came off the post and Havertz poked in the rebound.
Had Silva’s strike gone in the goal would have been given, as James Milner was playing him on.
Yet when it came back off the woodwork, Havertz – virtually alongside his team-mate – was inches offside and Liverpool were off the hook.
It was a huge slice of fortune for Jurgen Klopp’s men, but if the Kop boss hoped it would be the warning which kicked his team into life, he was badly mistaken.
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Chelsea were the ones who continued to pose any serious threat, and it took a smart reflex save from Alisson to keep out Badiashile’s header from an Hakim Ziyech free kick.
Liverpool were lucky to go in level at half-time, so Heaven only knows what Klopp said to inspire them, because they were a different side after the break.
Suddenly they had Potter’s men pinned deep in their own territory and if Cody Gakpo had kept a cooler head, he’d have been celebrating his first goal in front of the Kop.
Mudryk’s introduction put Chelsea back on the front foot, yet really it was a game neither did enough to justify winning.
Champions League? You’re having a laugh… certainly as far as these two are concerned.
Benoit Badiashile should have beaten Alisson with a close-range headerCredit: AP
Kai Havertz’s early goal was disallowed for offsideCredit: BT Sport
Cody Gakpo failed to test Kepa ArrizabalagaCredit: Reuters
Trevoh Chalobah was booked for taking an age to be subbed offCredit: Reuters
Graham Potter cut a frustrated figure on the sidelinesCredit: Getty More

MYKHAILO MUDRYK has left Chelsea fans purring with his mesmerising footwork and blistering pace against Liverpool.The £88million Ukraine star, 22, came off the bench in Saturday’s clash at Anfield.

Mudryk has left fans purring with his silky skillsCredit: PA
Mudryk came close to a debut goalCredit: Getty
His first touch was a poor one by his standards, smashing the ball into the hands of Alisson while trying to get past James Milner.
But a piece of skill that followed has left fans in awe.
Blues ace Mudryk played a slick one-two with Conor Gallagher inside Liverpool’s penalty area.
The winger then slipped past a desperate Milner before firing into the side netting.
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Milner struggled to deal with Mudryk from the minute he came on and was even forced to take a booking.
One fan said on Mudryk: “WOW MUDRYK THAT WAS HAZARD ESQUE.”
Another said: “Mudryk already looks like a problem, the pace of his dribbling… oh my God.”
A third gushed: “Every time Mudryk dribbles my heart aches bro.”
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Mudryk was unable to help Chelsea secure a win at Anfield, though.
The two sides played out a 0-0 draw keeping Chelsea in 10th. More