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Many Crystal Palace fans slammed James Tomkins for his performance in Saturday’s Premier League game against Aston Villa. 

Palace were looking to return to winning ways after twice surrendering the lead in their 3-3 draw with Burnley last time out, but lost 2-1 after Marc Guehi’s last-minute goal was not enough to cancel out strikes from Matt Targett and John McGinn, despite Douglas Luiz getting sent off for the visitors.

Patrick Vieira made two changes from the side that started at Turf Moor.

Tomkins slotted into defence alongside Guehi, with Joachim Andersen unavailable after picking up a hamstring injury.

And Jordan Ayew dropped to the substitutes’ bench to make room for Michael Olise on the right wing.

Recapping Tomkins’ performance vs Villa

Tomkins was partly to blame as Villa bagged the opening goal on 15 minutes. Ashley Young delivered a corner, the centre-back missed his header and Targett was able to control and finish.

Palace had conceded a league-high nine goals from set pieces prior to the game, and the introduction of the 32-year-old seemingly did little to address the issue.

Tomkins also failed to make any tackles, and was guilty of losing possession of the ball five times (SofaScore).

Here’s what Palace fans on Twitter made of his display:

These Crystal Palace fans tear into Tomkins

“Luka and Tomkins look lost”

Credit: @OrsonMcFeathers

“How bad has Tomkins been?!”

Credit: @ianace0

“Luka has been appalling, Tomkins is shaky”

Credit: @cpfcoscar

“Luka and Tomkins aren’t good enough and they never were”

Credit: @Mark_CPFC

“Vieira making all the wrong calls. Tomkins and Luka have been dreadful”

Credit: @Gswfanlee

“Tomkins has genuinely forgot how to man mark at set-pieces, a shadow of his former self”

Credit: @theunusedsub

In other news, this pre-game news had lots of Palace fans talking.

[ad_pod ]Newcastle have completed the signing of Miguel Almiron for a club-record fee, with the playmaker signing on a five-and-a-half year deal after leaving Major League Soccer champions Atlanta United, as revealed on the Magpies’ official website.

What’s the word, then?

Negotiations over a move for the Paraguayan international have been ongoing throughout January, but the Magpies finally got their man on deadline day with Almiron signing for a fee of around £20m, via the BBC, which has finally broke the previous club-record deal to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid for £16m, also as per the BBC, back in 2005.

Almiron starred for Atlanta last season, scoring 13 goals and recording 13 assists as he became an MLS champion, and has scored 21 goals in 62 league appearances throughout his career, all according to Transfermarkt.

The only people more shocked by Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City than City fans were the Magpies fans themsleves! Check out their brilliant reactions in the video above…

He becomes the Tynesiders’ second signing of the winter transfer window, following the arrival of Antonio Barecca on a six-month loan deal from Monaco, as per the club’s official Twitter account, although the club’s fans are far more excited by the arrival of the 13-cap Paraguayan international playmaker.

Where does he fit in Rafa Benitez’s 5-4-1 system?

Almiron is an exciting attacking midfielder who thrives in a No.10 role behind the striker. As seen on Whoscored, Benitez opted for a flat, four-man midfield in the 2-1 win over Manchester City, with Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff in central midfield and Christian Atsu and Ayoze Perez on the flanks.

If the former Liverpool and Chelsea boss is to carry on with that system, he will need to drop one of his central midfield two in order to deploy Almiron in a more advanced role.

Benitez could possibly adapt his system slightly, which he probably should do for a record signing. The Spaniard could change to a 5-3-1-1 system, with Almiron playing just behind Salomon Rondon up top, which would be an exciting blend of physical power, craft and guile in Newcastle’s attack. Whatever the formation, the St James’ Park faithful should be salivating over this signing.

William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, hopes his team’s three-week tour to Jamaica will set them up for an impressive display at the World Twenty20

Cricinfo staff03-Apr-2010William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, hopes his team’s three-week tour to Jamaica will set them up for an impressive display at the World Twenty20. The squad arrived over the weekend to take part in the Jamaica Cricket Festival with involves a West Indies team, Canada as well as the hosts.Ireland have been grouped with West Indies and England during the initial phase of the World Twenty20, which starts on April 30, so this tournament will allow them an advanced look at a few of the West Indian players they will come up against.”Our main focus is to use this tournament to help in our build-up to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup and we are looking to getting some good cricket under our belt and getting into the winning mentality,” said Porterfield. “This is a good tough tournament and we are really looking forward to it.”Trent Johnston, Ireland’s opening bowler, will be a key figure at the World Twenty20 and admitted it will be good to get a few matches under his belt after a period of down time since the qualifiers in Dubai.”It’s been snowing for a couple of days [in Ireland] so a lot of our preparations have been indoors; gym work and that sort of thing,” said Johnston. “We have been on sort of a break for about five weeks or so since the end of the qualifiers for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, so we are probably a little bit rusty, but nothing that a few training sessions or a good three-day game won’t iron out.”As a senior player, I’d like to lead from the front,” he added. “Wherever experience or a cool head is needed, I’d like to get in and benefit the team as best as I can. Hopefully it will go well and we will get our preparation right heading into the ICC World Twenty20.”For Ireland the trip back to Jamaica also allows them to recapture memories of their 2007 World Cup campaign when they famously beat Pakistan to progress to the Super Eights. During their time on the island three years ago the Irish supporters became a focal point of a tournament that wasn’t often renowned for its crowds.”It feels pretty good to be back here in Jamaica, we have a lot of good memories from here and now we’re looking forward to the cricket,” said Porterfield. “The supporters were definitely one of the real highlights of the last time that we were here with the crowds and the atmosphere that they create so we are looking forward to playing in front if them.”When it comes to the World Twenty20 itself Ireland will be able to tap into the local knowledge of their coach Phil Simmons and Porterfield will also be relying on him for information about the players they will face in the next few weeks.”We don’t know a lot about the Jamaican team and so we will be relying on coach Phil in that area…we’ll take it as it comes and adapt once the tournament starts,” he said.

Merry Christmas, Celtic fans!

Ange Postecoglou’s Christmas came early after he won his first piece of silverware as Celtic manager last weekend following a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Hampden Park in the Scottish League Cup final.

Kyogo Furuhashi, their number eight and record signing under Postecoglou, scored twice as the Hoops won for the first time under Postecoglou after conceding first.

We’ve prepared a Celtic-related quiz for you which will give you the chance to break up your day.

Are you good with player numbers? If so, take today’s quiz and try and see if you can get a full house regarding these former Hoops heroes.

We’ve given you four options for each player – all you have to do is select what number they wore during their time at Parkhead.

Some are fairly recent, while others will test your knowledge dating way back. Good luck, and remember to share your score once completed!

Dani Dyer has revealed what she thinks of the vulgar West Ham fan chant in which she figures prominently alongside partner Jarrod Bowen.

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Hammers fans serenade star wingerPartner has no issue with the chantFather does not interfere in private lifeWHAT HAPPENED?

Crude terrace songs are nothing new in football circles and former Love Island star Dyer knew what she was getting in to when linking up with England international winger Bowen in 2021. The London Stadium can often be heard rocking to the sound of “Bowen's on fire and he's sh*gging Dani Dyer” – with said chant sung to the tune of Nineties dance classic ‘Freed from Desire’ by Gala.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT DANI DYER SAID

Dyer has told the podcast when asked for her take on being the unfortunate star of a crass chant: “Not that long ago I went to an away game, and I don’t usually like going to the away games because there’s the die-hard fans that are crazy. I really needed a drink, so I was like, I’d rather have died of dehydration to be honest, that was the better option. I came out and they were all looking at me and they all sung the song, I was literally in the midst of the crowds. It’s fine, it’s so fine, it really doesn’t bother me.”

THE GOSSIP

Dani and Jarrod are now proud parents to twin girls, while Bowen has been welcomed into the Dyer family by film star and EastEnders actor Danny. Asked if her Hammers-mad father would have allowed her to date a player from arch-rivals Millwall, Dani said: “No! I don’t know, he wouldn’t care. Listen, people always say ‘oh, I bet your dad loves that because you’re dating someone from West Ham’, but he could be a total ars*hole, do you know what I mean? And he’s not, so I think that was just a bonus. The West Ham thing was a bonus.”

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@danidyerxx & GettyWHAT NEXT?

Bowen – who netted the winning goal for West Ham in the 2023 Europa Conference League final – has continued to star for the Hammers this season. He has found the target on 11 occasions, while providing five assists, and will be hoping to form part of England’s plans at Euro 2024 this summer.

Only 14 overs were possible on the third day of West Indies’ tour game at Hove before the decision was made to abandon it once and for all

George Dobell at Hove07-May-2012
ScorecardFile photo: Kieran Powell was the one wicket to fall on the final day•Associated PressOnly 14 overs were possible on the third day of West Indies’ tour game at Hove before the decision was made to abandon it once and for all. If ever a game was crying out for euthanasia, this was it. After 34 overs across three bitterly cold and wet days, it was laid to rest shortly after lunch and will no doubt receive a burial at sea. It will go unmourned.It says much for the conditions that the greatest moment of excitement – and that is playing fairly free and easy with the word excitement – came when two sea gulls, understandably mistaking the damp Hove outfield for the sea, swooped towards Kieran Powell just as was about to receive a delivery from Amjad Khan. Powell, reacting like an ornithophobia sufferer in an aviary, leapt out of the way and swished his bat at the birds; one of the more aggressive strokes he played. Perhaps he has simply watched rather too many Hitchcock films?There were few moments of cheer for West Indies on the final day. Shivnarine Chanderpaul required treatment to a hand injury as a result of repetitive jarring – it is not thought to be serious – and Darren Bravo was struck high on the back as he attempted to duck a short ball from Amjad Khan. Bravo seemed fine, too, though the interview he gave at the close of play was so quiet that only lip readers and wolves could possibly have known he was even trying to communicate. The only wicket to fall was that of Powell, edging to the keeper after being caught in two minds whether to play or leave and doing a bit of both and a lot of neither.Sussex’s bowlers maintained a tight line and length in testing conditions and could feel quietly satisfied with their performance. The club continue to await news on Luke Wright’s health. The allrounder, who has been appearing in the IPL back is in the UK having attended a family funeral, recently underwent tests to ascertain whether he has dengue fever.Most pertinently, the West Indies are still missing three men. At present the team management confess they do not know where Marlon Samuels is, but they are expecting him to arrive on Tuesday. Assad Fudadin and Narsingh Deonarine, meanwhile, remain in Jamaica waiting for a visa. The UK Border Agency have recently tightened the work permit rules, but it is surely the job of someone at the West Indies Cricket Board to resolve these matters before such issues arise.The squad travel to Northampton on Tuesday and begin their final warm-up match – a four day game against England Lions – the following day. With the weather forecast remaining far from promising, it seems inevitable that some of the team will go into the first Test having had very little opportunity to adjust to English conditions.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith feels India’s “conservative approach” in Nagpur cost them dearly and has said that playing an extra bowler in place of the untested Wriddhiman Saha would have been a more favourable option

N Hunter09-Feb-2010South Africa captain Graeme Smith feels India’s “conservative approach” in Nagpur cost them dearly and has said that playing an extra bowler in place of the untested Wriddhiman Saha would have been a more favourable option.”I guess there are two ways to look at it: you [could] take the more confident approach and play the extra bowler,” Smith said, reasoning that both Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan had decent records as tailenders. “They went for a more conservative approach and picked Saha at No 7. Maybe they are regretting that now.”Smith was pleased with the way that the team had maintained its focus despite the rumblings before the series, when long-time coach Mickey Arthur stepped down and Cricket South Africa sacked the entire selection panel.”There were a lot of shifts and changes and everyone was just trying to find their feet,” Smith said. “It helped that there was a lot of honesty around the group and the credit must go to their maturity. Corrie [van Zyl] has created a good working environment for the players and as the weeks have gone on, we have settled down and focussed more and more on our cricket.””We have been really clinical. It is important to come here, adapt but play our style of cricket. I think we did that every well throughout the game and used our bowlers in short spells.”Not just the bowlers, he also credited Hashim Amla for his fantastic double-century which took them to a commanding position earlier in the Test match. “Amla’s double century was great to watch,” Smith said. “At No.3 he is becoming the glue. It’s terrific to have him there. Hashim is one of the hardest working guys and knows his strength is his mental strength.”He has got great hands and he scores very quickly. He sticks to his game plans and most of the times he had to battle through some periods in this innings but at other times he is a difficult guy to control. He has provided us a lot of stability. More than his 250, he has been involved in some key partnerships along the way.”Smith has maintained that winning a series in India was a box that remained to be ticked. In 2008, South Africa came close after another Dale Steyn burst had given them a 1-0 lead in Ahmedabad. However, they were welcomed with a rank turner in the final Test in Kanpur, where a combination of a dubious pitch, and dogged half-centuries from Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman secured India a series-levelling win.Smith had not forgotten the incident, and when asked if he was ready for a similar fate, he quipped, “So are you telling me there’s a guy with a rake at the Eden Gardens? India have more control over the conditions. We need to focus on the specifics…prepare and execute our gameplans.”

Everton boss Sean Dyche has revealed how he and his players reacted to being deducted 10 points by the Premier League.

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Everton handed strongest punishment in EPL historyDyche admits surprise at verdict Toffees looking to shock Man Utd on Sunday Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Toffees received the punishment after being found to have breached Profit and Sustainability Rules. The deduction leaves them in the relegation zone on four points heading into Sunday's meeting with Manchester United at Goodison Park.

AdvertisementWHAT SEAN DYCHE SAID ABOUT POINTS DEDUCTION

“Like everyone, well everyone in these parts, we’re shocked. With the wave of noise after that, it seems as though most people in football are shocked… the enormity of it, disproportionate is a word that’s been used by the club," Dyche said.

WHAT DYCHE SAID ABOUT HOW EVERTON WILL BE AFFECTED

Despite the bad news, Dyche insisted that his team's task has not shifted as a result. He added: "Obviously we’re going to feel a bit aggrieved by that. On the other hand it doesn’t change the focus. The focus since I got here has been sorting things out on the pitch. Getting the team to win, getting the team to feel different, the performances to be different and we were obviously on the right lines for that and delivering strong performances, I felt, and this has just given us a push backwards to then come forwards again. The job hasn’t changed for me. It’s just made it more difficult in the current circumstances until the appeal of course."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Last week's bombshell points deduction news came as a shock, not only to the Toffees but rival clubs and supporters as well. The decision led to a Premier League shareholders meeting to discuss the verdict, while potential punishments for other sides may well have been on the agenda. Indeed, Manchester City have previously been charged for 115 alleged breaches of FFP regulations and, following the strict action taken against Everton, they may well be worried about what could be to follow for them.

Three World Cup final appearances with world-class kits to match

Paris is the world’s fashion capital, and that influence has clearly helped shape the country’s football team. Over the decades – from historic victories to ignominious exits – France has sported some of the best-ever World Cup kits. The run of great designs even extends to the nation’s early 1990s exile from the tournament, when it released great kit after great kit while failing to qualify for the World Cup.

As the team prepares for their second consecutive World Cup final, we’ve compiled France’s 10 best-ever World Cup kits.

Looking for a classic France shirt of your own?We independently choose all products featured on our site. We may earn a commission when you purchase something through the links provided.

The number of stores dedicated to selling the best vintage football kits, including match-worn shirts, has grown over the years. There is no shortage of treasures you can find on these sites, so here are the best to help you find your next retro gem:

Classic Football Shirts Cult KitseBayFFF StoreSports DirectVintage Football ShirtsWith that in mind, here are the 10 best World Cup shirts France have ever worn.Getty Images102018 Home

In many ways, the 2018 Home shirt was nothing special. The light blue soundwaves on each sleeve were the only real adornment for an otherwise simple dark blue shirt.

Put a number 10 on the back, though, and it becomes something else. Then it brings the memories of 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé driving France to victory, scoring the goals that knocked out Argentina before putting the icing on the cake with France’s last goal as they won their second-ever World Cup. Not bad for a teenager.

AdvertisementGetty Images / GOAL92022 Away

The 2022 World Cup is, so far, going pretty well for France. As well as making it to the final again, they’ve also done well in the kit stakes.

For this year’s away shirt, the nation combines its traditional change colours – white with a blue trim – with an intricate pattern inspired by Toile de Jouy prints and celebrating a whole range of French landmarks.

So far, it hasn’t got a look in at the tournament, and it almost definitely won’t in the final, but it's a banger nonetheless.

Getty Images82014 Away

For another take on the otherwise traditional away shirt, France combined the white and blue shirt with subtle horizontal stripes. The extra detail of the shirt came through the unconventional collar, with a three-button fastening combined with a crew neck.

The air of formality for the kit was only heightened by France’s new stripped-back crest, which was worn for the first time at the Brazil tournament.

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Getty Images72006 Away

There is no beating around the bush. France’s 2006 away shirt will always be associated with one iconic moment in World Cup history: the Zidane headbutt.

Much like the ending of Zidane’s career, it’s unfair for this shirt to get lost in his moment of madness because it’s one of France’s best.

The white base is combined with a red and blue trim, while the standout feature is the gradient that runs across the chest, turning from light blue to bright red.

The Red Devils have broken the transfer record a number of times in the last three decades, but which players have been their best signings?

Getty Images1Eric Cantona – 1992 – £1.2 million from Leeds UnitedManchester United started the Premier League era with a couple of marquee signings, bringing in Dion Dublin from Cambridge United and Eric Cantona from Leeds United. Dublin was Alex Ferguson's second-choice in the transfer market, bringing him to Old Trafford after Alan Shearer moved from Southampton to Blackburn Rovers. He scored just two league goals for the Red Devils before leaving for Coventry City in 1994. On the other hand, Cantona was a revelation for the club, reaching double figures in the Premier League in four of his five seasons, picking up four league titles and two FA Cups along the way.AdvertisementGetty2Roy Keane – 1993 – £3.75m from Nottingham ForestRoy Keane became the most expensive player in English football when he joined United as a 21-year-old and was the face and heart of the team for the next 13 seasons. He played 480 times for the Red Devils winning seven league titles as well as the Champions League in 1999. The Republic of Ireland midfielder was the team's captain for their European success, but missed the final due to suspension after picking up a yellow card during a career-best performance against Juventus in the semi-final.Getty Images3Andy Cole – 1995 – £7m from NewcastleAndy Cole was an immediate success at Manchester United after signing in January 1995. The England attacker ended the season in double figures in the Premier League despite playing just 18 times in half-a-campaign. He went on to score 121 times in all competitions for the club, finishing with five league titles and a Champions League medal.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images4Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 1996 – £1.5m from MoldeOle Gunnar Solskjaer would go down in Manchester United history for one single moment, but scored almost 100 Premier League goals as he became the world's best 'super sub' under Alex Ferguson. He was signed by United after local rivals Manchester City were not willing to take a chance on him, and ended up coming off the bench to score the winner in the club's miraculous comeback in the 1999 Champions League final.